Requiem

The world, which encompasses the multiverse of Requiem and the central plane of Tilith, is fundamentally a high-magic setting where arcane forces and technology are deeply integrated. Magic permeates reality through the Helix, an intricate, multifaceted system channeling elemental and metaphysical energies often attuned to a being's birth month. Technology exists across a wide spectrum, blending traditional steel and spellcraft with relics and lost knowledge from the ancient Pretech Age. Unique planes define existence, such as the Neft, a realm of perpetual crimson twilight governed by rigorous, magic-wielding empires like the Jarakians. Notably, one key realm, Aetheria, was once a world of breathtaking wonders, known for its colossal floating islands, sky-anchored civilizations, and luminous aether crystals that fuel both elemental magic and dirigible airships. The technological peak was reached by Dragon Lords of the Diana Dominion in a prior epoch, who ruled with cosmic-level technomagical starships. Current civilizations, such as the Carnes, maintain their dominance through massive, moving Dreadnaughts, colossal metal constructs inherited from this advanced, fractured past. The setting is constantly shaped by eternal, clandestine conflicts involving cosmic entities like ancient dragons (Eon), manipulating artificial intelligences (The Concierge), and the pervasive, annihilating threat of the Ruin Plane. Ultimately, all civilizations on Tilith struggle to survive, navigating perils from resurrected Pretech horrors and cosmic entities while adapting to a world rewritten by lost history and unpredictable magical flux.

The world is composed of numerous planes, centering on Tilith, a diverse realm where ancient technology intertwines with current magic, and the unique plane of Aetheria exists as a majestic realm of vast floating islands and the Skysea. On Tilith, major nations include the martial Royal Court of Varanthia and the polyarchic monarchy of Eryndor, which were historically twin kingdoms. Cities central to this region include Eryndor's capital Lýondral and Varanthia's fortified core, with the capital Valdor (Sabina District) and the fortress city Aillar (Aillsa District). These terrestrial kingdoms are divided by prominent geographic features such as the jagged Scar Mountains and the treacherous Pinnacle Strait, crossed by the colossal Pinnacle Bridges. Beyond the material world, the galactic draconic empire known as the Diana Dominion is centered in the Artimis Ring nebula, with its capital as the Great Nest. A darker realm is the Neft plane, perpetually shrouded in crimson twilight, defined by a colossal, bleeding marshland, and dominated by a mysterious towering obelisk. The Neft hosts rival powers such as the Jrigori, who rule the hidden metropolis Crimsonhaven, and the hyper-disciplined Jarakian empire. Other hidden cities include the Cragdram's subterranean Kazzuas and the isolated undead megacity Necropolis, located in a pocket dimension. Finally, planes like the heavily warded draconic sanctuary Diorr and the expansive ocean domains, where the Abyssalith clans inhabit grand underwater coral cities, further shape the broader cosmos.

The world is inhabited by diverse peoples categorized primarily as Humans, Beastkin, Lumars, and Dragonkin. The numerous human origins, such as the martial Tōbu and the technological Carnes, are scattered across Tilith, often viewing the Beastkin with distrust stemming from historical enslavement. Beastkin comprise many unique societies like the agricultural Bovidea and the warrior Inuyakin, who coexist uneasily, illustrated by the fierce, long-standing enmity between the Inuyakin and the Felia. A confederacy of magical people known as Lumars includes the vampiric Jrigori who inhabit Crimsonhaven in the Neft, alongside their rival offshoot, the nomadic, Helix-attuned E’talin. These Lumars often clash with the hyper-disciplined, xenophobic human-derived Jarakian empire, another dominant power operating from fortified districts within the hostile Neft plane. The colossal Gors, towering, nomadic people who clash with others over their temporarily abandoned cities, share a longstanding tension with the Lumars. Dragonkin, ranging from lesser Wyverns to cosmic True Dragons, once ruled the Diana Dominion but now maintain a wary distance, retreating to sanctuaries like Diorr after a mortal-led war dissolved their empire. In the deep ocean domains, the seven clans of the Abyssalith act as sea stewards, but are fractured by internal conflicts and are universally feared by land-dwelling races like the Larciaen. The Zryt, an insectoid, psionically-connected race, form vast hive networks across Tilith, further complicating the tapestry of species relations alongside resilient groups like the subterranean Cragdram.

