Elf Culture: The Dolsan, Dunyl and Keldavan

Here is a short look at some of the elven cultures and religions in Eirda. As more info is developed I will expand on this.
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            The Dolsan and Keldavan originate from the landmass called Elvedayn; the Dolsan reside on the northern half, Dolsantyral, and the Keldavan in the south, Keldavazh.

The Dolsan 

            The Dolsan are generally a very reasonable and logical people. They follow the teachings of Dolsa and Aslod. The gods of inner balance. Dolsa and Aslod are two halves to a whole; like Solren and Lunara, and Dysia and Zanos from the Order of Harmonia. Dolsa represents the light and everything good in the world; Aslod represents the darkness and chaos of everything. But rather than only worshipping one, the Dolsan know that neither god can exist without the other; and this is also true in life. Peace cannot exist without chaos. Everyone has inner light and darkness within them. The trick to life is to learn to balance the two.

             Dolsan love life and everything that comes with it, the good and the bad. They live for the bright days and learn from the bad. Learn to be at peace with one another and with those that have conflict with them. They understand that people have negative and chaotic urges from time to time. But rather than destructively acting upon them, they learn to meditate and harness those urges towards positive activities. While the Dolsan may not truly give in to their chaotic urges they believe that without the darkness the light wouldn't be as bright.

            The Dolsan live in a communal society, they have no kings or emperors. Their communes promote equality and caring for one another. Their central government is run by locally elected representatives that promote the betterment of all of Dolsan society. Representatives must be just and trusted by his or her community.

The Keldavan

            In Keldavazh; their philosophies differ quite a bit. The Keldavan happily give in to the chaos that Aslod thrives from and are more savage in nature. They are happy to act their primal urges and instincts. They live in clans of that fight for power, the chief is usually the strongest Keldavan, or one with the most kills. The few times they band together is when the share the hatred for the Dolsan. Keldavan hate that the Dolsan also worship their god but refuse to give in to their primal instincts. They believe the Dolsan are heretics and disrespecting the ways of Aslod. The Keldavan are constantly at war with the Dolsan and vigilantly attack their communities.

            However, this does not mean that all Keldavan are evil and attack all Dolsan. There a few Keldavan clans that keep to themselves in Dolsantyral and in some remote areas of Keldavazh itself. 

The Dunyl

            The elves of Andunyl originally were Dolsan that were tired of the constant attacks from the Keldavan. They were given land in between Illibasca and Jahr'ghuul by the halflings. Now they have a different society that is much more varied than Dolsantyral. Here there are lordships, small kingdoms, democracies, dictatorships, and more. There are even a few Keldavan villages that also fled the wars. It is just as varied as Canascas. A very few number still follow the old ways of the Dolsan. Many follow other religions as well now. Given the nature of the land's acquisition their communities are also often shared with Halflings.

Solren, Lunara, and the Way of Cosmic Light

This post is a brief look at one of the many religions in Canascus. The disciples of the Way of Cosmic Light worships the Sun and Moon and believes their "cosmic light" blesses them.

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             Solren and Lunara are the gods of the Sun and Moon, day and night. Other than The Order of Harmonia; The Way of the Light is one of the bigger religions in Canascus. The religions of Eirda are different than the religions of our Earth; rather than people trying to put faith in entities they cannot provide actual proof for. The deities of Eirda have often interfered and

            These two gods are seen as siblings; two parts of the whole. Solren is the embodiment of the Sun and power. Lunara is the Moon and tranquility. Many gods come in pairs, it helps keep a cosmic balance. It keeps most gods from getting out of control; if one should ever go rogue, it is usually the "other half's" job to keep them in check.

            Solren controls the Sun and the days. He is the spirit of power and energy. He is powerful and wise. He provides the world with warmth and energy. Canascans worship him for this reason, they pray the he bless them with warmth and power; to have the energy to prosper during the day. Often soldiers and warriors would pray for his power and energy to protect them. Solren had many war clerics and paladins following his cause. Solren favored adventure and positivity. The Sun provides growth and Solren adores those that strive for personal advancement.

            Lunara controls the Moon and the night. She is Solren's other half. Whereas the Day is the time for people to go out and adventure; the night is time for recovery and rest. It is a time for peace and tranquility. Before going to bed people would often pray for Lunara to bless them with a good night's rest so that their next day be full of energy. Most followers know that a good night leads to a good day. This is the connection between Solren and Lunara. Lunara soothes the weary with a good rest so that they be strong enough to put Solren's energy to good use.

            As the more subtle of the two, Lunara often gets ignored by some followers of Solren. Sometimes people forget that Solren and Lunara are siblings. Often they are misinterpreted and people often worship one or the other. This is a major issue in Renalia. Renalians are often devout followers of Solren, nowadays; but they often are misguided about what Solren represents and they ignore Lunara. The current emperor, Jaryl Orgose, is using Solren as his symbol for conquest. He put a symbol of the Sun on his banners and says that the Sun gives his troops the power and energy to defeat his enemies. That the Sun is the symbol of growth and he must grow his empire.

            There are few groups that also misread what Lunara represents. Some mistake here as the guardian of those that travel by night. Many rogues think that Lunara will guide their night raids and heists.

Hildwaine, Canascus - An in Depth Look

Periodically, I am going to add detailed histories and customs of each country and region in Eirda. I will start with the countries of Canascus and move to the other areas of the Terron Landmass. If I come with any more details for any I will update these.

