The World of Gloriana

The Accident
No one knows the exact cause of the Accident of Calendar's End. Scholarly belief says it was a powerful circle of wizards that banded together more than a millennium ago, performing magic which in their hubris was far beyond their control. What is known is the terrible effect it had: distorting the timelines of a great portion of the world, sending knowledge and technology of the past and future across Gloriana, and creating a bridge to the Realm of Aberrations.

A great scourge was visited on the land shortly after The Accident, as the aberrations poured through their new bridge to assail Gloriana and claim a new home. Many of the most powerful adventurers and wizards were called upon to stem the tide of destruction. While they were, by and large, successful, though at great cost, many slipped through the cracks and made Gloriana their home, becoming parasitic to the lands and creating a new terrible problem never before faced: the undead.

Sadly, despite all attempts to undo the damage, the undead persist. However, a new power was found during this time: Honor. No longer simply an abstract, the power of Honor was recognized and its merits were quickly put to use. The Order of the Paladin was created to explore these powers, particularly powerful against the aberrations and their undead poison.

The Accident had one final sad consequence: hatred towards magic and its practitioners. While before spellcasters were treated with a passing suspicion, The Accident brought a heavy hand down against them. The wizards, sorcerers, archmages, witches and warlocks of the world banded together and formed WIT, the Wizard's Institute of Technocery, dedicated to teaching the responsible use of magic as well as centralizing the efforts of magic users to understand the mysterious powers of magic overall. While personal and cultural prejudices against magic persist, the world as a whole begins to accept magic again thanks to their efforts.

The Calendar's End
The Accident of Calendar's End gains its name through the temporal distortion it caused, rendering the methods used at the time to measure the date and year useless.

The old dating system used what by today's standards are an archaic means of recording the date. It used the position of the sun at noon to place it inside of one of six cosmological Houses, based on constellations of stars, and recorded its rotation through those Houses to set its Age: Dunes, Saurus, Rose, Ether (also known as Ring), Scorpion, and Glory (also known as Palm or, rarely, Dark Hand), respectively.

The Age was preceded by a number, denoting the sequential count of the Ages, referred to as the Era, such that a notation like 15-Ether (although it would often be written as 15aEther if not followed by the specific year in the Age) would refer to the 15th Age of Ether. This was then followed by the year in this Age. Each Age took 62 years to complete, and as such an Era took 372 years.

Finally, each year of 352 days was divided into the four seasons, and each season into their individual days. The seasons, of course, were Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn, and each season took 88 days, with each 4 years adding one additional day to the end of Spring. Therefore, a full date would be written as such: 19-Glory:45, 18 Autumn.

This was the day of The Accident of Calendar's End; the 18th day of Autumn, 45 years into the 19th Age of Glory; the 7051st year of recorded history. Since many lands suffered a loss of time and, indeed, even the stars in the sky no longer matched the old math or star charts, the old cosmological dating system ceased to be used.

With no way to tell the current date based on the old system, the new system, which took two years itself to establish universally, started quite simply at 1 PA (Post-Accident). It divided the year into eight Months, based still around the seasons, with each season divided into two halves for Early and Late, meaning each Month had 44 days; this made calendars much easier to create and distribute. These Months were further divided into Weeks, with each day in the Week given a label: Soul, Man, Dues, Win, Thirst, Fire, Rest, Love, Fame, Pale, and Child, respectively.

Trust In Magic


Since The Accident, the use of magic has ebbed and waned in both use and the overall level of trust surrounding it. While many lands see the use of magic as inherently wicked, several others revere its power. Indeed, for the most part, magic is a tool that can be used for good or evil, but it is not inherently one or the other.

Sadly, prejudices of this kind are not one-way. A new order came into existence a couple hundred years after The Accident, known as the Darkhands. Darkhands are in the simplest terms thieves that use magic to supplement their capabilities, and historically Darkhands have always targeted the Wizard's Institute of Technocery's vast repositories of knowledge with their unique skillsets and cantrips. Very little is known of Darkhands, but their treachery is well-known.

Regardless of the Darkhands' breeches into its resources, WIT remains the most trusted and respected organization of wizardly pursuits. To gain entry to WIT, a worthy spellcaster must pass the entry exam; even finding the front door is a test of the spellcaster's capability and resourcefulness.

Technology
The lands of Gloriana were thrown around in time during The Accident, picking up artifacts from the past and future. For the most part, these future artifacts have not been explored to their full potential due to a lack of present-day technologies; however, some have taken the principles gathered from these artifacts and run with them. Mad scientists dot the landscape, treated with suspicion but for the most part left alone as pitiable individuals who deny magic's power.

Scientists and wizards live at odds; there is no conflict between the technologists and the sorcerers, but there is little cooperation either (though WIT has adapted several scientific methods in recent years).

FACS and the Adventurer's Guild
Adventuring has been such a great pastime in Gloriana in recent history that at one point it was an entire industry. This has died down significantly in the past few years, but is still a greatly-supported lifestyle choice that individuals strive for. Be they simple explorers or aspiring heroes, the adventurer will find solace in most major cities in one of the many Adventurer's Guild Halls of Gloriana.

The Adventurer's Guild Halls were built by a band of adventurers to support one another. These same adventurers pooled their knowledge and created the Famous Adventurer's Correspondence School, or FACS. FACS became the go-to source for old and new adventurers alike; their periodicals were often full of great and useful information about the world abroad. FACS has since built a trade school, known as the Famous Adventurer's Academy (FAA).

The Legend of Erana
Somewhere around the year 1100 PA, Erana, Gloriana's most famous resident, was born. The exact date is unknown, as is the actual birthplace; it is speculated that she was born in the Eastern Woods, but there are sources which say that she was born in Mordavia. It is known that her mother was a powerful spellcaster, and her father was of the fae folk. Erana was half-fae, and an absolute magical prodigy.

Little is known about Erana's young life, save that she was raised in the Eastern Woods, but when she was perhaps fifty years old she left her home to spread her gift, her love of magic. She was picked up readily by WIT as an instructor in 1166 PA (the first definitively recorded date in her life), and each of Erana's students are still today some of the most powerful wizards to ever grace the halls of WIT.

However she grew restless and felt that magic was something you did, not something you studied. She took her leave of WIT in 1172 PA and began her journey across Gloriana. Her powers continued to grow, as did her legacy. The paladins knew her well, and she was counted among them despite never truly acquiring the title.

