<div align="center"><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Deepest Lore</span></strong></div><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_u"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Locations</span></span></div><br/><strong><span class="bbc_u">World - Averta </span></strong><br/><br/><strong>Continent - Gaius (https://i.imgur.com/9Il2jB8.jpg)</strong>: A large continent brimming with life. Of the six known continents, it is one of four confirmed to host sapient peoples with complex organized societies.<br/><br/><strong>Queendom of Lyse</strong>: The dominant power on the continent. Founded 200 years ago by Queen Hildur after slaying Flaxum the Viledrake. It is a strong and prosperous nation, propped up by a powerful military and a constant stream of adventurers and heroes attending to the needs of the people.<br/><br/><strong>Wyrmfell:</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/rRrhJoK.jpg) Wyrmfell, The City of Slayers. Erected around the corpse of Flaxum the Viledrake, it is the capital of the queendom of Lyse, and home to the illustrious Adventurer's Guild. It is were ambitious youths train and mighty heroes gather, all dedicating their lives to the pursuit of gold and glory (and helping out the weak and downtrodden of course). They face off against the malicious forces that threaten the kingdom and it's people, no matter how big or small. If one has a problem in need of solving, and enough coin to offer, then the Guild won't hesitate to extend a helping hand. It is because of them (and the dozens of other prospering trade industries) that Wyrmfell stands as one of the greatest cities in the world, a true paradise for anyone with an adventurous spirit.<br/><br/><strong>Rouche County:</strong>Rouche County is comprised of a stretch of land to the west of Wyrmfell, containing the town of Russdale and a few small villages, as well as a number of farms that help feed the capital<br/><br/><strong>The Green Desert</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/z9JnCpm.png): Once a barren wasteland of searing hot sands, dotted by ruins and tombs hinting at a lost civilization. However about a decade ago a group of powerful druids pooled their strength together to cast a terraforming spell the converted the desert into a sprawling jungle, thus the name "Green Desert". While the land has been made fertile once more, the explosion of plant life has made massive changes to the landscape, as well as moving around old tombs and landmarks, essentially turning it back into unexplored territory, with most old maps having lost all accuracy.<br/><br/><strong>The Hive Cities:</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/JZBaCsL.jpg) Great underground cities inhabited primarily by the Sect, a race of bug-like humanoids. Due to their sprawling size and deep fortifications, the Hive Cities have remained uninvaded and unconquered for thousands of years, maintaining their independence regardless of whatever wars rage above the surface. However owing to this security, they tend to be among the more friendly and diplomatic nations, often freely trading and collaborating with just about anyone.<br/><br/><strong>The Orisian Empire:</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/BGdd620.jpg) A former elven kingdom that was conquered by an orc horde several generations back. It was rather infamous for enacting a mass breeding program, forcefully pairing orcs with elven captives for the sake of strengthening the orc race by taking the elves' immortality for themselves. The campaign was so successful that the vast majority of Empire's population are now elf/orc hybrids, known as elcs.<br/><br/><strong>Jo'dariel</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/BGdd620.jpg) is the city that used to be the capital of the elven kingdom before the orc invasion. After conquering the city, the orcs dubbed the city the capital of the newly formed Orisian Empire. However instead of renaming the city and tearing down it's cultural monuments, as conquerors often did, the Orisian Empire decided to keep the city's name and much of it's history intact, including the statue of the old king Jora, as if to display what they had conquered for all to see, as if the city itself was a trophy of their victory.<br/><br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_u"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">People</span></span></div><br/><strong>The Adventurer's Guild:</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/YS7Adi6.png) One of the most powerful and influential guilds in the city. They are responsible for training and employing adventurers, providing a steady source of quests and added legitimacy in exchange for a cut of one's earnings. Over the past two centuries they have established themselves as the most effective and trusted source to those in need of help, and have essentially monopolized the entire field, making it very difficult for an independent adventurer to make it without their help.