Short introduction
A short introduction to the world and its inhabitants, with the most important things mentioned. To understand the world and the cultures entirely you may read all the world information available, but you may also just read the general Theuma and your character’s culture’s articles.
The Caravan starts on its journey from a dusty town. A long journey full of danger and adventure awaits, through the known and unknown lands of the continent of Theuma. The centuries-long war between the Empire of Leonte and the Free Lands is over, and peace has brought a surprisingly fruitful base for the mixing of peoples, cultures and ways of thought in the border areas, a neutral zone created between the two countries.
Many villages and settlements have arisen on the once-wild territories, through with the caravan moves as one of many. This land is still dangerous, the roads plagued by bandits and monsters, but the caravan carries rare goods - rare metals from the Free Lands and pigment flowers, cocoa and tobacco from the Empire. This is why travelers prefer to move together, sent by armed guards. The tensions of the ended war are still in the air and no one knows what awaits behind the next curve in the road. And along with the earthly, there is magic in this world - either given by the gods or fueled by apeiron dug from the earth. Great things can be done with it, both good and bad. Better to be careful.
The travelers are a varied bunch. They all have their own reasons for joining the caravan. Some want to profit, some want to travel to a certain place, some want to escape their past, some wish to explore the unknown and have new experiences. Everyone needs to go through complicated bureaucracy to acquire a permit to move in the border zone.
Here you can find alenti from the Empire of Leonte, a race descended from lizards, who even now carry scales on their skin. Their ancestors came here times ago as conquerors. Now they represent a refined civilisation with many cities, governed with intricate and thorough laws by the Emperor from their throne in Rhaentium, the largest and brightest city in the world. Perhaps there are officials with important tasks, or priests who serve the powerful veiled gods? Perhaps a soldier of a famed Legion, either on leave or retired? Perhaps even one of the rare Old Blood, reminiscent of the alenti of old. There might be even some of rarer alenti in the caravan: a wulver who can take beast form, a moroia returned from the dead or a vampiric lagar, all subject to the stern registration of Imperial law.
Beside them are former enemies from the Free Lands, the legendary dissenters who created their own land east of the Empire. Now they live in tribes, bound by tight bonds. They believe in their animal-headed gods and respect ancestors who can give wisdom from behind the veil of death. Their lives are lead by simpler laws closer to nature, conflicts and arguments are resolved by trials, and loyalty to clan and tribe is of utmost importance. Unlike the Imperial apeiromancy, the Freelanders use their own Runic Arts to bless various items of power.
There might even be a theumite in the caravan - one of the elemental natives of Theuma. The bodies of these mysterious people consist entirely of elemental energy, kept in check by a shell. Most theumites spend their whole lives in closed cities of elemental power, known as Sources. Once there were over a hundred of them on Theuma, but only twelve remain after the war: Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Light and Shadow. For all others entering a Source is deadly. Only rarely do theumites put on a shell to leave, for adventure or some other goal. They also use magic, but unlike alenti, theirs comes from themselves.
All these different travelers bear the dangers of the border areas together, to move from one place to another, stopping to sell their wares and to exchange informations. On such markets, the currencies, languages and customs of two peoples intertwine.
Perhaps their journey will take them past altars, near which the laws of nature change under the will of the gods - weapons may rust, fires burn forever, stones move by themselves.
Perhaps they will meet outlaws from the Free Lands, desperate people ready for anything to survive.
Perhaps there will be a forest dweller in their way, from whom you never know if they ready to fight or to help.
Who knows what awaits on the road?
The Caravan leaves the town. A long journey full of dangers and adventures through the known and unknown lands of Theuma awaits. Will you join them?