She created new spells and began to use them in areas of the world that saw strife -- though a few seemed somewhat inexplicable. She casts auras of calm on cities (some in her earlier years missed key points of the city), and also began creating regions of tranquility. Each of these regions was given a special name; the most famous would be Erana's Retreat, in Silmaria on the isle of Lymnos, created in 1270 PA.

Her journeys took a little more than 200 years when, in 1397 PA (according to sources inside the Order of the Paladins), she is said to have sensed a dark omen coming from Mordavia. She left for Mordavia immediately. This is the last anyone has heard from or seen her. 

The Lay of the Land
Gloriana is a world that has not been fully explored; in fact one entire continent has only been discovered and begun to be inhabited as early as 200 years ago. There are four continents known to the majority of people: Europa (Europe), Aratia (Asia), Fricana (Africa) and Fredonia (North America; often referred to as The New World). There are powerful wizards who have seen the whole of the world, who know of yet new lands, but no man has managed to approach them as of date. The campaign setting will be focusing primarily on Europa and Fricana.

Jotunheim
Jotunheim is the northernmost civilization known to the world. It is a vast arctic tundra within and even beyond the Dragon Smoke Mountains. It is not known how long this desolate region of the world has last seen temperatures above freezing, though it is clear that it has happened in the past, evidenced by the sprawling so-called lakes of ice that dot Jotunheim's landscape -- particularly the route to enter from the south, where the relatively lower altitudes melt the snow yearly, creating a vast frozen lake during the winter that is difficult to pass.

It is primarily home to the Frost Giants, a fae-descendent folk of great mystery. The Frost Giants are so adapted and integrated into their landscape that they cannot leave their homelands for long, as warmer climates take them first to discomfort, and then illness, and then possibly even death.

The Jotunheim culture is an interesting one, full of poetry and riches. Even the lesser of the intelligent giants boast an immense vocabulary and a natural talent for meter. Little is known how this came to pass, but then many such mysteries surround the fae folk and they seem to prefer it that way. The frost giants put little value on gems and rare metals such as gold, putting their value more in the practical necessities of iron ore, lumber and agriculture; as such, despite their prosperous gold and gem mines, they do not consider themselves a wealthy culture. That being said, if ever there is trouble in their home and they find themselves lacking in food, they are not so proud as to resist the temptation to trade their riches to the human lands for what may be considered meager earnings to mankind.

Common Races: Frost Giant, Fae Folk, Meep

Languages: Fae (primary), Runic* (major), English (minor)

Spielburg Valley
Near the western coast of Europa, in the southern valleys of the Dragon Smoke Mountains, lies a valley known as Spielburg. It's a small settlement, but historic; one of among the most famous dragons was slain in Spielburg Valley by then-Baronet Stefan von Spielburg and his adventuring compatriot Schultz Meistersson around 40 years ago.

The barony of Spielburg enjoyed its claim to fame for a few years just prior to the adventuring craze dying down. Since then, the valley once more became fairly sleepy. Furthermore, Spielburg Pass, the only simple way into the valley, has become more and more treacherous with each passing year, making the trip to Spielburg Valley dangerous and difficult.

Spielburg Valley has several areas, as noted already, that hold its namesake: the town of Spielburg, Spielburg Castle, the Spielburg Pass, and the Spielburg Forest. All of this comes from the royal family that founded and still to this day heads the valley: the Spielburgs. The current monarch is Baron Stefan von Spielburg, the very same who had famously slain the dragon. The barony is under the hierarchy of the King of Gramarye.

The valley boasts a few great landmarks. Zauberberg Mountain is well-known to the world of wizards as the winter home of Erasmus, one of the best-known wizards of the day, perhaps second only to Erana herself in fame. It is also home to Spiegelsee (the Mirror Lake), known for perhaps the clearest and most delicious fresh water in all of Gloriana. It is also surrounded by one of the few remaining forests in civilized lands that plays host to a dryad.

Common Races: Human, Goblin, Gnome, Centaur, Goon, Meep

Languages: German (primary), English (major), Runic* (minor)

Willowsby
A bustling city east-by-southeast of Spielburg Valley, Willowsby plays host to the Famous Adventurers' Academy and was the childhood home of legendary adventurer Devon Aidendale, still playing host to the Aidendale family to this day. It is also said that Willowsby is the first human civilization the famous archmage Erana visited when she left the Eastern Woods on her pilgrimage.

Willowsby is one of the oldest cities of northern Europa, and it has been expanding slowly for more than 700 years. The signs of changing architecture can be seen throughout the city, with some of the oldest parts of the city even designed still with a working open sewer that runs through the backalleys of the city. It is conjectured that the Darkhands had their beginnings in these sewers, but it is most likely a rumor; still, Darkhand graffiti can be found throughout the Willowsby sewer systems, most likely placed by idolaters.

The Famous Adventurers' Academy (FAA) is in the southwestern quarter of the city, and is one of the biggest and grandest buildings there. It is converted and added upon from the old Willowsby Adventurer's Guild Hall, from whence the famous Devon Aidendale found his first adventuring charge soon after completing his FACS correspondence course.

Willowsby holds a dim view of magic these days, despite (or perhaps due to) the influence of the FAA. Any practitioners of the magical arts must do so in private, away from prying and accusing eyes. Guards are instructed to arrest magic users, and the judicial system, while it does not otherwise punish magic users, is set up to exile these individuals from the city limits; they are however required to give aid to those exiled in their travels to a new home, typically in the form of armed escort. The FAA is exempt from these laws.

Common Races: Human, Goblin, Gnome, Centaur, Goon

Languages: English (primary), German (major), Italian (minor), Latin (minor)

The Eastern Woods
A sprawling forest far to the east of Willowsby, near Mordavia, the region known as the Eastern Woods is virtually untouched by modern civilization. It is the home to the mysterious and nebulous fae folk, and is the birthplace of Europa's most famous historical figure, the archmage Erana.

Little is known about the life and geography of the Eastern Woods, as the fae folk keep people away and speak little of their homeland. It is not unlikely, however, that on your travels through Gloriana you will at some time come across residents, or former residents, of the Eastern Woods.

Common Races: Fae Folk, Half-Fae, Centaur, Dryad

Languages: Sylvan (primary), Fae (primary), Runic* (primary), Arcane (major)

Mordavia
Yet further east, and a little south, from the Eastern Woods is a barony, so to speak, that skirts the southern rim of the Wolf's Bane Mountains called Mordavia. Referring to it as a barony is a misnomer, since the official ruling body of Mordavia is the boyar, under the hierarchy of a tsar. Once a lively agricultural center, it was plagued in recent years by a cultist group that sought to raise an unspeakable evil from its swamps. It is said that Erana herself gave her life here to stop the cultists.

