*sweats* crap what's in a world guys

A repository of all things relating to Raisyr, a planet of magic. Travel guides, descriptions, and characters may show up here. This project is mostly fantasy and sci-fi

[unsettledmagic]

Spiritus - BIOMS301

[A tanscript of the introductory lecture to BIOMS301: Intermediate Magibiology at the University of Litani by the esteemed professor Na'aityr.

This document has been retrieved from the University of Litani’s Grand Archives.

Language: Litani Common]

Greetings to all who have chosen to take this course. To make sure, please double-check that you are indeed taking BIOMS301 and are registered for the course. If you are not in the right course, please consult with your advisor after class.

I am Na'aityr di'Dolse, Lecturer on Magibiology, and one of your course instructors here today. Your other lecturer will be addressing you in the next lecture. I believe that most of you are biologists or magical scholars? Am I correct? Ah, I see a few of you are engineers. This warms my hearts in truth. When I first started as a researcher, magibiology was still a relatively unknown field, sent to the wayside by kal'syr biology and physics. It made sense, considering how complex the microbiology of kal'syr was and how important it was to understanding the need for medicine and healing. On the other hand, physics allowed us to understand and describe the world in concrete and unchanging terms as far as our observations could carry us. Genetics, cell biology, and non-magical medical technology boomed as researchers and mages forged ahead in these fields. Yet, in these years, magibiology remained unexplored.

Fortunately, the mother of this field, Tyralis, forged a new vanguard when she studied the anatomy of kal'syr struck down by disease, noticing the strangely shriveled channels of those suffering from conversion syndrome alongside the full and tough channels of those stricken by purely biological diseases. It was there that Tyralis discovered what we now call the spiritus system, as she dissected these channels to determine the cause of death. From Tyralis' initial findings, the field was galvanized into action. The discovery that spiritus is linked to biology had changed the face of kal'syr biology forever. The system is seen as a wholly separate circulation system, powered by the natural movements of spiritus and the beating of one of our hearts.

We will come to learn the intricacies of the full system in the kal'syr in the coming weeks. Here, we can briefly see the spiritus channels interposed upon the veins and arteries of the circulatory system. However, it is important to note that the spiritus system differs in humans. On this note, we will be exploring comparative anatomy in depth in the di'syr towards the end of the course.

Now, if you would direct your attention to the board, we shall briefly go over the syllabus.

[unsettledmagic]

Rules of the Game

Note: Kind of a long story? It looks sorta long on here, but who knows. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Also I’m so sorry if this seems dry as hell for whatever reason? I haven’t written a thing in a long time that was actually fiction or character-related (Darn those academic papers!). 

But yeah, anyways, it’s a short story about a baseball game and why no one ever lets Luxe di’Hyrn pitch a game. Ever.

A raptor screeched, circling over the scrubby fields. It easily rode the updrafts fon its long, narrow wings as the sun rose higher in the sky. For once, the winds were quiet. Though the customary whistling was absent, the empty space it left behind was filled with raucous cheers and taunts. And then, a loud crack ripped through the noise, heralding the sound of a flying ball.

“Move!” A ruddy-faced man shouted at the batter, furiously motioning at the dithering batter. “If you don’t, I’m going to kick your ass!”

The batter gulped and galloped towards first base. On the other side of the field, an outfielder snatched the ball out of the air. Seeing how fast the batter had galloped for first base, she had no choice but to whip the ball towards the other side of the field, praying that her teammate was fast enough to catch it.

The dust swirled around the base in that moment, a disappearing testament to the determination of both teams. A cry of “safe!” accompanied its settlement. The cheers went up again, drowning out the jeers from the batting team.  

“Come on, they caught it before Rag’nyr even got to the base! What are you saying, ref?” The pitcher protested, holding out his hands in exasperation.

“Sorry, Aegyr, the eyes don’t lie. I saw Rag slide in before the baseman even got to the base.”

“Ugh, really? Fine. Who’s next?” Aegyr grumbled, turning back towards the home plate. He shuffled the ball from hand to hand, studying the next batter. He nodded and adjusted his cap, maintaining eye contact with his catcher. They were going to get this guy out for sure.

