THE ASTRORIAN INDEX

Welcome to the Astrorian Index. This carrd is an alternate choice for people who want to read more about the world made by Kepler and Chorus, known as Astroria.All information on this carrd correlates to anything written on this Google doc.

Astrorian civilization was initially very invested in scientific advancement, to the point that people were able to change and graft body parts as they wished by splicing synthetically created body parts without the use of magic. These synthetic body parts were made with a new kind of cellular protein known as an "imitation protein," which would copy the signature of the host body's recognition proteins. This prevented the rejection caused by incompatible recognition proteins.Unfortunately, it was also possible for these imitation proteins to become corrupted if they were grafted to a person who was actively ill. They would mimic the signature of viral cells instead of the body's cells. Most doctors had checks to make sure their patients were healthy, but due to one person's neglect, a contagious virus was born and began spreading. It was named the Emristan virus.This virus inflicted genetic damage to the cells of the host, causing a variety of deformities and rapidly mutating itself. Most of these caused pain or shortened peoples lives due to untreatable complications, because it varied wildly from person to person. Eventually these corrupted genetics also passed down to people's children, though not the virus itself.Because the virus couldn't be controlled or contained by any scientific or medical means, people turned to the magic of Astroria to help them. There were mass healings performed, led and driven by advanced spellcasters, trained castmakers, and educated runewriters. They worked in tandem to make elaborate, multi-faceted objects of bone and enbrem to facilitate their healing. Due to the unique restorative property of enbrem, they did manage to ultimately cure and be rid of the Emristan virus. However, this did not cure the genetic complications that were already put in action by it; people who had been changed were no longer suffering, but they could not fix their bodies or genetics.The vast majority of mutated people decided to move and populate the Eastern islands, rather than face the disgust of unaltered Astrorian people. From then forth they were known as Iserkals, and over time, gradually accepted as another species of Astroria rather than as messed-up humans.After all was said and done, Astroria had a huge cultural shift. The old research labs were swiftly abandoned and left to decay without so much of a second thought. As new generations were born and raised, they were not taught about the horrifying disaster of the Emristan virus. Instead, they were taught that science and technology was something that was incredibly dangerous and destructive, to be avoided at any cost possible. This led to current day Astroria being a magic-based society.As of now, enough time has passed that this has been nearly lost to time. Multiple generations have born and died since the virus was eradicated, and none of the typically mortal species have passed on stories about the past. However, there are still some people who have been alive since then; most notably some vorkim as well as the trokai. There is also a secretive group based somewhere in the Eastern islands, consisting of Iserkals who are questioning why they are so similar yet wildly different from the humans on Astroria.

The magic of Astroria is contained in objects. There are three major components taken into question:
- the material of the object, which influences what it calls on (i.e. glass/crystal is associated with fire or light; metal/stone is associated with earth; ice, of course, is associated with water or the cold);
- the functional sides of the object, which influence the potency of its spell (i.e. a thin sheet of any object (2 sides) is very weak, perhaps only used for street magic and flashy tricks; a pyramid with 3 sides and a flat bottom (4 sides) would be used more functionally, for affecting an area; an icosahedron (20 sides) would have close to the potency of an explosive);
- and the runes on the object, which influences its ultimate purpose (i.e. a rune of destroy on a glass/crystal object would start a fire; a rune of create on an ice object would create water).Though the energy and strength of a cast is determined by the amount of sides it has, this will also ultimately influence how elaborate of a spell can be cast. If a cast only has 4 sides, then the caster can only create a 4-word spell at maximum. Casts with a greater amount of (usable) sides facilitates the creation and use of more elaborate spells. In example, a sheet of paper (or another material) would technically have 6 sides, but only 2 of those sides are actually plausible to write on and create a spell with.The actual casting of spells with these objects takes their energy directly from the person executing it. It takes a specific amount of energy to cast each separate time with an object, but requires more to maintain the effect.This can be circumvented or have its effects on the caster postponed by utilizing “energy batteries”, objects made of enbrem with very specific runes to help store excess energy to use for even bigger spells. Additionally, it is possible to draw energy from the living things in your local environment as fodder instead of your own.The caveat to this is that energy is not limitless, and therefore spells cannot be maintained infinitely unless constantly rotated among spellcasters. If the energy of the caster (or another being) is ultimately drained, they will faint and go into a light coma until their body and energy recuperates.Additionally, magic users employ the use of rods or “wands” to help direct their spells. By attaching an enchanted object to either end of the rod and gesturing with intent to cast, it will be executed from the end of the object in the intended direction. Objects that are cast generally (i.e. throwing, holding) will function in a semi-random area. In example, if an ice object is engraved with the proper runes to create water and is held in someone’s hand, water will produce from the object and pour out. If a crystal object is engraved with the proper runes to summon destructive fire and is thrown, an explosion of fire will radiate out from the object.Spheres are unique in their function; they have a radiant, area-of-effect. If the item is used to cast by itself, the spell will radiate from the object; if the item is attached to a rod to cast, it will send out a ball of its purpose (i.e. crystal sphere casts a ball of fire; a sphere of bone casts a healing area-of-effect.)

