Currently there are five periods to write in, however one of them has no monsters, writing in the prehistory Era would be about gods, fae, humans, naga, merfolk, dwarfs, alva, etc...
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The Luminaire/Demon Lord Warring period.
During this period the Luminaire holds sway over eleven kingdoms, as they push ever forward with their expansion across the lands they continue to clash with Mamonme and the Demon Lord. There are also disturbances in Zipangu as powerful Mamonme though accepted by the populace are vying for even more power, oft hatching schemes which are thwarted by the shrine maiden of Tendou no Tera or the Shrine of the Sun. These are the strife times of Praxis. Mamonme are doing their best to find suitable husbands, or just attempting to capture a male of their own. The Luminaire annihilates any Mamonme or humans caught fraternising with each other.
The Time of Upheavals
The Luminaire have become increasingly impunitive. Seretique, still focusing on her war has also lost herself in her own lust. Mamonme are growing increasingly desperate as a cure has not been found for the corruptive demonic energy flowing through them, nor has a solution been found for their inability to birth human children whilst the human population dwindles around them. Eiraiha has a predicament of Her own as the Luminaire who have been following their own doctrine have cost Her Her support or faith amongst most humans. With the remaining humans becoming increasingly endangered and no solutions forthcoming from Seretique, Mamonme women have started taking matters into their own hands, following people they previously would not have dreamed of. It is not long before the Mamonme Riots begin.
The Renaissance
A new Demon Lord has emerged and is actively engaged with Eiraiha after a solution to the two biggest problems facing mamonme has been found. The Luminaire have become a rogue organisation after their defeat. Humans who claim that a mamonme, human relationship is unclean flee to a large uninhabited continent known as Laramies to form a continent wide enclave. The Luminaire re-establishes themselves on this continent and continues to attack the otherwise peaceful world. Fennich Renburn, now a powerful evil, has gathered unhappy mamonme loyal to the deposed Demon Lord from across the world and formed a new society which clashes regularly with the New Luminaire and the Peaceful World. With the help of some of the darker sorceresses, a large landmass has been raised in the Siruvian Ocean for these mamonme to live on. Both sides continually vie for dominance.
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Future history.
Territories and Features Map
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Post Renaissance Territories and Features Map
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Factions
Heaven
A realm located at right angles to the realm known as "The Mortal World," Heaven is particularly interested in the fate of the mortal world as the Prime God, He who is neither man nor woman, was responsible for its creation. Heaven is largely an idyllic realm boasting great beauty and splendour thoughout its boundaries, It has been referred to as "The Silver Kingdom" in the past. Heaven is largely populated with Celestial Beings, in particular and in order of rank; The Prime God, Gods and Goddesses, Seraphim, Valkyries, Cherubim, Angels and Spirits or Souls.
The residents of Heaven, though not always chaste, disapprove of the lasciviousness displayed by the Demon Lord and are particularly concerned about the dwindling human population in the mortal world, this may be due to the fact that many of their kind depend on faith for their standing in Heaven and while the Fae, Alva, Merfolk, Naga and Dwarves may provide faith, there is still nothing quite as powerful as human faith.
Heaven has a political system set in place in order to govern the mortal realm and ensure that Heaven itself also runs smoothly. This system takes the form of a Senate or Congress which elects a leader known as the Principal God every few millenia. The longest any being has ever held the position of Principal God for, is believed to be ten eons. As the congress is composed of Gods, Goddesses and Seraphim, it is usually one of these beings who become the Principal God.
In recent times, with the disappearance of the Prime God, Heaven has found itself largely in a state of turmoil. Although it may seem peaceful, it has become increasingly apparent that the beings residing in heaven have cause for concern, it is well known that humans and other mortal world beings in particular enter Heaven after casting off their mortal shells thus bolstering the population and soul energy of the kingdom. Thus with the introduction of mamonme, the warping of humans into Incubi and the rather ineffectual Principal God Eiraiha this vital flow of soul energy is dwindling, placing Heaven in a precarious situation. As such the Demon Lord is a prime enemy of Heaven due to her lack of morals and her general lack of foresight.
