The story so far...
Arlin, the most powerful Empire in the history of Sol, has dominated the continent for the past 60 years. They have done so through the power of Magore, a material made of pure mana that can be refined and used in weaponry and machines. However, Magore has a toxic effect on the bodies of normal humans. Only attuned, individuals with connections to mana who can change and control natural aspects of the world through its flow, are able to resist most of the mana radiation from the substance. Arlin uses these attuned in mines, controlling them through the power of cuffs which restrict their ability to use their attunement.
North, a slave from Corith with a light attunement, leads a revolt to free the population of a mining camp. He is helped by his friend Sera and Elm Grayson, his mentor and an ex-major of Arlin who developed the slave cuffs. After breaking free, they journeyed through the land of Boralis to free camps and destroy refineries while heading towards the northern border of Corith. After a fierce battle with Keagan and Theodore, North is about to head into his homeland for the first time in 5 years to attempt to free it from the Empire's grasp. On the other side of the continent, the Emperor David Arlin has become aware of and is now taking active steps to stop the slave rebels. At the same time, he's fighting court subterfuge after the murder of his friend and Transport Minister Roland.
The Characters
North: Our protagonist. A mage with a light attunement who decided to lead a revolt to save Sera. From Marlisle, a village erased from the maps of Corith and grew up as a candlemaker.
Elm: The MC's grumpy mentor. Has a stone attunement, and is one of the most experienced battle mages out there. Was a major in the Arlin army and a magic researcher who created the slave cuffs.
Sera: Our protagonist's friend and the closest thing they have to family. Has a lightning attunement. Daughter of a village elder from Marlisle, the village erased from the maps of Corith. Her assault is what leads to the eventual Revolt.
Alex: Boisterous Ex-Military who helps North recruit people in the revolt. An affable guy with a fire attunement. Raised and fought for Nacilia against Arlin as part of a mage battalion. He's tied deeply to Silva, his lieutenant in the mage battalion.
Elina: Combat addict and slightly insane ex-military who helps North in the revolt. An energetic and extremely confident woman with a fire attunement. Raised in Irebor as a warrior and fought as a rebel against the Empire before being enslaved. Has a mixed relationship with North due to him denying her the chance to kill Wanderer.
Ruby: The caravan's cartographer, and a wind mage from Boralis. Born in a nomadic tribe that traveled all over the nation until they were eventually subjugated by imperial forces. Has a deep love of maps and drawing and will do anything to get more paper. Anything.
Mell: A Herder and Strig-expert from Asarn with a physical attunement. Is a giant man with a friendly and polite disposition who only refers to North as "sir". Him and Ruby share a deep bond and stick together the most often.
Wanderer: An Ireborian Swordsman who deserted and was banished from his homeland that was recruited after the refinery raid. A master with the blade with a stoic personality. His addition to the group causes a schism with Elina, who wanted to kill him on sight.
Silva: A Nacilian lieutenant who was the leader of Alex's mage battalion. Has a water attunement and is extremely proud of her skills with magic, putting much of her own self worth into that skill. Joins with North after being saved from the second camp in Boralis.
Emperor David Arlin: The main antagonist(?) of our story and the Fourth Emperor of Arlin. Has an attunement, but the exact power he has is unknown. Is an extremely layered man who is determined to make his nation a better place no matter the cost while ridding it of the corruption that plagues it. Has a deep hatred for his predecessor, the Third Emperor, who is the root of much of this current corruption.
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Erin: David's Personal Advisor and the only person he feels comfortable around. Is the person who keeps him running and gets the information where it needs to go while sharing in his mission to end corruption. She was a servant who was brought up alongside David to follow him into his later years, and transitioned to being his advisor once he ascended to the throne.
First Lieutenant Keagan: An investigative military official who searches for corruption and weeds it out alongside Theodore. Was in Boralis at the time of the initial revolt and tracked North down to the border. Has no attunement, but is extremely good with his fists. Has a revenge motive after North kills Theodore in battle.
Second Lieutenant Theodore: Keagan's investigative and romantic partner. Was considered the only person holding him back from going off the rails in his investigations. Was a rare healer alongside his water attunement. Was killed by North during the battle at the border.
Nicole: A corrupt noble who assists North to further her own goals. Attunement currently unknown. A sly aristocrat who wants to use favors and any tools necessary to keep control of power. Born into a high ranking family in Pluma and continued their business until she was found embezzling money off of an Empire's mining operation in the area.
Karla: Young child who got dragged into the camp as a replacement for Sera. Has a water attunement. Was taken from her family in Corith during a raid, and is hoping to get back to them with the assistance of North and his crew.
Orven: A corrupt noble with a domain in Central Arlin. One of the oldest members of the royal court and has fond memories of his time during the third's reign. Was one of the main court officials who helped in the assassination plot of Transport Minister Roland.
Twig: A Penal laborer who assists Sera and North in the revolt and dies during the battle. No aptitude for magic. Was arrested for nearly murdering her husband, a corrupt noble who got frustrated due to change in policy under the fourth emperor.
Galen: Our first antagonist, and the captain of the guard. Had a lightning attunement. A fanboy for Arlin and Elm who hoped to get him to work with the empire in the production of slave cuffs. Was killed by North during the revolt.
Elric: North's other friend who helped with the revolt who died in the event. Had a water attunement. Son of a famous Craftsmen family from Rolith who was grabbed in a raid searching for people with aptitude.
Transport Minister Roland: The now deceased Minister of Transport and one of David's only true friends. Grew up knewing him during their time in Imperial College and took a liking to him despite his humble origins. He is assassinated in front of David as a way of telling the young emperor to stay in line.
Locations
These are just the locations that are necessary for the immediate future plot and have been formally introduced.
Sol: The Central Continent on which the story takes place. It is the ONLY continent, acting as a sort of Pangaea that is surrounded on ocean on all sides.
Central Arlin: The Heart of Arlin and where the leadership is located. Is the wealthiest nation on the continent due to the empire leeching off of its territories. Is made up of both the original nation that the first Emperor was banished from and the territories of the fiefdoms he united before the first campaign. Capital is called Vyris.
Boralis: The Location of North's mining camp and the most recent location under the Empire's control after the 10th campaign Shares a southern border with Corith and a northern border with Mylia, a nation not part of the Empire.
Corith: North and Sera's homeland, as the current location of the story. Was captured by Arlin forces during the 9th campaign in only a few weeks. The forest that the nation is mostly made up of is considered one of the most dangerous places on the continent. The Capital is called Freiweld.
Mylia: A coastal nation that has not been annexed or joined the Empire yet. It is where Nicole and her group head to after the revolt. While it is not currently part of Arlin, it is attempting to work out deals that could protect it in the future from Arlin's power.
Pluma: The fourth nation considered a part of true arlin that was incorporated under the reign of the third emperor. Is extremely corrupt and is vehemently hated by David. It is the homeland of Nicole and the rest of the Plumite oligarchy. The Capital is called Duskarna, a port city that is permanently covered in a layer of fog.