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Gaia Praetorium

(This was not made by me.)

NOT CANON. FAN-MADE.



==A complete analysis of our people
  By the “Ivory Scholar”==

Preface[]

It all started at around April of 2019 where I bought access to Rogue Lineage on the request of my younger brother, who wanted to fill me in on this sort of “sleeper hit” and play with him and his friends as a way to spend time together, since I moved across the world to go to college in America. Since it was one of the first 40% off sales that occured, there was a massive influx of people and I was plopped in a server full of new players. No guidance, no rules, nothing. 

Discovering everything for the first time, walking through Sentinel and discovering this whole new world just struck a chord that I can’t really describe. This sort of wide-eyed wonder and immersion that I was getting from a Roblox game was something that even triple A titles just pale in comparison to. The more I looked the more I saw, and how much attention to detail and love was put into the game, especially since there were a lot of references and nods to popular games and anime. Rogue really felt like the love child of all these different genres of media, from Dark Souls to the Witcher, from Full Metal Alchemist to Berserk, and more.

I wish I could go back to this sort of innocence, after playing for a while and having a large amount of experience under my belt sort of made me jaded, do you see? With the constant deaths, the exploiters, and growing toxicity from the community as a whole just became a burden.

As it stands, the game’s fire is slowly dying down into embers, and I could feel the disappointment from Ragoozer of how the attitude of Rogue was treated. It was combat-focused, and the hidden, but deep lore was pretty much ignored.

This changes now. This small project is dedicated to Rag and his team, as thanks for making this game.

What will follow is a list of lore of the races from Gaia, their history, and is essentially me piecing together the pieces and filling in the blanks with what is basically headcanon.  



“H a v e   y o u   s e e n ?”


Introduction[]



Greetings, dear reader. No doubt that you picked this tome up from the library as a primer on your history lessons, or mayhaps you looked at the title with curiosity, and wondered what wondrous secrets the bound parchment held?



To answer your inquisitive mind, this book is an analysis of the history of our people, or ancestors, and where our races and lineages can trace back to. For many years have I traveled the Vearth and discovered many historical secrets, from the hidden texts of the Library of Magus, located within the Castellan capital of Magna Solis, all the way to the deeply rich oral histories of the nomadic Kasperan peoples. 



In any case, as the era is coming to an end I made it my life’s mission to archive and record the histories of our branched, but connected, peoples into one comprehensive text. This way, when we in the distant future have lost ourselves in war or in peace, we can look back and see how it was, and determine for ourselves if we progressed further for the better, or for the worse.



Of course, I will touch on other subjects that have passed my eyes during my journeys, like certain factions and how they exert their influence to the world with their members, and as a special bonus, I will impart my understanding of magic to you, the reader, just in case you might become a fellow scholar.



As it stands, please forgive this soul for any grammatical errors or improper writing form, as I am a historian and sociologist, not a linguistic expert.



To start, the original race's historical secrets date back several centuries, but from the annals from the Library of Magus, it's determined that the deep-running line of Castellan sages have recorded historical events and guarded such historical secrets, running back over 5,000 years! 

It's universally accepted that of the natural races, ones that either have distinct lines of lineage tracing back to the original ancient ancestors, or those who were in Gaia before the Great Opening, and are commonly and accepted to be "natural" are as follows: Haseldans, Ashiins, Castellans, Dzins, Scrooms, Rigans, Kasperans, and more recently, Constructs. Of course, I will be covering races that are considered not “native” or more accurately, not descendents of our ancestors and/or are not original inhabitants of this world.



Dragons are said to be one of the two original inhabitants of Gaia, long before our ancient ancestors planewalked to this land during the Great Opening. It's widely unknown what caused the Great Opening, but from what can be discerned, it was not intentional. On the topic of dragons, in modern times there have been tales, or, more accurately, rumors, of two types of dragons - feral dragons, or commonly known as “lesser” dragons, and “greater” dragons. However, I'd like to drop this myth into the mud. There is no such thing as lesser or greater dragons, they’re all dragons, it’s the fact that since dragons are essentially immortal, or at least very long lived, they run the risk of going mad with age. 

I’ve traveled deep into the north, past the protective walls and have conversed with these creatures when I travelled to meet the remote tribes of nomadic Kasperans. My dragonspeak is a little rough, but the fact that we have textbooks on their language (or something that’s close to it) available in libraries shows that they are intelligent to an amazing degree. These long-lived beings captivated me with their first-hand stories of the past, me being a historian and all.



More on this in the Kasperan section of the book, the traditional oral stories have a fascinating amount of detail regarding these exceptionally rare and noble beings.

“Will of iron,

Born of mettle,

Steel yourselves,

Against their metal.” 

- Old Haseldan Proverb



HASELDAN:[]

People of dark hair and eyes, with a bright amber skin tone. Out of all the races that inhabit Gaia, these people are the most common. Of course, their long history denotes their prowess in battles, as Haseldan fighters have a reputation of being unbreakable warriors. Every one of them, from men to women, elderly to child, are all natural-born fighters with an unbendable will of iron.



“I saw it, Sergeant, he rose from the mud, surrounded, riddled with arrows, two blades in his back… I’ve seen men die with half of those injuries, but he stood and fought like a beast, howling at the wind - those titanic whirlwind of swings left nothing alive.” - Private Otto’s report, The Southern War.



The wars between the Ashiin’s and Haseldans are long, dotting the timeline of written history ever since the start of the exodus. Haseldan’s and Ashiin’s are actually related, as long ago, Haseldan’s were a splinter faction from Ashiin culture. Half-breeds, misfits, and the lower servant class were the “ancestors” of the Haseldan race. Due to the prejudice faced by the Ashiin culture, there was a mass-exodus south of the Ashiin capital of Spartaé, where the Haseldan people migrated past the connecting sea. Legends say the warrior-monk Seldan parted the sea and led the newly founded Haseldan people to a promised land. 



Finding the promised land was difficult, and their journeys across the seas and past the shifting sands culled many of their kind. During the journey, it was said that Seldan praised his people and the unbreakable will that they earned. The legend ends after many years of searching the Haseldan people discovered a large oasis beneath the scorching sun, which soon became the capital of the Haseldan people, Sekhtam. Sekhtam was a true mixing pot, a free city - though you may already know this. There is very little in the way of a class system, and to become a citizen one can simply live there for a set amount of years and apply, or marry in. In modern times one can trace their lineage to the original inhabitants of the free city where because of the great mixture of races that settled in Sekhtam, the features of the many different varieties of peoples have blended into the characteristic amber skin and dark hair and eyes that is commonly seen in Haseldan today. 

Aside from being a free city where even non-citizens enjoyed many rights during their stay, the citizens had an amazing tradition and culture of stoicism, perseverance, and strong respect and connection with their ancestors. Any person of the Haseldan bloodline can enter a state of “Rotschleier”, a term coined from old shamanistic languages, which loosely translates to “Red Veil”. Those who’ve entered this state of mind are normally in grave danger with serious bodily injury. However - those affected by Rotschleier can fight like a wild beast, even with injuries that would’ve killed any lesser being two times over. Indeed, it’s a well-known fact that when pushed to the absolute breaking point, an enraged Haseldan  in the trance-like state of Rotschleier can give blows and connect swings with superhuman strength.

Early accounts of Rotschleier have been made legendary from the many stories borne from the conflicts between the Ashiins and Haseldans, many of which when stripped of nationalistic pride and propraganda, are just disputes in either territory like trade routes, rights to familial territories, or simply because both sides were mercenaries on wars that were not caused by tensions between the two capitals. Of course, Sekhtam being a free city, there were many cases where Haseldans who were direct descendants to “outcasted” Ashiin royalty contested inheritance with their cousins, which also helped fuel territorial disputes between duchies, claiming that they deserved a say in inheritance. The first of these first-hand accounts come from reports in battle, the most famous of which are from the Southern War, which you may know was fought over the port city of Constantine, the massive trade city connecting the two continents via the silver sea. It held a large amount of economical importance to the Ashiins, and a lot of nationalistic importance to the Haseldans - being the first city the original Haseldan pilgrims reached when on their great journey to find their promised land. Of course, the war was just shy of two hundred years ago, and the loss that the Ashiin’s suffered was the final nail in the coffin for their militaristic dominance over the middle continents, and marked the true beginning for their downfall. 



