Adramalech is the Pit Lord and the Prince of Tyranny, for his domain is the well that all oppressive and wicked despots draw their inspiration from.
An extravagant, passionate and amicable people, the Ajaunti ("Aja" for short) are a nomadic and colourful race. Where and when the Aja culture came to be is a mystery. Full of life, love and celebration, the Aja place high value in songs, dancing and storytelling.
The Am'Rath are a prehistoric cave people. Unlike Wild Elves or Einher, they do not walk any sacred paths. They do not carry memory through song or honour the spirits of earth and sky. They are not bound by reverence, but by blood and dominance.
Avians are a mountainous race of feathered people. They are tinkerers, inventors and are one of the few races to ever circumvent magic with simple and basic steam-based technology.
Baaagh is the lord of violence and bloodshed, a favourite among the greenskins, wytches, conjurers of the demonic, and those that revel in violence and gladiatorial combat. Baaagh thrives on chaos and carnage, both on and off the battlefield. His faithful do not just indulge in violence; they are expected to rally and incite it in others.
The most iniquitous and vile deeds of a spirit in life creates a Manes in death. Blackmanes are those Manes of the Deadlands cursed by the Ajaunti Ancestors to forever walk the lands of the living as a spirit, before stealing and inhabiting the husk of a living mortal to experience the world.
Perhaps the most popular and beloved goddess in the pantheon of Light, Cassandra is a favourite among healers, physicians, lovers, midwives and those wanting or expecting children.
Created by Magnora at first to be an exquisite source of inspiration, neither male nor female, Celeste came into their own rapidly. As an ascending God in their own right, Celeste is held in esteem by artists of all kinds, romantics and those seeking good-natured revelry.
Daelrion the Warbringer is a relatively new god, first appearing on the battlefield some 500 years ago. Unlike Roland, the god of honour, Daelrion believes in victory at all costs. He encourages his followers, known as his Blades, to employ whatever strategy is necessary to ensure success in battle, unhindered by morality.
Dark Elves have become very sensitive to bright light. Their capital is Antioch, an underground city in the middle of Maud’madir. It is said that beneath every cellar lies a secret passage into their underworld.
Dietremen is the God/Goddess of the night and the secrets it contains. Dietremen is the fly on the wall, the bat in the night sky, the protective darkness to those who wish to be hidden. She claims control over the moon and calls it her home, using its power to chase the sun from the sky and create shadow for her followers to thrive in. To Dietremen's faithful, darkness is not something to be feared.
Considered by many to be the eldest of the Firstborn, Doranth is said to have been the witness to all that has come before.
This rare race of scaled dragon-like folk are shaped by the passions and temperament of the Dragons, and in turn they distrust and despise all things Divine with a burning passion. Every Draconian is tied to a patron Dragon, or “Firstborn” as they call them, which denotes the specific myriad hues of their scaled hides.
Dragons, most commonly known as Firstborn, are exceptionally powerful creatures whose influence and power rivals that of the Gods. Their personalities, strategies and motivations vary widely, as does their level of interaction with the mortal races and their views towards them.
Once the God of the Hunt, Dunarthos gave up his title and all but his life to merge with the World Tree when it was mortally wounded by the Firstborn Niddhog. He now claims the title of Father Arthos, the spirit and embodiment of the land and planes. His followers include druids, rangers, hunters and farmers.
Woe betide any who commit sacrilege against Eindridil or the sea. Those who transgress find themselves turned away from waterfront cities as word of their crimes spreads from port to port among her faithful servants.
The Einher are a semi-nomadic warrior race who call the lands of Mjoll home. For the most part they hold honour and strength in the highest regard. The ways of the the Einher can be shockingly vulgar and crude to those unaccustomed to Northern life, but even the most uncivilized clans value family and honour above all else.
Few gods truly recognize the instinctual greed that exists within all mortals like Erasmus, the god of wealth. Erasmus not only sees it; he has built his empire around it. His churches exist, in public or in secrecy, in every corner of civilization.
Essyllt works with all True Fae Courts to bring harmony among the seasons, and as such is well respected. Her strongest belief is in that of balance.
Born of a titanic blow struck upon the Demon Prince Naught centuries ago, this race of mask-clad, human-like Constructs was created when the arcane mask it wore was sundered.
Fauns are a benevolent and care-free race, often mistaken for Fae. In fact, they are forest spirits, given mortal form.
