In a distant world, one of magic, monsters and fantastical creatures, amidst the craggy mountains, dense forests and evergreen fields, is the world known as Elysium. An assortment of creatures inhabit the world, ranging from humans in their villages and settlements to vampires that have found comfort in the darkest of caves.
Magic is fueled by mana, a seemingly self-sustaining resource that is believed to come from several different sources, primarily the world tree. Ever since the beginning, many creatures have been able to utilize and manipulate mana in order to cast magical spells. Some races find more success than others, not everyone is equally gifted in the arcane arts.
Mana is believed to be drawn from the dimension and plane of existence known as the Aether. All mana that is consumed eventually returns to the Aether, and all mana finds a way back through, such as through the roots of the world tree, Yggdrasil. When excessive mana is used, it creates small fluctuations and disturbances in the natural flow of order. Fissures crack between worlds, creating fractures that allow for excessive mana to leak in at a time. The humans call these cracks, rifts. Rifts release an abundance of mana that changes the environment, causing monsters to grow unnaturally fast and in very rare cases, causing them to evolve into a greater threat. Rifts are spontaneous, and very few are able to see a rift when it cracks open.
It is said that the most rifts were created and the most monsters were unleashed into this world during the Divine War. Humans and demons have always been at war. The reason for the fighting has been long lost, but humans have always suffered at the hands of the demons. Seen as weak, pathetic creatures, for a long period of time, humans were forced to abide by the demon race’s cruel demands and oppression. Over a hundred thousand years ago, it is said that there was a great war between the demon race and the human race. Not much is remembered about the demon race, for all history on them has been lost to time. One thing, and only one thing is remembered about them - if Elysium had a creator, then that creator would have favored the demon race. Gifted with unparalleled magic and extremely powerful bodies, they were perhaps the most powerful races among those that lived upon Elyseum. They established themselves in the middle of the world, creating a massive kingdom that stretched far out, and reigned as the most powerful for countless millennia. Four demon lords reigned as leaders of the demon race, it was said that they were so powerful that they were only a step below godhood. Until the events of the Divine War, it truly was the demon race’s golden age.
But all golden ages come to an end.
Just as the demon race produced these four seemingly invincible beings, four humans rose in opposition. These four humans became the most important heroes in the history of the human race. Armed with almighty artifacts and hundreds of years of training, the humans finally found an opportunity to fight back. Exploiting the demon race’s weakness against holy magic, the demons were pushed back.
Finally, after thousands of years the humans saw a glimmer of hope - an opportunity to fight back. Battle after battle, the humans pushed on until the four demon lords were cornered into their final fortress, centralized in the middle of Elysium. After several great battles, the humans and demons engaged in one last battle that stretched for several days, the four heroes, now the four pillars that held up humanity defeated the demon race, and ended the first Divine War.
But not all was said and done. The four heroes were elected by their followers and clans to become the leader of the new human nation that would be created. However the humans were unable to agree on a single leader, and thus they chose to divide into the four cardinal directions to construct their own nation. To this day, they stand tall and firm, a testament to the weakest race that is mankind.
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Although many of the lands have been explored by humans, for the most part Elysium is an ever-changing and evolving world. One may find the crumbling ruins and remains of smaller civilizations, unexplored dungeons of old ages that were created to hide great treasures and magic.
In the middle, between all four kingdoms now remains a broken and barren wasteland. It was once the home of the demon race, but since their fall no one has ever laid claim to the land. Adventurers that travel to the middle kingdom states that it is eerie, as if the very grounds and buildings have a life of its own. One must be careful when dealing with the middle kingdom. Many that traverse through the middle kingdom and tried to explore the ancient ruins have gone missing, while some return sane, finding nothing, others return after being driven to madness and infatuated with ancient knowledge.
There are also other smaller kingdoms, such as the kingdom of elves and dwarves. However not many are aware exactly where these kingdoms are located. They have diplomatic relations with the humans, but very few are ever granted the privilege of access to their cities.
Four kingdoms rest in the four cardinal directions, Oceania located far to the North. The holy nation of Gwynveria resides to the East. The warring state of Visereal ravages the South and the craggy and rocky lands of Dragonfall anchors itself in the West. Each have their own unique culture, languages, and personalities.
The north, Oceanius is home to the World Tree, Yggdrasil. It is said that it’s roots extends throughout the entire continent of Elysium. It is widely believed that Yggdrasil is constantly providing the ground and earth with mana, drawing from other worlds in order to replenish our own. Those who practice and study the arcane arts will one day make a pilgrimage to view this tree, so that they may study and gain insight to this great monument of magic.
The east, Gwynveria is a holy state, a country united by piety and faith. Underneath the great nation is a vast Labyrinth, a seemingly endless maze that seems to constantly spew out monsters. Of course, these monsters do not exit the Labyrinth, and although thousands of years have passed as these endless halls have been explored, there is no information on the origins or the purpose of this great Labyrinth. Many adventurers can be located in Gwynveria that wish to challenge or to explore this great maze.
Located in the west is the rocky and mountainous nation of Dragonfall. A nation whose roots are engraved deep into the ground itself, Dragonfall is unique in the way that it is responsible for guarding and protecting the ancients primordial dragons. It is the nation that resides between the lair that resides even further west than Dragonfall, the sacred site of the dragons, Dragon Peak. Very few are allowed passage into the sacred path that leads to Dragon Peak. It is the home of the dragons, mysterious creatures that are said to have been since the beginning of the world. However unlike the other races they do not have an interest in conquest or domination. Like the forces of gravity and time, their existence is dedicated in order to preserve and maintain the balance of the world.
Visereal is a country that has been ravaged by war. Until very recently, Visereal was caught in the midst of a civil war in which houses and clans were fighting for the throne. Not too much is known about the South outside of the kingdom, but word has passed that as the civil war has ended, and that the new king has been slowly but surely restoring the kingdom to its former glory. Unlike the other kingdoms, Visereal does not have a major landmark or feature that represents its strength. What it does have, however, is called the Black Throne. It is said that when the time is needed, that the reigning king of Visereal will be able to draw power from within it in order to protect the kingdom and to defeat its enemies. However this power has not been utilized for such a long time that no one truly knows how it works, and none have been able to find this great power.
Over time, Elysium has seen the rise and fall of empires, the birth and death of races, and it is no stranger to war or conflict. What is there to see in this large and unyielding world? Amidst the storm of blood and swords, drowning in a sea of blood and despair, is a single man. A man whose fate is unclear, for he is neither bound by the strings of servitude or the threads of fate. Trapped between the doors of life and death, captivated by the world of men and monsters, prisoner to the scales of justice and evil. A man whose fate was never meant to be, but sometimes there is a thread whom even the fates cannot cut.
Let us begin.