Enbrem

Enbrem is a metal unique to Astroria. It has intriguing properties, most notorious for how conductive it is to energy storage. The metal itself, when extruded raw, is dull and has a very faded golden hue. Once it’s charged with energy it gets more saturated and reflective. When all energy has been drained from an enbrous object, it loses its shimmer and becomes a muted, steely color. In this state, it will actively seep the heat of any living being that holds it.Common culture in Astroria uses enbrem in the material of wedding bands. Couples will have enbrem rings that they will carve with passive protective runes and use their energy to charge the ring before giving it to their significant other. These rings are sometimes additionally embedded with crystals of certain material to convey additional meaning; in example, someone may attach a stone crystal to a wedding band to convey “my love for you is as solid as the earth.” These meanings vary by region, and even more by person. In regions where rings are uncommon, people use other objects in their place, such as hairpieces, bracelets, or necklaces.All Astrorian lifeforms have a very intrinsic tie to the magic and energy of the planet, whether they can readily utilize it or not. At its initial creation, much of the budding and evolving life drew on the energy within enbrem veins when the planet first formed. This is why most veins that are mined up in current days are very dull and have very little energy; it was used when life first started forming. It carries unique restorative properties, some of which are only possible when used on Astrorian life. It cannot reconstruct whole lost limbs, but it can help heal things that aren’t readily possible through normal medical means.

There is an incredibly vast array of Astrorian lifeforms that are utterly alien to Earthly people, but are overwhelmingly common on Astroria. This is an index of some logged so far.

Sapient Species

Iserkals are an incredibly tall and lanky race that inhabits the islands. They can stand up to 9’ tall, with strangely flexible torsos and multiple limbs. They primarily inhabit Driyt and its lesser islands. Their clothes are light and flowing, for easy movement and so they don’t sweat themselves to death.

Vorkim are a magical species that live primarily in the caves of Decord. They are somewhat small and docile, practicing magic passively and for their own purposes. They have very long lifespans, facilitated by magic. Vorkim are known to create communities around and near veins of enbrem to support each other; they will put their energy into the enbrem that will be dispersed through the community.

The trokai are a general hybrid species. There are many different types of trokai. They are a small remnant of technology that has long been lost to time. They can be found in old, decrepit labs and in the immediately surrounding area.
- Rat trokai are the most common. They’re about human height, with rat-like faces and long tails. Their bodies are covered in something that’s almost like fur.
- Phorous trokai are humans with huge phor wings instead of human arms. Along with this, their faces are… very deformed. The deformation can range from disfigured mouths to full-on eyes where they shouldn’t be.
- Eichen trokai are the most human-looking out of the trokaz, except for the long, rabbit-like ears on their head and whiskers from their face.
- Lirg trokai are the most uncommon trokai; there are barely any of them. They, too, look human, except they are grown over and through with vines. They seem as if they are reanimated corpses, but they are still very much alive.The singular form is “trokaz” while they are collectively referred to as “trokai”. They were originally made and altered by old Astrorian biologists while researching; all trokai left living today have “enbrem hearts” embedded in them. The name is misleading because not all were put near or in their hearts; they can be anywhere in a trokaz’ body. When a trokaz uses magic, the golden energy of enbrem runs along and under their skin, starting from their enbrem heart and following the Blaschko lines.

Non-Sapient Species

Botanical Life

Like Earth, there is a vast array of different religious sects that Astrorian people dedicate themselves to. This is a polytheistic world where most religions believe in multiple gods, though some do not.

Atheistic Nihilists

Atheistic Nihilists choose not to follow any Astrorian religion.

Meforans

The Meforans follow seven goddesses, some devoting their life to worship and honor of one. All followers of this religion occasionally drink each others blood during holiday festivals as a sign of siblinghood in faith.Meforan temples are structured in a specific pattern with seven walls, each devoted to a goddess. Smaller temples are equally divided among them, while the seven larger temples have a primary goddess (with smaller spaces inside for the others).The Meforans have a life-pilgrimage they are encouraged to partake at least once, to see the larger seven temples in deference to each of the respective goddesses. These temples are located across the world.The seven Meforan goddesses are:

Ywon: physical being

Plarates

The Plarates are animists/polytheists; they have thousands of gods, and focus life inward on spirit for growth. Followers of this religion tend to wear few clothes and usually avoid consuming any non-aquatic life.The Plarates’ customs and rituals differ from location to location, even down to the names that they give their gods and spirits. Given their animistic practices, many spiritual beings are not given specific names. Their followers often call to them as they are: a great tree or river, or the very concept of protection.Some Plaratic gods are:Pecyran, the deity of protection and gentleness
Tirok, the god of meditation and peace
dravin, the goddess of rebirth and death
Gratror, the goddess of the skies and ground
Blayv, the deity of will and courage
Ipset, the god of the seas and bounty

