The World of Astar Wiki

Welcome to the wiki for the rpol campaign, The Demon Crown. This will give you some idea of the kind of world you are walking into and will help you decide if this fantasy setting is for you. This game uses the Pathfinder 1E ruleset as a base but is a homebrew campaign. I have adjusted some things to make it fit the world that you will be playing in. Most of the changes are things in Pathfinder that I have elected to remove in my campaign, but there are a few modifications as well. First off, the world of Astar is a relatively low magic world. Magic exists, but it's very rare. Only about 1 in 25,000 people have the Talent. In comparison about 1 in 100 have a genius-level IQ in today's world. As such, magic, and those who use it are looked at with distrust and suspicion by the common masses. Magic items still exist from when magic was more prevalent, but they are getting harder and harder to find. Additionally, this primarily a human world with no elves, dwarves, halflings, etc etc. Monsters and creatures still exist, but they are not playable characters. There are different races of humans though, and some of them have "racial" modifiers to stats etc. This wiki is by no means complete and is a work in progress. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Background
It has been over two hundred years since the Demon War. Two hundred years since the necromancer, Lothar, summoned the demon, Uathal, and his army laid siege to the lands of the Central Kingdoms laying waste to every living thing in its path. With the kingdom of Etria taking the lead, it required all of the armies of the Central Kingdoms to fight against this foe and vanquish Uathal back to the realm of Hel. Lothar was beheaded for his crimes against mankind but not before he broke the Demon Crown, the source of his power over the demons, into three pieces and magically sent them to places unknown. So for two hundred years peace has reigned. But the battle took a heavy toll on all of mankind. Perhaps it was the strength of the magics used to defeat the enemy or maybe the gods deemed humanity unworthy of the powers of magic. In either case magic was all but taken from mankind and is a rarity. But after two hundred years there is a fell whisper on the wind. Rumors of demon worshipers searching for the pieces of the Crown and sightings of dark and evil things that hint of fractures in our reality. But those are most likely just the rumors of twaddling fools.

Magic
They go by many names: mage, magus, magic-user, magicka, sorcerer, and wizard to name a few. But the thing they all have in common is that they are the wielders of The Talent, or magic, in more common terms. Magic was once quite a bit more prevalent two hundred years ago but now those that can use such forces are few and far between. The exception to this rule seems to be Source clerics. Their magic healing abilities and powers remain largely unaffected. Once they were thought of as rare compared to other magic-users but now they are more common in comparison. This has led to some interesting social effects. Among the uneducated (which is the majority of the people), magic is largely distrusted as are those that use it. This has also led to an increase in those that follow the Source religion and its clerics. Scholars believe that there are three types or sources of magical energy:
 * Personal: Personal magical energy comes from the user himself. Those that have The Talent can use their own magical energies to cast cantrips or minor spells without memorizing/preparing and reciting them. Advanced magic-users can even call forth their own magical energies and direct them at others causing them physical harm. The limits of this are based on each individual and their magical power. Magical ability is like any other ability and therefore can be trained and strengthened. This personal magical energy can be sensed and felt by others that are attuned to it although there are advanced methods of hiding or masking this.


 * Dimensional: Dimensional magical energy comes from the very environment of the world. There are inherent magical energies everywhere, not only in this dimension but other dimensions as well. These energies can be harnessed and used by the initiated. These magical forces are channeled through the user and then directed and are more powerful than anyone's personal magical energy. In order to tap into these dimensional energies spells must be memorized and then recited or read aloud to call on these energies and cast the spell. Once a spell is memorized, casting it degrades the memory of the words of the spell. How many times a spell can be cast before it is forgotten completely and has to be re-memorized is determined by the ability of the caster and the difficulty of the spell. The most powerful spells can only be cast once, even by advanced mages, before the words are forgotten and have to be memorized again or can only be read because they are too powerful to memorize.


 * Divine: The last source of magical energy is Divine. This energy supposedly comes from the gods themselves although some believe it's just dimensional energy since not all users believe in the various deities. Whether it's a Source cleric or mage using a spell that calls on the power of a deity, these energies come directly from the gods and, in some cases are dependent on the belief of the caster. The spells must be memorized just like those that call on dimensional energies and are just as powerful. In some ways it is like calling on the personal magical energies of the gods.

