Haven is a realm with one moderately sized island and a good number of small islands scattered about it. The City of Haven is built into and around a small, steep mountain that rises above the surface of the main island. There are outer walls at the edge of the mountain, multiple inner walls, wide thoroughfares, twisting alleys, cathedrals, parks, gardens, towers, long stairways, waterfalls, halls deep in the mountain, and a magical beacon at the very top (on the spire of the grand cathedral) that acts as a lighthouse to guide ships traveling to this realm.
The City of Haven is the oldest port and trading center in all the realms. It is a center of magic, art, learning, and religion. It welcomes all races and creatures who remain nonviolent (at least while they are here) and has over 100,000 denizens (a slight majority are human, but with many elves, dwarves, and other races).
A council of rank four heroes (one from each class) rules the city. Each member of the council runs an organization made up of others of their class, which do the work of running the city. While there is some political intrigue, the ongoing threat from the void and other realms tends to keep things from getting too out of hand.
The various political problems and conflicts of the city are not really a concern of rank one characters, who are mainly doing things on their own or taking orders from an organization they belong to. At rank two, characters usually start being entrusted with some information and missions related to the politics of the city and the Regent’s Council, but generally indirectly through an organization they belong to. At rank three, characters often start working directly with the Regent’s Council and become integral to the running of the city. Rank four characters often become assistants to the members of the Regent's Council, or even become members of it.
SAMANTHA FROST (ARCHMAGE): A mage who is calm, calculating, always has a plan and at least two backup plans. Tall and regal, with long silver hair, she is the sister of Julian. She leads the Magician’s Society, advising the council on arcane matters and organizing the city’s magical defenses.
JULIAN FROST (LORD COMMANDER): A warrior who is excitable, bold, and supremely confident. Broad-framed, handsome, with short silver hair, he is the brother of Samantha. He commands the Grand Navy, which also includes the city's land forces (although these are relatively limited compared to the mighty Haven fleet).
VICTORIA DEVREAUX (SHADOW MASTER): A rogue who is clever, quick-thinking, and quick-witted. Athletic build, with short red hair and a somewhat dark complexion. She is the leader of the Shadow Guard, the city’s semi-secret intelligence agency, which works closely with the Lord Commander (but is not fully trusted by others).
GIDEON BLACKSTONE (ARCHBISHOP): A priest who is peaceful, kind, and empathetic. Thin, angular features, with medium length brown hair. Leader of the Holy Church, based in the grand cathedral at the top of the city.
ATHENA HARGATE (LORD PROTECTOR): A paladin who is solid, uncompromising, stoic. Tall, powerful build, with short black hair and dark black complexion. Leader of both the Order of Judgment (the military arm of the church) and the City Guard (the city's police force). All paladins belong to The Order and rank three or higher paladins are the judges in most civilized realms.
MOLLY DOWLING (DARK EMISSARY): A warlock who is cheerful and pleasant on the surface, masking an iron will and cold ruthlessness. Short, petite, with medium length black hair and a very pale complexion. She is a member of a group of warlocks led by the Dark Council, which is made up of all the rank four warlocks who are not aligned with the demons, but believe it is critical to use the demons’ own power to fight against them, despite the terrible danger involved. This council has no leader, just an emissary to the Regent’s Council who changes every year so that no one has too much power. Many warlocks eventually turn, and must be hunted down by the Dark Council. Most priests and paladins think that trying to be a “good” warlock is a very, very bad idea and will only barely tolerate them.
DAMIAN ROSE (GRAND MASTER): A monk who is quiet, playful, and patient. Athletic build, with long braided black hair and a somewhat dark complexion. He leads the Blood Guard, who act as bodyguards for any high-ranking or otherwise important person.
HUGO GRUNDY (CHIEF ALCHEMIST): An alchemist who is loud, manic, and impulsive. He is a dwarf with a solid build and long brown hair. He leads the Alchemist Guild which creates and maintains all the technology of the city, including lights, plumbing, fortifications, weaponry, etc. This includes the mana engine, a powerful alchemical machine built into the depths of the mountain the City of Haven is built on top of. It needs to be continually fed mana to remain operational, but it keeps the realm of Haven stable and pushes back the void that is always encroaching from the sea.
ERIDAN REDWOLF (GRAND DRUID): A druid who is moody, passionate, and intense. He is an elf with a tall, thin frame and long blond hair. He leads the Druid’s Circle, which uses nature magic to produce an abundance of food for the city in its many parks and gardens (using only a small amount of space given the population of the city).
VOLANA STARLING (FIRST WARDEN): A hunter who is arrogant, outspoken, and utterly fearless. She is an elf with an athletic build and short blond hair. She leads the Rangers, the military arm of the Druid’s Circle. They are always looking for threats that might be trying to take Haven by surprise.
Beneath the city is a convoluted system of sewers and tunnels, with secret exits and entrances throughout the city. Less desirable, criminal, or secret organizations and businesses are often based in the undercity. There are also a lot of entrances to an ancient dungeon even further down, some guarded, some barricaded, some hidden, and some forgotten.
