The Known Kingdoms are the setting for a number of tales, some written, some being written, and some still waiting to be told.
The Kingdoms can be found sprawled across a continent which sits mostly in the northern hemisphere of a world known locally as Achea.
The Dragons just call it home.
Achea is a world with two moons and a wide diversity of climatic zones and environments. It is blessed – some say cursed – by being closely aligned with a number of dimensional nexuses . Most of the time, these gateways are closed, but portals and pathways into them can be found, and, with care, doors can be opened to planes and dimensions very different to the mundane world. Because of this closeness, the influences of those other dimensions have suffused Achea and affected it in many ways. Magic is common, although truly powerful mages are rare. Magical and mysterious beasts roam the wilds. Spectres and other horrors can haunt the dark. Prayers may be answered with gifts of divine power. Science and sorcery co-exist, both contributing to aspects of daily life; the balance between the two can vary from kingdom to kingdom.
Achea’s twin moons have shaped not only the tidal patterns of the world, but also the lives of those who live on it. The current collection of Kingdoms, Protectorates, Dominions, Theocracies, City States, and Republics that share the Known World have a long and turbulent history. Heroes, gods, demons and dragons have all left their mark. The time in which most of the stories are set is one of relative peace following the fall of a sprawling empire. Like medieval Europe after the collapse of Rome, war and politics have shaped the Known Kingdoms into a patchwork of treaties and guarded borders. Unlike our world, however, this one is littered n0t just with ancient ruins, but also equally ancient magics and technologies.
These lands are home to a variety of creatures and species, including the reptilian Sansig and their cousins the drakes and dragons, the Elfin – who literally dwell in the trees, and live long lives as a result, the rare Elwing, living on high mountains and in secluded valleys, the insect like Phraif, the cat like R’rruthren, the Hoomin herders, the deep dwelling Karahd, and, of course, humanity, in all its colours and varieties.
Rarer species of more magical ilk can also be found, both fair and foul.
Magic here is akin to science in our world – part of everyday life, studied and explored, used to contribute to society but also for waging war. It has many aspects, and many schools and practices, some more common than others. The powerful are both revered by many and feared by some, although they do tend to keep each other in line. And those who step over that line may also draw the attention of the gods, who not only bestow divine gifts on their followers, but occasionally choose to act directly on their behalf.
Beyond the borders of the Known Kingdoms lie even more mysterious places: rumours and half told tales of legendary cities, garbled descriptions of lands where rare spices and magical resins are grown and harvested, and whispers of darker lands, filled with horrors and hauntings.
The tales we tell are only a few of the many that could be found here – simple threads drawn from a rich tapestry. These pages try to offer a glimpse into that world. Whether you are simply curious, or, perhaps, an adventurer in search of treasure, you are more than welcome to explore.
One note of warning, though. You know how the ancient medieval maps of our world declared ‘Here be dragons’ as a way of identifying unknown lands? Where those of the Known Kingdoms are so marked, there almost certainly will be dragons.
Enter at your own risk …