The Six Sentences of ZodiacEmpires
We didn’t win the Darkest War. We survived: The ruins of the past rise up around us, like monoliths to a golden age whose name escapes us. Corpses piled high as the otherworldly forces of the Shattered Hand ravaged the strongest civilizations of our day like a farmer through wheat. Cities which stood for centuries were undone in a matter of months. The vandiels of the Shattered Hand possessed no goals short of utter annihilation, and the Whiterose Experiments attested to their ruthlessness. Only the evil of the otherworldly fiends could corrupt our loved ones to topple the greatest of Empires. We cowered behind our parapets while the leadership of the Shattered Hand was dissolved by the actions of a brave few.
The darkness has been dissipated but a grey shroud still lingers: Within the high walled cities across the world the civilizations of the world have weathered the storm of the Shattered Hand. The vandiels scattered, the fiends leaderless. The fiends remaining from the Shattered Hand assault our gates. Yet, our greatest threats are not found outside of our walls but on the streets beneath our feet as insidious shadows find their way into the hearts of men. With the promises of gold and glory, men turn against one another clinging to what little power they can glean. Water from recent rains mixes with the blood of the enemies of men, real or imagined, spilled in the name of ambition. Station and birth have placed men and women into powerful positions and they are quick to expand their reach by any means necessary. Morality finds itself not in one’s birth, but in one’s upbringing. The line between what is righteous and what is vile remains shrouded and not so easily discerned.
The Starcalled are not confined to the shackles of fate, they forge their own destiny: As the Zodiacs created the universe they wove the threads of fate that all living creatures must follow, the grand design of the multiverse. Only incredibly powerful entities, deities, vandiels and such, are not subject to its confining layout. The Zodiacs in turn, gifted members of the humanoid races with manifested constellations on their skin, sigils. Starcalled, as the mark bearers would be known, are not subject to the constraints of destiny, free to choose their path and possibly alter the future of history. Starcalled usually possess great influence on the world, making their mark forever known. As these Starcalled dynasties carved out their own piece of history, the Zodiac Empires were born.
An industrial revolution fueled by eldria, tying the world together: A bright blue light weaves its way through nearly all facets of life on Vathis. Eldria, a magical crystal resource, has fueled the advancement of the world for both good and ill. Eldricsteel frames have raised cities to heights unimaginable. Eldria fluid driven ether drive systems have granted us the ability to fly and touch the clouds. It has birthed an entirely new race to explore the world and all manner of less sophisticated creatures capable of wild destruction. As it leeches the magic from the surrounding area it provides us with the means to survive and thrive in this new world. From lamps to airships, eldria has cast back the darkness and allowed us to chart the unknown.
Nations vie for superiority in the power vacuum left by the Darkest War: The largest empire in the world lies in ruins, Vavaire’s holdings scattered to the shattered remains. No walk of life, city, kingdom, or nation was untouched by the Darkest War. The most powerful nations sit back and lick their wounds, searching for weakness amongst old enemies. The void of power will be filled by the dauntless nationalists who rise to seize the opportunity. Agents, spies, loyalists and rebels all seek to return their nations to power, by expansion, exploration, colonization and conquest. Whether it’s in the shadows or out in the open economic power, militaristic might, and diplomatic ties are used to sway the balance of nations throughout the world. Which sovereign nations will rise to become the world’s next great powers?
The airship of history sails slowly on. Take the wheel: As the captain of your own ship, you stand on the prow and watch the land beneath you stretch for miles. The world is yours to explore and the edges of the map fade into obscurity. Draw the lines, fill in the gaps and discover Vathis’s secrets. Vathis is a richly detailed place, and you possess the ability to change the course of fate for this world forever. As the great ones who came before you, leave your mark in its pages of history and drive this land forward. Join a truly breathing living world and let us decide the future of Vathis, together.
