An Ancient Empire

In the lore of the small coastal village of Arteal, old stories are told of an ancient empire that, from the Red Isle—today the Red Archipelago—extended its power to the shores of the continent of Elyssia. This empire not only mastered arcane secrets, but had found its greatest source of power in blood. Its sorcerers, masters of blood magic, vastly surpassed the knowledge of the neighboring kingdoms. However, what truly gave them their strength was a dark secret they jealously guarded.

The empire’s expansionism did not go unnoticed, and faced with the growing threat on their shores, the kingdoms of Elyssia formed a fragile coalition. The objective was clear: to stop the invader before it expanded further. Although the empire’s armies were powerful in the arcane, its soldiers could not stand up to the overwhelming numbers of the kingdoms’ combined military force. The balance ultimately tipped in favor of the coalition.

But the coalition did not seek military victory alone. They desired to unravel the secrets of the fallen empire’s power. They ravaged its territories in search of knowledge, tortured its prisoners in a desperate attempt to extract the truth, but all in vain. The dark secret that granted its strength remained hidden.

Amid this devastation, the volcano on Red Island, the seat of its power, erupted violently. In a cataclysm of lava and ash, it erased all traces of what had once been the great empire. The profane rituals discovered on the shores of Elyssia and on Red Island itself sowed such fear in the hearts of the survivors that they decided to erase all historical records of that dark empire’s existence. Thus began a new era, one where magic was viewed with suspicion and blood magic, in particular, was banned under penalty of death.
However, rumors and legends about the empire’s secrets endure, like dark echoes that still resonate on the shores of Arteal.

The Rise of Alchemy and the Hunt for Mages

In Elyssia, the kingdoms, scarred by the trauma of that fateful war, developed differing opinions toward magic. Some kingdoms banned it entirely, while others chose to control it, imposing severe restrictions. In most lands, magic was perceived as something evil that needed to be bound and controlled, forcing many mages to live in hiding.

It was in this climate of persecution that alchemy, previously seen as a minor science, began to gain traction. What had once been ridiculed for its unpredictable effects began to be respected when alchemists demonstrated they could replicate the same effects as magic without relying on the arcane. This breakthrough shifted the balance of power. Mages who had previously been able to live in secret were now hunted, seen as a threat to the new order that was being forged.

Kingdoms quickly established networks of peacekeepers, mage hunters, and inquisitors—soldiers trained to track down and eradicate spellcasters. In response, mages formed secret societies, developing new ways to hide their power, encapsulating spells in the form of potions or alchemical artifacts. The game of cat and mouse had begun, and the mages had a certain advantage, so much so that they were even able to free several of their captured comrades thanks to having found new ways to elude their hunters.

The Discovery of the Blood Mages.

However, everything changed when a group of peacekeepers discovered an enclave of blood mages in the northern lands. These mages were direct descendants of the ancient empire, and for generations they had secretly passed on the dark knowledge of their ancestors. The news spread like wildfire throughout Elyssia, causing panic and new extreme measures in the kingdoms.

While most nations increased their efforts to eliminate all traces of magic, Thalentis, a kingdom that still respected mages, took a different tack. Although Thalentis had once been a refuge for persecuted mages, now, under pressure, they began to census spellcasters, fearing an invasion of refugee magic practitioners.

The mages, seeing themselves cornered once again, began to disperse across Elyssia, seeking new refuges in the depths of the forests, in the mountains, or even on other planes of existence. Although they managed to create a network of hiding places and secret routes, the inquisitors were closely following their trail, resulting in a constant struggle for survival.