The Homunculus Knight

World Glossary/Encyclopedia

Free Peoples of the World

Humans- The original sapient species native to the world. Widespread with disparate cultures and values. Found all across the Four Continents in a wide variety of kingdoms, tribes, empires and nations. Exceptionally adaptive with a knack for endurance other People's lack. After multiple ages of subservience and fear, Humans are reclaiming their place as dominant species. An effort the Human Pantheon has been extremely active in supporting.

Dwarfs/Dwergaz- Subterranean and Mountain Dwelling cousins of Humans. While shorter than Humans, they have denser bones and muscles. With an incredible resistance to some toxic materials and an almost perfect memory. Can be obsessive and stubborn to the point of madness. A loose collection of mountainous Dwergaz City-States and Subterranean Kingdoms dot the Four Continents. In the last few centuries the Dwergaz Gods have gone silent. Provoking major social upheaval and abandonment of organization religion. With small Ancestor Cults the only major Dwarven religious practice surviving.

Orcs- Nomadic tribes with access to strange magic that can teleport them between worlds. Generally larger and more muscular than humans, with a pronounced underbite and pseudo-tusks. Orcish skin color is not set at birth and reflects their diet. Green skin, the result of a plant-heavy diet is the most common but gray, brown, or black is not uncommon. Individual tribes vary in temperament drastically. With some being peaceful traders, others genocidal conquerors. Their magic and nomadic lifestyle has scattered Orcs all across the Four Continents but they are most commonly found in the most remote regions of the Northern Steppes.

Goblins/Gobavi- Former Sidhe slave race who have established a large and unpleasent Empire in the Northern Steppes. Short humanoids with sloping foreheads, gray-brown complexions and slender fingers. Noted as stubborn survivors with a cruel streak when wronged. The Gobavi Tsardom has recently started expanding west and pushing against the Holy League. Rarely found in other countries and are regarded with suspicion by most. A suspicion repaid by the xenophobic dogma of the Gobavi.

Elf/Alfari- Another race of Sidhe slaves who left the Four Continents to sail across the Western Ocean to lands unknown. Magically skilled and reclusive, the Elfs rule the near-mythical Lands-Beyond-the-Sea. Only returning to the Four on diplomatic or trade missions. There are a few elven enclaves in the White Isles and some rare exiles/adventurers who wander the Four Continents. Physically Elfs are slender tall humanoids with virtually no body-fat. With physiques resembling exaggerated runner or dancer builds. Elvish skin and eye color is incredibly varied and their eyes resemble that of different animals. Most famously they have long pointed ears and speak a strange melodic language non-elfs cannot learn.

Werefolk- The Curse of Beastblood has been a problem for close to three millenia. With those infected turning into rampaging hybrids of humanoid and predator. While many lose themselves to the curse and become little more than feral animals. Others have mastered the curse and achieved a form of symbiosis. The descendents of these “curse-tamers” inherit a portion of their parents' abilities. Creating the Werefolk. Humanoids with animalistic features and instincts. While great kingdoms in the far north and far south are ruled by Beastbood Nobility. Most Werefolk live as nomadic outcasts in the Western Continent. Wandering clans with totemic tradtions and bestial abillities.

Elder Peoples

Dragons- Ancient and incredibly powerful the Dragons are a species of magically potent reptiles. Six limbed and capable of adapting to any environment, few nations, let alone individuals can match a dragon in power. Dragons grow physically and magically throughout their lives. But this growth is unbalanced with them gaining more magical power than their body can handle. To counteract this they must periodically hibernate atop material capable of absorbing the excess magic. Precious metals and Gems are the best options for Dragons, forcing them to ever expand their hoard as they grow. While some Dragons rob and loot to do this, others find more novel solutions. Numerous nations, including the Long-Ye Empire are ruled by Dragons.

Sidhe- Fickle and perfidious creatures more magic than flesh. Powerful shapeshifters and illusionists with an imperialist agenda. Once conquered the World close to two and a half millennium ago. In a period of magical nightmares that ended in a massive rebellion led by the human champion Iskandar the Hero. The Sidhe have been driven off the Four Continents and any incursion by them is met with extreme prejudice. Even all these centuries later the Free Peoples will drop nearly any conflict or grudge and unite against the Sidhe.

Jotunn- Colossal Shapeshifters with potent elemental magic. Usually appears as an existing animal 10-100x its natural size with magical tweaks. Half-breed Jotunn are fully viable creatures that appear as colossal versions of the non-Jotunn parent. Numerous species descend from these hybrids, like Zizs, Leviathans, Behemoths and the common Giants. Only a full blooded Jotunn inherits their shape shifting ability. Full-bloods are incredibly rare, having been almost hunted to extinction by the Sidhe and later Free Peoples. But feral Jotunnkin and descendant species still form a serious danger across the Four Continents.

Demiurge- Incredibly ancient and enigmatic subterranean species only attested to in Dwarven legends. Possibly related to Dwarfs, Trolls, and the massive subterranean ecosystem known as the Deeps.

