Hey all! This isn't a story chapter, this is more of me describing the world Aurelia is living in! I'm not sure how to mention everything interesting about the world in a natural way, most other stories have something like an Isekai, where the character learns alongside the reader. But since Aurelia was born and raised there, opportunities to extensively describe the details of the world might feel unnatural to the flow of the story. So I thought I'd write this piece expining relevant bits of lore for future reference!
The WorldThe earth itself is mostly the same as ours, the continents and nd are all in the same pces. The Italian peninsu where Aurelia is currently is recognizably the same "boot shape" as our own. But there are some differences, the earth is much much rger physically, where a journey crossing 1000 miles in our world would have to travel 3-4000 miles to cross the same ndmarks. The world is the same format, just much rger.
The earth is also much more diverse and extreme, the alps reach many times higher into the sky than our world. Mount Vesuvius is more than a volcano which occasionally disappears towns, in this world it is a towering mountain of fire, its angry red peak a constant backdrop in cities like Capua. Deep in the wild forests, trees may grow to be as tall as skyscrapers, where fantastical creatures stalk the nds (and elves). Throw in deep interconnected cavern structures where dwarven kingdoms and greenskin tides reside.
PeopleHumans are the most numerous and widely spread intelligent species, but many non-human species are also present. Beastkin which are mostly humanoid, with some animal traits are also fairly common, though in Rome they are considered second css citizens, with many living as sves captured from elsewhere. There are also dwarves and elves, though they tend to be pretty reclusive. Most dwarves stay in their holds, though some venture out for lucrative opportunities in crafting, trading, and banking. Elves tend to be extremely reclusive, almost never being seen by common humans, though there is one envoy in Rome to maintain retions between the nascent human realm, and an elfrelm to the north of Italy. There are many others not listed here, though they will be encountered ter.
MonstersMonsters are mainly differentiated from the various races by their intelligence, malice, and method of reproducing. Most monsters are quite destructive, with the goblins and orcs of the greenskin hordes being the most exempr of the monsters. They tend to be quite aggressive, and seek to conquer the civilizations of the world. Most monsters aren't as intelligent as the civilized races, though some can be quite cunning. They might pn raids with foresight, but no monster's going to be doing calculus anytime soon. One of the most clear differentiations between monsters and more exotic non-humans is the way they reproduce. If a human and a dwarf have children, their kids will have traits of both races, they will be mixed. But when monsters reproduce, they do so by capturing females from civilized races, and forcing them to bear their spawn. The resulting infants are always monsters, and share no traits with the mother. The monster's simply use the female as a method of reproducing, and it is a clear marker of what is a monster, and what is a non-human species.
MagicMagic flows through every living being, and is an integral part of the fabric of the world. Most people's innate ability is so little, that they go about their lives as though they had no magic at all. Think of innate magic like a battery, or a reservoir. Most people have about a cup's worth. There are exceptions though, one's innate magical reservoir is a genetic trait, and careful selection of partners can help ensure the abilities of one's offspring. Some races have more or less innate magic, elves have quite a lot, dwarves very little.
The use, and quality of one's magical ability is quite different however. Raw magical ability must be trained and nurtured into something useful, much like a normal trade, one can learn from another, or from recorded pieces of learning such as books or scrolls. Some noble families may tutor their offspring in specialized spells, as a sort of family heirloom. Anyone with magical ability has the capability to learn most any spell or potential application, it is their knowledge which is the limiting factor. As such, differences in specializations between regions or peoples is a result of their collective knowledge, not any innate magical difference.
SystemThough it hasn't been introduced yet, this is a LitRPG story, with stats and a system. The stats are a representation of real ability, with 10 being about average for non-magic stats. eg, an average joe should have around 10 strength, a trained soldier might have 15, and a starving man might have 6. Changes to one's situation can change your stats. Eating better and exercising might raise your strength with dedication. Likewise, being taken prisoner and being starved will lower it with time. Stats are more a way to quantify ability, rather than an ephemeral immutable reality.
There are status sheets in this world, though most only see theirs a couple times a year. It takes training and some dedication to the magical arts to be able to raise one's own sheet on command. So most people go to the temple of Jupiter (or equivalent), where a trained priest summons it for them.
Levels are a representation of one's life experiences, with most common people achieving level 10 in their lives. However, the more triumphs and challenges a person overcomes, the more experience they accrue, so an active adventurer may achieve a much higher level.
Upon a level up, people are presented with a choice depending on how they achieved the experience during this level. These are either abilities or passive effects. For most people, who live regur lives, they will be offered passives which are useful to them. eg, a bcksmith might gain an ability to resist the high temperatures of the forge, so he doesn't burn himself as often. Or a farmer might gain a passive ability to tell the progress of his crops.
Active abilities are much rarer, as they require more substantial efforts when accruing experience. A soldier might get an ability to make an unnaturally quick spear thrust, or an adventurer might get an ability be impervious for a few seconds with their shield.
There are no csses or other such restrictions. It is the deeds and actions done to gain experience which determine the nature and quality of the bonuses given during a level up. A shepherd might put down his crook and pick up a sword. He will retain whatever bonuses gained during his time as a shepherd, but so long as he gains his experience by the sword, he will receive martial abilities from now on.
The quality of the bonuses offered depends on the nature of the challenges overcome. A regur rank and file soldier might get common abilities simir to his fellows, but an adventurer who takes on many dangerous foes will receive much more potent and specialized abilities should they survive.
People receive their first level when they reach the age of majority, and either access it themselves should they have the knowledge (nobles), or they might go to the temple of Jupiter to have their system awakened. This initial level bonus is based on the experiences of their life during the 18-19 years up until that point.
Certain races might be more likely to get certain abilities, with their innate nature steering their system towards certain archetypes. Though this can be overcome with dedication and exposure to other races. eg, if you're taught by someone with an ability, it is more likely that you'll receive something simir.
HistoryAurelia was born around 300 bc, and the technology and state of the world will aim to reflect that. I will aim to include real events as they happen, though the context and exact nature of things may be different in this magical world. There may be some exceptions, I'm partial to ideas like dwarves having some primitive firearms, though they'd be rare and not effect the technology of the world outside the dwarves.
SarcasticMisfit
