#aes: dracrie

[megarywrites]

Chronicles of Dracrie worldbuilding ➣ Isotrei pantheon

It should be noted that these are not the actual beings who created Dracrie. They are simply the beings borne of the imagination of the men who created the Isotrei religion and government as a way to explain the creation of the realm as they know it.

The majority of the gods and goddesses are prayed to when the situation calls for it. For example, at deathbeds and funerals, Luertos is called upon to ease the dying's passing and to accept them with open arms when their soul is carried to him by the waves. Tiegira and Vaceli, at the beginning of the harvest season to ensure a bountiful harvest and at the end of the season to thank them for their blessings, if their crops served them well. Artipsia, to bless their new homes or when a child is born into the home, ash from the hearth is brushed across their forehead to invite Artipsia to bless the child as well. Divitos and Angiosti are twin gods, as wealth and feasting go hand-in-hand. Angiosti is prayed to before meals so that they may be nourished and healthy, and Divitos is prayed to after receiving money, that the recipient may spend it wisely.

The others, namely Isolios, Nyari, Thallasoi, and Osramatra, were born in the minds of the men who created Isotrei itself as a way to explain the basic functions of everyday life. Isolios, as the sun god, brings warmth, light, life, food, and abundance into the world. Nyari, as the goddess of the moons, brings darkness, death, and vice. Osramatra, goddess of the firmament, is their mother, and Thallasoi, goddess of the seas, is the lover of Isolios. The legend goes as follows (adapted from a sermon given on Isoliostasi):

"Back before the Curse, the gods would walk throughout the realm, preparing it for our habituation. Isolios was the ruler amongst them, and everywhere the golden light from his eyes or palms touched, life began anew. Trees and grains sprouted from the ground, the first of the humans and livestock were shaped lovingly from the Smara River. He taught us to hunt, to grow, to harvest, to live, and yet the first of us was weak, to be swayed by his sister, the seductress Nyari. "She, who was jealous of Isolios' light, started to turn us away, one by one. Cloaking us in her darkness, blinding us with leisure and promises of unearned wealth, until all of our loyalty was divided betwixt her and Isolios. Whispers of war threatened to divide us further, and preparations were made to bring it to pass, but Isolios, in his compassionate wisdom, sought out Nyari himself to avoid the bloodshed of the humans he held so dear. "She threatened the lives of those who followed Isolios, promising to wipe them all out to repopulate the realm herself. They fought, grappling for control, her magic boring into him and weakening his own powers, but not before he rent her in two, ending the war before it began. "When he succumbed to his wounds, Thallasoi wept over his lifeless form, and her tears filled the seas. Osramatra, heartbroken over her children's battle, separated them for good while keeping them close. She made Isolios into the Sun, that he may watch over us during the day and that he may return to his lover Thallasoi at night, and Nyari was banished to the night, her rent form creating the Moons."

While most of the citizens of Grea follow the teachings of Isotrei, however devoutly, there is a faction who created an opposing rebellion. They call themselves the Children of Nyari, and they quietly work in defiance of the tyrannical rule of the Isotrei religion and government.

[megarywrites]

Today, for whatever reason, I’ve been obsessed with the idea of sketching the rough draft of my idea for the tattoo that the Daughters of Nyari (a secret potioneering society who still produce illegal potions in defiance of the laws that the Diamo(s) has passed) have in the Seafoam books. This is what it looks like:

Two intertwined moons, one silver, one a light teal, representing not only the moons of Dracrie but also the goddess of the moons, Nyari, who is disgraced in the Isotrei religion that the Grean culture is built around. The six stars represent the six different classifications of potions that they make for the general public, and the runes surrounding the design are the words in the Auld Tongue for different classifications, which are:

Spirit — Espritma (potions that affect your health positively)

Life — Zoita (potions that make everyday life easier)

Creation — Dimreati (potions that aid in cultivating the world around you)

Body — Soerpos (potions that affect your body and/or outward appearance)

Mind — Myntes (potions that positively/negatively affect the mind)

Destruction — Katrukitu (potions that have significant negative affects, including poisons)

[megarywrites]

Chronicles of Dracrie world-building ➣ magic systems

Note: If magic is attempted to be used without the aid of these elements, the result would have the potential to be catastrophic, with possibly the death of the user or the people around them.