Seraphim- The servants and agents of the Light. Elder Seraphs are native to the Beyond and are, in essence, spirits of the Light. Typically these beings take more esoteric forms composed of complicated geometric shapes, burning eyes, wings, and pure musical tones. By contrast, Younger Seraphs are mortal souls who, through their actions in life, have been Anointed. Their very soul infused with the Light and turned into something not quite mortal nor divine. Younger Seraphs serve the Gods while Elder Seraphs are beholding only to the Light itself.

Demons/Hellkyn- The magical byproduct of suffering infecting the Beyond. Native to the Infinite Hells, congealing in its depths. Each Demon represents a flavor of suffering which they seek to spread in order to empower themselves. Demons' appearances vary wildly, but can be loosely grouped by strength and “genre” of suffering they originate from. While Demons serve a valuable purpose in the cycle of death. Devouring the sins of damned souls so they may be reincarnated cleanly. Few Demons are content with this arrangement and wish to expand the Infinite Hells by consuming both the Beyond and the Physical World.

The Human Pantheon

Primary Human Gods

Father Sky- King of the Gods, God of rulership, protection, the Weather, Stars, and justice.

Mother Earth- Queen of the Gods. God of stewardship, family, agriculture, safety and the earth.

Brother Moon- God of the Moon, the Night, water, Masculine beauty and love. Guides the lost and protects the innocent.

Sister Sun- Goddess of the Sun and Day. Fire, Feminine beauty and love. Inspires passion and brings truth.

Uncle Trickster- God of Lies, Schemes, Humor, and truth. Bringer of Joy to the worthy, bringer of despair to the villainous.

Uncle Maker- God of Craftsmen, art, and construction. Builds a better world through his myriad tools and myriad followers.

Aunt Huntress- Goddess of Wilds, hunting, survival and beasts. Guards the line between mortal and animal.

Aunt Seeress- Goddess of Magic, knowledge, learning and prophecy. Keeper of many mysteries some she may share with the worthy.

Mistress Void- Goddess of reality, and dimensions. Path-Weaver and Lady of the Stars.

Master Time- God of Time and Death. Judge and protector of the Dead.

Misbegotten War- God of War, Destruction and Conflict. Never revered but never forgotten.

Secondary Human Gods

The Four Daughters- Children of Mother Earth and Father Sky. Embodiment of the Four Seasons. Patron of Farmers.

The Four Sons- Children of Father Sky and Mother Earth. Embodiment of the Four Winds. Patron of Travelers

Tide Prince- Son of Brother Moon and the Elvish Sea Goddess. Patron of Sailors and the Ocean.

The Constellations- Myriad children of Brother Moon and Sister Sun. Subservient of Mistress Void and carry her will to those clever enough to see it.

Mirth and Misery- Uncle Trickster’s assistants. Patrons of performers of all kinds.

Magical Practioners

Magi - Pull apart the natural processes of magic and reverse engineer them. Studies magic as an art or skill, requiring knowledge and understanding

Priest - Acts as a conduit for divine power, needing faith and a degree of divine oversight

Savant - intuitive understanding of particular types of magic, used instinctively.

Shaman - Deals with lesser Spirits. Drawing power from them and using them for various magical effects.

Paladin - soul is reforged with divine power, allowing for the use of that divine power by consuming the user's soul rather than directly involving the god. Many are former Priests. Rare and typically the most powerful agents of a god's will

Paragon - innate and initially subconscious magic, the product of extreme practice and skill in a particular area. Those who learn of it can use it to empower their skill to extreme heights or manifest secondary effects to assist the skill in question

Religious Terms

Acolyte - Priest in training. Have some powers but lesser in all respects

Hierophant -Senior Priests of particular power and experience. Take positions of power within temples and are capable of powerful magical feats

Anchorite - an unusual state of being where a Priest is converted into stone (or at least something that appears like stone) while much of their individuality and personality is lost. They become more akin to spirits than people and have a powerful connection to their god. A consequence of Priests repeatedly using more power than they are capable of handling

Rest-Bringer - Combat Priests of Master Time dedicated to hunting down and destroying undead

Eclipse Dancer - Priests of Sister Sun and Brother Moon, representing the symbolism of the eclipse, where masculinity and femininity converge. Perform rituals of transfiguration to assist those who do not identify with their current sex

Clock Monks - Specialised Priests of Uncle Maker. Dedicated to the creation and control of complicated machinery, especially where that intersects with magic due to the risks of attracting the attention of Beyonders like the Sidhe

Geography and Nations

Vardis - the world in which the Homunculus Knight takes place in.

Erebu- The Western Continent. Where the Story mainly takes.

Asu- The Eastern Continent.

Sutu- The Southern Continent

Qabsu- The Central Continent

Lands-Beyond-The-Sea - Near mythical home of the Elves.

Nations of Erebu

Holy League- Loose Federations of Human Kingdoms and City-States. (Lusitania, Guyenne, Norica, Vindabon, Zentland, Concordia, Eastern and Southern Marches.)