The Demon Kingdom
The Demon Kingdom as the name suggests is a section of the mortal world, governed and run by demons. In order of hierarchy, the Demon Kingdom consists of The Demon Lord and her husband, daughters of the Demon Lord, Queens (Those individuals at the pinnacle of their species' level, example: The four matrons of the Bovitaurean, Succubi, Vampires, , Incubi and Mamonme fall near the bottom.
The Demon Kingdom is largely similar to the rest of the mortal world, though with notable differences. For one, the area is saturated with demon energy. The light in the Demon Kingdom is far more vivid than in regions outside its boundaries, with reports claiming that flowers and plants are so appealing that one may never notice the mamonme lurking behind them. Shadows are also different, having a notable indigo hue when compared to shadows elsewhere. Plants in this region typically have been warped by demon energy and have gained a type of luminescence which is best viewed in the deep indigo shade of night. Flowers too have been warped and take on forms which are more relevant to the Succubi in charge of this realm, namely, flowers and fruits resemble hearts and tubules of various forms.
The Demon Kingdom is a dangerous place for heroes and members of the Luminaire as mamonme are far stronger here than anywhere else. The potent demon energies present greatly enhance any charm skills and abilities which mamonme might use to ensnare or entrap a potential mate, it is not unheard of for entire platoons to go missing when attempting a breach.
Beings in this realm are far more lustful than those who choose to live outside, however this lustful nature is often coupled with intense loneliness as human males are few and far between in this region. It is for this precise reason that many mamonme women leave the Demon Kingdom in search of a human mate.
The Demon Kingdom is ruled over by the Demon Lord Seretique vi Alloriel, her name is derived from Serenna meaning calm, and tique from the word lunatique meaning whimsical, thus her mother envisioned her as being a calm yet whimsical child.
The Demon Lord's ideals are the creation of a world of peaceful co-existance between humans and mamonme, where the two races can live in a state of mutual lustful bliss and harmony. Although this may seem to be a noble concept, the Demon Lord, and mamonme-kind's own natures reveal serious flaws in her plan.
The problem is that mamonme-kind and humans are not the only dominant races on the planet. This is not deemed as an issue as the Demon Lord simply taints those who are not mamonme so that they will become her subjects. This has already occurred, specifically concerning the Alva, Merfolk and Naga races, essentially causing the believed extinction of these races in their original forms.
Another issue is the fact that the Demon Lord views males who have become Incubi as true human males without taking into account the fact that a human and an incubus are two entirely different beings.
Finally, mamonme are unable to give birth to human children and are only capable of having daughters of their own kind. This is a serious issue as eventually the humans left on the planet will dwindle to non-existence, which will mean no potential mates for the mamonme themselves.
In recent times the Demon Lord Seretique has shown an increasing lack of enthusiasm towards solving the issues she originally promised to solve and has become more and more consumed with lust for her husband instead. This has caused some mamonme to question who they should truly serve.
Take note, these settings lead up to Eiraiha's acceptance of prayers from mamonme.
Limbo
A chaotic realm, connected to the Mortal world and yet not, Limbo is a plane ruled over by The Exiled One and his followers, namely Nephyriel and the Nephyrum.
Nephyriel was once a god named Nephyrias, who lived in the realm of Heaven under the rule of the Prime God. Being a god he had many followers in Heaven, namely Seraphim, lesser gods and goddesses, it came to pass that Nephyrias decided to descend to the Mortal World without the consent of the Prime God. He claimed his and the other lesser god and goddesses' superiority over the humans entitled them to take men and women for their own whether they liked it or not. When the Prime God discovered his disobedience He was furious and demoted him to Seraphim while his followers, known as Nephirum were demoted to the class of "Angel."
