Project Atonement - Narrative Document

Contents

Narrative Inspiration............................................................................................................................... 4
Methodology....................................................................................................................................... 4
Visual & Discreet Storytelling.......................................................................................................... 4
Story & Emotion Through Design.................................................................................................... 5
Themes................................................................................................................................................ 6
Humanity & The Human Condition................................................................................................. 6
Cosmic Consciousness..................................................................................................................... 6
Ego Death........................................................................................................................................ 7
Mysticism & Henosis....................................................................................................................... 8
Aether Theory ................................................................................................................................. 8

History..................................................................................................................................................... 9
Lost Ages (???-2000BE)....................................................................................................................... 9
Age of Lords (2000BE-600BE) ............................................................................................................. 9
Age of Conquest (600BE-0BE)............................................................................................................. 9
Conquest of the West ..................................................................................................................... 9
Conquest of the East.....................................................................................................................10
Empires at War..............................................................................................................................10
Coalition of the South ...................................................................................................................10
The Ernestine Age (0BE-800AD)........................................................................................................11
The Golden age (800AD-1271AD).....................................................................................................11
The 31st Saint.................................................................................................................................11
The Holy War.................................................................................................................................12
The Collapse and Ascension (1271AD)..............................................................................................12
The Dark Ages (1271AD-1389AD) .....................................................................................................12

Magic & Religion ...................................................................................................................................13
Aether ...............................................................................................................................................13
Body, Mind & Soul (The Triad) ......................................................................................................13
Aether Surges................................................................................................................................13
The Aether Chosen (Ophanim) .....................................................................................................13
Coalescence & Virtues ..................................................................................................................14
Church of Ernestine...........................................................................................................................14
The Saint & The Pillars ..................................................................................................................15

Provinces of Serenia..............................................................................................................................16
Southweald .......................................................................................................................................16

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People & History ...........................................................................................................................16
Biome & Climate ...........................................................................................................................16
Capital ...........................................................................................................................................17
Governance ................................................................................................................................... 17
Key Locations ................................................................................................................................17
Cwenland ..........................................................................................................................................19
People & History ...........................................................................................................................19
Biome & Climate ...........................................................................................................................19
Capital ...........................................................................................................................................19
Governance ................................................................................................................................... 20
Key Locations ................................................................................................................................20
Gwynfeld ........................................................................................................................................... 22
People & History ...........................................................................................................................22
Biome & Climate ...........................................................................................................................22
Capital ...........................................................................................................................................22
Governance ................................................................................................................................... 23
Key Locations ................................................................................................................................23
Characters & Factions ...........................................................................................................................26
The Hamlet........................................................................................................................................26
William ..........................................................................................................................................26
Lawrence ....................................................................................................................................... 27
Meredith .......................................................................................................................................28
Jonathan........................................................................................................................................ 29
The Sanctum Operandi .....................................................................................................................30
Clarissa ..........................................................................................................................................31
Warden Operandi Marcellus.........................................................................................................32
The Grovesisters ...............................................................................................................................33
Grovemother Alessa .....................................................................................................................33
The Final Saint and his Children........................................................................................................34
Saint Barrius ..................................................................................................................................35
Randal ...........................................................................................................................................36
Eadric............................................................................................................................................. 37
Rothaid .......................................................................................................................................... 38
The Final Pillars and the Seraphim....................................................................................................39
The Final Pillars .............................................................................................................................39
The Seraphim ................................................................................................................................40

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Game Plot..............................................................................................................................................43
Act 1 – Saving Lawrence....................................................................................................................43
Act 2 – The Seraphim ........................................................................................................................43
Act 3 – The Operandi Crusade ..........................................................................................................44

Sources .................................................................................................................................................. 45

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Narrative Inspiration

Methodology

Here are the key facets to the storytelling (and design) philosophies and methods that will be pushed
to the forefront of Project Atonement. Dark Souls’ creator and FromSoftware Director Hidetaka
Miyazaki will be mentioned often, as his work in creating dense atmosphere and telling mysterious
stories through subtlety will mesh so well with the ideas going into Project Atonement.

Visual & Discreet Storytelling

The ability to create mystery and intrigue in a video game (or any media for that matter) hinges on
only giving the audience crumbs of information. Enough to begin formulating ideas about what is
happening, what the world is like etc. without giving any direct answers, at least not until much
later. It is a careful balance of feeding enough information to the player to keep them intrigued and
questioning and avoid pure chaos and confusion, whilst still forcing the player to do the brainwork to
piece things together themselves. Examples include Fight Club and American Psycho.

There are many ways to do this through storytelling. A common example is the unreliable narrator.
The unreliable narrator guides the audience through a story that is largely similar to the real events
of the story, yet things aren’t all as they seem. This can lead to some extremely jarring and
interesting reveals/plot points when the audience loses that connection to the narrator’s story and
notices the inconsistencies. They are then questioning the events unfolding and wondering what
truly happened.

In games, a standout example of visual and discreet storytelling comes from the games directed by
Hidetaka Miyazaki. His games have broken new ground with their complex stories, never told
through traditional linear narratives and instead in piecing together information gathered from
dialogue and item descriptions. Even the architecture and environment tell stories that are key to
formulating a better understanding of the world.

