Post by MorriganFearn on Jul 26, 2009 7:46:47 GMT -5
((This is an original fantasy RPG created for Sighduck on request))
Duulor is a tiny island nation, quickly growing into a city-state, as the small villages on the island are absorbed by the large capital city of Yalar. The villages become suburbs, and help feed and clothes the people of the inner city. Currently, there are five towns and cities worth mentioning, each with its own ruling house and agenda.
Yalar - The largest city, and interested in expanding the influence of the island in the region through naval power and trade. Yalar is a city of foreigners and merchants, as the ruling house of Yalar, the Ingerif, are recognized as the monarchs of the island by other countries.
The head of the house, King Aren rey Diplomatic, recognizes Goren, god of the earth, and master of spice, as his patron deity, and thus Goren is the deity of the city. This is much to the displeasure of the King's uncle, as both he and his twin brother, the former king, were visited by Ulru, god of the sea, and breath of heaven, and considered him to be their patron. Indeed, the power of the Duuloran Navy has waned since Aren rey Undaunted died, and his son, rey Diplomatic, took the throne.
However, despite the royal Uncle's dislike of the modern order, Yalar flourishes, and has become a rich city, as rey Diplomatic ended the recent war with Rosabon, and crafted the masterful treaty that earned him the honorific of rey Diplomatic. The Parliament and University of Duulor are located in the city, not to mention the much approved Merchant's Quarter, known as the Golddust District. Of course, Yalar also is known for the large slums of the Seadrop district, near the docks.
Duular - This is the holy city first built in the center of the island after the heads of the five religions held council in this spot, and were informed in dreams that the five gods worked together in harmony to create the richness of life. Shrines dot the city, and the five temples define the edges of the holy pentagon. Outside of Yalar's University, one cannot find a better place to study magic, as it was bequeathed by the gods. The old royal palace still stands, although now it is used as a public house, since the Royal line moved to the coastal town, Yalar.
The current head of the city, the Imal, supports Aren rey Diplomatic's attempts to maintain peace, and he distrusts the power of the founding House of the city, Ryupit. The Ryupit have sent many good young men and women into the service of the gods, but they have also sent many good men and women to serve the House families, or into trade, or into the military. Imal Mattien ey Farsighted is new to ruling Seat of the Gods, but he doesn't like the idea that one family seems to be advising everyone, funneling money everywhere, and in charge of the military. Unsteady on his throne, Mattien trusts to the warnings of his foresight, granted by Icar, the god of fire and clear vision.
Toinlar - This town supplies most of the food and grain to the rest of Duulor. Traditionally, Goren has been the patron god, here, although, it is now rare that any of his spice plants will survive the full year's growth. Something is blighting the crops, and making the townspeople uneasy. The mayor, the eldest son of House Hetra has decided to send out messengers to the Imal, in hope to get a imalde or imalre to examine the sudden attack on Goren's power.
Mayor Fenral Hetra is a former soldier in the army of Duulor. He came back to Toinlar after having survived the Battle of Hirian in the nearest country, Amri. He has seen the effect of the new Terror Ball weapon -- a poisonous gas spelled into a ball by a scent magician. When it explodes, those who breathe in the poison are sent mad, and wreak destruction upon others, or themselves, depending on how powerful the magician is. He was instrumental as a Colonel in seeing to it that the peace treaty made using Terror Balls illegal and a war crime.
Menlar - The great tapestries of Duulor all come from the village of Menlar. Other than the spices of Toinlar, the tapestries are the largest and most expensive export. The inland city thrives around the huge weaving industry. Most people spin or weave fine cloths. If a child is orphaned they are taken in by the Weaver's guild -- and usually sent to work in the rug houses. Often they are blinded after five years of the work, and most are missing fingers. However, the family that runs the guild, House Barrin, always sends the children they want to advance in the guild into the rug houses as well.
The head of the house, Guildmaster Arrald Barrin, is completely blind, and missing three fingers. He is a dry man, who finds an ironic humor in his wife's status as Imalre of Incar, and his immediate family's devotion to the god of fire and clear sight. Just as his family has always done, Arrald spends a lot of the house money on charities for the disabled, blind, and children in poverty.
However, despite the fact that many people have claimed that the smoke of the great dye vats of Menlar cast poisons over the countryside, Arrald refutes the claims as reports of fearful alarmists. His greatest opponent on this argument is Imalre Yarin ey Whisper Catcher, the head of Menlar's great temple, and devotee of the town's patron god, Omaen, the god of the air, and husband of thunder.
Wylar - This small fishing village is only two hours' ride from Yalar's western wall. Most people here expect that Wylar will be incorporated into the large capital city sometime in their life-time, although not many like it. They earn their money through fishing, and craft work, having to compete with the powerful merchants of Yalar, and pay the city taxes, as well as the state taxes would destroy the simple way of life. The head of House Reinon, Captain Saltar Reinon, is a devout follower of Ulru, and despises Aren rey Diplomatic for turning aside from the god of his fathers. Due to the size of Wylar, only Ulru is worshiped in this village, and they look suspiciously upon strangers who worship others.
Gods
Duulor's people are highly religious, and it is truly rare to find a person who does not worship to a greater or lesser extent. They believe in five main gods, and a host of lesser gods, and consorts. Each god has direct control over an element of life, earth, air, fire, water, and what could be loosely translated as spirit, or soul. This last god is universally acknowledged in other countries in the region, most of whom are monotheistic. A few countries, such as Amri, recognize a trinity of gods, Icar, Ulru, and Faor, the god of the inner spirit, that balance one another.
In Duulor, it is believed that the gods granted life, free will, and magic to people, in order that they may grow, and defeat the evil that lurks in the unknown and unknowable places. Each god governs one of the five aspects of magic, as well as the five elements of life.
Goren, god of the earth, and master of spice gave humans the magic of their noses, to smell the richness of the flowers he planted on the earth to cover it's naked flesh.
Ulru, god of the sea, and breath of heaven gave people the magic of their mouths and tongues, to talk to all as his streams and rivers do, and taste the purity of his water.
Icar, the god of fire and clear vision gave sight to all, that they could see beyond the evil, and were willing to build his fires in the places of the unknown.
Omaen, the god of the air, and husband of thunder, youngest of all, gave the macig of sound and hearing to the world, so all could hear his laughter, and share in his jokes.
Faor, the god of the inner spirit wished that men did not loose themselves in contemplation of the huge vastness that was his soul, so he gifted to them touch, and the powers of the physical world, that they might not forget the wonders of the other four gods.
Mythology
Some given that mostly everyone grows up with these stories in Duulor, it would be good to share some of the childhood favorites of the region.
Dream
Faor was asleep when the world was created. It was spun by His fellow gods out of the power of His dreams. Omaen had meant it to be a joke on the Eldest, who spent so much time asleep He didn't know if the stars They had once created together were real or not. Icar saw what would come of it, and had agreed. Ulru wanted to test His power, and see if He could breathe life itself into a soul rich dream. Goren was bored with the lifeless stars, and wished to create something new.
