The Region of Taifar

956

In the times before the Affliction, gods were commonly worshipped. Spirituality was a large part of the culture, no matter which god(s) a person worshipped. In most cases, people would worship a primary god which aligned most with their values (families tend to have the same primary god), and then may make offerings to other gods situationally. For example, one person's primary god may be the god of nature, but if they were to make a perilous journey, they may make an offering to the god of protection to ensure their safety. At this time, people were very reliant on the gods and made a large effort to honoring them to ensure they were in good favour.
  About 3000 years since the first records of society were kept, the Affliction swept the region. Natural disasters occurred followed by famine and disease. Over half of Taifar's population was wiped out by the various devastations that occurred during the five years of the Affliction (five is considered an unlucky number now). During this time, people became divided in their devotion to the gods. Many continued to worship them in hopes for a better future, but some people's faith wavered. These people believed that if they had taken more initiative and devised methods to effectively deal with the Affliction instead of hoping the gods would take mercy on them, that many deaths could have been prevented. Their belief was that people's reliance on the gods was ultimately detrimental, and that in order to rebuild a thriving society, people needed to take their own initiative. Thus, the New Thought was born.
  As the Affliction ended and society began to rebuild, the people that rose to power to lead these new societies held the belief that humanoid innovation and ambition was needed to create a society strong enough to endure any more hardships. In order to maintain the favour of those in their populations that still chose to worship the gods, those of the New Thought chose a select number of gods that represented their values and made offerings to them for good fortune. This was mostly for show and to garner the support of a population of vast beliefs. However, this customs sticks around even today as the New Thought is the predominate belief system in most major cities of Taifar.
  As a result of the Affliction, people congregated in the areas least effected by natural disasters. As time went on, these places became the major cities within the region in Taifar, and each has it's own government, laws, and regulations (sort of like a city-state). Over the years, these major cities began to reach out to each other to build an alliance and work towards common goals.
  As time passed and societies rebuilt, more and more people began to see the merit of humanoid achievement. The Era of Innovation had begun. Through study and the innovation of magic and technology, many societies were thriving. Quality of life improved for many, and thus many people adopted the value system of the New Thought. The ways of worshipping gods became practiced by fewer people and became known as The Old Faith.
  In terms of technology, the world is equivalent to the 1600s. Guns have been invented, though they are still being tweaked for ease of use and accessibility. Therefore, weapons such as swords, bows, and daggers are still commonly used. In addition, the printing press has been invented and as such broadsheets have become increasingly popular as a form of information. Books have also become increasingly accessible to the everyday person. In large cities, aqueducts are common, and when combined with magic, water is accessible directly in wealthy homes. In terms of light, some households rely on candles, but many are now utilizing magic. The streets in large cities are magically lit.
  The population across the region of Taifar is very diverse. As the first stage of the Affliction occurred--natural disasters--races mingled since people were forced to flee their homes and converge in certain areas that had not been destroyed. As a result, marriage between different races is common and many societies are a melting pot of cultures.
  The current year is 956 After Affliction (AA). The Affliction happened 3000 years after the first records of civilization, so the current timeline of society goes all the way back until about 3000 Before Affliction (BA).