Spells that use Dimensional or Divine magical energy are always written in Runic, an ancient language said to have been spoken when magic first touched Astar. Many consider it a celestial language that originated with the gods and it is widely believed that the language itself is magical and that to use it flippantly is to invite calamity. Even Source spells are written in Runic, which causes debates amongst scholars and magic-users as to where it originated.

The Source
The Source of All Things, sometimes called The One, is a fast growing religion in Astar. Although not the only religion in Astar there has been an increase in the members of this faith largely due to the relative stability of their clerics' ability to use divine magic. Many believe that the Church must have some merit if their magic-users are still able to call upon their powers. The Source faith is the belief that there is only one god and that he is the source of all things and others are false gods. Their symbol is a circle with a two perpendicular lines crossing in the center inside the circle. They espouse peace, love, and forgiveness and strive to follow the will of the Source.

The church is run by the Assembly of Patriarchs which has seven members. Below the Patriarchs are, in descending order, Archbishops, Bishops, High Priests, Priests, Apostles, and Acolytes. Sometimes the layman's term, Cleric, is used in place of Priest or High Priest. There are only 3 Archbishops. They are responsible for the Central Kingdoms, the Western Outlands, and the Eastern Kingdoms. Bishops are responsible for each region or country. Hight Priests and Priests are responsible for one or multiple churches while Apostles and Acolytes are students and followers. Apostles and Acolytes have not yet been ordained by the church and may still leave the church at anytime. Once ordained, however, Source clergy take a solemn and sacred oath to serve the Source and the church until death and beyond.

Temples abound in every corner of Astar. Mostly prevalent in the Central Kingdoms there are some Source temples and clergy in the Eastern Kingdoms as well. Clerics of the Source faith call upon healing and other magic through their faith in the Source and though training, which is often, but not always, conducted at the High Temple in Belen.

The Source has no gender being neither male nor female. Most commonly referred to as just "The Source" or "The One" the male pronoun is sometimes used given the medieval-esque nature of the times.

The written scriptures are said to be divinely inspired but are directly from the Source itself. The collection of these scriptures and lessons are known as the Holy Writ.

The Central Pantheon
Another vastly popular religion on the western continent is the belief in the Central Pantheon of gods and goddesses. Temples erected on behalf of these deities tend to be for the entire pantheon as well as the priests who follow them. From time to time, Amon being the most common example of this, there will be temples both large and small dedicated to just one of the deities with priests specializing in just one of the members of the pantheon. The pantheon is made up of the following 12 gods and goddesses:

Amon the All Father, ruler of the gods

Suael the Divine Mother, queen of the gods

Vontia the Alluring, goddess of beauty, peace, and love

Qamhas the Fleet, god of commerce and financial prosperity

Keros the Learned, god of knowledge, magic, and prophesy

Canna the Light, goddess of light and the arts

Arek the Bold, god of warfare and strength

Ara the Steady, goddess of home and family

Sharo the Wild, god of the hunt and animals

Aelia the Giving, goddess of nature and the harvest

Isros the Deep, god of the sea and storms

Sekros the Dark, god of the dead.

Various nations in the Central Kingdoms have different interpretations and stories about the gods and they emphasize different aspect about the deities. For example, the Tyderians hold Sharo in higher regard than all the other gods due to their hunting culture. They consider themselves the children of Sharo and believe their first king to be a direct divine descendant of the god. This is not necessarily a common belief throughout the realm. The Ristoran do not believe in the pantheon. Rather, they believe in a collection of spirits that manifests into a collective. Similar to the Shinto belief system they believe everything has a spirit or essence and collectively these spirits make up various higher divine entities. In the Eastern Kingdoms each nation has their own set of deities and beliefs. The Kalmyrans are primarily Source followers for some unknown reason.

Central Kingdoms
The Central Kingdoms is a loose alliance of countries with defined and negotiated (although not entirely undisputed) borders. They have agreed upon and standardized certain items and services such as currency, postal services, trade, and other necessities for mutual benefit. The rulers of these countries meet once every five years for the Assembly of Kings to maintain this alliance with the location of of the Assembly rotating to each country's capital. Originally this accord was born of the Demon War but has somewhat lost its purpose and conviction over time. Made up of Etria, Ristor, Nepria, Messan, Tyderia, Adrus, and Togrea, they occupy a large land mass with a great ocean to the east and the Inner Sea to the west. The Central Kingdoms are relatively at peace but tensions are constant. Etria and Nepria maintain a strong alliance and while Messan is aggressive against Nepria. Ristor would take Etria if given a chance and Tyderia remains largely neutral and a somewhat isolated within its forest kingdom.