Mordavia features a scenic overlook of the Wolf's Bane Mountains. A path into the mountains cuts its way up to the impressive Castle Borgov, named for the Borgov royal family. The Great Mordavian Swamp sprawls across the west and southwest.

Since the incident with the cultists, Mordavia has seen its share of continued hardship. With the legacy of the cultists still fresh on the minds of the collective populous of Europa, Mordavia's population dwindled. Then, the Great Mordavian Swamp became cursed with undead and the swamp itself began to spread until finally cutting off entry and exit from the region as of two years ago. No one knows what is happening there now.

Common Races: Human, Gnome, Goon

Languages: Slovak (primary), English (minor)

Mariana
Off the southern coast of Europa in the Med Sea is a cluster of volcanic islands, called the Marete island chain. This island chain is one of the few nations of Gloriana, called Mariana, and is home to one of the oldest surviving civilizations of Gloriana, and indeed the oldest-known surviving civilization of Europa.

Mariana is divided into partitions known as island-states or city-states (the fact that they are their own separate state equates their power; whether an island-state or a city-state makes no difference). These are the city-states of Ios, Silmaria, Tinos, Paros, Naxos, and Keros (all on the large central island of Marete); and the island-states of Delos, Minos, Lymnos, Zante, Hydra, Spetsai, Piperi, Kea, Skyros, and Psara (each their own island or island chain). The city of Silmaria is Mariana's capitol.

Mariana is regarded as the center of theology and science, but it is also the home of the Wizard's Institute of Technocery (WIT), situated in the capitol city-state of Silmaria.

Common Races: Human, Gnome, Goblin, Dryad, Minotaur, Cynorid

Languages: Greek (primary), Latin (major), Italian (minor), Sylvan (minor), Runic* (minor), Fae (minor)

Shapeirian Desert
The Shapeirian Desert is a massive land feature, centered through the land mass connecting the continents of Aratia to the northeast and Fricana to the southwest. Very little civilization finds footing in this desert, but one great civilization yet strives: the sultanate of Shapeir.

It was not but a thousand years ago that the Shapeirian Desert was known as something else: Jicca. Jicca was at that time and prior to it a thriving center of society and the birthplace of many of civilization's technologies; it was also a green land with steady precipitation, lakes and rivers. Jicca brought the world away from copper and introduced it to iron. However, the climate of Jicca changed drastically; the skies no longer favored the land with rain and the greenery steadily died out. Many civilizations died or migrated, reforming elsewhere; Shapeir, the most successful of the Jiccan civilizations, claimed the enormous land expanse for its own.

To date, two cities exist in the desert: Shapeir and Raseir, the twin jewels of the sands. Indeed, they were raised as mirror images of one another. Shapeir is the home of the palace of the sultan and therefore run by him, and Raseir is ruled by an emir.

Though geographically small and the civilization associated with it is significantly smaller than it once was, its people and its cultural influences can be seen throughout North and East Fricana, southern Europa, and southern Aratia. The culture is ancient and rich, with equal myth and legend to its historical record, each influencing the other.

The Shapeirian Desert is the only known region of Gloriana that plays host to the different forms of djinni, which are believed to be aberrations that crossed into Gloriana even before the Accident of Calendar's End, and even before written history. The djinni for the most part seem to be indifferent or benevolent, but there are some (particularly the ifreet) that are unrepentantly destructive.

Common Races: Human, Katta, Centaur, Liontaur

Languages: Arabic (primary), Latin (minor), English (minor)

North Fricana
The northern region of Fricana is the home of the most ancient living culture of Gloriana, Yrekept. The Yrekeptians were a nomadic people prior to the Accident of Calendar's End, but prior to that the lands of North Fricana were more fertile and forgiving. The lands dried up and the greenery disappeared after the Accident, and the nomadic tribes of North Fricana were forced to head to the river or the sea to survive.

The Yrekept tribes founded around the mouth of the Mkubwa River, a delta that remained fertile despite the climate change. They were forced to settle there and were soon after embattled by other tribes, fighting for their place in the world through more than 50 years of constant war.

The Yrekeptians then made among the first anachronistic discoveries resulting from the Accident, and their mathematical comprehension and technology advanced further than any other society of the day. They created legendary structures and powerful armies with the most modern equipment, and began conquering their way across North and East Fricana. In 121 PA, their war to conquer their segment of the world came crashing to a halt when they attempted to overthrow Jicca, who had just discovered iron.

Over the hundreds of years since, Yrekept has receded back into its humble origins, but also have thrived from there. They are still considered the foremost military power in Fricana, with Tarna in East Fricana as their only relative equal.

North Fricana, while mostly desert, is also home to a formidable mountain range that almost severs the northern coast of Fricana from the ocean altogether. The mountain range reaches three-quarters of the way across the northern reach of Fricana, ending but a few hundred miles west of the Mkubwa River.

Common Races: Human, Katta, Cynorid, Leopardman

<p style="text-align:left">Languages: Arabic (primary), Hieroglyphics* (major), Latin (minor), French (minor), Spanish (minor)

East Fricana
The region known as East Fricana stretches a fair distance into the south of the continent of Fricana. The majority of East Fricana is grassy savannah. The western half and southern border of East Fricana are dense jungle, while a portion of its north is desert. In the southern portion of Fricana there also begins the mountains of Fricana. East Fricana is the most populous portion of Fricana, in both its cities and its savannah.

Tarna : On the western bank of the Mkubwa River sits East Fricana's greatest city, Tarna, ruled by the powerful liontaurs. It is a civilization steeped in tradition and religion, indeed one of the few civilizations that actively celebrate a religion.

Tarna is a segregated city; the ruling class of liontaurs all live in the northern half of the city, while all other citizens of any other race live in the southern half. It has been this way since the foundation of the city several hundreds of years ago.

The culture of Tarna, despite its stoic world views, violent political atmosphere and racial segregation, is a land ruled by the laws of Honor. Those who are deemed Honorless in the courts of Tarna are marked for life, and those who are not may not speak to them, or even sell to them or buy from them. They are all but outcast. Their only fortune is that they are allowed to continue to live in the city if they already did, protected by the military might of Tarna from the potential terrors of the savannah.

The Savannah : East Fricana's savannah is a sprawling land of high grass and sparse trees. It is home to many exotic, prized animals and interesting monsters. It is also home to a large, complex society of tribes. Each tribe has its own culture, its own beliefs and its own stories, passed down generation to generation. They live humble lives, and many migrate around the region throughout the year for the four seasons.