As the next batter took a few practice swings before stepping up to the plate, the crowd quietened down, less energetic than before. In all respect, it was a sparse crowd, composed of guard members that chose to sit out the game and the few visitors to the Whistling Walls. They lounged around on makeshift chairs, passing around dark gray bottles and laughing at stories. It seemed that they weren’t paying attention to the game, but then again, who would? It was just a match between the old people and the new recruits.

All that was on stake was personal pride. Plus, the puffed-up self-assurance that the old team had never lost a game since the new captain took the reins a decade ago.

Then again, the new recruits weren't told about all of the rules. It wasn't like they had to – everyone knew how to play the age-old game of baseball. With a few modifications, of course.

The new batter took a swing, stepping towards the mound. The ball glanced off the edge of the batA well-meaning groan went up among the spectators as the pop fly was snapped up by a particularly bright-eyed youngster, encouraged to jump a little higher by a quick puff of wind. Nothing was said, but someone had figured out one of the rules. As the teams exchanged bats and gloves, another spectator joined the crowd, hauling a box of clinking jars.

"Hey! Didn't think you would show up, Jack." A grizzled veteran greeted the newcomer as she stood up to take the box of his hands.

"Was held up by my birds getting skittish on the road for nothing. Least, I'm here. How much did I miss?" Jack asked, stretching out the kinks in his shoulders.

"Oh, this is the first change-up. The newbies seem to know what they're doing this year at least." She rummaged through the box. A short gasp of delight escaped her lips as she pulled out a jar, filled with purple liquid. "Dear me, you always know how to make us old people happy."

"Anything for the people who saved my sanity." Jack grinned, taking a jar of his own. He unscrewed the lid and took a sip, relishing in the stinging but sweet flavor of the drink. "Oh, I see Lu's pitching. They shouldn't have let him do that."

The other spectators murmured in agreement, remembering their first games. The oppressive aura from so slight a man on the pitcher's mound – as if the Demon King himself had descended upon this silly game – it was enough to make any player shiver. They turned their eyes towards the mound, waiting to see what would happen next.

The first pitch floated in the air, luring the batter into a foul ball as the ball glanced off the side of the bat. The second pitch, a simple fastball, was nothing to write home about. Yet the batter missed. Steeling themselves for the final ball, the batter glared at Luxe, as if it could unsettle him. Tossing the ball high in the air, Luxe grinned, the delight creeping across his face as a slow-moving storm front.

The third pitch was over before they knew it. A loud oof was the only evidence that it had been pitched at all. The catcher fell over, unable to completely stop the ball from slamming into the fence behind him.

Everyone goggled at Luxe, who simply tipped his cap.

"Legendary fastball indeed. Too bad they don't allow magic in official games at all." Jack laughed. "It's all in the first rule of this game after all. Anything goes."

[simplyoriginalcharacters]

Character Bootcamp Prompt #3: If your character could go back in time to give their childhood self one piece of advice, what would it be?

We encourage you to use these prompts to develop aspects of your characters that you may not have previously considered. You may consider them on your own, reblog them with commentary, or even send us asks about your thoughts - we’d love to hear what you’re working on!

[unsettledmagic]

Jack paused. The wind was brisk, smelling of future snow and quiet sorrows. As for this whole deal, he thought that it was, perhaps, a god or a guardian of time playing a cruel trick on him. The old people sitting in the tea rooms always told stories of people, thrown backwards in time Whatever the explanation may be, he was standing on the curb, looking up at his old technical school.

“You a student?” A familiar voice inquired, coming from someone behind him.

“I was.” Jack turned around to see his younger self, munching away on a steamed bun.

“Wait a lit.” The other Jack squinted. His eyebrows drew together in confusion. “You’re not Lu. He’s up at the peaks, doing some work. Who in the world are you?”

“A future, probably. That’s what all wise men say anyways, if they had to see their younger self.” He shrugged. “I’m supposed to give you some sort of advice. Except, nothing’s coming to mind right now.”

“Good to know I apparently don’t change all that much.”

“Appreciated. Nothing like unwanted advice, right?” He smiled wryly.

“How’s Kiki? I had to leave her behind when I went to school.”

Jack paused, the first silver of uncertainty flitting across his eyes. “Kiki’s grown larger, but, well, she’s doing all right. Treat her properly, eh?”

