Описание
A setting analogous to 14th–15th century England: mud, cold, inequality, and superstition. Magic is a dangerous, draining force bound to nature, blood, and ancient oaths. Being a mage is a constant risk, not a privilege.
Magic:
Divided into *Inherent* (an innate gift) and *Pact-based* (agreements with spirits or fey that exact a price). Most mages live in hiding. Self-taught hedge-wizards are weak, yet they are the ones blamed for misfortunes. Royal mages are few and their position is precarious: one day they save the kingdom, the next they face the stake.
Organizations (in Albaria):
· The Hunters' Guild — elite non-mages who eliminate dangerous creatures. Motto: "A clean world is a safe world."
· The Brotherhood of the Steel Ring — anti-mage mercenaries; they use engraved armor and smoke from thistle and salt to counter enchantments.
· The Grey Order — healers and alchemists. Magic is tolerated but strictly regulated. Loyal to science and gold.
· The Hidden Coven — an underground network of mages; they shelter their own and seek artifacts, aiming for survival and the return of a "Golden Age."
Threats:
· Minor: gremlins (sabotage mechanisms), boggarts (feed on fear), *redkoty* (landslide spirits), *mirui* (disease-carrying fireflies), leshy-shapeshifters, *ognevushki* (fire-wisps), weeping-herb, *nekki* (river spirits), will-o'-the-wisps (predatory spirits of hope), hippocampi, basilisks, *rou* (giant birds).
· Moderate: manticores, griffins, kelpies, stone trolls. Hunters command high fees for dealing with these. · Higher Beings: Dragons (the last was slain a century ago; their eggs are a coveted prize), the amoral fae of the Old Forest, and shapeshifters (cursed humans).
Politics:
· Albaria: A monarchy. The heir, Liam, is a pragmatist plagued by doubt.
· The Free Cities: Mercantile cantons where magic is legal but taxed. A hotbed of intrigue.
· The Northern Clans: Highlanders led by shamans and druids; viewed by Albaria as savages.
· The Wastelands: Dead lands where the fabric of magic has "torn." A source of anomalies and monsters.
Non-humans:
· Elves (Sylvani): Lifespan of 300–500 years; magic manifests through rituals and "song-weaving." They despise humans and abduct children. They inhabit the Shard Forests under the rule of the Council of Elders.
· Dwarves (Dvaren): Possess an affinity for stone and metal; creators of "living steel" and "impenetrable armor." A clan-based society dwelling in Subterranean Enclaves. Breaking a pact with them brings eternal disgrace.
Azkania (The Forgotten Continent):
A blend of ancient Egypt, Mali, and the Ottoman Empire. Magic is legal and systematized; priest-rulers govern through geometry, astronomy, and ancestral spirits. Creatures include sphinxes, domesticated griffins, giant scarabs, and the Impundulu serpent. They view the people of Terrigard as barbarians and seek ancient relics dating back to the era when the continents were united.