The Country of Hildwaine

Lore and History:

    Hildwaine is a country in the northwest corner of Canascus. It is known mostly for its farming and fishing communities. It has a famous Annual Market, but the coast is known to harbor pirates and criminals.

    Over 300 of years ago, Hildwaine was run by a monarchy, King Velus  and Queen Imalyn Merrah. But during Dol's Imperial Conquest it was occupied and brought under Dol rule. The royal family were executed. A few decades later, when Dol's Empire mysteriously fell, Hildwaine was free to rebuild itself. The citizens formed a democratic government, a national guard, and renamed the former royal capitol of Merraten to Goldenbark.

    For the next few centuries, Hildwaine thrived as a farming and fishing community. It traded with Serra and other regions by sea. It prospered fairly well. When the Eordkhun [the name of the dwarven race] took to the sea it really affected the economy of Hildwaine. Since they were still relatively small they did not have the military power to protect all of their ships. They had to resort bringing their goods to Serra by land.

    Hildwaine's economy began to crumble and the pirates began to drift closer and closer to Hildwaine's coast. Some even began to settle on the coast and set up a pirate hideout. They would frequent the town of Dulnport; the villagers were worried at first, but the pirates spent a good amount of money at the local taverns. It was a huge relief to the struggling town. The national guard left the pirates alone so long as they didn't cause problems and spent their money well.

    Eventually, the pirates integrated into the town of Dulnport. It had vastly expanded because of pirate spending. The town was then renamed to Freeblade by the pirates. They had also established a few other cities on the coast and now the Hildwaine government has a mutual understanding that they do not interfere with the pirate cities and the pirates don't venture inland to the other towns.

The population of Hildwaine is mostly Canascan. The pirate cities of Freeblade, Saltvein are greatly varied, but the major races are Canascan and Eordkhun.

Major Cities:

    -Goldenbark-
    Also, called the City of Gold. Goldenbark is the capital and also the largest city of Hildwaine. Before Dol's conquest it was named Merraten, after the royal family. When Dol collapsed it was renamed and the country established a democratic government. Goldenbark is a fairly prosperous city and is the largest in Hildwaine. The capitol building was converted from the royal castle and that is where the government officials reside while in office.

They have a fairly grand market. Every fall season they have The Annual Hild Market Fair that attracts people from all over Hildwaine; and even some from Serra visit during this time. Farmers and merchants come from all corners to sell their goods at the annual fair. Getting a spot at the fair is a very competitive process and hundreds of sellers don't get a spot in the Golden Plaza. So, those that don't get a spot in the city set up a second fair outside of town. In town, you can get better quality goods; but out of town the fair is much livelier since it is out of city bounds. The "Road Fair", as they call it, takes place on the main road that leads into the city and the Golden Plaza.

    The city is mostly made of gray stone that is mined from the Drake Mountains. Merrah Castle was renovated and is now used as the government headquarters and is located in the east side. The main road that leaves Goldenbark leads to Silpha, the largest still-running port in Hildwaine. The main entrance on the south leads into the Golden Plaza, the largest market in Hildwaine. While not as large as some markets in Serra it is still popular enough to attract many visitors and food enthusiasts. Many farmers and merchants sell food that are unmatched in taste and quality.

    The name Goldenbark comes from the trees of the Golden forest. The trees there have a very attractive golden color for the bark on the trunks.

    Most of the city's trade is done with Serra. It's economy has still survived by using the Silphan Strait to get to the trade cities of Serra.

    -Freeblade-
    40 years ago, Freeblade was originally named Dulnport; it used to be a moderately large fishing village. When pirates ruined a lot of their sea business the village began to suffer. Ironically though, the pirates eventually traveled to Dulnport and enjoyed the taverns and local shops. The pirates began to settle and designated Dulnport as a new hub.

    When word traveled that Dulnport was being frequented by pirates, the Hild Guard sent troops to protect the citizens of Dulnport. But since the pirates were merely entertaining themselves and actually spending money; apart from a few troublemakers, the Guard couldn't force them out without causing trouble in the first place.

    Within the year many Dulnport residents left once the pirates started settling, soon the pirates claimed the city as their own and renamed it to Freeblade. With mostly pirate residents and no Hilds, the Guard abandoned the city. Now it is a bustling and lively city filled with pirates and criminals. There is lots of coin to be earned here, but just as much danger and lawlessness. Though most of the ruckus is contained within the city.

    It is governed by the Deskar Clan, a racially mixed band of pirates. They are a strangely honorable pirate clan. The Hild Guard have attempted to arrest their leader before, but with no real cause they were not able to keep him incarcerated. Onadum Deskar, the clan leader, made an unofficial rule that he would keep the people of Freeblade within it's walls and not cause trouble to the rest of Hildwaine so long as they left it alone. The politicians of Goldenbark unofficially agreed and leave it alone.

    As a show of good faith, the Deskar Clan also try to keep the other pirate hubs of Saltvein and Un'kehva in check as well; especially Saltvein. They believe that if they would get on the bad side of the Hild government that it would spell trouble for Freeblade as well.

    Freeblade is a large port city with plenty of docks for hundreds of pirate ships to land and sail off. The buildings are mostly made of wood. Some of the older areas retain the simple aesthetics of the Hild craftsmanship, but the expanded areas are mixed between Eordkhun and other styles.

