Haethis

**Present Year: 1750 AE (After Exile)**

Haethis, in its entirety, is a realm that exists somewhere in the cosmos, the planetary rotation resulting in shifting seasons and daytime length. For milenia, Haethis has been the home of humans and elves, and those afflicted by seemingly incurable and bred states. There are two primary and recognized affliction statuses amongst Haethis' people, the Vampyr and Shapeshifters of varying bestial resemblence. Humans, elves, and even the afflicted have been known to arrive in Haethis from other realms, though none so alien to what its people are acquainted with.

Haethis' history is wildly unknown in its first few centuries, though many different cultures have their own beliefs and assumptions in the matter. One common belief is that Haethis was created by Visni, the one true God in Demathian faith, as a realm made to serve him, strengthening itself with challenge and strife. Alternatively, some believe that the very existance of Veros means that Visni did not have complete control over Haethis' birth, and that the Demathian stories are simply just fables and heresay.

Haethis in its entirety is rather large with a vast amount of cultures and settlements spread through-out, all typically with their own form of government, military, and livelihoods ranging from humans, to elves, to the incommunicable sort. The playable map (ingame) consists of only a large island in Haethis, with its northern reaches connecting westward into Haethis' larger mass. Though it is not impossible to travel back and forth, to do so would take at least a month's worth of travel, with the rocky and snowy summits making it difficult to frequently travel between.

The oceans surrounding Haethis act as a barrier between other realms, with any attempt to take to the seas resulting in either death or a violent return to the sandy shores of Haethis' major island. Because of its unruly (and magickal) storms that keeps Haethians from emigrating, many locals believe that the powers infused with the gales and hurricanes holds some connection to why magick in itself is so difficult to harness and control throughout the lands.

## Known Languages

Most inhabitants of Haethis, whether born in Haethis natively, or brought in from another realm, is given a language known as the Common Tongue of Trade. Surviving alongside this gift, are a multitude of languages crafted at least a thousand years ago to signify culture and privacy amongst a melting pot of people.

## Religions in Haethis

There are two primary religions amongst the locals of Haethis, Demathian (worshipping Visni as their Utmost Divine, inspired by historical Christianity) and the more subtle Fuulseg (worshipping Veros as their Sundered Magnate, inspired by historical Satanism). Characters from other realms may come with their own religion, though communication with their Gods would be inconcise at best. Otherwordly religions are not always seen as abominative, as their coming to Haethis would no doubt come with memory, and neither Demathians nor Fuulsegs denounce the idea of other Gods caring for other realms. When it comes to direct communication and blessings, Visni, Genvieve, Magdalena, and Veros have been the only Gods proven to interact with the people of Haethis in any profound capacity.

## Common Races

Below are the common races of Haethis, which any player may choose upon initial character creation.

### Humans

A proud and multi-cultured type of people with short ears and a reputation to mingle and trade amongst other bipeddles, Humans are most common in the land of Haethis. Their culture cannot be pinpointed to a singular beginning or custom, as they have been known to exist in just about any reach of the universe.

#### Natural Eye Colours

Brown, blue, green, hazel, lavender/pale purple, honey/gold, heterochromia

#### Natural Hair Colours

Brown, black, grey, white, red, orange, blonde (real-world variations)

#### Natural Skin Tones

Real-world variations, afflicted may have varying hues.

### Elves

The Elves of Haethis have existed with humans since the supposed dawn of time, millenia ago. Many bloodlines have started in Haethis as an import from other realms, each with their own names in regard. Elves have a lasting lifespan of roughly 400 years and are not too different than humans outside of this. While many come with the birthright of witnessing and harnessing magicks more than its counterpart, it is not uncommon for those born in Haethis to avoid and disregard their abilities. They are not common in Haethis, but still one of the starting races to choose from.

#### Natural Eye Colours

Brown, blue, green, hazel, lavender/pale purple, honey/gold, white, black, heterochromia

#### Natural Hair Colours

Brown, black, grey, white, red, orange, blonde (real-world variations)

#### Natural Skin Tones

Akin to Humans, with some slight off-colour hues permitted including green, red, yellow, and blue. Afflicted may also have varying hues.

## Specialty Races (2 Weeks Activity Required)

These are confirmed races outside of the starter Humans and Elves. We require our players to be active and able to follow our rules for at least two weeks before applying to make a new character as a specialty race. Some players may be vetted from earlier experiences by staff, such as having played with them before in good experience. Please note that, in the spirit of keeping common races *common*, staff may reject applications for a specialty race (or affliction) if we find imbalance.

