The land of Gaia is a fantastical world full of diverse creatures, magic and gods. The gods in particular play a critical role in not only maintaining the world’s balance, but shepherding their mortal children. These children are the main inhabitants of Gaia, called the six great races. We’ll talk much more in-depth about all these concepts in their own posts so this will be more of a basic primer on what you can expect to be important concepts in this world and the tales it has to tell.
Having gods around is so key to life in this land that in the oceans beyond the shores of the earth gods and the wings of the wind gods, no life can flourish. No creatures or plants live below the waves, and it is widely considered a no-man’s land, traveled only by the desperate and the foolish.
It’s also not just life itself, but the things which make life worth living. Climates to support lazy days in the sun or much-needed rains, and cultures to keep alive the memories and lessons of days long past, these are also among the responsibilities of the gods.
For the mortals that make up the six great races under the gods, there are two important concepts that define life on Gaia: The Circle and the Rites. The Circle is a kind of blessing given to a mortal under the purview of a given god, it’s both a blessing of magical power and a promise of guidance.
Unlike what we’re used to, inhabitants of Gaia are born through magical rituals to beseech the gods for a child. The Rites are the umbrella term used to describe all of these rituals, which are unique to each race.
I’ll close this primer off with a quick introduction to each of the six great races:
- Rorkar: Short and sturdy folk of the earth. Them and their gods share a strong sense of community.
- Targa: Varied and independent shepherds of the wilds. Them and their gods share traits with beasts of the wilderness.
- Azani: Colorful and boisterous people of the wind. Them and their gods maintain customs built around love and intimacy.
- Ghel: Statuesque horned masters of flame. Them and their gods boast unparalleled mastery of their talents.
- Ireli: Crystalline and empathetic casters of light. Them and their gods live in seclusion and practice a unique form of memory-based magic.
- Midlin: Mechanical and ever-changing heralds of progress. Them and their gods seem to revel in defying the world’s conventions.
That’s all for now! Keep an eye out for more primers and progress updates coming soon!