The one thing, it can be postulated, that these tribes all have in common, is ancestor worship. They do not worship a deity or deities, but rather their own predecessors. Most of them also have what they refer to as a totem animal, one that they claim lordship over and kinship to. For instance, the Simbani tribe, one of the more well-known East Fricana tribes, have the totem animal of the lion, and claim dominion over lions in their region. They also have a strong kinship with them, as well as the liontaurs of Tarna.

The tribes are all terribly distrustful of magic and its practitioners, since only the tribe's laibon has access to any forms of magic, and these are all ritualistic and often only one or two so-called spells are actually known, however powerful they may be.

<p style="text-align:left">Common Races: Human, Katta, Cynorid, Liontaur, Leopardman

<p style="text-align:left">Languages: Swahili (primary), Arabic (minor), Hieroglyphics* (minor), Latin (minor), French (minor)

South Fricana
The mountainous South Fricana is home to the tallest mountain in Gloriana, Mount Ysudawa; the Limpopo River; and the source of the great Mkubwa River, treated by some Fricanan tribes as a site of pilgrimage and referred to as the Womb of Mkubwa.

South Fricana is often seen as a primitive place, avoided by most all civilized folk, but also known for its riches, being home to some of the greatest gold and gem mines in the world, surpassing those even of Jotunheim. Wars have broken out in the past between invading forces and the native tribes of South Fricana, all of which have ended in devastation and sometimes complete annihilation to the invading forces. It has been more than one hundred years since an army was fool enough to attempt such a thing again.

Without doubt, the best-known and potentially most powerful tribe is that of the Zulu, known as the Kingdom of Zululand. Their numbers are great and their tactics are sophisticated, despite being a mostly-peaceful people, rarely waging war unless provoked.

Of similar interest are the ogres of South Fricana, sometimes referred to as hill giants for their immense stature even among other ogres. They are both fiercely protective of their mountainside homes and greater in number than anywhere else in the world. South Fricana also seems to be the only place where ogres have a civilization of their own, instead of living relatively hermitic lives as they do elsewhere in the world.

<p style="text-align:left">Common Races: Human, Cynorid, Ogre

<p style="text-align:left">Languages: Swahili (primary), French (minor)

Antwerp
The origins of the antwerp are entirely unknown. Their presence in the world predates The Accident, and it is only theorized that they come from the Realm of Aberrations through earlier, minor rifts. Whatever their origins, they are among the most alien of life on Gloriana. As a relatively alien life form, antwerps are not native to any region of Gloriana, and are not even common though they can have large explosions of population if left unchecked and cause great ecological damage.

They range in size from Small to Large, not exclusively based on maturity (or what would pass as maturity in their race), and are easily identified. Their bodies are divided into only two parts, the head and the carapace, with no limbs, and they are roughly pear-shaped. Their skin, if it can be called as such, is actually a translucent blue wrap of muscles that can flex and twist at all points and most directions, allowing their body to bulge, contract and twist. They have no skeletal structure, and few organs which are visible through their bodies. They have four red eyes in a cluster at what is considered their face, with one additional primitive eye at the left, right, back and top of the head. Their mouth is best described as one of a tuskless walrus, sitting immediately beneath their eyes.

Antwerps move by bouncing on their bottoms using the rapid contractions of their skin-like muscular covering to propel them; they make a distinctive sound once described as "not unlike a kettle drum being struck by a spatula" as they move. Their skin possesses such strength in this regard that given enough preparation of momentum they can jump beyond the limits of any other known creature!

They do not sleep, and require little nourishment. They are herbivores, relying primarily on green vegetation which it digests without chewing since it lacks teeth. Wizards who have tried to perform methods of control or even understanding or communication on antwerps have come up empty, as if they couldn't even locate their consciousness; thus they have been considered "mindless" despite the fact that they clearly have a brain.

Antwerps do not have any sexual organ, and reproduce by intentionally bursting themselves into multiples of themselves, the closest comparison of the practice being worms where two parts of the whole each become their own organism. Prior to reproduction, the antwerp begins to create several new sets of organs inside of and part of itself, its own body becoming its progeny's nourishment and protection during their development. An antwerp can carry these progeny indefinitely (theoretically) by simply choosing not to burst itself; if burst by force its progeny immediately take form, as if it had burst intentionally from the host antwerp, and bounce away freely.

Centaur


A centaur is categorized as a "magical creature," meaning not that they are infused with magic in some manner but rather that they owe their initial existence to arcane intervention or invention. Centaurs are further categorized as a "chimera" race, one that combines elements from two vastly-divergent species. They have the entire body and limbs of a horse, yet where the neck would be is instead the upper body, arms and head of a human. They are native primarily to the open plains of Europa, but are also found in The Eastern Woods and nomadically in the Shapeirian Desert.

Centaurs are highly-adaptable to most any lifestyle, and can be found performing almost any function in the civilized world. The nomadic centaurs of the desert are particularly well-suited as caravan guides and guards, knowing not only their way across the sands but also the tactics of raiders.

The culture of centaurs is steeped in rhetoric of honor, pride, and duty; and as such they tend to have very little in the way of a sense of humor. This puts them at odds with gnomes and historically centaurs and gnomes have even had open conflict, though such cultural misunderstandings seldom come to blows in modern days.

Cynorid
A cynorid is categorized as a "magical creature," meaning not that they are infused with magic in some manner but rather that they owe their initial existence to arcane intervention or invention. Cynorids are further categorized as an "anthropomorphic" race, one that is simultaneously bipedal and combines elements from humans and an animal species. They have the head of a dog, but remaining parts of their body are human. Their bodies are entirely covered in a very short fur. They are native to the savannah of Fricana.

Cynorids are such close relatives of jackalmen that they are sometimes mistaken for one another. Cynorids have been around for longer than any other magical race, but have never had a high population They are treated as third-class citizens in Tarna, but they are royalty in Yrekept. There is also a cynorid kingdom in southern Aratia, known colloquially as the Dog Kingdom. Cynorids are well-known for their love of elaborate (some might say gaudy), often large, gold jewelry encrusted with precious stones.

Cynorids and katta have always been known to get along just fine, but the cynorids and liontaurs are traditionally long-standing enemies, having engaged more than once in all-out war. Cynorids are also the race to blame for the near-extinction of the savannah cheetaur about forty years ago, though you would hear few claim this as a bad thing.

