This post should act as a reasonable introduction to my fantasy world Neurim. Neurim was designed as a fantasy world that appears very standard on its face, but becomes weirder the closer you look. This post should help make some of that weirdness more obvious.
The universe that Neurim takes place in is the Concordance. Neurim is a Concord, or world, within that Concordance.
The World.
See map here.
Neurim is a roughly Earth-sized world with a year of exactly 360 days. Most cultures divide these days into 12 months of 30 days each. The current year is 443 AF (after founding) as defined by the Zetterite calendar.
In the east are the Tiers of the Sevenwoods, the Folleyfaults, and Dunset, charecterized by vast forests and rolling hills. The Sevenwoods are home to the seven major kingdoms of the Zetterite Empire, as well as it's capital of Anastor. The Folleyfaults are barren, hilly, and rocky, home to many ancient ruins and the city of Witches. Dunset is a land trapped in eternal autumn, and is the empire's defensive line against invasion.
To the north is Oth Elana, the land of the Kingdoms of the Omentahl. These lands cold and bitter, and frequented by rain and snow. Immense taiga forests dot the land, as well as the immense Stillwind Rise, a plateau without wind. Further north are the boreal lands, and to the west is the great forest of Songmaiden's Meath, the home of the druids. Further west still are the great wastelands of Azad-Ghul and the Dust Abyss.
Separating the Tiers and Oth Elana is the alpine region of Lost Muine, the once homeland of the dwarves. West of it is the Silkcat Jungle, a massive temperate rainforest. Past it are the lands of Zaruchyat, now called Hayekar by the orcs that drove the human inhabitants away.
East of the Tiers, across the Reaches of our Hands is the Thousand Miles, a track of endless desert. From the Painted Desert in the north, to the Stone Forest, to the Dune Sea and the Tar Marshes. The southern tip of the Thousand Miles is the magic city of Zahallas, and on it's eastern edge are the rotting lands of Asur, home of the first kingdom of humanity Asuria.
South of the Tiers is the great crater known as Svog, home of the Svoggite Church who worship the slumbering god Svoggoth within. Bodies have a habit of winding up within Svog. Further south still is the decaying remnants of the Great Tree of the Elves, and even further south is the Zetterite nation of Sisthea. East from there leads to the great canyon-valleys of the Dromudine.
Crossing the sea to the south leads to the continent of Mgamba, a land of jungles, deserts, and savannahs. A number of nations dot the land, most united in a great union.
There is also the Shattered Continent of Zatrom, which orbits the earth, completing a cycle twice a year. It is a land of harsh terrain and floating stones, connected by a metaphorical sea which allows ships to float and fish to swim. It's most common inhabitants of the Mokhan, a kind of rock person, and the alchemists of Arcologium.
Major Factions and Core Conflict.
The Zetterite Empire, the greatest in the world, is a powerful fuedal state (think 14th century Europe) that controls its subsidiaries by taking their gods, trapped in physical idols, and keeping them in its capital city, only allowing the most powerful to speak outside of the city's walls, known as the Zettar. It is lead by the Godhead, a title passed down from worthy female successor to worthy female successor.
Their primary enemy are the Omentahlic Kingdoms (think 9th century anglo-saxons, celtic tribes, and norse tribes), who are led by an enigmatic religious prophet known as the Word. After losing their gods to the Zetterites in a great war, the Omentahl rebelled by creating new gods that were not bound by idol. and thus harder to steal, known as the Omentahl.
The Omentahl and Zetterites have fought two wars, one 120 years ago, and another 40 years ago.
Smaller Factions.
The Svoggite Grand Church is a hyper-religious society with a positive view on undead and dark magics. 20 years ago they attempted to convert the world by force to their views during the Cadaver Crusade, which hurt the Zetterite Empire immensely, though the crusade was unsuccessful.
Many druids, fearful of Zetterite oppresion, have also banded together under a figure known as the Animus, who wishes to destroy the Zetterite Empire.
The Trading House of Hatavius is a merchant-cult obsessed with gaining money and ascending to dragonhood.
The orcs of Hayeker, led by a figure known only as the Warchief, have attempted many times to invade the lands to the west and destroy all gods for good, though they have been driven back all times.
In the south, much of Mgamba is united under a single senate, the Electrum Council. The land is a testament to what humans can do with peace.
There is also the ghoul kingdom of Asura, the art and reincarnation obsessed Dromudine, the enigmatic doomsday Star Cult, the demon worshiping Disciples of Mother, as well as the mage society led by the Winedark Council and the Alchemists led by the Five Engines..
Magic and Technology.
Magic in Neurim is pure chaos distilled into words which can be read by the magically gifted. These words are located on quartz gems known as steles, which are copied onto scrolls for ease of daily memorization and use. Magic works by breaking down reality and causing fundamental rules to break.
Alchemy, synonymous with science on Neurim, is a set of complex rules, interactions, experiments, and theories to explain how the universe works. Alchemists can perform all sorts of technological feats, from creating automata to firearms. Alchemy breaks down near magic, and thus alchemists and mages rarely get along.
Ancestries.
These are the most common sapient species in Neurim, ranged in order of least rare to rarest. There are more, but these are by far the most common.