Together, the brother gods took one of Faor's dreams, and gave it shape and substance, surrounding it with earth, and plants, and stones; drenching it with water, and life; cradling it in air and laughter; and finally filling it with fire and warmth. The gods stood back, and waited for Faor to awaken.
He did, and looked around at the world. This is my dream, and I am yet asleep! He said in astonishment.
With that, Omaen could not contain His laughter, and birds flew from His great open mouth. Faor realized that His brother was here, and that the world could not be a dream, because Omaen never slept, having too much He wanted to do. Faor crossed his arms, and glared. Who dared to tamper with My imagining?
Ulru, proud of what he had done, strode from the water to take the blame unflinchingly. From his cloak fish great and small dropped, and swam away.
Faor raised an eyebrow. You were not alone, My fellow, and My brother.
Goren, loyal to all, and upset that Foar was angry, stopped planting flowers, and released the rest of his seeds with a flourish of his hand. They scattered far and wide over the world, as he stood beside Ulru, repentant and humble.
I still do not see the one who had the vision to stare into my dream, Faor tapped his foot.
Icar, who had not wished to be seen until the last, took off his invisibility with a snap of his fingers. The sparks he struck from his skin's friction showered onto the earth, and animals bounded away.
Faor looked at all four, and then at the world. He cradled it in His arms. You have made this for Me, and He smiled. Now I shall make something for You.
Taking joy from Omaen, pride from Ulru, honesty from Goren, and wisdom from Icar, Faor spun it together with His spirit, and shaped the result, before placing it on the world.
I give You humans, as You have given Me My dreams made solid. I Thank You, he told the gods, and then went back to sleep.
Pride
As the world was new, Goren had plenty of time and energy to dwell in creation, which He delighted in. The humans loved and worshiped Him above His fellows, for He made them food, and gave it to them out of love. They did not have to fish in the sea, or hunt in the forests, as long as Goren's fields were fertile, and gave them produce.
Faor was asleep again, and he did not mind, as Goren's creation made his dreams more interesting and fertile. Omaen had no cares, anyway, and was not really interested in humans, who lay around all day, and slept as the Eldest did, only rolling over to eat. Ulru and Icar, however were not happy. Ulru was angry that the beings who had been made for Them were lazy, and Icar was not happy, because He could see that Ulru's anger would take the world down a dark path if it was not mollified.
These humans do not respect Us, Ulru glared at Goren. It is because of Your abundance that they do not work.
Goren looked up from His work, confused. He thought that He was doing all as He should, making as They had done early in Their lives, when They came together to make the stars. He could not help that humans had been made primarily from Faor's spirit, and thus were inclined to sleep and contemplation.
I have made rain so that Your plants grow. I wish to make storms, so that the humans must build, Ulru told Goren after some thought.
Goren nodded. Heavy rain might do His creations good, and He could see what wouldn't do well under strong weather. Also, He felt that His brothers did not do enough making any more.
Ulru called to one of Faor's dreams, a storm maiden, and made her flesh. He directed her to send rain, lightning, and thunder upon the humans. She agreed, dancing off as he had made her so full of energy that she may handle lightning. For a while the storms devastated the humans, and they had to waken or drown. Chunks of land slid into the sea, and finally they all sought Icar's blazing eyes to discover what it was they must do. He directed them on how to build strong houses, as Ulru had wished, and for a while the world was filled with industry, and Ulru was satisfied.
But soon humans had built houses, and then they built beds, and found them good, so humans fell asleep once more, and Ulru was furious. Icar had directed the humans too well, and they no longer had to strive against nature, and they had returned to their indolent ways.
Why will they not fish? Why will they not hunt? Ulru asked Icar. We both made animals and fish. They hunt and fight, and strive beyond what we could imagine. Why do the humans not fight and strive as the rest of creation?
Icar knew where this was going, and He had no answer for Ulru that could stop the next thought of the god. It would only further infuriate Ulru to be told that Faor's inner spirit and imaginings were stronger in humans than Ulru's pride. So he told Ulru nothing, and the water god went out to sea and brooded.
I know! He said at last. I shall create something for humans to strive against. Something that eats at dreams and hope and imagining, and they will not have this soft life they love unless they fight it!
From the depths of the sea, and all unknowable places in Faor's dreams Ulru drew up monsters and terrors that destroyed the senses and the thoughts of humans, and turned them loose. The humans fell in vast numbers, and they cried out in pain and terror, labling the things that Ulru had called demons.
They came to Icar and asked him for help. But Icar was too busy trying to see the way to stopping Ulru's monsters -- for as they stole the senses of humans, they stole the bit of Icar that was in humans, and clouded his sight -- to answer. At this the humans lamented, for the god that had solved their problems in the past seemed powerless in the face of this threat.
The weeping was heard by Omaen, who came down from his clouds. He was saddened by the lack of joy, and looked around at the devastation the demons had wrought. For the first time the humans were on the brink of doing something interesting, and he decided to make himself known, and help them, because it hurt in his heart to see the lack of joy.
Omaen heard their woes, and reassured the humans that Icar was not powerless, just too lost in his own visions, as the humans had once been wrapped in dreams. He told the humans that if they wished to save themselves, they would have to trust in Icar, and help Him by destroying the demons. The pride of Ulru rose in the hearts of the men and women at these words, and the assurance that they could destroy the demons. They surrounded the place where Icar stood, and protected their wise god with the help of their laughing god from the demons.
Ulru was satisfied at this, and tried to call the demons back, now that the humans knew the vigorous art of war. But the demons, having guzzled magic and life, would not return to the deeps, and Ulru had to come down and fight them alongside the humans. And although He had released evil, He fought so bravely against it, that the humans asked Him to take charge of their warriors and teach them better, which He did.
Yet the demons were strong, and caused much destruction and lamentation. One day, Goren appeared, His kind face piteous. His creations had been blighted and life stolen from them, as it had the humans, and He had felt every death. He beseeched Ulru to stop the demons, and return them. To which Ulru admitted that he could not, as the dreams He had made them from were too potent. At this, Icar opened His eyes, and nodded to himself.
Faor had noticed that something was giving Him nightmares, and He awoke, as Icar's visions finally shook Him. He turned his attention to the world, and saw the destruction that Ulru's angered pride had caused.
With a wave of His hand, He transported the demons back into the dream they had come from, as like the humans, they held more of Faor's spirit than the substance of the other gods. He then looked over the humans, and the defiant Ulru, assessing the situation.
Should any human slip into indolence, I shall give their inner spirit to the realm where the demons came from, Faor finally said. And as these things were caused by pride, I see that pride is deadly, and leads to the ways of evil, and for that, too, humans will be sent to the realm of demons. Ulru, You have caused the mess to Goren's creation. It is up to You to fix it.
Ulru thought for a moment, and then said. Humans, too have caused this, as they did not worship Us, nor work for what We gave. It is they who must replant Goren's seeds, and wait a full year for them to mature with the weather. If they wish to eat, they must harvest for themselves, and fish in the rivers, and hunt in the forests.
