Setting and lore

History

Cataclysm

Lumae is a world formed in the aftermath of a cataclysm, and it lives in fear of a new one.

Almost two thousand years ago, magic erupted into chaos and tore everything apart, destroying nations, crumbling cities, killing people in their millions and driving those who remained into hiding far from the civilisations they had once known.

No one knows what caused it. Was it some scheme of the Fractured, the ominous, immortal figures of myth that claim unwary souls? Was it the result of the Curse that dooms all men who try to wield magic? Was it some terrible natural cycle that is destined to repeat? No records survive.

But after over a century of terrible upheaval, the scattered Lightspinners finally managed to bring the magic under control and the world began to heal.

Rebuilding

As the tribes formed from the people who had huddled together for survival began to build themselves into new nations, the Lightspinners rebuilt their home at the Hall of Light at the world’s centre.

The image of a Lightspinner and Warden bringing magic to aid in times of hardship became a familiar, if not always welcome, sight to the people of the corelands. Meanwhile the intensely patriarchal ringlands remained almost universally suspicious of them, remembering the Cataclysm or distrusting the Lightspinners because they wielded a power that men cannot.

The Empire

Then thirty years ago, there was an earthquake that tore a rift in the world, and that rift crackled with lightning. A plague of strange dreams followed. The sky went dark for hours above the sun-worshipping ringland nation of Solai. Magic was flaring up, and people feared it was the start of a new Cataclysm.

King Evander of Solai demanded that the Lightspinners supplicate themselves to Lumae’s kings so they could dictate how to respond to the disasters. The Lightspinners swore they would find out how to prevent another Cataclysm, and that they would protect people as best they could from magic’s frenzies, but they refused to give up their freedom to govern themselves.

So Evander declared war on the Lightspinners, swearing to bring them to heel. He mustered his armies and armed them with strange new weapons that somehow interfered with their ability to wield magic.

Evander declared himself Emperor and challenged nation after nation on his way to the Hall of Light, capturing every Lightspinner he encountered and killing any who would not obey him. Now he has conquered his way to Coria, the country that is home to the Hall of Light, and Evander has called upon Coria’s Queen Arabelle to surrender her longtime allies or be destroyed.

The Hall of Light

Lightspinners

Officially, the Lightspinners are committed to the good of the world, offering their aid in times of trial as a powerful neutral party. They might bring magical assistance in times of plague or famine, broker a peace between two warring nations, or even join an unjust war to end it swiftly. But they are not free from ulterior motives, and both external politics and internal power struggles can influence their actions.

The Circles often make decisions and act independently, but when the Lightspinners need to come together as one, a grand council is called to set their course with one representative present from each Circle.

Each individual Lightspinner has a role to play – they may take a leadership role or sit on the council for their Circle, recruit new members from among the initiates, or undertake missions for their Circle using their unique talents together with their bonded Warden.

Initiates

Most people who discover they can use magic are found by the Lightspinners or make their way to the Hall of Light on their own. It is common knowledge that without training they might be a danger to themselves or others and will never be able to advance beyond the basics, and that when their training is complete they will live the illustrious life of a Lightspinner.

Most people can expect to spend around five years as an Initiate, learning to spin the threads of magic safely and reliably, deciding which Circle they might want to dedicate themselves to, and dreaming about who they will bond as their Warden. When their training is complete they must pass a final trial, and if they succeed they will join their chosen Circle and complete their first dedication ritual.

Wardens

The Wardens or, officially, the Knights Warden, are an order of warriors who have each been bonded to a Lightspinner. They are based out of the Hall of Light and come together when they can to hone their skills and enjoy the camaraderie of the rare few who share their lifestyle.

The bond makes the Warden a little stronger, faster, more resilient, quicker to heal and slower to tire than a normal person, making them extremely formidable foes and some of the most respected fighters alive. As well as their bodyguard, a Warden is their Lightspinner’s closest partner, often filling in skills they don’t have. A Lightspinner who travels a lot may value a Warden who is an accomplished scout, while a Lightspinner who spends a lot of their time in palaces might value a Warden who can dance – or spy on the nobles.

A Warden can interrupt their Lightspinner’s magic and dissipate it harmlessly, an ancient technique that was all but lost until the recent upheaval of magic. An advanced version of this ability lets a group of three Wardens break a bond, though this is almost never done. A group of five Wardens can cut someone off from using magic permanently after a few weeks of studying them. This is seen as the kindest fate for men who can use magic, and an incredibly harsh punishment for a Lightspinner or Initiate

Squires

Lightspinners are supposed to pick their Wardens from among the Squires who have trained at the Hall of Light, young warriors who are well versed in the ways of magic and the needs of the Lightspinners and have the skills to help their partner from the first day they are bonded.

Some train to be ready to bond a specific Initiate when they become a Lightspinner – perhaps a sibling or lover they came to the Hall of Light with – while others just want the glory of being a Warden and strive to be noticed and chosen by the most prestigious Lightspinners.