As the last word left his mouth, he could see the doubt in his younger self’s face. A question slowly formed on his lips, trickling out in thick sludge. “Where is she?”

“She’s honestly fine. It’s been a rough few years for the both of us.”

“She’s not with you though?”

“You know, life has its ways of throwing you around for a loop. Not like the time gods want to send a hunk of metal back in time with me, yeah? If you really want my advice, then, maybe, treasure your family.” He was interrupted by a snort. Jack rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “Okay, fine, you don’t have to treasure them, but at least visit them more often than I did. And visit Kiki.”

“But I have exams this week, I can’t --”

“Then just pop by briefly! Damn.” Jack swore, seeing the characteristic swirl of golden energy encircle him. “Do what you think is right!”

He saw his younger self reach out for him and then suddenly, he was dropped back unceremoniously back at the feet of a grinning man.

“Fun trip, Jack?”

“Oh, shut it, idiot time.”

[unsettledmagic]

An Introduction to Spiritus

“Do you not smell it? Can you not see it? Should you feel it? The very air around these parts vibrates with a mythical energy, encouraging the most natural of all processes in us -- living.” -- Hushed Words from a Scholar

The kal'syr hold the concept of the spirit, or the soul, close to their hearts. They believe that ultimately, the soul is part of a greater whole and when a kal'syr dies, they return to the Great Spirit to be reincarnated as a new being. To them, personality and talent is contained within the soul, while the body is simply a physical vessel. In a way, spiritual energy is charged with all the past experiences of previous vessels, and there are occasions where a di'syr recalls the deepest origins of their talent, reaching beyond the possibilities of a mortal lifespan.

While this perspective may be contrary to what the humans believe, most di'syr collectively agree that the source of magic is biological in nature. In itself, magic is an expression of the spirit -- many Raisyrians wield it as naturally as breathing. However, for humans, this proves a bit more difficult, as magic is a recent development for them.

Exactly what does wielding one's spirit entail?

Any di'syr can spin tales of how a talented magus cut the mountains in half in order to bring the rivers to a drought-stricken town. These stories are as old as spiritus itself and only speak to the furthest possibilities of one's talents. In reality, spiritus is a key part of everyday life. Perhaps a di'syr may encourage the winds to look down fondly upon their ships; perhaps, another may coax the secrets of a hushed conversation from brick walls; and even a different di'syr may be able to glimpse the myriad future, constantly changing with each second they move through.

[unsettledmagic]

Worldbuilding Wednesday! If the Kal'syr are related to dinosaurs, do they have feathers anywhere on their bodies?

The kal’syr are descended from a species that is analogous to our dinosaurs but they don’t really possess feathers. Though, thinking about it, they have feather-like tufts along their tail when young, that gives way to spinal protrusions, since it’s mainly used for balance.

Plus, their skin are covered in flexible scales that are generally smooth to the touch, but will bristle if rubbed the wrong way. It does hurt if you do that, but won’t really break skin.

Most members of the kal’syr range from grayish shades to black, with the secondary colors -- usually lighter than their scale color -- mainly seen in their cranial crests and the arrangement of spinal protrusions on their tail.

[unsettledmagic]

Teeth. As it is theorized, many human biologists believe that the kal’syr are descended from Raisyr’s analogs for dinosaurs, given many parallels between the two groups. Unlike current archosaurs, something that caught the attention of many human biologists is the development and appearance of kal’syr teeth. Though a portion of kal’syr teeth are laterally compressed, there is a clear arrangement of teeth in their jaws. Interestingly enough, kal’syr and human biologists have been collaborating on research

In terms of dental formula, the upper jaw has a formula of 2.1.2.2, or two incisors, one canine, two pre-molars, and two molars. The lower jaw has a formula of 2.2.3.2, or two incisors, two canines, three premolars, and two molars. Most biologists would classify kal’syr dentition as heterodont, with particularly pronounced and elongated canines as well as sharply ridged molars built for shearing meat. On top of all that, they replace their pre-molars and incisors continuously over their lifetime, while canines and molars are permanent after they are replaced for the first time. Kal’syr jaws are usually large enough to accommodate all of their teeth from birth with some rare exceptions.

