Demeasyn is a story I've been working on off and on for several years. I started it with a friend named Nicole, and from there it created a life of it's own. The story is much different from what her and I started years ago, but without her I could not have even begun to get what I have now. I'm not sure this will ever be anything special, but it is special to me, and I've put a lot of work into it, so I'd like to know what people think.
Below you will find a detailed history about Demeasyn so you can learn some more about the type of world the story will take place in. Feel free to send any comments or suggestions to flutistmin@yahoo.com
I check my e-mail often and I would love to hear your opinions and thoughts!
Chapter One: Into the Looking Glass
Demeasyn
Continents
Alsea
· Central Dome
· Shadowlocke
· Hydawn
· Skysong
· Lonsom
· Meadowling
· Goblin Lands
Glenn
· Glenn
About Countries on Sword
Central Dome
· People: All nine races of the kingdoms
· Deity-All of them, but mostly Serenity
· Syntyche, Capital City
· Tower of Serenity, Tower of Healing
Shadowlocke
· People: Kimen Elves
· Deity: Serenity
· People: Egrad Elves
· Deity: Tijaro and the Enchanter
· Shadow Glenn, Capital City
· Tower of Serenity, Tower of Peace
· Tower of Tijaro, Tower of the Earth
Hydawn
· People: Darque Elves
· Deity: Lucian
· People: Fae
· Deity: The Dark Fae
· Mirror, Capital City
· Tower of Lucian, Tower of Light
· Tower of the Dark Fae, Tower of Fear
Skysong
· People: Angels
· Deity: Serenity
· Alleluia, Capital City
· Tower of Serenity, Tower of Song
Lonsom
· People: Flaze Elves
· Deity Brinly
· People: Rusyn Elves
· Deity: The Angelica
· Sileas, Capital City
· Tower of Brinly, Tower of Virtue
· Tower of the Angelica, Tower of Courage
Meadowling
· People: Ulgard Elves
· Deity: Acacia
· People: Vran
· Deity: Abigail
· Aelan: Capital City
· Tower of Acacia, Tower of Trials
· Tower of Abigail, Tower of Death
Goblin Lands
· People: Goblins, Orcs, Trolls, Demons, and other monsters
· Deity: Many
· There are no official cities in the Goblin Lands that are known to the residents of Alsea.
Glenn
· People: Humans
· Deity: Jevoh
· Eden, Capital City
· Tower of Jevoh, Tower of Corruption
Races on Sword
· Elves
o Darque
o Egrad
o Flaze
o Kimen
o Rusyn
o Ulgrad
· Angels
· Fae
· Goblins, Orcs, Trolls, Demons
· Gods
· Humans
· Vran
o Vampyr
o Soul-takers
o The Lesser
o Vran
Elves
· There are six different races of elves in Demeasyn.
· Elves that are bred between different races or to humans or fae or angels are known as Vran, half –elf, even if their blood is all elvin.
· All elves (aside from the Vran) believe that they are superior to other races.
· Not all elves are magical
o Darque, Kimen, Ulgard, and Egrad are the most magical in that order
· Most elves are more in tune with nature than other races
· All elves dislike marrying outside of race, so there are not very many half-breeds or half Darque half Egrad either.
· Darque Elves
o Dark hair and skin, green eyes. Long arms and lithe bodies. Value perfection of the body, mind, and soul.
o Worship Abigail, the Counting Queen
· Egrad Elves
o Fair hair and sun-kissed skin, blue or gray eyes. Medium height and build. When a dark haired Egrad is born, it means the Enchanter has returned to his people (Can be male or female, although male is more common and female heralds a difficult time within their lifetimes.)
o Worship Tijaro and the Enchanter
· Flaze Elves
o Red hair and pale skin, violet or blue eyes. Tall and lithe but men are more bulky than women. They thrive in the colder climates and live for snow and ice.
o Worship Brinly
· Kimen Elves
o Black hair and pale to fair skin, ice blue or gray eyes. The Kimen can be any shape but are usually thin with elegant grace rather than muscles.
o Worship Serenity
· Rusyn Elves
o Brown hair and olive skin, with hazel or green eyes. Shorter than most elves and coming in all builds.
o Worship the Angelica
· Ulgard Elves
o Pale of skin and hair, usually with vivid eye colors, although brown and hazel appear as well. Tall and long and thin. Some tattoo their bodies to show what rank in society they are.
o Worship Acacia.