During these turbulent times, Haseldan warriors sought out the technique to refine the unique art of Rotschleier. Eventually, they mastered the art of forcibly enacting a technique dubbed “Bloodline”, the mastery of which can forcibly staunch bleeding and regenerate wounds to a small degree, and allow oneself to shrug off injuries and trade blows with superhuman strength. Of course, the strain on the body is immense and would make the user pass out after a short period, making this technique a final trump card in the arsenal of the almost mythical status of the renowned Haseldan berserker.



In the more peaceful times of today, the Haseldans can be seen all over the world, as travellers and great merchants. Their hold over Constantine and their outstanding business acumen and grit has allowed them to become world-renowned merchants, business owners and explorers. I implore you to visit both Sekhtam and Constantine if you have the means to do so, these cities are rich with goods from all over the Vearth.



If you are one who lives by the blade, however, take comfort in the fact that a Haseldan by your side in battle is nothing little but a stroke of good fortune. Just pray that your opponent doesn’t have a few of their own.

“Body of fire,

Eyes of green,

Raze the lands,

For all is seen.”

- Prophecy of Sin, pg. 23

ASHIIN:[]

People of tanned, orange skin and fiery red hair with piercing green eyes. They’re said to be born of fire, and their training and tempers can contribute to that notion. Ashiins in the modern times are people of fierce nationalism and unity. All Ashiins strive for “perfection”, what that means is up to the individual, but nevertheless it’s apparent in their mastery of their crafts in modern times. 

Ethnocentrism was (but some consider that it still is) the dominating factor for Ashiin culture, as loyalty to the state and military is the number one ideal that all Ashiin’s share. All newborn Ashiins are held to a test of health and physical perfection, those who do not meet the standards are cast out and left to die, or in rare occurrences of survival or adoption, become a part of the lower-servant class. All young boys and girls that meet the standards enter a state-sponsored school and are traditionally trained in combat until they reach adulthood. 

However, due to the mass exodus of the Haseldan people, there was a drastic change in how society worked as up to that point, all Ashiin’s were apart of the military and the lower-class workers took care of all the manual labor and craftsmen jobs that were needed to keep the society functional. Without the support of the lower class, Ashiin society had to quickly adapt and from then forward, there was more freedom in the choice of profession to the younger Ashiin prospect. 

In modern times, Ashiin fighters are quite common and reknowned for their skill with fighting barehanded, but workers and other more “peaceful” professions are not uncommon either. Long-gone is the lengthy and gruelling training that was enacted in the past to create the perfect soldiers that Spartaé was famous for producing. It was soon replaced with a more cut-down and shortened version of this and even so, in the event that Spartaé or her cities need a workable militia, all citizens can defend themselves and their country one way or another.

This is especially true after the Ashiin loss of the port city of Constantine, as said in the previous chapter, was the final nail in the coffin for their militaristic dominance over the middle continents, and marked the true beginning for their downfall. After the loss of the port city, the economical support that it garnered was a heavy blow to the Ashiin cities, and because of it, they soon lost the means to support their widespread conquered lands. Eventually, it degraded to other countries retaking their lost lands, and the Ashiin control of the middle lands to slowly recede and eventually their wars became less about conquest and more about fighting for exclusive trade routes and keeping land that they could support.



Not all was lost, however, eventually there was some stabilization and reforms after losing territory, with many political campaigns to keep their already existing lands alongside with working on internal affairs allowed the nation to weather the storm and eventually stabilize. Surprisingly enough, there still is a long reign of prosperity, as the society drifted away from militarism to more of a production-oriented one. Of course, their philosophy and drive for perfection made them surprisingly well-renowned philosophers, artisans, mathematicians, craftsmen, and Vint makers. If you ever visit the city of Spartaé, take note of the great climate and statues of old heroes in the city. The world-famous schools of thought and mathematics go hand-in-hand there, as the Ashiin’s themselves proved that the world is round and the great Ashiin philosopher Plato himself formulated the theory of forms. 

Their museums are nothing to scoff at either, old heirlooms, stories, and other curious collectables gathered from their long line of conquest allowed them to amass quite an amazing collection of trinkets from distant lands. For those of ample faith, however, you can take comfort that the murals adorning the inside of Solan’s churches are an enrapturing sight to behold.

“From ashen skin,

To blackened bones,

Golden eyes arose,

From under’s home.”

- Book o’ Faybles an Mysterie, pg. 3

RIGANS:[]

People of ashen to blackened skin and striking gold eyes, these people are a unique blend of circumstance, amazing evolution and selective breeding. According to their own history, their lineage can be traced back to the ancient ones, same as all other natural races. Apparently they were descendants of scholars who wanted to map out and explore the perilous lands that our ancestors accidentally planewalked into. Eventually they discovered the Underdark, a massive, expansive cave system deep beneath the Vearth in the north. From there, the concrete story is obfuscated. Some communities claim that it was an intentional escape, that they felt that their chances were better underground, others say they were banished, and my own theory, the scholars stayed there permanently to better understand magic and it’s source.

You see, the Rigans have a unique affinity for magic and the element of ice. Their body absorbs the ambient energy more readily than any other race and experienced members of their race can turn this ability on overdrive. This technique is dubbed “Flood” which effectively gives them an infinite amount of mana for a set duration, at the cost of cutting their capacity in half for a short period. This works by “opening the body to the core of the Vearth’s energy, and reveling in its greatness”.

It’s said that this evolution came from their deep connection with the underground Vearth, and it is theorized that the closer you are to the core of the Vearth, the more attuned you are to it, and in turn, the more you are in tune with the source of magic in this world. With this being said, Rigans are known to be great and accomplished mages, as they are known for being intelligent even compared to more scholarly races like the Castellan. Rigan mages do hold another advantage against other mages - no one can cast spells faster than them. In a duel with spells, bet your silver on them.

Alongside their natural gifts in intelligence, they are unfortunately stereotypically known to be somewhat arrogant and even worse, their unique abilities allow them to escape danger more readily than others, paired alongside their natural charm and wit they have earned themselves a reputation of being skilled thieves, charmers, and con men. This of course, is not a natural inclination as it is a cultural one. You see, the underdark is a vast network of massive caves, divided into what we can think of as “continents” or “provinces”. These caves are large, inhospitable, and sorely lacking in resources. This means that traditionally, the number one goal of each individual Rigan was advancement in their society, which in turn meant more luxuries and resources at their disposal. This meant that life was short and cutthroat before their discovery and introduction to the surface world centuries ago.

As their introduction to the world was made known, they were quick and eager to explore the surface world, something that was completely alien to them, as their subterranean cities were alien to us. While there were many adjustments to be made to their behaviors on the surface and their physical adaptations as their large, piercing golden eyes made it easy to see in the dark caverns, it was a hurdle to get accustomed to the bright sunlight of the surface. With their natural abilities and admirable ambition, they’ve asserted themselves as well respected members of the surface society, as you can see plenty of Rigan mages, scholars, and government officials all throughout the lands.

The underdark too, has had their society changed for the better. Rare gems, metals, and other such items have allowed the underdark cities to prosper in their production of luxury products like jewelry and high-quality cuts of building and statue stones. These imports to the surface allowed those who’d prefer the familiarity over the underdark comfort in their attained upper-stations, and served to soothe the rather ruthless nature that scarcity brought.