Eastern Kingdoms
Across the Hessian Ocean, as it is called in the West, or the Ajdakhar as it is called in Shamir there are the Eastern Kingdoms. The Eastern Kingdoms are independent nations that have not collectively come together and have many differences between each country. Borders are constantly contested and peace is in constant peril. That said, in many ways, these kingdoms are exremely advanced and rumors of the splendors of the East have come to the docks of the Central Kingdoms. The Eastern Kingdoms are made up of Shangti, Shamir, Kalmyr, Nisahn, Jungti, Haesan, and Daos.

Western Outlands
Separated by the Inner Sea, the Western Outlands are more a collection of regions and city-states. They have not yet been organized into countries but are still at war internally, trying to gain as much land as possible. Notable locations include Seafort, the main trading hub in the Outlands.

Other Regions

 * The Savage Lands: A large island continent that doesn't have an official name. It is a jungle and volcano strewn land with wild and dangerous creatures lurking in every shadow. There isn't a lot known about this continent but rumors abound. Some say there are no people that inhabit the continent but others swear that they know of someone who has encountered primitive cultures in the jungles. Some say giant creatures own the land and giants inhabit the volcanic mountains. Few choose to travel there so what is fact and what is fiction is hard to say.
 * Misthaven Isles: This island chain south of of Messan is so named due to the fog that is common near the north shores of the islands. Although not perpetual, the frequent appearance of this fog can make navigating these waters treacherous. That, along with the myriad of coves and bays, provide a plethora of places for ships to hide and thus the island chain has become a place that attracts pirates, criminals, or anyone that wants to be hard to find. As expected, the towns and villages on these islands are often set up to cater to this sort of clientele. The population of Misthaven is made up of a small indigenous native population along with many people from other parts of Astar that have settled there over time. As these two groups of people have intermingled a variety of mixtures have begun to occur over the last two generations. The natives refer to the islands as Moaa and themsevles as Moaans.

Communication
Communicating across long distances has it challenges. Magical methods exist but are obviously rare and only reserved for those that have the ability. Although a few non-magical means exist their reliability varies and is usually moderately expensive. Although not just a tool for the highborn it is usually cost prohibitive to be regularly used by poorer common folk. The prevalence and the frequency of each method being used differs in the Eastern Kingdoms than it does in the Central Kingdoms and Western Outlands. Several common ways to get messages across long distances exist in Astar. From fastest to slowest the most commons methods are the the following:
 * Messenger Dove: These grey and black homing pigeons or doves are very reliable and can cover amazing distances. They can travel as far as 1,000 miles at an average speed of 40 to 60 mph depending on the total distance. They work only in one direction and must be shipped in mass by traditional means and then used. There is a network of stations set up to send messages to most major cities in a very short amount of time. There are some limitations and drawbacks. Messages have to be kept relatively short and must be sent to a major city that has a station.
 * Courier/Messenger: Those that can afford it can hire a courier to travel the distance for them and deliver a message. They are usually on horseback and are trained in security and speed in delivering these messages. Oftentimes a messenger will carry multiple messages if there are other messages going to the destination. Drawbacks include slower delivery time and reliability that is only as good as the person carrying the message.
 * Mail: There is a rudimentary mail service that is run by the governments of allied nations. Agreements are signed among the friendly nations and mail is transferred at the border. The carriers typically take the mail at regular intervals that vary from place to place but typically run about once or twice a week.

Currency and Banking
Ah money. It's not everything. It doesn't grow on trees and you can't take it with you. But it is the root of all evil and a fool and his money are easily parted. Money in the game follows the Pathfinder rules in terms of the cost of goods and services as well as the units of money used and the relative worth of each.

Currency Exchange
Sometimes gold pieces are referred to as crowns in the Central Kingdoms since they have a picture of a crown imprinted on one side and the country's crest on the other. Within the Central Kingdoms, agreements have been made that set the size, weight, and print on the coins to ensure standardized coins throughout the various countries, making them interchangeable and exchangeable. Platinum, gold, silver, and copper are used in the Eastern Kingdoms as well and exchange is done by weight. Money changers can be found in every city usually at the markets and/or ports.