Finder's Day is the most famous holiday of the Commonwealth of Teris and the Hobling people across the Arthos. Finder's Day embodies what Hoblings do best: find things and tell great stories.
The Fire Elves, or the Cindus’Thalan as they are more formally known, are a race of largely desert-dwelling elves known for their near-supernatural endurance and uncompromising nature.
Forged by the Berphauntian Conclave from the mutilated spirits of Angels to further its imperial expansion, this race of stone-skinned half-Constructs now freely wander across all corners of Arthos.
Welcome to the captivating world of Arthos. A realm rich with ancient magic and full of beauty and mystery. A realm now steeped in conflict; the culmination of a dark past.
Gnomes consider themselves creative and intelligent, generally more so than other races. As such, they are not burdened by the need for magic. Their gnomish inventions can accomplish anything magic can do and more!
This race of cunning, diminutive greenskins, infamous for their volatile and often catastrophically dangerous alchemy, ranks among the most vile and repulsive creatures to stalk the surface of Arthos. Though they lack the brute strength of their Orcish kin, they more than compensate with a sly, predatory cunning and a talent for treachery that outstrips most other Goblinoids.
The gods of light and darkness are determined by the moral 'majority', as dictated by the Church of Light. The Church, founded in the Kingdom of Tiefanue, has spread its churches and influence to almost every major city and port, in every major kingdom.
True to her motherly nature, Haldora has become the goddess most often worshipped by the outcasts, undesirables and the monsters that can find no peace or home in the civilized world. She takes them all into her cold, putrid bosom.
Though graceful and wise, High Elves are viewed by others as a condescending and arrogant people, often causing friction when interacting with other races through ‘unintentional’ slights.
Hoblings are a peaceful people, notable for their furry feet and hands, and distinctive bushy eyebrows and sideburns. They’re imbued with a strong sense of curiosity, a penchant for playful mischief, razor sharp wit and a love for collecting unique items.
Kael, though not the oldest of the gods, is by far one of the most popular and can trace his history to just shortly after the first war between Elves and Humankind. He is considered by many to be the incorruptible blade and light that banishes away the darkness.
Kobolds are foolish but crafty beings. They appear as Goblinoid creatures with red skin, large incisors and black fingernails. Little is known about their origins and even less is cared. Kobolds have become a universal pest in every corner of the world.
The Serpent of Ten Thousand Veils is a paradox of elegance and anguish—an Ophidia sovereign whose dominion over despair is both art and weapon.
Ll’yandra was the second god to make her presence known in the world of Arthos. She claims to be the creator of the true Thalan, before they were shattered into their many elven subspecies. She was there when the first Thalan city was built. She was there when the Humans rose up and fractured her children into the multiple elven subraces that exist today.
Magnora is the patron goddess of craft and ingenuity. Dedicated to her work, she is skilled in all physical arts whether wrought in steel, wood, clay or cloth. Magnora constantly seeks to improve both the form and efficiency of her work.
The third god to make himself known in the lands of Arthos, Malagant, claims the title of king of the Dark Pantheon - and there are few in the celestial realm who would contradict him. He is the Master of Autumn and Lord of the Undead.
Mara’bagash is the Prince of Blood, Lord of the Crimson Chains, and master of Murder, Torture and Pain. In ages past he served the Hell King faithfully as his chief interrogator and torturer, ferreting out dissent amongst the demons and violating those that dared to defy his edicts or wishes.
Half humanoid, half beast, the Minotaur are a fearsome race of cursed subsurface creatures that hate and fear the Fae. Though the reason is unknown, their imprisonment deep underground has been lifted and for the first time in centuries, the Minotaur can gaze upon the light of the sun.
Master craftsmen, formidable warriors, and loyal allies, Mountain Dwarves stand as a steadfast and enduring presence in a world beset by chaos and turmoil.
Naught is the first Faceless, the Lord of the Void and the Formless One. But these are just titles that other beings have laid upon it, for Naught only knows itself as the sentient force of annihilation, the true end of all things.
Nilestromus, the Sleeping Horror, holds the answer to every question deep within the twisted corridors of his monstrous mind. Once but a lowly imp, he ascended the ranks of hell through manipulation and strategy until he was broken by the Hell King and driven past the brink of insanity.
Ogres are the stuff of nightmares. Massive lumbering brutes, Ogres can best be described as monstrous. With superior strength and constitution, Ogres are the muscle and brute force in every Goblinoid army.
