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The world is one of greys more than black and white (indeed the most powerful gods are all neutral aligned). It is often not clear whether or not a person is "good" or evil", though if he's swinging at you with a sword, it's a fairly safe bet that he's your enemy. It’s a dark, gritty shade of grey, too. From the soot of Tarmass industry, to the bigotry of elves, to the mindless violence of orcs and wolfen; there's plenty of darkness for any warrior of light to battle (though some battles are not fought with sword and shield).
The four elder gods: Kanara, Pele, Kaloth, and Thanatos created the world. It is said that Pele forged the earth, Kanara gave it life, Thanatos death, and Kaloth gave it time. Shortly thereafter, Kanara created several special creatures of her own blood, imbuing them with a spark of her immortal essence and bade them to care for the land. These were the elves, centaurs, and the fey. Pele, too created a race, though hers she made of fire and steel. Strong and durable she made them, though not immortal as Kanara's children were, for Pele wished her people to not merely watch and tend life, but to live it. So it is that Pele's children, though long lasting are mortal. Kaloth looked upon the world and found a single creature pleasing: the serpent. He found its form seemly, and its nature enticing. It is said that he sought out the greatest of them and ensured that their offspring would bear a tiny shard of his essence. Thus were born the dragons, a mighty race strong in both body and magic, immortal, as Kanara's children, but less playful as befits the progeny of he who watches. Thanatos chose no race, saying simply that all save the dragons and elves owed their final allegiance to him and that he was satisfied.
In time the elves and dwarves built mighty nations and filled the earth, but they grew careless and a horrible accident happened. The world was nearly split asunder. The seas boiled, the rivers ran blood, fire and noxious fumes spewed form the ground and many died. Pele saw the destruction and shielded her children, protecting their mountains. Kanara protected the forests of her own children. Kaloth merely watched, for it is not his way to interfere, and so most of his children died in the cataclism.
For decades the world was in chaos, but slowly it subsided. When the elves and dwarves emerged from their homes they found a changed world, new creatures were everywhere; some useful, but most foul and twisted. It was the elves that first discovered that some of he creatures had been changed by the cataclysm... made more intelligent. So it was that the elves gathered these new "beasts" and trained them to work at restoring the world to a semblance of order, teaching them the basics of how to work with tools and the land. These "creatures" turned out to be extremely adept learners, for they were capable of speech and reason.
In time the lands were mostly restored and most of the "creatures" left to their own devices. To the shock of the elves and dwarves, the former slaves began to build villages and towns, even cities and nations, for the former slaves had learned much in their short time of servitude. They chose names for themselves: Humans, gnomes, and halflings.
Later other races would be discovered, much like the humans: Catgirls, orcs, kobolds, gnolls and wolfen too had the spark of reason within their breasts.
Time passed, and the world grew into what you see today.
Kanara(N): The goddess of nature, song, beauty, and the elves/fae, Kanara is known as an interventionist deity.
Pele(N): Goddess of fire, and also craftsmanship, steel, and courage. Pele keeps mostly to herself unless her people are in true danger.
Kaloth(N): God of knowledge. Kaloth stands alone, indifferent to the fate of the world, his only interest in chronicling knowledge.
Thanatos(N): The god of death. Neither kind nor cruel, Thanatos merely ensures that all die as they should, in accordance with the cosmic order. Thanatos normally only intervenes when an individual is disrupting the natural process of death in extreme ways.
Ares(NE): God of war. Ares typifies the dark aspects of war; killing, bloodlust, rape, and pillaging.
Bast(CG): Goddess of cats and catgirls
Belitra(NE): The Demon queen of rape
Calista(CG): Goddess of Pleasure
Drash'marr(CE): The wolfen racial god, Drash'marr is a dimwitted brute who spends most of his efforts fgting graal (who he is very similar to)
Ghashna(CE): God of Destruction
Graal(CE): God of orcs. Graal acts just like any orc would if he had a lot of power. He beats up smaller orcs and rapes their women.
Jade(LE): Goddess of Power
Jupiter(LG): God of Justice. Jupiter is a very stern but basically well meaning god. (LG with strong LN tendencies).
Nora(CG): Goddess of Luck
The Sisters of Light: Faythe the Protector and Alcina the mrcyful have a unified clergy and work together to improve the world.
Kanarathalos: The land of the elves (as well as pixies, centaurs, grigs, nymphs, and other fae), Kanarathalos is essentially a giant magical forest. It is a mystery to outsiders, especially now that it is nearly impossible to enter. Kanarathalos is also known politically as a "superpower", one that isn’t afraid to use its might to bully other nations into doing its bidding.