Most of their teeth interlock -- there have been cases of an overbite or underbite, but this is easily corrected due to the use of healing techniques during surgery. Moreover, most kal’syr have grooves along their lips in order to accommodate the canines as they typically protrude from either the upper jaw or the lower jaw.

Ok, but wait a second. Why does this matter?

Honestly? I like rambling about teeth. And this helps in determining diet for a lot of animals. As previously mentioned, kal’syr are mainly carnivores, although they are capable of digesting plant material to a certain extent. Their canines and molars are built to cut through muscle and sinew. This is a remnant of long-gone days due to the invention of serving utensils. Another interesting quirk of their digestive system is that they ingest rocks on a regular basis to help grind tougher meat and plant materials. Kal’syr do possess an organ similar to the gizzard in archosaurs on Earth, where the majority of mechanical digestion occurs.

Again, the staples in a kal’syr diet includes fishes and poultry, supplanted by plant material such as seaweed, bark, fruits, and berries, depending on their geographic location. They do possess taste buds, though a lot of interpretation of how food tastes varies based on their physiology and culture. For instance, many humans have often complained about how much more saltier and savory kal’syr food is.

[unsettledmagic]

Worldbuilding Wednesday! Do the Kal'syr have any special dishes they prepare?

Bear with me for this post, because I haven’t really established a lot of flora/fauna/names stuff yet, so a lot of the food references are probably going to be similar to Earth’s.

So the kal’syr are sorta patterned after archosaurs except they have mammal-like dentition. I haven’t settled on a specific dental set-up yet, but what I definitely think is concrete is that they’re primarily carnivores but they can and will eat plants (grains and vegs) since they are able to grind those up in their gizzard and digest them.

The main staples for kal’syr are typically poultry and seafood (including fishes and shellfishes). Most meals are accompanied with a grain such as rice and millet. Seaweed and kelp also figures prominently in their diet, as well as seeds and nuts. In terms of spices, many kal’syr living in on the Ashaii continent prefer their food to be bright and focused on ingredients, so they often use salt and syrup to highlight some of the specific characteristics of ingredients. But other spices they use are analogous to star anise, cinnamon, sesame, ginger, and more. That’s kind of a basic understanding I have for now of what the components of their meals are like (never mind figuring out agriculture and availability oops).

But why talk about food without mentioning actual dishes? Here’s a possible breakdown of meals during a regular day in Litan for a kal’syr:

Breakfast/First Sun - A common dish for many kal’syr and humans is rice porridge topped with slices of eel and dried kelp, served with a cup of strong citrus tea. Other dishes include light fishbone broth with fermented curd, savory chunks of agar, glutinous rice dumplings, and millet bars. Breakfast is usually light on the meat.

First Lunch/Mid Sun - It’s pretty common for breakfast items to be consumed for lunch, but there are some kal’syr dishes exclusive to the lunches. The first lunch is usually the lightest lunch and is often consumed while on the move. This lunch can be skipped in favor of a larger lunch later on in the day. These include pan-fried rice cakes, roasted legumes, kelp stew with clams, sweet bread, and pan-fried lustpalm leaves.

Second Lunch/Full Sun - This lunch occurs between the first lunch and the late meal, and is typically eaten with friends and acquaintances. This lunch is typically heavier and has an emphasis on sweets as well as more grain-based dishes. Common dishes include steamed fish over rice cakes, raw eel served with sweetbread, and sweet fruits served in agar custard.

Late Meal/Last Sun - For the kal’syr, the late meal represents an opportunity to eat a meal with families, especially extended ones, and neighbors. Typically, there’s a large collection of dishes accompanied by a multitude of desserts and copious amounts of tea. Main dishes often are composed of meats, such as whole steamed fish served with onions, tea-stewed shellfish, whole roasted poultry, and so on. These dishes are often lightly-seasoned in order to bring out the flavors of the meat. Accompanying the main dishes are multitudes of side dishes such as thickened fishhead stew, dried sour fish, sugar-dusted candied clams, and so on. Desserts and teas are an interesting affair, with the majority of desserts being very fruity and teas being brewed to play off the flavors of the dessert. It’s a really filling meal to be honest.