Little is known about the origins of the mysterious Orbs of Power that exist throughout the Material Plane. Some say they fell from the sky during a rare alignment of the stars, while others say they have been in existence since time began, coming into being when the source of magic was formed.
Orcs, or 'greenskins' as they are commonly called, are a fierce and combative Goblinoid race. Orcs normally organize themselves into tribes and clans that consist of Ogres, Kobolds, and Goblins.
Pandora is the Dark Goddess of Pain. She teaches her followers through its application as a means to enforce submission and control. Pandora followers believe that the experience of pain builds resistance and empowers self-control.
While Raze is worshipped by any who have been betrayed or crossed, it is undeniable that the lion's share of her followers hail from the Dark Elven nations. Much of the Dark Elven race believes that human betrayal led to the shattering of the true Thalan into its many sub-races, and thus Raze's story symbolizes their distrust of the surface races.
A hybrid race, the Risen are capable of both stepping into the world of the living and that of Undeath. Risen start life at Undeath, likely as one of the thousands created by long dead necromancers or forced to rise out of ancient cursed graveyards.
Roland is the god of honour, order, law, discipline, and chivalry. He is typically worshipped by soldiers, those that serve the law, and those who hold honour close to their hearts. The Church of Roland is large and well-organised.
The Cat Lord, one of the more popular gods among adventurers, good-natured thieves, and daring burglars, is an enigmatic character rich in bravado and glory. Above all things, Ryiak teaches cunning and a sense of freedom to his faithful, instilling in them a sense of excitement and pride in having their names and deeds rise above the masses.
The undisputed master of the arcane, Salam’s power of magic is far greater than any other Celestial, and is thus seen as the foremost mind regarding its intricacies among the various Deities. He claims to have once had access to Rune Magic and even command over certain Axioms that govern existence.
The Savar'Aving are a matriarchal race of cat-people, appearing as humanoid hunting cats. Deep in the dark forests of Felnir lies their capital city, Mrrnall. Their society, ruled by women, views male Savar'Aving as second class.
Arguably the most influential dragon in Arthos, Shiloth covets control and is the ultimate master of manipulation. She views the world as her game board, and those within it as pieces to be played.
Stone Elves rely on logic and self–discipline to rule their lives. This often makes them appear unemotional or despondent which is quite contrary to their nature. Although most Stone Elves strive to maintain their emotions, there are few that have made a conscious decision to be free with them.
Suulazultsur was perhaps the closest to the natural world amongst her scaled kin, and she was known to have had a druidic-like mindset and despised necromancy.
Sverin, the god of turmoil and trickery, vows never to live a stagnant and boring life. Sverin revels in disorder and capricious wiles to stay a step ahead of the more brutish Savage Gods. Do not mistake Sverin as a god of pointless chaos.
Sybil is the huntress and guardian of nature. She patrols the forests, tending to the animals in need and bringing swift justice to those that would dare harm nature.
The great judge, justice personified, the manifestation of the sun itself, Tezoth rules the Shadow Isles from the glittering spires of Dominion. Devotion to Tezoth permeates every aspect of Dominion life, and his is the ultimate authority.
Time is a measurement created by the mortal races, but they were not the first to set roots in the garden of history. For as long as there has been grass on the plains and trees in the forest, the Thalan, known to some now as the Grey Elves, have been here.
Founded in the year 2261, the Amaranthine Legion lays claim to a large swathe of the continent of Amaranthia. They are composed of Goblinoids who venerate freedom and adhere to the kratocratic concepts of might above all.
The First Wytch Nebbia Andranasta once served the Dragon Ixiad before betraying her for the Hell King. She was utterly obliterated alongside Prince Leopold Tiefanue by the Divine crown of his ancestors.
The Blood Red Rose is an ancient secular organization found in nearly every land and kingdom of Arthos. They serve as an incorruptible knightly order whose sole purpose is the protection of the weak and the innocent; farmers, labourers, and those oppressed by tyrannical rulers. They defend those who cannot defend themselves.
A recording of the Celestial War by High Chronologer Esxen’Tenadall of the Thalan in the year 2258.
Located within the imperial capital of Berphaunt, the Conclave is arguably the most powerful and well-known Mages Guild in all of Maud’madir. From the confines of their gleaming towers, they are the continent’s foremost authority on all matters of the arcane.
