Terra Prime.

A century ago, Terra Prime was a simple, human-dominated world filled with mundane beasts, scattered villages, and a handful of rising kingdoms. Life was predictable. Then the Breakfall occurred—an event during which thousands of shimmering, unstable Porta-Rifts tore open across the world. At first, these rifts were strange curiosities; then they turned deadly. Each led to a self-contained dungeon realm filled with monsters, traps, and treasure. If a rift was not cleared in time, the portal fractured, spewing its monsters into the world and corrupting the land around it. The Breakfall brought more than monsters. It brought refugees—Elves, Dwarves, Beastfolk, and others who fled collapsing realities overrun by the same portals. Terra Prime became the last sanctuary, and also the newest battleground. Now, the world is beautiful yet deadly: lush forests with hidden rifts, ruined cities reclaimed by monsters, thriving kingdoms trying to rebuild, and adventurers known as Riftwalkers who risk their lives to cleanse portals and gather the magical Core Shards found within. Terra’s future depends on those brave enough to enter the unknown.

Terra Prime is vast, divided into four great continents, each home to a primary kingdom. Portal infestations are common across them all. --- 1. The Human Empire — Kingdom of Velorian Capital: Asterfall Ruler: High Regent Marcellus Vyr Once the greatest power of Terra, Velorian is now fractured. Portals devastated several cities, and internal politics grow darker. Many old-guard humans cling to the belief that humans are superior and resent the "outsiders" who came after the Breakfall. Known for: Knights, martial academies Low but ancient magic traditions Anti-nonhuman extremist factions Vast open plains and sunflower fields Destroyed cities still riddled with portals (e.g., Sunspire, Larkhen) --- 2. The Elven Dominion — Sylviren Vale Capital: Elarielle Ruler: Queen Thalanis Starwoven The elves arrived through the portals during their world’s final hours. Sylviren Vale is a land of shimmering forests, crystal rivers, and delicate ancient magic. Though grateful to Terra, they believe their magical knowledge makes them natural leaders. Known for: Portal research and unraveling magic Beautiful but dangerous enchanted woods Ongoing conflict with Velorian human purists Moonstone Spires—towers built to detect new portals --- 3. The Dwarven Pactholds — Khazdural Peaks Capital: Ironspine Fortress Ruler: Overthane Brennak Flintborn The dwarves carved out a new life in Terra’s mountains after fleeing their collapsing realm. Their kingdom is a collection of mountain citadels connected by vast stone tunnels. They take the portals seriously and have elite squads called Tunnel Reclaimers dedicated to containing mountain rifts. Known for: Rune-forging and portal-stabilizing tech Rifts that open deep underground Border skirmishes with orc clans Massive vault cities carved into stone --- 4. The Beastfolk Coalition — Kharu Odan Wildlands Capital: Sen’Rava Ruler: Council of Clans (rotating leadership) Welcoming. Inclusive. Diverse. The Beastfolk came from many worlds, and their coalition is the most united of all kingdoms. They live among jungles, rivers, and plains, often closest to locations where new rifts appear. Known for: Harmony with nature Brave warriors who patrol portal hotspots Most accepting of half-orcs and outcast races Tension with Velorian human purist groups Druids who study the effects of rift corruption

Before the Breakfall, Terra Prime’s only intelligent race was Humans. The arrival of other races sparked both cultural growth and racial tension. --- Humans Divided between: Reformists who welcome new races, and Purists who believe Terra should remain human-only Humans adapt quickest to the portals and produce the most Riftwalkers. --- Elves Elegant, long-lived refugees who lost their original homeland. They treat Terra as sacred but claim responsibility for managing portal magic. Their culture revolves around prophecy, star magic, and memory-song. --- Dwarves Stoic stone-workers rebuilding their ancient hierarchies. They mistrust magic they didn’t make and view portals as “cosmic fractures” that must be reinforced—not feared. --- Beastfolk A wide group: feline, canine, avian, reptilian, and more. Their culture varies by clan, but all value community, physical strength, and the belief that each person has a “soul hunt”—a personal quest given at birth. --- Orcs & Half-Orcs Orcs came through corrupted portals. Most are savage due to their world’s collapse, corrupted by rift energies. Half-orcs face heavy discrimination—except in Beastfolk lands—despite many being uncorrupted and heroic.

1. The Rift Crisis Portals open unpredictably. Leaving one uncleared causes it to shatter, releasing: Orc warbands Goblins Undead Mutant horrors Killer flora Swarms of beasts Eldritch creatures from forgotten worlds Each dungeon’s theme and difficulty is unique: Jungle temple with man-eating vines Frozen labyrinth full of undead knights Orc warcamp within a volcanic cave Swarm hive rifts Ruined miniature cities inside pocket realms Mutant breeding pits Bosses drop Core Shards, currency for enchantments, spell upgrades, and rare crafting. --- 2. Human–Nonhuman Tensions Velorian purists want to: Expel elves and dwarves Annex beastfolk territory Enslave half-orcs Control portal resources They are becoming militarized. --- 3. Orcish Incursions Unstable fractures constantly spill out new orc clans. These orcs are: Brutal Corrupted Driven by a hive-instinct created by the portals Led by massive Warchiefs mutated by rift energies Some theorize orcs come from a “shared world” connected to many portals. --- 4. Competing Kingdom Politics Elves accuse humans of mishandling portal outbreaks Dwarves claim the elves caused the Breakfall in the first place Beastfolk act as mediators but refuse to be pushed around Border conflicts flare over resource-rich areas near portal zones --- 5. The Shadow Cabals Several secretive groups exploit the disaster: The Shattered Hand Human supremacists hoarding portal cores. The Crimson Weave A cult believing portals are divine wounds and must be expanded. The Silent Forge Dwarven group experimenting on portal shards illegally. The Verdant Hunger Beastfolk druids corrupted by plant-based rifts.

Magic Before the Breakfall Low-level, ritualistic, tied to: Herbal remedies Ancestral spirits Elemental blessings Only a few could cast real spells. --- Magic After the Breakfall Portals changed everything. Exposure to Core Shards or portal mana can: Awaken spellcasting Mutate animals Corrupt landscapes Empower weapons Create new magical traditions Produce sorcerers or mages Now there are: Shardmages (channel Core Shards) Riftwalkers (portal delvers) Runesmiths (dwarven magic engineers) Wildweavers (beastfolk primal casters) Echo Clerics (draw power from forgotten gods lost to collapsing worlds) --- Religions 1. The Alllight (Human) Sun/fire deity representing protection and purity. Increasingly twisted by purists. 2. The Whispering Stars (Elven) A belief that the cosmos sings truths to those who listen. 3. The Deep Forge (Dwarven) A creator-god of metal, runes, and stone. 4. The Great Hunt (Beastfolk) Spiritual unity between predator, prey, and nature. A cycle of life and purpose. 5. The Maw Beyond (Orcs) A corrupted, fragmented belief in a devouring cosmic force.