“Ancient’s advice, fear the night...

Creatures will wander as daylight dies...

One’s blue-eyes open, wide-awake...

Not cov’rd by quilt, the child, they’ll take...”

- Castellan lullaby

CASTELLAN:[]

People with fair hair and skin, with beaming blue eyes. Castellans are regarded as the closest link to our ancient ancestors, as their society and cities are the oldest in existence, and their archives, annals and historical records span long before other societies have even begun their settlements. The Castellan capital of Magna Solis is located in the northern continent, and is famous for their research in magic and sciences. Of course the  Library of Magus is probably the highlight of all efforts for knowledge, as it is the single most largest gathering of books and other related knowledge on all subjects from magic to medicine, mechanics to alchemy, and much, much more. Scholars from all across the Vearth flock to this place of learning, and all of Castellan society generally has the same goal: pursuit of knowledge. There is a council of elder maesters that makes up the leadership of Castellan society, and as such, the political sphere makes it somewhat of a republic scientocracy.

As the Library of Magus is the key gathering point for all knowledge in the world, some who are not privy to how the library works internally may assume that this place is a school, and while it may be in some aspects, it is generally agreed upon that it is a collection of books, not teachers. Already well established scholars and learners come to the library to further their fields of study and to research more about their field of interest, and unless you are training to become a librarian there really isn’t anyone there willing to teach any and all bumbling novice scholars. That is, if you can even enter the library as a novice in the first place! You see, to even apply to enter the library you need approval from the chain of command that runs the library in the first place. One must assert themselves as an accomplished scholar, publish findings in their field of choice, have it peer reviewed and approved, and finally pay a hefty sum to be put on the entry list. The library is a massive structure in of itself, and can accommodate hundreds to thousands of scholars, with room and board as long as you can afford to stay. As someone who’s been inside, I can say with confidence that the library feels like a city within the city. It’s just inefficient and wasted time to tutor someone from scratch, and you as a novice are better off finding more established and specific schools of learning outside the library’s walls. For the city of Magna Solis has a wide array of institutes of higher learning spanning all subjects, provided you are willing to pay the coin. Of course, I recommend Spartaé if you are a scholar of arithmetic or schools of philosophical thought. My advice to you, dear reader, if you plan on becoming a scholar, a polymath is better than those who study just one subject. 

If you do happen to fulfill all the requirements, then I am proud to know that an accomplished scholar is reading this book with presumed interest. However, to those who aspire to be a scholar trusted enough to peruse through the rare tomes, I do recommend treating the librarians and especially the books with respect. Punishments for mishandling a book are severe, and the librarians can ban you permanently from the library, and tear your career to shreds for minor to moderate offenses. The illusionists there are quite vigilant, and no-one can escape their mind and barrier magics, so fret not, they can defend the area perfectly well. However, those who want to access the more secretive and exclusive tomes should and I say this with respect, not get their hopes up if you plan on doing it legitimately. The bureaucratic option is long, arduous, and very rarely successful, you’d have a better chance at marrying a duchess than hoping to apply and get accepted in any reasonable time! However, by some odd stroke of fortune you do happen to marry a duchess or any person in power, well, I salute to you and urge that you need not worry about the advice I'm about to give, though if you are one of more modest means, please do read ahead.



As the textbooks kept under lock and key in the upper archives are either tomes of questionable, and sometimes down right repulsive in nature, like instructions on necromancy and how to bind the dead as servants, or on the contrary, books of significant importance like first hand historical writing from the ancients themselves. In short, they’re books on taboo and banned subjects, or books of historical and cultural significance. 

In any case, I recommend finding people of importance willing to pull strings on your behalf, and to find a willingness to part with your silver in a generous manner to those keeping a close eye on you, especially if you are a mage of ample power, immune to their observation and scrying spells. Make sure to keep your intentions pure, however. There are countless scholars who’ve fallen into the temptation that forbidden magic brings, or fallen to greed in an attempt to steal these precious tomes, and met a fate worse than death itself. For the illusionists are invisible, ever vigilant, they never tire, and they do not feel remorse to those who pose a danger to the library. They could easily break your mind and reduce it to a grey mush, rendering you a simpleton, fit only for a permanent sentence of hard labor in Magna Solis’s distant salt mines.

I’ve felt that I went on a tangent on Magna Solis’s stupendous library, it’s time for an explanation on the Castellan themselves. As one closest to our ancient ancestors they enjoy many benefits regarding magic itself. Truth be told, due to the close connection, all Castellans are naturally born mages, their ability to cast a bit faster and better than regular mages alongside their increased potency with all spells have made Castellan mages a staple from courtrooms to battlefields for centuries.

Even so, there’s a secret art dedicated to enhancing spells beyond what is conventionally seen. Those who have gained an attunement to a spell, that is, use the spell so frequently that the spell has made a mark on one’s soul and mind, can unleash its effects with a simple snap of the fingers. These snap magics are varied, and can suit a wide variety of purposes in combat. However, all races are limited to just one, unless you sacrifice a part of your very soul to have another. However, all Castellans are naturally born with and can use not one, but two snap spells. 

More on this in the chapter about magic itself.

“From fires's breath,

To scales of stone,

Eluding death,

And succor'd home.”

- Kasparan mantra 


KASPARAN:[]

A people of draconic appearances, from long horns and slitted eyes to scales that array themselves in bewildering colors. Their looks are striking, and frankfully intimidating, however fear not, as these nomadic people are humble, friendly, and greatly kind to outsiders.

My time with these people were short, as they were a nomadic sort. Their tales and great oral stories and real-life heroes defied in their tales was an absolute delight to partake in. Kasparan merriment is like no other, take that as truth from a veteran traveler of the Vearth! While the initial uneasiness faded away, I noticed that they’re quite charming, in the sense that all Kasparans were filled with vigor and life that I can describe as unnatural, but very welcome. This can be seen in those who have left their nomadic tribes and settled in a more rigid society, as they make great innkeepers, bards, sales people, and more. 

As their rich oral tradition dictates, their "ascended" lineage branches from our ancient ancestors who rejected civilized society and adapted a nomadic lifestyle, worshipping the Ancient Dragons as gods among the physical plane.

Due to the waning of magic, however, it was said that Dragons have found it more and more difficult to propagate and sustain themselves in Gaia. As a result of this, to prevent extinction some Dragons decided to share their bloodlines with the ancient ancestors themselves.

Those who share the dragonsblood have features that make them apparent. Their draconic visages, strong scales, horns, and innate ability to breathe fire and speak in the dragon's tongue are just a handful of what is possible for them. It is rumored that Kasparans are partially immortal, as the dragon's blood inside them enriches their soul with an uncanny vitality.

In Kasparan society, the color of your scales indicates the purity of your lineage, and all Kasparan royalty are colored purple. Green scales are reserved generally for commoners, while red scales indicate one from a lineage of warriors. The rare and elusive Albino Kasparans are considered a bad omen in society, and are frequently cast out and shunned. Most that are born as Albinos rarely live very long after birth, as they are abandoned by their parents. Even so, there are cases where Albinos have found their way into the homes of more rigid society, and have been adopted and raised by others, leading relatively peaceful lives. An interesting fact, however, is that all those who breed with Kasparans will always produce a Kasparan offspring, commonly green or red in color, but never purple. This is said to be the case due to the extreme potency that the dragonsblood can hold.

On the topic of dragons, while expressing my intent on documenting their histories they allowed me a rare opportunity to meet with their patron dragon. Alongside my shaky hands, stuttering and rough dragonspeak, I’m truly glad that I had my Kasparan guide next to me to help my translations, and I learned a great deal about their race. Everything for the most part, aside from their flair for the dramatic is true, and this patron dragon in particular was quite ancient, and was able to recite some experiences with the original ancestors, albeit with a hazy recollection.

