Welcome to the Island

Written by EmberMagic

The Island is a circular world, towering up from the middle of an endless void. The Island is several hundred years behind earth in terms of technology, and lies roughly in what we would call the medieval era, bordering on the renaissance era.

A World of Wonders

Magic is not particularly rare in this world but nor is it so commonplace as to be uninteresting. The world is full of small magical miracles that many common folk take for granted, but these things keep magic in the forefront of many people's minds and imaginations. It is a well respected force but also feared by some due the people who abuse the power that comes with magic and the multitude of supernatural threats and monsters.

A Mini Geography Lesson

The Island is made up of mostly landmasses around the edge, with an ocean in the centre, scattered with several small archipelagos and a few larger islands. On the western edge, the ocean pours out into the void. The north of the Island is taken up by an frigid mountain range and the south is more arid, with some areas bordering on being deserts. The east is more temperate and forested.

Religion and Beliefs

Most common people are not overly religious but rather replace faith with small superstitions and the like, often relating to herbs and plants, for example, a branch of oak hung over the threshold of a house wards away bad luck and evil spirits, or the fanciful idea that sleeping for three nights with three pebbles beneath your pillow will bring you true love. These beliefs vary by region and they range from the small simple beliefs of most folk to the ridiculous rituals often favoured in some of the eastern regions. The most widespread actual religion is the Atrayitori belief system which consists of many gods, each with domain over their own aspect of nature, for example, their sun god Alyu.

A Terrible Affliction

Recently, a magical disease has been sweeping the lands, dubbed by many as "the Weeping". This terrible affliction leaves its victim incapacitated with an inconsolable sorrow and an overwhelming sense of melancholy. It is incurable execpt through magical means. However, none but the most powerful magic is guaranteed to be a cure since the plague seems to have a warping effect on magic. Some people with strong wills have been able to overcome this disease but the majority of people who catch it cannot, and so, it tends to be treated as a death sentence since only the rich can afford to employ a mage to try and cure them and the rare charitable people who will attempt cure the plague for free are few and far between.

The Old Ones

Once there existed an ancient civilisation so great that its empire spanned the whole of the Island - the Old Ones. They are so ancient that no book has ever been found that details these mysterious people however a few rare ancient tomes do reference "the Old Ones". The whole surface and of the Island is scattered with ruins made in their unique architectural style and many have made fortunes from raiding these for ancient treasures left behind by whatever cataclysm obliterated this once mighty empire. However, afer years of plundering little, if any at all, is left, except in the Tearlands where no one but the foolhardy dares venture because of the magical sorrow that taints them.

A Note about Rules

This world, for the purposes of being a playalbe D&D 5e setting, uses the rules of the fifth edition's Player's Handbook and other official sourcebooks. That includes all races, classes, spells, game mechanics and other things. However, this world also uses a large proportion of homebrew content that has been created for the purpose of being able to play D&D in this setting. Any homebrew content will be detailed in the relevant article but, if it isn't, then that just means I've not gotten round to making it yet!