Tales of Aria Wikia

## Welcome to the Tales of Aria Wikia

Tales of Aria takes place in an advanced world both magically and technologically; because of this, its people are naturally at odds. Many believe technology to be the path to the future, and only by harnessing it can civilization be protected from the unknown perils of the world. This ideology is spawned from a cataclysmic event in their history, one which is believed to have been lightened by the use of psionically fueled tech known as “Metatech”; without which, the world itself may have been turned lifeless. On the other-side of the coin, others believe it was the very use of this technology which brought The Cataclysm, and reviving it will only bring more suffering. Those who do not cling to either side choose to see a third path, one which involves the harmonious unification of both tools in order to create a lasting existence in a hostile world.

The world itself is very diverse, filled with all manners of sentient life forms, thus allowing for some cities to be massive melting pots of various races and cultures. From the nobel kitsune to the stanch half-orge, the streets run rich with the very essence of abnormality. Even the outcasts and the monstrous find homes in the known world; this comes at a price however. For every free-city which opens its doors to the masses, there is another with rampant xenophobia, unwilling to allow even the most harmless of others to roam their streets. Many half-breed vagrants have found themselves, having survived a perilous journey and now desperate for shelter and food, slowly withering away at the gates to unwavering fanaticism.

From the corners of the world, gold flows freely, particularly through The Free-Cities: a group of centralized trade power-houses. Through the mighty hammer of the republic, these societies sprung up from the collapse of The Blitz Empire, which fell during the end of The Last Age (roughly 300 years ago). They made their mark on the world by employing the empire’s former slaves and creating massive merchant and artisan classes. By connecting two sides of the globe which had been previously cut off from one another due to the empire’s strict trading policies, they forged a deep running trade network which has still yet to see its prime, growing only more profitable each and every decade.

As you pull away from the great cities you will find numerous villages and hamlets, many of which too small to have memorable names. They too benefit from the prosperity of The Free-Cities. As traders and adventurers alike travel the roads they often find themselves wanting more than a bedroll and rations by a shanty camp fire, all the while fearing what may come for them in the night. Instead they’ll rest their heads on feather pillows, after filling their gut with fine locally brewed ale and mead at any inn they may come across, and sure they may not remember the name of the town, or the brew which gave them heavy eyes, but they’ll always know it’s better than being outside in the night.

But there is a reason for this. In the world of Aria, the night brings terrors, and terrors bring stories. After the collapse of The Blitz Empire, creatures began to sprawl up, terrorizing any settlements which failed to create a militia fast enough. Thousands were killed like cattle as the Blitz Army abandoned their posts and returned home, essentially leaving the entire territory defenseless. Where the monsters came from, no one knows, but from that day on it became evident that it would take high walls and sharp blades to keep the people alive.

From this, The Guilds were born. Calling on adventurers from every corner of the globe to join their ranks for gold and glory. Guilds gave the people a place to find help when no government existed to help them, and ex-soldiers a job when there existed no army to garrison them. They gave the farmer a sword, and the swordsman a meal. As The Free-Cities grew, so did The Guilds. They became an integral part of the societies, taking on jobs from not only the people, but governing bodies as well. Soon enough, no matter what position you held, you may have hired a guild to do a job here or there, publically, or in secret.

Guilds expanded from The Free-Cities and began to appear in distant lands, even across The Burning Sea to Draseil. They became arguably more powerful than any singular monarch or politician, but their own infighting often prevents them from becoming more.

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