↳ with Wood — Wands made of the ancient trees populating the lands of Thiortha: Alder, Ash, Birch, Elder, Hawthorn, Hazel, Holly, Oak, Rowan, and Willow. During the celebration of their first birth, leaves from each of the trees (except for Rowan, because of its scarcity) are placed before the children of drea—magic users in Thiortha—and the leaf the child is drawn to or grabs is the wood that their wand gets made out of. The finished wand is given to the young drea at their tenth birth celebration, and their training in magic begins.

↳ with Fire — Tattoos etched in the skin of those from Jou’eou, covering their arms, chest, and back with ink made from the lava stones of Lali’aou. There are pits dotting the sacred island of Lali'aou from where there were trees before the volcano became active and the lava burned the trees and cooled to form pits. Acolytes of Lali—also known as ho'awi—create fires within the pit and collect the soot to prepare the ink for the priestesses of Lali to bless before the tattoos are pricked into the skin of ka'awa—magic users of Jou'eou.

↳ with Earth — Crystals, gems, stones, and the actual earth are used in Qedrah to protect themselves from harm or attack. For the very rich, mogasi—highly trained magic users in Qedrah—enchant gems to be made into jewelry to be worn at all times. They also create colorful mosaics are made and charmed to fortify people's homes or cities. Zhiwae—magic users who specialize in healing—produce the medicine for which Qedrah is known for around the realm.

↳ with Metal — Within the Deltakayuva Mountains are twisting, interwining mines rich with iron ore, bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. Havalig—common magic users in Rejkvin—are metal workers, and it is their artistry that brings about the enchanted jewelry and armor to protect and aid the witches and seers who wear them. Witches' jewelry and armor is typically passed down from mother to daughter, with new sets of runes carved onto the face of them to connect them to their new wearer.

↳ with Water — Potions are made from the river Smara, an enchanted river that connects the three islands that make up Grea. Though potions are currently banned in Grea, potioneers—home potion brewers—and alchemists—trained potion brewers—are still around, practicing in secret. The different potions have been organized into six categories based on their effects, difficulty, and potency. The categories are: spirit, life, creation, body, mind, and destruction.

[megarywrites]

Chronicles of Dracrie world-building ➣ Thiortha

Thiortha is the country in the center of Dracrie. Split into five nations by rivers and mountain ranges—Arnna, Basate, Dacha, Kehalt, and Micillo—it is the supplier of a variety of goods to the whole of Dracrie: from lumber, to livestock, to ales and liquers, to grains and produce. The Siull is a tribe of descendants of former dragon-egg guardians who have been forced to seek refuge in the depths of the haunted Whispering Woods.

The Thiorthans felt the absence of the dragons and the devestation of Nacratyn the most out of the five continents, as the final battle took place in the heart of what is now Dacha. As time passed, their magic began to weaken, so they carved wands so they could channel their magic safely. Different woods are better for different types of magic, and wands can be very expensive, so the simpler the wand, the poorer the drea.

Magic is, for the most part, an accepted part of life in Thiortha—everywhere except for Dacha. After the realm was torn apart, the newly appointed king of Dacha declared that the drea in his land should be purged, which included the now-purposeless Siull. Many lives were lost until the new king and queen of Arnna intervened and put an end to the purge, which led to several things all at once: an age-long feud between Dacha and Arnna, the remaining drea of Dacha to desperately hide what remained of their magic, and the Siull to retreat to the woods to save themselves from the madness of the Dachish king.