    -Un'kehva-
    This is one of two pirate established port towns. Whereas Freeblade was originally a Hild village, Un'kehva was was founded solely by pirates. Un'kehva is a dwarven name and has a bigger dwarven population than the other pirate cities. It is held by the Huhndel Clan, a clan that is all dwarven and doesn't like to mix it's members. Other races are usually not received very well. But that doesn't mean they would refuse non-dwarven money. Like any pirate they would do about anything for the right price.

    The pirates of Un'kehva keep mostly to themselves. They pride themselves with being seabearers and try to keep their business on the seas. They consider the town only as a hub to land and rest. The buildings are mostly wooden with Eordkhun styled buildings.

    -Saltvein-
    Saltvein is a very dangerous place for non-pirates. It was established by pirates from the ground up, like Un'kehva. But, where Freeblade usually welcomes anyone and is usually not directly threatening; Saltvein's residents are usually very open with their hostility. Even though most Hilds detest Saltvein their mutual standing with Freeblade make it hard to enforce laws there. Most Hilds are content to just leave Saltvein alone.

    Though, occasionally there have been instances where bandits would take refuge in Saltvein after robbing some nearby Hildwaine citizens.

    -Greenvale-
    This village is located deep within the Erris Forest. They are one of the largest providers of lumber to the majority of Hildwaine. There is a big lumber and hunting community in Greenvale. Some claim that the best hunters come from Greenvale and they even have contests in the spring to see who can hunt the biggest buck.

    The buidings of Greenvale are log cabins made of the rich reddish wood that Erris Forest is famous for. The residents value their forest and people may not hunt, harvest, or chop down trees without a permit. Those whom are found illegally gathering these are fined and even imprisoned depending on the severity of the infraction.

    Greenvale got its name from the lush green grass and trees of the Erris Forest. One of the largest forests in Canascus. The forest is also one of the most densely inhabited by wildlife forests.

    Because if how large the forest is it also is home to tribes of barbarians. The barbarians don't usually get along with outsiders and don't consider themselves part of Hildwaine. They usually get angry when they are labeled as a HIld.

    -Duvar-
    The Hild Guard has recently established Duvar as it's main headquarters. With the nearby villages being periodically attacked by bandits from Saltvein, The Hild Guard wanted to keep a closer eye on the coast. They have other small outposts throughout the southwestern area to survey the area.

    Duvar is a farming community. When the Hild Guard came in they expanded and fortified the city. Now it's farmers still flourish while under the protection of of the HIld Guard.

    Duvar is a city made with earthy colored wood; there are a few shops and a tavern. It has a really good market, though small. On the outskirts of the city is where they built the Hild Countryside Guard main outpost. The outpost built a wooden wall around the city to protect it from potential bandit attack. And the many farms that are still part of Duvar are on the outside of the city and surround the area. There are other smaller guard posts that patrol the area and the farmers on the outside of those farms.

    -Enoriec-
   This is a fairly large fishing community. Most of their profit comes from fishing in the Rimelden River and selling fish in other Hild cities and exports to Serra. They use Cold Magic to freeze the fish and keep it refrigerated. For the most part, Enoriec is a fairly normal town; the one aspect that makes it peculiar is for the fact that it is the only city in Hildwaine with a small population of draken citizens.

    Draken are a reptilian race that believe themselves to be descended from dragons. The draken in Enoriec were a small tribe that was overpowered and chased out of their nest in the Drake Mountains. The Drake Mountains gain their names because of the large population of draken. Dragons are also known to live in the mountains but are rarely seen.

    -Balesten-
    Balesten is the the largest farming community in all of Hildwaine. It is in the middle of Lindur Plains, a region that is considered highly fertile and rich.

    -Illestad-
    In order to keep Goldenbark looking like a happy and carefree city. The government and the Hild Guard agreed to keep the military outposts outside of Goldenbark. So Illestad was established in a large unoccupied area of the Lindur Plains. Illestad is the military capital of Hildwaine. It is a large fortified city and is completely walled in. It serves as a headquarters for the Hildguard and it is also the location of the largest prison in Hildwaine. Though it is very large, it is for the most part very vacant. The only prisoners are some rowdy pirates and bandits that were arrested near Duvar.

    And even though this may be a miltaristic city, there is still many non military residents in Illestad. Many soldiers have their families move into the city. Also, there are many shops and taverns that bring business to the Hild Guard.

    -Trifeya Dol Ruins-
    When Dol mysteriously collapsed and it's troops vanished, it did still leave it's mark. Many cities and areas were destroyed, but rebuilt. But there were many Dol ruins that remained and still haunt the surrounding areas. Many Dolese were transformed into twisted creatures and retreated to the many Dol military outposts that remained standing. Trifeya was one of the still standing outposts. It is a largely avoided area.

    For the most part, the Dolese monsters keep to themselves and only attack those who get too close to Trifeya. But there have been incidents when they have left the ruins and attacked nearby villages.

The People of Hildwaine:

    The people of Hildwaine are very polite and friendly. They are usually very kind and helpful and very hospitable. Despite having pirates on the coast Hild people are not used to dangerous and suspicious people. They are overly polite and sometimes may get nervous or anxious around shifty looking people, especially if they are suspected of being a pirate. The average Hild is around 5'8" for males and 5'4" for females. Their hair colors range from blonde to light brown with fair skin. In the northern cities of Hildwaine the people tend to have reddish hair and even fairer skin, especially in Greenvale.

