Astoria

## Lore

Astoria is a land within Amalgamaria, to the Far East side. Each God has a capital city, and all the Gods are still quite active and will come down to Astoria frequently.

Cupid will be in brothels, Caleb and Eddie can be found in taverns getting shitfaced and performing, Orichalcus will wander around to smithies and crafting labs, Rastaro in libraries, Mayzara in training camps and military outposts, Alarion will be in High Court, but can be seen making rounds in the big cities. Syncope will be hunting some of the more dangerous creatures, as well as tripping on hallucinogenic mushrooms and walking through the forest. Karkorus will be found in graveyards and battlegrounds, and if seen around the time of a fight or situation, it will end in death; Parapheth will be found in gambling dens.

Before them, however, there were “The Usurped”, comprised of Dolarion, Father-God of Good, Bal’tund, Father-God of Neutrality and Zyxara, Mother-Goddess of Evil. This divine trifecta created the universe and all the lands within it. Within the Old Regime, the Gods were kindly creators, lording over their created with a loving benevolence. They formed together eleven children amongst themselves (the current divine pantheon), and let them go out into the world in order to find their strengths, so that they may one day reign over them.

Within the first 1000 years, however, there was an uprising amongst the three, and it led to the corruption of the other two. Angered at having to bear eleven children, and devastated by their adjourning from their homestead atop the Pillar of Izolarn, she grew embittered and withdrawn. She soon bore out the area of land in what is now Styx to form the Underdark. She created the demons and the ghouls and all the undead we have grown to know today. Her proudest accomplishment, however, was her creation of the Vampyris Superiorus. It was through this race that she forged the mightiest of warriors, able to conquer any land, fell any foe. Around this time, the people of Tempyl-Automnos had begun their designing and creating of a warforged machine, known as the “Diovarte”, Celestial for God-Eater, for in the event of global war (We’ll get back to them in a little bit, though). Once Zyxara had finished building her army, she knew that she wouldn’t get far with both Dolarion and Bal’tund to stop her.

She informed Bal’tund that she had created a dungeon she wished to place upon the earth for mortals to find, and asked him to try it out. Always happy to help for a price, Zyxara gave him a blood red ruby, called “Pinprick”. Gladly taking the gem, he went into the newly forged Underdark and was accosted by the troops found there. Before he could do anything, Pinprick began to glow a blood red color, and absorbed the essence from Bal’tund’s body, filling him with corruption. It was then that Bal’tund returned to inform Dolarion of his plight.

Upon hearing the news, Dolarion searched deep within Bal’tund’s soul, and seeing nothing but corruption, begged Bal’tund to let him purify his body. Refusing, he launched forward, attempting to plant the gem on the old monk’s body. The fight that ensued is said to be what carved the land into the mountains for present-day High Court, but in the end, Bal’tund managed to slam the gem down Dolarion’s throat. In his last moments of purity, he called forth all of his power and created a second gem from a broken piece of Bal’tund’s diamond rifle, a pure diamond he dubbed “Heaven-Sent”, and tossed it in the air, slamming it with his quarterstaff with a deafening crack and launching it somewhere in Astoria.

While all this was happening, Zyxara had led her oldest daughter Halphara back to the Pillar of Izolarn where she spread taint through her like wildfire, and sent her off to prepare Astoria’s plant life for the oncoming conflict. When the Gods had finally succumb to the evil taint, they began striking out at the world, causing disease, war and famine. Dolarion took control of some of Zyxara’s undead, and led them into the world to cause unease, paranoia, panic and fear. Bal’tund led his army of trained assassins, murderers, cutthroats and barbarians to underhandedly topple governments, towns and families alike. Zyxara led the rest of her army, blessed by the Vampyris Superiorus, into active warfare, burning towns, raping women and feasting on the living innocents. The plant life had begun to take back its land as well, using its vines to tear down building, spearing people with thorns and blocking them out from the sun. It was then that the 10 children rose up and started to fight back.

