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Page 1: A Traveler's Guide to Nona - Eastern Kentucky University

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The Traveler’s Guide to Nona

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Table of Contents:

Section 1: Map of Nona and The Realms

Section 2: A Brief History of Nona

-The Timeline

-The Creation of Nona

-A Look at the Wilder Crisis

-An Account from The Oracle

Section 3: The Beings of Nona

-The Forgers

-The Races of Mortals

-Other Beings

Section 4: A Look at the Culture of Nona

-The Different Guilds of Nona

-Different School of the Arcane

-The Game of Courts

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Section 1: A Map of Nona and the Realms

Nona:

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Notable Landmarks:

-The Great Waters: The vast ocean that surrounds Nona on all sides. While some have attempted to travel out beyond the waters and were never seen again, and many more speculate what is out there, no one actually knows for certain.

Forger Lord Strucian to help maintain eternal balance and order.

-The Shattered Lands: Once known as the Lands of Life, this area is now known as a place of savagery that is in constant turmoil due to the actions of Aldren Wilder and the crisis he created.

-The Barren Hills: Located in the northern reaches of Nona, a range of icy mountains that cuts off the Capital City of Loneson from the rest of Nona. Legends say the Forgers made these remote peaks to entomb some of their failed creations.

-Avil’s Wall: The longest mountain range in Nona, located near the eastern coast. The name was given to this range due to how rich the mountains are in minerals that a blacksmith could find useful, ranging from assorted gems to precious metals.

- The Forger’s Peak: The tallest point in all of Nona. This enormous mountain is said to house secrets that only the select few blessed by the Forgers will ever find.

-Broken Peak Range: This rather small range of mountains is known best for being the one of the few remaining areas where Elves can be found in Nona, along with the forests surrounding it. Mankind tend to stay away from this area, due to the hostile history they share with the Elves.

The Capital Cities:

-The Grand Capital: The largest settlement in all of Nona, as well as home to the largest seat of power in Nona, The Emperor. The Grand Capital is built upon what was the Elven City, Ygdra.

-Inwell: What started out as a small trading town would later become one of the largest cities in all of Nona, and one of the Capital Cities. The founding family of the town, the Wrightson’s, have led the city since its creation.

-Coast Town: Being the only port to also be a Capital City, Coast Town is the largest trading point in all of Nona. However, with Avil’s Wall causing access to the city to be limited, it has also become a hub for the criminal powers of Nona.

-Loneson: The most secluded of the Capital Cities, as well as the smallest. Known mainly for the craftsmen who have set up their shops here. Much of the weapons and armors found in Nona

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can be traced back to here. The Frost Guard, some of the most elite warriors in all of Nona, are also stationed here.

-The City of the Brother: The Twin City situated on the west side of the Just River; The City of the Brother is best known as the religious capital of Nona. Temples to all of the Forgers can be found here.

-The City of the Sister: The Twin City situated on the east side of the Just River; The City of the Sister is best known as the academic capital of Nona. The best inventors along with the Scholars of Knowle can be found here.

The Realms:

The Void: The endless abyss that surrounds all the Realms. Home to an infinite amount of horrors, byproducts of the Great Sacrifice, that are kept under the eternal watch of The Unknown.

The Realm of Eternity: The realm where the souls of all mortals go to rest, ruled by the Forger, Sorra. No soul has ever escaped from the Realm of Eternity, for doing so would harm the balance of the Realms.

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The Realm of the Real: The realm where all mortals live. This is the realm where one would find Nona, and perhaps any other creation the Forgers made.

The Realm of the Energies: A realm composed completely out of the essence of possibility. This is the realm one taps into anytime any form of Arcane magic is used.

The Realm Above: A paradise the likes of which no mortal has even seen. This is home to some of the Blessed Six Forgers.

The Realm Below: An eternal land of shadows and whatever monsters they may hold. This is home to some of the Cursed Six Forgers.