When I asked about how they were born or created in this world, I got a reply that can be translated to:

“We were born of fire and sky, from the sands of the Vearth to the long-standing stones of time immemorial.”.

I found this particularly interesting, as the epics from old Kasparan tales of heroes state that many have been able to wield both fire and sky specifically, lightning itself.

The escape was short, but the experience that I had will stay with me forever. The merriment alone was a fantastic memory, but that ancient, primordial fear and awe that I had when I was in front of that ancient being… It leaves no doubts on why the Kasparan people themselves choose to worship these noble creatures as gods walking the physical plane.

“Dear childe of Gigel...

Dare not weep,

The blessing of truth,

Given to those who are meek.”

- Psalms to Solan, pg. 10

GAIAN:[]

Rare and elusive robotic beings. Their metallic construction and cold demeanor does little to warm them to the public eye. However, despite what one may assume, these are indeed people that have souls of their own, and have sacrificed their bodies and their lives in the search of “Truth”. 

Their bodies are made of metal and run by oil, but these people have a tangible soul still within them. This ageless feat of engineering genius are the creations of Gigel himself. Although he sacrificed all manner of people to perfect this vessel of immortality, it did little to change the heart of the wielder. Worse yet, immortality is a curse more than it is a boon, as the centuries pass on, memories fade, and convictions wane. Those who were pious soon turned bitter at their fate. Others reveled in what potential it brought, only to realize that vices of the past apply not to those made of steel. A heart of iron, it took. To move on pass the years, slowly die out and simply exist in a torpor. It’s rare to see Gaians today, as many have perished, broken along the centuries. Many live their lives as normal as one can in that state, but often muse about what it meant to be flesh. Do they truly still exist? Are they damned once they perish? Pious ones turned to Solan, and ones burning with the flames of hatred, soon took action. These embers are manifestations of latent regret, and those burdened by sins must carry this weight within their hearts.

A word of caution, to you, reader. There are many great and noble Gaians, but take note in a secret that I have discovered. An unwritten rule, so to speak. Those who had their souls planted in their robotic bodies long ago were separated by their ceremonial robes. Those close to Gigel, pious and good, wore robes of deep purple. Those who were condemned criminals, wore robes of ragged, brown burlap. When a Gaian warrior modifies their body to become armor, take up this color scheme to make clear of their past.

The story goes that long ago, an eccentric man by the name of Gigel was obsessed in learning the truth about magic. He’s heard tales and experienced visions of ascending, becoming closer to the source of all magic, obtaining “truth” and casting spells without the use of a tome. His charismatic character alongside his seemingly limitless intellect allowed him to attain a large following, alongside the eyes of the upper-echelons of Solan’s church.

Pouring over from alchemical to religious texts, he found a way to purify fire to the point where it became a ready vessel for souls. Of course, methods to find whether or not the fire was pure enough to putrefy the body but leave the soul in a clean state for sacrifice was no easy manner. When fanatics over the cause grew thin and the support for “the greater good” began to wane, more unsavory individuals were used, sacrificed in an attempt to cleanse their putrid souls. It turns out that it matters not whether one is pure of heart or not, a soul is a soul.

While this was happening, Gigel was also working on an artificial means of attaining immortality, as he felt his life waning after the years, but the truth that he sought was so near to him. So, he researched and invented a method of forcibly putrefying the body, leaving a clean soul and binding that soul to a vessel for holding, instead of sacrifice. He used trusted members of his flock alongside murderous criminals, it mattered not. His methods of transporting souls to their new shells needed to be absolutely perfect. 

However, before he could go along with the procedure himself, he finally attained his method of grasping his “truth”. He discovered the method, and by sacrificing eight of the natural races by white fire, he was able to create an “artificial” substitute for the ancient’s soul, by combining the races, it made a complete circle and worthy fuel to open the Gate of Truth. 

He conducted his final experiment. An individual with crimes so heinous that the legends leave out this detail. Hundreds of lives, it’s hinted, were snuffed out by their hands. Gigel made a promise, the sinner will walk through the gate, find their inner truth, and emerge from the other end anew, pardoned from their crimes. They jumped at the opportunity, more power to crush lives and the permission to roam free? Their entire life was based on taking from others, and it seems that the sinner themself was blessed by nothing other than Ardor’s own fortune. They passed the gate, saw the truth, and were burdened by the titanic weight of their own sins. Painful wails of agony and pleading were heard, coming silent only when the gate itself shut.

It was final. Only one unburdened by the hefty weight of sin can pass through and obtain the truth. Good deeds were done in the name of progress. Gigel passed through the gate.

Once he emerged from the other side, first of his kind, he became privy to all manner of things. To see the world in a new light, to channel spells without the aid of a tome. But there was an unintended result - to become tomeless and achieve truth is to lose something within oneself. Gigel lost his desire, his drive. How could one go on when they achieved everything? Obtained truth? Know all manner of things? To sum it all up by Gigel himself:



“Those who achieved and peered into the realm of God, should show humility. Discover that finding truth is only the beginning. The start. To finally understand that even when we know everything, we understand nothing.” - Gigel, soon before immolating himself in the white flames.



It’s speculated on what truly caused his death. Did he finally find the truth and was unsatisfied with the result? Or was it the burden of the sins of all those priceless souls sacrificed for him to achieve his goal? It’s unknown, but the only remnant of his story is that becoming tomeless is still an achievement one can do today. Normally it’s rewarded to mages who’ve done untold amounts of good, but there are stories hushed deep beneath the room with a gate and white flame, behind bars where the sinners lie, of those corrupted by the power that the “truth” would bring them.

“DEATH TO ALL BUT ONE.

CULL ALL THOSE WHO DESECRATE,

OUR LANDS BENEATH THE SUN.”

- Scroom chant of remembrance

SCROOMS:[]

Odd forms of sentient life, walking mushrooms or sentient stalks of fungi. Characterized by their white body and large and rotund mushroom cap. These caps are a sort of pride to the Scroom, and their color often denotes a type of stereotype amongst themselves, comparable to horoscopes or birth signs that some charlatans use in our society. These colors can vary, from red, blue, green, brown, and the most elusive, pink. Reserved only for the leaders of their settlements, the pink capped Scroom is actually earned through a special process known only to those who’ve undergone it. Unfortunately, there haven’t been any diplomatic reports of any pink-capped Scrooms for some time now. 

While they are not related to the ancients in any way shape or form, Scrooms are in fact, one of two original races that inhabited Gaia before the Great Opening. The other sentient life form, of course, are dragons. This explains their general tendency towards “evil”, and are categorized as naturally vile in nature. Their hatred towards other races are apparent, as ever since the ancients arrival to this plane, they’ve suffered many a conflict with these rather primitive (at the time) people. However, they were no real match against the collective firepower and might that the ancient’s held, even with much of their technology lost, the Scrooms have never been able to retake their lands as it once was, and have dwindled in numbers in the past few decades. 

Even so, while a vast majority of Scrooms choose to isolate themselves within areas uninhabitable to the rest of Gaia’s inhabitants, some very rarely may choose to “defect” to our society. It is, in fact, this reason why we have an understanding of potions, alchemy, and natural shamanistic magics. Old Scrooms lured in by the power that our ancient’s technology offered were willing to give their secrets of nature itself in exchange for a small taste of that power. The first druids and alchemists were Scrooms, and if one wants to even become a druid themselves, must find a Scroom mentor. Continuing their history, these Scroom heretics and defectors soon realized that their magics were useless without an abundance of nature and their philosophy in the “harmony of balance”. They returned to their swamps, practicing their spells to bend nature to their will once again. Even with the knowledge that druidic magic existed, it became somewhat of a lost art. No books can teach the attunement needed to wield such magic, and only first-hand work with brewing potions and steady mentorship can cultivate the growing buds that will bloom into the fully-fledged manipulators of nature themself.

