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This is a short infodump revealing information the MC has learned but was too tedious to write out without boring everyone, myself included. If you want you can basically skip it since it’s just background info. It only includes information our characters know, though, so it’s not complete in any regard.
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http%3a%2f%2fi.imgur.com%2fS8U7Bg7.png [http://i.imgur.com/S8U7Bg7.png]
In this image, the purple lines represent major protected highways. These highways are patrolled regularly by soldiers serving the Hidet Legion. They keep the peace and chase off monsters. They are also responsible for commissioning the Adventurer’s Guild for anything more troublesome than a Rank 1 monster or Bandit attack.
The three cities represented by stars all fall under the Hidet Theocracy’s jurisdiction. In essence, they’re all part of the same Kingdom.
Hidet:
Hidet is the capital city of the Theocracy where the Pope and his Bishops live. They are famous for ruling with an even hand and being overly accepting of other races, even beastmen. Hidet’s main exports are fish, goods from sea trade, salt, books (mostly religious or instructional), manufactured goods, and metal goods. Their main imports are fur, monster parts that can be manufactured (such as bone, scales, or teeth), grain, livestock (usually delivered alive because meat goes bad on long trips otherwise), and raw ore for their famed metalworks.
Hidet is known mainly for its port where many sailors can find work, divers and fishermen make good livings, and smiths are prided. Though it is a theocracy, the church is well known for its lack of corruption and the Pope’s kind and forgiving mannerisms. Hidet has a progressive society where nobility are expected to serve the people rather than the other way around.
Duly note that in chapter 10 there was mention of a High Priest of Terran. Terran is an entirely different country (far to the southeast) and the two countries follow vastly different religions. This mention of Terran was intentional and will be explained at a later date in the story. :)
Farrier:
Farrier, while part of the Hidet Theocracy, is much seedier due to its location and ruling class. Farrier’s main exports are skilled soldiers, combat oriented magic scrolls, iron ore (there are several mines in the lower districts), and Horses (the world’s best horses are rumored to come from Farrier). Their major imports are grain, livestock (same as Hidet), weapons (mostly from Hidet’s metalworks), and manufactured goods (mostly from Hidet).
Farrier is known mainly as a warfaring city. They are the barrier city between the Hidet Theocracy and the Beastman tribes to the south. While beastmen aren’t discriminated against in the Hidet religion, due to the ongoing aggressions from the tribes they are often treated as a lower class in Farrier. Most other races, though, are looked upon favorably. There are a few beastmen refugee camps in the slums of Farrier who, due to the ongoing wars, have lost their homes.
The Great North South Path leading out of Farrier is recognized, by both the Theocracy and the Beastmen Tribes of the South Plains, to be protected neutral ground. This allows trade between the areas despite open hostilities. It also allows traffic to the Great Savannah of Eden and the Heesaw Plains south of there. This trade route is the only way for sugar to make its way into the Theocracy, hence the inflated prices. The trade route is patrolled by the Hidet Legion as well as Legions from the Beastmen Tribes. If any cause trouble they face the wrath of multiple nations, and it is relatively free from bandits due to this. The road is, however, facing washout issues due to the regular washout from the Middling Mountains each Spring.
Due to the constant warlike state, Farrier prides strength more than most other locales. The local soldiers are often treated very well and have massive authority among the people. The nobles use this power to express their will far more than in the rest of the theocracy and the division between the classes is much more apparent. Farrier has a terrible criminal underbelly due to poor social services and a larger population on the poverty line.
New Hidet:
New Hidet is a small city built upon a Labyrinth. The people there tend to be adventurers or miners for the most part. The altitude is high and the population has a lot of mixed dwarven blood, so the populace has a shorter stature. The main imports are foodstuffs (grain and livestock), weapons (from Hidet Metalworks), and sugar (via traderoutes through Farrier). The major exports are Monster Parts (from the labyrinth), metal ores (multitude, including iron. The highest in raw numbers would be copper), Manufactured Candy (Aunty Selina’s Candy Factory is located here, hence the sugar imports and the inflated price of sugar everywhere else), skilled adventurers (many adventurers are known for their strength after training their skills in the labyrinth), and Tamed Monsters (a relatively new export, competing with the horses of Farrier for pulling carriages and the like. Typically favored by adventurers due to the stronger specs but feared by most of the common class).