Dryad


A mysterious and rare member of Gloriana's history, dryads are known as the master of the natural world, including natural magic. Dryads consider themselves the guardians of nature, and tend to live symbiotically within forests, able to watch over their self-imposed charge as if they had eyes from the limbs of every tree.

A dryad's true form is thought to be that of a humanoid woman whose skin is like the bark of a tree. It is unknown if this is entirely accurate, however, since a dryad melds into the trunks of trees as part of its symbiosis, thus showing potential for at-will polymorphism and no true knowledge of how deep this ability runs. Dryads are not exactly forthcoming with such information.

Dryads are very rare. There are known to be dryads in The Eastern Woods but not how many. In Silmaria there are exactly seven, and there is also one known dryad in Spielburg Valley. No other locations in the world know of dryads -- or at least dryads don't exist in these regions anymore. They are known to be arbiters of an absolute justice towards those who violate some law of their charge; for instance, dryads are known to attempt to rescue rare species from extinction, and failing that are also known to polymorph individuals responsible for bringing the species towards or to extinction into the species they had affected in an attempt to save the species and punish the individual.

Dwarf
Very few have ever seen a dwarf, not from their lack of numbers but simply their lack of above-ground presence. Dwarves are a short, stalky race of subterranean humanoids. They are scarcely -- almost never -- seen on the surface and are entirely self-sufficient in their home.

Dwarves value all aspects of the elements of earth and fire above all else; earth gives ore, and fire the ability to mold it. They are master craftsmen, and fantastic miners and masons. Sadly many of their methods are held to absolute secrecy, as is much of their culture and heritage, and so very little of their influence is seen outside of their own home.

Fae Folk
Less-commonly known as "elves," little information is available on the fae folk. Primarily sequestered to their home, the Eastern Woods, they reveal little about themselves and even less about their civilization. What is known is that they are the dominant race of the Eastern Woods, and they are among the most powerful magic users in the world. They are not to be confused with faeries despite their similar names and, at certain instances, similar appearances.

The fae folk have an inherent ability to change back and forth between two forms: their stable form, which is the form that had them labeled for centuries as "elves;" and their transitive form, which often finds them confused for either faeries or will-o-the-wisps.

In their stable form, the fae folk are humanoid with prominent high-set cheekbones, a short forehead, and large pointed ears, and stand a smidge taller than the average human. They tend to have pale skin but are not ethereal and do not glow as legend would dictate. Furthermore, fae folk in stable form can actually mate with humans, a practice that is considered taboo to the fae folk (though such taboos do not culturally hinder the offspring of such relations, only the practitioners).

Frost Giant
The tall, blue-skinned humanoid giants of Jotunheim are a proud and ancient race. Descendents of the fae folk, they have adapted to their home so greatly that they can scarcely leave it without detriments to their health. Their culture is steeped in tradition and mythology, filled with parables and poetry to the point that if a frost giant speaks it is always in the form of one or the other, without exception, as if unable to convey information in any other manner.

Frost giants are Large sized, standing at over 10 feet tall, with blue skin, pink and red eyes, and snow-white hair. Many frost giants dress in furs despite the fact that they no longer require them for warmth, having long-since adapted to the cold. They are the only culture with access to Jotunheim's otherwise untapped mines, and as such pull a great wealth of minerals for a relatively-small community; however, the gems and precious metals of humanity are of little to no use to the frost giants and they are stockpiled to be traded away for cheap for things of much greater use, such as iron and food, in times of emergency.

Gnome
Natives of Europa and one of its most common races, gnomes can be found throughout Gloriana. They are a short humanoid race with tall pointed ears and a perpetual blush; it is rare to find a gnome who does not have dimples. They are culturally raised as jokers and pranksters, some to the point of obnoxiousness. Gnomes are all Small-sized and stand no taller than four feet, with the average gnome standing somewhere around 3'4".

Many gnomes in human culture strive for social work of some form, as jesters, poets, comedians, bards and other various forms of entertainers, but gnomes are also known to be excellent tradesmen, adaptable to many different tasks. Most notably, gnomes make fantastic shipwrights, able to work much quicker in certain parts of ship construction due to their small stature.

Goblin


The not-too-distant relatives to the gnome, goblins are highly prolific and their kind can be found on every known continent in some form. They live in tribes dotting the globe, and are known for their mischief and militancy. Some boast magical capabilities, and these are often tribal leaders.

They are short with tan skin, and share the gnome's tall pointed ears though a goblin's ears tend to be longer and bow out towards the sides. They all have short-but-thick hair covering the majority of their body. The color of the hair tends to reveal their lineage; for instance, the goblins of the Spielburg Valley are almost exclusively covered in gray and white hair.

Goblin tribes live almost exclusively in one of two habitats: a cave opening leading into a primitive camp, or a forested fortress. They are not necessarily considered a "monstrous" race but are certainly treated as such, with no noted interest in joining society and every indication of wishing to impede it. Some tribes of goblins actually boast a fair understanding of metallurgy and create weapons on par with the civilized races of Gloriana, but the majority use wood, stone, and appropriated weapons. All of the known goblin spellcasters are warlocks.

Pygmy Goblin : In North Fricana, a tribe of goblin has grown smaller and with sparser hair than the average goblin; these are known as pygmy goblins. They are rarely seen but still dangerous, as they have a nasty habit of leaving traps across the savannah on both widely-known migration lines and well-travelled roads alike.

Goon
A close relative of ogres, goons are often of dubious intelligence, though they are often more mild-mannered than their belligerent ogre relatives. They are found natively in mountainous areas; they tend to be drawn to the thin air and cold climate, but an adventurer is really liable to run into them where one would least expect.

The goons of the east tend to have green skin, while the goons of the west tend to be pig-skinned. The average goon stands shorter than their ogre relatives at 7' tall, but are known to reach heights nearing 9'. They all (unless otherwise impaired) grow their two lower canines to protrude past their lip. Some are known to be jovial and carefree, while others are foul-tempered, but all tend to be quick to action before considering consequence.

Goons found in civilization are among the more intelligent ones, and first-generation civilized goons tend to be taken in to pay off life debts. Their loyalty to this knows no bounds. Goons' native culture is very simple; they are nomadic, build quick and primitive shelters and carry the materials to do this with them, and their equipment tends to be wood, stone, fur or leather.

Griffin
A griffin is categorized as a "magical creature," meaning not that they are infused with magic in some manner but rather that they owe their initial existence to arcane intervention or invention. Griffins are further categorized as a "chimera" race, one that combines elements from two vastly divergent species. They have the back legs and body of a lion; in place of the front legs are the legs and talons of an eagle; its head is also that of an eagle, and on the back of the creature are the wings of an eagle. They are native to the Shapeirian Desert.