Thankfully I was lucky enough to survive my ventures into the Great Swamp, despite the poisonous bogs and hostile creatures, the Scrooms that live there are known to drive off outsiders with… Lethal results. In any case, the abundance of nature was an eerie but interesting sight and while my scroomspeak is rather rusty, I managed to converse briefly with the Scroom inhabitants in their noxious and inhospitable swamp cities. Apparently I surprised and amused them with my knowledge of their tongue, (I think they felt that their supremacy was acknowledged after my groveling) and I fear that that was the sole reason why I wasn’t turned bound to a tree and flayed alive for trespassing upon their lands. It was just by this pure stroke of luck that I managed to learn a little about their culture first-hand, escaping with my hide still attached to my back, with a bit of broken pride.

Warning to all travellers, be prepared to grovel for your life, for what awaits those with hubris are fates that make death far more preferable. If you are allured by the ability to bend nature to your will, and do decide to venture, I recommend a guide and a great understanding of scroomspeak. Alchemists, stray away from the cities, and make your way to areas of abundant nature. While Mother Nature herself is the embodiment of harmony, this does not mean she is defenseless nor should she be trifled with.

“Shifted skin, stolen every year,

Fangs produced, amongst ghastly fear,

When pulled right across, from ear to ear,

Grants wicked smiles, to those held dear.”

  • The Book of Ruin, introduction

MADRASIANS:[]

Changelings, mimics, body-snatchers, dopplers, shifters, or simply, rats. Madrasians and their true forms are a rare sight outside the city of Madras. True forms characterized by pale skin, ashen brown hair and green eyes. While a naturally cowardly race, they are exceptional actors and have no qualms deceiving others. Of course, this further fans the stereotype that a Madrasian will lie, cheat, and steal, only to run at the first sign of danger. However, you’d be sorely mistaken if “cowardly” meant “defenseless”.



“The Madrasian Crime Lords, well known for their cunning deception due to their unique racial abilities. While one would think these so-called "men" as sniveling rats when backed into a corner, the street Kings of Madras produce long sharp daggers known as fangs to great effect when they find themselves in mortal danger.” - Anonymous



There is much speculation on what brought the Madrasians to Gaia, as they are not related to our ancient ancestors by blood, but only by appearance. When I traveled to Madras, I searched for answers first-hand. But as expected, their answers were elusive and obfuscated the real truth. As a result, I travelled to the Library of Magus in an attempt to discern the truth, and I believe I have come to a sensible conclusion. Fair warning, this is, when boiled down, is just speculation. But if it is close to the truth, I urge that being forthright and honest about one’s origins would help soothe our stereotypes that we hold against these people.



“Earl Carris of Monsters was responsible for the creation and the introduction of monsters into our mortal plane. While Ardor can be said to be the progenitor of some of the world's first dark creatures, with their creations came a barrier from Solan. Carris through unknown means was able to create tears in this barrier, allowing monsters never before seen to enter our world.” 

- Encyclopedia and Bestiary of Monsters, introductory page



I believe that Madrasians were originally monsters that were introduced to this world by Earl Carris of Monsters. Sentient, with little choice but to blend in our societies, they did so for survival. Eventually their original forms melted away and became the form that we know today. It would explain their abilities to shift into others, but still keep a humanoid form. Particular masters of shifting can shift into inanimate objects, but the method of how this is possible is unknown, as is the method of their shifting in the first place. However, do take note that while Madrasians cannot breed with other races, the humanoid form that they possess is their true form, and their origins of being “monsters” brought in by Carris is simply just a very loose title, as it doesn’t make sense to classify sentient beings that share our world happily as monsters in the first place.



Moving on to different subjects about the Madrasians - the underground, mountainous city of Madras. Madrasians themselves are isolationists, and their city is comparatively small. But the rather famous City of Brass is a well known trade hub, centered near the borders of three countries, their production of textiles, writing, and bookbinding materials is what they are known and famous for. Of course, a more innocent use for their natural inclination to mockery and deceit have made them exceptional poets, writers, playwrights, and comedics. Madrasian minstrels and bards are beloved by many, made famous with their traveling circuses and roadside performances. 

A less innocent subject that’s pervasive among the Madras citizen’s lips are talk of so-called “Faceless Men”. Individuals who have given up being individuals, a death cult, an order of assassins fed up with pretending to “be” someone else, and instead choose to discard their identity and possessions, to become what they believe is their true, naked form - To be “No one”.

Of course, these are what most rulers and people fear, Madrasians can make excellent spies and assassins due to their abilities, but shy away from such actions due to their cowardly and relatively docile,  peaceful nature. 

How do I truly know that these daggers-for-hire are real? 



Because recently their cult has been outed and mostly eradicated. Assassins take comfort in hiding and the dark, but when the covers are pulled off, they become naught but defenseless. 



Disturbingly enough, their holy book, dedicated to the art of death, dubbed “The Book of Ruin” tells tales of how to remove one’s face and become no-one, and techniques to mete their wicked will with assassination techniques. This book, guarded in Magna Solis’s protected archives, shows that not only Madrasians can become Faceless men, but all races can be one.



Thankfully, these hired blades are rare, and have been exposed to not be a mere rumor spoken in hushed tones in taverns, but true, and a real threat. They’re still out there, but the higher echelons of the secret society have been sentenced to death, and have left naught but the bottom dregs left to be mopped up from our society.

“I mirror your soul.

Inscribe your being on flesh.

You live on through me.”

  • Poems from Gaia, Dinakeri.

DINAKERI:[]

People of charcoal black skin, pure white hair and eyes that burn with infernal colors of blue, white, or green. It’s unknown where they truly came from, but they’re speculated to be one of the first “dark creatures” that were ushered into this world by Ardor, or, my personal belief, a mockery of our ancients, our ideas, our beliefs, they’re sentient creatures that mirror our image, from the plane that Altrum controls. 



"They’re corporeal manifestations of the soul. Essentially they were first developed by Dinakeri tribes as a way of inscribing those they killed onto their bodies. A sort of “they live on through me” type of deal. Dinakeri would kill in order to use the soul to gain more power. Eldin found a less “barbaric” form of soul tearing by only destroying part of the soul. This allowed the soul to reform for future harvesting but cut off the damaged soul's ability to conduct mana."

- A discussion on Rune Magicks, chapter 2



They are what you could say, a true manifestation of our soul. A shadow cast, showing the silhouette that is the makeup of the core of our being. These elusive and rare people are one of the enigmas that inhabit this land alongside us. It is known, however, that these people are rarely kind-hearted, but filled with malice. A twisted perversion of us, a mockery, a simple foil to our beliefs and values of kindness and generosity. 

Or is it? Their methods of magic and abilities to rend souls from those they’ve slain are harrowing, but if they are to be corporeal manifestations of souls, then does that mean our ideals of good are simply a farce, a mask to hide the true intentions of our nature?

Questions that we may not want the answer to, I suppose.



“Once were people of mystic will,

Who meditated on mountains and hills,

They opened their eyes,

Saw naught but lies,

And went blind, from then, till.”

  • Poems from Gaia, Dzin.

DZIN:[]

Elusive people with steel grey eyes, dark hair, and either red or blue skin. Famous mountain hermits who sought after contact with the universe, the world, or harmony with life itself. Their temples dedicated to meditation are located beyond the Sea of Trees, far from civilization along the World’s Trail. This forest is filled with mist and mystifications, making it not only ideal for training illusion techniques, but barrier magic as well.

Their long isolation and studies on perceiving the world in different manners have allowed them to “see” the life force of creatures. As the original founder of the Dzin clan put it:



"We are seeing on the basest of planes. What we need, are more eyes."



Wielding this perception is inherently unnatural and is essentially peeking at a world with vision not our own. The price to pay for peering into the “World’s Pulse” for too long is total blindness, in exchange to see the “souls” of all living beings, one permanently stuck in a world of darkness, only able to see the silhouette of one’s soul.

