In a world where magic flows through the veins of the chosen few, and skill defines the path of those left behind, power is the only truth that matters.
THE FUNDAMENTAL LAW
Ten percent of humanity is born with magic. The remaining ninety percent are not.
This single fact shapes every aspect of civilization—from the marriages people choose, to the wars nations wage, to the dreams children dare to dream.
Magic cannot be learned. Magic cannot be earned. Magic simply is—or it is not.
But this is not a world where the powerless surrender. This is a world where ambition carves its own path.
THE SIX ELEMENTS
Six great forces govern the magic of this world, each tied to a continent, each shaping the civilizations that wield them.
Water
Fluidity. Adaptation. Survival.
Water mages bend the flow of battle, wear down their enemies like rivers eroding stone. They heal wounds that would kill others. They adapt where rigid mages break.
The Western Lands belong to Water. Humans dominate these territories, building kingdoms along rivers and coasts, their power flowing like the tides.
Sub-elements: Ice, Steam, Blood, Healing
Fire
Destruction. Passion. Overwhelming force.
Fire mages are living weapons. They trade defense for devastation, subtlety for explosive power. In their hands, battles end quickly—one way or another.
The Fire Peaks are their domain. Volcanic lands where dragonborn walk, and the weak do not survive long.
Sub-elements: Lightning, Lava, Plasma, Explosion
Earth
Stability. Endurance. Unyielding defense.
Earth mages are fortresses. They outlast their opponents, turning battlefields into their advantage. Patient. Unmovable. Inevitable.
The Northern Wastes breed Earth mages among orcs and nomadic clans, where survival demands resilience above all else.
Sub-elements: Metal, Crystal, Sand, Gravity
Air
Freedom. Speed. Unpredictability.
Air mages are ghosts on the battlefield. They strike where enemies cannot reach, vanish before retaliation comes. Speed is their weapon; the sky is their domain.
The Southern Jungles shelter the elves, masters of Air magic, moving through canopies like wind through leaves.
Sub-elements: Sound, Vacuum, Storm, Flight
Light
Purification. Truth. Divine authority.
Light mages are healers and holy warriors. They purify corruption, mend the broken, and smite those they deem wicked. Theirs is the magic of faith and judgment.
The Eastern Empire stands under Light's banner. A theocratic power where religion and magic intertwine, where the Temple's word is law.
Sub-elements: Illusion, Healing, Enhancement, Purification
Darkness
Concealment. Manipulation. The unseen blade.
Darkness mages are feared. Not because they are evil—though many believe so—but because they excel at what others call dishonorable. Stealth. Assassination. Curses. Control.
The Dark Marshlands are their home. Misunderstood demonic races dwell there, wielding shadows as naturally as others breathe.
Sub-elements: Shadow, Fear, Absorption, Curse
CONTINENTAL AFFINITY
Each continent favors one element. Children born on that land have a sixty percent chance of manifesting that specific magic.
A child born in the Western Lands will most likely wield Water. A child born in the Fire Peaks will most likely command flames.
This is not absolute. Anomalies occur. A Darkness mage born in Water territory. A Fire mage in the lands of Light.
These anomalies face suspicion. Distrust. Sometimes violence.
But anomalies also have one advantage: they are unexpected.
THE FORGOTTEN SEVENTH
Legends speak of a seventh element. A seventh continent.
The Abyss. Primordial darkness that predates the six. A force that can consume all others.
The Forgotten Continent. A land erased from maps and memory, hidden behind ancient wards, dismissed as myth.
They say it was destroyed in the Ancient War, thousands of years past. They say nothing remains but ruin and death.
They say those who seek it never return.
Most people do not believe these legends. Those who do believe know better than to speak of them openly.
And those who know the truth... they keep it secret for a reason.
THE HIERARCHY OF POWER
Magic is distributed unevenly. Not all mages are equal.