The most profound threats begin cosmically, as the multiverse is endangered by the immense horror Xul’tharaa ("Darkness"), which remains contained within a fragile dimensional prison, and by the pervasive spread of Ruin corruption through planar fissures across Tilith. Adding to planar instability, the volatile Dragon Lords in Diorr maintain a fragile truce, while the latent power of eight fallen Dragon Lords remains bound to legendary Dragon Weapons. On Tilith, the Royal Court of Varanthia is paralyzed by a high-stakes internal cold war among its queens and factions whose constant friction, espionage, and sabotage ensure the kingdom remains perpetually unstable. Furthermore, the powerful House of the Eternal Ring struggles with internal decay among its members and faces the existential threat posed by the Umbral Covenant, a shadowy faction determined to seize power by embracing dark principles and chaos. Meanwhile, the plane of Neft is defined by the eternal war of attrition between the disciplined Jarakian Empire and the vampiric Jrigori (Crimsonhaven), compelling all inhabitants toward constant vigilance. This endless conflict is secretly managed by the ancient dragon Eon, who retains ultimate control and will intervene if any faction threatens to achieve unification under a single banner. Coastal kingdoms face significant challenges from the aggressive naval raids led by the Kalevala and the ongoing conflict with the Abyssalith Voiceless Voice faction, which seeks ocean domination. The floating realm of Aetheria offers boundless adventure in recovering lost lore and piecing together history following the Blackout of Information by exploring dangerous ancient ruins and navigating the treacherous Skysea. Finally, massive Gors constantly clash with settled populations when reclaiming their "resting" cities, and unknowable oceanic Leviathans embody abyssal horrors in the deep seas, presenting immense peril to all who cross their paths.

The world's magic flows primarily through Helix magic, an intricate system aligned with a caster's birth month (such as Ice, Fire, Void, or Soul) that channels elemental or metaphysical energies streaming from the Helix plane, the birthplace of all magic. Magic is wieldable by many, including human origins like the magically proficient Jarakian (who use Jarconian Arts) and the Lumar offshoot E’talin, who reject traditional gods to tap into volatile Helix energy. Another major source of power is Divine magic, which is a gift bestowed by deities based on a follower's faith, dedication, and rituals. The cosmic order is influenced by Gods, who are supreme architects capable of creation ex nihilo, and Deities, who are powerful divine beings organized hierarchically (Lesser, Greater, Omni) who actively participate in mortal lives by granting miracles. Major pantheons include the Nine Talons on Tilith, featuring deities like Albatross (Destiny/Hope), Owl (Law/Truth), Raven (Murder/War), and Crow (Death/Secrets); the Lumar's Ecliptic Court, which includes Zyrora (Hope/Strength) and Eclipse (Darkness/Oblivion); and the Botanical Arches, centered on Ult’taris (Nature) and Titania (Growth/Balance). Other entities exist below the Gods and Deities, such as Dragon Lords (like Jesco the Apex of Manipulation) and the immense elemental beings known as Titans, who emerged from primordial chaos to shape the world and are revered by groups like the House of the Eternal Ring. Finally, dark arts like Ruin magic—channeled by Witches and linked to the desolate Ruin plane—draw their power from corruption and chaos, posing an existential threat to all.