Transitioning from Kingdom to Empire in the year 2257, the Empire of Berphaunt is the largest imperial power on Arthos. They seek to unite all nations under their banner.
The Great Beast, Bane of the Gods, and the Father of Demonkind. The Hell King was power unchecked and unmatched in ages ancient, and his vile influence suffuses all of the Hellstack Plane to this day.
The Iron Company is the preeminent Mercenary Guild of Maud’madir, and while they are most prominent in the Empire of Berphaunt, their Chapter Houses can be found in nearly every land and nation-state across the continent.
In the realm of Demons there was but one Angel: the Mortigeist. In the time before mortals he was the first creation of the Goddess Ll'yandra, an Archangel of the highest order. Ll'yandra created the Mortigeist, then called Whitethorn, to destroy demonkind.
T'was the night before High Winter, and all though the town, not a creature was stirring... well... maybe the drunken bastard who ran the orphanage.
The Trinador are an order of newly redeemed Fallen Angels who act as intermediaries between the divine and the mortal world. Their mandate is not political, territorial, or concerned with mortal governance.
An excerpt from the Historical Record of the Whiteraven Alliance by the Avian Asenath Khaye of Fall Society.
Founded by sacred accord in 2258, the Whiteraven Alliance is a group of nations bonded in unity against the expanding reign of the Empire of Berphaunt. They seek peace, protection, and freedom for their individual citizens.
An account of the signing of the People’s Accord of Nations at the Second Whiteraven Summit by Kai'raos, chronomancer spirit of Vesmir.
Born from the last and forsaken Golden Acorn to fall from the World Tree, Theodosia is the patron Deity of Travellers and Storytellers. From the wandering celestial plane known as the Ever-Winding Road, they encourage the peoples of Arthos to roam and experience its many wonders, for they most-fervently believe that travel is the cure for ignorance and hate.
Valdr controls the thunder and lightning from high above the realms in his celestial heaven of Valhalla. There in his great hall he watches the countless battles in the mortal realm. Valdr sends his angelic female warriors, the Valkyrie, to pick the bravest and most courageous of the fallen to serve him in the afterlife.
Once a singular Demon Prince named Beleth bin-Amon, with the disappearance of the King of Hell, and thus the only one they saw as an equal, they took drastic measures to fill their need for another such as them. With ancient and unchecked magics they rent themselves in two, forming the Prince and Princess Vandritas and Pergyntus.
Vesmir and his followers have seen the fragility of the timestream. As an extension of their dominion, each vigilantly serves to defend its integrity. The Gatekeeper alone interferes with the passage of time, to prevent irreparable disruption of the natural processes or to fix undermining breaches, ensuring that stability across his order is maintained.
Vretchka is the Infinite Swarm, the Winged Blight, and the Demon Prince of Corruption. From her seat in the rotting, fecund swamp known as the Spawning Pits of the Infinite Swarm, she lays immobile as her rotten loins constantly expel forth a rancid and loathsome host of demonic insects known collectively as Scourges.
A hearty and quick-tempered race, the fire-infused Vulcan dwarves make their home within Mount Dracos before their subterranean kingdom, Skalden, was overrun. Some have managed to escape their now occupied volcanic home and have begun to explore the strange surface world.
Warcry events are large multi-guild events organized and run by Underworld Global. They typically involve realm-spanning storylines that include Dragons, Gods and the highest tier of villains.
Wild Elves do their best to co-exist with nature, believing that the beasts and land are here for far more than simple exploitation. They consider few things worse than taking more than you need from the world.
The Wolven race has only been known to exist for a few hundred years. Rumoured to have been brought into existence by a powerful mage, their largest population centre is a settlement called Aslak, a town with no centralized government.
Distant cousins to the Faerie folk, Wood Fae, known to themselves as Na Daoine, pronounced "Na Deen-uh", are rumoured to have been born of magic within the forests of the world. This may account for many of the Wood Fae having an affinity to natural creatures.
Once a pack of demon-hunting fox Wolven known as the Charmolipi, the Yokai are a cursed and changed people doomed by a sacrifice they made in order to save innocent lives from a fearsome demonic lord.
In a Hell built on ambition, Zahadun alone embodies a paradox: the greatest crafter the Hellstack has ever known, yet cursed to create only ruin. His tools are flawless. His vision, unmatched. But his hands betray him. For no work wrought by Zahadun may serve his own ends. This is the decree etched into his flesh by a dying Archangel; a punishment sealed with divine law.
