Drifters

Overview

Welcome to Zeras, a land of magic and mysticism that's entering an age of Enlightenment, Renaissance, and in the close future, an industrial revolution. In a place where war used to be a constant occurrence, a great world war has recently ended, and with it an age of uneasy peace across the lands. The races and nations of Zeras, for the first time in ages, have come together as a united people to learn about each other, the world around them, and themselves. It's a time of exploration, invention, and excitement.

However, while things might be great for the common people, continental politics, a disregard for the warnings of the ancients, and reckless, unchecked scientific experimentation is leading to an inevitable catastrophe. The world's gonna need a few heroes soon, and the Gods above are more than happy to give a little nudge.

The Team

YALL NIGGAS BE PATIENT WHILE I BRUSH UP ON THE 4E SHIT.

Races

All the civilized races of Zeras have a core belief, something that is simply accepted as fact and is almost universally unquestioned. The unquestioned portion is enforced partly because all the races had the same base faith and story of origin, even before first contact with one another. They find it very hard to question the believe when…everyone seems to have had it since the beginning of their times.

The legend goes that at first, there was the creator. The creator constructed the world as it is, with its oceans, its mountains, its deserts and forests. He then created eight children, each intelligent, free thinking and ambitious, and showed them his creation. He then asked them what their ambitions were for this world he'd created for them. Based on their answers, he shaped their appearances, and created life in the vision of these children. He then bestowed upon the eight children the power of godhood, and left the world to their care, with each child being a caretaker for the race created in their image.

The uncivilized, barbaric and more secular races have a similar faith as well, however, they also know they were not among the first eight children. Some consider this a sign that they weren't favored by the creator, others believe that it means they are more favored than the first eight, since more attention was paid to them. A few races believe that they were creations of children themselves; this is a common belief among the subspecies of Kitsunes.

The biggest differences in faiths among the races of Zeras is what child of the creator they worship, their opinions on spirits and the afterlife ( it is known ghosts exist, but little is known about ghosts, for example ), and the origins of magic( why can some people use it and others can't? ). These differences stem from a lack of scientific method and background for research, which is something the people of Zeras simply haven't discovered yet, and that necromancery and nethermancery, as a whole, don't exist in Zeras. It's something mages for ages have believed possible, but no one knows how to channel its power, nor has anyone been born in recorded history with the power to do so. Without the abiltiy to commune with the dead, the people of Zeras aren't sure how to investigate their existence.

*Humans
*Dwarves
*Elves
*Orcs
*Goblins
*Trolls
*Kitsunes
*Lithians

Demons

The topic of demons in Zeras is an odd one, because they are not heavily understood. In a world were gods exists, one would assume that demons would be the servants of a nefarious lord. This, by and large, doesn't seem to be the case to most experts on the matter. Most contribute the birth of demons to be somehow related to the use of magic by mortals, however there isn't much room to confirm this since demons don't typically know much of their origins. Rather than being the servants of a dark lord, 'demon' is a catch-all phrase for a creature that has been adversely affected by magic in a way that warps their appearance, persona or mental capacities. One would also assume that demons would be native enemies of the people of Zeras. This, by and large, isn't true, and is handled in a case-by-case matter. Some demons are no different than animals, or uncivilized people, and just want to be left alone. Some are predators, that can pose a threat to others, but aren't exactly nefarious. There are some however, that DO just want to watch the world burn. Lithians and Elves consider themselves experts on the matters of handling demons, and believe that conversion and education, before violence, is the best tool to use to defuse a situation. Some demons even live with the other races as normal citizens.

Demons are classified into four catagories:
Lesser Demons - These demons often started off as animals, or plants, or inanimate objects, and somehow were warped in a way that made them 'different.' Most of them aren't that intelligent, and considered closer to wild animals, however some of them can be domesticated.

Common Demons - The origins of these demons is often unclear, and they come in many shapes in sizes and body forms, and are more intelligent than lesser demons. They live in societies not much different then uncivilized races, and show a great potential for learning and comprehension. It's not uncommon for Lithian Templars and Elvan Scholars to try to educate them and integrate them into the society of the eight. This is successful on a case-by-case basis, some demons are just too twisted to be turned, while others can be surprisingly innocent.

Greater Demons - There is no converting a greater demon. They are nefarious, dangerous, and usually lead an equally dark force under their belts. While they are no threat to a nation as a whole, may the maker bless a small band of adventurers who awakens one unknowingly.

Arch Demons - Known only in legend, it is not known what they are capable of, or just how powerful they can be. Legends tell of them demolishing entire cities with their vast armies or individual power, and being struck down only by the gods.

Other Races

There are many, many races in Zeras. Most just aren't as established or advanced as the eight. They may live in the slums of Terminus, be tribal aborigines, or savage raiders, but they are there, present in the world, with their own gods and beliefs.

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