Griffins are exceptionally rare; they are slow to reproduce and are highly prized as both trophies and mounts. They are highly-intelligent and capable of communication, though the language they speak cannot be duplicated by any race other than griffins. They tend to live in nests made on the ledges on mountainsides.

Half-Fae
A half-fae is a rare occurrence, the result of a mating between human and fae folk. While rare, half-fae tend to have prominent lives and notoriety from the simple fact that they live high-profile lives making great sweeping contributions to the world. Erana, the most famous historical figure of Gloriana, was a half-fae.

A half-fae tends to stand a head higher than a human on average, with pale skin and long, pointed ears. They universally have fast metabolisms, and therefore are never heavy-set. Their hair tends to grow quickly and as such for sake of convenience alone tends to be kept long, but they have no facial hair. Half-fae are mostly female, though males exist; no accurate theories exist to explain this phenomenon. They have a natural affinity for magic, lending to their fae lineage.

Human
The most common of the civilized races, humans occupy every part of Gloriana in varying degrees, except for Jotunheim and The Eastern Woods. Humans are the most adaptable race, able to perform well in any function. Their skin color ranges in shades of brown based primarily on the basal region of their heritage -- for instance, Fricana tends to have dark-skinned humans while Europa tends to have fair-skinned humans.

Humans live in many different fashions throughout Gloriana. In Europa, humans make the primary populous of cities and kingdoms. In Fricana, they live both in the cities and also form tribes. There remain some nomadic humans, but typically humans are less nomad and more settler.

Jackalman
A jackalman is categorized as a "magical creature," meaning not that they are infused with magic in some manner but rather that they owe their initial existence to arcane intervention or invention. Jackalmen are further categorized as an "anthropomorphic" race, one that is simultaneously bipedal and combines elements from humans and an animal species. They have the back legs and head of a jackal; and their hands are front paws adapted for manipulation (including an opposable thumb); but their torso and arms are human. Their bodies are entirely covered in fur. They are native to the Shapeirian Desert and Fricana.

Jackalmen are an intelligent race capable of communication between themselves but not to races that speak languages like humans and goons. They live in nomadic tribes with little to no shelter, and hunt in packs for animal or human game. Most use appropriated weaponry when they can, but rarely use shields simply because they hinder their movement when the jackalman switches to run on all fours.

Katta
A katta is categorized as a "magical creature," meaning not that they are infused with magic in some manner but rather that they owe their initial existence to arcane intervention or invention. Katta are further categorized as an "anthropomorphic" race, one that is simultaneously bipedal and combines elements from humans and an animal species. They have the back legs and head of a cat; and their hands are front paws adapted for manipulation (including an opposable thumb); but their torso and arms are human. Their bodies are entirely covered in fur. They are native to the Shapeirian Desert.

Katta tend to have tan, orange, brown or gray fur; it is exceedingly rare to find a black katta, and only albinos have white fur; nearly every katta has some kind of striping in their fur, but rarely spotting. Their eyes vary between bright green, gold, and blue. Most katta stand a few inches shorter than the average human, but a tall katta are not at all unheard of.

The katta culture revolves heavily around civility and politeness. They go out of their way to make strangers feel welcome around them. They are heavily social creatures and also devoted friends and mates; where you find one katta, you are bound to find a katta community as they rarely travel without more of their kind. They are extremely well-adapted to many different climates, able to live comfortably in the intense heat of Shapeir but also able to live quite comfortably in the cold climates of the far north.

The katta race is ancient and has a rich history, full of dance and song and superstition; their people even possess their own separate form of magic for those who study it deeply enough.

Kobold


Kobolds are very distant relatives of goblins (and, in turn, gnomes). The collective knowledge of their society is extremely limited. Kobolds are not terribly common -- or if they are, they live in hiding and do so effectively -- and are typically hostile. They are a subterranean race, hindered when exposed to sunlight, or bright light in general.

The majority of known kobolds seem to be born with innate abilities of spellcasting, and they make powerful natural spellcasters as such. They also seem to quickly grasp concepts of arcane spellcasting -- in fact it is a safe bet when running into a kobold to assume them to be a sorcerer.

They are built gauntly and stand a head taller than gnomes, with gold eyes and dark skin. They have only the semblance of hair remaining on their bodies or heads. Their ears are long and pointed, and bow outwards from the sides of the head.

Leopardman
A leopardman is categorized as a "magical creature," meaning not that they are infused with magic in some manner but rather that they owe their initial existence to arcane intervention or invention. Leopardmen are further categorized as an "anthropomorphic" race, one that is simultaneously bipedal and combines elements from humans and an animal species. They have the back legs and head of a leopard; and their hands are front paws adapted for manipulation (including an opposable thumb); but their torso and arms are human. Their bodies are entirely covered in fur.

However, leopardmen are also shapeshifters, able to transform back and forth between their normal form and the form of a human.

The leopardmen are known as great spellcasters. They are a tribal race native equally to the jungles and savannah of the continent of Fricana, though the majority are known to live in East Fricana. They speak humanoid languages but can also emulate some monstrous dialects.

Leopardmen follow ancestral rituals and proceed by the teachings and musings of the tribe's laibon. Though their culture is dictated by such things, their actions are yet dictated by their chieftain. It is exceedingly rare to find a leopardman tribe that does not adhere to this social hierarchy.

Liontaur
A liontaur is categorized as a "magical creature," meaning not that they are infused with magic in some manner but rather that they owe their initial existence to arcane intervention or invention. Liontaurs are further categorized as a "chimera" race, one that combines elements from two vastly-divergent species. They have the entire body and limbs of a lion, yet where the neck would be is instead the upper body and arms; however the head is one of a lion. The entire creature is covered in fur. They are native primarily to the open plains of Europa, but are also found in The Eastern Woods and nomadically in the Shapeirian Desert.

Liontaurs are revered throughout Gloriana. Their strength and prowess in combat is legendary. In spite of the common trappings of such notoriety, they are also well-known as honorable individuals; their entire society revolves around the precepts of honor -- and then, again, despite this, there has only been one recorded liontaur paladin in history: Rakeesh, the Abdicated King.

The liontaurs are the rightful rulers of the great kingdom of Tarna, a kingdom that encompasses a majority of East Fricana. They are also one of the few remaining races that, by and large, follow a religion in Gloriana, worshiping a pantheon (so to speak) of gods, the greatest of which is named Sekhmet, who is often referred to as the daughter of the sun and the Goddess of Tarna.

