About the setting
Asecia is a world in turmoil. 300 years ago the Holy Cerynian Church was divided into two factions and a terrible war ensued. 200 years ago the industrial revolution changed the face of the earth. 100 years ago magic returned to Asecia and the nations of the world are preparing for another war. These are dangerous times but it's also a time for heroes and adventurers!


Asecia
Asecia is the largest continent on the world commonly know as Thera. Asecia lies mostly on the northern hemisphere and has a temperate to tropical climate. Many thousand years ago human settlers from a continent far in the west (now called known as Kagash) came to Asecia and founded several city states. These city states immediately came into conflict with the native Tolkyn and Skarian races and each other.


The Tolkyn
The Tolkyn are a race of humanoids that are probably closely related to humankind. The average Tolkyn is a couple inches taller than the average human, has an athletic build, a long slender neck, broad shoulders and muscular arms that are sleightly longer than human arms. All Tolkyn have a dark blue almost black skin and feline eyes. Tolkyn have large pointed ears and usually long hair that ranges from white to dark blue.
When humanity first encountered the Tolkyn had already settled most of southern Asecia. Tolkyn cities could be found from the grasslands south of Cerynia to the Ciazah Desert. Because of the human advances on Tolkyn settlements it came to war. After many battles the Tolkyn retreated to the desert regions.
In moden Asecia the Tolkyn are the main exporter of meteoric iron and all kinds of products crafted from that rare ore. Most of the Tolkyn live in the Ciazah Confederacy that consists of the five major Tolkyn city states Maranis, Alaraby, Nevehnu, Ciarish and Urechar.


Tolkyn
Strong: Tolkyn characters start with a d6 in Strength
Low-light vision: The Tolkyn's feline eyes allow the Tolkyn to see in the dark. A Tolkyn character ignores attack penalties for Dim or Dark lighting.
Outsider: Tolkyn are outsiders in a human dominated society. They get -2 on Charisma when dealing with humans.


The Skarians
The Skarians are a race of small (an adult skarian is approx. 1 meter tall) humanoids. They have a greenish-gray skin, large heads with a mouth full of razorsharp teeth and big eyes. Skarians do not have hair. Skarians are strict carnivores and tribal Skarians even eat the flesh of their defeated enemies. Like Tolkyn they have rather large and pointed ears but a close relation between the two species is not confirmed by modern scholars. Skarians are very cunning and have a knack for mechanical things.
When the human settlers arrived in Asecia they soon stumbled upon Skarian tribes. What followed can only be described as a massacre. Several hundred thousand Skarians were wiped out, the rest fled to the deep woods of northern Asecia. A few tribal Skarians still live in those woods until today. They survive by ambushing caravans and small settlements.
Much to the surprise of the human settlers the tribal Skarians were only a subspecies. In the mountains to the east they encountered the Mytagiir Empire, a nation of civilized Skarians that were excellent miners and blacksmiths. The Mytagiir Empire still exists today and it's a close ally of Cerynia since Imperial times.


Tribal Skarian
Bite: Str+d4
Small: Members of the skarian race are very short. Substract 1 from you character's Toughness.
Berserk: Tribal Skarians have the ability to go berserk during combat. See the SW rulebook for details.


Mytagiir Skarian
Bite: Str+d4
Small: Members of the skarian race are very short. Substract 1 from you character's Toughness.
Mechanical Apitude: Civilized Skarians start with d6 in Repair and Lockpick.


The Age of Magic
When the human settlers reached Asecia they formed the city states of Cerynia, Tovenaar, Rivenar, Coël, Akkathon and Tyrudu. Legends tell of the powerful sorcerer-kings that once ruled over their domains with an iron fist. It is also said that the Brotherhood of the Three Sisters was also created during these times. People with the talents for magic were treated as gods.
Over the centuries the city states became territorial states with their rulers' influence spreading over hundreds of miles.


