Dohmain-1

A World combining Gaslamp tech, Alchemy, and Magic

Type: Blossom

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Overview

The World of Dohmain is a crossing between Technology and Magic, in which humans, elves, dwarves, magical and diabolical and monsterous people and fairy-folk interact on a free basis with one another. Following the rise of the Eternal Queen of Victory in her capital of and the sudden uptick in research in technology, alchemy and magic the world of Dohmain (properly referred to by its inhabitants as 'an Dohman') exists in flux within itself. Rising from within the Ever-Reaching Isle Kingdom, the Three Orders of Illumination work to protect the Eternal Queen and her rule blending exploration, recording, and stabilizing areas of unrest in the Leylines that once crossed and intersected the world, but have become stretched as their paths lead out to the new lands.

Not all are equal in the Ever-Reaching Isle Kingdom, though. As new countries became annexed, their local variant of of unfriendly supernatural creatures waged attacks on human and blended settlements, sowing the seeds of fear. From these seeds grew a variety of anti-magic sentiments, and the groups that follow when others band together in fear -- cheif among them is the Burning Brotherhood: technological fighters who sought to capture and destroy any magic users -- human, fairy, or otherwise.

Beyond the Ever-Reaching Isles lay exotic lands: the Dunes of Uruk; The Thousand Kingdoms, the Great Northern Empire, myriad other kingdoms and countries and across the azure sea, the New Isles, where there still lay untamed wildnerness and new adventures.

Connecting to the World Tree has created an interesting change in the flow of leylines around the world, a pathway leading to and from the world through the North Vineland Kingdoms, creating the merchant-and-magic city of Crossroads Fjord, bustling and rising up in a mere two years time as a neutral territory and commonwealth of the world, where tourism and learning is paramount. From Crossroads, you can find anywhere in an Dohman, and all roads lead Home. Technology is slow to pick up here, since so much can be replicated using blended tech and magic, or simply isn't fashionable enough with the royalty and celebrity of the time.

Magic

MAGIC describes the ability to manifest myriad effects using either reagents to create potions, concoctions or powdered effects (in the case of Alchemy) or affecting leylines (Thaumaturgy) or manipulating in-born powers (True Magic), in the case of many magical creatures and some humans. All creatures and peoples can learn alchemy, most can learn thaumaturgy, not all people or creatures have access to True Magic. Magic, as all energies can, be stored via technology and alchemy blending into batteries and effects to be used by those who know no forms of magic. Examples: An Alchemist can create Alchemist's Fire and bottle it. A Thamaturgist may offer an incantation or magic word to pull power from the leylines and create fire. A creature with true magic can simply catch your pantsleg on fire if you're caught lying for their amusement. No one likes the jerk creatures who do this, however, and it's generally poor taste to lie to anyone anyway.

Technology

Low Technology describes machinery, automations and automatons that are not powered by any magic in its most basic form. The level of technology in Dohmain is best described as 'Steampunk' -- or anachronistic at best for the Victorian era. Submersible ships running on steam power, dirigibles and lighter-than-air ships piloted by sylphs and guided along air currents along leylines for powering their instruments is not unusual for this world. An industrial revolution powered by boilers and turbines has long errupted in this world, with newfangled electric lights coming into vogue and threatening the gaslamp industry. Magical or High Technology is the mating of Alchemy, Thaumaturgy or True Magic with technology in the form of brilliant automatons powered by spellwork and gears, mirror-doors which can transport you to the partnered portal, torches that run on magically-charged batteries, or even the medicine of the hospitals that treat test pilots and other poor souls caught up in "The Next Big Innovation".

