Core Concepts
Truths of the World
The world of Aldwa is a vast, inscrutible one. Much has been lost to time, and much more is yet to be discovered. Scholars toil day and night to unravel this realm's myriad mysteries. But above the fog of unknown, there stands 8 immutable Truths of this world, which inform all that exists beneath their monolith.
1. The Veil Sundering
The cataclysm known as the Veil Sundering fundamentally changed the world of Aldwa forever. The exact effects of the Sundering varied significantly depending on where a person was when it happened. Environments shifted or were forever altered, natural disasters occurred or were enhanced magically, and flora and fauna were twisted even as horrific creatures appeared from the other side.
2. The Evolution of Magic
Magic existed before the sundering, but was different–only Runic magic existed (as far as is commonly believed) prior to the cataclysm. Post-Sundering, new forms of magic appeared the world over, and there may be more magic yet to be discovered.
3. A Land of Turmoil
Strife and conflict exist within many of the geopolitical powers in Aldwa. Some conflicts are unique to their borders, and some are shared across some or all of these cultures.
4. The Gods
There is a pantheon of deities that once walked in the world. This is known through the various stories passed down in every culture as well as some artifacts and records of the before times. There have been no confirmed sightings or encounters with them since the Sundering, though there are many rumors and speculative claims as such. Some folks still cling to worship or belief in one or more of the gods, but most people are pantheistic. Some folks have begun worship of other entities or beings. Learn more on our World Anvil!
5. The Ascendants
There are powerful, mysterious, non-deific entities that people may encounter in the world. Some of these are known as Ascendants, some by other titles and descriptions. Most adventurers have experienced an encounter with one such entity after dying and entering The Crossroads, a liminal space of Death. Some of the entities there claim to be representatives of, serving, or otherwise connected to the deity of Death.
6. Life and Death
The cycle of life and death was shattered in the Sundering. Spirits are now semi-commonplace around the world. Undead are a real and regular danger that people face. This is true throughout the known world.
7. One World, Many People
Each of the Player Character species exist, in varying quantities, in each of the various cultures/kingdoms.
8. Arcano-Clockworks
Clocks and watches exist, but they’re powered by magic, not by clockwork gears.
The Magic System
Magical forces can be manipulated in two ways: via Runes or via Channeling.
Typically, spells channel an element to perform a specific function. The elements exist and persist as latent energies, natural forces, and physical laws of the world.
The Elements
The most common Elements of Magic that can be manipulated and their uses are:
Blood
Healing of Flesh, Boosting Vitality, Manipulating the Body
Bone
Bolstering Defenses, Stitching Armors, Reinforcement
Force
Runes
Gloom
Hallucinations, Trickery, Mental Manipulation
Ice
Offensive, Damaging
Rot
Decay, Physical Debilitation, Disease
Void
Nullification of Magic, Magical Absorption
Spirit
Interaction and Manipulation of/from Spirits, Death
Air, Earth, Fire, Water
Manipulation of the Elements of the Natural World
Ash
Magic that draws upon or manipulates the Ashes is seldom found. It is widely considered extremely taboo to touch this form of magic; those that have attempted to use it have done so for almost exclusively nefarious purposes. Ash magic has not been researched in any significant capacity due to these taboos. Not much is known about the magic’s exact nature or what it can be used to do.
Runic Magic
Some consider Runes to be a divine magic because of the way they can affect the reality of the world. Runes are used to manipulate the magic and imbue it into objects, including weapons, structures, and even stationary. They are the magical force that dictates the way we experience the world–the physics, chemistry, and other natural sciences. Those who wish to study the world for what it is and manipulate that reality typically immerse themselves in the Runic arts.
It is well known that Runic Magic is old and existed before the Sundering–before any Ashes touched this world. As civilizations formed in the wake of the cataclysm, Runic Magic persisted. Although its use continues to flourish, thus far it has proven impossible to manipulate the newer elements in the world with Runic Magic.
Using Runes is a precise and formulaic practice. Making a mistake while carving a Rune could result in the magic failing to take hold; in the best and worst case scenarios, this could mean catastrophe or death. As a result, Runic arts are a practiced and carefully measured skill that requires care to perform properly.