That’s kind of a break down of what a kal’syr could eat, but hey it’s /probably/ going to change once I figure out food availability, cooking styles, and their biology.

[unsettledmagic]

Woops a poorly edited sketch. It gets the point across at least.

Law di’Ruto, the Trickster Smith. He is mostly a wanderer, a supposed human, and an artisan. His loose circle of friends consider him an eccentric; others consider him a danger to society. It is said that his entrance into a new city is conducted with bright colors and fanfare, as he prances about the streets.

Though his permanent home is in the city of Varnesi, one could spy his face in the royal courts of Litan and the offices of Argnost. Surely, for a man among so many people of importance, Law must have some sort of claim to fame.

The answer is easily found in his works of art. A wooden sword that doesn’t cut. A door that doesn’t open. A book with pages of stone.

With a laugh and twirl, Law presents these gifts to unsuspecting individuals. Although they may seem useless, the power of these artifacts reveal themselves in times when they are least expected, but welcome.

After all, what more could we expect from one blessed by the Souls of the Inner Sea?

[unsettledmagic]

What Does It Mean? - “Kal’syr”

Probably going to keep that picture on the “What Does It Mean?” post. I really like it a lot lol.

Time for a post about names and stuff. This is part of the conlang for the kal’syr, but that’s subject to change because I’m not the best conlanger, and I’m still doing a lot of the names on the fly. Trying to keep this system more or less, consistent though.

Kal’syr. This is the name used to reference the six-limbed reptilian sentients that are the main residents of Raisyr. Formally, it is recognized as the proper way to refer to them as a whole.

The word roughly translates to “scaled thinker” in the kal’syr Common dialect. It arose to prominence after the expansion of the meaning of their previous word, “di’syr” [one who believes], was extended to humans and the caris-tani.

[kal] stands in as “scaled” or “ancient.” [syr] refers to “being” or “one that lives.” The combination of those two parts create a description for these reptilian sentients, at least, by their own terms.

It’s definitely way better than calling them “stickbugs” or “bug lizards.” There are still humans that call the kal’syr much to the chagrin of many kal’syr. This language is slowly getting phased out.

[unsettledmagic]

The Kal’syr - An Introduction and Biology

[This write-up about the kal’syr comes from parts of a human biologist's report from the Raisyr Primer for Xenobiologists. The primer was an early-settlement human document detailing the new information and results of research conducted on Raisyr. It remains an important document because of its significance as educational material to establish cordial kal’syr-human relations.]

Perhaps one of the most intriguing differences between Terran and Raisyrian life is the prevalence of the six-limbed body plan. Though orientations and usage vary, this body plan is best demonstrated with the kal'syr, the main sentient species on Raisyr.

The kal'syr are large, reptilian bipedals with six limbs. The average kal'syr height is around 1.5m. Variations are present depending on ethnic group and geographical location, with the largest kal'syr documented at around 1.8m and the shortest documented at 1.0m. Coloration They have four arms with four digits on each hand. These digits are typically double-jointed and are able to grasp objects. Moreover, they have opposable thumbs on all hands. Their heads are reptilian, with similarities to monitor lizards in terms of shape. The skeletal system bears similarity to Terran systems where most bones are composed of mineralized tissue (often calcium). Interestingly enough, their plate scales are also included as part of the skeletal system because of their role in support and protection. These plate scales are found on the arms and legs and function as a partial exoskeleton. In other parts of the body, internal organs and systems are protected by a tough, leathery skin.

Many sensory organs are concentrated in the head. They have a vomeronasal system that works in tandem with their spiritus system. Moreover, their eyes are forward-facing, but do not exhibit the same visual acuity as humans due to their reliance on the spiritus system. There are ear-like protrusions located posterior to the eyes. The membranous structures that these protrusions support are part of a complex sensory and circulatory system unique to the kal'syr. This aids their ability to detect environmental magic and sounds associated with certain expressions. Most kal'syr possess at least one pair, though many have two pairs. There are ear holes located at the base of the spiritus protrusions. It is theorized that the shape of these protrusions conduct sounds into the inner ear, though their ability to differentiate and detect different sounds is unknown. On the dorsal side of the head is a flexible cartilaginous protrusion that bears resemblence to crests found in Terran reptiles. These come in many different colors and appearances.