His unique technique in video game storytelling originates from his childhood:

“When Hidetaka Miyazaki was a child, he was a keen reader, though not a talented one. Often, he’d
reach passages of text he couldn’t understand, and so would allow his imagination to fill in the
blanks, using the accompanying illustrations. In this way, he felt he was co-writing the fiction
alongside its original author. The thrill of this process never left him – and it is very much there in his
arcane and fascinating video games”

In attempting to recreate this feeling, Miyazaki has managed to build a huge fan community
dedicated to formulating theories and breakdowns of his game’s plots. This level of dedication and
intrigue shows that this “co-writing” approach to storytelling really does work, and the enhanced
player engagement this gives is an awesome thing for games to have as they are at their core the
most interactive fore of media.

Similarly complex and purposefully obtuse stories can be seen elsewhere. Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue
is a psychological thriller anime film where it’s impossible to truly know whether what the audience
sees is reality or illusion. This is the core of the films experience, allowing the viewers to relate to
Mima’s delusional breakdown.

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“Is there a totally natural explanation for everything that happens in the film?

I don’t know what you mean by “natural” but there’s a natural explanation for me as creator since I
distinguished between subjective and objective while making the storyboards. However, some scenes
lead from sequences of reality to illusion, so I guess it is hard for the audience to tell which is which.
However, as I said, it is not the object of the film to distinguish them.”

Breaking down the audience’s views of reality and having them question things they can’t possibly
answer is probably a bad idea for telling any story with a particularly detailed, multi-faceted story.
However, for a character study (or even character driven moments in a larger story), this kind of
psychoanalysis of both character and audience is incredibly potent. Much like previous examples,
again this method forces the audience to think and actively engage with a story. The audiences of
these examples leave with personal interpretations and ideas of what they experienced, giving them
a more personal attachment to the story they just consumed.

Story & Emotion Through Design

This is more of a guideline than a method. This process of design involves constantly questioning
decisions and asking if they truly reflect the point of what is being shown. Every design needs a
purpose and it’s important not to lose sight of this simply to create something more epic, grand,
grotesque etc. This is yet another design principle held by Hidetaka Miyazaki. In the following quote
he talks about elegance in design, aiming to avoid tropes or lazy designs, instead using design to
subtly translate a complex emotion and feeling in the player.

“Miyazaki: You may not believe me, but I always tried to maintain a certain level of refinement and
elegance in all designs. I often told the artists that muddy or messy is definitely not good. I think this
carries through the entire game. If you asked me to describe what this "elegance" is… well, I think
you just have to look at the designs and judge for yourself, but it really is one of the most important
factors in everything I oversee.

Waragai: I remember you said that to me when I was working on the undead dragon. Originally, it
was covered with maggots, but you told me that instead I needed to try and capture the sadness of
this great creature as it marches towards extinction.

Miyazaki: As I said before, everything had its particular shade or tone; Blighttown, for example is the
rawest, most disgusting area in the game, but looking at the area as a whole, I wanted it to both
possess a deep sadness and feel bitterly cold, that's the atmosphere I tried to build on. You could say I
that have a habit of working in this way, and I think you can really see that in Dark Souls' art
direction.”

Keeping this design philosophy in mind will surely help any creative endeavour as it forces every
decision to be questioned and helps avoid tropes and lacklustre ideas from draining a project of
character.

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Themes

Countless themes have already been extensively covered by media in the past centuries of
storytelling. There is little left untouched, however this does not mean a unique narrative cannot be
built around well-established themes. With enough research and numerous themes and ideas
merging, refreshing stories can still be told.

Humanity & The Human Condition

Discussions around the meaning of humanity and the human condition have been discussed at
length. However, confronting an audience with questions about morality, the human condition and
forcing them to contemplate their own ideologies is always a potent theme for getting an audience
invested in the deeper ideas of a story.

The human condition is the defining factor of what it means to be human. What traits does mankind
have that defines them as human, that sets them apart from anything else? The genius of this
philosophy is how each person will innately have an opinion on what the human condition is. It is
constantly up to debate as there is very little concrete concepts that are not shared by other living
beings. Science fiction often pushed this beyond nature and humans to question what must a
synthetic, man-made creation be able to do before it can be considered “human”.

The human condition can be used to present moral and ideological questions to a player during their
experience. To do so with a fantasy title would be difficult compared to science fiction which can use
androids and robots to present these arguments easily (see Nier Automata and Blade Runner).
However, getting players to question the good and bad in mankind can still be a very potent
narrative theme.

Cosmic Consciousness

A theory penned by psychiatrist Richard Maurice Bucke in 1901, the idea of cosmic consciousness
presents the idea of a consciousness above that of animals and man. He separates consciousness
into three forms; simple consciousness possessed by man and animal alike, self-consciousness that
gives mankind reasoning and imagination and the higher form of cosmic consciousness.

Cosmic consciousness is described as follows:

“This consciousness shows the cosmos to consist not of dead matter governed by unconscious, rigid,
and unintending law; it shows it on the contrary as entirely immaterial, entirely spiritual and entirely
alive; it shows that death is an absurdity, that everyone and everything has eternal life; it shows that
the universe is God and that God is the universe, and that no evil ever did or ever will enter into it; a
great deal of this is, of course, from the point of view of self-consciousness, absurd; it is nevertheless
undoubtedly true.

This can be compared to mysticism and religion, with their concepts of gods, souls and afterlife
which will be discussed later. However, it relates to the theme of humanity as it can be used
narratively as a goal, to ascend beyond the limits of humanity and achieve greater consciousness.
This has in fact been covered in a video game before. Bloodborne’s cosmic horror showed
humanities desperation to ascend humanity and how that led to mankind’s doom.