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Section 2: A Brief Look at the History of Nona

Timeline:

??? – The Creation of the Realms: The Time Before Time

The Creation of the Realms – The Start of the First Era (0 Full Cycle): The Uncharted Era

0 FC – 1506 FC: The First Era

-336 FC: The Elven City of Ygdra is established

-454 FC: The first known appearance of Man

-1507 FC: The Wilder Crisis

1507 FC – 1607 FC: The Second Era, also known as the Wilder Era

-1607 FC: Mankind seizes Ygdra, remaking it into the Grand Capital, and thus gain control of all of Nona. This event is considered to be the end of the Wilder Era

1608 FC – 1998 FC: The Third Era

-1988 FC: The First Nobles of Nona is formed

-1993 FC: The Siege of Inwell

1 Full Cycle = 12 Cycles

1 Cycle = One full rotation of a Full Moon

Full Cycles start on the first Full Moon after the last snow

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The Creation of the Realms:

(The Creation of the Realms according to the Forgers)

In the beginning when the Forgers offered the Great Sacrifice and created the realms, The only realm, a formless Void and darkness covered the face of the deep. Then Strucian said, "Let there be a place for us to rest "; and there was the Realm Above and the Realm Below. And The Blessed Six saw that they good; and they separated themselves from the Cursed Six. The Blessed Six took domain in the Realm Above, while the Cursed Six resided in the Realm Below And Strucian said, "Let there be a place where our creations can live and worship us as we please." And the Forgers made a realm that separated the Void, where all life they deemed worthy was able to call home. And it was so. The Forgers called this realm the Realm of the Real. And Sorra said, "Let there be a place where those who roam the Realm of the Real may go to rest when their life is spent.” And it was so. The Forgers called this realm the Realm of Eternity, and they deemed to no one but the Forgers may leave this place once entered. And the Forgers saw that it was good. Then Poe said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it." And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And the Forgers saw that it was good. And Arca and Wome said, "Let there be a realm made of pure possibility that the creatures we make may learn from and use." And it was so. The Forgers made the Realm of Energies, where pure possibility gave birth to magic. And Arca, Poe, and Elania said, “Let there be a noble race of beings tuned to the beauty of our beings.” So the Forgers breathed life into the first beings of the Realm of the Real, the Elves. And Strucian, Rorc, and Avil said, “Let there be a brave race of beings tuned to the beauty of our beings.” So the Forgers breathed life into the second beings of the Realm of the Real, the Dwarves. And Cloe, Dagg, and Thea said, “Let there be countless races of creatures ruled by our beings.” So the Forgers breathed life into the creatures of the Underling Races. And then the Unknown opened their maw, and from it poured a countless number of horrors that flowed into the Void, where they would remain under the Unknown’s watch. Strucian said, "See, we have made such grand creations, but no way for them to perish.”

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And the Forgers put the Sun on one side of the Realm of the Real, and then Moon on the opposite side. And the Forgers gave motion to a cycle of these two objects that would govern the existence of all their creations. The Forgers named this cycle Time. And it was so. The Forgers saw everything that they had made, and indeed, it was very good. And they went to the respective realms, where they would govern their creations.

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A Summary of the Wilder Crisis

(An excerpt from “The Histories of Nona”, a historical textbook found in most libraires.)

In the 1507th Full Cycle, a human Scholar of Knowle by the name of Aldren Wilder attempted a ritual that would give him the knowledge and the insight of the Forgers. He attempted this ritual from his secluded home in the area once known as the Lands of Life, a heavily condensed jungle area in southwestern Nona where it is said the Forgers introduced life to Nona. (After the Crisis, this area would be known as the Shattered Lands).

It is not truly known what happened when the ritual occurred, however according to the Forgers themselves, the ritual disrupted the Natural Order of the Realms. This is what caused the Crisis. It caused great damage across all the realms, including cause the Land of Life to be splinted and much of it swallowed by the Great Waters. What Wilder did that day damaged the Realm of Energy in particular. The Crisis damaged the usage of magic in all of Nona, which has never been fully healed.

As punishment to Wilder, the Forgers banished him to The Void. They even went further to punish mankind for their natural hubris. The Forger Strucian declared that mankind would be the last race left on Nona, and they would be forced to watch as all life around them died when the time came. This became known as the Declaration of the Last Witness.

However, this Declaration had an unintended effect as well. The other major races of Nona saw this as a threat to themselves. They saw it as meaning mankind would end them. So many of the other major races of Nona formed an alliance against mankind. This included this Elves and Dwarves, along with some factions of Goblins, Trolls, and other Underling races. They called themselves the Arcane Alliance, due to the fact that all of the races that formed it were far more tuned into the magics of the Realm of the Energies.

The war that followed lasted for 99 Full Cycles. Mankind would call this war the Conquering, as it saw humans gaining control of almost all of Nona. The races that formed the Arcane Alliance were all but wiped out by the end, with many claiming the damage done to the Realm of Energies in the Wilder Crisis leading to their defeat. The war to them became known as the Final Stand.