All the gods glared at Ulru, as he seemed to be passing blame. Ulru understood, and added, In return, I shall teach a great art, to make food taste magnificent, and so that humans shall feel joy to eat as they never have before. Indeed, Ulru gave humans the knowledge of cooking, as payment for unleashing demons.
Magic
One day, Icar was walking the land. The villages were all bustling, but he noticed that there was a lot of monotony in their bustle. He asked a man why he planted turnips in the same way he had the previous year, and was told that the man had to, as he couldn't think of anything else to plant. Icar suggested carrots and moved on.
He was growing weary of humans. Now that they were industrious, they rarely dreamed, and without dreams there was nothing new to see. I must give them something new, Icar thought. They hunt, they fish, and they harvest. They fight demons when demons appear. But they do it as regularly as the rhythm of Ulru's tides, and it is not good. The imagination from which they were made stagnates. Industry without invention is useless to creatures of making. I shall give them something that shall necessitate invention.
He thought more on this, knowing that outside influences, such as demons, did little. So He would work on the inside. From inside, Icar drew His sight, and viewed it critically. He would give a dash of His sight as a gift to new children. Not many, but some. So that they would see fantastic things, and wish to imitate and build them.
Icar's idea worked, and children were born who saw things no others could imagine, and they excited their parents with descriptions of their dreams. Omaen watched it, and thought it was great fun, so he gave a few others the gift of hearing conversations that others were saying, or making beautiful sounds. Soon ideas spread among the people like wild fire. Ulru, having already given cookery decided to give to his best cooks the gift of taste, and enchantment of the senses. Goren thought that he should give a few the ability to work with his favorite plants, the fragrant spices, and gifted them with power over the sense of smell. Faor came down, and looked at the humans around them as they moved, and worked, and invented and sang.
This is a good work, He said at last, and then grinned. I shall give one or two touch, at once, a baby trying to grab a cookie from a counter made it whiz to the floor with invisible hands. It chortled, and Icar smiled.
Just enough chaos to be magic, He agreed.
And from that day humans have been granted to the ability to work magic. Not all, and not many can do the same things, but that is to keep competition alive, and humans inventive.
Matrimony
One clear day, the Storm Maiden that Ulru had brought into being decided she needed a husband. She was beautiful, powerful, and energetic, and she wanted to have a family. So, she went to each of the gods, and asked them to impress her if they wished to have her as their bride.
Ulru replied that he was married to the ocean, and the Storm Maiden was practically his daughter. No man ought to have two wives, and no man ought to marry his daughter.
Icar took flame, and made it dance for her. He bowed, once he was done, and said, if she liked He could foretell how their marriage was to be. The Storm Maiden thanked him, but said that she had to look at all her possible husbands, not just him, so she would return when she had made her decision.
Goren toiled long in the earth, leaving her alone for many days and nights, until He came back with a diamond He had grown in her shape. The Storm Maiden looked at it, and then thanked Him, and told Him the same thing that she had told Icar.
Faor was wandering, gathering inspiration for His dreams when she found Him. She told Him her challenge, and as she was very fair and beautiful Faor made a mountain range on the spot, hemming her in, so that the maiden's clouds and thunder only fell on one area. The Storm Maiden climbed over the mountain range with difficulty, and thanked Faor just as she had thanked the other gods, before heading on her way.
Faor was perplexed by this, and so He called together His brothers. The Storm Maiden was not impressed enough to offer me her hand on the spot, he said, unsure of himself.
She did not offer anyone her hand, Goren replied. I made a jem stone for her.
I, Icar said, made a poor offering, then. I only made flame dance. She did not want to hear the future.
Ulru was still in disgrace and he said nothing, although he was a little worried, now that the Storm Maiden seemed insistent on turning down the powerful gods after asking them to court her.
I have not met this girl, yet, Omaen told the group, but my bird friends fly with her as she works herself into an energetic rage to hurl thunder bolts.
As he was speaking, the Storm Maiden came down from the air, and told him exactly as she had told the other gods.
I can do nothing to impress you, Omaen replied with a smile. I am a god of the air, which you already know how to dance in, and I am a god of sound, and you make the loudest sounds of all. What is left?
She supposed that he could tell her about himself. But at this suggestion Omaen, always ready with his humor laughed. I am not clear sighted like Icar, I do not create like Goren, my soul doesn't have Faor's richness, and I don't have Ulru's will.
The Storm Maiden nodded, and then said: Since You are all here, I shall tell You my thoughts. Father Ulru is right. We are kin, and I should not marry my kinsman. Incar, while His gifts are impressive, wants to tell me everything about my life that I don't already know, and everything I already do know, and I don't need such control. Goren is busy all the time, and He is married to the Earth He loves. I am not going to marry a man with another wife. I would be mad to do so. Faor does not think through His actions. His gift nearly trapped me, instead of pleasing me, and I do not want a thoughtless husband. Omaen believes He is worthless, compared to the rest of You, which is sad.
But I like His laugh, she told them, and kissed the Air God's cheek.
From that day forward, the Storm Maiden became the Storm Goddess, and wife of Omaen. She likes his laugh so much, that she tells jokes as she does her job, casting lightning bolts among the mortals, and that is the sound we hear and call thunder.
Dreams
Dreams are how the gods communicate with the people now-a-days. If a god wishes to lay a claim on a person, they visit them in a dream. This is how many great personages have gained their patron gods, and the families usually follow the suit of the head of the family, worshiping that particular patron.
Magic and Mages
Obviously, as seen above, on Duulor it is believed that magic was granted to certain people by the gods. It isn't extremely common, but it's common enough to pass without comment, rather like people with red hair. Some people want red hair and don't have it, other people have red hair and don't want it, more don't have red hair and don't care, and the last group has red hair and doesn't think about it. You get the idea.
Magic consists of enhancing or beguiling the senses of the people around, or even enhancing your own. However, humans can only wield the power of one sense, so they are named after the element of the god who's sense that is, even if it has nothing to with their abilities.
Icar's Eyes is the slang term for fire mages who take vows to become imaldre, while water mages are known as Ulru's Mouth, earth Goren's Nose, air Omaen's Ears, and spirit mages are Faor's Hands. Most people who have magic are taught by priests, although not many go into the priesthood, as often the gifts call to jobs outside of extreme devotion.
Of course, each kind of magic can only be worked in certain ways. While the mages themselves have enhanced senses it is difficult to make their power work so that others feel the effects. Magic is a physical field around the body of the mage, but it doesn't move or do extra things without being prodded by the right kinds of materials of the natural world that the gods attuned to their gifts. In other words there is a latent component to magic, such as being able to hear voices from miles away, and an active component, such as being able to cast a feeling of warmth and health over someone who is in danger of hypothermia. The latent component can be used by the mages without any preparation, but only they are affected by it. The active component, or spell component, needs work and forethought, as it requires the energy field of magic to move and affect those without a magic field, or interact with others magical fields. Any individual mage can use the varying magical properties of the natural world to work with, but the effectiveness of, say, a spell to preserve health worked into food will not be anywhere nearly as effective if that spell was done with mirrors, instead of a potion.
