User blog:Skylord Elberich/Collectorverse lore stuff, or Skylord attempt to cure his writer's block

This is just a page that contains some lore about my own verse, mainly concerning locations, races, technologies, and expansion on the origin of the fears, among other things. Yes, this will result in some of my earlier stories being somewhat retconned, specifically the 'Stories' series. They were crap anyway. And I was fourteen or fifteen when I wrote them.

Lucem
This is the main sphere of existence the Collectorverse takes place in, apart from Domum Mundi.

Ultima Thule
Ultima Thule is home to the main population of Man, both Plainsmen and Sandstriders. However, there are plenty of Fey who live here too, such as the Shade and Briar Elves in the great Mournweald Forest, the Goblins and Hobs of Vaardil Swamp, and the Duergar of the volcanic Mount Duervon.
 * Blackheart - Blackheart is a country of toxic thunderstorms, black deserts, and dead forests, due to it's close proximity to Duervon. If the poisonous rainfall isn't enough, the winds from the north blow colossal amounts of ash and sand around, creating destuctive ash storms. Blackheart is home to Necropolis, a city rumoured to be founded by necromancers, or the undead, depending on who tells the tale. The city is now the centre of the Necropolis Dominion, an alliance struck between the inhabitants of Ultima Thule, and ruled by Quartz Stonefire, of the Stonefire royal family.
 * Aljurada - An arid, dry land of golden deserts and windswept badlands, and the occasional savannah or jungle. Like Blackheart, the deserts of  Aljurada  are extremely inhospitable (though due to intense heat rather than violent ash storms), and only the Sandstriders, or those who learn their methods, can survive the harsh and arid environment.
 * Mournweald - A vast and sprawling forest, home to the Dark Elves, Orcs, and Val-Ravni. Once ravaged by civil war, the only threat now is the fauna, flora and fungi.
 * Duervon - The volcanic home of the Duergar, full of ashen plains, hot springs and lakes of lava. The most notable landmark is Mount Duervon, the great volcano that houses the Duergar city of Vurstaan. Before the arrival of the Stonefire Dynasty, Duervon was almost annexed by the Lich-Kings of Blackheart.
 * Vaardil - A giant, brackish, mangrove swamp, bordering Mournweald and Brenovia, and home to the Goblins and Hobs, along with a large population of Orcs, and a few Y'hani settlements.
 * Storm Rock - True to it's name, the country of Storm Rock is near-constantly enevloped in bad weather, from thick mist to wild tempests. It's other, more positive claim to fame, is it's magnificent Magician's University, where many powerful mages have studied It is the homeland of the.
 * Vvulfheim - The country of Vvulfheim is cold most, if not all of the time, but not nearly as bad a Frostfell. Vvulfheim is split into two provinces, known as Northen and Southern Vvulfheim, and thus, it is ruled by two seperate, but allied, Sovereign Monarchies. The ruler of N. Vvulfheim is Storjarl Lycaeon Blackmane, a werewolf and trusted associate of King Quartz, and Archduchess Ruby DeLacy, a vampire and the elder sister of Queen Opal Stonefire, rules S. Vvulfheim.
 * Brenovia - A country with warm summers and cool winters, which makes it a popular holiday destination. However, it was also home to an ancient race of Dragon-folk, the Brenovians, whose ruins dot the landscape of Brenovia and Mournweald.
 * Lowedonny - A relatively simple country, consisting of mostly medium-sized towns and small hamlets, it's only city being New Camelot, home of the Pendragons, the royal family of Lowedonny. It was partially founded by Edvard Greymalkin, a blacksmith, and the son of a Norwegian sellsword and a Romani apothecary. The Greymalkin family, or whoever's left, still have some holdings in Lowedonny.
 * Higashigawa - An island off the coast of Brenovia, first settled by the Tengu people, and then the Oni, and lastly by wayward Japanese pilgrims, who introduced their culture to both the Tengu and Oni (even naming the races after yōkai) And such it has been ever since.

Avalon
The ancestral home of the Fair Folk, both Highborn and Lowborn. The continent is split into two parts: Western Avalon, the lush and verdant home of the Highborn, and Eastern Avalon, the harsh and hardy crucible that forged the Lowborn. Directly betwixt these differing landscapes is the Moonlight Forest, where the Ancestral Fey were born.