For the Elves, all but a couple of the subraces were driven into extinction. The Woodland Elves were able to find home in the jungles of the Shattered Lands and some of the denser forests surrounding the Broken Peak Mountains. The other subrace to survive were the Elder Elves. This race of Elves were the first known intelligent mortals to live in Nona and had helped create much of the world people know to this day. However, after the Final Stand, what was left of the Elder Elves were forced to live underground with many of the Underling races. There has been no documentation that these Elves even survived this migration.

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As for the Dwarves, even fewer of them remain than the Elves. The Dwarves were known to fight much of the physical and bloodier fights of the war, due to their physical capabilities. What few remain are all of the subrace of Mountain Dwarves, and now can really only be found working in the mines found in The Barren Hills and Avil’s Wall.

One would have very hard times finding a historian who would argue that the Wilder Crisis was not the most important event to ever occur in the history of Nona.

An Account from the Oracle Concerning the Wilder Crisis

Aldren Wilder was the first task the Forgers gave to me upon them granting me the title and gifts of the Oracle. I was young then and did not fully realize the burden that had been placed upon me then. At times I wonder if I were more experienced, perhaps I could have succeeded in saving Aldren’s fate.

I first met him three weeks before he would conduct his ritual. I had traveled to his home deep within the Lands of Life. It was a beautiful tower that he had constructed in one day using his vast knowledge and mastery of the different schools of the Arcane. To say Aldren was a genius would be an insult to the man. I do not think a more clever mind will ever walk the lands of Nona. He had earned the title of Grand Scholar at the young age of 19, and still holds that record to this day. Granted, this is now a fact the Scholars of Knowle try their best to keep hidden, along with any other tie to Aldren.

I knocked on the door to his home and found it answered by a crude being made of metal and archaic runes. I would later find out that this was the first golem Aldren made when he was of the age of six. He had considered it to be his only true friend. Once I had stated who I was, the golem closed the door on me. It was truly an odd experience.

A few minutes later, however, Aldren himself opened the door back up. Aldren was of a wiry build with pale skin and hair the color of sand. He was by no means physically impressive. Yet his eyes held the look of a man who knew just how clever he was. A man who knew nothing could stop him. A man who knew no bounds.

“So,” He said in an amused voice, “You claim to be the Forgers’ great Oracle?”

“Aye, I am.” I answered.

“I beg your pardon, but I am going to need something to back that claim up.” Aldren insisted.

I closed my eyes for a second. I was still getting a grasp on my powers, and thus focus was still very much needed. “Your name is Aldren Mae Wilder. You were born on the second floor of a rather large inn in the Elvish town of Rek’seer. Your parents are Jamie and Jule Wilder, who both died to a

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sickness when you were nine. You are a student and master of all of the Schools of the Arcane that the College of Knowle have to offer, and a couple that they do not.

Of course you realize that this is all stuff a persistent enough researcher could have found, so instead let’s discuss something you have told no one. You have spent the last three cycles constructing a ritual that you intend to perform in this tower. You are going to try to insert yourself into the Realm of Energies in order to grant yourself enough power to see all the Realms as the Forgers see it. You will perform this ritual in three weeks to the day, and it will fail. The consequences of the failure will be dire.”

I opened my eyes to see Aldren grinning from ear to ear. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Oracle.” He said.

“And you as well, Aldren.” I responded.

“If you are here, then that means I am on the right path.” He began. “It means that what I am doing here the Forgers see as important, at least important enough to send you. It means-“

“They sent me here to persuade you to stop your ritual.” I interrupted. “They fear the harm that you might do.”

“Of course they fear it, of course they fear me.” Aldren laughed. “They have never had one of their own creations challenge them like I have. They are afraid to share any of the power they have, especially to someone like me.”

“They know that you are not made to handle the power they wield.” I insisted.

Aldren’s mood shifted as the words left my mouth. “You dare insult me?!” He snapped. “I am the best this world has to offer and have proven that time and time again. There is nothing I cannot do. You are your masters’ warnings will not distract me from my goal. I will not be swayed! Good day.”

With a sweep of his hand, Aldren closed the door and left me standing there. I knew knocking again would be pointless and considered trying to enter by force. However I was still new to my powers and I knew Aldren have safeguards in place for any attack. So instead I opened a rift behind me and retreated.