Banking
Banks across all kingdoms run fairly similarly. Generally they are not a service used by the poor since excess money is not a problem they have. Although there are cultural differences between the Central Kingdoms, Western Outlands, and Eastern Kingdoms, banks are usually run by wealthy families or organizations with enough people and power to operate across vast distances. Smaller banks are run by individuals and smaller families and operate more locally. Local banks can offer simple services from the safekeeping of money and valuables to loans and credit. Larger banks offer access to funds across vast distances through Letters of Exchange, or Bank Letters. To use this system a patron makes a deposit at one location and is granted a sealed Letter of Exchange confirming the amount available. Once at their destination, the patron presents this sealed Letter to another branch of the same bank and has access to that amount at the new location. The patron must then get a new Letter before returning so that he can then have access to his money upon return to their original location. These seals are not easily counterfeited and banks often use codes and templates known only to them to make these transfers. In the instances where large sums are involved some banks will send messenger doves in advance to confirm the details of the arrival and transaction.

Calendars and Time
Time, in game, works just as does in real life. Time is measured in various ways using water clocks, sundials, candle clocks, and even mechanical clocks. Most cities have a central clock with bells that ring on the hour and, in some cases the half hour. Capital cities have multiple clocks that help citizens tell time. Calendars are slightly different from region to region. The Central Kingdoms and Western Outlands follow the same calendar while the Eastern Kingdoms follow a different calendar based on moon cycles. The Central Kingdoms calendar is very similar to the Golarian calendar in the standard Pathfinder world. The days of the week can be found here: https://pathfinder.fandom.com/wiki/Calendar. The months are named after the Central Pantheon gods in the order they are presented above. Amon is given the first month as the king of gods and the other months are so named for various reasons such as Sekros being the last month as the "death" of the old year or Canna, the goddess light having the longest days of the year. Over time the gods names were shortened when talking about the months so as not to confuse people. The months are called Am, Su, Von, Qam, Ker, Cann, Ar, Ara, Shar, Ael, Isro, and Sek. The years have been recorded for over 1000 years in this age and the current year is 1372 in the Age of Men or 1372AM.

Holidays and Important Days

 * Amon's Day: The first day of the month of Am is called Amon's Day. It is the new year and celebrated by giving thanks to Amon and praying for a good year to come. Celebrating the coming year on the evening of Amon's Day is very common. Feasts are held and much drinking and eating is done.
 * All Father's Day: On the 15th day of Am is All Father's Day. It is the day that fathers are honored and gifts are presented to all fathers from their children.
 * All Mother's Day: Similarly on the 15th day of Su it is All Mother's Day. It is the day that all mothers are honored and husbands and children present mothers with gifts of affection.
 * Lover's Day: The 20th day of Von is Lover's Day. Vontia is celebrated and men traditionally buy gifts for women to declare their love for them. A common gift is a thistleberry plant or jewelry resembling the plant. The thistleberry plant has incredibly succulent and tasty berries and are prized for their taste but the berries always grow on the inside of the plant behind extremely sharp thorns that often cause infections if not treated. The plant has become the symbol of love and the winning of a woman's heart as the greatest prize behind the greatest obstacle.
 * Day of the Fallen: The 5th day of the month of Ar is the Day of the Fallen. It is the day where each country honors their fallen soldiers who have died in war. Wreaths are laid at graves and placed above doors to remember the dead.
 * Children's Day: On the 25th day of Ara gifts are given to children to celebrate the joy of parenthood. All children young and old receive gifts from their parents or sometimes even from loved ones other than their parents.
 * Day of the Hunt: In Tyderia they celebrate the first day of Shar as the Day of the Hunt. Many of the men go out to hunt on this day and it is considered luck to shoot an animal on this day. Some other countries observe this holiday as well but it is most popular in Tyderia.
 * Festival of Crowns: This is the single largest celebration in the Central Kingdoms. The Festival of Crowns is held every year on the first week of Ael. It is a week long celebration to thank the gods and to celebrate the harvest as well as honoring the rulers of the Central Kingdom countries. Contests of skill are had and it is celebrated in every country in the Central Kingdoms.
 * Day of the Dead: On the last day of the year ancestors and the dead are honored with a celebration where people wear masks depicting a skull or some similar image as well as other costumes. It also represents the "death" of the year. Combined with Amon's Day it is basically a two-day celebration to bring in the new year.