Orichalcus, Caleb and Eddie went out amongst the world to inspire people to fight back, help them build fortified outposts, weapons, and armor. Parapheth and Mayzara went to stop Dolarion. They fought against him, with Mayzara swinging her sword and Dolarion countering with his staff. Parapheth stayed in the back, toying with fate and luck to allow her brother opportunities. It was while doing this that she realized the only TRUE way to defeat Dolarion would be to cut ties with fate all together, and throw off his sense of balance with the universe. She then proceeded to sever the strings of fate, plunging the world in uncertainty. It was with the sudden change that Mayzara was able to catch Dolarion off guard, and decapitate him, ending his life for 100 years until he would be reborn, as all gods were. Cupid and Syncope went after Bal’tund, who was marching with his army of criminals. When they caught up with him, they started what is still today known as “The 100 Mile Battle”, named such since the Gods never got within 100 miles of each other. With arrows flying all over the place, killing Bal’tund’s mercenaries with every missed shot, Syncope noticed the vegetation around him growing. He smiled, knowing his sister was near.

When the vines proceeded to reach up and grab him, however, he noticed his sister Halphara with the same look of taint within her eyes as their parents had. Syncope, freeing himself easily due to HIS power over nature, began a second battle between him and his now estranged sister. Trees uprooted and ran towards one another, fighting for what side they knew not. It was after a month of fighting between Syncope and Halphara, as well as between Syncope, Cupid and Bal’tund, Halphara was finally felled with an arrow through the heart, fired from the bow of Syncope. Bal’tund, angered at the loss, flew into a range, and burst towards the grieving Syncope. Before he could reach him, however, Cupid had come up and stabbed him through the ear with one of his arrows, causing the fall of Bal’tund. With the townspeople well equipped, well trained and of high morale, the Gods decided it would be time to take down their mother, Zyxara.

With Mayzara leading the army, Caleb and Eddie providing morale, Orichalcus maintaining equipment and Cupid healing the wounded, they were ready. The army, starting from the conjoined meeting place of what is now Amore, marched on towards the Underdark, 150,000 strong, anxious to put a stop to the 10 years of evil they’d all experienced. They were met at the entrance by an army that easily out manned them with numbers within 500,000. They all fought hard and long, with the other Gods helping out as best as they could. It was after a week of fighting that Rastaro managed to dispel the enchantment on the cave, opening it for direct assault. He, Alarion, Syncope and Karkorus entered the Underdark, plummeting down into what could only be described as smothering darkness, launching towards the core where they may shut things down once and for all. After a strenuous fight to the core, they finally reach the room where there mother was at.

Sitting on a throne made of bone, she addressed her children, coercing them to join her, however none faltered (Though some say Karkorus had some internal issues). They fought their mother and her entering waves of undead, until 6 months later, when the earth rumbled with an intense fervor known by none alive. It was then that the first of the Diovarte emerged from their factory and unleashed mechanical Armageddon upon Astoria. Massive explosions and burst of power rang out in defense of the Child-Gods, as these creatures began mowing down the undead hordes before them. This causes Zyxara to rise to the surface, followed by her rebellious children. As she rises into sight, she is accosted by all manner of attacks, launching her hundreds of miles back in a sonic boom (known today as the Roar of Vengeance), slamming into the Pillar of Izolarn, taking it to the ground and killing Zyxara. The siblings finished off the rest of the undead, driving some of them back to the Underdark.