Power Levels
Beginner (70% of all mages)
Basic spells, limited strength
Lifespan: 150-200 years
Intermediate (20% of all mages)
Competent control, combination techniques
Lifespan: 200-300 years
Advanced (8.9% of all mages)
Mastery, original techniques, feared warriors
Lifespan: 500-800 years
Master (1% of all mages)
Legends that reshape battlefields, terraform territory
Lifespan: 1,000-2,000 years
Divine (0.1% of all mages)
Mythical beings, continent-shaking power
Lifespan: Millennia or true immortality
Ordinary humans without magic live fifty to seventy years.
This disparity creates tragedy. A mage watches their loved ones age and die while they remain young. Children become grandparents. Grandchildren become dust.
Most mages marry non-mages. They live one human lifetime, emotionally speaking, and then move on—or break.
Some seek immortality for those they love. Such methods exist: legendary artifacts, forbidden rituals, divine alchemy.
They are expensive. Dangerous. Rare.
They are also the reason ambition never dies.
SUB-MAGIC: THE PATH OF MASTERY
Here is the cruel truth of magic:
Your innate power level cannot be changed.
Born a Beginner mage? You will die a Beginner mage. No amount of training will elevate you to Intermediate.
Born with Intermediate potential? That is your ceiling. You will never become Advanced.
The gods—or fate, or bloodline, or random chance—decide this at birth.
But.
While raw power is fixed, mastery is not.
Sub-Magic Specialization
Every element contains sub-elements. Every mage can choose to specialize.
A Water mage might focus on Ice—turning defense into frozen blades, encasing enemies in glacial prisons.
A Fire mage might master Lightning—trading raw heat for devastating speed and precision.
A Darkness mage might specialize in Shadow—becoming invisible, intangible, a ghost that kills without being seen.
Sub-magic mastery has levels:
Novice (0-20%) - Basic understanding
Apprentice (20-40%) - Stable usage
Adept (40-60%) - Confident control
Master (60-80%) - Expert level
Grandmaster (80-95%) - Legendary mastery
Transcendent (95-100%) - Perfection, creating new techniques
And here is where the fixed hierarchy breaks:
A Beginner mage with Transcendent sub-magic mastery can defeat an Intermediate mage with poor training.
Power is not everything. Skill matters. Focus matters. Dedication matters.
This is the hope of the weak. This is the terror of the arrogant.
SKILLS: THE PATH OF THE POWERLESS
Ninety percent of humanity has no magic.
They are not helpless.
Skills are abilities gained through experience, training, or innate talent. They are not magic, but they are power nonetheless.
Types of Skills
Combat Skills
Weapon mastery, enhanced reflexes, battle intuition, killing intent
Crafting Skills
Smithing, alchemy (non-magical), enchanting (tool-based), engineering
Social Skills
Persuasion, leadership, negotiation, intimidation
Survival Skills
Tracking, hunting, navigation, danger sense
Skills can be upgraded. Skills can evolve. Skills can synergize.
A master swordsman with the [Blade Intuition] skill can predict a mage's attack and strike before the spell completes.
A craftsman with [Material Sense] can identify flaws in magical artifacts that even mages miss.
A merchant with [Silver Tongue] can manipulate Advanced mages into disadvantageous deals.
Skills level the playing field.
And occasionally—rarely, but occasionally—a skill master kills a mage.
Can Mages Have Skills?
Yes.
But most don't bother. Magic is stronger, faster, more versatile. Why waste years training a blade when a spell can do the job better?
Weak mages (Beginner, some Intermediate) sometimes pursue skills to compensate. A Beginner Water mage with Master-rank swordsmanship is formidable.
Strong mages (Advanced and above) rarely bother. Their magic is simply too powerful to need supplementation.
But every rule has exceptions.
Some combat geniuses combine both. Those individuals become legends.
THE SEVEN CONTINENTS
The world is vast. Seven continents, hundreds of nations, millions of lives. Every continent mostly has mages of one element.