Angels
· The angels worship Serenity, the creator of the world and of life.
· They sing in her glory
· All angels are blessed with physical beauty and a gorgeous voice
o It is said their voices go straight to Serenity’s ears and into her heart
· Angels are usually five to ten times stronger than an average mortal.
o Angels have higher temperature than most races so they can withstand the cooler temperatures of higher altitudes.
· Angels are deeply in tune with Serenity’s magic and can use it to control the weather and the moods of people around them.
o Despite rumors, most angels only use their power to stop a rainstorm or end a drought. They are protectors of the people and of the land, and they do not wish to harm it.
· Angels are the most feared of the races in the kingdoms.
· Angels have large feathery wings, although they are not always white. White wings are a symbol of purity.
o Only seven angels have ever had white wings. They are the seven that started the race of angels, created by Serenity’s own hand.
Fae
· The fae are elf-like creatures with wings
o Wings are like butterflies or insects
· Beautiful, with many varying colors, but always with high cheekbones and a sense of mystery and power surrounding them.
· All the fae are magical and prefer to live in a secluded and enchanted wood instead of castles or buildings.
o The fae have magic that is in tune with nature, magic that many would say does not exist at all.
§ A Fae’s power consists of controlling how things grow and how to navigate the forest without making a sound. Many say they are just more in tune with the forests and plants because of their many long years communing with nature and refusing to live in cities and towns.
· The fae socialize very little with the rest of the world, although they prosper from trade with the angels and their schools.
· The fae are always seeking the answers to great mysteries, and are keepers of much knowledge.
· The schools they have founded are the most brilliant in the world, and many children are sent to the fae for schooling.
Goblins, Orcs, Trolls, and Demons
· Goblins are the least educated of the people on Alsea
· They only care about fighting and their own survival.
· They are little better than animals.
· They all worship a king, and he is smarter than the rest since he is not a goblin himself, but a demon.
o His goal is to unite the Goblin Lands and lead a large army into the kingdoms to take over the land he sees as rightfully his.
· The orcs and trolls are slaves to the goblins, while the demons are prized angels that are treated with greatest reverence.
Gods
· Serenity, Goddess of Peace and Healing.
o It is said Serenity created the world and all the living things in it, although not every race believes this is true.
o Long blonde hair, blue eyes, and a strong but thin frame.
· Abigail, the Counting Queen
o The Counter of Death
o A dark haired Egrad
· Tijaro, God of Earth
o Tijaro is the keeper of the land.
o Seen as a large man with tawny hair and tanned skin
· Dark Fae, Creator of the Fae
o A beautiful creature. Seen as neither male nor female, but something of both. Lurks in the forests of the fae and rarely seen.
· Brinly, Goddess of Virtues
o Seen as a beautiful woman in a long and flowing green dress with a spear in hand. Brinly is the most terrifying of the gods, as she metes justice.
· Acacia, Goddess of Trials
o Seen as a stunningly powerful woman wearing a man’s hunting clothes with her red hair pulled back in a warrior’s braid.
· Lucian, God of Light
o Seen as a dark haired man with pale skin and violently black eyes.
· Enchanter, Magician of the Egrad Race
o The first dark-haired Egrad and the only one with magic
· Life Giver
o The other god that competes with Serenity’s claim on the world.
· Numerous other smaller gods
Humans
· Humans are one of the least liked races on Alsea
· The elves, fae, vran, and the angels all banned humans from calling Alsea their permanent home.
o They were far too ambitious and they had started many wars.
· Humans are gradually returning to Alsea, but their homeland was given to the goblins, and so they cherish Glenn despite its history as exile.
o There is still a great prejudice against humans from all races.
Forms of Government and History
Note: All currency is the same, but looks different. All of it can be interchanged, although the banks trade each other for their kingdom’s currency.
Central Dome’s government is unique in the fact that it won’t work without all the other kingdoms supporting it. Central Dome was created after the Great Wars to make sure that nothing like it ever happened again. The five kingdoms gathered together in the land which once belonged to the Guardians of Time, but now was a large grassy plain full of hidden treasures. They met there because it was central to all the kingdoms. Central Dome was created when the five kingdoms decided that the Central Dome’s government was going to work like a Council, and the Council Leader would be voted into office every ten years. The person leading could never be elected again, and is normally removed from the council once they retire. That is to make sure that one person can never gain so much power that he causes the other kingdoms to rise up. Since Central Dome is so big, the nine kingdoms decided that they’d let people live there. However, the rules change depending on where the Council Head comes from. That kingdom’s rules apply to Central Dome. However, it is difficult to enforce those rules because not only does the Kingdom in charge have to monitor its own borders but Central Dome’s as well. Therefore, Central Dome is often seen as a place to run for fugitives, a place to remain hidden or to start over.