The Age of the Empire
Things changed when one of the Cerynian nobles claimed the title of Emperor for himself and got the Brotherhood's blessing. With massive armies he started attacking his neighbours. But Emperor Phaeus was not only a skilled warrior but also a cunning diplomat. And so he forged treaties with the Tolkyn and Skarians which gave him access to superior weapons and armor. He waged war for all his life, but when he died at the age of 76, his son was emperor of almost all Asecia. Phaeus' son also introduced the Imperial Reckoning. The year when his father rose to the Imperial throne became known as year one of the Imperial Reckoning or 1 IR for short. Modern Cerynian scholars believe that 1 IR was probably 500 to 600 years after the first settler set foot on the Asecian continent. It was in the 3rd century IR when scholars and mages noticed that magic started to become less controllable. Spells failed more often and the results were not as powerful as before.


The Decline of Magic
In 476 IR the scholar Lucius the Elder wrote his famous book "End of Days" which described how magic left Thera. Humanity believed the end of the world was near and a lot of sorcerers commited suicide before the last remnants of their magic talent were gone. The Skarians were pretty unaffected by this development, perhaps because they never had much interest in magic.
When Lucius died in 492 IR magic was completely gone. But the world was not devoured by the Sisters as the Brotherhood had preached for a long time. During the next decades several types of beasts went extinct. It is believed that they couldn't survive without magic. It was in 512 IR when the last dragon was seen flying in the sky above Asecia.


The Fall of Rivenar
The Rivenari people didn't accept that magic left them. At first they prayed to the Sisters and asked them to bring back magic but when they didn't respond, the Rivenari turned their back on their goddesses and looked for other powers to turn to. Disappointed by the Brotherhood, King Ozardin II commanded that all Brotherhood priests should be executed. He then ordered his scholars to research the forbidden arts, lore that even the most evil sorcerers have shunned away from. Not much is know what happened in the following years since Rivenar closed its borders to all foreigners and all trade was limited to the border city Nevehem.
In 612 IR the Rivenari erected a giant wall on their western borders.
Since then nobody has ever entered Rivenari territory and lived. There are strange rumors floatinga round about undead soldiers, bloody rituals and a vampire king, but not even the Principality's Intelligence Agency knows what's happening beyond the wall of Rivenar.


[..]




Cerynia
Jewel of Asecia
It is said that Cerynia was planned by the Great Architect himself. Cerynia is the proud city state at the banks of the Segidera river. Thousand years ago the Cerynians ruled over a vast empire. Their legions ruled all Asecia and the priest of the Holy Cerynian Church preached the words of the Great Architect. But things have changed. The Empire fell at the height of its power and the church was split in two. But the city of Cerynia is still the "Jewel of Asecia". The city centre is dominated by beautiful parks and the Grand Cathedral. Not even the growing industrialization and the workers' homes in the city's outskirts blemish Cerynia's splendor.


Cerynian Government
Cerynia is the capital city of the Cerynian Republic which is the successor of the fallen Cerynian Empire. After the Great War the people of Cerynia revolted against the Imperial family and Cerynia became a republic. The Lord Protector and his ministers form the Cerynian executive government that is controlled by the Senate. The Senate is elected by all male Cerynian citizens of 21 years or older. Although Cerynia is a republic for over 250 years the members of the imperial families still have a lot of influence in the military and in politics. The most influential families in Cerynia are House Agarea, House Segatarsus, House Venolanus and House Sarumagus. The house of the last Cerynian Emperor is said to have died out with the death of Aurelius d'Antinus, the second son of the Emperor Ignatius II.


Holy Cerynian Church of the Great Architect
A thousand years ago, almost all of Asecia prayed to the Three Sisters, three vengful (sometimes almost evil) goddesses that expect complete obedience from their followes. The church of the Sisters was called the Brotherhood and the Brotherhood's priested often wielded more power than most kings and it's said that they were able to use magic. In Brotherhood dogma all sorcerers are the Sisters’ children and shall be revered as such. With the decline of magic, the power of the Three Sisters lessened profoundly. During the reign of Emperor Septimus a cult coming from one of the southern provinces rose in prominence. It's followers talked of a benevolent god which they called the Great Architect, , a loving and creating god that created the world for humans to make their own. The new religion was very successful with artists and craftsmen, that preferred the positive creativity of the Great Architect over fearful obedience to the Sisters.


