Introduction and the World

[Fishman]

Introduction​

Once upon a time, magic was rife throughout the land, known to all who would pay the hefty price for its blessings. A thousand years ago, Mage-Emperor Nocturus, ruler of Evenfall, became fearful of magic, watching that price eat away at his land and his people. In an attempt to save them, he passed the Imperial Decree of Magic, outlawing every blessing and curse known to man. Time proved that this was not enough to keep his subjects from abusing magic, and thus, the Order of the Radiant Sun was created, made up of holy warriors from the Church of the Radiant Light. They hunted down illicit magic users and sentenced them to death, purging the shadows from the hidden corners of Evenfall... and yet still, the evil of magic prevailed, desecrating more and more of the empire with every passing day.

In a final act of desperation, Mage-Emperor Nocturus gathered his finest mages and sealed away the world’s magic in a fountain. Though joyful with this success, it soon became clear that Nocturus could not contain so much chaotic energy all on his own, as the corruption began to eat away at his flesh. With a heavy heart, he dispersed the magic into several dozen artifacts, then distributed them among the great houses of his court for safekeeping, hoping the magic would not corrupt them too.

At last, with all magic locked away, a thousand years of peace swept throughout the Evenfall, and the Mage-Emperor could rest knowing his people were safe.

Or, so the tale goes. No one ever talks about the secrets crawling inside of the walls, whispering about a noble family that tried to use their artifact for genocide, or what happened to those that have disappeared throughout the centuries. Only shades knew about the Book of Night, pawned under the guise of a great treasure to the Lanwitt Empire because it turned everyone else mad.

But now, everyone is talking, because someone has opened the Book of Night and unleashed magic across the world once more, tainting the land with its curses and blessings alike.

 

[Fishman]

The World

 

[Sharkyshark]

A brief history of Evenfall ​

The Empire of Cydonia, colloquially known as Evenfall, is one of the largest empires in the history of the known world. From the beaches of the Galatea sea to the harsh, burning deserts of the east, the Nocturus family used their magical prowess to lead the conquest of territories in Iskandar, Nazca, Aretusa, and Cynefin Island, as well as establishing control over trade in the Sylvarian Sea.

Maldek is the dominant region in Cydonia, with its major city, Orion, acting as capital of trade, knowledge, and learning.

The structure of the Empire was established under House Nocturnus, dividing the lands into dutchies ruled by the other great houses. Each house, while operating with a certain degree of autonomy within its own territorial borders, swore an oath of fealty to the imperial crown. Small wars and feuds are common between the houses, with borders and territories shifting with the seasons as alliances are made and broken. Espionage, betrayal, and assassination attempts have been common between the houses throughout the ages. The imperial crown has historically remained apart from the petty interhouse politics, playing the part of the impartial judge only when conflicts threaten the security of the empire. So long as the taxes continue to flow, the Mage-Emperors are known to pay little heed to the rise and fall of great houses, although some believe that the imperial family has been driving the conflicts behind the scenes in some grand overarching scheme for centuries. The crown's authority was enlarged by the establishment of the Church of the Radiant Light, a religious faction sworn to cleansing the land of dangerous, unauthorized magic.

 

[Sharkyshark]

Magical Artifacts
A non-exhaustive list


The Book of Night​

Considered too dangerous to keep on Evenfall soil, the Book of Night holds some of the darkest, most dangerous magics sealed within its accursed pages. It is said that merely opening the book and speaking the words aloud is enough to unleash the terrors within upon the world, sending pages flying across the lands. A single page has the power to corrupt and curse everything it comes in contact with, twisting animals into monsters and turning humans mad. A powerful seal has kept the book’s evil magic bound and locked away for the past thousand years, as it is the only way to prevent the pages from escaping, and can only be broken by a bloody ritual of human sacrifice. The escaped pages can be captured and transported safely by binding them within the covers of the book, but will escape again if read aloud.

The Red Sarcophagus ​

Hidden deep within the Correa family crypt, the Red Sarcophagus is an ornate coffin carved of a dull red marble. It’s said that the cadaver within was once a great hero, slayer of dragons, and the scourge of the womenfolk. He was believed to have had great magical abilities, able to transform into animals, and leap over treetops with a single bound. However, the sarcophagus has been sealed for the past thousand years, and all attempts to open it have been in vain.