    The soldiers of the Hild Guard are generally very noble. The Hild Guard has soldiers in every major city of Hildwaine. Their housing and food are paid for and usually have a fairly cushy job. Because of this many soldiers haven't seen a whole lot of action and are fairly inexperienced. Luckily the few bandits that attack the areas near the southwest aren't very organized or skilled. But the Hild cities love and respect them all the same.

    The pirates of the pirate cities are very different from each other. There are many of all shapes, races and creeds. But they do share a few things in common; their love of debauchery, money, and freedom. They are a very lively bunch and would do just about anything for the right amount of coin.

    In the Erris Forest lives many barbaric tribes. They are also red-haired, but slightly darker skin. They tend to wear furs and leather. They are generally very spiritual and commune with the forests. They live off the land and share with one another. They value survival skills highly and are experts at living in the wild.

The Magic of Eirda

    My overall thinking process for working on Eirda is to make things fresh and interesting. So, with that in mind I wanted to change up how magic will work; in Eirda there are 3 known sources of magic. In this post I will discuss the magic types and their use. Currently, the sources are:



-Elemental Magic (Casting elemental spells. Such as fire, water, lightning, etc.)

-Soul Magic (Powerful magic that takes soul energy, often corrupts and drives people insane.)

-Divine Magic (Miracles, blessings, and sometimes curses. Magic cast or lent from the gods.)

-Elemental Magic-

Also called: Elementalism, Naturalism, Magic

     This type of magic is the most widespread discipline of magic, so I'll will speak the most on this one. When people speak of "magic" this is the type that they are usually referring to. Elementalism is not as limitless as most other magic systems; such as that of normal D&D or Harry Potter. I wanted to make this type of magic more grounded; yet still potentially powerful and versatile. This way it's wide use isn't game breaking but still rewarding at higher levels.

     Elementalism is the practice of manipulating and amplifying the energies of the world around us. Almost every existing natural element can be manipulated with enough training. However, Elementalism does not “create” elements, it needs an already existing source to draw power from.

    For example, Water is one of the elements. In order for someone to cast a water spell there needs to be some water in order for it to be possible to cast it. But it doesn’t require much to cast water. There is water almost EVERYWHERE; your spells can draw energy from the moisture in the air and the water in the living body. But if the caster is in a completely arid environment, such as a desert, then it becomes much harder to cast water spells.

    This means that casting spells cost energy from the caster and from the specific element. The more of that element that is the least costly it will be to cast a spell of that source. The less of that source that there is then the more energy it requires from the user; also the source could also drain the source of the user. Casting water spells in the desert with no other water source could potentially dehydrate the caster and possibly kill him.

    Though, while not all of the different elements behave this way. Some elements, Earth, have an almost infinite supply of sources; but it's drawback is that it requires more stamina from the user to cast and is useless in large bodies of water.

    So, here is a list of the current elements within this discipline:

• Heat (Fire) -

     This is the manipulation of fire and heat. It can burn things and set fires. It can slowly raise temperatures. It can also generate warmth and energize party members. Can shield oneself from high temperatures as well. Needs a heat source to cast spells. Can cause the caster to suffer from losing body heat and possibly freeze to death trying to cast in cold temperatures.

• Cold (Ice) - 

    This is the practice of lower temperatures to extremely cold temperatures. It can produce icicles in most environments unless there is an absence of moisture in the air. It can also be used to slow targets down or freeze the ground to make opponents trip. It can even secure together buy encasing them in ice. Overusing Cold in hot environments can cause the body to overheat and suffer heat strokes.

• Water (Liquids) - 

    Manipulates bodies of water. At beginner levels can manipulates a couple gallons of water. As mastery of water increases they can move larger quantities of water. It can create powerful blasts to knock down enemies or objects and can create mist and fog. True masters can move giant waves and large bodies of water. It can even create highly pressurized streams of water that can potentially cut through solid materials. Too much water exertion in dry areas can dehydrate the caster.

• Earth (Stone, Ground, Metal) - 

    Earth can be a very powerful element, but it is very costly to the caster. Only the most sturdy can cast Earth spells easily. It can lift stones into the air and manipulate the ground to rise or fall. You can make holes to trap enemies or make sturdy wall for cover against incoming attacks. Master Earth casters can even bend metals to their liking. They can bend swords and crush armor. But this is only done so by the highest level masters of earth. Some have been rumored to effect gravity as well. Earth takes no resource from the caster other than stamina/energy, but they can cast so long as there is a ground or rock to manipulate.

• Wind (Air) - 

    Can create gusts of wind and move objects around as if it were telekinesis. Can conjure tornados at higher levels. Wind can be used to knock enemies around the battlefield. Moderate casters can even mimic sounds with Wind. This a fun skill for stealthy characters that want to distract guards or lookouts. At master levels Wind can also be concentrated to cut through objects. Wind is fairly easy to use but can be resisted at lower levels. It takes more proficient study to do damage with Wind magic. I am debating if I should have Wind spells to potentially cause the caster to run out of breath/oxygen if used in environments with little air. But that is still under consideration.