[megarywrites]

Chronicles of Dracrie world-building ➣ unconnected islands

↳ Draynth — Set somewhere in the uncharted north, Draynth is a twisted, mountainous island. No humans have ever set foot here, and it now holds what remains of the dragons and wyverns who had been exiled, as they had had the ability to flee. Their numbers continue to dwindle as the years pass, but they continue to lie in wait, eager to return to their full strength so they may regain the power they once held over the land.

↳ Myska — Myska is a ring of tiny islands set somewhere in the sea between Thiortha, Qedrah, and Grea. Its exact location is unknown, given that anyone who has traveled there has yet to be seen again. It is the home of a siren, or, rather, a particularly vengeful mermaid who had been cast out because she probably would have started harming the other mermaids. So instead, she made Myska her home, her voice luring those who sail past to their doom.

[megarywrites]

Chronicles of Dracrie world-building ➣ Jou'eou

Jou'eou is the smallest nation in the entirety of Dracrie. It is made up of seven islands—Alialo, Iamaka, Lali'aou, Laupa, Maoua, Vuoala, and Waliali. Their major exports are cacao beans, cane sugar, salt-cured fish and pua'ehe meat—which is a winged wild boar native to the islands.

Many were lost to the roiling seas during Nacratyn, the island shifting and fragmenting into the trail of land that Jou'eou is today. Just when the people who remained thought that the worst was over, the mountain on what is now Lali'aou erupted, decimating more of the few settlements that had arisen. The women who survived the volcano's terrifying display banded together to find a new strength in the land, rousing the rest of the community and taking charge of their tribes.

Because of the proximity to Lali'aou, it was only natural that a religion formed around the volcanic island. A temple was built within the caverns of the volcano itself, the priestesses within spiritually leading the tribes and training up the ho'awi in the art of tattooing ka'awa of the islands with the blessed ink made in the many pits of Lali'aou itself. The different tattoo designs can be combined to produce many variations of extrodinary powers, and each indiviual can decide which tattoos they would like to be drawn into their skin.

[megarywrites]

Chronicles of Dracrie world-building ➣ dragons

↳ Dragon — Born of fire, the Dragon resides in volcanoes, both dormant and active. Their scales are either shades of red, gold, or black. In the spaces between their scales and spikes, the exposed skin smolders and makes their scales look like a bed of burning embers. The smallest of the Dragons grow up to about forty-five feet/fourteen meters in length, while the largest grow to around eighty feet/twenty-four meters. They are four-legged and winged, and they usually have some sort of curled horns growing from their brow.

Compared to the other variations of dragons, Dragons themselves are the most friendly and familiar with humans. They have no reservations except for their personal disinterest, if it should exist, for either interacting or becoming bound to a human. They are (obviously) the most likely to be bound to a human, and had the greatest loyalty to them in the War.

Because they were born of fire, they are able to control it to some extent. They, of course, breathe fire—sometimes even lava—which has been used for good and ill. Their temper, like their element, is the most turbulent of the dragons. They have been known to demolish a forest or prairie or village in flames in a flash of anger.

[megarywrites]

Chronicles of Dracrie world-building ➣ drakes

↳ Drake — Born of earth, the Drake resides in the mountains, deserts, and forests of Dracrie. Their scales are either shades of green, brown, or grey. They have the inate ability to camoflauge themselves, the green Drakes being able to blend into the foliage, the brown into the earth itself, and the grey into stone. It is typical to find them with moss or fungi growing on their scales or birds nests tucked between their spikes. The smallest of the Drakes grow up to about twenty-five feet/eight meters in length, while the largest grow to around forty feet/twelve meters. They are four-legged and wingless, and they shed their skin four times a year.

While Drakes are not as reclusive as Wyrms when it comes to humans, they do still tend to be wary of them. Most prefer to keep to themselves in the shadows of the realm. They are calm, gentle creatures, but when provoked, they can be fierce adversaries. Erisati was the most notable Drake to join in the War alongside her bonded human before Nacratyn.

