The World
INTRODUCTION
Ishural is a vast, dark, and enchanting planet. Magic is omnipresent, and the world is inhabited by a myriad of fantastical creatures.
In this turbulent environment, numerous races and factions struggle to divide the planet among themselves. Racial hatred, wars, and diplomatic tensions between the various peoples are deeply entrenched. Despite this, Ishural is a remarkably cosmopolitan world, where factions interact extensively with one another, for better and sometimes for worse.
On Ishural, countless deities and entities exist. Some are worshipped, while others are feared. The most renowned are known as the Aspects. There are eight of them, each governing a primordial force: Life, Death, Order, Chaos, Void, Infinity, Nature, and Illusion. However, the Aspects are far from the only deities in this universe, as many others exist.
Several years ago, a large-scale conflict brought death and devastation:
APRÈS ARCADIA
We are now four years after the Conquest of Arcadia.
The world of Ishural has shifted from an era of open warfare to a cold and unsettling period of uncertainty.
Following the closure of the Mana Well in Arcadia and the export of Tratenium throughout Ishural, the Great Alliances fought numerous battles. The Battle of Arcadia was particularly devastating, but it was far from the only one.
The Black Union drained Arcadia of its resources to the very last drop, exploiting the riches it had secured through its victorious military campaigns.
The neutral factions, sensing that their very existence was now threatened by the conflict, began exerting financial and diplomatic pressure on the three Great Alliances. Where war had once enriched numerous neutral kingdoms and peoples, it had now become a sword of Damocles hanging over each of them.
The powerful Dwarven Bank, the influential Jade Harrakin Moneylenders, the Archmages of Imagus, and the High Lords of the neutral peoples united their influence, for once, in the pursuit of peace.
A truce was finally established between the Black Union, the Solar Triad, and the Transatlanteum Pact.
Yet the wise and those well-versed in geopolitics know that this war is far from over. It has merely taken on a different form.
The entire world is becoming a vast chessboard, where every alliance, and every nation within it, seeks to gain the upper hand.
Between covert operations, unexplained magical threats, and localized military campaigns, no kingdom is truly safe anymore.
In this turbulent climate, the territory of Arcadia is no exception.
The City of Arcadis has continued to expand, becoming a major commercial and diplomatic crossroads on the continent of Vordania.
Its rich and verdant lands attract both ambitious powers and curious travelers alike.
As the leading exporter of Tratenium, Arcadia and its capital city are growing increasingly influential.
So much so that their inhabitants have begun to draw the attention of distant nations, far beyond their borders.
Discover more about the history of Ishural through our online Wiki, the Encyclopedia of Ishural:
LES ASPECTS
In the world of Ishural, the mythology of the Aspects is one of the many religions practiced across the planet. This mythology is based on a book written by the Augurs, beings of immense power and profound wisdom. In the Book of Aspects, the Augurs claim that the world of Ishural was created by eight supreme entities of extraordinary power: the Eight Aspects.
According to this mythology, every form of divine magic in Ishural originates, either entirely or partially, from the power of the Aspects. They are described as conscious entities, each possessing their own personality and maintaining rivalries with one another.
Today, many factions and peoples worship certain Aspects, while others follow their own gods and reject this mythology entirely.
For example:
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The White Elves predominantly worship Siktis, the Aspect of Life.
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The Dovariks often pay tribute to Khortis, the Aspect of Death.
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The Dark Elves share a strong connection with Sourèbe, the Aspect of Illusion.
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The Orcs sometimes show an affinity for Vaerio, the Aspect of Chaos.
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The Brown Elves often feel a deep connection to Erèbe, the Aspect of Nature.
Among these Eight Aspects, two are said, according to legend, to no longer hold any influence over the world of Ishural: Trateus, the Aspect of Infinity, and Proteus, the Aspect of the Void.
Legend tells that, at the dawn of the world, an unprecedented war erupted among the Aspects themselves, a conflict known as the Cosmic War. During this war, Trateus was destroyed, and his brother Proteus went into exile in the cosmic void.
This mythology holds a prominent place in Ishural, as it offers explanations for numerous phenomena: the existence of magic, its use, its underlying principles, and the opposing forces that govern it.
Nevertheless, countless mysteries still surround the Aspects and their powerful children, the Augurs.
Nations, Kingdoms, and Agglomerations
The world of Ishural is made up of numerous nations. Most often, there is a predominant and founding race.
Some of these nations govern an entire ethnic group or population, while others are part of a collection of kingdoms and factions all inhabited by the same race, but not necessarily unified, or even... antagonistic.
These agglomerations are all composed of various kingdoms and clans, with their own internal and external conflicts.
The list of the different Peoples, Kingdoms, Agglomerations and nations of Ishural on the online Wiki:
THE CONQUEST OF ARCADIA
GEOGRAPHY
Map by Juliette Pompanon
Arcadia
Les terres d'Arcadia
Still largely unexplored, the territory of Arcadia is a wild, temperate region located on the continent of Vordania.
Its lush green plains and forests stand in stark contrast to the arid and desert regions that border it. Mountain peaks can also be found further north.
To the west lies the inhospitable Desert of Surtur, while to the east rise the Peaks of the Great Eye.
This geographical location makes Arcadia a peaceful haven in the midst of a harsh and unforgiving continent.
But this apparent tranquility is merely an illusion.
Due to the vast deposits of Tratenium buried beneath its soil, Arcadia is a land prone to unpredictable magical phenomena and the emergence of ferocious creatures from other dimensions.
If Arcadia has never been conquered in the past, it is also because of its reputation as a stronghold of extremely dangerous flora and fauna.
The discovery of Tratenium and the war that has just erupted threaten to plunge this already mysterious region into even greater turmoil, while its many secrets remain yet to be uncovered.
The City of Arcadis
A fledgling city still in its founding, Arcadis serves as a base for colonists and travelers arriving in Arcadia. It was the Augurs, in their peaceful endeavor, who laid the foundations of this city. Their servants, the Divinators, are charged with watching over Arcadis.
Far from the colossal capitals or grandiose edifices of the great factions, Arcadis is currently the size of a simple village. It serves as a neutral space, a refuge for those who cannot survive in the dangerous lands. Many neutral peoples who have joined Arcadia have made it their home.
The city's inhabitants decided not to take sides in the alliance war, taking advantage of Arcadis' status to run the city's businesses and economy while serving as an ideal diplomatic platform.
The Awakening of the Tratenium
Tratenium, which appeared suddenly, is the source of the conflict that has befallen Arcadia. It is the object of desire that drives the Grand Alliances to conquer these dangerous and isolated lands.
Until recently, the existence of Traténium was unknown to everyone. Then, an unprecedented event disrupted the balance of power in Arcadia, triggering a massive earthquake. Suddenly, Traténium spread throughout the entire continent.
The few wild tribes and magical creatures discovered there speak of an ancient conflict. A battle between the "Great Light" and "the Five".
According to them, this confrontation was repeated and it supposedly "awakened" the Tratenium.
No one was able to find out more, because the few witnesses who passed on these words have all disappeared.
