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Overview. The kingdom of Imber has stood for nearly a millenia, although several ruling houses have come and gone.

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It is said that in the beginning there was only chaos, the mortal plane rendered unstable by dangerous magic and wicked monstrosities. To restore order to this realm, the Gods waged war on behalf of mankind, driving back the malignant forces and locking them away in another plane. The beasts and demons who managed to survive retreated to darkness, their domination over the world waning. It was then that the Gods — the five who survived War — turned their attentions towards mortals and taught them the ways of civilization: hunting, agriculture, law, construction... From the Gods' knowledge, humanity flourished across the continent and great kingdoms rose. By the time of Imber, the Gods have withdrawn to the heavens, where they prefer to observe and influence from afar.

THE PANTHEON worshipped by the inhabitants of Imber, and in many other places across the continent, are comprised of the great five deities and heroes of the War:

yvar bringer of the dawn; god of the sun, the day, fire, creation, justice, and order. Libations of wine to him are said to bring victory and justice; curses invoked in his name ask for vengeance. Patron of leaders, judges, soldiers, and royalty. Frequently depicted with golden eyes and hair. Symbols include the sun, winged lions, and griffons. Yvar led the charge against the evil in the War. Those who sit the throne of Imber are said to have the blessing of Yvar.

syl'varen twin brother of Yvar; god of the moon, the night, death, mysteries, and magic. Libations of wine to him are said to bring luck; curses invoked in his name are most severe and ask for injury or death. Patron of sorcerors, criminals, and gravediggers. Usually depicted in religious art as a skeleton in a black robe, though some interpretations see him as simply bone-pale and silver-haired. Symbols include the moon, wolves, and owls. Syl'varen's clever magic sealed the gateway between planes, banishing their enemies on the other side. He then turned against his brother and was defeated, though some whisper that these are lies perpetuated by his brother's zealous worshippers.

amarei the spring maiden; goddess of the hunt, animals, journeys, beauty, and love. Libations of rose water to her are said to bring love; curses invoked in her name are usually petty and ask to mar beauty or youth. Patroness of lovers, youths, animals, artists, and sailors. Usually depicted with hair hanging loose past her waist and holding a bow. Symbols include flowers, doves, and deer. Amarei inspired their troops with her melodious voice, keeping up morale through the War.

eraduil the autumn mother; goddess of the harvest, the hearth, marriage, contracts, and commerce. Libations of olive oil to her are said to bring fortune and wealth; curses invoked in her name ask for punishment to those who break verbal and legal vows. Patroness of craftsmen, merchants, parents, and farmers. Usually depicted dark-skinned with curly hair. Symbols include wheat, dogs, and bulls. Eraduil kept the camps warm and warriors fed, giving them strength to fight.

the vossana the crone of winter; goddess of fate, prophecy, healing, and wisdom. Libations of salt water (or blood) to her are said to bring healing and longevity; curses invoked in her name ask for her to weave misfortune and misery into a person's fate. Patroness of healers, the ill, the dying, and the desperate. Usually depicted as an old woman with white eyes; there are occasional claims of her being spotted in the Velwood near her shrine in the Spires. Symbols include a loom, ravens, and spiders. After the War, the Vossana healed their wounded, and brought peace to the dying.

sects While there is a consolidated church that celebrates and pays tribute to all give Gods, there are many variations in belief and practice throughout Imber. The warlike people of the Lairfost, for example, tend to focus on the myths concerning the War between the Gods and Chaos, frequently depicting the deities as blood-streaked warriors craving battle. In the North, animal sacrifices during times of peace are commonplace, although such practices are seen as archaic, even barbaric, in the South. There is also a growing movement that originates from the adjacent kingdom of Gaeryn, which places focus on the triad of goddesses rather than the twins.

orders THE HERALDS OF THE DAWN are followers of Yvar, a militant order established hundreds of years ago to protect pilgrims en route to sacred sites against attack by outlaws and heretics, and to defend their places of worship. In reward for their faithful service, they were assigned additional honors and responsibilities, in time becoming the dominant and most influential wing of the church. Currently, the order serves both king and church in defending the kingdom against errant magic users and other threats, though their commanders have considerable political clout. Leadership falls to the Herald-Commander, who traditionally follows the High Priest or Priestess of the church, though the two branches have been known to disagree in the past over public policy.

THE SERVANTS OF AMAREI are a loosely organized collection of bards, musicians, actors, and other traveling artists who can reliably call upon one another for hospitality in towns and cities. Due to the diverse collaborations that can occur at these meeting places (frequently theaters), the productions that come of Amarei's followers tend to be popular and well-regarded. They are usually invited to the capital in the spring for festivities.

cults THE CULT OF THE VOSSANA hold that the crone goddess is the paramount god, rather than Yvar. Many of the cultists have the view that the Vossana, like fate, is a cruel goddess and live in her example, offering sacrifices and carrying out the prophecies relayed to them by their leaders. They have been banished by the crown, though some find safety in the Velwood and other remote corners of Imber. THE CULT OF ROSE AND BONE, being comprised of the more capricious members of the upper classes, is more of a fashionable secret society than a cult. They meet occasionally throughout the year, usually on the eve of larger celebrations, and partake in minor magic otherwise forbidden in the kingdom. It is a requirement at all meetings that masks be worn.

