Enter The Realms of Emarion

A long, long time ago, the mortals who lived on the continent of Emarion worshipped the mighty Everflame, the Tree of Life and Death, which once stood on the island of Coeurîle. Its fiery branches were said to stretch to the clouds while its roots extended all the way to the Sacred Sea. 

According to mortal lore, all life began as sparks from the Everflame that fell to the earth as glowing seeds. At death, those who were found worthy by the Old Gods—whose true names are now lost to history—would be placed among its burning branches, where their earthly bodies would turn to ash but their souls would remain forever warmed by the Undying Fire. Those wretched souls found unworthy were doomed to an eternity in a frozen hell encased in ice, far from the Everflame’s redeeming heat.

Then came the arrival of Lumnos, Fortos, Faunos, Arboros, Ignios, Umbros, Meros, Sophos and Montios, nine immortal siblings now known as the Kindred, who were fleeing their own war-torn world. The Kindred each brought their own unique form of magic, born of a divine force inside them called their godhood, as well as their loyal pet gryverns, creatures that have the head of a sea dragon, the wings and front talons of an eagle, and the body of a lion. 

Though the mortals of Emarion were wary at first, the Kindred used their magic to heal the mortals' illnesses, improve their innovations, and end their wars. Many mortals began to worship the Kindred as gods, even offering up control of Emarion to the Kindred in exchange for their favor and protection. Soon, each of the Kindred took a mortal lover. The offspring of these unions, known as the Descended, inherited the magic of their Kindred parents, as well as their steel-strong skin and their ability to heal quickly from most wounds, but not their immortality. Although the Descended could live for centuries, eventually they would age and die like their mortal parents.

Unable to bear the thought of watching their families grow old without them, the Kindred sacrificed their immortality and cast a powerful spell known as the Forging. The Forging separated Emarion into nine realms, one for each Kindred, and appointed a monarch to rule over each one. The Crowns of Emarion would pass at death to the most powerful living Descended from that Kindred's line, along with control of the gryverns, who were bound to serve as guardians to the Crowns. The Kindred also cut down the Everflame, building the Kindred's Temple in its place out of a rare, mysterious substance called godstone.

The Kindred commanded the Crowns to serve the mortals and protect them, but over the years, the Descended grew greedy, hoarding everything of value for themselves, and the mortals became impoverished and oppressed. The Guardians of the Everflame, a group of mortals dedicated to overthrowing the Crowns, launched a rebellion now known as the Blood War. The Guardians fought bravely to recapture their homeland and get justice for their people, but the Descended magic proved too powerful to defeat. The Crowns prevailed, and harsh laws were passed to punish the mortals and keep them in permanent subjugation.

Though the rebels were executed and all mention of the Everflame was banned, their memory lives on in stolen whispers in the dark, dirty alleys of poor mortal villages. Some even believe the Guardians are still out there, watching from the shadows.