Rituals
There are three basic forms of ritual: Runic, Shamanistic, and Ashen. Rituals always require a leader to act as a focal point. They can be empowered by adding other casters as focal points. All practitioners must typically be trained in ritual magic. Rituals of moderate or significant power always require a sacrifice of some sort, whether that be a treasured item, the vitality of one of the focal points, or the life of a person.
Runic rituals are the oldest form and serve as the base reference for rituals involving other forms of magic. Shamanistic rituals involve the elements of the natural world. Ashen rituals are rare, incredibly powerful, and have a high cost.
Of Death and Dying
The cycle of life and death has been broken…
Now, when one dies within the mortal realm, their Spirit is pulled to The Crossroads. Once there, they are greeted by an entity from beyond. This entity may vary, but one never wants to draw too much attention from such beings...
Those that have gone to The Crossroads and returned have not consistently remembered their experiences, but those who return don’t always come back the same. It is widely believed that the interaction with this entity determines one’s fate.
The Spirits of the fallen may weaken with too much exposure to death. Scholars have taken to tracking this with Spirit Marks, a measure of the marks against one’s Spirit and an indication of the difficult return to their mortal coil.
The Death System
Character death is a part of nearly every game system. Our system is designed with the concepts of player agency and narrative consequence in mind.
To help set expectations up front, we want to clarify that permanent character death is possible and that there are far worse fates for a character than perming. However, progression towards permanent character death is not a “gamified” element of the system–no dice rolls or games here, just you and whatever you meet in The Crossroads. Generally, we recommend that your character have a healthy fear of death–survival is the name of the game around these parts.
Upon dying, your character remains as a Spirit for up to 5 minutes. You may choose to end this count early and depart to visit The Crossroads. In The Crossroads, you will meet with an entity who, at the conclusion of this meeting, will inform you of your fate–earning a mark against your Spirit and weakening your connection to your mortal coil or returning to life without an additional mark.
In the event of multiple simultaneous character Deaths, you may choose to enter The Crossroads in groups of up to 3 and share the outcome together. Additionally, there may be skills or items in-game that allow you to enter The Crossroads while still alive or to impact this process for a departed Spirit (friend or foe).
Spirit Marks
Earning Spirit Marks indicates a weakening or corruption of the connection between your Spirit and your body in the Mortal realm. Simply, if you want to avoid permanent character death, you should avoid collecting Spirit Marks.
Some skills or items in the game may interact with Spirit Marks. If this interests you… find out more in game.
Consequences of Dying
Many consequences may result from a character’s untimely trip to The Crossroads. Some are immediate, and some may take time to uncover. Although it’s possible, don’t expect to return from The Crossroads entirely unscathed.
The Undying
The Undying are a symptom of the broken cycle, but they are neither inherently good nor evil. They are neither fully dead nor fully alive. Some view this as a blessing–an opportunity to spend more time with precious friends and family. Others view this as a cursed, unnatural, and painful existence. It is somewhat rare to encounter an Undying with a full presence of mind, but it is not unheard of.
Permanent Death & The Moribund Trait
The Moribund trait indicates that you have earned so many Spirit Marks that your connection is fragile and further character death is likely to be permanent. Do with that information what you will…
As a Player, you should be aware prior to facing a possible permanent character death. This is typically signaled by acquiring the Moribund Trait but may be indicated in other ways. You can not randomly perm unless you already have this trait.
Character Retirement
We would like to offer a method for Players to retire a character they no longer enjoy playing or one who has effectively completed the story they wanted to tell and to do so without feeling punishing or the pressure of a sunken-cost fallacy. To that end, we will provide a method for Players to carryover a percentage of their earned character progression above a set threshold to a new character should they choose to voluntarily retire that character (not through Death).
This is an entirely Out of Game function and Players should not expect any sort of send-off plot if they elect to use this option. While not a requirement, Players are welcome to explain what happened in-game to via a new character or through couriers from the perspective of the retired PC.
Please inform Staff as soon as you decide to use this option. You will need to work with them on creating your new character.