Runedura's Lore

[IAmCrystalClear]

Races

Humans - You know what a human is, right?
Elves - Tall, pale skinned, elves are known for their magical potential, though some are mute in such terms.
Rattus - Usually confined to lower districts of cities, these large humanoid rats are known typically as mercenaries, and as such, very few trained in the magical art arise from their numbers.

Planes of Existence

There are three “Planes” of existence. We live in the Third Plane, the physical one.

The First Plane, Spiritual - The First Plane is the plane of essence and spirit, all things go here to die, and people can tap into this plane to contact spirits, making them able to form contracts (discussed in the Magic section).

The Second Plane, Oblivion - Oblivion is the realm of demons and darkness. Like the First plane, people can contact the demons and try to form bonds. However, the summoning of demons often requires lots of magical energy, and often someone’s life.

The Third Plane, Runedura - The physical plane of existence, where people live and work.


Magic

There are three types of magic users in the world, they are:
Innate/Inborn - These mages are naturals, able to tap into the world of magic without the use of enchanted mediums, though no stronger than other mages.
Learnt - Though showing signs of magical knowledge from birth, these mages are unable to tap into the world of magic without wands or staves.
Mute/Deaf - These are unable to interact with magical energies around them.

There are two common types of magic. They are:

Aura - Tapping into the aura around them, aura mages can channel energy to cast spells.

Spiritual - By signing a contract with a spirit by using a lodestone, some magic users gain a companion that cast spells. These mages must maintain their contract, and must never lose their lodestone. Note that Mutes can use spirits if they find a lodestone.
Alchemical - Alchemical mages, also known as alchemists, are less powerful forms of mages who must sacrifice elements and matter to cast. This is done with powders and small materials of base elements that can be converted to other materials.

Though a third magic type exists, it is rarely used due to the damage it inflicts on the user.
Blood magic - The user uses their own blood as ammunition, allowing them to tap into high life essence magic at the expense of their own blood. Using too much of this will render the user weak. Blood magic is first activated via ritual that disables the user’s ability to tap into Aura-based and Spiritual magic.

There is an extremely rare type of magic user, who can tap into Aura magic at extreme ease with high power, these are known as Essence Weavers, and there are no recorded documents other than in legends dating back to the start of civilisation. (Do not ask to become one of these people)

Factions

The Iron Legion (The Legion) - A large empire, governing most of the land, and puppeting many pockets it doesn’t. The Legion is a mixture of hardy soldiers and battlemages and shrewd politicians. Many different opinions have formed about the empire, to varying degrees.

The Red-Gold Constituency - Although not at officially at war with the Legion, the Red-Gold Constituency is a group of “extremists” who disagree with the Legion’s ways. Tensions are high, and the group may invoke a rebellion.

Merchant Guilds - Each city has multiple merchant guilds, some being spread across multiple cities, we will create these as we go.

The Band of Brothers - The largest known mercenary group. Mercs are known to be loyal to their money and nothing else, apart from their band of brothers of course. The band has a keen eye over most bars and taverns, it’s barkeeps and waitresses having sharp eyes and ears and plenty of money making schemes. Bare in mind, Mercs are not bandits,though some think they are worse.

Locations

Iron Legion -
Citadel City (The Capital) - The largest city in the country and the seat of the Emperor himself. The key locations of this city are the palace (named simply as “The Citadel”), the tavern, the large market square, and the many merchant guild halls.
Fort Ashvale - A large fortress situated in the northern reaches of the country, this is (unofficially) the last foothold the Legion has in the north.

The Constituency -
Ashvale Town - The town near the fortress, held by the Constituency, though not as large as the Capital, it has just as many key locations.
Neighbouring Villages - The influence of the Constituency is strong around Ashvale, and other parts of the regions. Their influence may grow as you spread farther from the capital but it is predominantly more powerful nearer to Ashvale and the north.

Merchant Guilds -
Whilst not having any cities to themselves, most merchants are welcome in all cities, and almost all towns have a guild hall for each guild.

Band of Brothers -
Ravencroft - A once flourishing city sped downhill as it attracted thieves and mercs, unable to control the heavy intake of people, the local court was overrun, the mayor slain, and the town became it’s own country run by mercenaries, life is tough there and the people raised are tougher.

Neutral -
Necropolis - An old Legion prison, abandoned by the Legion in light of a larger prison closer to the capital. Necropolis is now a flourishing market for the insane and magical. You’d probably sooner find you're throat slashed than their prices, though.

Religion

The Church - Christianity is not what one may think in this country. The churches have heavy amounts of power and they use it. Recruiting innate mages to harness the power of Light and use their power to praise their “Holy Lord” and bully those who don’t. They are still all about forgiveness though.
Demonology - Portals to the Netherlands (no, not the Earth country) have been opened before and will open again. Those who follow Demonology may dedicate their lives to opening portals for riches and power. There is nothing more satisfying to a demon than human flesh, and lying.
Druids - Tribes of people live in the eastern woodlands, dedicating their lives to the ways of druidry, caring for animals and wildlife.