Syntyche is run by the Council Head and the Angelica. The Angelica is a priestess of Serenity that is well versed in all the other religions of the kingdoms. She is responsible for holding all the religions together and keeping people from starting religious wars. The Angelica makes a pilgrimage every five years to all of the towers throughout the land to pay homage to the different deities. Every thirty years a new Angelica is chosen, and on the last pilgrimage the Angelica brings five of her most promising priestesses to be tested at each of the towers. Whoever has the best score at the end of all 10 towers will succeed the Angelica in a year’s time. The Angelica can be of any race, and many aspiring families send their daughters to the temple of Serenity to see if she can compete for this great honor.
The Council Head does not live in Syntyche. He lives in whatever kingdom he was elected from. However, as the Council Head it is his duty to travel between all of the kingdoms at least once a year to see if there are any issues that need to be resolved. Every five years the council is convened in Syntyche to resolve differences and just to discuss the well-being of the realms.
Shadowlocke is a kingdom that is ruled by the Kimen Elves. It is also the home of the Egrad elves, although they are considered more of a sub class to the Kimen. The Egrad do have a say in the ruling of the kingdom, as the Head Advisor to the King or Queen is almost always an Egrad. The tradition has only been broken twice in seven-hundred and seventy-five years that Shadowlocke set itself up as a kingdom. The ruler of Shadowlocke can be either a male or female, and is usually passed on to the youngest child. The oldest child usually becomes the war-leader of the kingdom, as it is said that the eldest is more aggressive. The youngest is the wisest, and any in between are the most peaceful.
Shadowlocke used to control the entire continent of Alsea. Back then it was called Morlan and was ruled by the fierce Kimen elves. When other races started developing there were several wars for supremacy and Shadowlocke lost territory. When Morlan had shrunk to essentially the same size it is today, the line of the Morlans were overthrown by the Shadowlens. The Shadowlens became tired of Morlan’s constant fighting, their desire for war and territory, even though the people were fading and dying. The people roused up on the side of the Shadowlens, and the battle for Morlan Glenn, the capital at the time, was nearly bloodless. The Morlan Clan was forced to step down and got the choice between exile and death. The King chose death, but his family chose exile. They passed their days in what is now Meadowling, breeding the first Vran.
Now Shadowlocke is still ruled by the same family and continues to rule fairly. The rulers have a spokesman for each village over one-hundred people and that person communicates with the king or queen to decide what rules and laws are fair and just. It is from these people that the council chair is chosen. All of them gather in Shadow Glenn to vote on who will be the next chair once the old one has either passed on or stepped down from their position. The king or queen is there along with their heir, and they approve or decline the one that wins the vote. It’s only happened three times in the history of the council.
Shadowlocke does not have slaves. They believe in peace and worship Serenity, and she is against slavery. She believes every person has their own say in their life, and should never be made to dance to the tune of another. What they choose to do with their own body: i.e., prostitution; is up to them however, and is allowed so long as it is not in a prominent part of the city.
Shadowlocke uses copper, silver, gold pieces, and platinum. Twenty coppers is a silver piece. Fifteen silvers is a gold piece. Ten gold pieces is one platinum piece. They come in the shape of small coins, and depending on when they were made have the face of the ruler stamped into them. In the smaller villages and in some cities they also trade goods instead of money.
Shadowlocke is mostly forest. There are several large cleared plains where they grow mostly grapes and various other fruits. Shadowlocke is best known for its fur, and secondly it’s fine wines and brandy.