The Cloak of Polistes ​

The secretive Vespida family has kept the details of its artifact hidden for centuries, making its powers an utter mystery to outsiders. Even within the family, only high-ranking members know the exact powers of this hooded black cloak, its fabric covered in an oddly glossy coating. The only decorations on the cloak are a golden-yellow trim and a pattern of horizontal lines across the back in yellow thread. Few outsiders have even laid eyes on it, and fewer still have kept those eyes and made it out alive.

The Imperial Fountain ​

Nobody is quite sure what artifacts the imperial royal family possesses, but there is little doubt that the ornate crystal fountain within the emperor’s private quarters is one of the most powerful artifacts in all of Evenfall. It is said that bathing in the fountain’s waters imbues the imperial royal family with their magic, acting as the source for their abilities. Of course, only members of the royal bloodline can benefit from the fountain’s power.

Gundulf ​

One of the more ostentatious magical artifacts, House Nofalo’s armor is a sight to behold. Fearsome yet beautiful in it’s appearance, with a vicious snarling wolf’s head frozen in silver at the shoulder. Gleaming in silver and inlaid with gold scrollwork, this artifact is displayed prominently in the family manor as a work of art. Of course, the armor is more than just a pile of shiny metal. The armor is alive, imbued with not only a mind but a soul of the great winged wolf it is named for. The user’s command takes the form of an enormous metal wolf, its strength and ferocity matched only by its loyalty to the family. It has become the familiar of the family, fighting, protecting, and advising the Nofalo family’s heir. The armor is a heavy weight to bear, not only in psychological terms, but also physically. It is taxing to wear the armor and requires training from birth to wield effectively. Gundulf becomes bound to the user by the soul and if unfit, will completely overwhelm the user driving them to madness and causing them to go berserk till their body gives out and their entire being is consumed. If you are strong enough of will and mind to survive and wield him, at the end of your life when the contract has been fulfilled your reward is to become enveloped in his spirit to protect future wearers for years to come.

The Star’s Teardrop​

Hanging from a delicate silver chain a small clear crystal dangles and when turned just the right way into the light, one can see what looks as immense as the night sky above them. It could easily be mistaken as just an ordinary piece of jewelry, however, at a word from the user, this artifact can generate a dome of impenetrable crystalline light. Depending upon the position of the stars and season, the radius may change according to the current master. The duration which the dome can be sustained also depends upon the will power of the current user. The crystal is impervious to damage from even the strongest steel pickaxes, but dissolves into stardust at the user’s touch. After each use, the Teardrop must be exposed to the light of a full moon for an entire night in order to restore its power. Originally bestowed to the now-defunct Rekya family, this artifact has changed hands over the course of many centuries and several wars. Currently, it is possessed by the Nofalo family. The crystal feeds upon the will and spirit of the user. As strong as their will is, is as strong as the barrier will be. After use, the user will faint from exhaustion, the length of their coma like state dependent on their strength. Fevers and sickness are common with the bears of the crystal and they exhibit anemia like symptoms. Bearers typically have a short life span.

The Zephyr Staff​

Six feet long and carved of the finest ivory, this staff was widely considered to be one of the most powerful artifacts in the land. The user could control the very wind itself, summoning a gust powerful enough to propel a ship on even the calmest of days. Using the staff took years of training, as it was extremely easy to lose control and destroy one’s own vessel, but the results could be remarkable. Originally bestowed to the Gavilan family, the staff was lost at sea when a foolish young heir overestimated his own abilities and attempted to sail through a typhoon. By all accounts, it currently lies somewhere at the bottom of the ocean, never to be seen again unless it somehow washes up on a beach.

The Hand of the Witch​

One of the most gruesome artifacts, the Hand of the Witch is a dry, withered arm severed just below the elbow. Legend claims that the first Mage-Emperor himself hacked off the arm of a powerful coven mother, the leader of a prehistoric tribe of swamp witches. The Hand of the Witch has the power to create an impenetrable seal upon anything that can be opened, although the details of the exact ritual have been lost to time. Once used to seal the Book of Night shut, the Hand of the Witch has been lost for centuries, vanished after the fall of House Amati. Although rumors and legends still circulate regarding its whereabouts, none have been substantiated as of yet.