Western Lands
Element: Water
Population: ~30 million
Dominant race: Humans
Culture: Diverse kingdoms, trade-focused, adaptable
Southern Jungles
Element: Air
Population: ~40 million
Dominant race: Elves
Culture: Isolationist, nature-worshipping, arrogant
Eastern Empire
Element: Light
Population: ~80 million
Dominant race: Multi-racial empire
Culture: Theocratic, militaristic, religiously zealous
Northern Wastes
Element: Earth
Population: ~35 million
Dominant race: Orcs, nomads
Culture: Honor-bound, clan-based, martial
Fire Peaks
Element: Fire
Population: ~45 million
Dominant race: Dragonborn
Culture: Hierarchical, strength-based, prideful
Dark Marshlands
Element: Darkness
Population: ~25 million
Dominant race: Demonic races
Culture: Secretive, misunderstood, occult-focused
The Forgotten Continent
Element: The Abyss (?)
Population: Unknown
Status: Myth. Hidden. Forbidden.
Total world population: approximately 300 million.
SOCIETY: THE PRICE OF POWER
Social Classes
From highest to lowest:
Aristocracy - Old bloodlines, magical dynasties, political power
Merchant Class - Wealth without noble blood, economic control
Magical Elite - Powerful mages from common background, earned status
Skill Masters - Legendary warriors/craftsmen, respected specialists
Craftsmen - Guild members, middle-class stability
Commoners - Farmers, laborers, soldiers (70% of population)
Outcasts - Slaves (in some nations), criminals, the forgotten
Upward mobility exists. Through power. Through wealth. Through cunning.
The question is: how far will you go to rise?
Economy
Currency:
Copper coins (basic)
Silver coins (1 silver = 100 copper)
Gold coins (1 gold = 100 silver)
Platinum coins (rare, for massive transactions)
Income examples:
Farmer: 150-180 silver/year
Craftsman: 3-5 gold/year
Beginner mage: 5-20 gold/year
Intermediate mage: 20-50 gold/year
Advanced mage: 100-500 gold/year
Artifact prices:
Cheap: 50-100 gold
Quality: 500-5,000 gold
Legendary: 10,000+ gold
Wealth means safety. Wealth means influence. Wealth means life-extending elixirs for loved ones.
Wealth means everything.
THE GREAT SECTS
Each continent has a dominant sect—an academy, temple, or order that trains mages and shapes politics.
Continental Powers
Western Water Academy - Prestigious, government-aligned, produces officials
Southern Wind Pavilion - Elven institution, speed specialists, isolationist
Eastern Temple of Light - Theocratic authority, religious zealots, healers and warriors
Northern Earth Fortress - Defensive masters, engineers, clan-loyal
Fire Dragon Palace - Destructive combat focus, dragonborn pride
Dark Abyss Sanctuary - Secretive, occult specialists, misunderstood
These are not schools. These are power structures.
Joining a sect means connections, resources, techniques unavailable elsewhere. It also means obligations, politics, and enemies.
Smaller nations have regional sects—branches, lesser organizations, mixed-element orders. They train the majority of mages, but their reach is limited.
True power resides in the continental sects.
MONSTERS AND BEASTS
Not all intelligent beings are humanoid.
Magical beasts roam the wilds—creatures with elemental affinities, intelligence, and power.
Shadow Panthers. Storm Eagles. Lava Serpents. Crystal Golems.
They are not mindless. They have territories. Social structures. Some are stronger than human mages.
Hunting them is profitable—magical cores, rare materials, alchemical ingredients. But hunting them is also dangerous.
Respect the beasts, or die to them.
Many have.
MONSTERS AND BEASTS
Not all intelligent beings are humanoid.
Magical beasts roam the wilds—creatures with elemental affinities, intelligence, and power.
Shadow Panthers. Storm Eagles. Lava Serpents. Crystal Golems.
They are not mindless. They have territories. Social structures. Some are stronger than human mages.
Hunting them is profitable—magical cores, rare materials, alchemical ingredients. But hunting them is also dangerous.
Respect the beasts, or die to them.
Many have.
THE FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH
This world does not reward fairness. It does not care about justice.
Strength matters. Wealth matters. Cunning matters.
You are born with a fixed magic level, or none at all. You are born into a class, a nation, a family that determines your starting point.
But the end? That is yours to decide.
Will you accept your lot?
Or will you claw your way higher, no matter the cost?
Magic is power.
Skill is power.
Wealth is power.
Ambition is the fuel that drives them all.
This is the world.
This is where the story begins.