Populations

The population of an Dohmain varies on the country and region, but most visited areas consist mostly of humans, elves, dwarves and halfmen/halflings, all of whom can be found in any variation across the world. While Humans are the most populous, due to their ease of breeding, they have the shortest lifespans (not entirely due to the strange fascination with increasing their technology sometimes at the cost of others). Halflings are the next long-lived, followed by dwarves who may live for several human lifetimes, but tend to be homebodies. Elves vary in form, size, and sometimes even color by region -- an Elf from the center of the Ever-Reaching Isles may be willowy and pale, while an Elf from the Dunes of Uruk may be dark-toned in skin and a little more swarthy in form. Every region tends to have a slightly different form of elf, dwarf, or halfling, roughly corrosponding to humanity. As humans (and half-humans) can happily breed with nearly every other type of race in the world -- with the exception of a few particularly unsuitably sized or figured races like small fae or very large giants -- crossbreeds are a common occurance in large cities.

Fey

Fey, Fay, Faerie, Fairy, Wee Folk, a catch-all term used to describe roughly humanoid creatures who are not humans, dwarves, elves, or halflings. Typically highly magical. Too many variations in different regions to list all, but inclusive of leprauchuns, pixies, nixies, sprites, darusith, bean sith, people of the bark, etc. Can be long lived or short lived. Sometimes accused of stealing human children, often have their own courts and rules within the lands of others, and nearly universally have weaknesses to cold iron.

The Orders of Illumination

A collection of different dynastic orders in service to Her Eternal Majesty. These orders are each headed by a Grand Master, five lieutenant masters, nine lords and a variety of knights, scribes, scouts and mages depending on the needs of the order.

The Order of the Brilliant Sword
    A Militaristic division, typically dour and charged first and foremost with the physical protection of the Ever-Reaching Isles. Technology tends to be favored, followed by alchemy and good old fashioned melee fighters. Represented by a sword, inverted, over a flame.

The Order of the Mourning Star
    Peacekeepers, medical staff, doctors and magical healers. Religious teachers and others who work towards peace within the Isles and its holdings. Blended technology and thaumaturgy is at work here, establishing hospitals, temples and churches. Embrace almost all religious icons -- in so far as they do not cause unrest among their breathren. Some would mistake the order for being solely clergy, but as the Brilliant Sword acts as the army of the Orders, so is the Mourning Star the police force.

The Order of the Pen-of-the-Moon
    Scribes, schollars, researchers and general homebodies. The brilliant minds and thinkers and arguers who record the travels and tribulations of others. Keenly interested in pouring over any old book and new tech they can get their hands on. Represented by a quill and a crescent moon, this is the order for those who are fascinated by all the new developments coming along the World Tree. Tend to be curious, but far more cautious than their more adventurous brothers-in-arms.

The Order of the Sage Lantern
    Less formal than the others. Explorers, tinkers, spies, roguish types who like the thrill of outside discovery and chance. Badge consists of a latern with an open door and a small flame. This is the order most encountered outside the battles and annexations of the Isles, full of those who are stricken with wanderlust, who cannot settle for retirement, or simply some who did not belong at home.

The Order of the Black Lily
    Her Majesty's Secret Service. Spies, assassins, the creatures that go bump in the night. Bogies and nightmares, goblins in her employ. Vampires and wailing women, the Unseen and Unheard and least of all acknowledged. Publicly does not exist, and only a fraction the size of the other orders. Its members are identified by a black lily tattoo that only shows when currently on employ.

The Burning Brotherhood

Sowers of discord and calamity. Encourage the hunting and extermination of any creatures or peoples magical. Largely human-centric for the sole reason of humans being the most populous people on the world. Heavily favor technology and will happily use any advanced technology they find, from machine guns to experimenting with cybernetics.

The Eternal Queen

Her Royal Majesty the Eternal Queen of the Ever-Reaching Isles, Royal Mistress of the Orders of Illumination, affectionately known as The Queen of Victories and the Old Dame of the Glass Castle, unaffectionately known as 'Mad Peg'. Queen Margarent, outside addresses at the royal palace, rarely makes public appearances citing health concerns (an assassination attempt). Having secured her immortality, she intends to stay in power through technological and magical conquest of her own world -- feigning no interest in creating new lands under her banner outside their little section of the World Tree, but intent on exploring possibilities of different magic and technology from beyond her realm. She will not meet directly with dignitaries from other kingdoms, preferring to have her Grand Masters enact her will on her behalf. She has little interest -- or need -- in producing an heir to the throne.