• Lightning (Electricity, Magnetism) -

     Lightning is the use of electric powers. It can shock and electrocute targets. It can paralyze enemies by making their muscles spasm. You can magnetize metals to stick metallic items together; making a foe's sword stick to his armor or shield can be very useful. Advanced users can also leave static charges in the open that can act like electricity mines! Lightning magic is also useful for powering advanced technologies. The over usage of electricity effects are still under debate. Maybe it makes the area unstable with static electricity?

• Light (Illumination, Brightness, Illusions) -

     Light magic is the manipulation of the visible spectrum of light. It can brighten up the environment and cause flashes of light. It can make light bright enough to blind and disorient enemies. Advanced users can create illusions and fool targets' vision. Though creating illusions is tough and usually requires some concentration to get the exact image the caster wants. Only masters can create illusions with ease at will; some can even shoot a concentrated beam of light that can cut and burn like a laser. But since lower level Light spells don't really damage opponents, Light magic requires little energy but has trouble functioning darkness. This is a favorite element for tricksters.

• Darkness (Shadows, Anti-Illusions) -

Dark Magic is a favorite among stealth characters and assassins. This excels at shrouding targets in darkness. It can extend the length of shadows and create artificial clouds of darkness. It is also efficient at dispelling illusions made by light magic; such as removing an illusory wall that is protecting a secret passage or treasure. It can also be used to block light. Such as drowning out the light from a torch to block vision in the area to disorient guards. I am looking to expand the functions of Dark magic, I feel like it is pretty narrow in its scope and would like some more variety for it.

• Life (Healing, Buffs, Charm) -

     This is the magic of healers and protectors. This is used for healing wounds and cuts. This effects the body on a biological level, it accelerates the body's functions and ability to heal itself. But this magic doesn't need a damaged target in order to be useful. Life magic can invigorate targets and boost their body's abilities and buffing them. Higher levels can heal and buff large areas and effect many targets. With some special training you can learn to change the chemical balances of a target. This can lead to casters altering the moods of people. The caster can soothe their mind and calm their mood; this can help the target feel more cooperative towards the caster. The level of healing corresponds with how much energy is required. Healing bigger wounds requires more energy and time.

• Death (Decay, De-buffs, Unnerve) -

     This is a favorite element of killers and rogues. This element deteriorates the cells of the body; it is essentially the exact opposite of Life magic. It wilts a target's body; resulting in possibly sluggish movements, weaker muscles and strength. It can even cause nausea and sickness. Some even use Death Magic to create and apply poisons and toxins. Like its counter-part, Dark magic requires concentration and time to be more effective at lower levels. Most Dark magic assassins apply magical poisons to their weapons ahead of time rather than on the spot. Death can also be used to affect the mind. It can deteriorate the brain and cause fear or hysteria. Master casters can kill instantly; or at least severely cripple someone.


     Now, I want my game system to be open; so no character is ever limited to learn only one element. Players can learn and combine elements to synergize and create new effects. A player that combines fire and water can create steam; or you can left a rock out of the ground and use wind to propel it even faster at enemies!

     Plus, as mentioned in another post; these elements can be used by melee characters to enhance their combat. Earth casters can summon shields to block arrows. Wind casters can boost their speed and make more effective charge attacks or jumps. Think of Bending powers from Avatar: The Last Airbender and Legend of Korra.

    So, here are the current list of options at the moment. It's still in progress abilities might be added and changed on the elements. New elements may even be added. But for now this is THE list.

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-Soul Magic-

Also called: Black Magic, Corruptionism, Void Magic

     Soul Magic is very different from Elementalism; whereas Elementalism is more grounded and requires an energy source, Soul Magic instead borrows stamina and energy from the life force of the caster. Simply put, it draws power from the caster's soul in order to create powerful magic. The fact that is very powerful attracts many to try and master this magic school. However, it does have some terrible consequences from overuse.

     The side effects from prolonged Soul magic usage is that it eats away and corrupts the soul of the caster over time. It causes them to lose sense of their former self; the most common feeling is a sense of power and wanting to use and master soul magic. It's almost like a magical drug. Other effects may include a compulsion to convert others to join their cause to master Soul magic or cause mayhem.

    Character's with weaker mental stability may not even get to that state, some can't handle the damage to their souls and this causes mental breakdowns and dementia. In some cases it has left the caster in a vegetable state and they die because their mind stops thinking. They don't eat, drink, or sleep; they just let themselves die.

    Soul Magic is generally seen as evil by most of the population in Eirda. Though some would argue that this discipline isn't necessarily evil, it's just the unfortunate side effects that drive casters to madness.

    The length and severity in which a person usually becomes affected by the negative effects depends on the willpower of the caster. Some men have a strong will and can resist some of the negative effects. Those with weak wills suffer slight effects like dementia within weeks or months of practicing Soul Magic. Stronger willed casters don't suffer effects for years or decades, but this is for the elite casters with vastly superior wills. They usually still suffer the drug-like addiction of conquering black magic or spreading chaos.

    But aside from the known dangers of using Soul Magic, many still try t master it because of it's terrifying power. It is extremely potent and not as restricted like Elementalism. Soul magic can create a near limitless amount of functions. It can create powerful blasts of energy to destroy anything. It can make magical explosions. It can curse and cripple. It can corrupt the minds of others. It can alter the state of matter. It can levitate the caster or others. Some claim that it can even create horrid creatures.