Fire mages usually have to use fire, or reflective surfaces such as mirrors, to make others see their workings. Some more scientifically minded mages are experimenting with drawing patterns around their scrying implements, and the visual patterns do seem to make images stronger. This is a practice that only began in the most recent war, however, when fire mages were used to watch troop movements, or befuddle the enemies of Duulor with illusions. Currently, the experiments are aimed at seeing which designs work best for which workings.
Water mages seem to work their spells best with potions, and can call to the properties hidden in the very foods that people eat to create those potions. It is an odd combination of active and latent magic that is difficult to master, however, and requires a lot of study. Water mages also have the dubious honor of being able to call to animals and summon them through water. For strong water mages, there is always the danger that they might accidentally call one of the demons Ulru created. Again, no one really understands how the two known components of magic really mix together in the case of summoning.
Earth mages must use spices in their spells, the stronger smelling, the better. They can pour these on the ground in patterns and circles, or throw them up in the air, or even touch them Different spices produce different effects though, just like all working materials. And earth mages often have the power to change the very nature of organic organisms, especially plants, making them more attractive to this or that kind of animal, bird or insect, so they must study control, and caution before embarking on their careers.
Air mages work best with incantations and spoken spells – not a large surprise to any. The air mages have initiated a massive project in recent years to collect all of the spells that have ever been invented or passed down. Most of these are rhymes, songs, or set rhythmic forms that are easy to remember, and put power into. Many air mages keep books about their persons to write down new spells for memorization.
Spirit mages have magic that almost defies explanation by conventional magical thinking. Their latent powers seem to manifest as an ability to move object without touch, which should require a spell, as it certainly affects other people than the spirit mage. However, for some reason spirit mages need very little concentration, and absolutely no outside power to move their magical fields as others would move hands of legs. Things become different, however, when they have to do subtle manipulations, such as raise and lower the temperature that people feel in their body. For that spirit mages usually have to work through images, such as wax dolls, that somehow have the essence of the person that they are trying to affect tied into them. Many educated spirit mages become doctors, but others who never learn how to use their powers beyond their latent abilities are often drafted into the military, and used as weapons.
Of course, the biggest key to all magic is control. That is why it is necessary to send young mages to school, or place them under the care of older mages in the community. As a mage ages their field tends to grow, and (especially in adolescence) a field might move on its own without help from the above mentioned resources, fueling active magic instead of latent magic for rather disastrous results. Under the tutelage of other mages, younger ones learn how to keep their fields in check unless they want them to actively do something.
Even when the field is under control, and inactive, it is possible to feel where a mage has been if you step into physical proximity because your own senses become fractionally heightened. If a fire mage has been by colors might be heightened in that area, or sight sharpened. In a water mage's kitchen the air can almost be tasted, like an explosion in the mouth. Near an earth mage you will suddenly be able to pick up varying odors that were masked, or drowned out by others. Around an air mage people's voices become clearer, and one can separate the chatter in a crowd. Your skin will prickle in the presence of a spirit mage, and you will suddenly notice the air currents and the texture of your clothing.
This is even true for the sixth group of mages, the demon mages. Of course, this group is exceedingly rare. Their magical fields, instead of expanding outwards, collapse inwards, sucking the essences of life into their bodies. Go near one and your senses dull, or even get lost entirely. The effect is not necessarily permanent, of course. With a lot of control, a demon mage can keep his or her field from affecting anything else, although you will notice that bugs tend to be absent, or dead, and if plants get sick, they will wither and rot rather than revive even under the hands of the most skilled gardeners.
Demon mages themselves are not necessarily evil, nor do they have any ability to summon demons – as was once thought (some say this superstition was encouraged by water mages, worried about their own safety when demon attacks were frequent, and people were looking for someone to blame). But their own magic eats at them if they are not in control of it, and as they lose their senses many go mad. Demon mages are often uncoordinated and hurt themselves without noticing as the sense of touch tends to be the first thing to go.
Not much is known about demon mages, as they die young, for the most part, and they only make up 5% of those humans who are born as mages. The true devastation that a demon mage can cause at the height of their power, however, has been imprinted on the minds of both the Duulorians and the Rosabonians. The final battle of the last war, on Soarth Field was won by a Duulorian demon mage. Nothing grows on that field to this day, almost ten years later, and it was once the fertile bread basket of Rosabon. The best predictions say it will not be possible to grow anything on the field for another fifty or sixty years. In thirty minutes of the demon mage releasing his power, two thousand Amri soldiers had died and were little piles of ash that the mage's field sucked in, the grain and grass of the field withered and died even more quickly. After that, surrender was immediate.
The mage—one of the few ever in the history of the world to receive any kind of training—now lives in Duular. His studies all revolve around the attempt to lock his magic field. It is not public knowledge who trained him, and many wonder why Imal Mattien allows the mage to remain among the living while he is so clearly dangerous. Mattien has no direct comment on the matter, other than to say that the gods believe in second chances for the repentant.
There is a seventh kind of mage, but these are even rarer than demon mages, and as far as any know, there are none living. Known as the Gods' mages, these people can use all forms five forms of divine magic, and are generally considered the antithesis of demon mages.
History in the Breif
Duulor is a tiny island nation, quickly growing into a city-state, as the small villages on the island are absorbed by the large capital city of Yalar. The villages become suburbs, and help feed and clothes the people of the inner city. Currently, there are five towns and cities worth mentioning, each with its own ruling house and agenda.
Yalar - The largest city, and interested in expanding the influence of the island in the region through naval power and trade. Yalar is a city of foreigners and merchants, as the ruling house of Yalar, the Ingerif, are recognized as the monarchs of the island by other countries.
The head of the house, King Aren rey Diplomatic, recognizes Goren, god of the earth, and master of spice, as his patron deity, and thus Goren is the deity of the city. This is much to the displeasure of the King's uncle, as both he and his twin brother, the former king, were visited by Ulru, god of the sea, and breath of heaven, and considered him to be their patron. Indeed, the power of the Duuloran Navy has waned since Aren rey Undaunted died, and his son, rey Diplomatic, took the throne.
However, despite the royal Uncle's dislike of the modern order, Yalar flourishes, and has become a rich city, as rey Diplomatic ended the recent war with Rosabon, and crafted the masterful treaty that earned him the honorific of rey Diplomatic. The Parliament and University of Duulor are located in the city, not to mention the much approved Merchant's Quarter, known as the Golddust District. Of course, Yalar also is known for the large slums of the Seadrop district, near the docks.
Duular - This is the holy city first built in the center of the island after the heads of the five religions held council in this spot, and were informed in dreams that the five gods worked together in harmony to create the richness of life. Shrines dot the city, and the five temples define the edges of the holy pentagon. Outside of Yalar's University, one cannot find a better place to study magic, as it was bequeathed by the gods. The old royal palace still stands, although now it is used as a public house, since the Royal line moved to the coastal town, Yalar.