Because they were born from the earth, they too were able to control it. Those who were friendly enough with the humans helped in the creation of their buildings and cities, while the others kept to the outer edges of society, tending to the forests and plants with the residual gift of creation given to them by the locsi. (It should be noted that even now after the dragons were exiled, Drake dung manure is still highly sought after as a fertilizer. It is extraordinariliy expensive and used solely by those who garden for magical purposes, whether that be for medicines or potions.)

[megarywrites]

Chronicles of Dracrie world-building ➣ Rejkvin

Rejkvin is the northern most country of Dracrie, containing the nations Cadrr, Domger, Hemjor, Köttham, and Tokjin. Their major exports are metal works—weapons, armor and chainmail, and jewelry. The Deltakayuva Mountains separate Domger from the southern nations, leaving it in an everlasting winter for the majority of the year.

Before Nacratyn, the wyverns had made what is now Rejkvin their home, and the ones who had been bound to humans had chosen female riders to bond with. So, after the breaking of the world, the abandoned riders rose up to lead their new clans and maintain a lasting peace between their fellow nations.

Because of their long-standing bond with the wyvern, the women of Rejkvin were the ones who were strongest in magic. Men who had some magic became havalig, which are metal workers who produce the rune-enchanted armor, weapons, and jewelry for witches and seers. Seers are the elder witches who lead the clans and train up the witches in the ways of magic and leadership. Witches are young women who sojourn at as many clans as they can, soaking up as much knowledge as possible before returning home to aid in the leading and bettering of their people.

[megarywrites]

Chronicles of Dracrie world-building ➣ Qedrah

Qedrah is the largest and most geographically diverse nation in Dracrie. Betii, Ghara, Naeji, Tavazar, and Woji are the nations within, and they supply a wide variety of goods to the other nations. Betii is known for their paints, dyes, and glass panes and art; Ghara for their spices and gems; Naeji for a variety of rices and medicines; Tavazar for kappe beans, spices, and pottery; and Woji for rices, fabrics, and medicines.

Before Nacratyn, what is now Qedrah was the home to Zenjani Hold—a resting place for dragons to birth their eggs, as well as a place for people who wished to bond with a dragon to find the egg that would choose them. It was lost to the sea when the land was rent, taking with it the myriad eggs of dragons, drakes, and wyverns. Despite the war with them, the majority of the people still have a great reverence for dragons and the age before this one.

While there are some similarities with the magic between the nations, they tend to differ just as much with how they channel their magic. The people of the roaming tribes of Betii produce dyes and paints with magical properies. For example: some paints are used on the skin to protect it from the sun's rays, others are used for moving art pieces. The dyes are given to Woji to produce extraordinary clothing—one of the dyes in particular makes the wearer of the fabric completely invisible. Woji and Naeji have worked together for centuries to produce and perfect earth-based medicines. Tavazar and Ghara's buildings are covered with stone and glass mosaics, the designs and pieces charmed to protect the inhabitants and provide light to the city when the sun goes down.

[megarywrites]

Chronicles of Dracrie world-building ➣ wyrms

↳ Wyrm — Born of water, the Wyrm resides in the oceans, seas, and rivers. Their scales are typically various shades of blue, black, or white, but there have been variants with more vibrant color patterns, usually in the smaller, freshwater varieties. The deeper in the ocean you go, you will find Wyrms that have adapted. They have biolumescent patches on their scales, and some have been known to grow lighted lures protruding from their brow to attract prey. Freshwater Wyrms can grow to approximately seven feet/two meters in length, while saltwater Wyrms have been known to reach about one hundred feet/thirty meters in length. They are legless and wingless, and while most have the ability to be amphibious, it is rarely taken advantage of.

Out of all the dragons, they are the ones who are most reclusive. Very few have ever interacted with a human, let alone another creature, without devouring them. Because of this, there is only one known Wyrm to have ever bonded with a human, and they were one of the few to remain a bonded pair after Nacratyn.