Expanding upon the themes of cosmic consciousness and its potential use as a conflict between
themes of religion, power and humanity, the song Mind/Body/Light/Sound by American
experimental rock band Swans presents some very interesting points through its lyrics on the theme
of self and cosmic consciousness, reality and non-reality. The song’s lyrics discuss a heightened

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consciousness and the idea of immaterial spiritual unity as opposed to individual self-conscious
thought.

“There's some people on Earth,
They live in separate minds,
Dissolve your body today,
There is no more outside”

The lyrics further expand upon these themes by blurring the lines of reality. While the self-conscious
mind sees land, sea and air or night and day as separate things, the song posits that they are in fact
one and the same.

“This ordinary night,
This ordinary day,
They're twisted out of shape,
Then they disintegrate,
Cool water runs through the ground,
The ocean blends with the air”

Just as Bucke mentions in his writings, “this is, of course, from the point of view of self-
consciousness, absurd” but he insists that “it is nevertheless undoubtedly true”. This blind belief in
something mankind seemingly cannot comprehend can easily be pointless and taken too far can be
harmful. This song seems to offer a less glorified view of ascension to cosmic consciousness than
Bucke’s writings, instead coming from an apathy towards reality. A user on the lyric site Genius who
goes by corpsdeblahEliason describes the songs themes as the following:

“The themes in this track seem to be about being and non-being. The concept of
mind/body/light/sound seems to be alluding to the nature of existence at least in a tangible sense as
a being. The lyrics themselves seem to be calling attention to non-existing or being ‘dissolved’ from
existing, hence “dissolve your body today” or “the world is over today and time is already gone…
Eternity doesn’t last very long”.”

The song does a fantastic job at presenting concepts of cosmic consciousness that can seem loose
and confusing from Bucke’s writings alone. Bucke’s work seems to present the idea from a religious
and spiritual point of view as opposed to this song’s pessimistic nihilism and apathy towards
humanity and reality. This is something much more relatable for those who are less religiously or
spiritually inclined.

Presenting cosmic consciousness from a nihilistic point of view as opposed to religious and spiritual
fanaticism could certainly create a unique narrative. This is the point of view that Evangelion took
with its themes of ascension during the Instrumentality of Mankind.

Ego Death

A concept of spirituality that can also be tied to humanity and the human condition as well as
religious mysticism. The idea of ego death refers to many things including loss of a subjective
personality, a transformation of the psyche, surrendering oneself to a higher power or even to
describe certain experiences under the influence of psychedelics. At its core it refers to losing touch
with reality, specifically with the consciousness of oneself and personal identity. The experience of
ego death is often compared to a trance where one loses touch with reality, a lack of sensory
response or perception and a suppression of memory, reasoning imagination and self-expression.

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Ego death shares similarities with the idea of cosmic consciousness, and these ideas of ascension
beyond a self-conscious state are incredibly interesting and leave a lot of room for a fantasy story to
explore. The moral choice between ascension beyond reality and the living human existence could
be a very poignant decision for a player to make. Do you ascend with humanity to a higher plane of
being and lose all aspects of the human condition, or do you reject ascension, believing in reality and
humanity?

Mysticism & Henosis

Like many themes previously mentioned, the concept of mysticism is built around achieving a
oneness with god or some other divine being or absolute. The whole concept of humanity and
individuality opposed to unity and transcendental consciousness will likely form the backbone of the
game’s themes. Mysticism essentially refers to the end goal of achieving ego death and cosmic
consciousness. Whether this oneness with a heightened state of consciousness is permanent or
simply a mystical experience matters not, instead the idea of mysticism is about becoming part of
something greater than oneself.

As a religious and spiritual idea, it is obviously described as a positive experience. However, with the
pessimism of mankind more focused on reality, the idea of seeking mystical oneness can be seen as
escapism from the reality of being human and its trials and tribulations. Again, this forces a person
to question what they value most, the human condition or a selfless existence beyond that.

Henosis is a neoplatonic concept of mysticism that revolves around the concept of all things
emanating from one source (known as The One or Monad). In this belief, the idea is not an ascension
of mankind to the greater oneness, but instead to return to the oneness from which all is born. It’s a
different point of view of what oneness is, and in this case, oneness is seen more as potential
contemplative meditation rather than seeking a permanent ascension beyond humanity and reality.

Having two parties, one believing in the Henosis interpretation of the monad as living reality as
opposed to the idea of achieving ascension with the monad could be a great way to promote
conflict. In a way this is reality vs non-reality, those who believe the singularity is part of living reality
and those who believe the singularity exists beyond reality. Those who wish to live within the world
created by the monad vs those who believe in pushing humanity beyond reality to achieve
ascension. Passive vs Active. This is a great way to encourage conflict, and the party who took action
to ascend could easily be a reason for a magical/mystical apocalypse.

Aether Theory

A little different to previous themes but easily tied to the idea of oneness and ascension are aether
theories. Scientific in nature but still only theoretical (and largely outdated), the aether refers to
some form of medium necessary for the existence of light, sound, gravity and electromagnetism.
This medium in a way shares similarities with the Henosis Monad as an all-encompassing medium
that dictates the rules of reality. Having “the one” be a mysterious “other”, an invisible,
unquantifiable force as opposed to a god could provide a somewhat interesting approach to how
religion might work in a fantasy world. As a genre, fantasy often models its religions on monotheistic
or polytheistic religions. Building religions that instead believe in an impersonal source of greater
consciousness, a world soul of sorts as opposed to a divine being or beings could be a unique,
refreshing take on religion which would instead be built upon humans not gods.