I would return back to the tower they day of the ritual. Even before I stepped out of the rift, I could feel the energy in the

air. The ritual had already started. Around the tower the air itself was being warped and torn in impossible ways. Beyond each tear I could see the never ending storm of the Realm of Energies, where each and every possible outcome of each and every possible scenario that could have, has, or will exist flowed upon currents of arcane energy, like a never ending river of possibility. The space closest to the top of the tower held the most of these tears as more and more kept appearing.

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“The damn fool will kill us all!” I swore as I rushed towards the door. Right before I could get to it though, a bolt of energy shot out of one of the tears and struck me. The bolt overcharged my ability of prophecy, and my mind was flooded with infinite visions of infinite worlds all at once. It was too much even for my mind, and I collapsed.

It wasn’t until I found Aldren over a century later, Wandering the countryside as his cursed demanded, that I would find out what happened once the ritual was complete. Due to the nature of his curse, he was never able to remember all that had happened, and I was left to fill in the holes his memory had left.

He told me that as soon as he uttered the last words of his final spell a giant tear opened in the top room of the tower and swallowed him whole.

His first words were of joy as he realized his ritual worked and he was now adrift in the Realm of Energies. He opened himself to the storm raging around him, taking in all the energy his body could. Once he felt he was at his limit, he willed only on thought, to see the Realms as the Forgers do.

At first Aldren was worried that it failed for nothing happened. Then his vision grew. He was able to see the storm he was in at its full size. He was able to see beyond it, to all the storms that formed the Realm of Energies. He was able to see even beyond this. He was able to see where the Realm of Energies wrapped and entwined itself with all the other Realms. He was able to see beyond this as well. He was able to see all the Realms. Nona and all of its inhabitants. The Realm Above where some of the Upper Six relaxed in paradise. The Realm Below where some of the Lower Six schemed in the shadows. The Realm of Eternity, where the souls of the dead spent the rest of eternity. The Void, where the Unknown kept all the horrors at bay.

Yet he even saw something beyond this, something he was not supposed to see. Something was buried in the fabrics of the Realms. Something hidden. Something wrong. Aldren demanded to see what this thing was. It was then he was whisked by the storm he stood in back through time. To the beginning. To the final point before the beginning. To the Great Sacrifice.

At first Aldren was not sure what he was looking at. It seemed to be a forge, no, the forge. The forge which was used to create the Realms and all we know. Aldren told me there were not enough words in any language to describe the beauty and awe that radiated off of this forge. However, as he drew closer to it, a feeling of dread crept into his mind. Something was wrong.

Aldren saw the blood before he felt the pain. It was not the blood of any mortal creature. No, it was the blood of something far more divine. It this blood was the foundations of reality itself. It was the blood of a Forger. Then came the pain. Aldren said he had never felt anything like it before. He told me even the torture the Forgers would later put him through was nothing compared to what he felt then. It was like every fiber of his being was getting torn apart and reformed into something else, and then torn apart again.

Lastly came the cries. Aldren said he knew it was only one being crying out, but they had the voice of everyone Aldren knew. The voice cried out in pain, begging for mercy and then later for death.

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Aldren could not see the source of the voice nor who it was calling out to. Soon enough his own voice joined the screaming.

Then there was silence. Only Aldren was left screaming. The last thing he heard was the whisper of a name, however this memory of this name had been long since ripped from his mind.

Suddenly, Aldren felt something rip him from where he stood, back through time, through the Realm of the Energies, and back into what was left of his tower.

The first thing he saw was the ruin around him. His tower was in shambles, with many chunks of it suspended in the air, energy still crackling through them. The sky above him was ripping itself apart, with storms of infinite size and power being formed in the area the size of a gnat. The earth around him was splintering and shaking, with areas the size of mountains falling into the Great Waters. This was what Aldren saw, and it was occurring around him as far as he could see.

For the second time that day, and ever in his life, Aldren felt true dread and fear, for he knew he had caused this. He watched the vibrant and life filled lands around him being destroyed, along with any creatures that called the area home.

And then there was a blinding flash. When Aldren opened his eyes, ten figures stood around him. Aldren looked and instantly recognized them all.

Lord Strucian stood in the dressings of a king. The robes he wore were of a white so pure no mortal could ever create them. There was nothing out of place on him, not even a single hair in his long brown beard. Everything was perfectly ordered and balanced.

Next to him stood Lady Arca, wrapped in a beautiful blue dress that shimmered with energy around her. Her face was set in a calm and stoic mold, but Aldren could tell she was in great pain.

And beside her was Lord Poe. Although he was a portly man dressed in humble clothes, Aldren could see the strength he held himself with. Poe’s face was covered in laugh lines, but there was no humor to be found in his expression then.