<br/><br/><br/><strong>Cass'andra Nokstell R. Mannimarco Lestain, White Sheep of the Black Herd, Mistress of Bones, Queen of Souls, Forsaker of Sunlight and Goddess of the Internal Sanctum</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/PKQgdD8.jpg): A necromancer who has developed a spell of near-perfect resurrection, allowing one to raise undead almost indistinguishable from their living selves. With these undead she seeks to establish her own group of adventurers, The Second Chance Club, capable of challenging the Adventurer's Guild iron grip on the hero market. Has not gone particularly well so far.<br/><br/><strong>Lord Harlan Blackcrest:</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/54HhFiQ.jpg) A former adventurer of considerable success and renown. He was well known for his dueling prowess and in addition to completing many quests he was also a long time arena champion. Unlike many others in the Coins District he wasn't born to a rich family, and most of the riches and opulence he now surrounded himself with was won by his own hands. While he has long since retired from questing, he was a prominent member of the Adventurer's Guild in his time, and still holds a good deal of influence there.<br/><br/><strong>Countess Carmilla Feratti</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/j5UUcQX.png) A reclusive noble of uncertain age and origin. She is the Countess of Rouche County, holding lordship over many of the farms that directly feed the Capital. As such her influence is considerable, though she tends to avoid politics and the public eye in general. Many suspect this is because she's actually a blood sucking vampire.<br/><br/><strong>Sera Blackcrest:</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/osVaPG7.jpg) The daughter of Harlan Blackcrest and secret fiancé of Carmilla Feratti. She is a member of the Adventurer's Guild, and by all accounts is a competent fighter, though many find her personality to be a bit lacking. Of course what she lacks in charms she more than makes up for with a beautiful face and buxom figure.<br/><br/><strong>Lady Redclaw:</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/XDHHADk.jpg) An enigmatic noble merchant, owner of the Redclaw Brewing Company.<br/><br/><strong>The Shadow Merchants</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/dUkRf5E.jpg): A trade network set up by the mysterious Shadowfolk, a race of living shadow. The Shadow Merchants travel about the land selling all manner of rare and curious wares. The secrets of their operations are closely guarded, but they are known to sell exceptionally fine goods at reasonable prices, as well as buy treasures and artifacts for a high price. As such they tend to get along well with adventurers, and befriending one is often a great boon to any party.<br/><br/><strong>The Flock</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/BKfJRmy.jpg): An infamous crime syndicate that specializes in potions, poisons, and any other kind of illicit alchemic substances. It is rumored that they also deal in assassination and carry out strange occult practices, though those are only rumors.<br/><br/><strong>The Baghead Boys:</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/gSzLL6R.jpg) They love makin' noise.<br/><br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_u"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Gods/Religion</span></span></div><br/><br/><strong>Ava the Lifebringer</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/lInpXUM.jpg): The Goddess of life and nature. It is said that in the beginning the world was naught by barren rock, and it was Ava who seeded the world through her own loins. She is credited as the creator Goddess who sired the first plants, animals, and peoples of the world, and so is father to all.<br/><br/><strong>Madama Muerta</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/eRkqbtO.jpg): The Black Bride, Goddess of death and loss. She embodies the concept of death itself, and by her existence mortality is enforced. However she is not the enemy of the living, in fact she feels nothing but love for every living creature, and goes to greet everyone at their moment of death. To meet them and embrace them before sending them off to their final resting place.<br/><br/><strong>The Marriage of Life and Death:</strong>It is said that when Ava planted the first seeds of life, Madama Muerta appeared before her soon after, drawn by the beauty of the flowers that grew at her feet. The two instinctively knew they were opposites, opposing forces that clashed by their very nature. But all the same they fell deeply in love, and formed the first union, unbreakable in it's purity. Since then life and death have mingled inseparably, one always begetting the other. Together the two Goddesses would bare many children, each a deity in their own right, and most of the Gods and Goddesses worshipped in Lyse can trace their lineage back to this union.