Moonscar Isles
The Moonscar Isles is a jungle-covered, misty archipelago, located between Ultima Thule and Avalon, named for it's most prominent island, Luna, which is shaped like a crescent moon. It is the home of the rougish Alnamiri, and the herculean Rocians, and is the above-sea headquarters of the Moonscar confederation.
 * Luna - The largest island of Moonscar, shaped like a crescent moon. It is also the ancestral homeland of the Alnamiri, and the economic centre of Moonscar.
 * Rocia - While Rocia is a small island, what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in gargantuan flora, as Rocia is known for it's tall jungles, and it the birthplace of the Rocians.
 * Eynhallow - This isle is home to the Pelagic Royal Family, and at night, a haunting song is often heard from one of the towers...
 * Isla de Fuego - Once, a long time ago, this island was a haven for pirates, and was the of the Barba de Fuegos, a family of imfamous pirate captains. However, the last of the Barba de Fuegos, Hector and his daughters Carmen and Delfina, disapeared nearly two decades ago, and it is now a godawful tourist hotspot.

Nox
Also known as the Slip, this place can be described as a dark shadow of Lucem and Mundi, home of the truly lost and hopelessly irrational. Most that come here wither away, becoming either morally ambiguous shadows or screeching banshees.

Mundi
Earth, and the universe surrounding it. For better or worse, our home.

The Free Races
By the agreement of this armistace, we, The High Kings of Lucem, declare the freedom of all intelligent and wise races, and that no male or female is held in slavery, or unlawfully persecuted or imprisoned. All races are to be recognised as people by their fellows, and by their religious leaders, and before the law. All are entitled to property, education, religious freedom, and opinions. No one has the right to kill, torture, or enslave their fellows.

- The Armistace of the freedoms of the free races, 1037 A.D.

Mankind
Mankind, on Lucem, that is, are technically an invasive species; they originated from Mundi, more commonly known as Earth, and found Lucem merely by chance. However, they have only colonised one continent.
 * Plainsmen - Human Beings. Prevalent over all of Mundi. Ruled by King Quartz on the continent of Ultima Thule, who is not human himself, but a fallen angel. (It's complicated)
 * Sandstriders - Fire folk of the deserts. They appear very similar to humans, but are easily differentiated by their gargantuan size, with the average Sandstrider being ten foot tall. They are naturally resistant to heat, and are even known to herd salamanders and tame phoenixes. Nomadic by nature, they wander the Deserts of Aljurada, and are excellent metalworkers.
 * Frostwoses - The fur-covered ape-like men of the mountains. They were once known to be great warriors, but during the Great War of Lucem, there was a great schism between two factions of Frostwoses, one remaining in their native Vvulfheim, and the other, more pacifistic order who left with the Frost Elves to the far off continent of Frostfell, which was even more harsh than the frigid country they left.
 * Alnamiri - A race of cat-like men native to the Moonscar Isles. Legend tells that they are descended from ancient pirates that lived on the isle who were cursed/blessed  with beastlike forms  by a powerful sorceress. Others say that they shared common ancestors not with apes, but felines. A more outlandish theory suggests the intermingling of ape and cat through breeding, but the simple truth that they are not Mankind at all - simply people that evolved from felines rather than primates, and are lumped in with Mankind merely because they are not Fey, Pelagic. or Avian.











The Fair folk
Originating from the Moonlight Forest on Avalon, the Fair Folk, or Faeries (from the fair tongue  Fey Rie, meaning Fair People) are amongst one of the most varied of the races.

Highborn Fey
When the ancient fey left Moonlight Forest, some found themselves in the pastures of Alvos, and became the Highborn. These Highborn eventually evolved into the Elves, Pixies, and Ogres.
 * ​Elves - Tall, willowy and graceful, they are the most well known of the fey.
 * High Elves - The most magically proficient of the elves, averse to pure iron, and famed for inventing mythril. Oberon,the King of the elves, and High King of the Island of Avalon, is a high elf. They are the only kind of elf with wings, though theirs are vestigial, and useless for even gliding.
 * Wood Elves - The wood elves are at home in the forest, and are very in touch with nature. While some use this to their advantage, becoming proficient hunters, others utilise this ability to become druids.
 * Dark Elves - Dark elves are known for their necromantic skills, not just raising the dead, but shaping weapons and armour from bone and sinew. They are slightly less known for adamantite, the alloy they co-invented with the Duergar. They're descended from a colony of High Elves enslaved by the Brenovian dragon-people.
 * Frost Elves - Despite their bluish-white skin, thay are very closely related to the Dark Elves, as both have High Elf ancestry, though neither have wings. They originate from Vvulfheim, though most of them left to seek enlightenment on Frostfell.
 * Briar Elves - While not as well known for their magical abilities, the Briar Elves, or 'Orcs' as they are more commonly known, certainly make up for it in martial ability. What is somewhat less known is, despite their somewhat gung-ho nature, they are actually descended from Wood Elves.
 * Pixies  - Mischevous little fairies that often lead people astray, fey or otherwise, though they are also fond of more honurable trades when not pushing unwary people into ditches or dropping acorns on their heads, they enjoy cultivating many different plants, especially flowers, and often own farms and botanical gardens.