Nephyriel, infuriated by his disgrace, attempted rebellion through the deceiving of a priestess known as Pandora. Opening a box which was in fact a gate to the lower levels of Heaven, sin flooded the mortal world causing a change in the humans, alva and other races living there. Nephyriel and his followers were banished to Limbo, a bleak, chaotic world, never to know the splendour of Heaven again.
Unlike the Demon Kingdom, the realm of Limbo is a desolate, chaotic world. The sky always appears caught between twilight and dusk, bathing the empty landscape in a weak grey-lavender hue. Those who dwell here engage in sordid and perverse acts in an attempt to while away the boredom inducing atmosphere of their world.
Those who call this realm home can be ranked in order of importance, namely; Nephyriel the Exiled One, the Nephyrum, their servants i.e. Dark Angels and other beings, humans, mamono and incubi. Although it is not often noted, Dark Angels and other denizens of this world, actively capture or twist mamono to do their bidding, there is an extremely shaky alliance between Seretique and Nephyriel regarding this matter.
Among those who were banished to this realm, several gods and goddesses who were talented in architecture have seen to it that the populous live in large, sprawling cities, which although not at the same level of beauty as Heaven, do share a remarkable resemblance to those of the idyllic realm.
It is believed that in the beginning Nephyriel and his followers used the depravity of his realm to seduce beings of the Mortal World into joining his vengeance upon Heaven, however it seems that due to the long practised sordid actions which have taken place here and the effects of the spell employed by Seretique and mamonokind, nowadays Nephyriel and his followers are satisfied with simply despoiling the beings Heaven so desperately requires, through lustful and dark practices.
The Luminaire Kingdoms
The Luminaire or "The Light which Illuminates the darkness." is a large, human organisation in the Mortal World created by Eiraiha fifty years after taking up her post as the Principal God. The Luminaire are responsible for preaching Her truth as well as ensuring that humans do not fall into lascivious tendencies. It should be noted however, that although Eiraiha held a great deal of contempt for the beings known as "mamono," She did not perpetuate the killing of said beings.
The Luminaire however, became increasingly militaristic and eventually abandoned their original doctrine in favour of a gospel of war against the being known as the Demon Lord and all of her children, namely the mamono. Under the guise of following the doctrine of Eiraiha, the Luminaire gained control of eleven kingdoms, namely; Caeronne, Eulae, Cambris, Aterie, Labriene, Devensie, Wolstolyn, Mousteri, Aurigna, Beestaere and Fenno. In these kingdoms, the Luminaire imposes its doctrine and the majority of humans believe them.
Those who follow the Luminaire are usually devout and pious, they believe it is Eiraiha's will that all mamono must be purged from the land as they believe mamono are violent, savage, unreasonable beings whose main goal is to corrupt and destroy the human race. They often clash with the forces of the Demon Lord herself and have had substantial victories as well as crushing defeats. The Luminaire often makes incursions into neutral and monster friendly states in an attempt to gain control in the area. It should however be noted that the Luminaire often loses new members who discover the truth of mamono or note the difference between the Luminaire and Eiraiha's original message.
There are very few mamono living within the Luminaire controlled Kingdoms as those who are caught are often cruelly executed. Humans who have met a mamono woman and fallen for her often flee the kingdom making use of the small monster friendly town of Bromeri located just west of the border of Caeronne.
Being first and foremost a religious organisation, the Luminaire has a strict hierarchy in place, thus members of their kingdom(encompassing all eleven kingdoms) can be ranked as follows; Supreme Monarch, Archbishops, Bishops and Dioceses, Elders, Priests, Lords, Governors, populace. The military branch of the Luminaire is often considered as important as the religious side itself, as such the military side falls under the direct control of the Archbishops themselves. The military are composed of; Inquisitor, Lord, Archmage, Crusaders, Paladins, Knights, Squires, Soldiers (Soldiers' ranks can be split as follows; Men-at-Arms, Mages, Marksmen, Archers, Standard bearers, privates or rookies(those who have only just started out as soldiers.)