THE DUNGEON: The dungeon was created by a powerful alchemist long ago as a training ground for heroes from throughout the realms. It has taken on a life of its own and has slowly become insane. The dungeon never stays the same for long. It is constantly rearranging itself (the very layout of its caverns, corridors, rooms, traps, etc.) and repopulating itself (with various creatures, monsters, constructs, etc.). It is eager to make sure it stays challenging, and will adjust to the abilities of any group that enters it. It is not known how far down the dungeon goes, but you can occasionally find doors that let you exit without even returning to the entrance you came in.
THE BLACK TOWER: Those magical exit doors always lead to one of the many doors in the Black Tower. This tower is found on a small nearby island (the Black Isle) and is carved from a single giant block of obsidian. The doors inside it lead to random places in the dungeon that are always changing. The keepers of the tower are the Blood Guard, and the Black Isle is a training ground for monks.
As described in the Atlas of the Realms, the world is divided into three types of realms: the mortal realms (both minor and major), the infernal demonic realms, and the realms of the immortals. Each realm consists of one or more large islands surrounded by the Sea of Shadows.
The Sea of Shadows connects realms to each other, but not in a straight-forward way. To travel from one realm to another requires a ship that can withstand the storms and creatures that roam the deeper parts of the sea, along with a skilled mage or alchemist to navigate the ever-changing routes between the realms. Normal directions mean nothing on the Sea of Shadows; a navigator must read the currents, the wind, and the weather to find the exact place and time to transition from one realm to another. These transitions take many forms, from finding the center of a becalmed region of the sea, to sailing towards a specific star for three days, to a harrowing descent through a raging whirlpool.
The further away from the center of a realm one sails, the less stable the sea gets. It becomes darker, dense with fog, and ever-changing because each realm is an anchor of reality carved out of the void and maintained by a powerful immortal entity tied to it. Without them, the realm would slowly be reclaimed by the void and fall into chaos and darkness.
There are an infinite number of mortal realms, full of plant, animal, and humanoid life. The vast majority of these realms are minor realms; they are smaller, often just a single island, and the entity that maintains the realm is often a powerful spirit, monster, or other being with enough capability to at least keep a small pocket in the void from slipping away. Most of these minor realms are not civilized, but a good number have a port or two and trade with other realms (since even minor realms tend to have something unique that other realms do not).
The mortal realms are so-called because living beings in these realms age and die. The fate of a mortal's soul depends on which powerful being they are aligned with (see below). There is an exception to this for heroes (but heroes only). Heroes can be resurrected, either by a difficult holy ritual, or because the being they are aligned with restores them to life (whether because they died heroically or because they have other purposes for them). Being restored to life takes at least an hour (and could be days or more) and is subtle and quiet. The hero just awakes in an appropriate spot (a church, a clearing in the forest, a secluded cave, etc.) out of anyone's sight, with no equipment. Their dead body (if it still exists), just crumbles to dust.
There are seven major mortal realms other than Haven, each maintained by a powerful personification of nature known as a beast lord. The beast lords are commonly worshipped as gods by sentient beings who have an affinity to their domains, and they will reincarnate the souls of loyal followers.
ATANTA: The horse lord. Her domains are vitality, action, and envy. She is a favorite among warriors, monks, and hunters. Atanta’s realm is Arcadia, a land of grass plains and rolling hills.
ARDEN: The bird lord. Her domains are loyalty, discipline, and pride. She is a favorite among hunters, mages, and elves. Arden’s realm is Mithra, a land of soaring mountains and sheer cliffs, climbing to peaks over 10km high.
BAST: The cat lord. Her domains are fertility, luck, and lust. She is a favorite among rogues, performers, and gamblers. Bast’s realm is Zerzura, a volcanic island with dense jungle covering almost the entire surface.
KURMA: The turtle lord. His domains are wisdom, patience, and apathy. He is a favorite among monks, crafters, and philosophers. Kurma’s realm is Nirvana, a land of lush fields, beautiful forests, and tranquil lakes.
NERTHUS: The wolf lord. Her domains are tenacity, awareness, and gluttony. She is a favorite among hunters, scouts, and sailors. Nerthus’ realm is Agartha, a land of dense forests and ancient trees.
URSUS: The bear lord. His domains are courage, will, and wrath. He is a favorite among warriors, smiths, and dwarves. Ursus’ realm is Borea, an arctic land of evergreen forests, large mountains, and tundra.
VAJI: The snake lord. His domains are charisma, ingenuity, and avarice. He is a favorite among warlocks, rogues, and merchants. Vaji’s realm is Kunlun, a land of rocky hills, deserts, shifting dunes and hidden oases.
Five mortal realms were corrupted by the void and became the infernal demonic realms. They are ruled by powerful personifications of the void known as demon lords. These entities are responsible for the death, decay, and destruction in the world and are always attempting to disrupt the normal workings of all realms. This includes capturing the souls of the dead attempting to find their way to the immortal realms and using them for their own ends. The infernal realms are populated by these unfortunate souls (or by the followers of the demon lords who have become their minions). While it is possible for living mortals to travel to these realms, it is much harder for them to leave.