The current head of the city, the Imal, supports Aren rey Diplomatic's attempts to maintain peace, and he distrusts the power of the founding House of the city, Ryupit. The Ryupit have sent many good young men and women into the service of the gods, but they have also sent many good men and women to serve the House families, or into trade, or into the military. Imal Mattien ey Farsighted is new to ruling Seat of the Gods, but he doesn't like the idea that one family seems to be advising everyone, funneling money everywhere, and in charge of the military. Unsteady on his throne, Mattien trusts to the warnings of his foresight, granted by Icar, the god of fire and clear vision.
Toinlar - This town supplies most of the food and grain to the rest of Duulor. Traditionally, Goren has been the patron god, here, although, it is now rare that any of his spice plants will survive the full year's growth. Something is blighting the crops, and making the townspeople uneasy. The mayor, the eldest son of House Hetra has decided to send out messengers to the Imal, in hope to get a imalde or imalre to examine the sudden attack on Goren's power.
Mayor Fenral Hetra is a former soldier in the army of Duulor. He came back to Toinlar after having survived the Battle of Hirian in the nearest country, Amri. He has seen the effect of the new Terror Ball weapon -- a poisonous gas spelled into a ball by a scent magician. When it explodes, those who breathe in the poison are sent mad, and wreak destruction upon others, or themselves, depending on how powerful the magician is. He was instrumental as a Colonel in seeing to it that the peace treaty made using Terror Balls illegal and a war crime.
Menlar - The great tapestries of Duulor all come from the village of Menlar. Other than the spices of Toinlar, the tapestries are the largest and most expensive export. The inland city thrives around the huge weaving industry. Most people spin or weave fine cloths. If a child is orphaned they are taken in by the Weaver's guild -- and usually sent to work in the rug houses. Often they are blinded after five years of the work, and most are missing fingers. However, the family that runs the guild, House Barrin, always sends the children they want to advance in the guild into the rug houses as well.
The head of the house, Guildmaster Arrald Barrin, is completely blind, and missing three fingers. He is a dry man, who finds an ironic humor in his wife's status as Imalre of Incar, and his immediate family's devotion to the god of fire and clear sight. Just as his family has always done, Arrald spends a lot of the house money on charities for the disabled, blind, and children in poverty.
However, despite the fact that many people have claimed that the smoke of the great dye vats of Menlar cast poisons over the countryside, Arrald refutes the claims as reports of fearful alarmists. His greatest opponent on this argument is Imalre Yarin ey Whisper Catcher, the head of Menlar's great temple, and devotee of the town's patron god, Omaen, the god of the air, and husband of thunder.
Wylar - This small fishing village is only two hours' ride from Yalar's western wall. Most people here expect that Wylar will be incorporated into the large capital city sometime in their life-time, although not many like it. They earn their money through fishing, and craft work, having to compete with the powerful merchants of Yalar, and pay the city taxes, as well as the state taxes would destroy the simple way of life. The head of House Reinon, Captain Saltar Reinon, is a devout follower of Ulru, and despises Aren rey Diplomatic for turning aside from the god of his fathers. Due to the size of Wylar, only Ulru is worshiped in this village, and they look suspiciously upon strangers who worship others.
Gods
Duulor's people are highly religious, and it is truly rare to find a person who does not worship to a greater or lesser extent. They believe in five main gods, and a host of lesser gods, and consorts. Each god has direct control over an element of life, earth, air, fire, water, and what could be loosely translated as spirit, or soul. This last god is universally acknowledged in other countries in the region, most of whom are monotheistic. A few countries, such as Amri, recognize a trinity of gods, Icar, Ulru, and Faor, the god of the inner spirit, that balance one another.
In Duulor, it is believed that the gods granted life, free will, and magic to people, in order that they may grow, and defeat the evil that lurks in the unknown and unknowable places. Each god governs one of the five aspects of magic, as well as the five elements of life.
Goren, god of the earth, and master of spice gave humans the magic of their noses, to smell the richness of the flowers he planted on the earth to cover it's naked flesh.
Ulru, god of the sea, and breath of heaven gave people the magic of their mouths and tongues, to talk to all as his streams and rivers do, and taste the purity of his water.
Icar, the god of fire and clear vision gave sight to all, that they could see beyond the evil, and were willing to build his fires in the places of the unknown.
Omaen, the god of the air, and husband of thunder, youngest of all, gave the macig of sound and hearing to the world, so all could hear his laughter, and share in his jokes.
Faor, the god of the inner spirit wished that men did not loose themselves in contemplation of the huge vastness that was his soul, so he gifted to them touch, and the powers of the physical world, that they might not forget the wonders of the other four gods.
Mythology
Some given that mostly everyone grows up with these stories in Duulor, it would be good to share some of the childhood favorites of the region.
Dream
Faor was asleep when the world was created. It was spun by His fellow gods out of the power of His dreams. Omaen had meant it to be a joke on the Eldest, who spent so much time asleep He didn't know if the stars They had once created together were real or not. Icar saw what would come of it, and had agreed. Ulru wanted to test His power, and see if He could breathe life itself into a soul rich dream. Goren was bored with the lifeless stars, and wished to create something new.
Together, the brother gods took one of Faor's dreams, and gave it shape and substance, surrounding it with earth, and plants, and stones; drenching it with water, and life; cradling it in air and laughter; and finally filling it with fire and warmth. The gods stood back, and waited for Faor to awaken.
He did, and looked around at the world. This is my dream, and I am yet asleep! He said in astonishment.
With that, Omaen could not contain His laughter, and birds flew from His great open mouth. Faor realized that His brother was here, and that the world could not be a dream, because Omaen never slept, having too much He wanted to do. Faor crossed his arms, and glared. Who dared to tamper with My imagining?
Ulru, proud of what he had done, strode from the water to take the blame unflinchingly. From his cloak fish great and small dropped, and swam away.
Faor raised an eyebrow. You were not alone, My fellow, and My brother.
Goren, loyal to all, and upset that Foar was angry, stopped planting flowers, and released the rest of his seeds with a flourish of his hand. They scattered far and wide over the world, as he stood beside Ulru, repentant and humble.
I still do not see the one who had the vision to stare into my dream, Faor tapped his foot.
Icar, who had not wished to be seen until the last, took off his invisibility with a snap of his fingers. The sparks he struck from his skin's friction showered onto the earth, and animals bounded away.
Faor looked at all four, and then at the world. He cradled it in His arms. You have made this for Me, and He smiled. Now I shall make something for You.
Taking joy from Omaen, pride from Ulru, honesty from Goren, and wisdom from Icar, Faor spun it together with His spirit, and shaped the result, before placing it on the world.
I give You humans, as You have given Me My dreams made solid. I Thank You, he told the gods, and then went back to sleep.
Pride
As the world was new, Goren had plenty of time and energy to dwell in creation, which He delighted in. The humans loved and worshiped Him above His fellows, for He made them food, and gave it to them out of love. They did not have to fish in the sea, or hunt in the forests, as long as Goren's fields were fertile, and gave them produce.