In terms of dentition, kal'syr teeth consists of two incisors, two canines, varying numbers of premolars, and three modified molars on one side. They replace their teeth two to three times over their lifetime. This marks their dietary style as omnivorous. Moreover, their digestive system bears many similarities to the human digestion system, with an extended small intestine for the digestion and absorption of magical energy.

Kal'syr do not exhibit strong sexual dimorphism, though there are differences in the established sexes. Lar'kal are generally larger and exhibit more colorful coloration and markings. However, their arms are more slender and they do not have spinal thorns as the males do. Nayr'kal are generally smaller and have larger tail-tufts. They also have spinal thorns beginning from the base of their neck to to the mid-tail region. These spinal thorns correlate with breeding seasons and often will grow at the beginning of the season with velvety coverings, only to break off at the end of the season. This process is a generally uncomfortable one and requires energy to regrow bone.

More research must be conducted in order to verify the veracity of some of these claims. However, we are happy to note that kal'syr biologists are willing to collaborate with human biologists for further exploration of anatomy and physiology.

[unsettledmagic]

Humans - More Information Pt 1

The Origin of Humans and Alt-Earth - Some Tidbits

Humans are weird. You may notice there’s a Pt 1 in the title, and this is basically just additional information about them, that may not necessarily fit anywhere in the setting (FOR NOW!).

First off, some meta stuff. I’m going to try to do a sketch a post and post those. They might be relevant. They might not be. She just happens to be a human hence why she’s there. But who is she? Well, that might come up... eventually. I hope!

And without further ado, here’s some information on the origin of humans living on Raisyr and other weird... stuff?

Humans are from an alternate history version of the Earth we know and love. In this alternate history, not much has changed, except a giant asteroid by the name of Apophis crashed into central Europe, screwing up infrastructure and lives there for decades to come. Meanwhile, countries, upon realizing that "oh shit, we might need to do something about this," began upping their funding into researching space exploration and defense systems.

The Apophis crash began the Second Age of Space on Earth, resulting in the eventual launching of settlement ships pointed at distant exoplanets that could harbor life. While only a portion of the population was able to be housed in these ships, the selection methods were dependent on the countries/alliances sending the ships.

The United Asia Alliance, which included major powers of Asia such as China, Japan, and India, had the most successful settlement initiative. The results of their success can be seen with the descendants of the original human settlers on Raisyr.

This means that most humans are of Chinese/Japanese/Indian/etc descent with a lot of influence on culture, aesthetic, and language being based on different ethnic groups in Asia. As for the success of other alliances' initiatives – that remains unknown for now.

[unsettledmagic]

Humans - An Introduction

Taken from initial drafts for an article found on the CloudNet written by a kal’syr biologist

Author Notes: Ahahah I know this is pretty late according to the Worldbuilding June schedule, but what can I say? I’m an extreme procrastinator. There’s still stuff to clean up and all that, but that’s going to be fun. Anyways have a read, ask me questions

Humans, also referred to as Homo sapiens, are hairy bipeds composed of carbon-based derivatives. Contrary to the body plans of most fauna found on Raisyr, humans evolved from a tetrapodal body plan, given their extraterrestrial planetary origins. Two hind limbs are devoted to walking and navigating terrain and two forelimbs are devoted to carrying objects and manipulating them. Most humans have hair on the majority of their body. The hair is especially thick around the cranial and genital regions for protection and warmth. Their skin, unlike the kal’syr’s plated scales, is soft and supple. The primary material for their skin, according to human biologists, is “keratin”, a type of material that many complex Terran organisms use within their body. Moreover, they also state that there are other types of body materials that differ from that of Raisyrian organisms, meriting further experimentation on Terran organisms in the future.

Many complex body systems are found underneath the human skin. The most interesting systems to us are their circulatory and lymphatic systems, which is primarily composed of an iron-based liquid and other components such as bio-fragments and energy. They lack the customary spiritus system. Instead, most humans have additional growths in their circulatory and lymphatic systems in order to handle the influx of magical energy from sources such as food and water. This does mean that magical ability in humans is hampered by their ability to process it, as most magical energy inherent within food is lost during digestion.