Orichalcus resigned to building over the Pillar of Izolarn, their old home, and creating Carcenia, the godly prison where they housed the bodies of their parents and sister, so they may remain locked up when they are reborn. Everyone took to shaping their own territories as they slowly remade Astoria after the carnage that had been wrought. Cupid has Amore, Caleb and Eddie have Amphitheater, Orichalcus has Kiln, Rastaro has Librarius, Mayzara has Stronghold, Alarion has High Court, Syncope has Utopia, Karkorus has Styx and Parapheth has Vega. Cupid, as the oldest, took to running the Pantheon, to which nobody objected. Caleb and Eddie set to helping Cupid rebuild the population before establishing the Bandstand, where anybody would be able to go in order to relieve stress, while Orichalcus built the Mythic Forge, where he would craft equipment for his siblings. Syncope sprouted up nature around Crakus, the Tree of Eternity, who had been the first thing ever created and moved to the area where Utopia is today (Utopia being named after his sister and his ideas about how to make the perfect society). Mayzara took the remaining soldiers and formed Stronghold, next to where Carcenia is, in case anything should happen again. Alarion took the elite members of the army and blessed them, turning them into his special police force, the Angelic Alliance, from which he based out of the crater that he made into High Court (That way both sides of Carcenia were covered). Karkorus took command of the Underdark, naming the land around it “Styx”, after a story his mother used to tell him as a kid. Parapheth, enamored by the idea of pressing your luck, created Vega, an area based solely off of gambling, as well as holding the High Oracle, leader of the Paraphethian clergy, who assisted Parapheth in weaving and reading the strings of fate. Rastaro went around helping all of his siblings before settling down on his own. He helped Cupid create a new spell to make everybody in the kingdom horny, created fire hot enough to light Orichalcus’ forge as well as compile the “Codex Enchantium”, a collection of all enchantments ever known (some unknown) in the possession of Orichalcus. He assisted Parapheth in recreating the strings of fate, helped Syncope ward the area around Crakus to deter anyone who shouldn’t be there from entering the clearing. He helped Karkorus enchant the entrance to the Underdark to allow no living to enter, and only the select dead from leaving (No Gods could enter either, besides Cupid, Karkorus and Rastaro). He helped Mayzara secure Carcenia and Alarion convert the Tempyl-Automnos into a working factory of Alarion-worshipping machine priests “Just in case”. He also helped Syncope, Orichalcus and Parapheth to create Dreamweaver Cloth, a lightweight, hard as steel material woven from the dreams of Syncope, Orichalcus and Parapheth themselves. And finally, he helped Caleb and Eddie enchant the Bandstand with the ability to be heard throughout Astoria. He finally settled down in what is now Librarius and formed The Great Archives, the vastest collection of knowledge in the history of the world.

Before resting, the Gods collectively got together and created Academia, a large plot of land containing schools for anything one my ever want to know, supplied from Rastaro’s Great Archives and taught by all the Gods, as well as well-trained mortals. With the world finally back on track, the divines noticed something amongst the people. They were chastising others, beating them, robbing them and killing them over race! The Gods decided they didn’t want any more conflicts, so they went with a plan formed by Caleb and Eddie. All of the Gods rose up to take on the jobs of all the people in the land while Caleb and Eddie held a party, lasting a year. This period has been known as “The Year of Assimilation”, in which racism was completely eradicated. There are still people who mock and belittle others, but now it is based off skill or wealth, not race. The year is 2000, now, and society is at peace, in a time of prosperity. The only other conflicted that had arose was between Rastaro and Syncope, both of which claimed domain over weather. Syncope, claiming it was a part of nature, and Rastaro, citing control over the elements. It was then decided that Syncope would control the weather, and Rastaro would control the elements. The cities all trade freely with one another, and racism is still a thing of the past. There have been rumors of shady activity being performed by one of the Divines, and those who notice are worried it will disturb their Golden Era. Most people, however, are unaware. The story begins in Amore for the Valentine’s Day Festival, the most important event for the citizens of Amore, as it is a celebration of love and partying in honor of Cupid. There is a big market in the center of town, with a multitude of taverns all around, with people bar hopping from one of the other while shopping at the diverse market stalls.

## Geography

Astoria is a land within Amalgamaria, to the far-east side. It is comprised of ten different territories, all dedicated to the different Gods within the Pantheon. These territories are:

### Styx

A wintery deadland, Styx is relatively barren of all life, with only the undead typically roaming (Though those not in the Underdark are intelligent and assimilated). Nocturne is the only city in Styx, starting in the west and heading east, until stopped by the Underdark (which is a HUGE gaping cavern into the ground that leads to the Underworld. It's enchanted with magic and power from all 10 Gods to keep the dead souls inside). The other side is simply deadlands and a border camp. The church is in Nocturne, right above the Underdark, and is called “Weeping Shadow”.

### High Court

Also very snowy and wintry, High Court is nestled in the middle of mountains. High Court is home to the "Angelic Ascendants", the Elite Police Force that patrols Astoria. It is also only a single city, with Carcenia to the east, in between it and Stronghold. The church is also called “High Court”, as it acts as the High Court for all the land. Located within the mountains is the “Temple-Automnys”, creators of the Diovarte (“God-Killers”) and Gearforged.