The Luminaire controlled Kingdoms are largely free of demon energy and thus are naturally beautiful, humans living in these kingdoms typically live in cities, towns and villages.
The Dynasty of Aten
An expansive kingdom occupying the outskirts of the Karubian Desert and spanning the continents of Argassizum and Kita Akrufia. The Dynasty of Aten is a group of mamono who worship the Aten, the great sun disk. Mamono comprising this kingdom include; Mios, leonian mamono, Horus, a falcon-like harpy species, Thoths, ibis-like harpies and finally Sphynx, feline mamono who love riddles.
Atenian society follows a strict hierarchy with a group of warlords, all mamono of the Horus race, filling the highest spot known as "Pharoah." Below the pharoahs, we find the Viziers, mostly comprised of Mios and Sphynx. These mamono are responsible for gathering information, as well as determining the best method of using said information before relating the information to the pharoahs. Below the viziers, we find the Scribes, Thoths typically encompass this grouping due to their love of writing and knowledge. At the bottom of the hierarchy we find humans and any of the above classes of mamono who are simply involved in the Satire of trades. Those mamono living in the Dynasty of Aten, often capture human males and set them the task of building a structure for them. Structures in this kingdom follow an odd, almost geometric style which typically baffles those who view them.
In millennia passed, when the previous Principal God created the Demon Lord and placed him in the Mortal World, a group of lesser gods, namely Thoth, Horus and Mios were sent to advise him on the actions to be taken regarding humans. As time passed, the gods were gradually corrupted by their proximity to demon energy and took on monstrous forms, namely gaining the heads of various creatures. Ashamed with their appearance they fled into the deserts of Kita Akrufia and formed a cult which worshipped the Aten.
By the period in which the new Demon Lord, Seretique vi Alloriel, had taken the throne, Thoth, Mios and Horus were no more than monsters themselves. These three, were the most important and powerful key to the spell which Seretique would later use to give all mamono their allure, in fact it seems that they were Seretique's main supporters as it would give them their beauty once more.
Nowadays, the Dynasty of Aten has broken up much of the Lamia homelands as the dynasty expands further and further across the desert. The original three have faded into obscurity, incarnation berries and other techniques have largely bolstered the population of Thoths, Hori and Mios which now number in the thousands.
The Beyond
It has been said that the mortal realm can be likened to an inverse leather sphere, filled with air and that this fragile skin protects us from the horrors which lurk in the area outside, that place known as; The Beyond.
The Beyond is a mindboggling area which humans and mamono could never hope to comprehend. It is the space found between realms such as Heaven, Limbo and other such planes. The Beyond is also said to be the original home of those mamono known as Shoggo. As stated previously, no human or mamono could hope to comprehend this world, as such, those who do often have their minds bent, warped, sprained or broken just from glimpsing what lies herein. One such case is a mamono sage, a Grey Wolf known as Alha Derz, whom it is believed, touched The Beyond, and afterwards wrote the famous and much loved story; "The flower in the desert." She purportedly wrote many other less innocent books, books which are forbidden even in the Demon Kingdom. Alha Derz is said to have disappeared shortly thereafter.
Through consultations with the husbands of a select few Shoggo, we know that strange and alien denizens oft referred to as the "Great Old Ones," haunt this place. When the spell which beautified mamono and countered Heaven's laws guiding the behaviour of mamono was first cast, some of the effects leaked though weakspots in reality and trickled into The Beyond. The Shoggo, servants of the Elder Things, were the first to feel its effects and as a result demanded emancipation in the spirit of finding a human mate. When this demand was rejected, many fled through the aforementioned fissures in reality into the Mortal Realm. Those that fled now reside in the areas commonly known as Reality Wells.
Very little is known geographically about The Beyond, however some names mentioned in the previously mentioned interviews, specifically the worlds of Yith, Yilla, Shonhi and Ktynga, as well as several cities and general locations such as; Uzulda, Kadath, Sarnath, The Mountains of Insanity and the plateau of Leng, speak of a realm of wildly differing worlds and places.