Dzins who have awakened their mind’s eye, are touched by the cosmos, given an unnatural insight, characterized by a third eye that dominates their forehead. When opened, this eye allows one to see a brief glimpse of the future, and can be used to avoid fates that spell danger.

Other than this, Dzin’s as hinted before, are the progenitors of Illusionists. Their techniques to fool, to deceive, to break and mend minds and cast barriers to protect their homes were simply natural necessities in their line of study. Not all Dzins are Illusionists, but you’d do well to respect them anyway.

“Keepers of Sky,

Wild and Free,

Keep watch of our lands,

Down to the deep blue sea.”

  • Ballad of Keepers of Sky, Stanza 1.

VIND & FISCHERAN:[]

These two races hail from a different plane, and fled here after Earl Carris of Monsters ravaged their homeland. These two races have an odd, but symbiotic dynamic. 

The Vinds are people of the sky, beings born with close ties to mana, and may be born of it. Naturally long-lived, they hardly age, and their bodies are known to simply stay unblemished, even after their deaths. Vinds have the unique ability to control the wind, and their naturally bestowed magic and racial ability, dubbed “Tempest Soul” allows them to deflect any manner of magical force. These people possess dark hair, magenta eyes and lavender skin, and they are naturally courteous and benevolent.



“Since the dawn of Gaia, the Vind was thought to be a myth; a mystery retold through whispers everywhere. From rowdy taverns to the quietest corner of a library, myths of their grand cities spread throughout the generations. It was said that these floating cities were held up with only the magic power of the Vind and nothing else. Spotting a Vind was considered a bad omen. They are painted as an evil race in most stories, but in truth, the Vinds were a peaceful race. They sought refuge in Gaia while Carris pillaged their home, the Endless Sky. In order to not disturb the tentative Gaia towns in place, the Vind took to the skies, very rarely ever coming down from their aerial cities.” - Ballad of Keepers of Sky, Introduction



Fischerans have lived with the Vinds hand-in-hand for as long as their history records have been written. Fischerans have either cyan or seagreen skin, hair, and eyes and have a unique affinity for water. Vinds are keepers of the sky, and Fischerans are their guides. Their bodies are malleable with concentration, and can have attacks simply phase through them with a little effort. Those with more mastery over their bodies can simply melt and congeal into a puddle, reforming at will. Because of their unique constitution and affinity for water, they are immune to burns and impart a freezing touch when struck.



“The Fischeran have long lived in prosperity with the Vind, acting as guides to sailors of the sky and advisors to Vind royalty. During the destruction of the Vind homeland, far more Vind was lost during the destruction of the plane as many saw it fit to "Sink with the ship". Fischerans inhabited and followed the Vind who sought to leave their despairing homeland. Fischerans are commonly found on the sky palaces above Gaia, remaining as loyal servants to their Vind masters. Some, however, have seen it fit to find places of peace in the mountains below.” - Ballad of Keepers of Sky, Introduction



Having a close affinity to water and wind means that these sailors were not originally sailors of the sky, but once of the sea. Fischerans were master helmsmen, being able to feel the waters below their ship and steer clear away from danger. When the sails grew slack, the Vind captains mustered gushes of wind and changed the climate itself to move their vessels. Vinds were natural mages, and in their home world they were the only race capable of using it. 

In our world, however, all races can use magic, but to a greatly lesser degree compared to the original Vind masters. Original Vind magic is something out of apocalyptic fables, summoning great tornados, calling forth meteors from the sky, casting bolts of lightning, and ushering great glaciers from another realm. These spells that were normally casted with naught but willpower and concentration, were transcribed to scrolls to be usable in this world. 

Of course, with stories of these seemingly world-ending spells, it’s easy to see why in our myths they were painted as an evil race in most of our stories. But fret not, dear reader, they’re far from it.

“Blank stares, for all to see,

Endless hunger, endless thirst,

I think they'll consume me,

A single bite, spew blood first.



Weighty gaze, with green skin,

Unknown traveller, given wide berth,

Unknown stranger, mysterious birth, 

Eaten, from head to shins.”

  • Poems from Gaia, Navaran.

NAVARAN:[]

Navarans, sentient creatures of strange circumstance and odd origins. From what could be gathered from rumors, there was a recent meteorite that landed close to the outskirts of a remote town, far from civilization. The meteorite was a known occurrence, and scholars flocked to the area to study it. What they found was something akin to a vision of someone’s nightmares. Creatures with green skin consuming the townspeople and assuming their form, their clothes, mannerisms and speech. These are the original Greater Navarans, closest to their originator. 



“They are a species that evolves by consuming other species and stealing their traits and abilities. They're thought to come from the unknown depths of space, from some kind of entity that split up into many fragments in order to divide and conquer and become some kind of supreme being.” - Anonymous eyewitness



These beings have the uncanny ability of emulating another’s technique with perfect detail. For Greater Navarans this emulation is not only reserved for techniques, but skills, gear, and even memories. Thankfully, these greater Navarans are few and far between, and their perfect emulation is limited to what is physical and not magical. Lesser Navarans, by a stroke of even greater fortune, can only emulate techniques or skills. This makes them versatile in their tools of war or peace. They’re a very rare sight, but as you may know or heard, lesser Navarans were shakily accepted in our societies, or at the very least, barely tolerated. The lesser Navaran are weaker versions of their true potential, cut off from their true progenitor, and as such are mortal and in their eyes “incomplete”. Navarans have difficulties in their fit in society, as they are emotionless, cut from their originator, and mortal. They are what you may call abandoned ones, failures, too weak to truly fulfil their original destiny of conquest. 

The physical differences between greater and lesser Navarans are indistinguishable, that being green-ish skin and large round black eyes with blank stares. And as such, all Navarans are treated with fear that they may be the greater version, however, their behaviors are quite different. Lesser Navarans are not as powerful as the greater ones, as the greater Navarans are all-powerful and somewhat foolhardy. This is because when slaying a greater Navaran, it was reported that what could only be described as their “soul” or true form, escape their body as a sentient, moving black smoke. These forms will then escape, and regenerate their bodies to full. This grants them a sort of immortality, but it’s been observed that, thankfully, this regeneration is strenuous and leaves them without their previously consumed abilities.

Another big difference between the two is that, aside from lesser Navarans leaving just a corpse when killed, is that Greater Navarans will consume their slain victims to perfectly emulate their skills and memories, and while lesser Navarans do have the irresistible urge to consume corpses, they cannot steal memories from the slain like greater Navaran can.



We are blessed with fortune, as only one can imagine if these greater cosmic beings lurking in the outskirts of our society were truly able to fully consume, divide, and conquer to their destined extent. That would definitely signal darker days ahead.

“Souls of sinners

Sights to behold

Usher your flock

With culling untold”

  • Prophecy of Sin, pg. 78

MORVID:[]

It is hard to classify these creatures, as they are on the verge of being a monster, but at the same time, are sentient beings in humanoid form; and I coin the term form lightly, as they can actually “evolve” by consuming others of their own race. Aside from this, they are naturally attuned to mana, and their light bodies allow them to survive falls that would kill ordinary folk.

Morvid’s first forms are characterized by their avian appearance, simply put, they look like giant crows with four, piercing red eyes, alongside feathers and a beak. By consuming their own kind, they add their power to their own, and evolve slightly. Consuming 10 will net them hair and skin instead of feathers, and by consuming around 10 more, their four eyes merge to two, and they lose their beak, replaced with a face not unlike you or I;  a face frozen in a permanent expression of what I can only describe as apathy, or even boredom. 