 * Hobs - Also known as hobgoblins or tunnel pixies, Hobs are very similar to normal pixies, except they have light green skin, and prefer growing mushrooms, mosses and lichens to normal plants. They primarily live in Vaardil, and somehow have managed to live alongside the Goblins.


 * Ogres - The Ogres are masters in the art of warfare, and as such, have served in armies the world over. Despite their monstrous size and appearence, ogres are often polite and well-mannered.
 * Oni - The Oni, or 'Higashigawa Ogres', are a race of Ogres that reside on  Higashigawa . They, along with the Tengu people, got most of their culture and language from wayward Japanese pilgrims.

Lowborn Fey
Some of the ancient fey, instead of finding green meadows and peaceful woodland, found freezing steppe, tall mountains, and cruel desert. However, instead of turning tail and returning to the forest, they endured the harsh environs.
 * Dwarves - Master metalsmiths and craftsmen, the Dwarves can forge anything from anything.
 * Khaur - The 'High' Dwarves of the Khauran City-state. They are not known for their magical prowess, but they know the secrets of gemstones, and an use them to enchant weapons and armour. They are also celebrated stonemasons, carving grand cities from the Khauran Mountains of Avalon. Like all dwarves, they are technologically gifted, and utilise magical crystals mined from deep Khauran to power their machines.
 * Duergar - The Duergar, or 'Ash Dwarves' are at home in the volcanic caverns of Duervon, and their technolgies rely on geothermal power. They are also masters of shaping adamantite into weapons, armor, and other things and their crafts are bought and sold over the entire world. In fact, 75% of households on Ultima Thule contain adamantite cutlery.
 * Goblins - Goblins are unfortunately considered to be barbabric creatures, which is wholly untrue, and are often treated as social pariahs. However, this opinion is, thankfully, rapidly dwindling. They, unlike their mountain-dwelling cousins, thrive in wetlands, and live in the mangrove swamps of Vaardil. Their technological prowess lies in biofuels made from recycled fish parts, and they invented orichalcum, a strong alloy of adamantite and copper.
 * Gnomes - Making their homes on the freezing Gnomar Plateaus, Gnomes are often seen as very similar to dwarves, being short in stature and technologically gifted, but they do have their differences, as they are not as muscular, and are a little shorter than the average dwarf. They live in small, above-ground, scattered hamlets and towns rather than cities carved from mountains (although their buildings usually had turf roofs), and their technologies are usually simple clockwork devices.
 * Gremlins - While Gnomes live on the high Gnomar Plateaus, the Gremlins, or Kobolds, originate from the arid Kooryn Desert below it. They have a facination with technologies of all kind, and are capable of creating techological marvels from scrap. They often travel from settlement to settlement, buying broken and decomissioned devices, and fixing or modifying them. Due to their nomadic ways, desert living, and techological prowess, they are commonly seen in Aljurada, fixing and modifying old armoured vehicles and selling them to the native Sandstriders.
 * Trolls - Much like ogres, trolls are not as terrifying as they seem, though they are somewhat more rough around the edges. They often live near water, and usually take heavy lifting jobs as dock workers or crewing cargo ships.

Other Fey

 * Sprites - The tiny, flying faeries as commonly depicted in popular culture. They are artificial in nature, being created by pixies, or occasionaly, dwarves, and come in many forms.
 * Glaistigs - Not all the Ancient fey left Moonlight Forest. Instead, some stayed there, and became the Glaistigs. They are believed to be effectively extinct, as there is only one known Glaistig left, whose whereabouts are currently unknown.
 * Jotnar - Giants said to once protect Avalon, they, like the Glaistigs, have faded into shrouded myth and forgotten legend.
 * Half-Elves- Elves with a hearty helping of non-elf in the genes. Most common are Alvdren, the mingling of Plainsmen and Elf, though almost as common are Sirens, the result of the union of a Y'ha-ni and an Elf. Sadly, Half-Elves are often discriminated against.

