Here are a few of the aspects that make the world of Runvald unique. More information about each of these will be released soon.
Vaki (vah-kee)
The people of Insul pray to something called Vaki. These could be compared to gods, kami, patron saints, or guardian spirits in our world. These are not creation deities but more like guardians that people believe are looking out for them. Depending on the person’s belief, a Vaki could be the embodiment of a concept or place, or a guardian of the same. Some are referred to by a name, while others are simply prayed to under their titles. Vaki are as varied and numerous as the people who believe in them, from various Vaki of fire or water, to the Vaki of Craftsmen or Travelers, all the way down to the Vaki who guards the well in a small village, and a single person may believe in and pray to many different Vaki over the course of their life.
A note: While we have chosen the word “Vaki” as an intentional reference to Finnish Haltija, the Vaki of Runvald should not be considered the same thing as the Finnish väki.
Strands
This world is crisscrossed by a vast network of harmonic ley lines called Strands, which intertwine and intersect, connecting all living creatures and all places in the land. When these Strands are in harmony, the area surrounding them tends to be more peaceful, with happier and healthier people and more verdant plant life. When they are out of tune, however, the influence can be felt quite strongly: plants do not grow as easily, hope tends to be harder to find, and magic, which works by tapping into the energies of the Strands, cannot be worked as easily or as effectively.
Unwritten
Unwritten is a collective term for any number of magical creatures that naturally exist in the world. There are a countless variety of them, from Dragons to Unicorns to Selkies and a myriad of other creatures. Their bodies are inherently magical and their magic-making is purely instinctual. While not actively hostile, they are truly chaotic neutral, and beholden to their natures and little else. Many are beastlike, while others take a more humanlike form — these are often said to be the most dangerous.
Unwritten occupy all of the wild, untamed lands of Insul and often encroach into human lands to attack them. It is said that everywhere that human life intersects with Unwritten, there is bloodshed and loss.
If attacked by Unwritten, the best that a human can hope for is to escape with their life — and many leave their encounters forever Warped, changed by the creature into something a little more like itself.
There are stories of humans having interbred with certain Unwritten, creating bloodlines of Double-blooded people, but this is probably a myth.
(Players wishing to play as either Warped or Double-blooded characters will need to gain approval of Staff)
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