Hydawn is home to the Darque Elves and the Fae. Hydawn is ruled by a Darque Elf and a Fae. Their union is called the Great Marriage, meaning that they both work together for the best of their kingdom. Hydawn is called the house, as the leaders make a marriage between them, so the land they rule is considered their house. It is always a male and a female, although it varies which race has which gender. The two are forbidden to have children, as half-breeds are frowned upon. If it happens, that child is hidden away as soon as it is born and no one speaks of it. It is for its own protection. Once the couple tried to keep their child close and show him to their people. The three were killed within a week and new rulers were chosen. The male is called the Benedyct and the female is called the Consort. The hierarchy of Hydawn is chosen by the Fifty Grand Families that founded the kingdom of Hydawn over five-hundred years ago. Twenty-Five of the families are Darque Elves and the other Twenty-Five are Fae families. The Darque Elves choose a male and a female candidate. That person has to be between twenty and thirty years of age and well versed in the politics of Hydawn and Central Dome. Then the Fae families choose a male and a female. Since the Fae live longer lives than the elves, the person they choose must be between fifty and sixty. They will pair up the couples and then they will send the couples to Meadowling where they will enter the Tower of Acacia, the Tower of Trials. The priests there will test the couples. Whichever couple survives will be named the next Benedyct and Consort. If neither return alive, then the process will start all over again.
Hydawn was born out of the Great War. Shadowlocke was invaded by the goblins and they were allied with the other kingdoms to destroy the invaders. The land between Shadowlocke and the Goblin Lands became the battlefield. At the time it was mostly inhabited by the fae with only a small population of Darque elves. However, as they increasingly had to fight for their home and their lives the Darque elves rose up along with the Fae. When the goblins had been fought back and Shadowlocke attempted to annex the area that is now Hydawn, the Darque and the fae revolted. They demanded the rights to the land that they had fought so hard to defend. With Lonsom watching and the council of Central Dome just starting to emerge Shadowlocke agreed and Hydawn was born.
Hydawn allows slavery. They do have regulations, such as the slaves can only be half-breeds or people that sold themselves into slavery to pay off a debt. Once the debt is paid they must be set free or the owner will be punished by being sold into slavery himself. Also, the conditions for the slaves must be humane. They are not allowed to be beaten or raped or starved. They are not allowed freedom, but they must not be abused either. The fae do not own slaves nor do they allow it in their forests. Many of the slaves run away to the forests knowing that they will be allowed to start over there, even if the fae will not protect them if their owners come to claim them.
Hydawn uses copper, silver, gold pieces, and platinum. Twenty coppers is a silver piece. Fifteen silvers is a gold piece. Ten gold pieces is one platinum piece. They come in the shape of small coins, and depending on when they were made have the face of the Benedyct or the Consort stamped into them. In the smaller villages and in some cities they also trade goods instead of money.
The northern half of Hydawn, where it connects to Shadowlocke, is mostly forest. It is there the fae reside and make their home. Just south of the forest is the grand city of Mirror. Mirror is an amazing place where the Benedyct and the Consort live. The two halves of the city are radically different. One grows into the forest itself. The trees have been grown to form houses and dwellings. The castle is a mix of the strange forest and cold stone for the Darque. The other half of the city is made of black stones and houses the Darque population. The fifty families have homes in the city, but are not always in residence as they also have other duties throughout the house. The southern half of Hydawn is mostly farmlands with rich dark earth. Hydawn produces the most staple crops, such as wheat, barley, and corn. They also have a long dark wall that protects the five kingdoms from invasion by the goblin kingdom. So, the Darque elves are either farmers or they are soldiers. Hydawn has the largest standing army of all the five kingdoms.
Skysong is ruled by angels. The Anjelo and the Anjella are the ruling couple. Since Skysong is mostly home only to angels, they do not have a lot to do ruling, as most angels spend their days helping others. However, they hear the petitions of the other kingdoms, and often help make it rain or the sun shine wherever they are needed. Often the Anjelo and the Anjella just spend their time sending out angel patrols to make sure that everything is alright. The Anjelo and Anjella are elected every hundred years, as angels live at least five-times that time. The process is very secretive, but the top five candidates are chosen, and whoever wins will be the Anjelo or the Anjella, depending on their gender. They then go to the Tower of Serenity, Tower of Song, and there they commune with the goddess and she chooses who will be their life-mate.
Skysong was the first kingdom to rise out of Morlan. The king of Morlan was busy to the south with goblins and the fae, and the angels declared their independence. They called upon the power of their Guardian, and told Morlan to attack at its own risk. The land they wanted was rugged, and barely suitable for the Kimen elves to make a living off the mountains. So, fearing the guardian, the King let the land go. Skysong declared itself an Anjeldom, and has been going strong for nine-hundred years.
Skysong does not allow slavery, and most angels will refuse to help anyone that owns slaves, although compassion usually wins out. Several angels will sell their services for the freedom of a slave.