This is not all, upon evolving their final form they gain the ability to disperse their body into a flock of crows, and reform mere moments later. The theory is, is that Morvids are not unlike Dinakeris, where they consume their own kind as a “live on through me”, but instead of runes, it’s a permanent bond of one’s soul. It’s even speculated that Morvids are born of groups of crows on battlefields and those souls who’ve met their untimely deaths. It’s said that with their collective miasma of torment, they would incidentally gather into a sanguine puddle, being reborn as one, as a  Morvid.

I feel as if the barriers of our world, set up by Solan, are starting to wear thin. How else could one explain the sudden influx of strange, sentient races to our world? I believe that there may be a greater being toying with the very fabric of reality, causing our astral and physical planes to merge...

“For the construct,

Hailed from cold,

Paid naught of coin, but soul.

He’ll chop, he’ll slice,

He’ll prod and dice,

Change you, up whole,

Change you whole.”

  • Excerpt from “An Ode to Them”.

CONSTRUCTS:[]

An artificial race, a feeble attempt on creating the “perfect” being, a mere shadow of our ancient ancestors. These people are characterized by their pale skin, dark indigo hair, and deep green eyes. Their unnatural constitution comes from their unnatural origins, and while it was said that those turned into constructs were to lose their soul in exchange for their new forms. This is false, however, as Constructs can sire children.

The attitudes and mannerisms of individual constructs vary, as these are a race of people created from something else. As a result, their original forms and cultures will vary among themselves. Of course, these people are a very rare sight indeed, and their methods of construction and transformation have been all but wiped out. The reason why these beings are as rare as they are is because decades ago, when these Constructs were originally created, there were fears that constructs were an attempt at re-creating Cameos. This led to a widespread hunt to eradicate all findings and researchers dedicated to this alchemical process of creation. 

However, there are rumors that there is a lab, a compound deep within the northern tundras, guarded by a dragon and situated deep underground. But these rumors are simply just that. Who with a head on their shoulders would believe an outrageous tale like that?

In any case, the method for creating these beings are lost, but what boons does this experiment give? Well, those who survive are very few. It essentially strips your body down, leaving the soul, and builds one back up anew. This is possibly the only way for even a Gaian to become flesh again. Those who become Constructs enjoy a resistance to cold temperatures and a greatly increased tolerance for potions.

All who practice the art of brewing potions know that these potions are toxic, and in large doses can lead to a painful death. However, the body that withstood the drastic and violent remolding of their form resulted in an end product that can withstand great amounts of imbibed “potions” that would kill any ordinary person instantly. For Constructs, these potions seem to give an extraordinary amount of strength and vigor, and to those who’ve imbibed enough of these potions can unlock a deep-rooted potential for the control over life itself. This ability, dubbed “Galvanize” can instantly restore any wounds and can revive themselves from a near-death state.

Those who’ve experienced Cameos first-hand can understand why this ability struck fear into the hearts of others. The ability to revive oneself from death is a feat capable only of Cameos, the result with Galvanize is similar, but instead of damaging their soul, they instead flood their body with toxins to forcibly regenerate themselves to a healthier, or more accurately, less wounded state.

In the case of Constructs now, most enjoy being researchers in alchemy or explorers of the north, due to their unique natural abilities that give them tremendous advantages in these two fields. Their ability of galvanizing themselves, however it is something that must be trained on. All Constructs can feel the power surge through them, however miniscule it may be, and even then, it’s merely a vestige, the bottom dregs of what it is to touch the realm of divinity.

It sparks a philosophical question in my mind whenever I'm reminded of this. To be a Construct is to sacrifice oneself to be reborn anew, but to be a Cameo is to sacrifice others in search of divinity. One can pass on and enjoy their greatly extended lives with others, while the other must suffer alone with their immortality. Who wins, who grows as a person, in this case? One who can have their new life be fulfilled? Or one who’s taken their power from others? 

It just shows that we have stopped and peered briefly into the realm of the divine, and made an imperfect version of what we saw, however small.

“Betrayer of four,

A wicked being,

Ascend yourself,

Unto me.”

  • Lannis, Father of Lies

CAMEOS:[]

To call these individuals “people” would be an insult to all of us, and it would be more accurate to term these beings as “sentient monsters” instead. Cameos are the well-known boogeymen of our children’s stories, people who’ve been seduced by the power of godhood and immortality. This is something that shouldn’t be obtained by any normal means, as they are reaching a mockery of a world where they would imitate god. By taking the so-called meaning of “truth” and twisting it to a perversion that can only be described as untold hubris.

These beings are characterized by their pale, yellowish skin, deep violet eyes, and snow-white hair. Cameos are a failed mockery of Seraphs; they were created by Lannis, the Father of Lies to spite Solan and to spit in the face of our True Creator. The means of how far one would go to create an artificial Seraph, to peer into “the truth” and twist it in a form to imitate God speaks volumes of the untold amount of pride and lack of humility one has as their place as a mortal.

In our stories of old, Cameos were created by an artifact, made by none other than Lannis, Creator of Curses himself. This artifact as described in the old tales, is an amulet that glows a radiant and incandescent white. A curse it truly is, to be drawn in and take four of those who you would hold most dear, clutch the Amulet of the White King, and utter the words 

“I sacrifice.”.



“We who would dare to play God must pay a steep price for our arrogance. That, is our Truth.” - Last words of a Cameo



Those who do sacrifice the ones that they hold most dear do obtain many boons as a result of their treachery. They never need to eat, never tire, obtain superhuman strength, become immortal, and can revive on the spot from death. This ability is a sort of failed immortality. Their second coming allows them to tirelessly fight until they reach their final death, and burn to ashes on the spot, or retreat and lick their wounds to fight another day. 

To become a Cameo is to forcibly use the souls of others to elevate your own, and wear your very own soul to it’s breaking point. The Dinakeri’s method of soul ripping are comparatively less barbaric, since rune magic doesn’t outright consume the soul, but instead uses the energy of its release to the astral plane to fuel magic or their temporary state of enhanced physical abilities. However, Cameos completely and utterly destroy the souls that they use. This sort of failed divinity doesn’t come without a cost. Aside from the fact that your immortal soul is forfeit in exchange for an immortal body, Cameos cannot use spells, as the conduit that is their soul is destroyed, and the soul is the root of all magic. They instead are rejected by Solan, an empty husk that can merely just use magic for basic enhancement. 

Gigel’s last words speak multitudes of what it means to be us, what it means to possess a soul, as he saw “the Truth of all Things”. 



Because what does it mean, to sacrifice others in a cause that we can deem "for the greater good?" Not all are seduced by immortality, but many by power. To take power from a heretical source, to use it in desperation, to take power from others, is the height of either insolence, or ignorance. 

By robbing others, one will never grow internally. But we are not perfect beings, nor will we ever be. Becoming a Cameo, even with noble intentions will still boil down to a wrongful attainment of "Truth", or perhaps an abstract concept of control. 

Instead of taking strength from others, standing on a pedestal and learning nothing, one should show humility and instead borrow strength from others - that, is the essence of man. Becoming a Cameo means reaching a state where one is merely a proud rooster, and with their regal acts they are blind to see that the post where they stand upon is little more than a pile of manure.

“Crimson horns,

With Gem-cut eyes,

An apple fell,

From a Serpent’s lies.”

  • “Planewalkers”, Unknown writer

AZAELS:[]

Azaels, an extremely rare sight to behold. Characterized by their bright red skin, infernal eyes, dark hair, and twin red horns upon their head, which they hold a great importance to. These people are natural planewalkers, and have a tremendous mastery over crossing worlds. Haughty by nature, all members of their race wield the unique magic of teleportation. They "Gate" by punching temporary holes in the very fabric of space with the aid of their technological creations, Obelisks. These Obelisks act as a sort of anchor, a focal point in their network of gates, as without it, they may teleport anywhere, with potentially disastrous results.