Faor was asleep again, and he did not mind, as Goren's creation made his dreams more interesting and fertile. Omaen had no cares, anyway, and was not really interested in humans, who lay around all day, and slept as the Eldest did, only rolling over to eat. Ulru and Icar, however were not happy. Ulru was angry that the beings who had been made for Them were lazy, and Icar was not happy, because He could see that Ulru's anger would take the world down a dark path if it was not mollified.
These humans do not respect Us, Ulru glared at Goren. It is because of Your abundance that they do not work.
Goren looked up from His work, confused. He thought that He was doing all as He should, making as They had done early in Their lives, when They came together to make the stars. He could not help that humans had been made primarily from Faor's spirit, and thus were inclined to sleep and contemplation.
I have made rain so that Your plants grow. I wish to make storms, so that the humans must build, Ulru told Goren after some thought.
Goren nodded. Heavy rain might do His creations good, and He could see what wouldn't do well under strong weather. Also, He felt that His brothers did not do enough making any more.
Ulru called to one of Faor's dreams, a storm maiden, and made her flesh. He directed her to send rain, lightning, and thunder upon the humans. She agreed, dancing off as he had made her so full of energy that she may handle lightning. For a while the storms devastated the humans, and they had to waken or drown. Chunks of land slid into the sea, and finally they all sought Icar's blazing eyes to discover what it was they must do. He directed them on how to build strong houses, as Ulru had wished, and for a while the world was filled with industry, and Ulru was satisfied.
But soon humans had built houses, and then they built beds, and found them good, so humans fell asleep once more, and Ulru was furious. Icar had directed the humans too well, and they no longer had to strive against nature, and they had returned to their indolent ways.
Why will they not fish? Why will they not hunt? Ulru asked Icar. We both made animals and fish. They hunt and fight, and strive beyond what we could imagine. Why do the humans not fight and strive as the rest of creation?
Icar knew where this was going, and He had no answer for Ulru that could stop the next thought of the god. It would only further infuriate Ulru to be told that Faor's inner spirit and imaginings were stronger in humans than Ulru's pride. So he told Ulru nothing, and the water god went out to sea and brooded.
I know! He said at last. I shall create something for humans to strive against. Something that eats at dreams and hope and imagining, and they will not have this soft life they love unless they fight it!
From the depths of the sea, and all unknowable places in Faor's dreams Ulru drew up monsters and terrors that destroyed the senses and the thoughts of humans, and turned them loose. The humans fell in vast numbers, and they cried out in pain and terror, labling the things that Ulru had called demons.
They came to Icar and asked him for help. But Icar was too busy trying to see the way to stopping Ulru's monsters -- for as they stole the senses of humans, they stole the bit of Icar that was in humans, and clouded his sight -- to answer. At this the humans lamented, for the god that had solved their problems in the past seemed powerless in the face of this threat.
The weeping was heard by Omaen, who came down from his clouds. He was saddened by the lack of joy, and looked around at the devastation the demons had wrought. For the first time the humans were on the brink of doing something interesting, and he decided to make himself known, and help them, because it hurt in his heart to see the lack of joy.
Omaen heard their woes, and reassured the humans that Icar was not powerless, just too lost in his own visions, as the humans had once been wrapped in dreams. He told the humans that if they wished to save themselves, they would have to trust in Icar, and help Him by destroying the demons. The pride of Ulru rose in the hearts of the men and women at these words, and the assurance that they could destroy the demons. They surrounded the place where Icar stood, and protected their wise god with the help of their laughing god from the demons.
Ulru was satisfied at this, and tried to call the demons back, now that the humans knew the vigorous art of war. But the demons, having guzzled magic and life, would not return to the deeps, and Ulru had to come down and fight them alongside the humans. And although He had released evil, He fought so bravely against it, that the humans asked Him to take charge of their warriors and teach them better, which He did.
Yet the demons were strong, and caused much destruction and lamentation. One day, Goren appeared, His kind face piteous. His creations had been blighted and life stolen from them, as it had the humans, and He had felt every death. He beseeched Ulru to stop the demons, and return them. To which Ulru admitted that he could not, as the dreams He had made them from were too potent. At this, Icar opened His eyes, and nodded to himself.
Faor had noticed that something was giving Him nightmares, and He awoke, as Icar's visions finally shook Him. He turned his attention to the world, and saw the destruction that Ulru's angered pride had caused.
With a wave of His hand, He transported the demons back into the dream they had come from, as like the humans, they held more of Faor's spirit than the substance of the other gods. He then looked over the humans, and the defiant Ulru, assessing the situation.
Should any human slip into indolence, I shall give their inner spirit to the realm where the demons came from, Faor finally said. And as these things were caused by pride, I see that pride is deadly, and leads to the ways of evil, and for that, too, humans will be sent to the realm of demons. Ulru, You have caused the mess to Goren's creation. It is up to You to fix it.
Ulru thought for a moment, and then said. Humans, too have caused this, as they did not worship Us, nor work for what We gave. It is they who must replant Goren's seeds, and wait a full year for them to mature with the weather. If they wish to eat, they must harvest for themselves, and fish in the rivers, and hunt in the forests.
All the gods glared at Ulru, as he seemed to be passing blame. Ulru understood, and added, In return, I shall teach a great art, to make food taste magnificent, and so that humans shall feel joy to eat as they never have before. Indeed, Ulru gave humans the knowledge of cooking, as payment for unleashing demons.
Magic
One day, Icar was walking the land. The villages were all bustling, but he noticed that there was a lot of monotony in their bustle. He asked a man why he planted turnips in the same way he had the previous year, and was told that the man had to, as he couldn't think of anything else to plant. Icar suggested carrots and moved on.
He was growing weary of humans. Now that they were industrious, they rarely dreamed, and without dreams there was nothing new to see. I must give them something new, Icar thought. They hunt, they fish, and they harvest. They fight demons when demons appear. But they do it as regularly as the rhythm of Ulru's tides, and it is not good. The imagination from which they were made stagnates. Industry without invention is useless to creatures of making. I shall give them something that shall necessitate invention.
He thought more on this, knowing that outside influences, such as demons, did little. So He would work on the inside. From inside, Icar drew His sight, and viewed it critically. He would give a dash of His sight as a gift to new children. Not many, but some. So that they would see fantastic things, and wish to imitate and build them.
Icar's idea worked, and children were born who saw things no others could imagine, and they excited their parents with descriptions of their dreams. Omaen watched it, and thought it was great fun, so he gave a few others the gift of hearing conversations that others were saying, or making beautiful sounds. Soon ideas spread among the people like wild fire. Ulru, having already given cookery decided to give to his best cooks the gift of taste, and enchantment of the senses. Goren thought that he should give a few the ability to work with his favorite plants, the fragrant spices, and gifted them with power over the sense of smell. Faor came down, and looked at the humans around them as they moved, and worked, and invented and sang.
This is a good work, He said at last, and then grinned. I shall give one or two touch, at once, a baby trying to grab a cookie from a counter made it whiz to the floor with invisible hands. It chortled, and Icar smiled.
Just enough chaos to be magic, He agreed.