## Known Afflictions

There are a few curses known to plague man, humans and elves alike, within Haethis; Shapeshifters and Vampyr. A player is required to have played on Epilogue for at least one month in good standing before they may submit an application to have their character become afflicted and/or learn magicks. While we highly encourage player freedoms, some limitations are put in place to ensure that our roleplaying environment is both fair and realistic. Below is more information on our afflictions and magick. (Active players, active for at least 1 month without warnings/complaints, are permitted to submit an application for a custom character race coming into Haethis from another realm. Custom races must follow Epilogue's rules and aesthetic and not be deemed offensive. We are presently not accepting angels, demons, dragons, or bovine.)

### Shapeshifters

Druids, werebeasts, beastkins - shapeshifter is an umbrella term that encompasses the varying beastlike afflictions that exist in Haethis. Shapeshifters all share the common trait of being able to transform into a fully-fledged beast and/or an anthropormorphic being while still having access to their Human or Elf forms. All shapeshifters on our server must have a Human or Elf form to be used within our hubs, if tails and ears are not hidden and disguised. Shapeshifters must choose one animal as their specialty. As there are many different types of shapeshifters, players are permitted to include varying consequences and attributes, so long as they are inline with the server’s atmosphere and do not pose any concerns towards the playerbase.

### Vampyr

A subtle affliction, and often (but not always) compared with pale skin and reddish eyes, Vampyrs on Haethis are a rare and complex breed. Unlike common tropes, Vampyrs are capable of spending at least a few hours in the daylight, are not immortal, and typically live for roughly 400 years. Many commoners and even scholars believe that Vampyrs, because of their reliance on feeding upon people, are dangerous to Haethis’ lands, leading the afflicted to be forbidden in many long-standing settlements. Unluckily for them, however, it is rather easy for a Vampyr to disguise themselves. Not all of whom a Vampyr feeds upon is left to be cursed with such an affliction, as proper ritual and rights must be accomplished before siphoning off their affliction to a victim.

## Types of Magick in Haethis

Magick in Haethis is far lesser than what a character may be used to outside of its realm, its varying schools of magick limited and not without consequence. It takes precision, skill, and preparation to utilize its potential, and even then, characters will still find themselves with a challenge. It isn’t uncommon for one to have knowledge and the capability to study and learn spells in the form of conjuration, manipulation, and shapeshifting, though many settlements will have their own laws, regulations, and expectations on its practice. In Epilogue's primary hubs, only minor, non-offensive magick spells like conjuring flame to light a hearth is accepted by the common gaze.

### Elemental

Fire, water, and wind. Elemental magicks are most common and typically considered less harmful than the other types of magick. Magick users may connect their own strengths with leylines that run beneath the seas and soil of Haethis, though not without consequence.

### Religious/Occult

Light and darkness. Commonly tied to a religion, occult magick sees the principle of ritual and offerings to empower the leylines one would use. Religious and occult magicks are commonly involved in the corruption and evils that thwart Haethis’ hopes of finding peace, as well as works which cleanse and heal. These are less common outside of ceremonies, and often regarded as objectionable, repugnant, and sometimes reprehensible if not used cautiously or for preservation. There are many small religions through-out Haethis that hails either the darkness or light, found in the form of temples, cults, or collectives. Diviners of Visni use light magick, worshippers of Veros use dark magick - either a direct blessing from their involved devotion.

### Nature

Communication and abundance from the earth one travels. Whether the earth itself, flora, trees, or herbs grown. Provisioners of nature magicks are not necessarily peaceful, as trading in the dark arts has been shown to hamper intentions meant to cure and nourish Haethis. The majority of Elves born naturally in Haethis are attuned towards its earth and growth, though some have been born without such an affinity.

## Healing and Technology

Magick healing, whether conjured by religious or nature-based spells, serves only as a band-aid to major wounds or illness, and does not come without consequences. It is commonly used alongside physical medicine and practice. Likewise, technological advancement is also expected to be kept limited and realistic, with technology no later than the 1700s permitted in either knowledge or practice.

While Haethis is a land of both suffering and prosperity, its reliance on survival lays not without recognition. Some cultures may be less advanced in physical medicine, and more reliant on their shamans and religious practice. Alongside such preference, alchemy is commonly revered in most cultures, though comparative with the real-world. Healing potions do not exist in the realm of Haethis, and many elixirs are not fast-acting or capable of storing magickal essence.

## Bringing a Character Into Haethis

In order to keep some semblance of theme, story, and balance, all new characters (unless approved by staff from an existing player) must arrive in Haethis without the ability to use magick. Whether they used it before in their previous realm does not matter. In order to use magick or gain an affliction, you must have been an active roleplayer on our server for at least two weeks without breaking our rules. Some applications may be waitlisted based on popularity and playerbase. Once approved, players are responsible to write their own gain of afflictions and/or magick use.

While you are permitted to using resources and references for your character's original realm/universe, their arrival will result in adaptive character traits. Skintones may vary slightly based on affliction or race, but should be generally based on real-world hues (elves may have slight hues as noted above). Though we wish to allow some point of freedom, we will not accept things like hot pink, Monster Energy™ green, sky blue hair colours.