Magic was generally viewed as a myth by many humans when they first arrived. The first generations of human settlers primarily relied on their own technology and databases from Earth, though the effectiveness of this technology was affected by the lack of resources and interference from environmental energies. At some point in the recent past, groups of humans acquired limited ability to manipulate specific aspects of nature, typically generalized to fire, wind, water, and earth. Their ability to manipulate magical energies further expanded to manipulation of man-made technology and creation magic, among several examples. Though seemingly spontaneous, this newfound ability was the result of a complex symbiotic relationship with organisms akin to bacteria colonies. The ability to perform magic has spread within new generations to the point that most humans are able to perform some basic level of elemental manipulation at minimum.

While humans are a minority on Raisyr, they have established states on the Ashaii continent. Most of the human population is concentrated in Argnost, a country founded by the first joint leadership council between kal’syr and humans. Also, the language spoken by most humans share similar but disparate markers with the Litani dialect and still remains difficult to translate due to volume and many idiomatic expressions. Likewise, the kal’syr Common is also difficult to translate as well due to physical constraints and contextual hand positions during speech. In order to bridge this gap, most communications between the two groups

Despite a long and historic relationship, human-kal’syr relations are currently tenuous because of communication barriers and disagreements over natural resources.

[unsettledmagic]

Admittedly, I actually hate making maps. Tons of research, and it also takes a while for me to figure out what biomes, geography, and everything else is in Raisyr.

Though, on the other hand, it is pretty similar to Earth (to make it easier for me ahahaha). My main focus right now in building the setting is the Ashaii Continent, but eventually I’ll get to the Old Country, and what exactly it means it to the di’syr of Raisyr.

Biomes and Elevation maps are still a work in progress, but hey, it’s a start yeah?

[unsettledmagic]

[The Geography of Litan] - An Excerpt

[The Geography of Litan] is a traveler’s guide to notable landforms of the Litani Empire. It was penned by an enterprising human journalist, Yahui, who had hoped to encourage his friends to travel throughout the Ashaii continent. Currently, many human settlements are located on this continent, being especially concentrated in Argnost. Below is an excerpt from the book, describing Litani, the capital city of the Empire.

Litani, also known as the Ruined Cities, is one of the oldest cities found on the Ashaii Continent. The city's foundations are built on the ruins of previous civilizations that arose before the establishment of Litan Empire. This can be plainly seen in the white, weathered stones of many of the older walls. The city itself seems to be carved into the side of the jagged cliffs. In actuality, throughout the Ashaii continent, cliff cities are a common sight, allowing for ease of access to the Inner Sea while also being defensible against magical assaults and oncoming armies. The views from one of Litani's many levels still strikes awe in many residents as they go about their daily business. For the enterprising traveler, locals often say that if a di'syr ascends the Quadrangle Steps before daybreak, they are greeted with the shy rays of dawn rising over the Far Sea before the city alights with the chatter of residents going about their daily business.

The geography of the surrounding region is astounding to behold. And even more so, for Litani is a reflection of all of the shu'tai's architectural accomplishment and their ability to change their environment. The city itself perches on limestone cliffs overlooking the Gateway. Though collectively called Litani, the city is split up into two halves, affectionately referred to as the Eastern Cliff and the Western Cliff. Travel between the two halves is accomplished through seasonal footbridges from different levels of the city or by boats from the docks at sea level. A few enterprising kal'syr have also tried flight and other methods in order to ease travel between the two halves, but these efforts have been hampered by the strange anti-magical properties of the city itself. Some researchers have theorized that it may be the result of a calamity in old times, while others point to the rocks as the cause.

Between the cliffs, the sea is deep enough for the passage of most large trading ships and the occasional warship. Ships that do not intend to cross the channel are often docked on either side of the city at the lower levels. While the passageway to the Far Sea opens up quickly into open ocean, travelers entering the Litani Straits are immediately struck by the deep shadows cast by the cliffs of Litani and the nearby "islands." Though not as impressive as Litani, the islands seem as if they were carved out of a singular mountain, almost precariously balanced on a thick pillar of limestone. Glyphs are carved into the sides of the island, freshly covered with indigo paints. The original purpose of these symbols are known only to the residents of the islands, who meticulously maintain them year after year. Visitors to these islands are uncommon; often they are scientists or student mages hoping to gain entrance to the expansive libraries hewn into the rocky islands.