Next to him was Lady Elania, the pure essence of beauty itself. Light seemed to radiate off of her golden locks and white dress, making anything it touched look that much better. Her face was one that made even the fear she wore on it at the time look graceful.

And then next to her was Lord Rorc. A giant among giants, this man wore the scars from every battle to ever take place across Nona. His armor was also a mix of every type known to Aldren, and yet he knew that it was stronger than any type he knew. Rorc’s hand rested upon the hilt of a giant sword he wore at his hip and the scowl he had made even Aldren cower.

Lord Avil stood to Lord Rorc’s other side. Every feature of him seemed to be chiseled out of the very rock Nona was built upon. His great hammer that had forged many wonderful creations was strapped to his back. Aldren could gain nothing from his face, for it was like staring at a mountainside.

Next to him was Lady Cloe. The dress she wore was made of shadows, and everytime it moved Aldren swore he saw something looking at him from the darkness. Her face was covered in a cruel sneer, as if she found this all very amusing.

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Hunched over next to her was Lord Wome. The robes he wore were old and tattered yet crackled with the very same energy as Lady Arca’s dress. His whole look was one of a mad man, with his eyes never being set in just one spot. He also seemed to be in great pain.

Lastly stood the two youngest looking figures, Lord Dagg and Lady Thea. Lord Dagg wore a dark suit made of the finest material, however everytime Aldren look the suit was of a different style. Dagg was eyeing Aldren up and down, like a predator would look at its next meal.

Lady Thea was dressed in the clothing of a thief. However, woven into the clothes were coin and gems of a value greater than Aldren could even imagine. Unlike her brother, her expression gave away nothing of what she was thinking. Aldren noticed that she was always flipping a coin between her fingers.

As Aldren looked upon the Forgers, all he could think about was what he had just seen. “Wh-what did you all do?” He asked.

“How bad are the damages?” Lord Strucian asked in a voice that demanded a response, ignoring Aldren.

“It would be an understatement to call them dire, brother.” Lady Arca answered as she weaved her hand through the air. She recoiled as the energy the flowed between her fingers double backed and shocked her. “The Realm of Energies is in pain. It is lashing out even at me.”

“Yes, yes, pain…” Lord Wome echoed as he continued to looked everywhere at once.

“What did you do?!?” Aldren repeated, this time raising his voice to be heard.

Lord Strucian looked down at Aldren now, as fury filled his eyes. “What did we do?! What did you do, you vile worm? Have you any idea what you have done?!”

Aldren looked into the eyes of Lord Strucian, a being who could easily erase Aldren if he was in the mood to do so, and began to laugh. It started as a low chuckle and then broke into a fit of hysterical laughter. “I know damn well what I have done!” Aldren boasted. “I have looked into the Void and I have seen the beginning and end of all things. I have seen what you ‘righteous’ beings have done. I have seen your sin!”

Before he could even react, Lord Strucian struck Aldren with the back of his hand, sending him flying across the tower. As Aldren hit the floor, he felt the breaking of many of his bones. After a moment, he attempted to get up, but slumped back down.

Aldren saw Lady Elania step towards him. “Don’t you dare assist that thing.” Lord Strucian warned.

Lady Elania turned to Lord Strucian. “Do not take that tone with me, brother. We knew this day would come, perhaps you should face it with more grace.” She stated.

Lord Strucian stared down Lady Elania for a minute before giving up and dismissing her with a wave of his hand. Lady Elania turned back towards Aldren. She knelt down next to his crumbled body and laid her hand upon it. Aldren could feel warmth radiate from her touch, and his body started to knit itself back together.

“Th-thank you…” Aldren managed to get out.

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“You have no idea what you have done, child.” Lady Elania whispered to him in a sympathetic tone.

Ignoring his sister, Lord Strucian looked out at the chaos around them. “And what of it’s bindings? Are they still intact?”

“Yes.” Lord Avil responded. “However the damage does has left them unstable and beyond the point of repair. They will eventually fail.”

Lord Strucian’s head instantly snapped around. “You cannot repair them?!”

“You know damn well what those bindings were forged from, brother, and I don’t see us coming across anymore of the materials needed all that easily.” Lord Avil stated. The Forgers started to look to one another with anxiety, like they were all waiting for someone else to act first.

A shrill laugh echoed from Lady Cloe. “If only someone had warned you about what you were doing, little brother. I hope you are ready for-“

“Silence!” Lord Strucian roared in a voice the echoed across the lands. Even the storms in the sky halted for a moment. “How long until they give away?” He looked towards Lady Arca.