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History

Here is the known history of Serenia. The worlds history is in part inspired by real events from
Europe during the Dark Ages/Middle Ages including the Norse raids on Anglo-Saxon England, the
Roman Empire and the Crusades. The date format BE/AD stands for Before Ernestine/Anno Dominae
(In The Year of Our Lady)’ which is a play on the real-world equivalents repurposed for Serenia’s
history and religion.

Lost Ages (???-2000BE)

It is unknown what took place before the time of feudal lords. There are remnants of a simple
communal and tribal culture of Serenia in stone structure, cave paintings around the country. But
due to their lack of written language and sturdy architecture, little has survived the passage of time.
As for how these people lived, who or what they worshipped and what exactly happened during
their time is unknown. Written literature, tapestries and entablature would eventually be used to
recount history in the Age of Lords that followed.

Age of Lords (2000BE-600BE)

By the time the Lost Ages were ending, many small communes had built a hierarchy and laid claim to
large swathes of land, beginning the Age of Lords. The tribes of Serenia had progressed rapidly in the
tail end of the Lost Ages. Some ruminate that external visitors from countries west and north had
helped this, but regardless, the Serenians had begun to construct a functioning society with written
language, law, trade, currency and the concepts of land and property ownership. With no centralised
governing body, each fiefdom had its own laws and culture.

As the first communes began to see the benefits of vassals and fiefs, all leaders of people were
forced to engage in a feudalist society to protect their land and by extension, their people. Any
communities that failed to construct a fiefdom simply crumbled beneath the might of another.
Neighbouring lords would often bet land in tourneys or occasionally start conflicts leading to a
fiefdoms collapse. However, any large-scale act to take control over large swathes of the country or
invade other countries and continents didn’t happen until the Age of Conquest.

Age of Conquest (600BE-0BE)

The Age of Conquest saw the collapse of feudalism in Serenia as Lord Gwyndurf of Portmarket and
Warchief Cwenlarr of the Whitwood Tribes built their civilizations by conquest in northern and
eastern Serenia.

Conquest of the West

Warchief Cwenlarr unified the tribes of the Whitwood with a promise to give them a better life to
the south. The Whitwood is a bitter, icy alpine forest. It’s desolate, barren of easy prey and
impossible to farm in making basic survival difficult. To add to that, it is filled to the brim with
aggressive, deadly animals. The people who live here are ignored by the Lords in the south who see
them as nothing but savages. Lords were not even willing to trade despite the Whitwood tribes
having high quality, tradable goods like leather and fur.

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Cwenlarr’s promise was acted upon when he took a massive party of raiders to invade the north of
Serenia. The scale of the raiding party and the raiders’ strength, ferocity and lack of chivalry all aided
them in successfully capturing several fiefdoms in mere weeks. The first invaded fiefdom was quickly
converted into a safe camp for Cwenlarr’s people to settle. Over time, this first camp was built into
the Warchief’s capital, Nixforte.

Conquest of the East

Lord Gwyndurf was an intelligent and ambitious man who saw a greater use of Portmarket’s trade
wealth and international connections than the cushy, simple life his descendants had chosen. He
took it upon himself to build and train an army to conquer Serenia and beyond. Gwyndurf gathered
mercenaries and soldiers from far-off lands, brought them to Portmarket and trained his vassals into
incredible warriors.

Gwyndurf’s army was so well trained and their siege and warfare tactics impeccably well planned, it
could topple weaker fiefdoms in a day. He managed to swiftly grasp the south eastern corner of
Serenia for his Empire, but toppling the impressive fortified city of Deórstead halted his progress.
Out of necessity, Deórstead saw the spread of the Gwyndelen Empire and swiftly used their might to
unite the north-eastern Lords, by force if needed. With this coalition, they managed to keep the
Gwyndelen at bay.

It took almost a decade of fighting to topple Deórstead, and once it fell the rest of the south east fell
with it. The city of Deórstead was renamed to Gwyndurf after the Lord turned Emperor himself.

Empires at War

For most of the Age of Conquest, the Gwyndelen and Cwenlen people found themselves in wars and
skirmishes. Both Empires held significant strength and could never topple each other. Their borders
would flow in waves eastward and westward over the generations that would follow. The
Gwyndelen’s conquest of foreign lands in this time did little to help them against the sheer brutal
pride of the Cwenlen.

At times, there was peace. Some Warchiefs and Emperors saw the futility of the wars and some even
wanted to make amends and ally with the other. Near the end of the Age of Conquest, hostility had
largely died and the two Empires were even engaged in trade with each other

Coalition of the South

With two massive, imposing civilisations taking shape to the north, the Lords of the South realised
they had no way to keep their fiefdoms safe from an invading force. In response, the centralised
themselves with the Coalition of the South, an agreement that the Southern Lords would open their
fiefs for all within the province. Each Lord will retain their rights to land and vessels but must unify
under one governing and jurisdictional body. The house of Lords would select one Lord to be the
King who would oversee the province and speak on behalf of the people when dealing with the
Gwyndelen Empire or the Cwenlens.

The Southweald prospered thanks to this decision, the easing of each fiefdom’s borders made trade
and specifically trade with other countries so much easier. With no wishes to expand, they had a
largely positive relationship with the Cwenlens who after their expansion were happy with the land
they own. Relations with the Gwyndelen Empire were a little rockier as many Gwyndelen Emperor’s
wanted to expand and dominate Serenia. Many Emperor’s strove to be as strong and successful as
Gwyndurf himself, which is what fed their excessive thirst for conquest.