     Soul Magic is extremely taboo in most regions of the world and is often labeled as a criminal offense. Those whom try to learn it are usually arrested and bound. In these places they usually refer to it as Black Magic or Corruptionism to emphasize it's dark nature more, and hopefully deter people from using it. Only few places tolerate the study of Soul Magic. In the country of Tilwenar there are some regions that have loose restrictions on Soul Magic to allow it's study and effects. In the continent of Keldavazh, the elven race of the Keldavan believe their god, Aslod, created Soul Magic and revere those who can master it.

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-Divine Magic-

Also called: Creator Magic, God Magic, Holy Magic, Miracles

     This is a rare magic type. It is given to those whom are faithful to the gods that they worship. Their devotion grants them favors and powers that few can utilize without constant prayer and devotion to their chosen deity. A casual worshiper would never be able to use these powers.

There are many gods in the setting of Eirda. Gods exist for different laws of nature and races and other things. They have their own responsibilities and exist to keep the balance in this world. Though, when they see a person devoting themselves to further one of their goals, often they are compelled to give that person a helping hand. Usually this happens to someone whom is extremely loyal or when something is happening that could greatly upset the balance of nature on Eirda.

For instance, sometimes when gods bestow powers to their followers it can upset that balance and other gods will respond by giving powers to followers opposing each other. This usually is the result of warring religions. Or sometimes in the face of great evil, like powerful Soul Mages, gods will bless warriors that are trying to stop catastrophic events.

Divine Magic is split into two types of effects: Lesser and Greater Miracles.  

• Lesser Miracles- 

    Lesser Miracles are the powers given to worshipers on a small and personal scale. These are often in the form of buffs or great supernatural powers. These abilities can be almost an sort of powers on a small scale. Maybe the god gave his disciple the ability to withstand large amounts of damage, bring someone to life or instantly heal someone's wounds. Maybe they are bestowed the power to instantly defeat the enemies of the deity. The level of strength of each miracles varies greatly and usually need to be regulated by the game master (GM).

     Generally, Miracles require concentration and prayer to use powers. The actual mechanics of how Miracles will work is still in progress. I want Miracles to be rare to use but rewarding for those whom are faithful to their deities. It doesn't mean that the person has to be a completely good person, such as a holy priest of sorts, it just requires the deep devotion to the appropriate deity. Most gods are neutral and bless those who follow their principles, whether it is to protect the forest or to save humanity. It varies for each god.

• Greater Miracles-

     These Miracles are on a much grander scale than Lesser Miracles. These are extremely rare. Only a few have ever been claimed to have happened. These are phenomenon that can affect whole eras and countless of lives! This is the equivalent to a great flood like in the Noah's Ark tale. Or Moses calling the plagues and parting the Red Sea. It's some serious life changing events.

    One incident that is widely believed to be the result of a Greater Miracle is the downfall of Dol. Dol used to be an aggressively expanding empire, it had troops all over Canascus. One night the troops disappeared from their stations and the Dol home region was swarming with monsters. Many people saw that it was the loyal Dol citizens that seemed to have been transformed in those monsters and freaks. Many suspected that someone must have prayed for their deity to punish Dol.

    So these events are reserved for epic campaigns and only if it is an emergency. The GM has total control on what would be allowed. Maybe save these till after the main villain is actually defeated and the players need to undo the destruction from the battle or something.

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    The mechanics and theories in this post are still a work in progress. This is not a final look at magic and is only a look at what I am aiming to incorporate. There is also some technologies that were developed from studying magic. I will divulge that in a future post. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think about these possible Magic systems.

Eirda Combat Systems Overview

No Table-Top RPG would be complete without a combat system. I want the Eirda system to have it's own flair. I want combat to be fun, smooth and engaging.

One issue I always had with D&D is that some players would tune-out during combat and distract themselves with other things when it is not their turn. This can lead to frustration for the other players if they are not consciously aware of what is happening to the group.

I hope to address this issue with my system. Below are the basic principles I wish to incorporate into Eirda's mechanics.

• Multi-Action System

Standard Dungeons & Dragons usually gives the players a fixed number of actions that they can perform. You were normally restricted to a Standard, Move and Minor/Bonus Actions. You are also given Free actions, but those were usually options that take up little time and have little effect on the fight.

Attacking is usually a standard action; and making multiple attacks usually takes up your entire turn, that's called taking a "Full Action". So you are often restricted to either doing ALL of your attacks, or just one attack if you are planning to do other actions, like moving. Doing multiple attacks is based on how high the character's Base Attack Bonus is, and that is dependent on the character's class and level. Usually the stronger character's have a higher BAB; which means Strength based characters get to hit harder AND more often than the weaker characters. I didn't think this was fair.

In Eirda, instead of given players fixed actions, I want to give players "Action Points" depending on how fast the are. There will be a number determined by the stats on the character's speed/agility. The higher this number gets the more Action Points they get per turn. And those Action Points can be used for any type of action they wish to take; Attacks, movement, magic, blocking, dodging, etc.

This would help Agility based characters feel more useful in the battlefield. Strength based characters won't be able to completely over-shadow weaker characters on the battlefield.

In Summary:

Instead of Standard, Move, and Minor Actions; characters get Action Points based on relevant ability scores. This will determine how many actions they get on their turn. While stronger characters do damage; faster characters have more actions on their turn.

