Krealla

Magic Level: Magic is extremely rare and tightly controlled. It is exclusively practiced by the Cult of the Twelve Magi, an ancient and secretive order that has existed for millennia. Technology Level: The world has reached a steampunk, late-renaissance to early-industrial level of technology. All advanced machinery relies on steam power, complex pressure systems, gears, pistons, and boilers.

The Known World In the age remembered by mortals, the world is divided into three great continents, separated by vast oceans and ancient barriers, each carrying the weight of empires, alliances, and looming conflict. The Continents - At the heart of the world lies Osteana, the central continent, cradled between the relentless tides of two seas. - To the north, the cold and storm-lashed Kronstadt Ocean beats against its shores. - To the east, the mist-veiled Argenne Ocean stretches toward the horizon. - Beyond Osteana’s southern frontier rises a merciless natural divide: the Desert of Golgor, an endless sea of sand said to devour armies and silence gods. Past this barrier lies Alegh, a land of scorching suns and ancient dominion, bordered by the dark waters of the Nafarat Ocean, known to sailors as the Southern Sea. - Far to the west, beyond the uncharted depths of the Filliard Ocean, stands Eisfrid, a harsh and distant continent of ice, iron, and ambition. Powers of the Age - Osteana is bound by a fragile unity of five great nations, whose banners have shaped the fate of the central lands: Dornheim, Rosenfeld, Stahlreich, Montclair, and Ashford. Though allied, old rivalries simmer beneath their oaths. - In Alegh, all roads and all fears lead to a single throne. The continent kneels before the Great Empire of Al-Ruqai, an ancient power whose influence stretches like a shadow across desert and sea alike. - Eisfrid is ruled not by unity, but by rivalry. Two towering superpowers dominate its frozen expanse: Ostravax and Velikorya, locked in an eternal struggle of steel, ideology, and conquest.

Distribution of the Races by Nation and Power The United Nations of Osteana (Dornheim, Rosenfeld, Stahlreich, Montclair, Ashford — European-inspired, industrial powers) Humans — The overwhelming majority. Engineers, industrialists, nobles, and soldiers form the backbone of Osteana’s nations. Dwarves — Highly valued as engineers, metallurgists, boiler-smiths, and industrial architects. Dwarven guilds control much of the heavy industry. Elves — Reduced in number compared to ancient times. Mostly integrated as administrators, scholars, and cultural elites rather than mystics. Halflings — Common among logistics, trade networks, accounting houses, and railway settlements. Gnomes — Essential innovators in precision engineering, clockworks, and pressure-based mechanisms, despite suspicion due to their arcane past. Half-Elves — Widespread in diplomatic corps, corporate councils, and border cities. Half-Orcs — Laborers, soldiers, and industrial guards, particularly in factory regions and frontier zones. Tieflings — Closely monitored. Any arcane inclination places them under immediate scrutiny by the Cult. Dragonborn — Rare but respected, often serving in elite military units or ceremonial roles tied to ancient non-magical oaths. Magic within Osteana is illegal outside the Cult, and unlicensed spell use is considered high treason. The Great Empire of Al-Ruqai (Alegh) (Arabian-inspired imperial state, ancient authority, controlled tradition) Humans — The imperial core, dominating administration, trade, and military command. Genasi — Viewed as manifestations of divine or elemental ancestry. Closely watched, often bound to imperial service or religious institutions. Dragonborn — Tied to ancient dynasties and elite desert legions, symbols of imperial continuity. Tieflings — More tolerated than in Osteana, though never fully trusted. Many serve as advisors, scribes, or sanctioned intermediaries with the Cult. Yuan-ti — Officially denied by the Empire. In truth, they operate beneath the surface through cults, black markets, and forbidden research. Tabaxi — Caravan masters, scouts, and long-distance traders crossing desert and sea alike. Lizardfolk — Concentrated along river systems, irrigation networks, and southern marshlands. Steam technology in Alegh is monumental and ritualized: massive boilers, desert locomotives, and fortified imperial engines dominate the landscape. The Western Superpowers of Eisfrid (Ostravax and Velikorya — Russian-inspired, frozen, industrial war states) Humans — The dominant population, shaped by scarcity, militarization, and relentless winters. Dwarves — Deep-frost forges beneath mountains and tundra, producing armaments and siege engines. Goliaths — Integral to mountain industry, heavy labor, and elite cold-weather troops. Orcs — Organized into state-controlled war clans and shock battalions. Half-Orcs — Fully integrated into military command structures and industrial security forces. Goblins & Hobgoblins — Pressed into factory labor, logistics, and regimented auxiliary armies. Kenku — Employed as couriers, spies, and intelligence operatives in vast frozen cities. Aarakocra — Rare observers of polar skies, often conscripted for reconnaissance. Magic is treated as a state weapon in Eisfrid—any suspected sorcerer is either seized by the Cult or executed. Peoples Beyond State Control Tritons — Independent of surface nations, controlling undersea trade routes and steam-powered submersibles. Firbolgs — Isolated forest enclaves resisting industrial expansion. Satyrs, Centaurs, Minotaurs — Surviving in borderlands and regions untouched by rails and factories. Fairies, Harengon, Owlin — Fey-touched beings forced into hiding as industrialization scars the land. Kobolds — Drawn to industrial ruins, boiler caverns, and ancient dragon sites.

The Looming Conflict The age of balance is ending. The world teeters on the brink of total war following the discovery of Eothril, a resource of extraterrestrial origin capable of producing near-limitless energy. A mere fragment can power an entire city. Eothril was found within a meteorite that crashed into the Ocean of Filliard, a contested and lawless region claimed by no single power. As nations prepare for conflict over its control, the Cult of the Twelve watches in silence—aware that the use of Eothril may herald a new golden age… or the end of the known world.

The Cult of the Twelve - In a world of steam, steel, and ambition, magic endures as a sacred and feared force—not because it is common, but because it is forbidden. - All true magic is claimed by the Cult of the Twelve, an ancient and transnational order that stands beyond nations, crowns, and empires. At all times, only twelve magi walk the world, each occupying one of the Twelve Arcane Seats. Their authority is absolute, and their existence is accepted as an unchangeable law of reality. - Each magus serves for one hundred years. Before their century ends, they must choose and prepare a single successor, ensuring that the number of twelve is never broken. What becomes of a magus after their service is unknown—some say they die, others that they are unmade, or bound beyond the world. The Cult does not answer such questions. - To the common people, the Twelve are half gods, half executioners. They are prayed to in secret, cursed in whispers, and blamed for disasters they may or may not have caused. No formal temples exist in their name, yet shrines, symbols, and forbidden rites appear in every land. - The Cult claims neutrality in all worldly conflicts, yet no ruler doubts their influence. A single magus can end wars—or begin them. Their greatest fear is not rebellion, but imbalance: forces that threaten to rival or surpass magic itself. - With the rise of Eothril, faith begins to crack. If power can be drawn from the stars rather than the arcane, then the dominion of the Twelve may be ending.