And from that day humans have been granted to the ability to work magic. Not all, and not many can do the same things, but that is to keep competition alive, and humans inventive.
Matrimony
One clear day, the Storm Maiden that Ulru had brought into being decided she needed a husband. She was beautiful, powerful, and energetic, and she wanted to have a family. So, she went to each of the gods, and asked them to impress her if they wished to have her as their bride.
Ulru replied that he was married to the ocean, and the Storm Maiden was practically his daughter. No man ought to have two wives, and no man ought to marry his daughter.
Icar took flame, and made it dance for her. He bowed, once he was done, and said, if she liked He could foretell how their marriage was to be. The Storm Maiden thanked him, but said that she had to look at all her possible husbands, not just him, so she would return when she had made her decision.
Goren toiled long in the earth, leaving her alone for many days and nights, until He came back with a diamond He had grown in her shape. The Storm Maiden looked at it, and then thanked Him, and told Him the same thing that she had told Icar.
Faor was wandering, gathering inspiration for His dreams when she found Him. She told Him her challenge, and as she was very fair and beautiful Faor made a mountain range on the spot, hemming her in, so that the maiden's clouds and thunder only fell on one area. The Storm Maiden climbed over the mountain range with difficulty, and thanked Faor just as she had thanked the other gods, before heading on her way.
Faor was perplexed by this, and so He called together His brothers. The Storm Maiden was not impressed enough to offer me her hand on the spot, he said, unsure of himself.
She did not offer anyone her hand, Goren replied. I made a jem stone for her.
I, Icar said, made a poor offering, then. I only made flame dance. She did not want to hear the future.
Ulru was still in disgrace and he said nothing, although he was a little worried, now that the Storm Maiden seemed insistent on turning down the powerful gods after asking them to court her.
I have not met this girl, yet, Omaen told the group, but my bird friends fly with her as she works herself into an energetic rage to hurl thunder bolts.
As he was speaking, the Storm Maiden came down from the air, and told him exactly as she had told the other gods.
I can do nothing to impress you, Omaen replied with a smile. I am a god of the air, which you already know how to dance in, and I am a god of sound, and you make the loudest sounds of all. What is left?
She supposed that he could tell her about himself. But at this suggestion Omaen, always ready with his humor laughed. I am not clear sighted like Icar, I do not create like Goren, my soul doesn't have Faor's richness, and I don't have Ulru's will.
The Storm Maiden nodded, and then said: Since You are all here, I shall tell You my thoughts. Father Ulru is right. We are kin, and I should not marry my kinsman. Incar, while His gifts are impressive, wants to tell me everything about my life that I don't already know, and everything I already do know, and I don't need such control. Goren is busy all the time, and He is married to the Earth He loves. I am not going to marry a man with another wife. I would be mad to do so. Faor does not think through His actions. His gift nearly trapped me, instead of pleasing me, and I do not want a thoughtless husband. Omaen believes He is worthless, compared to the rest of You, which is sad.
But I like His laugh, she told them, and kissed the Air God's cheek.
From that day forward, the Storm Maiden became the Storm Goddess, and wife of Omaen. She likes his laugh so much, that she tells jokes as she does her job, casting lightning bolts among the mortals, and that is the sound we hear and call thunder.
Dreams
Dreams are how the gods communicate with the people now-a-days. If a god wishes to lay a claim on a person, they visit them in a dream. This is how many great personages have gained their patron gods, and the families usually follow the suit of the head of the family, worshiping that particular patron.
Magic and Mages
Obviously, as seen above, on Duulor it is believed that magic was granted to certain people by the gods. It isn't extremely common, but it's common enough to pass without comment, rather like people with red hair. Some people want red hair and don't have it, other people have red hair and don't want it, more don't have red hair and don't care, and the last group has red hair and doesn't think about it. You get the idea.
Magic consists of enhancing or beguiling the senses of the people around, or even enhancing your own. However, humans can only wield the power of one sense, so they are named after the element of the god who's sense that is, even if it has nothing to with their abilities.
- Fire mages can see things far away, or episodes from the past, or things that have been lost, or make others not see what is there, all while having absolutely nothing to do with fire.
- Water mages can make things taste divine, or like ashes, or even turn things poisonous.
- Earth mages cause things to smell good, or bad, can help with tracking people, getting bees and flies to pollinate the right plants
- Air mages work with sounds, creating beautiful music, or hearing conversations from miles away
- Spirit Mages move things without touching them, can intensify the feeling air on skin, making it warm or cold, and generally see life through their sense of touch.
Icar's Eyes is the slang term for fire mages who take vows to become imaldre, while water mages are known as Ulru's Mouth, earth Goren's Nose, air Omaen's Ears, and spirit mages are Faor's Hands. Most people who have magic are taught by priests, although not many go into the priesthood, as often the gifts call to jobs outside of extreme devotion.
Of course, each kind of magic can only be worked in certain ways. While the mages themselves have enhanced senses it is difficult to make their power work so that others feel the effects. Magic is a physical field around the body of the mage, but it doesn't move or do extra things without being prodded by the right kinds of materials of the natural world that the gods attuned to their gifts. In other words there is a latent component to magic, such as being able to hear voices from miles away, and an active component, such as being able to cast a feeling of warmth and health over someone who is in danger of hypothermia. The latent component can be used by the mages without any preparation, but only they are affected by it. The active component, or spell component, needs work and forethought, as it requires the energy field of magic to move and affect those without a magic field, or interact with others magical fields. Any individual mage can use the varying magical properties of the natural world to work with, but the effectiveness of, say, a spell to preserve health worked into food will not be anywhere nearly as effective if that spell was done with mirrors, instead of a potion.
Fire mages usually have to use fire, or reflective surfaces such as mirrors, to make others see their workings. Some more scientifically minded mages are experimenting with drawing patterns around their scrying implements, and the visual patterns do seem to make images stronger. This is a practice that only began in the most recent war, however, when fire mages were used to watch troop movements, or befuddle the enemies of Duulor with illusions. Currently, the experiments are aimed at seeing which designs work best for which workings.
Water mages seem to work their spells best with potions, and can call to the properties hidden in the very foods that people eat to create those potions. It is an odd combination of active and latent magic that is difficult to master, however, and requires a lot of study. Water mages also have the dubious honor of being able to call to animals and summon them through water. For strong water mages, there is always the danger that they might accidentally call one of the demons Ulru created. Again, no one really understands how the two known components of magic really mix together in the case of summoning.
Earth mages must use spices in their spells, the stronger smelling, the better. They can pour these on the ground in patterns and circles, or throw them up in the air, or even touch them Different spices produce different effects though, just like all working materials. And earth mages often have the power to change the very nature of organic organisms, especially plants, making them more attractive to this or that kind of animal, bird or insect, so they must study control, and caution before embarking on their careers.
Air mages work best with incantations and spoken spells – not a large surprise to any. The air mages have initiated a massive project in recent years to collect all of the spells that have ever been invented or passed down. Most of these are rhymes, songs, or set rhythmic forms that are easy to remember, and put power into. Many air mages keep books about their persons to write down new spells for memorization.