• Active Defense

This is where I address the issue of players who "tune-out" during combat. I wanted to make a combat system that was more engaging for the players; so players need to be attentive and declare that they want to actively defend against enemy attacks.

In an earlier post I revealed my Percentile Die system. How I want it to be easier to hit targets. Well, that bar represents a character who is not "actively dodging". Those numbers are for a player who is standing in the same spot while only trying to evade an attack with light footwork. it is akin to simply bobbing and weaving while staying within the same 5-foot square. Imagine standing a few feet away from a guy swinging a sword at you; it is hard to miss a big target from that close. Doesn't mean that it shouldn't be impossible to evade the hit.

But if you want to make sure you do not get hit by that sword, you can opt to use on of your Action Points to make a "dodge" or "block" with a shield. This would then subtract an Action Point from your next turn. This would add more to your evasion and further improve your chances of not getting hit.

I'm hoping this would keep players from just zoning out when it is not their turn. You can't dodge if you are not paying attention to combat.

Dodging would also double as a emergency movement. So it would increase the chances of evasions and move you 5 feet. Therefore, in order for a character to dodge there would have to be at least one empty 5-foot square next to the character in order to dodge. No empty squares mean no dodge option.

Blocking means you try to defend yourself from incoming damage. Instead of trying to dodge you are taking the damage head on and hoping your shield will absorb all of the damage. You can attempt to block while unarmed but that will only effectively block other unarmed attacks.

There would probably also be some magical defense actions. But that is still a work in progress and will have more info on that in the future.

In Summary:

To keep players on their toes; I am adding an "Active Defense" system. Players need to actively use defensive abilities to reduce the chances of taking damage. It's the player's job to pay attention and choose when they want to defend against incoming attacks from enemies; rather than spacing out until it's their turn to act.

• Class-Less Progression

There have been a number of Table-Top RPG systems I have played: Dungeons & Dragons, Serenity the RPG, Eclipse, Dragon Age TTRPG, etc. During these ventures into other systems I have found ideas I like that I wish they expanded on.

The Serenity and Eclipse games do not have classes. Instead when you level up you get various points that you can invest into whatever abilities you want. I really liked that. It allows the player to build and play however they want.

Instead of the player trying to find a class type that they might enjoy; they can just play how they like and invest in whatever skills and abilities they want.

Want to make a Mage Tank? Go ahead! Want to make a stealth master who is also secretly a pyromancer who burns down houses after he robs them? Do it! Do you want to play a character that is extremely strong yet extremely accurate with a bow? You got it! Or maybe you want a well rounded character that can do a little bit of everything. Go for it!

Rather than just pigeon-holing characters into specific builds, I want to make a system that promotes freedom and creative characters. I want to break down classes and instead have you develop your "class" by increasing your skills. Having so many points in certain skills as you level up will then allow you to learn new abilities related to those skills. This opens up the player to level-up and learn abilities that sound fun to them so long as they meet the requirements; rather than being limited in choices by your class and build.

Also, this also provides the rare opportunity for players to make "pure role-playing characters". All those skills and ability points the characters get don't have to go into making your fighting abilities better. You can invest these points in making your character universally loved, or very talented at making art, or music, or cakes. Maybe you want to put points into making your character and insanely smart scientist or a horse-trainer. Those options will be there too.

In Summary:

There are no Character Classes! Build your character however you want! Break the mold and level up however you see fit! Ninja Mage-Tanks for everyone!

• Versatile Magic

In Eirda "magic" is very common among most warriors and adventurers. Magic is not limited to only Sorcerer and Wizard type characters; even melee fighters and rogues can easily apply magic to their arsenal in Close-Quarters Combat.

I want magic to be very common place and versatile. Mages can specialize in it to control the elements with great mastery; a sword fighter can use magic to make his swordplay much deadlier with a fiery sword; or a rogue can use magic to summon fog or darkness to hide his whereabouts and sneak by. Or maybe an archer wants to shoot water arrows for some reason.

In D&D, most melee classes had little versatility. In order to be effective at something you really had to devote a lot of the characters feats to doing one thing really well. This usually reduces a character's role in combat. They may have other options, but those other options won't be as effective as their main specialty; and the player usually feels useless if they cannot use their main ability.

Like cleave, for instance. If the player specializes in cleave, but doesn't have a lot of small enemies to cleave through, then they are not going to have much fun if they are fighting tougher enemies with more health. They can't easily slay them and then zip around, killing enemy after enemy.

Well, I want to broaden what players can do in combat. So, making magic more easily accessible allows players to have a wider array of choices in combat. And they don't necessarily have to be a master at magic to cast spells and effect combat. A warrior can use simpler magics to set his sword on fire, use wind to knock his foe down, use water to wet enemies and shock them, make a rock wall and block incoming arrows, and so on. Simple spells like those can still be effective without having to dump a lot of points that could go into making him a better swordsman instead.

In Summary:

Magic is fairly common. Almost anyone can learn it and use it to augment their abilities. Mages can't hog all the fun abilities here! Melee characters can also learn magic to help them fight if they choose to.

Using the Percentile Dice system

One of the differences I want to make between my system and Dungeons and Dragons is the main dice used for most actions. While the D&D system uses a 20 sided die (d20); my system uses a d10 and a percentile die. Rather than rolls resulting in a 1-20 each roll would land on 1-100.

