As I move closer to when I can actually have The Sanctuary Lock end up in the hands of people, I thought it might be good to provide a bit of background information on the world in case people were curious. It may be this is just me getting my thoughts down paper and no one else cares. Even if that’s the case, it still serves a purpose.
That being said, I’m going to start with what came before the Diamond Imperium. Prior to the Piiril Uprising, the known world was known as the Enlightened Kingdom of Skydraddรฉ. Humans made up a serf underclass with the Elder, lead by the Alfar, overseeing them. Valgustunad Haal ruled the Enlightened Kingdom from his seat in the now ruined city of Keskus.
This brings us to the question of what exactly are the Elder? They are split up into eight different ancestries, each of which has their own natural forms of magic tying them to the world in addition to the ability to access the elemental magic flowing through the land.
Alfar: The Alfar were the upper elite of the Enlightened Kingdom, split into several houses. Tall, narrow of body and features, and having pointed ears, their magic dealt most with personal presence and influence. A major split between two of the strongest Alfar served as a pivot point leading to the fall of the Enlightened Kingdom.
Dvergur: Stocky, short, and hard as stone, the Dvergur made up half of the warrior caste within the Enlightened Kingdom. They held an affinity for working metal and stone, especially in the crafting of weapons and armor. They especially resented the way the Alfar lorded over them.
Ogur: These brutish looking but philosophically minded creatures made up the other half of the warrior class. Standing well over eight feet tall, their magic dealt with manipulating and controlling their own bodies. This enabled them to leap great distances and strike with crushing strength.
Engla: The winged folk of the high mountains tended to spend their time aloof from many of the other Elder. Talented weather mages, others often sought them out for aid in ensuring bountiful harvests.
Risastor: Towering over other members of the Elder, these giants lived in the mountains or along craggy coastlines. In most cases, they preferred to be left alone. As a general rule, they only associated with the Ogur.
Karu Tume: Moving in step with the wilds and the animals inhabiting it, the Karu Tume possessed the ability to shift from their humanoid forms to those of predatory animals. Those most often seen were the Bearfolk of the northern forests.
Trijafolk: Rarely seen by other Elder, the Trijafolk often appeared to be trees to those not knowing how to spot them. Even at the height of Skydraddรฉ, the Trijafolk had already retreated from society and were rarely seen.
Dal’niy Strannik: The People of the Doors possessed the rare ability to open portals and transport themselves and others across great distances. Small and wiry of stature, they began distancing themselves from the Alfar in the later days of the Enlightened Kingdom due to the cruel practices of many of the Alfar.
In the next of these, I’ll delve into the fall of the Enlightened Kingdom in the Piiril Uprising.