Humans.
Humans are the most common ancestry on Neurim. They are extremely varied, and around what you'd expect, though humans do have the ability to smell magic.
Dwarves.
Dwarves are short and stout, often with grand and mighty beards which they take pride in. Dwarves do not reproduce sexually (in fact, they have no sexual organs at all), but are instead constructed by their forefathers. Dwarves have hearts made of rare gems, and are immortal as long as they eat gems or valuable minerals. Dwarves are defined by their cycle, or generation. The current cycle is the 13th. The dwarves are slowly dying off, and many believe the 13th cycle will be the final.
Halflings.
Halflings were a diplomat-species brought to Neurim by aliens known as the Bodyless Ones. Halflings have an appearance resembling whatever species they live nearest, as they have an uncanny ability to adapt to the most common local species. Often, they appear as short humans with elf ears. Halflings are easy to get along with, and are incapable of creating their own societies without the presence of other species.
Elves.
There are three kinds of elf, lead, bark, and root. Together, they were once trees, but millennia of jealousy and hatred split them. Elves are haughty and self-important, and live lives with as little risk as possible, as their deaths will kill an elf of the other types. Elves that deny this lifestyle are known as half-elves, and are the kind of elves most see outside of elven cities. Elves are an extreme rarity outside of their cities, to the point where many generations can go by never seeing one.
Mokhan.
Mokhan are intelligent stone humanoids, animated by a magical force that gives them life. They have elonged limbs, are around 7 feet tall, and are stronger than humans. Mokhan often feel a lack of purpose, which they find physically painful, and try to alleviate it with art or adventure.
Voghul.
The mask-makers. Thin and lithe, with needle legs. They have universally pale hair, and their faces lack any discernible features. They make masks to fit in with common society, often taking after animals. Voghul are seen as strange and eccentric, with their almost dance-like movements and peculiar patterns of thought causing them to stand out despite their best efforts.
Half-Orcs.
Orcs are a virus that infect and warp humans into stronger humanoids with mottled skin, goat-eyes, claws for fingers, a lack of blood, and bones that twist in unnatural ways. Orcs are natural dystheists, believing that all gods must be killed, and have created an endless war machine to do this. Orcs that reject this are known as half-orcs, and are the only kind of peaceful orc you are liable to find in much of Neruim.
Common Threats.
These are some of the common enemy creatures common to Neurim. It isn't inclusive of every option, and only include intelligent beings. Presented in order of most normal to least normal.
Humans.
Bandits
and raiders, to Zetterite and Omentahlic forces, to Svoggite crusaders
and Asurian ghoul nobles, aggresive humans are common to all of Neurim.
Goblins and The Dark.
The Dark is an intelligent malevolent force that wishes to destroy all sapient life. To do this, it creates monsters, known as goblins. Goblins are highly varied, but are united by a lack of nose and sharp ears. Goblins are incabaple of doing anything that will not eventually result in the death of sapient humanoids, and while they build societies, it is simply to destroy better. It isn't their fault, they can't do otherwise.
Orcs.
An endless industrial war machine. Orcs use anti-holy magic and turn god corpses into powerful machines to aid in their war. Orc invasions are rare, but smaller orc warbands are a common sight .
Kobolds.
Blue
scaled lizard humanoids. They live in the deep places of the earth, as
the sun causes them to catch fire. Their breath is toxic smoke, and
given time they would replace all air on Neurim with it. Kobolds are
gifted craftsman, able to create complex machinery out of nothing but
stone and waste-copper. They are the sworn enemies of dwarves.
The Fomorian.
Also
known as the ogres, the Fomorian are a species of lesser giants cursed
with endless disease. They are massive, with bodies covered in a network
of wounds, fungal infections, and insects. They live all over Neurim,
but are most common near their home in Eluid's Pox.
Husks.
Husks are necro-mechnical machines made of bone and bismuth and animated by astral fire, like azure glass flame. Husks were workers of the Bodyless Ones, but were left behind after being used for war. They are like malfunctioning machines, confused and dangerous. They come in many shapes.
The Gaolmen.
The once faithful servants of a deity, they were imprisoned for committing the Crime Unspoken. When they finally found their way out, they were misshapen, malformed, wrong. Elongated proportions, twisted shapes, and empty pits where faces should be. Though they are incapable of speaking, they continue to worship their traitor-god, kidnapping people and turning them into more gaolmen, endlessly growing their god's flock.
Ghaal, Ghaal-ar, and Ghaal-ratha.
Beings from another world, the Land of Flesh and Metal, often called demons, are malformed and twisted half-metal monstrosities that relish in death. Ghaal-ar, or true demons, are incapable of coming to Neurim if not summoned, so they turn themselves into evil and corrupting weapons known as Ghaal to convince mortals to open portals to The Land of Flesh and Metal. Ghaal-ratha, or devils, are demons that have constructed societies with strict rules. They can come to Neurim without assistance, but are bound by a strict code.
Bhityile.
Two-dimensional psychic beings most commonly found in the vast caverns beneath Neurim known as the Dark World below. They are led by the Abathethi, the voiceless lords. Their plans are unknowable and to them we are but pawns in their great work.