The Helix plane, the birthplace of all magic, fundamentally interacts with the material world by continually supplying arcane energy that flows abundantly through the deep workings of Tilith and across the multiverse. A catastrophic negative influence stems from the Ruin plane, whose corrupting essence seeps into other dimensions, spreading annihilation via planar rifts and contaminated Bile. Infernal threats are pervasive, as Demons embody a relentless plague across dimensions, and diminutive Slivers possess the unique ability to slip through celestial barriers to escape the Infernal plane. Even more terrifyingly, the immense horror Xul’tharaa, originating indirectly from the Dalmasica plane's terrors, remains locked within a fragile dimensional prison that constantly threatens to breach reality. In benevolent contrast, celestial planes like Nirvana and the Astral plane are home to Deities who act as primary conduits, deeply intervening in mortal affairs on Tilith by granting blessings and miracles. The Dream plane actively influences the world when dream-material condenses into the physical realm at Liminal Knots, causing thoughts to gain mass or nightmares to slither into waking reality through fissures. Advanced Dragonkin demonstrate the power to forge new planes, exemplified by the sanctuary of Diorr, a remote pocket of existence carved from cosmic matter and tucked beyond common planar pathways to avoid mortals. The arrival of Other Planar beings acts as a conceptual collision where reality ripples, sometimes rendering the laws of Tilith, such as gravity, merely suggestions. Finally, the Spiritual plane and the Void plane bridge the living and the dead, serving as realms where the essence of souls converge or where departed souls await guidance to their rightful afterlife.

The world's history encompasses several cataclysmic eras, beginning with Pretech or the Golden Age when humanity mastered interstellar travel and advanced technology before the sun's impending death led to the mass exodus and the entombment of the remaining population in gargantuan bunkers. Following this, the Time of the Bunkers (lasting millennia or even millions of simulated years) saw the decay of technological knowledge among isolated survivors, creating a legacy of lost lore and shattered data-crystals that scholars now chase. The subsequent era, marked by a planetary upheaval called the Cleansing, remade the world, leading to the emergence of Beastkin empires and leaving the land with scars of fire and mutations, as well as broken spires of metal poking through forests on Tilith. After the Cleansing, the Prior Epoch witnessed the rise of the Diana Dominion, a cosmic draconic empire centered on techno-magic until the Dragon War led by mortals (such as Targo Derenthor) shattered their rule, leaving behind legendary Dragon Weapons bound with the souls of eight fallen Dragon Lords. Concurrently, the Titan Wars, comprised of the War of Silence (a decade of conflict that strained divine connections) and the Titan's Fall (a two-year civil war), shattered precursor organizations like the Order of Dominion and the Cult of Unity, leaving remnants like the House of the Eternal Ring built from the ashes. The once-beautiful plane of Aetheria was corrupted into the Ruin Plane during the horrific Ruin War, a cataclysmic conflict lasting a thousand years that left behind grotesque ruins, bile-laced rivers, and the lingering spiritual influence of the now-slain gods of harmony, cycles, and wisdom. Today, adventurers seek to recover the lost lore following the Blackout of Information by exploring the ancient ruins that drift among the vast floating islands of Aetheria. Finally, the subterranean city of Kazzua Yuzudrid contains subterranean lakes that mirror constellations unseen by surface dwellers, alongside Deeproot Necropoleis, an intricate network of catacombs built by the Thanorim which occasionally uncovers remnants of the human ancient bunkers.

Civilization relies on diverse economic frameworks, ranging from conventional mixed economies found in the Ironbound Confederacy to specialized barter systems. A standardized financial measure is the Cragdram's Chip currency system, which includes seven denominations: Scrap, Bit, Tab, Cut, Mark, Slate, and Stone. In contrast, the Jrigori city of Crimsonhaven sustains itself through a barter system where favors, influence, and specialized services replace traditional coin as the primary economic drivers. A secretive currency is the Blood Token, exclusive to the dreamscape's Obsidian Market and acquired only through violent deeds and dark rituals performed by groups like the Onyx Knights. Major trade networks include heavily guarded maritime routes governed by naval powers like the Carnes and controlled Iron Veins road networks, such as those that snake through Varanthia. In the boundless skies of Aetheria, commerce is conducted by Sky Navigators utilizing dirigible vessels to sail perilous Skysea routes for trading precious aether crystals, the realm’s lifeblood. Covert organizations like the Zeryx bypass conventional commerce entirely, relying on covert barter networks and trade in services like intelligence or assassination for payment in smuggled coins, black pearls, or leveraged favors. Finally, the Zeryx employ an internal token, the Veil Coin—an obsidian-and-steel artifact etched with illusion runes—used solely to reward exceptional deeds within their shadow order.