<br/><br/><strong>The Three</strong>: The firstborn daughters of Ava and Muerta, triplets who would each come to hold prominence over the sun, moon, and stars respectively. They are the most commonly worshipped deities in Lyse, with Sol having the most followers, though no church technically holds more authority than the others.<br/><br/><strong>Sol:</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/FAw7YEo.png) The eldest of the three sisters, Sol embodies the sun and all it's radiance. Her endless light is both a blessing and a bane, providing life to all things, but equally capable of taking it away. As such she is seen as representing her parents, life and death, in equal measure, and this duality makes her the most difficult goddess to fully understand, leading to many different interpretations of her will. Due to this the church of Sol has many different branches and diverging sects, with a wide variety of dogma and rituals.<br/><br/><br/><strong>Lun:</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/Fv3OJeu.jpg) The second sister, Lun embodies the moon and it's calming glow. Unlike her sister Sol, who deals in extremes, Lun is a much gentler goddess, like a nurturing mother. Hers is a calming, anchoring presence, like a full moon guiding one's way through the darkest night. Worship of Lun tends to be more solitary and self reflective, meant to be a deeply personal experience for each individual. Many followers of Lun associate themselves with a specific phase of the moon, often (but not always) the phase they were born under, each symbolizing different things about that person's nature and personality.<br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li><span class="bbc_u">Afterlife:</span> When they die, those who worship Lun have their souls condensed into a shard of solid energy, known as Moonlight Shards (https://i.imgur.com/WYE211R.jpg?1). These shards act as a house for that person's soul, giving them a physical anchor to the mortal realm. From this shard the person's soul can astral project across planes, allowing them to visit various worlds and other afterlives as they please, or commune with the living in the mortal realm. This gives followers of Lun incredible freedom after death, though comes with the risk of becoming lost between worlds should their shard be destroyed. The size of a person's moonlight shard corresponds to their power: whether it be physical power, magical power, or both.<br/><br/>While it is possible to destroy a moonlight shard, with the use of specialized techniques they can be safely reshaped without harming the soul inside. This allows them to be crafted into a variety of things. Most commonly they are made into jewelry (https://i.imgur.com/G1noy8h.jpg) that is worn by a loved one, or a commemorative decoration to be displayed in the home or other place of significance to the deceased. The shards of exceptionally powerful followers can even be forged into weapons (https://i.imgur.com/sJzG7rn.jpg). Such weapons are highly coveted by many, some for their power, and others just for the prestige of owning one.</li></ul><br/><strong>Twi:</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/Hc0vnl3.jpg) The youngest sister, and perhaps the most mysterious. Twi embodies not only the stars, but the dark spaces between. With her celestial bodies scattered far across the sky, unlike the central spheres of Sol and Lun, she is believed to be the most well versed and knowledgeable of the goddesses. She is known to pass this knowledge down to mortals, whether it be in coded lessons charted across the skies, meticulously studied by scribes and scholars, or in sudden bursts of maddening inspiration to those who catch glimpse of a shooting star. This knowledge she gives freely, and has been credited for some of the continent's greater leaps in both technology and arcane theory. However she also allows this knowledge to be used just as freely as it is given, whether it be with good or ill intent. Her dogma gives no edict nor judgement on what is right and wrong, and so she is considered a completely amoral goddess, equally worshiped by both the villainous and the virtuous.<br/><br/><br/><strong>Ardora the Traveler:</strong>(https://i.imgur.com/8YddIKP.jpg) Goddess of fire, travel, and discovery. The 4th daughter of Ava and Muerta, born after The Three. Instead of her older sisters, who chose to rule from the cosmos, Ardora chose to experience the world from the ground. It is said that Ardora walked every corner of the world, exploring her father's creation in it's entirety. In that time she met with countless mortals as friends and equals, and sometimes even as lovers. As such she is a very popular Goddess when it comes to art and literature, considered to be more down to earth (literally) than most other deities, who are seen as entirely above mere mortals.