Summer Twilight is set in the Mezrani Empire, a great, sprawling imperial power taking up much of the southwestern Continent in the Not-So-New World. Our story takes place in the Imperial Age, as magic is slowly fading from the World.
The Tanu of the Mezrani Empire have spent the last four hundred years slowly conquering their neighbors. The wild and lawless trade cartels of Danen; the dark forests and mysterious creatures of Colmar; and the bountiful, idyllic countryside of Rosemoor Dell have all been bound together under the Imperial Authority, ruled by Mezrani City in the heart of Tanunt. Only the Free City of Swansea - a pirate stronghold - remains independent on the Southern Shores. To the north lies the small, magical kingdom of Karath, the last true bastion of magic in the Known World. Ruled by a council of the most powerful mages in the land out of the imposing stone turrets of Rhiamor College, Karathians have sworn to maintain their independence from the Empire at any cost - even their own lives. Besieged by both the Mezrani and the Asaka Tribes, the mages rely on ancient defenses, remnants of the Age of Myths, for survival. From the flowering Painted Hills to the glittering Viridian Sea, the great Unending Desert to the Whispering Plains, the Not-So-New World is ripe for exploration and discovery. Keep reading to learn some exclusive details on the hidden treasures strewn across the land! |
Rosemoor DellAn idyllic and prosperous province, Rosemoor is nestled between the Somber Mountains, Viridian Sea, and Adral Forest. It has been ruled for nearly two centuries by the Roussel family, of which Caidy is crown heir. Protected by both natural barriers and its critical role providing food to the Empire, Rosemoor is strategically positioned, and insulated from many challenges facing other provinces and nations.
Life in Rosemoor consists of simple pleasures: it's people are farmers and traders, merchants and fishermen. People travel from far and wide to visit the famous Painted Hills, where thousands of flowers bloom in concert every year near the rolling vineyards of Juniper Meadows. Known for its honeycomb tea, Iera attracts visitors every year to its festivals. |
DanenDanen is known as a wild, lawless land. Ruled predominantly by powerful trade cartels and merchant clans, life here is about who you know, who you can pay, and what debts you have. The major cities of Marnach, Kalina, and Port Salis are ruled by the iron fists of the Riverlords and Plainslords, but life between these cities is ungoverned.
In the Whispering Plains, bandits rule. The infamous Bandit Lords of Danen are seen as a danger by many, but protectors to a few. Many of the smaller settlements rely on the Bandit Lords for protection from greedy merchants and other, more lawless folk. Pirates plague the expansive shoreline, challenging the chokehold the Riverlords and Plainslords maintain on the province. To the Empire, Danen is important for trade and little else - as long as profit keeps flowing, the Imperials are content to let what will be, be. |
TanuntThe heart of the Mezrani Empire, Tanunt was the kingdom which originally conquered its neighbors. Now the home of Mezrani City, the seat of Imperial Authority, Tanunt has leveraged its military strength to gain the resources and strategic benefits of its neighbors. Its military power is unrivaled on the continent, though pirates still control the seas. The only true threat remaining is that of magic - various Emperors over the years have attempted to imprison mages across their lands.
Mezrani City is known for its sophistication and culture. A bustling port city, its markets are famed across the Known World. The Tanu are a hardy people, used to surviving the unforgiving sands of the Unending Desert and clinging to life in its shifting sands. Despite the challenges desert life poses, the Tanu have a rich, ceremonial culture, and place great value on the small pleasures of life. |
ColmarA heavily forested and mountainous province, life in Colmar has never been easy. It was settled many centuries ago by prospectors seeking the riches hidden in the dense forests and mountain peaks, and is the source of many of the raw materials used across the continent. Towns here are isolated from one another, connected only by the trade caravans bringing goods to Rosemoor and Tanunt.
Perhaps because of the isolation across the province, Colmar is also known for its superstitions and distrust of the outside world. Some whisper that Rakatash, Mistress of Monsters haunts the woods, spreading terror and fear across the lands. Lord Herdegen, ruler of Canastel and Colmar, is a paranoid man, who maintains a stranglehold on power and possesses a deep distrust of anyone from outside the province. |
The Free City of SwanseaSwansea, a bustling pirate haven, is hidden in a mountainous cove on the southern shores of Danen. In accessible through the mountains, it can only be reached by ship - and none but pirates are willing to brave the waters. A hotbed for crime and debauchery, Swansea is ruled by Esmerelda, the Pirate Queen. While many criminals and their scrupulous associates visit the city, any upstanding citizen has no business anywhere near Swansea.
Some of the most famous taverns and gambling houses in the world are hidden away in along its ramshackle streets, and despite the Empire's best efforts, the pirates have weathered every storm. Recently an uneasy truce has formed - the Mezrani have ceased their endless assaults on the port, though none know what the Pirate Queen promised in return. |
The Kingdom of KarathFar to the north, amid glaciers and dense forests, the magical kingdom of Karath is hidden beyond the Somber Mountains. While a figurehead king sits on the throne, the true power lies with the Mage's Council in Rhiamor College. The great institution of magical study houses one of the last known centers of power in the world - the Eladyr.
Karath is a sworn enemy of the Empire, and has thus far resisted encroachment through the use of powerful magical defenses. Many in the Empire suspect the Imperials are planning some sort of attack, but a fragile ceasefire has brought peace in recent years. |
The Asaka WarbandsFar beyond the Somber Mountains, in the desolate no-mans-land known as the Chandmani Steppes, reign the Asaka Warbands. Once a disparate group of tribes, the Asaka have united as one people in recent years, building their capital city of Samari in the shadow of one of the great volcanoes in the Steppes.
While the Warbands have yet to threaten the Empire directly, the nomads are unafraid of challenging the magical rule of Karath, skirmishing across the border in bolder and bolder raiding parties. Many of the Imperials view the Asaka as unsophisticated and brutal, scholars know their mythology and culture was forged in the lava coursing across the unfriendly lands. |
The Morrani IslesIn the Viridian Sea lies a peaceful island chain ruled by two powerful families. The Morrani Islanders have managed to convince the Empire they have nothing of interest worth conquering - yet. Known mostly for their wine and artistry, the Isles are an important trading port.
Morrani itself is a bustling city, where people of all cultures and creeds gather. On the long hauls across the Viridian Sea, vessels from both the Empire and the Far Lands will make port in the city, to sample its delicacies and enjoy the feeling of firm land under their feet. It is also a popular vacation for many of the more powerful Imperial families, those who can afford to travel to the western coast for leisure. There have been whispers in the Imperial Court that perhaps all is not quite as simple and peaceful as it seems in the island nation, but only the Emperor himself could say for sure. |