She bowed her head as she walked across the floor towards Lord Wome. The two quietly conversed for a few moments, while the rest of the Forgers looked down at Aldren. Lady Arca then returned to Lord Strucian’s side. “We believe it will take a few hundred Full Cycles until they are completely destroyed, perhaps a bit longer if we are lucky.”

“That is not a lot of time for us.” Lord Poe pointed out.

“It will have to be. We should do our best to prepare for what happens when the binding of the Realm of Energies give.” Lord Rorc said.

“Agreed.” Lord Strucian said with a nod. “Until then, what should we do about this worm?” He looked down at Aldren.

“Oh, I can think of a few fun ways to pass the time.” Lord Dagg stated, which caused Lady Thea to laugh.

“I am sure I can think of even a few more.” Lady Cloe added as she winked at Aldren. The wink gave Aldren no confidence in what Cloe meant, only fear.

“Yes, I am sure a great many of us can come up with ways to make the rest of this mortal’s days a never ending nightmare. However I seek a punishment more fitting.” Lord Strucian demanded.

“Let us give it some thought.” Lady Arca suggested. “Until then, let the Unknown have him for safe keeping.”

“I like that idea.” Lord Rorc said. A few of the others cheered, while Lady Elania and Lord Poe only looked away in disgust.

“Very well.” Lord Strucian said as he waved his hand. “Aldren Mae Wilder, I banish thee to the Void for committing crimes against all of the Realms. There you shall be held until a fitting punishment is found for the crimes you have committed.”

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Suddenly a portal appeared behind Aldren that lead into darkness. From it came to howls and cries of many nightmarish creatures. Instantly, all feeling except those of fear and dread filled Aldren’s soul. “Please, I’m sorry!” Aldren begged as shadows reached out and grabbed him. “Have mercy!” He cried as they dragged him into the portal. “Please!” He sobbed one last time as the portal closed.

The final fate of Aldren would be decided once the Crisis had come to an end. The Forger decided he fate to be that of the Wanderer. He would forever travel the lands of Nona, bringing death and despair wherever he walked. No one would ever recognize him, and all would come to hate him. As I stated earlier, I would run into him from time to time, but I never saw the man I met at that tower.

And that is all I have to say upon this matter.

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The Beings of Nona

The Twelve Forgers:

The Blessed Six:

Strucian: The Lord of Order

Arca: The Lady of Knowledge

Poe: The Lord of Nature

Elania: The Lady of Love and Health

Rorc: The Lord of Battle

Avil: The Lord of the Smith

The Cursed Six:

Cloe: The Lady of Discord

Wome: The Lord of the Arcane

Sorra: The Lady of Death

Dagg: The Lord of Betrayal

Thea: The Lady of Greed

The Unknown: Keeper of the Void

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The Mortal Races of Nona

Elves: The first race of mortals to call Nona home. Children of the Forgers Arca, Poe, and Elania. They embody the beauty that can be found in knowledge and nature. The average lifespan of an Elf is triple that of a Human. These graceful beings once ruled over Nona in the First Era.

While there were once many subraces of Elves, the only that remain are Woodland and Elder Elves, are even they can only be found in select remote locations of Nona.

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Dwarves: The second race of mortals to call Nona home. Children of the Forgers Strucian, Rorc, and Avil. They embody the strength that can be found in order and battle, as well as being naturally gifted craftsmen. The average lifespan of a Dwarf is double that of a Human. These stout creatures once lived in peace with the Elves.

What is left of the Dwarven race can be found working as slaves or servants in mines or in the shops in the city of Loneson.

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The Underlings: The various races that live either under the lands of Nona, or in desolate locations above ground. Children of the Forgers Cloe, Dagg, and Thea. These creature know only how to revel in sin, and thus there has never been a major kingdom of Underlings due to the constant fighting and greed. Some of the more common races are those of the goblins, trolls, centaurs, and the like.

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Mankind: The final of the mortal races to be introduced to Nona. Created by the Forgers Strucian and Cloe in order to embody both supreme order and ultimate chaos. Mankind now rules over Nona as they had managed to conquer it all by the end of the event they would later call The Conquering.

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Other Beings of Nona

The Oracle: A position given to a mortal even few hundred Full Cycles. The Oracle is an agent of the Forgers who uses their extended life and ability of prophecy in order to help guide those they deem worthy. While the Oracle does work for The Forgers, they are not bound to do exactly as the Forgers demand, and have been known to make judgements against the advice of The Forgers.