The Holy Cerynian Church of the Great Architect is now one of the major religions in Cerynia and the other nations of Asecia. Following a long tradition most priests were craftsmen or artist before they were ordained. Followers of the Great Architect believe that the best way to please their god is to create something that outlasts their death, like a piece of art or a building. Members of the Church of the Great Architect don’t beliefe in an afterlife and they strive to live a fulfilling and pious life.


The Symbol of the Church of the Great Architect is a hammer and compasses. The priest usually don’t take a vow of chastity but some monks do so in order to focus on their religious or scientific studies but those vows are normally not for life. The tradional garb of the priests is a simple grey hooded robe.


Cerynia (quick glance)
Cerynia is one of the major cities of Asecia and capital city of the Cerynian Republic. It has a very long history that is clearly seen in it's varied architecture. Nevertheless Cerynia is one of the most beautiful cities in the known world and is home to such places like the Grand Cathedral of the Holy Cerynian Church of the Great Architect and the Antinian University.
Population: 1 Mio. (Humans 95%, Skarian 3% , Tolkyn 3%)
Government: see Republic of Cerynia
Defense: Cerynia has a city militia that consists of one-thousand men and a couple of war golems. One of the Cerynian Legions is stationed only a few miles from the city in the Citadel.
Commerce: Cerynia is one of the major trade centers on the continent. In recent years the northern part of the city grew into the vast Industrial District that is home to many factories including the Segatarsus Industries compound which produces Cerynia's work and war golems.
Religion: Holy Cerynian Church 77%, Church of St. Michael 13%, Brotherhood of the Three Sisters, 7%, Other 3%
Places of Note: Grand Cathedral of the Great Architect, Antinian University, Segatarsus Industries compound, Emperor's Park, Place of the Revolution


Republic of Cerynia (quick glance)
The Cerynian Republic is the successor of the Cerynian Empire that fell during the Great War that divided the Holy Cerynian Church into two factions. Although the Republic has much less power than the Empire it's still a force to be reckoned with. The Cerynian people are proud of their heritage and excel in the arts of architecture and engineering.
Population: 1 Mio. (Humans 98%, Skarian 1% , Tolkyn 1%)
Defense: The Cerynian Republic has currently three legions (each legion consist of five-thousand soldiers, five-hundred wargolems and three skybarges) under arms at all times. In times of need the government can recruit all able-bodied men of adult age.
Commerce: The Republic of Cerynia has trade agreements with almost all other nations and exports mainly heavy machinery including work golems, skybarges and other industrial products.
Religion: Holy Cerynian Church 63%, Church of St. Michael 21%, Brotherhood of the Three Sisters, 11%, Other 5%
Places of Note: Cerynia (nation's capital), Lucea (port city in southern Cerynia), Valindunum (home of the Valindunum Military Academy also known as "The Forge"), Cosia (home of House Agarea and the Fraternal Order of the Dragon), Citadel (garrison city near Cerynia, home of the 1st Legion under Knight-General Alerius Anusat)


Cerynian fashion
Clothes have been always an easy way to show off your wealth and standing. And this is still true in modern day Asecia. High ranking officials often wear the traditional Imperial robes. But a lot of younger mages combine modern suits (double-breated jackets are currently in fashion) with a lighter version of the Imperial robe. The modern Cerynian man usually wears a suit, leather shoes, a leather coat and a wide-brimmed hat for protection against the elements. People better off usually wear suits created out of better and more expensive cloths. The most expensive cloth is mageweave which has threads of pure magic woven into the fabric, that make it more sturdy and creates an elaborate magic line pattern.
Women in Asecia usually wear dresses but in recent years women have started wearing trousers, too, much to the dismay of traditionalists. The favorite fabric for clothing is wool but often leather is also used, especially for coats and heavy jackets. Clothes for craftsmen, technomancers and adventurers often have a lot of pockets to help store all the tools and equipment these people need.
Cerynian clothes are favored all over Asecia for their quality and style.