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The Ernestine Age (0BE-800AD)

Before the Ernestine Age, Serenia was filled with a wide range of religions. The Southweald had a
monotheistic belief in a single God and an afterlife known as Dominion where your misdeeds are
weighed against you. Cwenlens largely followed tradition, believing in a world soul called the Aether
that lives in all people, animals and plant life and upon death you join the Aether as an incorporeal
spirit. Gwyndelens had a polytheistic pantheon of gods, believed to have been bought over from
foreign lands and slowly becoming the primary religion of Gwynfeld.

A huge theological shift happened when mankind had its first truly miraculous interaction with
powers beyond the mortal realm. Lady Ernestine somehow embraced the full power of the Aether,
not only surviving but able to channel incredible miracles using the full strength of the Aether. Her
influence when showing such inhuman and incredible acts was unstoppable as her newfound Church
of Ernestine (based of the monotheistic religion of the Southweald) swiftly enraptured followers
across all of Serenia, making them zealous followers of her and her God’s word. Lady Ernestine’s
powers and influence empowered the Aether, leading to its powers being more noticeable in the
surrounding world. Additionally, it led to mankind discovering ways to use and channel the Aether’s
power.

(For more on Lady Ernestine’s story and religion, see pg. 14 and for more on the Aether and magic of
the world, see pg. 13)

This newfound religious fervour had the benefit of uniting much of Serenia in peace as they now
share common ground and understanding.

The Golden age (800AD-1271AD)

With the Church of Ernestine continuing to be a bastion of hope for Serenia long after her passing,
there came a time when the three provinces pledged their undying allegiance to the Church. The
Gwyndelen gave the Church their capital and renamed it Solstice, the capital of all of Serenia. The
rule of Serenia was now given to the Church’s Saint and the Pillars, the Saint’s most devoted
followers. During this time of peace and cooperation across the country, Serenia prospered.

The Church began to spread its influence beyond Serenia along its many international trade routes.
Although over time, the Church’s practices of Coalescence, Virtues and miracles would begin to
spread beyond their religious jurisdiction. (For more on the Aether and miracles read pg. 13) They
saw this as blasphemy that could only end in apocalypse if left unchallenged. Many unwieldy or
criminal Virtues both beyond and within Serenia had already begun showing how dangerous
untrained and reckless usage of the Aether can be.

The 31st Saint

Saint Barrius, the 31st Saint of Ernestine came to power in a time of great unease as unregistered
Virtues run rampant across Serenia and beyond. With help from Khronos, Barrius’ Pillar of
Predestination it was decided that unless dealt with, the ungodly misuse of the Dominion’s power
(what we know as the Aether) would bring about the end times. Saint Barrius swiftly bolstered
Serenia’s growing military might and clamped the country in an iron fist, cracking down hard on
unregistered Virtues. But this would not prove good enough as foreign powers grew overconfident
with their powers. Many were on the cusp of war with each other, some even targeting Serenia,
enamoured by the country’s wealth and strength.

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The Holy War

Fearing the end of all things, Saint Barrius enacted upon his will and took Serenia to war. The Holy
War, also known as the War of the Light Bringer or Holy War of Virtue lasted many, many years. The
crusades that the Sainthood’s Knights embarked upon, while largely successful infuriated so many
leaders and countries that Serenia’s enemies continued to grow. The Holy War began in 1244AD,
and every year of the war only led to a more militaristic Church and more and more dangerous
enemies fighting back against Barrius’ crusades.

The Collapse and Ascension (1271AD)

After a few decades, the war had led Virtues from all sides to push the limits of their powers. They
pushed themselves so hard that the Aether had begun to overload to an uncontrollable level, tearing
into the mortal realm and blurring the lines between reality. By 1271AD, the world began to see the
effects of Aether misuse as the Aether began to warp land and animal alike, even poisoning and
mutating humans. Even ignoring the massive casualties of war, average civilians were now put
massively at risk by the world’s instability.

As the Aether’s influence on the world began to threaten mankind’s existence, Saint Barrius took it
upon himself to enact the final ascension. This is something talked about briefly in the Holy
Ernestine Scriptures as the act of leaving reality and life behind and ascending the life of all men to
Dominion. The act requires opening the gates to Dominion within the mortal realm. What this
involves is opening the floodgates to pure Aether in an attempt for the human mind and soul to take
its collective consciousness beyond the body, beyond mortality. The only reason Barrius was
opposed to ascension is the removal of humanities agency, the ability to choose between life in
reality or life in Dominion. But once it proved to be the only way to save mankind, he was given no
other choice.

This final act of desperation led to the death of hundreds of thousands of people across Serenia, and
even beyond its borders due to the Churches misunderstanding of what the Aether is. However due
to this mass extinction event, the Aether was calmed and the world stopped tearing itself apart
temporarily. The survivors are left confused and lost, almost on the brink of total extinction,
mankind is left in a world permanently warped and corrupted by excess Aether misuse.

The Dark Ages (1271AD-1389AD)

The current period. The Dark Ages have consisted of the remaining survivors of mankind locking
themselves away in the fortified remnants of civilisation. Many people and animals of the world
have been mutated and warped during the Collapse, and in many locations across Serenia, fonts of
corrupting Aether continue to scar the landscape and alter the creatures around it. Mankind dare
not risk rebuilding society as rumours speak of colossal demonic beasts slumbering in the wilds.