### Stronghold

Shares the same climate as High Court, spare for the southern fringe between it and Vega where things warm up towards Vega’s desert climate. Stronghold is home to the "Mayzarian Armada", a Warrior's Guild, located in The Coliseum where they also hold combat events. The only places within Stronghold are the main city, Coliseum, as well as the base and training grounds for the Astorian Army. The church is called “War-room” and is located within Coliseum.

### Utopia

A lush, beautiful forest and home to the "Hawkeyes", a guild dedicated to rangers. Utopia has three cities before the main city of Utopia itself. There is Shadecopse, the entry border-town which is a trade hub for the areas it runs along (From the Kiln border, hugging the Divine Pass, over to Libraria). There is Respite, a hunting village that acts as a scout’s outpost for throughout Utopia. Then there is Gateway, the last town before Utopia, which holds the church to Syncope. Not many people see Utopia itself, as it is home to Crakus, the Tree of Eternity, but it is said to be a thing of complete and utter beauty the likes of which has never been seen before. The church is called “Briarhall”.

### Amore

Like a metropolis, but not overly crowded. Its home of "The Brothel", a guild/union for prostitutes to make sure they are treated well in society for the crucial service they supply. It is the central hub for all of Astoria, and houses many of the government buildings that oversee the daily works of the land. The church is called “Romancia”.

### Kiln

A desert, home to "The Mythic Forge (guild)", a Crafters guild that holds all things needed to perform any craft, as well as The Mythic Forge itself (The divine forge crafted by Orichalcus and Rastaro). Kiln is comprised of five cities, with Kiln being the largest of them all, located dead center. There is Forge, Codex, Weave, Morph and Stained. Forge (Due west of Kiln), Codex (Due east of Kiln) and Kiln are big cities where all the work for Astoria is done in terms of the crafting of goods. Forge releases all of the weapons and armor, Codex releases all the leather and glass equipment and Kiln holds the Divine Armory. Weave (North west of Kiln), Morph (North east of Kiln) and Stained (South of Kiln) are all accessory cities that house the citizens and goods of Kiln. They say all the equipment was forged with fire from Carcenia, and are said to be the greatest tools ever made. The church is called “Skycraft”.

### Libraria

Looks like a quiet town with lots of museums, libraries, archives and is home to the "Order of the Arcane", which is a Spellcasters suild. Librarius is one massive city, spanning the entirety of Libraria. It resembles that picturesque neighborhood everyone always admired, and is bulging with knowledge and magic. The church is called “Mysticism”

### Vega

A desert-city comprised of the biggest collection of gambling dens and fortune tellers in the world. Commonly referred to as a city of no good, it is home to the "Shadowkin", a thief’s guild. The church is called “Luckfull”, and houses the Great Oracle, high priestess of Parapheth who helps her spin and read the strings of fate.

### Divine Pass

A mountainous pass that will lead you to ANY city in Astoria, with the part leading into Academia being underground.

### Amphitheatre

Looks like Ancient Greece and is home to the "Soothe-Sayers", which is a Bards guild (It's located in Bandstand, and the roof is a stage that, when played on by the Twin Gods or their disciples, can reach every area in the world). The entire MASSIVE city of Amphitheatre looks like a cross between Ancient Greece and a clearing for an outdoor music festival. There are travelling musicians and actors all around, and at Bandstand, the best of the best go to hone their craft and leave to spread joy and entertainment to the world. The church is called “Garagia”.

### Academia

The largest collection of schools, teachers and learning in the world. Stocked with information from The Great Archives (Which stores all the information on everything, ever), and the finest teachers in the land. As a matter of fact, the Gods themselves teach some classes there. The land itself is full of rolling plains, however it is mostly flat. Being the largest territory of them all, Academia is broken into three sectors. The lowest half is Norgaliga, the Colleges of Magic, where all the future casters and scholars go to study. In the center is Combotoria, the Colleges of physical, up close and personal combat. Any and every fighting style is taught here, as well as defensive styles. Finally, there is Espionora, the Colleges of stealth, where people are taught how to become one with the shadows and utilize the weaknesses of your opponents. The Great Church of Unity is located in Combotoria, where all Gods, new and old, are worshipped freely.
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