There is not much more to say about The Beyond, very little information is available and though Shoggo and their husbands offer information they do not appear forthcoming in providing greater detail.
Lands of the Gentle Flame
Far in the south of the continent of Pallachia, and bordered by two recent Lamia enclaves, lie the lands belonging to The Gentle Flame, Lady Clover Meadlowry.
The Gentle Flame is an envoy of the Principal God Eiraiha, to all mamono willing to listen to Her message. Although being a peaceful, gentle Bovitauride, under the tutelage of Eiraiha, the Gentle Flame has been trained to be useful in the Principal God's plans to topple the Demon Lord Seretique vi Alloriel.
Mamono living here, though still as lustful as ever, place greater importance on "love before lust," believing that their relationship will be far stronger and hold greater meaning for their human mate and themselves, than if they followed their baser instincts as most other mamono do. When this occurs, a monster consummating her love is struck with the dual effects of her feelings of love acquired before and after consummation. This is said to be a feeling unlike any other and mamono undergoing this form of relationship appear to break the controlling link between Seretique and themselves. Others are well aware of the dwindling human population, and thus attempt to prolong the longevity of the species they love by living within a region which at least temporarily blocks the subversive effects of their energy.
Residents of this area tend to live with their human mate in the city known as Crystal Plinth, so named for the giant crystalline pillar otherwise known as a Pylon of Sublime Aversion which helps those mamono interested in controlling themselves a bit better to suppress overzealous behaviour. The pylon also helps avert demon energy and blocks the Demon Lord Seretique's control over those in the area. Originally Crystal Plinth was a school run by Clover Meadlowry and Erien Meadlowry, as mamono began attending the school, their husbands built homes and other structures to live in. With an influx of architectural and building skills entering the area it was not long before a city formed.
The Lands of the Gentle Flame fall under the protection of Heaven, and after various attempts at incursions being thwarted by persistant lightning strikes, vortices of wind, flash floods and other acts of nature, the Luminaire do not dare to set a foot within these "cursed" lands. It is rumoured, by Luminaire spies, that Angels have been seen with mamono in tow within the land's boundaries. These rumours are usually dismissed as being the ramblings of people under the influence of the curse.
The natural beauty of this region is indeed a sight to behold, fields of paper-like flowers, heather, and other low growing plants carpet the meadows. The predominant tree type here is a form of fiddle wood, which due to the relative flatness of the countryside, forms small copses or thicket like forests. Along the coastal plain, low granite crags give way to flat plains which eventually give way to a belt of dunes running the length or the territory.
Zipangu
Also known as "The Realm of Many Lands", Zipangu is a country located south of the Luminaire Kingdoms and is often mistaken for a chain of large islands separated from the mainland by the Murasakisuishou or Amethyst Sea.
While at first glance this country may appear to be comprised of a string of islands, Zipangu is in fact the smallest continent in the world. It is believed that the continent is in fact related to Laramies in the west and eons back may have separated and shifted to where it is located today. We must state that this is only conjecture and we cannot be certain of this theory at this time.
Due to the country's latitudes, the southern regions are hot and humid while further north the winter months are particularly cold and wet. Hills and mountains are shrouded in forests which are almost as ancient as the world itself and fed by the ample rainfall afforded to the entire region.
The inhabitants of Zipangu speak an odd language which places emphasis on phonetics and a pure vowel system. They follow a goddess named Amaterasu who is a goddess of the sun and is the sister to two other gods, one Tsukuyomi who she apparently considers as a dark god, and Susanou who was banished from Heaven and the world for his part in the rebellion against the Prime God. He is currently exiled in Limbo, along with Nephyriel the Exiled One and his followers. It must also be mentioned that a secondary deity, surprisingly a drunken god of alcohol, is said to have a large following across the Zipangu continent. We must note however, that his name has been lost to antiquity. Those living in Zipangu are usually seen to be extremely polite and honourable, placing a great importance on customs from times past.