The Wanderer: A position only ever given to one mortal in all of existence. The Wanderer is a being cursed to roam all of Nona until the End of Times, and to never be able to fully understand or remember why they have been cursed. It is said that is one ever runs into this roaming mad man, you best head the other direction, for only death and misery follow this poor soul.

Dragons: While there have been multiple dragons recorded throughout Nona’s history, it has never been decided which Forger they are the children of, for different Forgers have claimed different dragons as their creation. This would explain why some dragons have been known to be highly intelligent and peaceful, while others have been known to be only creatures of destruction.

The average life span of a dragon is not known, for there has never been any major research done on these elusive and mysterious creatures. As sightings of dragons have dwindled in recent times, there are many who believe they are only creatures of legend, and nothing more.

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Voidlings: The common name for all the assortments of creatures that live between the realms, in the Void. While no two voidlings look the same, they are all said to be grotesque creatures that would only seem natural in the worst of a man’s nightmares.

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Section 4: The Cultures of Nona:

The Guilds of Nona

Over the centuries, many different guilds have been formed by the mortals of Nona. While most guilds come and go, there have been a select few that have lasted long enough to become known as a staple of the cultures of Nona.

The Unseen: Formed during the Second Era, The Unseen is the guild for those who operate best in the shadows. Home to the most prominent thieves, assassins, and other criminals. Due to the way The Unseen conduct themselves, and the rules they have put in place, they are considered to be just more than a large group of bandits, and instead are seen as a guild by most. While the location of the Blade, the leader of The Unseen, is only revealed to a selected few, each of the Capital Cities house central hubs to The Unseen, if one can find them.

The Signet of The Unseen

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The Frost Guard: The most elite of warriors in all of Nona. The few who bear this title are stationed in Loneson, and only ever leave when they are called upon by The Emperor of Nona. To show their dedication and strength, a member of the Frost Guard must always wear their armor until their death, with only their helmet being allowed to be removed. It is also rumored that the ritual one goes through once they have proven themselves to be worthy of the title extends not only their life, but their physical capabilities.

The Scholars of Knowle: What started as a small school for those wanting to learn magic is now as the home for the greatest and wisest minds in Nona. The Campus, home to the Scholars of Knowle, is located in the City of the Sister.

The Schools of the Arcane:

The different forms of magic in Nona, with each Forgers being the patron of one of the schools.

The School of Order: With Lord Strucian as the patron, the School of Order is known best for dealing with the light. From conjuring weapons made of light, to summoning new sources of light out of thin air, to even using the light as a weapon itself, the School or Order is meant for those destined to lead Nona to a bright future.

The School of Knowledge: With Lady Arca as the patron, the School of Knowledge is the school for a true scholar. Students of this school use the Realm of Energies to expand their horizons and understand what most mortals cannot.

The School of the Natural: With Lord Poe as the patron, The School of the Natural is the school for those who wish to not only learn the true power of the world itself, but live in harmony with it. Students of this school can tap into the natural life around them to either help others, or to use as a weapon against those who seek to do one harm.

The School of Life: With Lady Elania as the patron, the School of Life is the school focused solely on healing and helping those who need it. Most sizeable cities will have a few students of this school living in them to act as the healers of that city.

The School of War: With Lord Rorc as the patron, students of the School of War seek to use the Arcane as either a weapon to use in battle, or as means to makes themselves unstoppable warriors.

The School of the Forge: With Lord Avil as the patron, students of the School of the Forge use the Arcane in order to help create or improve things already made. There has long been legends about a small groups of monks who have attempted to use this school to make the perfect mortal, but not much is truly known.

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The School of Discord: With Lady Cloe as the patron, the School of Discord is known best with dealing with the darkness. Similar to the School of Order, this School uses darkness to achieve many different means. It is said this School exists simply to keep the balance with the School of Order.

The School of Madness: With Lord Wome as the patron, the School of Madness does not have any real structure to it. Instead, those who call themselves students of this school use the Arcane to drive their minds into a state of insanity in order to find any new knowledge. It is not a very popular choice among Scholars of Knowle.

The School of Death: With Lady Sorra as the patron, the School of Death is concerned with taping into the Realm of the Eternal in order to grant the students of this school power. The two major branches of this school are that of the Immortal and the Graveyard. The Immortal looks to use this school in order to extend their life, normally at the costs of others. The Graveyard looks to use this school in order to force the corpses of those already gone into servitude.