New Hidet is most famous for their Labyrinth which, as of now, has never been fully explored. The deepest any team has ever made it was the 49th floor, and the team that did so was comprised of several A rank and S rank adventurers. New Hidet borders the Great Thrush as well so there is a second source of monsters making it truly a great place for those seeking a life of battle and glory.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
The Mire, a massive swamp-like lake, sits on New Hidet’s eastern border. Many terrible monsters dwell there and it is generally avoided. It’s filled with poisonous plants, terrible insects, and alligator-like beasts that love to pull down boats. The only safe highway to the east lies on Mire’s Crossing, a monolithic stone bridge constructed in ancient times. It’s built with numerous magical methods and none have been able to unlock its secrets over the years.
New Hidet suffers from almost no discrimination... except against the weak. Low level adventurers will often be harassed by their older or stronger peers and bullied into doing demeaning jobs like shoveling manure or collecting herbs from the Mire’s edge. That said, the people in New Hidet respect hard work a great deal and any newbies who put up with this ‘harassment’ and persevere are treated very well when they mature and get stronger. It’s considered a rite of passage. Those who are already strong, though, are treated well but never are given the same hospitality as those who’ve gone through the ‘newbie trials’.
Golden Thrush Town:
A small town built on an ancient monster’s habitat in The Great Thrush. Due to the monster’s remnants, other creatures will not come near the town’s limits making it safe to live here. The town has a large population of mixed elven blood among the older citizens and a few even speak the language still. The Major Elven City, to the East of Centerpoint Mountain, used to be the only livable location within the Thrush. When a second location was found where sentient beings could survive, many elves migrated there. Golden Thrush Town primary exports livestock and grain. They provide a majority of the foodstuffs for Farrier and, in exchange, the Hidet Legion guards the highway through the Thrush. The highway suffers monster attacks regularly, though, so it’s still considered a more dangerous route, but due to increased patrol presence, the losses are negligible. Golden Thrush’s main imports are metalworked farming tools, spices, salt, work horses (for pulling plows), and manufactured goods.
Golden Thrush’s farmland is primarily owned by a single Noble named Sevian Cerble. Through collected taxes and business exports, he has made himself something of a small empire. He would be considered equivalent to a Baron if the Theocracy used classic noble titles. He is far from the strongest noble in the theocracy, but he has quite a lucrative situation. He is mostly fair in his dealings, and he doesn’t treat his people badly. In fact most of his people respect him a great deal… But he is considered ruthless to any competitors and has been known to make underhanded dealings with the underbelly of Farrier to get his way. It is best to make a good first impression when meeting with him, because he tends to hold a grudge. It’s been said, though, that he’ll go to the ends of the earth for his friends. He also holds a policy of ‘if you don’t mess with me I won't mess with you’, for the most part. He’s well respected within most higher circles and has a few powerful friends, though his position has sparked envy among some of Farrier’s elite.
Magic:
Xternity Magic had 10 tiers.
Tier 1: Weak beginner magic.
Tier 2: Gain access at level 20. Stronger offensive power.
Tier 3: etc…
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Tier 7: Highest natural tier of magic. Incredible power. Level 70 required for access.
Tier 8: Only learned through special training classes with specific class NPCs. Require level 80.
Tier 9: Can only be learned through tiresome quests. Battlefield changing magic. Require level 90.
Tier 10: Ultimate tier. Only 3 known spells existing for it. Rewards from Game Admins to Guilds for grand achievements. Require level 100 and 99% of user’s health to cast. Could literally transform cities in game to ashe. Banned in all Guild Wars and raids by the User Collective.
Every type of magic follows that same typical hierarchy. Crafting and warrior spells included. Of course the Tier 10 for each type is different, but all banned nonetheless. A tier 10 poison could be a pandemic that literally wipes out an army. A tier 10 smithed sword could cut down a mountain with a single swing. A tier 10 piece of armor could withstand a strike from a tier 10 sword. All tier 10 crafted items, attacks, or spells were banned by the User Collective in all fair competition. They were so terribly rare, though, that it was almost never a problem.
Of all the people with Tier 10 skills, the MC possessed the most in the American Servers. Having access to both an Enchanting Tier 10 Rune, and a Tier 10 Potion Recipe. Both of which shall be revealed in due time.
The cost for activating tier 10 spells, outside of active cast (aka the crafting ones) were 10 Levels. Meaning crafting with it once loses you 10 levels off your account. It was a terrible price to pay for power, since grinding from level 90 to 100 took an awful amount of time.
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If you have any questions about the setting not answered here, as long as they don’t spoil the plot in any way, I’ll answer them in the comments on this infodump. Thanks for reading~
Ps. I’m also releasing chapter 12 at the same time I’m posting this, so if you’re upset about this not being a chapter fret not and turn the page!!!!
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