Many mamono who are becoming increasingly commonplace in foreign climes originate from this mysterious land; Usako(S'er Bunnies), Ureonggaksi and many other species are just a few mamono who have branched out into areas of Palachia and Minami Akrufia so far. While most mamono often show restraint, there are some who try to take what is not theirs, and it is up to the champion of Amaterasu, a shrine maiden associated with the Tendou no Tera, a temple under the direct control of Amaterasu to sort out or thwart these infractions. This maiden is also responsible for a truce between Amaterasu and the mamono residing here who are referred to as "obake" by the locals.
A noteworthy piece of information is that Zipangu is in control of a considerable amount of technology left over from the Age of Marvels. In particular Tendou no Tera controls an arsenal which is used to dissuade both the Demon Kingdoms as well as the Kingdoms of the Luminaire from encroaching. Much of the information relating to the period during and after the Age of Qualms has in fact come from Zinpangu where the greatest emphasis is placed on maintaining items.
Hostile States
Hostile states, are those states opposed to all mamonme, mamonme created goods and especially, interspecies relationships between mamonme and humans. There are many reasons why states such as these are formed, be it lords or nobles who find the general idea distasteful, the Luminaire Kingdom's attempts at using a new strategy known as "island-hopping" to make incursions into the Demon Kingdom, humans hoping to replenish the gene pool by isolating themselves from demon energy or simply xenophobia towards mamonme.
What is known, is that religion does not always play a part in the formation of a hostile state. There are states who do not believe in any gods, believing that humans evolved from a type of aquatic being (Merfolk do give this opinion credence, as it is well known that their kind were not always mamonme.) or primate. In other states, specifically those with a Luminaire following, mamonme are seen in the same light as the Luminaire's teachings. Still other states who worship various gods and goddesses see mamonme as those who attempt to usurp their deities, and thus refuse to accept their kind.
Mamonme entering hostile lands, know full well the dangers their actions pose, yet surprisingly they still attempt to find a human mate regardless. Such mamonme are thought to be thrill seekers. A good example of this is a pack of Werewolves who repeatedly raided villages in the Zant Woods region. It is believed the reason for their foolhardy behaviour was that the danger of being in such lands added to the thrill of hunting.
The Zant Woods belong to Zummer3D
Neutral States
Neutral states, unlike hostile states are regions in which mamonme are accepted, though are expected to follow certain obligations in order to gain residence. This relationship between humans and mamonme is not the same as the type one finds in an open state, where the behaviour of mamonme is mostly unrestricted.
Mamonme permissed to live in or enter a neutral state, have to keep their lustful urges under control, they are not barred from having a relationship with a human, but are expected to follow the typical pattern of getting to know the human in question before making him their own. A very important rule that has to be observed, is that no mamonme may take a human already betrothed to a woman. This behavioural obligation is kept in place to keep mamonme from taking a man from his family and to promote human to human marriages.
Although mamonme dwelling within a neutral state are restricted to behaving in a more restrained manner, it is generally accepted that there are mamonme who appear particularly youthful. Beings such as Wendy's(though still an uncommon species), Magical Girls, Kaaiman and any other mamonme who fits this description, are not barred from finding a human husband, as it is well known that these mamonme are often a lot older than they appear.
The neutrality of a neutral state holds true for humans as well as mamonme, it is not uncommon to find passing Luminaire soldiers being forced to rub shoulders with mamonme within cities or towns located within these regions. These soldiers are forced to relinquish their weapons once entering a neutral region, and thanks to Harpies and other winged mamonme, the weapons are always returned to said soldiers at whichever border point they choose to leave through.
Any violence shown towards residents within a neutral state will result in the immediate expulsion of said perpetrator. In the same vein, any lustful infractions or other breaches of the obligations permitting a mamonme to reside within the state's borders will result in the same treatment. It must however be said, that other mamonme living within said region will at least provide an exiled mamonme with the means to survive until her next destination.