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Magic & Religion

Aether

The magic of the world is drawn from the Aether. It is the source of creation and destruction, a
volatile and chaotic substance that exists beyond physical and mental understanding. The Aether
comes in two forms; the Inner Aether and the Outer Aether. The Inner Aether is the Aether that
resides within the physical, in man this is most easily compared to a soul. The Outer Aether is the
wild, untapped and unused Aether energy that surrounds the physical like an invisible mist.

People within the world have many interpretations for what the Aether is. Some see it through the
eyes of creation, as the source from which all life is born (e.g. a world soul, Gaia or mother earth).
Others see it as an all-powerful, all knowing singularity not too dissimilar from a god or god-like state
which believers wish to ascend to.

Body, Mind & Soul (The Triad)

To understand how the Aether can be used to achieve inhuman feats and cast miracles, it is
important to explain the concepts of the body, the mind and the soul. The body refers to the
physical, the molecular makeup of all existence be it sentient or non-sentient. The mind refers to the
metaphysical, encompassing conceptual thought and logical reasoning, personality and expression.
The soul refers to the Aether within the being. All life is a perfect balance of these three facets,
known as The Triad. Interrupting this balance can have incredibly devastating effects on the
unbalanced being and its surroundings.

Aether Surges

Naturally, the world remains in a perfect balance, however the Aether is unpredictable and chaotic,
fluctuating in strength and influence over the physical and metaphysical. Should the Aether be
manipulated and overused the natural state of the mortal world can become unbalanced. This leads
to what is called an Aether Surge. An Aether Surge is like a rift between the Aether and reality that
warps, corrupts, mutates and decays the living’s body and mind. As the Aether cannot exist in the
mortal realm, it begins tearing apart reality. These surges are what caused the Collapse during the
Holy War.

The Aether Chosen (Ophanim)

Occasionally, these Aether Surges can happen on a smaller scale within the balanced Triad of a
human or animal. These have no effect on the outside world, instead surging Aether energy through
the body of the individual. This inevitably unbalances their Triad as their Soul overwhelms body and
mind, causing physical and mental deterioration and eventually death.

During the Ernestine Age, the nature of these inner Aether Surges began to be understood by the
Church as people chosen by Dominion (an interpretation of the Aether as a heavenly afterlife and
home to god). The Ophanim as they became known weren’t seen as diseased and dying as mankind
once assumed they were. Instead, they were viewed as a font of holy power that the Church could
harness and use for themselves.

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Coalescence & Virtues

Coalescence is the process of combining two separate minds and souls into one, thinking and
communicating together. This is not a practice that can be used on all, requiring someone with a
robust Triad and inner strength to be the host. The only subjects with a Triad unstable enough to
connect with a host through the Aether are the Ophanim. Additionally, Coalescence doesn’t happen
naturally, it requires intense meditation in areas of strong Aether activity (e.g. large pockets of
civilisation, areas of dense flora and fauna or places that have been subject to Aether surges before).
While in this state, the host can reach through the Aether to and create a connection between
themselves and the Ophanim.

Coalescence has multiple benefits to both parties. The Ophanim, who’s unstable Triad would slowly
kill them is now stabilised. The excess Aether within them is now being channelled through the host,
reducing its strain on the body. The mind of the Ophanim is subdued when removed, no longer
feeling the Body’s pain and immobility, calming them and allowing their Body to stay rested and
healthy while their mind can continue to function through the host. Using the excess Aether energy
now surging through them, the host (called a Virtue) can now use “miracles” and manipulate their
Body and Mind as well as their surroundings with the Aether.

The host will now have the mind of the Ophanim living inside them. This is why a host is required to
have a strong Triad and power over their own Mind and Body. This unnatural experience could cause
a weaker host to have a mental breakdown. When this happens, both the Virtue and the Ophanim’s
Triads become unstable to a point where they will both inevitably perish. There are times where
Coalescence failures have led to an Aether Surge, making the act incredibly risky. The Sainthood of
Solstice banned Coalescence and Virtues outside of the Church’s jurisdiction for this precise reason.

It is rare anyone would attempt yet alone succeed to Coalesce with more than one Ophanim,
however it is believed that many Saints and Pillars including Barrius and his disciples would Coalesce
with tens if not hundreds of Ophanim to gain god-like powers.

Church of Ernestine

The Church of Ernestine is the primary religion of Serenia. The Church believes in a singular God and
that the Aether is in fact the afterlife and God’s domain known as Dominion. The religion is based on
much older monotheistic beliefs but reconstructed around the story of Lady Ernestine who was seen
as the first living human to communicate directly with God in Dominion and became a living vessel of
God’s will.

Lady Ernestine, a devout believer in God had lived a tortured life as a street urchin in the small town
of Mulhove. While the religious scriptures leave out much of her early life, it is believed she was an
orphan forced to criminal activity and stealing half-eaten food from the plates of drunken tavern-
goers to simply survive. Despite her horrendous life, she spent hours a day praying to God and never
once did she blame her misfortunes on anyone but herself.

It was written that one day, God reached out to her in her sleep and told her to travel east deep into
the woods. There she would find the Ardent Lake and receive a gift for being so pious in the midst of
such contempt. She mustered the strength to leave Mulhove and embark on a pilgrimage to the
East. Shaking and starving, she travelled day and night, not once doubting her message from God. It
is said it took her over a week of non-stop walking with no food or water to travel east and through
the dense woodlands. Her unrelenting perseverance paid off however upon finding the Ardent Lake.