Meep
A small intelligent race of creatures that live almost exclusively in Spielburg Valley (and those that don't still live only in the Dragon Smoke Mountains), the meeps have an interesting society. They are generally kind to those who do not actively pose threats to them, but even the slightest hint of hostility sends them back into their holes.

Meeps are bipedal and stand no taller than three feet tall, with one of a varied color of long and shaggy fur running the entire visible spectrum covering their entire body (so-called), and two ostrich-like legs, but no arms. Their brain, lungs and digestive system are all encompassed in the same mass which could be called its "body" or "head" depending simply on your inclination.

Despite their size, meeps are uncannily strong. They live in an underground tunnel system they themselves dig into the mountains(!) in a clearing of covered tunnels referred to as a peep. They cover the entries of their tunnels with flat stones weighing hundreds of pounds each which, when they wish to exit their meephole, they simply knock out of the way, often flipping them through the air in the process. Meeps are also terribly fast, making the prospect of engaging meeps in combat (if they were to be caught in this unlikely situation) something even the most seasoned adventurers would not relish.

Meeps are able to communicate, most using chirp-like pops, but some even communicate in humanoid languages. Meeps have also been known from time to time to possess enough intelligence to learn and use low-level magic.

Minotaur
A minotaur is categorized as a "magical creature," meaning not that they are infused with magic in some manner but rather that they owe their initial existence to arcane intervention or invention. Minotaurs are further categorized as an "anthropomorphic" race (despite their colloquial "tauric" name, which is a bit of a misnomer), one that is simultaneously bipedal and combines elements from humans and an animal species. They have the back legs and head of a bull, complete with horns; but their torso, arms and hands are human. They are native to the mountains of Europa and the island nation of Silmaria.

Minotaurs are an intelligent race, capable of communication if domesticated and taught from an early age; they have no language of their own and do not verbally communicate if they are not otherwise taught to. They tend to live in packs but do not have a societal order; they simply set about to do what they need to in order to survive. If raised and taught from a calf, minotaurs can speak Common with no issue.

Ogre (or Ogress)
The basal lineage of ogres is unknown; speculation puts them in either human or fae lineage, or even closer to the giants. They are a Large humanoid, standing on average 9 feet tall and reaching upwards of 11 feet. They are darkly pig-skinned and tend to have arms and legs that are proportionally thicker than humans; these combined with their size tend to be the limits in the difference between ogres and humans.

Ogres are not specifically known for their intelligence, but they are an intelligent race with their own language, and several that live near civilization can speak Common. They rarely interact directly with civilization, and none ever enter civilization as residents. The most infamous living witch is an ogress, by the name of Baba Yaga.

Rabbit
Aw!

Troll
An ancient race thought to be descendent from humans, trolls are a race of large-sized humanoids with no known culture. Trolls seem to live as loners, mingling only enough to breed. They hide in dank hideouts, under bridges (as the fables say), in caves, and in shelters made of fallen forest debris to resemble caves. They are known to have long beards and are fabled to keep treasure inside of them.

Trolls are intelligent enough to understand language but cannot speak it. They are hoarders of both food (particularly rotting meat) and treasure (mostly baubles), and are not at all beneath killing a man for the shiny chain he might be wearing and the meat on and in their bones. They are considered among the more evil races of Gloriana and no quarter is given to them.

The Modern Magic User
There is in this world a great deal of fear and prejudice surrounding magic and its mythos. It suffers exaggeration and misrepresentation from those too fearful to seek information about it. Ever since The Accident, this has been only reaffirmed, especially since the pollution of Gloriana with aberrations has caused such damage. However, ignorance must be fought, which is the goal of WIT, discussed next.

Many budding mages are forced to practice in total secrecy, for fear of being ostracized by their community or even their family. Very little discussion outside of fear and prejudice takes place, and individuals who discover it at a young age on their own are often scared and confused with what they should do. They cannot simply seek out their peers, for in this they have none. As such, word of mouth about the work of WIT and casual mention in classroom and community discussion of world events, particularly The Accident, are their only salvation from their double-life as both "law-abiding citizen" and "deviant spellcaster." It is little wonder that the great majority of wizards are either peculiar or controlling.

The terms "wizardry" and "sorcery" are bandied about freely with little confusion around the world; however, when dealing with a student of the magical arts one must be careful to more accurately define their meaning, as wizardry and sorcery are two separate classes of magic.

Wizard's Institute of Technocery (WIT)
Founded not long after The Accident of Calendar's End, WIT has served as a beacon for all burgeoning magic users, an organization based in Silmaria that strives to represent the magic world with its best, brightest, most earnest individuals. It is the peacekeeper between the wizards and witches of the world, and the society that would otherwise excommunicate or even hunt them.

WIT, in its strives to perform damage control for the spellcasters of the world, has gone beyond education and has indeed allied with many powerful regions and organizations that seek to regulate the use of magic in the world, while still providing wizards and witches their freedoms. Great sacrifices have been made over the years for this cause.

Arcane
The arcane magics are an effort to use what is referred to as mana from within your own body in a manner that affects the outside world. There are many ways to perform such feats, and it is at most times more art than science. While all arcane magic has a basic form, referred to as wizardry, the four following forms specify a branch of magical form that when studied in depth produces a specialized focus of wizardry.
 * Circle: The specialty of Enchanters, circle magic works with a great deal of preparation and focus and cannot be performed on the run. Circle magic enables a wizard to greatly exaggerate their own magical capabilities, making them far-reaching, more powerful, or even granting them permanency.
 * Healing: A sad fact of existence is the complexity of a living organism and the difficulty of repairing damage to them without disrupting their most vital functions and thereby causing further harm. Its difficulty can be shown in the fact that there are no lower-form arcane magics that are based in healing.
 * Necromancy: The term "necromancy" was born of ignorance but persists to this day, now encompassing all aspects of the magical form's capabilities. It is a magic that grants control over aberrational manifestations such as the undead or aberrations themselves; it also grants communion and the ability to transfer what are known as "aspects of being." Necromancy is powerful, but comes at a heavy price to the wizard that strays down its path.
 * Grandeur: Often referred to as a "special case," it is a magic that must be studied from the onset of one's magical studies (and often from the onset of one's life) since its aspects are so vastly different from other forms of wizardry. It is not necessarily exclusive of other forms of magic, but its form is so different that it takes upwards of 30 years to become proficient and nearly half a lifetime to master. Grandeur magic is all about scope; all of this form's capabilities focus on the grand scale, making it simultaneously the most useful and dangerous form in existence. The most common form of Grandeur magic is tempestry.