Blood Duchies - Vampire-run nation that claims to be successor of the Old Empire. Divided into Thirteen duchies, each ruled by a Vampire Duke or Duchess. (Dux Bucuros, Iskari, Roloyo, Zaubervold, Northern and Southern Atredia)

Northern Jarldoms- General term for the petty-kingdoms of the far-north. Ruled by a Werebeast Aristocracy and known for raiding their neighbors.

Gobavi Tzardom- Expansionist Goblin Empire located at the Contients North-East edges.

Nations of Qabsu

Sultanate of Jannah- Theocratic Empire united in worship of the Sacred Flame. Have some territory in Southern Erebus and Northern Sutu.

Undead

Vampires - Greater Undead with several characteristic powers and weaknesses, the most notable of which are being burned by the sun and having a hunger for blood that will override their higher functions if not sated. Consumed blood can be used to power various abilities. Various bloodlines exist that have special capabilities and tendencies, stemming from a progenitor who committed an act of horrific betrayal

Alukah - The first vampires. Strongest and most dangerous of all kinds. Driven to near extinction Epochs ago.

Wyrmoi - Bloodline of Archduke Drakovich. Strong of body and mind but inflexible. Skilled in blunt magical methods and pure physical enhancment.

Strix - Bloodline of magically skilled Vampires. Generally reclusive and patient, using their blood magic and other spells to acheive their goals.

Moroi - Bloodline of fast and manipulative Vampires who specalize in infiltrating and controling mortals. Typically beautiful, vain and fast.

Strigoi - Bloodline of bestial Vampires with a knack for shapeshifting. Their animalistic nature gives them incredible instincts but poor self-control.

Ghouls - Lesser Undead with very limited intelligence that are driven by hunger for living flesh. Most dead creatures can revive as ghouls, with their souls becoming trapped in the process, though it tends to be intelligent creatures that are most likely to resurrect. Various sub-types exist which can exist as a result of the body dying under certain circumstances or other, stranger circumstance. Most ghouls retain the physical characteristics and abilities of their original body, and can be prevented from resurrecting by releasing the soul (usually done by a Priest)

Grinning Ghoul - stronger, smarter and more driven ghouls that are the product of a tainted aether around the corpse. Those killed by them tend to rise very rapidly as more grinning ghouls, allowing for rapid infestations that multiply out of easy control

Vryko-Ghoul - caused by death by exposure and starvation, these ghouls are capable of regeneration and are capable of endlessly or near endlessly increasing their strength and regenerative capacity

Varcolac -undead werewolf, a rare product of particularly unfortunate circumstances. Sane werebeasts revert to human form on death, resulting in less dangerous ghouls while those fully lost to bestiality are too animalistic to reliably revive. Varcolacs thus require a werebeast to die while lost to their beast but still possessing a spark of higher reasoning and sanity. Possesses the physical strength, hunting instincts and regeneration of a werebeast, allowing it to overcome the decay commonly seen in other undead over time

Wraith - a disembodied soul which has remained bound to the world through some means, usually as a result of refusing to move on. This state of existence drives most insane. Wraiths are primarily dangerous due to their invulnerability to most physical weapons and their ability to attack the soul of individuals. However, this method of attack is far less effective against the prepared and the strong-willed. Fighting them risks damaging their soul in ways that lead to a true death

Shade - An old and extremely mentally deteriorated wraith where the original person is essentially gone

Manei - Wraiths willingly bound by ritual to a location. This ritual preserves their sanity far better than what would be typical of a "natural" wraith, making them far more normal and sociable

Keening Ghost- Wraiths created when a person dies of Grief. Generally powerful and unstable. Attracted to Grief or things that remind them of the source of their Grief.

Rattler - the result of dark magic saturating consecrated bones, allowing them to revive as a mostly mindless parody of life. No soul remains. Usually occurs when consecration fades over time or is deliberately broken. They are held together by strings of magic which can be readily broken or burned, and those lead to a core or "knot", usually in the skull. Destruction of the knot destroys the rattler

Eternal Legions - specially prepared and armed human skeletons designed to be easily transferred between masters. Each is bound to a reliquary, controlled by a mage, who can then freely delegate command to anyone they desire. Designed for use in battle and as guards. Nobles of the Blood Duchies are typically expected to give a tithe of these beings to Duke Drakovich

Walking Charnel - a possible product of a poorly consecrated mass grave. A mass of random bones held together by very strong magical ropes that can reorient and reshape at the creature's will, allowing it to protect the knot much better than most rattlers. Somewhat resistant to holy power and capable of incorporating more bone into its mass

Calander- 360 days in a year, 12 months, 30 days per month

Newfrost- Jan

Chillheart- Feb

Stormthaw- March

Firstbloom- April

Cometcome- May

Newflame- June

Fullbloom- July

Firesong- August

Scorchset- Sept

Redharvest- Oct

Sunfall- Nov

Darksol- Dec