The Pelagica
While the first two groups reside on land, the Pelagica prefer to live in the oceans, though they also live in lakes, swamps, and slow-moving rivers. The main Pelagic settlement is a city in the Dagonic ocean. Also known colloqually as 'Deep Ones', but this term is usually reserved for the Y'hani.
 * Y'hani - Fish-people. There are many varieties, some resemble piranhas, some are eel-like, and some even have the appearence of deep-sea anglers. The Royal Family of the Pelagic Kingdoms are primarily Y'hani.
 * Cthulhi - The cephalopodic people amongst the Pelagics. They are the most magically inclined, often becoming battle mages and tidemasters (high priests in the pelagic clergy) and their magical prowess is almost as great as that of the high elves.
 * Juhl-Hai - The Juhl-Hai vaguely resemble jellyfish, their heads and body attached to the underside of the bell. They are said to be the most  intelligent, and  often join the Pelagic clergy, often as lower priests and acolytes. They also take jobs as teachers, librarians, professors and historians.
 * Ucatori - Crustacean in appearence, they usually resemble great, hulking lobsters or crabs, though some are smaller and more shrimp-like. Due to their inherent strength, they are often employed as manual labourers and guards.

The Pelagic Ones' language is known as Brackish, though R'lyehian is a common laguage among Cthulhi and Juhl-Hai priests, due to them being the most powerful of the Pelagic clergy, and almost all Pelagics speak perfect English.

The Avians
Decsended from the slave caste of the now-extinct Brenovians, the Avians bear an uncanny resemblance to birds, right down to the beak. While they are not nearly as common as the other races, they have a much wider spread, existing on all known continents of Lucem.
 * Acanthians - The Acanthians of Brenovia are small and lithe in build, and tend to be quick in body and impulse. They are easily recognised by their colourful plumage.
 * Tengu - The Tengu, along with the Oni, come from Higashigawa, and are recognised by their sinewy build, grey-brown plumage and long, slender beaks. They are known for their fishing customs, which allowed them to live peacfully alongside the Oni, trading fish for steel.
 * Strigians - Native to Storm Rock, the Strigians are generally regarded as a slothfull and jolly sort. However, they are also rather intelligent and have a natural grasp of magical theory.
 * Val-Ravni - The Val-Ravni are a race of crow-like Avians, heeding from Mornweald, with red eyes and black feathers.
 * Nyctimenians - Related to the Val-Ravni, the Nyctimenians are different in that they have curiously purple eyes, and grey or white plumage covering their heads, though there have been myths of Nyctemenians with blue-green and chestnut feathers, rather than the regular dark colours. They are also somehat shorter than the Val-Ravni, but taller than the Acanthians. They mostly live in Moonlight Forest, where they act as stewards in place of the long-disappeared Glaistigs.
 * Rocians - Unlike the other Avians, the Rocians of the Moonscar Isles are well-known for their strength in battle. Can be indentified by their golden-brown plumage and their bulky frame.