Normally in D&D you roll a d20 and add the character's stats to that number to get your result. Instead, in my system there is a default range that determine a success. For example we will use combat rolls.

In D&D you roll a d20 and add your attack bonus to the roll. And you are trying to get a higher result than the opponent's Armor Class (AC). Usually at early levels enemies have around 14-17 AC. And players have about a 3-5 Base Attack Bonus (BAB). So the player would have to roll around 11-14 to land a hit. So that's a little over 55% to land a successful hit. I was not a very big fan of those odds.

In my system I made a default range of getting hit and criticals. The combatants stats and abilities increase and shrink the range of each section.

Now, this is just the default combat scenario against a defender who is not trying to actively dodge attacks. I want to give players the option to decide if they want add a 'Dodge' stat that would further increase the miss range, but this would use up an action on the character's upcoming turn. But that is for another time.

Canascus: A closer look

This is the landmass of Terron. The continent of Canascus is locates the home of humans. In the world of Eirda they are called Canascan. The year is 303 A.D. [After Dol] The year is formatted by the downfall of the Dol Empire. Before the imperial collapse the year is indicated as B.C. [Before Collapse]

Canascus has changed much in the past 300 years. Dol's rise as a powerful empire changed a lot of the landscape and many countries rose and fell within those short centuries. The region once had many kingdoms, but most collapsed or evolved. Only a few monarchies remain and many of the smaller kingdoms have been merged or absorbed. The age of kings and queens are dwindling and new societies are emerging.

This would be the initial focus of my setting. I try to keep a bit of standard fantasy vibe, but I still try to give each region it's own distinct feel.

Below is a brief description of each area:

- Hildwaine -

A country of many farming communities that used to export many of its goods. The shore cities are now mostly controlled by pirates. The pirates then established the city of Freeblade as one of their main hubs in Canascus.

- Serra - 

When the Dol Empire collapsed Serra absorbed a lot of the surrounding areas. It poured many resources into rebuilding its new territories. One project involved turning a small fishing village into a trading hub. Tithen Trade City was born from this project. It is now the biggest commercial hub on the planet. Tithen started its own government and became a city state.

- Tilwenar - 

A country that is built on a society of mages and scientists. The country is revered for being the forefront of magical and alchemical research and innovation.There are many rival families and factions here that fight for political power and funding. Your academic rank also determines your social rank.

- Germahl - 

Was once a great and flourishing Kingdom. They were attacked by Draken (a race of dragon-like people) but the king made a deal with them. Now the Draken serve as guards in exchange for payment. But the Draken barely hold up their end and the country is now controlled by corrupt Draken and unchecked criminals. The Draken are currently at war with Renalia over land from Aethen. There are also rumors that the thieve's guild main headquarters are located in Germahl.

- Harka - 

A rich desert nation. The people here love negotiating and bartering. There are many caverns that are mined for precious gems, this has made the main cities thrive. The country is also known for their transportation services to cross the desert.

- East and West Durma - 

Another former great trading nation. When the King died the country was torn on who would inherit the throne between his twin children; Rose and Garland. A large feud started that split the country and each twin set their own royal capitol.

- Bolstat - 

A nation split into six territories each ruled by a martial arts Master. Each territory has a traditional combat style that was practiced by the original Master that liberated the country from the Dol Empire. Now each Master candidate must be a master of their territory's style before they can even be considered.

- Aethen - 

Was once considered the intellectual hub of the world; it was a nation of scholars and inventors. Now is in shambles with its people spread across Canascus. The country of Renalia invaded from the east, later Germahl initiated its own invasion. Many Aethenian's have started two new cities to rebuild; Inmeria in Bolstat and New Aundun in Andunyl. Others roam the countrysides to build a resistance and take their country back.

- Dol - 

Was once the most powerful empire in Canascus. Now it is merely a shadow of its former self. One fateful day 300 years ago, the citizens of Dol were horribly and irreversibly transformed into monsters now referred to as "Dol Abominations". Now very little evidence of their great empire remains and less evidence as to why or how they were changed. Only rumors surround this mystery. Even though a huge majority of Dol has disappeared many ruins remain throughout Canascus that are still inhabited by Dol Abominations.

- Ghiralana -  

A country that was founded by female refugees. Men over a certain age may not enter their main capital. The Ghira think that men easily succumb to corruption, so the males are not allowed to hold power in the country. While their society promotes gender equality and communal harmony; in truth it is the men who are oppressed in Ghiralana.

- Renalia - 

Canascus' current “ruthless empire”. The emperor is trying to expand his rule across Canascus and has already taken over a few smaller countries. Currently they are fighting Germahl for the land of Aethen. The emperor uses religion to promote his conquest.

- Wahlgheir - 

This was once a prosperous farming community, but over three centuries ago it was demolished by Dol. Now the country is overrun by barbarians that migrated down from the nearby mountain forests; and the remaining communities try to rebuild what was left. Some plan to reclaim the capital city from the barbarians.

- Cyralis - 

This is a great theocratic nation. Its residents follow the Path of Harmonia. Harmonism is a religion that promotes peace and tranquility. It is a rather humble and charitable religion. Often followers travel in groups across Canascus to spread the word of Harmonia. Many people gladly give them shelter on their pilgrimages simply because of their pleasantness and wisdom.