Justice across the realms is administered through diverse and often severe legal systems, heavily influenced by governing bodies, ruling deities, or specific cultural codes. In the Ironbound Confederacy, the Iron Council crafts strict laws enforced by the Naval Command, with penalties ranging up to execution or exile due to the high stakes of maintaining order. Varanthia's justice is rooted in the Mark of Leadership, using fear, manipulation, and ruthless efficiency; the Onyx Circle and the Grim Assembly enforce a dark, precise justice based on their deity's tenets, such as ensuring correct endings or maintaining the balance of life and death. The Grim Assembly, associated with the deity Crow, functions as the royal mortuary and compliance office, believing that every secret and cadaver must be balanced, with penalties for failure including soul-forfeit or Zero-Balance erasure. For followers of Owl, the deity of law and truth, justice is administered impartially by Librarians in structures often serving as courthouses, where wrongdoers can face the Owl’s Punishment, which can result in the Judged mark or painful disintegration. In the nomadic Kalevalaian society, offenses are addressed through the Griefan system with fines or, in severe cases, enslavement as Vyrkarn to restore spiritual balance. Adventurers are seen across societies in highly varied roles, often viewed as thrill-seekers or researchers drawn by the lure of lost artifacts, boundless Helix potential, and legendary monsters. The Silver Fang Guild in Crimsonhaven serves as a vital nexus for mercenaries, explorers, and daring souls, providing contract-based missions and a tiered badge system that rewards merit. In Aetheria, adventurers like Treasure Hunters and Skyfall Hunters are drawn to exploring ancient ruins and battling monstrous skyborne creatures, embodying a sense of destiny. Meanwhile, organizations like the Forlorn Moon utilize adventurer-like figures, such as those in the Asteryl wing, to offer guidance, healing, and help communities, while the Zeryx branch handles covert threats.

The world is constantly threatened by ancient cosmic evils, formidable cults, and diverse monstrous entities. The most pervasive ancient cosmic evil is Ruin, a force of decay and destruction embodied by the malevolent entity Rhakspit, the Lord of Ruin, who draws power from the nightmare realm of the Ruin plane and whose very presence corrupts reality. Another incomprehensible threat is Xul’tharaa, commonly referred to as Darkness, an eldritch contagion born indirectly from the Nullbound that manifests as writhing tendrils and unfathomable obsidian forms, driven by an insatiable hunger to devour the untainted. Furthermore, Leviathans are colossal, ancient beings of the deep that embody primal fears, whose sheer size and incomprehensible nature can drive mortals to madness, acting as dark gods of the ocean's void. Looming large are the malevolent Dragon Lords of the past, such as Aulen, the Ravenous Tyrant of hate and rage, and Hannos, the Mind-Shattered Watcher who succumbed to cosmic madness after glimpsing horrors in the Dalmasica plane. Civilization is also targeted by cults and organized factions, including The Cult of Ruin, which serves Rhakspit, and the Church of the Veiled Shadow, led by High Matron Franziska Vael III under the ominous banner, “IN DARKNESS, WE SEE CLEARLY; IN SHADOWS, WE SERVE ETERNALLY”. Other villainous groups include the Umbral Covenant, seeking to overthrow the House of the Eternal Ring to concentrate power in the hands of those who embrace darkness, and the Onyx Circle in Varanthia, devoted to the deity of murder, war, and assassination, Raven, with their elite Onyx Knights. Finally, numerous types of monstrous creatures plague the world, including Demons and Devils from the Infernal and Abyss planes, highly feared Undead like liches and vampires who desecrate life, and aberrant, reality-warping Monstrosities.