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With waves like holy flames flickering across the golden, glowing pool, Ernestine slowly walked
barefoot into the lake’s consecrated waters. On doing so, she is said to have transcended the mortal
world and entered Dominion. People near the forests at the time were said to have seen a blinding
pillar of golden light shine upon the centre of the forest, lighting up the night sky.
Within Dominion, she sat face-to-face with God, who laid upon her his guidance for leading Serenia
and the world to a brighter future. He thanked her for her devotion and gifted her with the power to
enlighten the world to his presence and bring true virtue into the world. God bestowed great power
on her, so that nobody could deny her claims as messenger of God.
Using Gods guidance, she returned to Southweald and performed miracles, saving lives and bringing
the word of God to all. She gathered a following of devotees, who travelled with her across the
Southweald before they settled in the West. Taking refuge in an abandoned ancient keep in the
moors to the west, Lade Ernestine built the first church “Sanctum est Excelsis” and with it started
the Ernestine religion.

The Saint & The Pillars

Lady Ernestine appointed her most devout apostles as the Saint and Pillars. The Saint would be her
second-in-command and would watch over all the Church’s proceedings. The Pillars were devotees
assigned to represent the eight aspects Ernestine deemed necessary for humanity and society to
function at its most pure.
The eight Pillars are as follows:
- Pillar of the People: Represents the average person and upholds the rights of all rich and poor.
- Pillar of Faith: Represents the Church and its practices.
- Pillar of the Knight’s Order: Represents the churches holy army.
- Pillar of Integrity: Represents repentance and forgiveness, both within and outside the church.
- Pillar of Jurisdiction: Represents law and order.
- Pillar of Tradition: Represents religious ceremony (marriages, funerals etc.)
- Pillar of Predestination: Represents soothsaying and oracles, the fate of mankind.
- Pillar of Knowledge: Represents scholars and studying, teaches and trains the Virtues.
After Lady Ernestine’s death the Church kept her religious structure in place, appointing new Saints
and Pillars based on an electoral council of devotees.

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Provinces of Serenia

Southweald

People & History

The people of the Southweald are known as the free people of Serenia. For much of the region’s
history, the area has remained largely free of overwhelming influence from a single ruling class,
originating all the way back to Serenia’s feudal history. The land has remained largely free despite
the overwhelming pressure from the surrounding empires and civilisations. (Read more on the
origins of the Coalition of the South on pg. 10)

The free people of Serenia are peaceful by nature, avoiding conflict and war at all costs. Yet the bond
between their fellow man means they will willingly defend their land and people to the last breath.
The average free person is carefree, laidback and friendly. The province has a love for farming,
cooking and merrymaking. Southweald Mead is the choice beverage across Serenia, found in
taverns, inns and bathhouses in every corner of the country.

With much of the farmland defunct and countless villages flattened during the Holy War, the
remaining denizens have largely abandoned the land and hold fast in the fortifications of Frimstadt
and Meadport.

There are still scatterings of civilisation in the expansive Southweald grasslands, largely in the north
where devoted sects of Ernestine belief attempt to keep their faith alive. The Grovesisters swear
themselves to Lady Ernestine and God in the Sisterhoods of the Matrem Grove, where Ernestine is
said to have first encountered God’s light. Here they dedicate their life to caring for the Matrem
Grove, protecting their home in the woods Galahearth from man and monster alike.

To the west, on the border with what are now the Sanctum Marshes, the Sanctum Operandi defend
the now desecrated holy lands with fervent rage. The Sanctum Operandi are an extreme religious
cult that believe Saint Barrius was God’s Second Chosen and the Collapse was due to a lack of belief
and devotion in the people of Serenia (particularly Cwenland and the Southweald). They await Saint
Barrius’ return and the consecration of the Sanctum Marshes that will signify the beginning of a Holy
War of Retribution.

Biome & Climate

The Southweald is covered in beautiful meadows and fields, alongside small thickets of deciduous
woodland. The mild climate makes it perfect farmland, with a perfect balance of sunny and rain
seasons. There are many rivers, creeks and streams running through the Southweald wilds that
made the land vibrant with flora and fauna before the Collapse.

To the South East, the land becomes irrigated and uneven. These Southweald wetlands have been
uninhabited for centuries and have become overgrown with dense shrubbery and woodland
between rocky outcrops and hills. The weather here is prone to rain all year-round, leading to its
permanent inundation.

To the north of the wetlands are the Sanctum Marshes. Prior to the Collapse, these marshes were as
vibrant and lush as the fields to the east. But the Aether melted the woodland, turned the dirt to ash
and poisoned the water. The marshes are now spotted with toxic, glowing fungus and a suffocating,
dense fog. The once grand religious city of Sanctum est Excelsis is now all but a half-sunken relic
hidden away in the Marshes.

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Capital

Frimstadt, the capital of Southweald is a large motte-and-bailey fortification. It’s impressive 11ft high
wooden walls protect a bustling town and a beautiful wooden hall atop a tall hill with a 360 view of
the Southweald grasslands. What was once the centre of commerce, with daily markets and
numerous specialty vendors, merchants and workers has instead become a defensive fortification
against the Aether-warped beasts of the wild. Frimstadt’s population is now overcrowded with
generations of displaced families from the now unliveable farmland they once occupied.

Governance

Before the Sainthood took governance of Serenia, the Southweald was governed loosely with each
fiefdom being governed by elected Lords who would report to the King. This system remained since
BE where all lands across Serenia was split into Fiefdoms with individual Lords. However, what was
once individual feudal Lords fighting for land and power, became a democratic system where Lords
would be voted in by the citizens they serve. The Lords would then vote between themselves to
appoint the King who would oversee the Southweald as a whole. During the Sainthood’s reign, the
King and Lords retained titles and most of their power. But the Sainthood would assign their own
correspondences to watch over decisions and the King would report to the Saint.

