The World
Erasis is a world which hosts four major landmasses, the most populated of which is the Continent of Kingdoms, Damasia . Stretching from the icy forests of The Forsaken Lands in the northwest, to the humid coasts of High Castle in the south, and the rocky plains and badlands of Torland and the Khanak Empire to the east, Damasia is a land of many kingdoms, each with cultures, histories, and destinies of their own. Amongst these kingdoms empires have grown and fallen leading back to the dawning of the world; built on these ruins, these kingdoms now lie in wait either for some glorious awakening or cataclysmic doom.
But though the men of Damasia may choose to believe theirs is a land of civilization and progress, they are not alone in the world. An ancient culture lies to the far west on the Continent of Spirits . It is a land of ancestral and spiritual entities that lie within every rock, tree, and beast. In this land, the Abyss holds its greatest sway, drawing forth its minions to infest the darkest forests and hearts of men. At the heart of the world lies the great World Tree Eladrassil, also known as the Tree of Souls, and the Fae Isles around it. Amongst its roots, the first-born children of the gods watch as the tree which grants them long life begins to wither. The agents of nothingness flit amongst the boughs, waiting for their moment to unlock the seals of the World’s Doom. Finally, in the far east lies the Misty Continent, Xhaan , a land of sweltering jungles, blazing deserts, and writhing terrors bound deep within the earth since the beginning of time. Unknown but to a few, these entities seek to break their bonds and twist their way into the world again to rend the lies of the gods asunder.
The world is on the edge of apocalyptic change. Whether it is to fire and darkness, or hope and progress is up to you.
Ten Important Facts
The following facts describe the background and setting of the world of Erasis and the situation the world currently finds itself in. It is in these facts that you will discover how the world of Erasis differs from other Dungeons and Dragons campaign settings, and should inspire you to tell your own stories. You will find that many things you may know and take for granted about fantasy settings hold true in the mystical world of Erasis, but a great many other things do not. Whether you are new to the setting or not, this information may give you the basic background that most inhabitants will know.
1. Roughly a hundred years has passed since the fall of the Empire of Man. This empire stretched across much of the continent of Damasia, making humanity the dominant race on the continent. The current year is 103 KY, the Year of Runes.
2. War is on the horizon. In many places across Damasia, and the world as a whole, wars have erupted or loom ahead. The War of the Phoenix, a civil war amongst some of the elves rages in the west, the Belthasian Aggression has devastated the Kingdom of the Vale and it has splintered in response. The city-states of Ea are on the verge of collapsing into chaos and war that no trade agreements can forestall. The great fortress of Khanak now stands rebuilt and hordes of goblins begin to gather around a banner reborn while fleets of corsairs sail up and down the coast, threatening the long peace of the land of the Horselords.
3. Corwinshire has become a bleak and dying land. The former capital province of the Vale has been devastated by a terrible blight that has left the land and its people cursed. The dead walk in this land, and those who would seek power have seized on the incredible wellsprings of necrotic energies that seep into the world from the Shadowfell. There are those who have awakened amidst this land, their memories as tattered and decayed as their bodies, and they seek now to discover their place in a world ruled by the living.
4. A Golden Age of Exploration has come to its height. The open seas invite those brave enough to sail them to uncover the mysteries of the Outer Lands. As more trouble brews across the Continent of Kingdoms, more and more people are setting sail for the Far West and the New World to the east. The seas remain a dangerous place, but there is great wealth to be made for those who can survive.
5. The Dwarvish Decline is coming to an end. Last year, the Year of Hammer Strokes, was an unusually fertile year for the dwarvish people across all of Damasia. As more and more children are born to those dwarves in diaspora, many both of the Old Clans and the Beardless Clans turn their eyes back on their ancestral homeland with renewed spirit and resolve to rebuild what was lost. The dwarvish people are after all a stubborn race, and their grudges are the stuff of legends.
6. The Arcane Renaissance spreads ever further with each year that passes. The Arcane Renaissance led by the gnomish people of Mithrilgear has long been contained within their mountain lands, but other cities and kingdoms now begin to benefit from the increase in magical technology and knowledge. The gnomish people are masters of blending magic and technology so they now travel across the world in their wondrous flying airships, and wherever they go, this renaissance of magical learning goes with them.
7. These aren’t your spritely Fae. The Fae as otherworldly entities are not bound to the balance of good and evil or light and dark. They are manifestations of the first world created by Janus, and thus are beings of pure chaos, spirit, and formlessness. They are capricious entities, sometimes helpful and protecting, and other times spiteful and destructive. The Fae represent everything which “could be,” and only take on the forms of “what is” when they enter the prime material, a state which few Fae enjoy. Most Fae violently guard the places where the Feywild’s power is strongest in the world. For this reason many mortals refer to Fae more commonly as “Spites.”
8. The World Tree Eladrassil is sick. The World Tree, planted at the coming of age of Thirsha has long supported the barriers between the world, the planes, and the infinite Void beyond. As the tree withers and its leaves turn to dust, the walls between the planes and the entropy of the elemental chaos and the Far Realms weaken allowing more and more demons, void-spawn, and elder evils greater influence in the world than ever before.
9. The Dragons grow restless. Unbeknownst to many of the mortal races of Erasis, the dragons grow increasingly disturbed as the years pass. A prophecy is whispered amongst the greatest of the draconic servitors. Both metallic and chromatic keep their eyes fixed on the moon of Y’gara, as if some terrible cataclysm enough to shake even their tense balance draws nearer.
10. Even the gods themselves are in flux. It was only recently that the God of Tyranny himself was remade and fundamentally changed, and if that trend continues is yet to be seen. The gods are always moving to obtain new sources of divine power that may change their natures, while other immortal entities seek to obtain that power and rise to godhood themselves. Nothing is safe from change, destruction, or ascension in the world of Erasis, not even the most powerful beings in existence.