Because they were born from water, with that came the ability to control it. They can raise and lower tides on a whim, capsize a ship with a breath. They shape the oceans and seas, carving currents in their wake as they roam the realm as they see fit.

[megarywrites]

Chronicles of Dracrie world-building ➣ Grea

Grea is the second smallest nation in all of Dracrie. Composed of three interconnecting islands—Porme, Latti, and Scinra—it is known around the realm as the supplier of vinas and oils, for which it trades with the other nations for essentials that they do not or cannot grow or make themselves. The population of Grea is just shy of ten million people, the majority of which living nearer to the bigger cities.

The magic that has cultivated since the breaking of the realm (Nacratyn) is based off of the Smara, which is an enchanted river that winds its way through all three of the islands. It originates in the Giama Mountains in Scinra in a place called Tinua Springs, cutting through the channels between Scinra, Latti, and Porme until it spills into the ocean out of the capital city, Aspyra. Potions are—or rather, were—made with the water from the Smara as a base, and are used as magical solutions to ordinary and extrodinary problems.

Potions were banned from being made when the rise of Isotrei—a tyrannical theocracy—overtook the nation of Grea. Some persisted. Women, mostly, as it was they who had created the lasting recipes for the most potent and successful potions. They continue to be sold and made, in secrets and shadows, by those with the courage and desire to help those in need.

[megarywrites]

Chronicles of Dracrie world-building ➣ wyverns

↳ Wyvern — Born of air, the Wyvern usually keeps to the skies, but rests their wings in caves at the peaks of mountain ranges. Their scales long and feather-like, ranging from a iridescent white to a dark sky blue to a stormy grey. Their scales have a natural mirroring quality to them, making it easy for them to blend into the clouds and evade attack. The smallest of the Wyvern grow up to about thirty-six feet/eleven meters in length, while the largest grow to around sixty feet/eighteen meters. They are two-legged and winged, but when they do take to the ground, they use the talons on their wing joints for balance.

While Wyverns are far less wary of humans compared to the Wyrms and the Drakes, they still have their reservations and prefer the company of women. They have bound themselves to some men before and during the War, but the majority of them choose women as their boundmates.

Because they were born from air, they have control over the weather, specifically storms. Their wings have the power to gather stormclouds, their roars can summon thunder, and they breathe lightning. You can always tell when one is around, because there is static in air and the scent of petrichor lingers around them.

[megarywrites]

i made this instead of working on my chores lol 

so i made these symbols a while ago. I painted them and they’re hanging above my desk in my house. obviously, they symbolize each of the nations and the element that they use to channel their magic (both listed below the symbol). the countries that make up each of the nations are listed below that! 

but now i really need to get up and start my chores

[megarywrites]

Chronicles of Dracrie world-building ➣ Dracrie

From the quilted farmland and the haunted forests of Thiortha, to the ever-smoking volcano and the stunning beaches of Jou'eou, to the scorching deserts and the lush rain forests of Qedrah, to the ice-capped mountains and the picturesque fjords of Rejkvin, and the stunning architecture and chiseled rivers of Grea, magic permeates the air.

Though not as it once did.

Since the dragons’ exile, the people of Dracrie had to adapt to their absence and the way it affected their magic. Gone were the days that they could change the world as they knew it on a whim. Now, their magic was faulty. Unpredictable. They had to find ways to channel their magic safely, and in doing so, they turned to the elements that the dragons themselves helped to create.

The trees, fire, earth, metal ore, and water that surrounded them came to their aid in their time of need. Once again, they were able to shape the world as they willed…

But at what cost?

[megarywrites]

I finally got around to making the symbols for the magical elements in Chronicles of Dracrie! These are based off the five Chinese elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, and they are how the people of Dracrie are able to use magic after the exile of the dragons.

The runes are Old Dracriean, a nearly extinct language that has been adapted into the beginnings of the languages for the five countries of Dracrie. In order, they say: Thiortha, Dracrie, Jou'eou, Qedrah, Rejkvin, and Grea.