Introduction to Midfydir

Midfydir is a young world, cobbled together by an alliance of great powers who built a world out of pieces of worlds they had loved and cherished, and gave it life.

The great northern continent Rune is ruled by a halfling Lich Queen, Margit Thaeccan, once a great hero, but now the feared and despised tyrant who rules the Irongate Dominion with her devil allies. Belial's Kiln, the seat of her power, sits atop two facing portals, one to the Abyss, and the other to the Nine Hells. Many years ago, Margit had discovered this threat, and rather than call in her allies to assist, she attempted to stop the threat alone, thus creating a third deadly threat to the world where once there were two.

Wenju to the far west of the world is a kingdom ruled by celestials and built by their love into a stable but solitary society that values order, beauty, and tradition. Its people vary as much as its environs do, and their emigrants and traders play important roles in the world outside.

The Northern and Southern Reaches are somewhat smaller continents in the pole regions, cold and unforgiven, and braved by hardy people who value their tight communities and their freedoms. No large kingdoms govern here, only alliances and tribal leaders.

In the equatorial region lie the Firelight Islands, formed from a continental mass after a vast destruction lost in the mists of time. Various parts of the islands are ruled in different ways. Many of the eastern islands are ruled by the Coral Kingdom, an unlikely treaty between merfolk, tritons, and sea elves who share power through intermarriage and cultural exchange, and has its seat of power deep in the Sea of Refuge.

One of the largest western isles of the Firelight Islands is Usagi Kojima, a monastic society of harengon who live in strict hierarchy and domination by the leaders of their cult.

Finally, we have the large southern continent of Portdaltrove, so named because it has a trove of portals, fixed and intermittent, to various planes of existence, leading to a constant influx of peoples with new cultures, languages, and technologies. The continent is divided into the countries of the Suyulan Coast, the Bladegrass Sea, Vruthage, the Duchy of Swiftwater, and the Evertrade Commonwealth. It is in this last where our tale begins.

432 years ago, refugees from the north made a treaty with the nomadic natives of the Commonwealth that created a country where everyone had a stake (the name for a citizen of Evertrade is literally "Stakeholder"), no one goes hungry, and no one goes unhoused. Included in the treaty is the concept of a "Measure". A Measure is anyone of any sentient species who for whatever reason can't care for themselves. The "Measure" is how the Evertrade Commonwealth defines its wealth. If those who can't care for themselves, temporarily or permanently, are looked after and cared for well, the country is doing well. If not, the country needs to take corrective action.

The capitol of the Commonwealth is Allroads Freehold, a vast city with space for tree-dwelling and avian folk, those who prefer to live underground, and surface dwellers. In the center, within the confines of a deep moat, is the Council Safe, where the current Trustee of the Commonwealth, the Arbiter's Council (a group of professional philosophers and lawmakers) and the Representative Chamber (ordinary citizens nominated or drawn by lot - depending on the locality - to serve for a one year stint in the council). The Referendum, which consists of all sentient entities over the age of majority, is the third house of the legislator, given sweeping veto powers.

War is coming. Raiding parties into Portdaltrove to steal slaves and sacrifices for Belial's Kiln have increased, devils have been found infiltrated into various positions of importance through disguise and murder, and someone is capturing dragons, some of the more honored of the free folk, for the magic of the crystals they produce, the Raelgil, that stores magic and powers wonders in most of the settled places of the world.

What will our heroes do?

Next time, I'll introduce our merry band of adventurers and give you a rundown of what they were up to until this time.

(clickity the link for the map)