World
General World
The story of Arcem Alva takes place in a world called Alva. It’s a world populated by fantastical creatures and magical weather phenomena in addition to the purely natural.
Although many localities have ethnic peculiarities, all in Alva speak the common language - referred to simply as Common - and use a coin currency of gold, silvers and coppers. Technology is variable depending on city; rural locations are fairly medieval while urban centres can have much more advanced things (up to early 1800s equivalent) with the extensive help of magic and alchemy. A twelve-month solar calendar like ours is used, albeit with different names and holidays.
There is no overarching gender or sexual discrimination in Alva - all genders, sexes and orientations have largely the same opportunities, though pockets of people with their own biases on them exist. Discrimination in Alva is focused almost entirely on race and religion.
Alva is permeated by magical energy, present everywhere in the environment and essential for life. This magical energy is referred to as ether, and is used differently by mages and healers.
The height of technology in Alva mostly sits at the early to mid 1800s level, though there is regional variation as to what's available and commonly used. It has been helped along substantially throughout Alvan history by the presence of magic. In particular, alchemy and engraved magical formulae are used in almost all advanced pieces of technology.
Map
A long history of war, treaties, peace, rebellions, rise and ruin, to the backdrop of eroding elvish presence at the hands of the humans and their feuds, had led to a map that was split into two human domains - the Miras Kingdom and the Koben Empire, each with six city-regions - and the three elvish sanctuaries of Delverne, Estraude and Reluir.
Historically Delverne and Miras have been close, Koben and Reluir not allied but tolerant of each other, and Estraude an independent force of its own. However the wars of race, religion, revenge and divine calling that have swept Alva have thrown borders into a state of flux...
Geographic Map
Political Map
Regions
While the Kingdom is influenced by light elvish culture and the Empire is influenced by dark elvish culture, all regions have unique character and relations of their own. Each is represented by and adopts the name of a capital city; below is more information about them.
History
Alva as it is now is not how it has always been. Great civilisations came and went before the current regimes established themselves. Much of the long past has been lost for many reasons, however evidence of their presence and power have resurfaced as the search for Alva's deepest truths quickens.
Telurea
Knowledge of Telurea has passed down in Cantish legends only as a mythical empire which possessed terrible weapons, and which destroyed itself through the hubris of its avarice. Any further knowledge was considered evil and dangerous - until desperation in the face of Delverne's crusade made it not taboo but necessity...
Citadel of Crowns
When a long-lost citadel of immense size and grandeur rose from the sea, it became clear that the Citadel of Crowns was not just a fairy story but real. An expedition has raided it and Koben has claimed its territory, however precious little is yet known about how old it is, how it works, who lived there, what happened to it... or even what it truly is.
Fae
Little is known of the Fae among the current people of Alva. Legend of their existence survives only in impressions of a glorious previous form held by light elves and dark elves, when their respective gods were at their strength. The ultimate desire of the most faithful and religious of these elves is a return to this former glory.