As one makes their way towards the outskirts of the upper city, the white stone eventually gives way to scrub-like mosses and crumbling roads. It is rare to see a tree for days, until one reaches the edges of the empire, though long, wavy grasses flutter in the breeze by the roadside. The road slopes towards the sea, opening up from the narrow clifftops into plains of verdant green shrubs and grasses. The inland sea can be seen from the trade roads. On the other side roars the Far Sea as it rolls onto the rocky beaches. Boulders litter the side of the road, eliciting stories of old battles and arguments between the gods among travelers looking for companionship. Here and there along the road, short, squat, square buildings crop up, a fishy smell wafting in from between the doors. Sometimes, a traveler can glimpse racks of slender fishes, drying in the sun by the huts before being hauled off to the market. The trade road itself snakes through groves of lust-ferns and hanging glories towards Varnessi and Argnost beyond the Ashaii Gates.

[unsettledmagic]

A Proper Introduction: Should’ve Been Done Days Ago

Hello everyone! I’m TheoreticalSelkie, the main author (hell, the only author) of this setting, which I’ve lovingly and arbitrarily named Raisyr. I mean, there’s some internal logic with the language spoken by beings on Raisyr, but that’s something I’ve yet to make or even figure out. I’m aiming for it to be mainly a fantasy setting with underpinnings of sci-fi, but well, we’ll see where that goes.

For me specifically, my main interests are in evolutionary biology and biomedical technology so some of my musings may trend in that general direction, although I do have to do a lot of research for everything else ahahah, but I hope to learn as I’ve always done from working on this project.

As for the setting, Raisyr is a rocky planet that orbits a sun of some kind. It exists in the same universe as our Earth, yet follows its own seemingly odd rules when it comes to things such as magic and physics. Humans are a recent arrival to the planet after decades (or is it millenias?) of deep space travel, and at first, there are uneasy tensions between the human colonists and the shu’tai. And that’s where we are for now.

My main blog is anomalous-object and I basically don’t really post all that much on that blog (for now!).

Askbox is always open for questions!

[unsettledmagic]

An Introduction

From [The Words of a Devil], translated by ----—

Us devils say that the world began with us. The other devils are young, however, and some hardly remember the beginnings of what we call "magic." And how magic flows through the heart of Raisyr!

It wasn't always this way. The oldest of us speak of the "Lord," who challenged the skies and fell to the earth with a broken heart. In these times, they were the only di'syr, blessed to live forever and see the world with their own eyes. Though they partook of the world, their eyes were always towards the Heavens where the stars and Old Gods were.

Their resolve, declared in the rock of the Old World, and their spirit, blazing brightly with the young Sun, the Lord leaped towards the skies. They reached the edge of the stars, where the Heavens began. And there, they found the scowling Visage waiting for them. Beyond this point they could not pass. With eyes glinting with defiance, the Lord pushed beyond past the Visage, only to be thrown backwards into the World by an unseen force.

The two deities, the Lord and the Visage, continued to duel for millenia, neither having an advantage over the other. Until finally the Lord clawed past formed planets and dead stars and kneeled in front of the Visage, offering their hearts to the cold, unflinching skull that taunted them at every turn.

The Visage, in its confusion, accepted the hearts. Before they could utter another word, the Lord plummeted to the ground, their bones resting in all four corners of the world. Magic began to bloom where the bones fell, until all of Raisyr glowed with a different light.

From [Report Z18145: Initial Surveys of Surface]

As one of the active crewmembers of the Heavenly Stars, it is my pleasure to confirm that the atmospheric conditions of HOUYI-32C are similar to those of Terra. The planet exhibits signs of thriving life as well as water in large abundance. There are some initial signs of man-made formations that are worth investigating. It is important to note that thus far, the data we have gathered is consistent with preliminary pre-travel data.

As a precaution, we advise the investigatory teams to wear environmental suits until more information is gleaned from further investigations. The next expedition is scheduled to be next cycle at what we have determined to be two hours after noon.