Neutral states are often run by a powerful, yet fair nobility, who also provide a military and diplomatic presence in order to dissuade the Luminaire from attacking their kingdom. Mamonme living in neutral states will not allow their home to be invaded by the Demon Kingdoms either, these mamonme typically become the type to join the Gentle Flame's forces which are said to be swelling rather rapidly. The aforementioned nobility often have Pylons of Sublime Aversion raised by their own mages to shield their kingdom from the taint of demon energy and to further temper the behaviour of mamonme living within their region's borders.
Open States
Open states, are those which, in contrast to hostile states, welcome mamonme openly to their lands. Unlike neutral states, there are no restrictions which entering mamonme are obligated to follow, thus mamonme can live however they choose.
As with hostile states, religion is not generally influential in the formation of an open state and as with both neutral and hostile states, a multitude of differing religious beliefs are prevalent in these regions. Open states are usually peaceful, often making them easy targets for the Luminaire Kingdoms. Incursions are often perpetrated by the Luminaire under the guise of purging the corruption from the land, or as the carrying out of the Principal God's punishment upon the citizens for their lascivious and impure ways. In return for this this treatment, the Luminaire and any of its followers are unwelcome in these territories.
Another unfortunate drawback to open states are that they often bring great sorrow to human women, as with mamonme being free to choose a mate without any restrictions, it is far more difficult to find a partner when faced with almost insurmountable competition.
Yet another drawback to the complete freedom open states allow their citizens, would be the fact that mamonme women may search out a mate without checking whether her target actually is betrothed or not. This behaviour, though never malicious or even willfully perpetuated, does tend to either break up marriages or stop human to human marriages from occurring as frequently.
On the whole, although in principle open states are incredibly admirable, it should be noted that without the correct ground rules in place, these states often fall quickly to the Demon Kingdoms, not through war, but simply by existing. Unless the region has a mamonme queen (A good example would be the four Bovitauride matrons in the Stablefields, which falls within the boundaries of an open state) to at the very least exercise some control over her kind the fate of most open states are quite uncertain.
The Taint-pledged
Many millennia back, during the rule of a particularly cruel Demon Lord (It is unclear whether it was the fifth or thirteenth.), a new species was brought into existence without any help from the then Principal God of Heaven. The Demon Lord of the time, Mogdarae el Ustulae, was a particularly twisted being and thought it would be ironic if the very ones who slaughtered the humans attempting defeat him.. were humans themselves. As a result a mass wave of kidnappings took place, no human was safe whether they were women, men or children it was considered irrelevant. Mogdarae took them to the most corrupted region of his realm and trained them in his own presence to become the most ruthless, wicked and incorrigible fighters of the time. At the end of his reign, the beings who were human and yet not fanned out across the Demon Kingdoms and formed enclaves which secretly trained and grew their numbers away from prying eyes. They named themselves.. the Taint-pledged.
The Taint-pledged resemble pale humans, however their eyes are often shades of deep indigo, black or orange. Their hair is exclusively jet black with streaks of red or orange being the only other tone present. They are human and yet not, but are equally neither mamonme nor daemonae. They are in fact mostly a menace and a danger to both humans and mamonme alike. While they may have Spiritus, their Spiritus is so befouled and broken that it cannot be fixed or healed by either mamonme or Heaven's forces. They have a type of immunity to the effects of the current Demon Lord's energies and as such are relatively feared by those stationed within her fortress.
These beings live in villages located in dark, treacherous ravines, murky swamps and foreboding woods within the Demon Kingdoms and beyond, a type of shield is often placed over the village so that only their own citizens may locate the town. Taskmistresses and Taskmasters train the young for a life of scheming and battle. Emotions are largely trained out of the young until they, as their parents become powerful warriors.