Quarlites

The Quarlites are monotheists, believing in a unified spirit of the Universe, and that they are all pieces of Them. They seek to grow closer with each other so that they can be closer to their goal of becoming one.Quarlites prioritize communication, conflict-resolution, cooperation, and understanding even with those outside of their religion. Villages and towns largely comprised of Quarlites are communal in nature, viewing trade as a practice only to be done when necessary.Quarlites also have no cultural conception of gender, and those that travel to places with gendered concepts are often confused or occasionally repulsed.

R'tias Sects

The two sects are similar in temple-building for their respective protection rituals, and that personally calling upon spirits is a negative action that will hurt their communities. They are split by how they believe is the best way to dispel these spirits.

Euriners

Euriners believe that the birth of the universe was the birth of many timelines, and thus the birth of countless pantheons of gods.Individual groups or communities of Euriners tend to honor the same pantheon, but respect their fellows that do not. They believe that all gods are real within one or many timelines, and those they choose to worship are but one group of many.
(This includes pantheons of other religions.)Smaller shrines are common among Euriner communities, though the occasional larger temple may arise from a particularly devoted or large following.

The planet of Astroria has two major continents: Irera and Acias, and there is also a collection of islands in the north-east which are simply called "the Eastern islands". Astrorian society has a well-explored network of both aquatic and terrestrial trade routes.

Irera

Irera is generally separated into Northern and Southern parts, divided mostly by the Lucane mountain range. Northern Irera is much more dense and populated, with heavy inter-city trade routes and relations, while Southern Irera is considerably more sparse due to the expanse of the Cepene desert. Smaller communities tend to crop up in Southern Irera, while there are very few small or unknown towns in Northern Irera.There is no reigning centralized government on Irera. Any form of government lies within Sidal, Hulpon, and Decord. They each establish their own basic laws, while individual towns have their own enforcements of these laws. Border cities establish their own trade agreements. Windrip is home to the small center government that unites northern Irera.

Acias

Acias is a much less cohesive continent than Irera. Cities and towns in Acias all have their own laws and governments without regions like Northern Irera. It’s also much less sparsely populated, with people mostly clustering in hot-spots that already exist like Luton and Arkala.Acias has no true government. Any laws or rules are entirely town-specific, and people who are wanted in one town will most likely be unkown in another town. The only city that has any kind of far reach is Luton, the capital of the continent.Arkala is a major port city of Acias. It’s primary business is trade and ship making. Whenever people travel to the continent of Acias, most of the time they will first arrive in Arkala. The city of Arkala spans a large portion of Acias’ eastern coastline and acts as a launch point for many trading trips.Luton could be considered the capital city of Acias. It is not a port city, but it is the largest and most sprawling city Acias has. It’s huge, spanning many miles of land. It primarily does magical research and very minor scientific research. The Meforan shrine of Tfon is located in this city.Ecrin acts as a centralized location for many criminals. It is located deep within the Nepone forest, and is incredibly difficult to reach without assistance from someone familiar with the area. There is little to no government in this town, but it is not violent and chaotic as one may expect. People of Ecrin tend to stay to themselves out of suspicion.Xeol is a town where everyone knows each other. It usually receives metals and enbrem all the way from Colrik and Solime. Many well-known prosthetics engineers lived in and learned in Xeol.Chid is a location not marked on most common maps. It’s incredibly secretive, with the community primarily composing of various trokai that have exited the labs in the Nepone forest. Some explorers may try to find the city from second-hand stories and fables passed around by superstitious adventurers.

The Eastern Islands

Tekwyth is very far north and covered entirely in ice. There’s no business and the islanders here stay to themselves, as they’ve adapted to the eternal ice and cold. They have a minor port that brings in much-needed materials from other places on Astroria.Lywyth is, essentially, the sister island to Tekwyth. It is directly east to Tekwyth and lies on the coast of northern Irera. They import primarily from Goulcrest and facilitate goods to Tekwyth.Kruwyth is mostly known for fishing. They have access to both more northern and southern marine life, unlike the continental coast cities.Driyt and its smaller islands grow many tropical plants. These plants only grow and flourish on their specific islands; it’s very difficult to recreate the environment to grow them anywhere else.
Echuz is one of Driyt’s lesser islands.
Insit is another of Driyt’s lesser islands.Essebel is an island lying off the northern coast of Irera. It’s barely populated, primarily wilderness. It’s a popular place to go hunting.Rakton is an island lying off Irera’s southwestern coast. They have beautiful forests, full of huge flowering plants, and crystal-clear rivers. People enjoy going here to see nature’s beauty.