They hail from a plane of perpetual flame, and aside from our personal saying that “Ashiins are born of fire” Azaels are literally born of fire. They are completely immune to flames and can immerse themselves in it like we immerse ourselves in water. 

The reason why they travel between worlds and universes are for the most part, a mystery. All we know is that they travel frequently, mingle with sentient beings that they come across, and if those who meet Azaels garner enough favor towards them, perhaps by being helpful or by matching their impish and witty nature, the particularly seasoned planewalkers may even teach them how to use their unique magic.

There’s no doubt that they possess an advanced culture and society. The current consensus is that Azael’s planewalk to gather particular specimens from other worlds, whether it be natural things like fauna or flora, or advanced technology to further better their society and homeland. Though we do not know for certain whether or not their Gate abilities are completely original to them, but it does seem to have a connection with magic. It’s said by those who’ve mastered the ability of Gate and have been granted access to obelisks, remark that these obelisks commune with their very soul.

“True believers, have faith in Solan's blessings.

Oh, Lord... Save our lands from these faithless invaders.

At the end of our long path, 

We shall reach you in the promised land.”

  • Hymns and prayers to Solan

SERAPHS:[]

Legendary beings, in direct accordance to the books and legends, these beings are closest to divinity, as they are blessed by Solan himself. They act as his hands on this world, and are sent down to rain punishment to those who dare sully his name.

These intermediaries between us and Solan mete his justice upon those who are wicked, and legends say that you can feel their radiance in their physical form. They have dull golden eyes, ivory skin, pure white hair, and ichor that glows a bright gold. 

These hands of justice are close to Him, and as a result, they can cast magic without a tome and even emerge from white flames unharmed. Furthermore, it is said that they can fight and not grow weary, run and not feel faint, and can soar on wings like an eagle, only to drop from the heavens like the hammer of Solan’s wrath.

They are infinite in their attempts and pursuit for good, though it is said that there can be many interpretations of what may be considered righteous in their actions. There are old legends of them saying that they will descend from the heavens to give visions and messages to those in need, and to those who are pure and pious.

Gigel, for example, was said to be visited by a Seraph, to impart the revelation of the Truth and artificial immortality. It is said though, that by discovering these Gigel was made an example of, and punished. A harsh reminder of humility, and to never stray into the territory that He resides.

For He is eternal, He is all-knowing, He is all-seeing, and He protects this world with utmost vigilance, and expects us not to stray from our Path.

MAGIC, SPELLS, AND MANA:[]

As I have promised back in the introduction to this book, I will teach you my understanding of magic because, as it stands dear reader, that if you read through the entirety of this text you must be an aspiring mind, ripe with potential.

As my old mentor explained it to me when I was a mere budding student, she said that, in her own words:



“You see, magic... Is the ultimate fantasy. We are born to follow the rules of the world, and we are charmed by the bending of these rules, but this manipulation we cannot perfect. Those whose fascination with magic persists, learn to channel it in their own hand.”



Our world is governed by scientific laws, laws that cannot be broken by normal means. Gravity, friction, conservation of mass, the laws of motion, simple concepts of our reality that keeps everything together.

Magic, on the other hand, is the breaking of these laws. Conjuring flame from one’s palm, cursing someone’s body, resurrecting the dead, breaking one’s mind, all of these are an impossibility without magic.

Magic, and mana itself, is an object of chaos. One can use the analogy that our reality is an orderly one, a sugar cube in a cup of tea. The tea is the realm outside our world of laws, and in our natural state, we adhere together. By utilizing magic, it’s like stirring the cup of tea and dissolving the sugar inside. The sugar will reform and reassume it’s natural place once we stop stirring, but as we stir we introduce the sugar into the tea. That is magic.

Mana is something that any being can train. We attain mana by being born with it, striking others to absorb the natural energy that their souls produce, become a monster of the night, or be struck by a curse spell. This forcibly and violently exposes our soul to the outer realms of reality, if only briefly. In turn, this allows us to become a conduit, a battery of sorts, to temporarily hold this object of chaos. 

Mana can be trained, and is done so by meditating, by absorbing all the mana that our bodies can hold, briefly letting go, and repeating that process again. It is a long process that can only be done by “feel” but those who mastered this can call upon a very basic form of magic - physical enhancement magic.

Those who’ve exposed themselves to mana and are fully trained in attuning themselves can employ enhancement magic to their bodies. The first and most basic of which are “mana running”. By encasing one’s body in a thin shell of mana, one can reduce the friction on one’s body and can run at speeds that are physically impossible otherwise.

Next, is using mana as a springboard of sorts, by concentrating the mana within your body into your legs, you can use it as a boost to propel yourself further than without it. 

On the opposite end, by concentrating the mana within your fists, it will allow one to disrupt your opponent’s mana charge with your own, by muddling the homogeneity that the opponent needs to charge mana in the first place.

Finally, there is mana climbing. Mana climbing is very difficult, as it requires both strength and skill to master. By concentrating the mana in your body, you must circulate it all throughout your body in an even manner. You can use this circulation to adhere yourself to walls and flat vertical surfaces. With training, one can reach a maximum of 15 seconds. Various types of enchanted clothing can help with evenly regulating the circulation within your body, allowing you to climb faster as you need not concentrate nearly as much as if you would without.



Attaining basic physical enhancement is only scratching the surface of what magic can do. Spells are what we truly think about when the smallfolk talk about magic. Spells are based upon an idea of equivalent exchange. We scrawl the hex on the scroll, use the circle inscribed, and trace our hand signs in the air while outputting the equivalent amount of mana needed into it. We pour too much, we backfire the spell. We pour too little, the spell fizzes out; but  for more powerful spells, it backfires instead. Becoming a mage means having a fine control over how much mana we charge in our bodies, quick hands and precision are the essential tools of a magic user.

Those who become tomeless do not need a magic circle on parchment, but instead their bodies themselves have become open to magic, as they have reached the “Truth”, and become privy to all manner of things. Their hand signs and way of casting are natural to them as a result.

However, I mentioned in the Castellan chapter of the book about snap magic. To reiterate, 



“Those who have gained an attunement to a spell, that is, use the spell so frequently that the spell has made a mark on one’s soul and mind, can unleash its effects with a simple snap of the fingers. These snap magics are varied, and can suit a wide variety of purposes in combat. However, all races are limited to just one, unless you sacrifice a part of your very soul to have another. However, all Castellans are naturally born with and can use not one, but two snap spells.”



These variants of spells can be cast by those with and without tomes, the only thing one needs is nothing but a soul that “resonates like calm waters”, a master of the craft can then awaken the potential within the individual.

Not all spells are created equal, and some spells and snap spells require specialized training to even use properly, these “God Spells” are extremely dangerous and rare, an example of which are the original Vind magics created by the Vind sages of old. However, even as someone without specialized training, you should be able to defend yourself with more basic spells, like ignis which will burst a jet of fire from your palm, or armis, which will shoot a missle that will rip the weapon out of the hands of your foes.

Creating new spells is something that established magic scholars work tirelessly upon. Even scrolls of magic themselves are difficult to produce, with the ink, the parchment, and the drawings must be absolutely perfect in their formulas, otherwise the spell will simply not work. As such, production of common scrolls are really only produced in specialized facilities.

CONCLUSION:[]

And that concludes this book. I’m glad to see that you’ve made it to the end here, and would like to thank those who have encouraged me to create it. I hope that this book provides numerous insights to our people.



If you found this book inspiring, then I urge you to find a tutor and focus on your studies. One day, you can become a scholar worth your salt, and produce books that will inspire those to take up the path.



And if by any chance you come across this book in the far future, I hope that you can read this as a reference to how it was back in the olden days, and reminisce on how well we’ve journeyed as people of this land.



In any case, with the final parting words of this book done, I’m excited to announce that I have another journey waiting for me, across the seas. I hope that this journey will prove as exciting as the last.


Thank you, dear reader!

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