There are however exceptions. As is well known, there is always a balance, for all those who might be cruel, there are those who are kind and caring. As such, there are those who, even being born into such depravity, eventually flee the control of their village and head for neutral and friendly territories in the hopes of leading a normal life. Those who follow this path are usually given the agnomen of "Delinquent" or "Pledge-breaker." It seems that while most emotions are trained out of their children, those who have fled, delinquents, often carry great pride over their family name and as such will refuse to accept shortened forms of their own names.
All facts considered, it is recommended that it is prudent to keep away from the Taint-pledged, unless one dwells in a friendly or neutral town.
The Darklands
Raised by the Deathknight Fennich Renburn after the deposition of Seretique vi Alloriel from her position as Demon Lord, the Darklands is home to all of those who were unable to accept Clover Meadlowry as their new Demon Lord.
The molten mass was raised from the floor of the Siruvian Ocean in phases and as such many merfolk and oceanic mamonme dwelling in the region had to abandon their homes at the risk of death. The event also devastated many coastal regions around the world. In particular the eastern coast of Minami and Kita Akrufia, The Pirate Isles, the southern coast of Zipangu, Briiart as well as the shores of the Pridolae region and the Lands of the Gentle Flame were all on the receiving end of the resulting tidal surge brought on by Fennich's handiwork.
The Darklands are now a smoldering landscape of magma flows, merfolk ruins and in recent times, hardy trees and shrubs capable of withstanding the oppressive environment. Those dwelling here live under the thumb of Fennich's sulphurous and rusty gauntlets and the dark sorceresses who some say may in fact be the real power in this region. With the gateway to Hell, the lowest regions of Heaven, having fallen to the Darklands in the cataclysm brought on by the Council of Elders' mad bid to stop Eiraiha from reclaiming her rank of Principal God, Fennich Renburn has since become the de facto gatekeeper of this infernal region. He and his lackeys' schemes frequently cause harm to the inhabitants of Praxis leaving both the Matrika Clover Meadlowry and the Principal God Eiraiha many a bad headache.
It appears in recent times that the Darklands have aligned themselves with the forces of Limbo to further cause grief for the rest of the world. As such it is not uncommon to find dark angels and Nephyrim using the region as a staging ground for their own raids on Praxis. It is said that even a certain mad heretic has spent some time in this realm much to the consternation of the dark sorceresses dwelling there. It is unclear what his motives may be.
The Dwarfen Kingdoms
One of the original races placed on Praxis, the dwarfs have a long history with the humans. They typically live in great cities sealed within the mountains themselves and constantly seek innovation and progress.
At the onset of the Age of Qualms, it was the dwarfs who allowed humans to take shelter within their kingdoms, impervious to the disaster taking place outside. During the Year of Shards, a period following an event in which a colossal luminous body is said to have fallen from the heavens and decimated a section of the continent of Calavier, the dwarfs with their technological prowess are said to have provided for the humans who could not grow their own crops due to a mini ice age.
On the whole the dwarfs are an interesting race. The females are petite and beautiful, the males are short and stocky and develop beards, however some of their men may shave their beards to keep with trends. They tend to have a resistance to most forms of magic including demon energy... Unfortunately their resistance is innate so it is difficult to share with other races. As such, besides the Fae who have been protected by their queen and Goddess Aine they are the only other race besides the humans who have not fallen.
The women and men are highly open to relationships with humans, with female dwarfs being open to heterosexual or even other forms of relationships. The male dwarfs on the other hand are much more conservative in terms of the types of relationships they will pursue. They are proud of their civilisation and technology, but are highly secretive with regards to the latter.
As a result of the Demon Lord Seretique vi Alloriel, dwarfs mistrust mamonme, sometimes even unfairly. Any person however, whether mamonme or human that has earned a dwarf's trust is said to have found a lifelong ally. It must also be mentioned that the dwarfs are one of the few races outside of humanity which the Luminaire Kingdoms trust implicitly.
Well there are four oneshots of mine in the Oneshot section; Just Desserts, Redeeming a Shattered Dream, A Wrong Turn(confusing), A Doll's Wrath(Stephen Kingish style story).