Note that kanarathalos is no longer physically in the world and it's people now reside in Arcadia except for a select few who chose to reman behind. The former land is now occupied by the dragon armies
Stormhammer: The primary nation of dwarves, Stormhammer is an ancient kingdom steeped in tradition. Stormhammer's armies are perhaps the best in the world.
New Zaras: The most cosmopolitan nation in the world, New Zaras is a thriving nation, famed throughout the world for its wealth and commercial might. In new Zaras it is possible to buy anything, or so it is said. Politically, new Zaras tends to remain neutral in most matters.
Note that The original Gnomish homeland, Zaras, is now occupied by the dragon armies
Tarmass: Formerly, a massive industrial juggernaut, Tarmass is still the most technologically advanced nation in the world. However, they lack any magic whatsoever. Politically, Tarmass is extremely expansionistic, having, at one time, acquired land from several other nations. ultimately, Tarmas went too far and was beaten back. The cost of lsing its war of expansion has left Tarmas a rotting husk of it's former glory.
Albion: once, a powerful nation known for its paladins and religious nature, Albion's last king was more focused on self interest than on justice. His selfsh was sparked a civil war which desroyed not only the monarchy but the church, as well, sending Albion into a state of anarchy that, over a generation later, it is only now beginning to recover from.
Tousa: A nation of human merchants, Tousa is a bad copy of the former nation of Zaras. Politically, Tousa is a semi-corrupt feudal state here the barons hold near total local autonomy, although the current Monarch, King Richard the Brave shows promise enough that he may be able to revitalize his kingdom.
Malfric: A tiny kingdom that mines quality marble, Malfric is otherwise unremarkable.
Dwarfmount: A small colony of dwarves that are religious zealots.
Kethmar: A city founded by pirates, Kethmar remains, to this day, a stinking pit of corruption. In Kethmar, bribery and corruption are a way of life. Politically, Kethmar tends to stay out of most conflicts, relying on its navy to keep it safe. (While other nations have larger navies, Kethmar's navy is large enough that defeating it would probably exhaust more resources than the city generates in twenty years).
Major races: Major races are powerful races with enough numbers and strength to affect world events, even without PC intervention.
Humans: The most populous race in the world, humans can be nearly anything, just like in real life.
Dwarves: The best liked race, overall. Humans respect dwarves, as do gnomes, and even elves and dragons. Dwarves value skill in battle, hard work, and craftsmanship. Dwarves are never slaves or prostitutes.
True Elves: An ancient powerful and magical race, elves are best known for being religious, tight knit, and vengeful beyond comprehension. Admired from afar for their physical beauty, most people fear rather than like elves, which is just how most elves want it. (Note that there are *NO* drow in the gameworld and that elves do not have oversized anime style ears). Like dwarves, elves are never slaves or prostitutes.
True elves are now extremely rare in the world as nearly all of them have moved to Arcadia, but the few who remain are often like gods among men, so the Elves still hold no small sway in those matters with which they cocnern themselves..
Gnomes: An entire race of greedy merchants, gnomes are clever and utterly focused on acquiring wealth and showing off their financial assets.
Dragons: Dragons now have a nation of their own populated by not only dragons, but half dragosn and slaves. Because of this, slaying dragons is not considered noble by most civilized people; it's considered murder (or warfare).
Minor races: Minor races are races that are relatively weak compared to major ones.
Wolfen: A race of tribal warriors who believe that physical strength is all that matters in life. They are notorious slavers.
Halflings: Halflings tend to adapt to the values of whatever community they live in, rather like humans, except for the fact that they are much smaller, less numerous, and a bit longer lived.
Nessa'maoi: In the wilds, Nessa'maoi (which comes from an elven word meaning "young cats") are savage matriarchal tribes that can be quite fierce and territorial. Urban environments seem to affect them adversely, as most Nessa'maoi in cities become thieves, whores, or slaves. Most other races refer to the Nessa'maoi race, derogatively, as "catgirls."
Orcs: orcs and half orcs are a tenacious race known for their martial spirit. They live primarily in Toddheim and msot orcs and half orcs have a pronounced hatred of Wolfen. note that the rocs are not a populous race. less than twenty thousand exist in the world.
The Fallen: a group of former elves who, for varying reasons, forsook Kanara. The Fallen look like elves except for thir brown eyes. They age as per elves in the PHB ( both posative and negative efects) and gain a +2 bonus when dealing with non elves ( and a 2 poenalty dealing with kanarans). THey are generally far more liberal then the religous elves and are politically independent from them, living in Manka'irin. Unlike normal elves, fallen elves can be enslaved without serious reprecussions.
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