A diabolist is someone aligned with the demons. Unlike the church, diabolists are not very well organized. They tend to work alone or in small groups, with large groups only occurring when there is a strong charismatic leader (usually a warlock or rogue), often taking orders directly from a greater demon or demon lord. Lucifer is very good at getting people to believe he is really on their side, so even apparently good heroes can turn out to be diabolists.
LUCIFER: The lord of deception. He and his minions corrupt the souls of the living through manipulation, deceit, and betrayal. What he really wants is to get individuals to corrupt themselves of their own free will. Lucifer’s domain is Elysium: a blissful paradise where all your desires are fulfilled, but in ways that ultimately ruin you.
LILITH: The lord of pain. She and her minions inflict as much pain as possible on living beings, using painful weapons, torture, and rape. Death is not the goal, although it is often the final result. Lilith’s realm is Gomorrah: a demon city where the screams of the doomed echo endlessly through the streets.
MOLOCH: The lord of insanity. He and his minions corrupt and destroy the minds of the living through fear, despair, and insanity. He does not kill his victims, although they often end up killing themselves. Moloch’s realm is Limbo: a dark nightmare of impossible geometry where your greatest fears become real.
DAGON: The lord of destruction. He and his minions use fire and pure brute force to physically break, crush, or burn anything and everything (living or not). Dagon’s realm is the Inferno: a blasted land of volcanic destruction.
CHARON: The lord of the undead. He and his minions use disease, poison, and force to kill all living things, afterwards turning as many as possible into the undead. Charon’s realm is Golgotha: a plague-ridden apocalyptic wasteland filled with undead monstrosities.
There are three holy immortal realms. They are the domains of the magical personifications of the forces of peace, joy, and justice known as the archangels. The realms of the archangels are populated by the souls of their followers who held true to the values of their patrons. It is possible for living mortals to travel to these realms, but only very skilled mages and alchemists can manage it.
A deist is someone who follows the angels, and all priests have an archangel as a patron.
ARIEL: The healer. She is the angel of mercy and forgiveness, tending to the injured and sick. Patron of priests, mothers, cooks, etc. Ariel’s realm is Avalon, a beautiful garden paradise full of lakes, magical fruit trees, warm breezes, and gentle sun.
RAPHAEL: The artist. He is interested in expression, intuition, pleasure, and artistic creation. Patron of priests, painters, musicians, dancers, poets, etc. Raphael’s realm is Nysa, a land of dramatic cliffs, raging rivers, and majestic waterfalls.
MICAH: The judge. She is the dispenser of divine justice and retribution, primarily interested in saving people’s souls (or destroying them if they are irredeemable). Patron of paladins, judges, etc. Micah’s realm is the Empyreal Court, a land of castles, training fields, and proving grounds where you can test yourself.
There are two draconic immortal realms. They are the domains of the elemental personifications of fire and earth known as the twin dragons. They maintain the balance between these two elements, between order and chaos, and while there is always a tension between them, they are more like rival siblings than enemies. Each understands that the other is essential to the workings of the universe. Mortals travelling to these realms is the stuff of legend, but it can in theory be done.
TIAMAT: The dragon of fire. She is the personification of chaos, change, and transformation. Patron of individualistic monks, solitary warriors, and those seeking personal power. Tiamat’s realm is Acheron, a land of constantly shifting terrain and ever-changing conditions. Archeron is populated by The Chosen; the souls of Tiamat’s followers who have proven themselves capable and worthy.
MARDUK: The dragon of earth. He is the personification of law, order, and stability. Patron of communal monks, honorable warriors, and those who value a group above themselves. Marduk’s realm is Antioch, a land of polished stone, along with gleaming metal foundries and forges, and great halls that house The Immortal Legion; the souls of Marduk’s followers who lived honorably.
The world began as an every-changing void with no form. From the depths of the void came the first sound, the primal chord that brought form to the void by splitting the sea from the sky. Time started to flow and the first being appeared, floating peacefully in darkness on the newly formed waters. Upon their awakening, the first thought unleashed light into the darkness and the first word raised the land from the depths of the sea to form the realms of the world, along with the twin dragons and the archangels. The echo of the primal chord coalesced into all the forms of life throughout the world.
XAPHAN: The first titan. They often take a humanoid form, but have no set form or gender. Xaphan is attuned to magic, time, light, sound, thought, logic, learning, and the creation of useful things. They control the elements of air and water. Patron of alchemists, mages, scholars, craftsmen, teachers, etc. Xaphan’s realm is Delphi, the eternal library, an impossibly large structure with soaring architecture, floating in a sea of clouds, full of endless halls of books containing all the knowledge of the world. The library is tended by the souls of Xaphan’s followers who acquired truly exceptional knowledge and wisdom. Mortal mages and alchemists believe there is a way to travel to this realm, but if anyone has ever done it, they have not returned.