The power gap that followed the fall of the Paragons granted the people of the World Machine an opportunity that had previously been unavailable to them. Out of the disorder and chaos, three great nations rose to prominence. Of these nations, Avenoss, the country now famous for some of the finest mounts, clockwork technologies and iconic pastures was most ambitious.
In its contemporary setting, Avenoss has flourished into a hub of culture, a landmark of higher education and a country that excels in precision engineering. Settled into a comfortable political republic by governance, Avenoss only lightly imitates its historic role as the core of some of the greatest wars since the establishment of the New Epoch…
Nestled literally at the center of the world are the Heartlands, the World Machine’s cradle of civilization. All of the major races owe lineage to them. Thus the Heartlands are rife with epic history, formidable mysteries and dark secrets. Surrounding the spire once inhabited by the Paragons themselves, sit the six city-states that make up the Heartlands.
When the devastating armies of Stoigmar, Ostenia, and Avenoss vied for supremacy of the Crownlands, the Heartlanders, then divided and concerned with their limited military strength, convened in a memorable council on the island of Torch. Representatives from the city-states of Nexus, Hollow, Torch, Locke, Wroughton, and Delton came together out of mutual need. Through this congregation the six city-states openly discussed their options in the face of tremendous adversaries …
The Holy Kingdom of Ostenia, often simply Ostenia, its development, rise as a religious monarchy, and ascension to one of the most powerful countries on the Major Plate is complicated.
Ostenia’s complexity is a deeply rooted consequence of its citizenry, who were compelled to unite during the “Rise of the Superpowers” period and culminated in the unlikely and imperfect fusion of feudal baronies and religious states. But even before then, during the early Residuum, the countries that became Ostenia were seafarers. So, when unification took place, Ostenia’s cultural expansion exceeded that of Avenoss and Stoigmar, establishing the greatest number of colonies in the New Epoch, and spreading the Ostenia Church and its doctrine in tandem…
As with the two other great nations of the Major Plate, Stoigmar reflects the history that bore it, yet, more than Ostenia and Avenoss, it is Stoigmar that stands closest to the disciplined and rigid militarism that would have been necessary in the times that trailed after the fall of the Paragons.
A Military Oligarchy, Stoigmar’s elite suffer little even in the country’s desolate grey climate. Members of middle and lower classes are not without comforts, the unending winters paralyzing the mountainous zone makes life at times trying. The principles of the Oligarchy have also, unfortunately, led to a disproportionate number of criminal organizations that dominate and oversee far more than the Stoigmar rulers willfully admit. Extortion, blackmail …
The Elemental Spokes of Steam, Coal, Rust, and Oil are dominated by matter and move around the Major Plate. They are thought to be reflective of the components of the living body. They also create seasonal change: Steam brings Spring; Coal brings Summer; Rust brings Autumn; and Oil brings Winter.
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Nexus
In the high Era of Myth, there existed a civilization called Neruvia, the capital of which was built upon the top of the Spire at the center of the known world. This civilization embodied the very best and worst of mankind—from here some of the more powerful Paragons reigned over all below them, controlling the weather, the seasons, the forces of nature, and the people of the world. Their edicts were those of gods, though in truth they were not omnipotent as gods should be… Long before the Residuum, the Paragons predicted the end of their world. Envisioning the imminent Cataclysm, the ancient nation of Neruvia began its most desperate and … |
History
The Forgotten AGE
 Though aptly named at the time of its coining, a steady stream of archaeological discoveries and scientific advancements make the Forgotten Age less forgotten by the day. While there is consensus that it ended with the rise of the Paragons and the beginning of traditionally recorded history, when the Forgotten Age began – and how, when, and why the Mechanism came into existence – is a question of lively and fanciful debate… The Era Of Myth
 The origin and nature of the Paragons is hotly debated, at least in jurisdictions without strict blasphemy statutes. A common Church legend describes the appearance of the Harmonic Siphon, a powerful artifact, to a group of ambitious heroes – scholars, kings, warriors, even a begging monk. All were somehow tested and few survived, but the Siphon remained behind to challenge any who could find it. Those that the Siphon found … The Cataclysm
 The crash of the Neruvian Ark – the literal fall of the Paragons – set off a shockwave that incinerated the ancient cities at the foot of the Spire, devastated the coastlines of the outer heartlands, and crippled sea travel across the Mechanism. Although a number of them remained at large elsewhere, the reign of the Paragons had ended. And even that wasn’t the worst of it; a group of abandoned dwarves and titans who managed … The Residuum
 Tradition holds that observers at Asunya Tower, in the now Ostenian-occupied holy city of Patria, were the first to glimpse the restored sun, a legend reflected in the Inner Yusunan flag. Recent discoveries indicate that Torchois observers probably saw the Glimmering first, but this has done little to dent Patria’s reputation. Regardless, within an hour or so, it became clear to all that the Celestial Ribbon had been repaired … The New Epoch
 Although the impact of the Neruvian Ark was so devastating that it set off the Cataclysm, the truth is that thousands of survivors , refugees, and their descendants had been living in the wreckage of the Ark for centuries. The oldest and most famous of these survivors was the Oracle, the machine intelligence whose wisdom had only increased with the passage of time. When the Ark crashed to the foot of the Spire, the crew rebelled … |
- Central
- Ebonhold
- Deepholm
- Beryl’s Folly
- Gallows Cross
- Gardenworks
- Halyar’s Retreat
- Meluan’s Gate
- Bremmelton Dump