Magic was once as common and natural an element as as wind and water, an accepted and fundamental property of the world. But according to legend, fear of this powerful force took root when chaos overwhelmed the land, threatening to destroy everything, were it not for the intervention of the Gods. After the War, the wilds stabilized and new civilizations began to flourish, but humans distanced themselves from magic use, wary of future disasters. As the stigma against magic grew, knowledge was lost and the power of the mages began to fade with each generation, surviving only in remote pockets of the world.

Within the Kingdom of Imber, magic is uncommon, and what little there is to be found is heavily regulated. Many wielders — both those who carry the spark of it within their bloodline, and those who have discovered spells and have the daring to attempt them — live on the fringes of society. Some eke out a living off of their cantrips or enchantments. But those who make too overt a display of their gifts or are perceived to use them to attain power find themselves hunted and imprisoned. Facing the prospect of a life spent in fear of kingdom guards and witch hunters, it’s little wonder that many seek a safe haven. The largest refuge for mages lies in the untamed Velwood, though some manage to evade notice of authorities by maintaining a low profile.

Few have found legitimacy studying magic. To openly practice spellcasting and keep one’s head requires the patronage and protection of nobility, and even then the position can be tenuous. These wielders are relegated to the positions of curiosities and entertainers, instead of emulating the prestige and influence of the mages of old. However, most would rather serve wealthy families by providing party tricks, superficial glamour spells, and tarot readings skewed towards flattering the vanity of their patrons than risk a swift execution at the hands of an angry crown and malicious court society.

The study and performance of magic is divided up into several schools of practice:

ARCANE adepts manipulate energy, bullying the world around them to bend to their whims. Transfiguration, illusions, summoning, scrying, and offensive and defensive spellwork fall within the broad strokes of arcane spellwork.

ELEMENTAL adepts command and manipulate the four primary elements: fire, water, air, and earth, and all those combinations and forms they come in. Elemental mages typically generalize across multiple elements, although some prefer to specialize in a particular element for further mastery.

PRIMAL adepts tap into nature and the world itself, their bond with and control of flora and fauna going far beyond what could be accomplished by adepts of another school. Primal adepts are also unparalleled healers. Exceptionally talented primal mages have also been known to shapeshift. Because they're so at ease in the wilds, primal mages tend to live remote from society.

born mages typically manifest abilities by late childhood. They are inheritors of a magical bloodline with at least one born mage ancestor, whether aware of this lineage or not. Magical ability can even lay dormant over several generations, surprising an otherwise upstanding family with a child they're ill-equipped to handle. These children are sometimes sent off to religious schooling, where they may learn to suppress their abilities and join the faith — or where they may learn to utilize their abilities for "good" and are anointed Heralds of the Dawn. In families where mages are common — such as those who reside on communes in the Velwoood — children born with attunement are raised to embrace their talents rather than fear them. Born mages are almost always Elemental or Primal adepts.

learned mages have discovered spells and abilities through curiosity or education. They might have found a potion formula on a scrap of paper tucked in a recipe book, a scribbled spell in the margins of a dusty book, a magical phrase taught to them by a family member, etc. Formal education on the subject is rare and closely monitored by the crown and the church. Those who pursue this path of legitimacy can find plentiful work — there's always some noble or wealthy merchant who needs enchantment — but the lifestyle is isolating and frequently more trouble than it's worth. Registry with the Heralds of the Dawn is required, and even legal mages may be targeted as scapegoats when misfortunes arise. Learned mages tend to be masters of the Arcane or Elemental schools.

communes Faced with discrimination in larger population centers, mages have retreated to the safety of the Velwood and other remote areas for centuries. As a result, communes and settlements have cropped up in the forest. These places are safe havens for mages, though they are as diverse as the people who live in them. Some places welcome all people, whereas others have strict and hostile rules regarding non-magical folk. Many of these settlements are designed to temporary and can be quickly packed up and relocated, if needed. These communities are well hidden in the dangerous and unregulated wilds, and are largely left to their own devices — so long as their members don’t intrude on nearby settlements.

towers As uncontrolled magic is an affront to the gods, most mage oversight and punishment is conducted by the church. Rule-breaking or dangerous magic users are imprisoned within the Mage Towers, one per region, under close watch of the Heralds. These towers' conditions and comforts range on how lenient the local priest or priestess feels towards their wards. Some towers in the past have been quite brutal, to the mild scandal of local lords and ladies who might have had distant (estranged) relatives housed inside. Others exhibit more compassion, in the hopes of reforming these wayward sinners into functional members of the faith. These days, all towers offer basic standards of living — such as clean water and blankets and perhaps some religious literature to read and reflect upon.