The Afflicted
Not actually a distinct free race, but rather a series of individuals afflicted with transformational, semi-permanent diseases.
 * Vampires - A form of undead that stalks the night and feasts on the living! At least, that's what various anti-vampire organisations would say. Thankfully, no-one ever listens to them, seeing them as a bunch of prejudiced nutjobs with outdated views. It is remarkably easy to become a vampire, as one does not even need to be bitten (though that is the most common method).
 * Sangeratu - the Sangeratu are the 'common vampires', pale complexion of death, glowing vermillion eyes, weak to sunlight and religious iconography, preternatural strength, and a desire to drink blood. Their bites can spread the disease, and many see this strain of vampirism as a blessing. It is extremely common in Southern Vvulfheim, due to the shorter days, and Countess DeLacy is a Sangeratu herself.
 * Nosferatu - The Nosferatu are the most recognisable, and arguably the ugliest, strain of vampires, having a turned-up nose, pointed ears (but different than the way fey ears are), thin-lipped mouths lined with sharp teeth, blueish-grey complexion, and bright yellow eyes, making them resemble bats. While lacking in strength and looks, they make up for it with powerful magic, such as shapeshifting into and controlling nocturnal animals, vermin and mist, and the really powerful ones can control storms. They are created by ingesting the blood of another Nosferatu, as the bite of a Nosferatu spreads only other plagues and pestilence.
 * Tristatu - The Tristatu are considered the weakest strain of vampirism... by fools. While the abilities can be summed up as 'watered down Sangeratu and Nosferatu' they have their own abilites too, such as enhanced stamina and supernatural speed, and a diminished weakness to sunlight. They are also somewhat harder to detect, as they are pale, but not unnaturally so. Their eyes also change colour depending on the light, being icy blue in natural sunlight, and dark red in artifical light or darkness. It is rather difficult to become a Tristatu, as their bites only work on virgins, transforming non-virgins into thralls of the attempted progenator, and the blood of the Tristatu has no affect when ingested (save for intense stomach cramps), though deliberate intravenous injection can cause infection, albeit very rarely.
 * Therianthropes - Werewolves and similar beings. Unlike werewolves in the media and folklore, the transformation is (mostly) voluntary, and the afflicted (usually) retain their minds. However, there are tales of a particular wandering therianthrope known as the Wendigo, a curious mixture of man, wolf and elk, that causes destruction wherever it goes. However, it has only one confirmed casualty; Anthony Darkest, a remittance man living off the shore of Storm Rock at the time.
 * Comet-Stricken - Sometimes, pieces of the great unknown fall out of space, glowing in unknowable hues, tainting the land for long periods of time. Those unfortunate enough to encounter these eldritch meteorites are known as the Comet-Stricken, and woe to those who have this fate befall them. If they are lucky, they die quickly. If they are even luckier, they do so before they begin to decay. But those unlucky souls who do survive are often quickly driven incurably insane by both unimaginable pain and forbidden truths, their skin turning grey and translucent, and a curious glow eminating from them, light pouring from their eyes and mouth, shining in the same damnable colours as those pieces of the unknown! There is not a lot one can do with these misfortunates, as they are simply husks of their former selves, and are likely doomed to decay from the inside out. But some of miraculous luck recover from the madness and the agony, and while they still have the grey skin and the curious glow, they find that they've become stronger from the ordeal...

The Fears
The Fears, the wardens of the first three spheres, protectors of the Free Races  and the enforcers of Fear itself. They all have their purpose... and their origins.

The Occultist
Fear of the Unknowable

Abbadon the Occultist, also known as Abbadon the Sinister, and once known for a very brief stint as the Slender Man, is the court magician for the Stonefire royal family, mostly performing simple parlour tricks for entertainment, but may use more powerful spells if required. He was one of the angels who fell to earth and made into a Fear. He is very protective of his sister, Artemis, and dislikes it when she gets too chummy with Vidalia.

Archangel Hades
Fear of Passing On

Though he calls himself a fallen archangel, the being known as Hades is actually a primordial and powerful Deity, specifically of death, and much older and more powerful than the current Gods, let alone his angelic bretheren. While most souls make it to the afterlife without much help, Hades steps in when they're having trouble letting go, or when they lose their way. He has no great love of necromancy, but understands that it, as with most magic, has it's uses.

Thaumiel the All-Knowing
Fear of Undesireable Knowledge

Despite her name, Thaumiel only sees glimpses of the future, as to know all would be torture (even for a fallen angel), but these glimpses tend to differ in accuracy, from vague and malleable, to certain and absolute. The current outlook is bleak, but is thankfully subject to change.

Supplimentary lore stuff, or Skylord is a lazy dick who can't write proper stories, so he settles for random tidbits that'll probably be touched on later

 * While mostly performing in Jazz and Heavy Metal subgenres, especcially Black and Doom metal, Jill Darkest has experimented with many musical styles, and released a Bossa Nova album in the 50's under the pseudonym Júlia Cativante.
 * Artemis, while an individual Fear in her own right, is also a classification of Nightlander, although her darkness is more oilly than shadowy.
 * When The Collector first found out about D&D, he was horrified by the racist depictions of many races.
 * Jill Darkest has a tendency to sneak into Mundi, and has befriended many historical figures, including Dante Alighieri, Edgar Allen Poe, and Vincent Van Gogh, the latter of which taught her how to paint. She also claims to have met H.P. Lovecraft, but claimed he was 'kind of a racist dick'. Despite this, she highly enjoys his work, and respected him as a fellow artist.
 * Despite his intimidating and dour personality, the Occultist has a soft spot for children, and regularly donates to the local orphanage.
 * Mundi is not the only planet with magic.
 * Hades' real name is Thanatos. His parents are Darkness and Time, and his sisters are Night and Sleep. He is not on speaking terms with his family.
 * On her way to the mortal plane, Thaumiel was sucked into a black hole, and witnessed the death of the universe. It's the one thing she's absolutely terrified of.