The School of Deceit: With Lord Dagg as the patron, the School of Deceit tends to focus on using the Arcane to manipulate the thoughts and movements of a mortal without said mortal ever realizing the manipulation is taking place. Very rarely is a student of this School ever needed to use physical force.

The School of the Hidden: With Lady Thea as the patron, the School of the Hidden is known as the School of thieves and assassins. Students use the Arcane to control the shadows and other forces around them to help them achieve their goals. Many students of this school also work for The Unseen.

The Forbidden School: With The Unknown as the patron, as the name suggests, this School is forbidden for almost everyone to study. This is because this School taps into the Void itself, and no mortal of Nona is designed to handle that power. A mortal’s mind and body can easily fall to the Void and be warped into something else.

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Appendix

The Game of Courts

Courts is a card game that has been played by the inhabitants of Nona for many generations. No one is sure exactly where it originated from, only that its first recorded instructions are dated back to the First Era. It is a simple card game built around strategy and deceit. The goal is to wipe out your opponent’s Higher and Lower Court by beating them in six rounds, or battles.

The Deck: Each deck is composed of two identical sides, with one side’s cards being in black ink while the other could be in any other color. Both sides will then have half their cards marked as a Lower Court card or a Higher Court card, with the exception of one Court Jester Card. The layout of each side will then look like this:

• 2 Kings: One for the Lower Court, One for the Higher Court. • 2 Queens: One for the Lower Court, One for the Higher Court. • 2 Heirs: One for the Lower Court, One for the Higher Court • 2 10’s: One for the Lower Court, One for the Higher Court • 2 9’s: One for the Lower Court, One for the Higher Court • 2 8’s: One for the Lower Court, One for the Higher Court • 2 7’s: One for the Lower Court, One for the Higher Court • 2 6’s: One for the Lower Court, One for the Higher Court • 2 5’s: One for the Lower Court, One for the Higher Court • 2 4’s: One for the Lower Court, One for the Higher Court • 2 3’s One for the Lower Court, One for the Higher Court • 2 2’s: One for the Lower Court, One for the Higher Court • 2 Specialists Cards: Both are for Both Courts • 1 Court Jester Card • 2 Flag Cards: One for the Lower Court, One for the Higher Court

The Setup: First each player will layout their courts, with the Lower Court consisting of one King, Queen, and Heir, and the Higher Court consisting of the same. (Every time a player loses a battle, they shall remove one member of their Courts, starting with the Heir of the Lower Court, then the Queen of the Lower Court, then the King of the Lower Court. They will then remove the same cards in the same order for the Higher Court.)

Next each player will set their two Flag Cards onto the left side of the playing field. These two cards will be used at the start of each turn to designate which of their two Courts will be attacking or defending.

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Lastly, each player shall shuffle their remaining cards and set them off to the side.

Setup Layout

How to Play: At the start of each round, both players draw 5 cards. After they look at their cards, both players move their flags to designate which Court will be attacking or defending. Once both player have done this, they then lay each of their five cards facedown to the right of the flag that matches the Court of the facedown card.

Once this is done both players reveal their cards at the same time. Next, both players add up the value of their attacking and defending sides. Each player then subtracts their opponent’s attacking value from their own defending value. Whichever player the lower value left has had their defenses broken, and thus lose the battle and one member of their Courts. This is process is repeated until all six members of a player’s Courts have been lost.

Some special rules are as followed:

• The turn after a Player has lost their Lower King, and thus their Lower Court, they may draw one extra card that turn. This advantage is to symbolize the Higher Court sending reinforcements.

• The Specialist card can cause two separate effects, depending on which row it is played in:

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o The Blade: If you play a Specialist Card in your Attacking Row, you will then eliminate the highest value card in your opponent’s Defending Row that turn.

o The Healer: If you play a Specialist Card in your Defending Row, you will then add the value of your opponent’s highest value card in their Attacking Row to your Defending Row that turn.

• When you have the Court Jester Card, you can play it in either row. When it is revealed, your opponent must swap the cards in the Attacking Row and Defending Row, thus flipping the value.

Here is an example of a round of Courts. In this round, the player on the top half has an Attacking Value of 17, and a Defending Value of 10. The player on the bottom half has an Attacking Value of 12, and a Defending Value of 13. This would mean the top player has a remaining Defending Value of -2, and the bottom player has one of -4. This mean the top player has won this round, and the bottom player would lose their Lower King.

And that is all one needs to know in order to play the game of Courts.