Natural
Natural magics practice the art of drawing mana from outside sources; these are used to alter the source using its own power, to create a bond with the affected source, or to empower the practitioner of the magic. The forms of natural magic are so vastly different from arcane magic that the two are often taught to the exclusion of one another.
 * Alchemy: Really better described as the art of transmutation, alchemy is an outdated term that primarily refers to using magic to alter ingredients and reagents to create new effects and amplify already-present effects. It now extends to encompass natural magic's ability to recall past completed forms, such as magical items or body parts, or alter the original form of an object to something new.
 * Symbiosis: Natural magic allows for its practitioners to synchronize to powerful magical auras produced by planetary mana veins or magical artifacts, giving them the ability to draw powers from these sources. Symbiosis is a dangerous form of magic to its practitioners, requiring those with strong will and great focus.
 * Siphony: The act of drawing your power from sources of magic without synchronizing to their aura; its wells of power are shallower than Symbiosis, and it tends to be more destructive to the source, but there is little of the risk that is assigned to symbiosis and this power does not have to be limited to powerful auras and artifacts.

Derivative - The Cantrip
A cantrip is a magical form that derives its ability from traditional practices of magic but has unique properties that are very hard to classify in arcane or natural terms. They are usually referred to in derogatory terms and are considered an abuse of magic. While cantrips are typically linked to Darkhand practices, natural spellcasters as well as a few arcane spellcasters use certain cantrips themselves.

Uninitiated Magic Users
While it is not necessary to have a WIT Degree in Wizardry to hold a higher title, it is universally acceptable to call any magic user a "Mage," but it is not universally acceptable to call an uninitiated and untitled magic user a "Wizard." The following is a list of terms that more accurately reflects appropriate terminology when referring to magic users.
 * Mage: A general term for magic users, though it typically refers to arcanists who do not focus on tempestry and do not use magic as a way to support their primary focus, such as thievery or swordplay.
 * Dervish: A loanword and otherwise complete misnomer, dervishes in this sense are arcane spellcasters who focus on the grandeur magics, primarily seeking to advance towards the title of Tempest. The training of a dervish is often thought of as being quite backwards from normal spellcasters. Where a normal mage tries to take their narrow-focus spells and expand their capabilities, a dervish seeks to take their faint mass effects and give them direction and control.
 * Warlock: (or Witch) A naturalist spellcaster, regardless of their specialization, tends to be referred to as a Warlock or Witch.
 * Spellsword: An individual whose primary focus is on armed or unarmed combat, supplementing their skill with magic. It is rare that a spellsword advances into wizardry.
 * Darkhand: Often used as a derogatory term, Darkhand refers to one of two things: a thief whose skills are supplemented by primarily derivative cantrips, or a member of the secretive organization of the same name who uses their magic abilities to infiltrate other organizations undetected.

Wizard
The term "Wizard" has been around for centuries, and its definition has changed many times, but the word nowadays refers to a powerful and focused master of arcane magic. The WIT Degree of Wizardry bestows the title of Wizard to those who have made great strides to extend their magical abilities. There are very few set-in-stone rules on what sets a Wizard apart from a Mage.

After becoming a wizard, one may wish to further their abilities with focused training on one of the magic forms. This training leads a Wizard down one of several specialty Wizard classes. The following is a list of those specialties:
 * Enchanter: (or Enchantress) A Wizard that has excelled in Circle magic. Enchanters are well-known as seers and artificers. They are able to focus their spells at such a great distance even grandeur magic cannot match. They also have the ability to create magical items vastly more powerful than any other type of Wizard, and are responsible for some of the greatest magical artifacts of the world. Their abilities can affect an item or area for long after even their own lifetimes.
 * Tempest: While the term "Tempest" refers only to one aspect of their abilities, a master of grandeur magic has the ability to create massive, but unfocused, effects, weather control being among these. The road to becoming a Tempest is long and difficult, requiring twice as much time devoted to its mastery from start to finish, and patience to recognize even the smallest change in their abilities as a huge step in their progress. It is a taxing art and requires uninterrupted focus.
 * Healer: A master of the healing magic form is the only kind of arcane spellcaster capable of mending wounds and countering curses. The difficult process of mending injury requires such perfection that an error in its execution would instantly end a subject's life, and an improper removal of a curse spreads the curse like a virus to the individual trying to counter it and furthermore numbs the original subject to anti-curse magic.
 * Necromancer: The word strikes unease and fear into many for its reputation, and indeed it is the one form of magic that is not taught at WIT, but necromancy has great power for those who wish to wield it. Necromancy is the only form of magic in which summoning is possible, and necromantic spells tend to be discordant and hard to counter since they draw from aberrational powers. Necromancy grants its practitioners the ability to break the barrier between True Existance and the Realm of Aberrations, and furthermore allows the control of the undead and several forms of aberration. The most powerful Necromancers even hold the ability to subjugate others to their exact will. It is well-worth noting that the attitudes of those who practice necromancy tends to change drastically as their exposure to it continues.
 * The Archmage - Beyond the Wizard: An Archmage is someone who has mastered more than one form of arcane magic. Some of the most powerful and famous Wizards ever known were Archmages, including Erana. The additional advantage an Archmage gains is the ability to create new spells that combine their mastered forms.

Shamans

Practitioners of natural magics are not counted among the Wizards, but do have a graduated status known as Shamans. Just as with the prior classification of Warlock or Witch, a graduated natural magic user will specialize in one of the three forms of natural magic: alchemy, symbiosis and siphony.

Shamans have a reputation of being individuals who place curses (or hexes) and change individuals into animals. This is due to the age of witchcraft, which predates written history and even predates the arcane studies; it is rife with superstition and all memory from those ages is of the darker aspects of witchcraft. Indeed, to this day, the most famous practitioner of witchcraft is the much-reviled Baba Yaga. Hexes and curses of this kind exist and are a powerful example of natural magic, but it is not representative of the whole of the art.

====<span style="font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US; mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">The Sorcerer <span style="font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US; mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">(or Sorceress) <span style="font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US; mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"> - Master of Both Worlds ====

<span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Occasionally referred to as a Prodigal Wizard, a Sorcerer is a magic user that has mastered at least one form from both the arcane and naturalist magics. Sorcerers are exceptionally rare and powerful even among their Wizard peers, able to combine the effects of both forms of magic, amplifying their arcane magic (for instance) by siphoning power from an area and creating an effect well beyond what other Wizards could ever manage.