Spirit mages have magic that almost defies explanation by conventional magical thinking. Their latent powers seem to manifest as an ability to move object without touch, which should require a spell, as it certainly affects other people than the spirit mage. However, for some reason spirit mages need very little concentration, and absolutely no outside power to move their magical fields as others would move hands of legs. Things become different, however, when they have to do subtle manipulations, such as raise and lower the temperature that people feel in their body. For that spirit mages usually have to work through images, such as wax dolls, that somehow have the essence of the person that they are trying to affect tied into them. Many educated spirit mages become doctors, but others who never learn how to use their powers beyond their latent abilities are often drafted into the military, and used as weapons.
Of course, the biggest key to all magic is control. That is why it is necessary to send young mages to school, or place them under the care of older mages in the community. As a mage ages their field tends to grow, and (especially in adolescence) a field might move on its own without help from the above mentioned resources, fueling active magic instead of latent magic for rather disastrous results. Under the tutelage of other mages, younger ones learn how to keep their fields in check unless they want them to actively do something.
Even when the field is under control, and inactive, it is possible to feel where a mage has been if you step into physical proximity because your own senses become fractionally heightened. If a fire mage has been by colors might be heightened in that area, or sight sharpened. In a water mage's kitchen the air can almost be tasted, like an explosion in the mouth. Near an earth mage you will suddenly be able to pick up varying odors that were masked, or drowned out by others. Around an air mage people's voices become clearer, and one can separate the chatter in a crowd. Your skin will prickle in the presence of a spirit mage, and you will suddenly notice the air currents and the texture of your clothing.
This is even true for the sixth group of mages, the demon mages. Of course, this group is exceedingly rare. Their magical fields, instead of expanding outwards, collapse inwards, sucking the essences of life into their bodies. Go near one and your senses dull, or even get lost entirely. The effect is not necessarily permanent, of course. With a lot of control, a demon mage can keep his or her field from affecting anything else, although you will notice that bugs tend to be absent, or dead, and if plants get sick, they will wither and rot rather than revive even under the hands of the most skilled gardeners.
Demon mages themselves are not necessarily evil, nor do they have any ability to summon demons – as was once thought (some say this superstition was encouraged by water mages, worried about their own safety when demon attacks were frequent, and people were looking for someone to blame). But their own magic eats at them if they are not in control of it, and as they lose their senses many go mad. Demon mages are often uncoordinated and hurt themselves without noticing as the sense of touch tends to be the first thing to go.
Not much is known about demon mages, as they die young, for the most part, and they only make up 5% of those humans who are born as mages. The true devastation that a demon mage can cause at the height of their power, however, has been imprinted on the minds of both the Duulorians and the Rosabonians. The final battle of the last war, on Soarth Field was won by a Duulorian demon mage. Nothing grows on that field to this day, almost ten years later, and it was once the fertile bread basket of Rosabon. The best predictions say it will not be possible to grow anything on the field for another fifty or sixty years. In thirty minutes of the demon mage releasing his power, two thousand Amri soldiers had died and were little piles of ash that the mage's field sucked in, the grain and grass of the field withered and died even more quickly. After that, surrender was immediate.
The mage—one of the few ever in the history of the world to receive any kind of training—now lives in Duular. His studies all revolve around the attempt to lock his magic field. It is not public knowledge who trained him, and many wonder why Imal Mattien allows the mage to remain among the living while he is so clearly dangerous. Mattien has no direct comment on the matter, other than to say that the gods believe in second chances for the repentant.
There is a seventh kind of mage, but these are even rarer than demon mages, and as far as any know, there are none living. Known as the Gods' mages, these people can use all forms five forms of divine magic, and are generally considered the antithesis of demon mages.
History in the Breif
- 300 or so years ago the first settlers from Rosabon landed on Duulor, and named the ruins they found to be the last site of the gods on earth. This became the holy city of Duular.
- 213 years ago Duulorians rebelled against the land of Rosabon and won freedom. Opened trade and diplomatic ties to Amri.
- Since then there has been a subtle level of piracy raiding the coasts between Rosabon and Duulor, spaced with occasional, short lived wars in between.
- 61 years ago the twins Aren and Aren were born to the Queen of Yalar.
- 46 years ago the twins are visited by a vision of Ulru, marking them as his servants.
- 45 year ago the water mage twin Aren goes into the priesthood
- 42 years ago Aren in Yalar marries Amallia Darau, a fabled beauty. Rumors state that his twin in Duular disapproves of the match. The former King Fallron is killed during a diplomatic mission to Rosabon. The Rosaboni say it was in a landslide that halted the Progress the two kings were making. His inexperienced son King Aren rey Dauntless ascends the throne. Aren the mage remains in Duular for a while longer. The pirate attacks on the coastlines of Duulor wipe out three minor villages between Menlar and Wylar. The Queen Mother, Elsada rey Thoughtless, dies in the winter at the end of this year.
- 40 years ago King Aren Commissions a fleet of war ships
- 39 years ago King Aren has inconclusive evidence that his father was murdered by the Rosaboni. Calls his twin from Duulor to travel to Rosabon and search for answers, hoping that their shared connection would facilitate matters.
- 38 year ago King Aren begins to refit old, unused ships into warships, despite the fact that his brother has not returned.
- 37 years ago Aren returns to Yalar with hard evidence for King Aren. King Aren calls the Island Council and declares war after three days. Aren the mag is made Duke, and the King's Spymaster. Launching the newest warship, the Amallia, a storm tosses most people overboard. Queen Amallia, there for the maiden voyage, is wounded in the leg. Once she gets back to land she declares if she ever has to go anywhere across the water she will walk, as Goren intended. Since this time, Queen Amallia has walked with a limp. The Amallia has sailed the seas without mishap since its maiden voyage.
- 36 years ago Duke Aren becomes the King's Man of the navy. The Lords Admiral take their orders from him.
- For the next 27 year the war with Rosabon waxes and wanes. Most years the real damage is done by the warships. There is only an average of one pitched land battle per year. The war does not effect many besides those who die, and those who make their lives by trade. In the 10th year of this time period a young boy, who is blessed by Icar's sight, comes to the attention of Duke Aren, who begins to teach Mattien personally in the middle of the war. In the last three years, there is a ramp up. In the final year of this time King Aren is on a ship, which goes down. His ten-year old son, also named Aren, is given the crown under the regency of his mother.
- Nine years ago Duke Aren is removed from control of the navy by Queen Amallia. He follows his young student on a hair brained quest for “a great blot of darkness and pain” that Mattien has seen. They find it in a Rosaboni harbor city, in the form of a Duulorian stowaway who is a demon mage. He is seeking a girl he saw for a moment, before she was kidnapped before his eyes.
Eight years ago, the Duuloran soldiers make a permanent camp on the South coast of Rosabon. The forces begin to advance on the rich bread basket of Rosabon, the Soarth fields. - Six years ago Borenne is rescued from the Rosabon Union Capital. The demon mage sucks the life from over 2000 soldiers in the Soarth Fields. Rosabon capitulates.