Angels use the same currency, although their coins are stamped with a depiction of Serenity.
Skysong is completely mountains. Two mountain ranges cross the land and run down to the ocean. There are two ocean valleys where fisherman and pirates and merchants tend to roam. The angels live in the mountains, and usually make a living off messengers. A lot of elves think of it as high class to have an angel deliver messages for them and employ them in their retinue. Angels dislike water, so they allow humans and other races settle in the two ocean valleys to fish and build boats. Skysong is the only haven for humans on Alsea, as they allied with the Goblin King in the Great War.
Lonsom, a land of magic and secrets and power beyond words. Located in the northernmost tip of the continent Lonsom is frozen for seventy-five percent of the year. It is home to the Flaze and Rusyn elves. The Flaze elves are the majority of the population, but have little or no interest in politics. They prefer to explore the ice-floes and hunt, leaving the politics to their Rusyn cousins. The rulers of Lonsom are chosen by Brinly and the Angelica. Brinly always chooses a woman to lead and titles her the Mother. Her husband is chosen by the Angelica in Central Dome. She communes with the gods to find the ideal match for the Mother. When she has chosen a name she sends it back to Lonsom and her word is law.
Lonsom has been around since the beginning. Their traditions have changed, but the magic that lies within the ice has always kept its borders secure. They withstood Morlan’s greed and fought fiercely for freedom in the Great War. They were the first to call the council together, and have since considered leading the council the greatest honor possible for anyone.
The flaze do not allow slavery, as it is somewhat impractical with their travelling lifestyle. The Rusyn elves have slaves, although it is not as popular of a practice as it is in the southern states. Mostly the Rusyn have household slaves that are paid to work but cannot leave unless they buy their freedom, and in the end, usually stay working for the very masters they wanted to free themselves from.
They use the same currency as the rest, but their coins are stamped with a picture of the Mother.
Lonsom is mostly ice floes and glaciers. The mountains there are covered with snow all year round. The southern edge is plains in the summer and frozen in the winter. The Flaze make a living by trading with the Rusyn elves. They provide amazing furs and delicious meats while the Rusyn provide the basic things they need to survive. In turn, the Rusyn sell the silk white furs and the amazing tusks of sea creatures to the southerners.
Lonsom is also unique in the fact that they breed the best mounts in the world. Lonsom is home to the unicorns, the great horses that can run for days without cease and the long supple limbs and coats of every hue imaginable. Highly intelligent, the Rusyn and Flaze elves are the only ones that can tame them enough to make them ride able, and they do so, selling them for ridiculous amounts.
Meadowling is the home to the Ulgard Elves and the Vran. The Vran are a strange and difficult race, spawning from the mingling of different cultures. Meadowling, as its name suggests, is mostly rolling plains and farmlands. They have a monarchy that is passed down to the eldest male heir. If there are no male children then the eldest female can be chosen. The Ulgard elves and the Vran intermingle, although there are several families that will only choose pure-bloods. So, at any one time there could be a Vran King and an Ulgard Queen, or vice-versa. The Vran are tolerated, since they are somewhat powerful and backed by Abigail, who is possibly the most influential seer and counter the world has ever seen.
Meadowling was founded by Abigail. She simply went to Morlan seven-hundred and ninety-eight years ago and told him she was taking this land. Their Queen at the time took one look into Abigail’s deathless eyes, promising more death and pain to come that she agreed only to get the woman out of her sight. Abigail went, and bestowed upon her people the ruling class. She went to her tower and hid from sight, unless she saw something that was amiss in her land. The rulers have not once disagreed with her. What Abigail says goes, and there is no gainsaying her.
Abigail takes people from their lives to be her slaves for ten years. She takes one child from each prominent family. This person she teaches and in turn they server her for all she needs. The child always comes back changed, different than before, but stronger than before also. Wiser and more in tune with the world at large, those children Abigail takes become leaders in their own right, of their villages, of the country, and in the world when they travel. Other than these children Abigail does not stand for slavery.
Meadowling’s currency is stamped with Abigail’s profile.
Mostly meadows and farmlands Meadowling is prime grazing territory. They raise all sorts of live-stock, from sheep to cows to elephants. The land also borders the ocean in a long clear cost, so not only are the amazing shipwrights, they also are a prime tourist location. The beautiful ocean landscape also breeds a lot of landscape artists that like to delve into different subjects. The most influential artists usually emerge from one of the ocean towns.