Key Locations

Meadport
Meadport is a small port town built on a man-made wooden island in the Southweald Wetlands. The
one-of-a-kind floating town was constructed to maximise Mead trade with the many western
countries (hence the town’s name). Miraculously, the town largely remained untouched during the
Collapse, and its water-logged nature makes it easily defensible for survivors to seek refuge in.
However, the greedy citizens of Meadport have locked themselves away out of fear, protecting
themselves and their resources.

Sanctum est Excelsis
A once massive, majestic city sized Cathedral. Sanctum est Excelsis’ architecture was praised world-
wide for its beauty. Seen by many as a gift from God, it is said the power of the Sainthood’s Virtues
were needed to build such a majestic construction. Devout followers would seek pilgrimage here,
repenting for their sins and pledging their services to the Sainthood.

During the final act of the Holy War, Adriel, The Pillar of Faith and strongest Virtue apart from the
Saint himself decided to attempt not only to ascend himself to Dominion, but all the devotees
residing in the Sanctum. This final effort only doomed the Sanctum and its people, burning miles of
the Southweald and its residents before flooding it with uncontrollable Aether energy which
desecrated the land forevermore. The city has been abandoned for over a century and is sinking into
the marshes.

The Matrem Grove & The Ardent Lake
The Matrem Grove, named after the Holy Mother Lady Ernestine is the same forest where Ernestine
is said to have found God. Deep in the forest resided The Ardent Lake, a beautiful lake that appears
to be burning in holy flames. This Aether infused lake is where Ernestine sees God as she entered the
water, drowning in the Aether and seeing the unseeable and incomprehensible Aether with her
mortal eyes. How she could survive such a feat is unknown, as Aether energy this powerful would
evaporate even the strongest Ophanim instantaneously. What she saw she believed to be Dominion,
the domain of God, the creator and overseer of all mortal beings and nature itself.

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The Matrem Grove, due to the Ardent Lake’s power surging through it will shift and move. The grove
defies reality, and should one travel too deep there is no chance of getting out. It is unknown how
many people have managed to visit the Ardent Lake since Ernestine; however, many Saints and their
Pillars have been said to find it thanks to their powers as a Virtue. Desperate for guidance, Khronos,
the Pillar of Predestination decided to seek direct communion with God by entering the Ardent Lake
like Ernestine once did during the Collapse. But he failed to find power or God in the lake, instead he
simply broke under the pressure was presumed dead…
Finis Navem (Ship’s End)
Finis Navem is a natural rocky precipice of the coast to the South West of the Southweald Wetlands.
The outcrop is named for its devastating reputation for crashing ships during storms or if trade boat
crews tried sailing while inebriated with Southweald mead. As both a symbol of good luck and
respect for those who lost their lives, a shrine was erected atop the cliff edge.
During the Holy War, the Sainthood’s naval fleet would often congregate here before engaging on
any missions along the Southern coast of the continent beyond Serenia. During the Collapse, when
the Saint ordered the ascension of Serenia’s people, Ishmael, the Pillar of Knowledge remembered
the large naval fleet stationed near Finis Navem. Realising the fleet was far beyond the jurisdiction of
civilised land, as a final sacrifice, he made his way to the tip of the precipice where he attempted to
bring the fleet to Dominion.

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Cwenland

People & History

Cwenland and the Cwenlen people are named after the ancient founder of the province, Cwenlarr.
The Cwenlen people are humble, stone-faced and brash. They are deeply caring for people and
incredibly proud of Cwenland, however they are often misunderstood by outsiders for their abrasive
personalities. Originating from the Whitwood as tribes, the Cwenlen still retain the fantastic hunting
and survival expertise of their distant heritage. They are a naturally strong people, with women
often fighting alongside men in war and hunting.

During Cwenlarr’s takeover of the north western fiefdoms, the Cwenlen overpowered the Serenian
vassals and Lords residing there. Many of these fiefdoms likely colonised the land, originally coming
from more eastern and southern lands, and thus not accustomed to the cold weather and muddy
fields. Additionally, as land much less favourable for trading opportunities, the fiefdoms here were
much poorer and could not build sufficient defences, train soldiers or employ mercenaries.

Some of the Cwenlen choose not to follow the Church of Ernestine, instead following their ancient
traditional beliefs in the World Soul (the Aether). While not at all aware of what the Aether is, the
Cwenlen religion believe not in a single God but a shared soul across all of nature. This is closer to
what the Aether is than a singular God entity, just with a layer of spirituality. They believe if they
respect nature and the world, and act humbly for what the World Soul provides them, then they can
reside within the World Soul after death. This way their life energy gives back to the natural world,
mirroring how decaying animals and plants provide nutrients for plants to grow.

After the Collapse, the Cwenlen people all flocked to Nixforte, the huge bastion on the border of the
Whitwood. A huge and intimidating structure, the fortification is big enough to support the surviving
Cwenlen people thanks to the small population of the province even before the Collapse. The
Cwenland tundra has been deserted and retaken by the warped wild beasts of the north.

Biome & Climate

Cwenland is a cold, harsh tundra. Half the year it is coated in snow, with the other half being
dominated by cold sharp winds and rainstorms. The land itself provides little opportunities for
farming, which is why the Cwenlen prioritise hunting and stick to easily grown root vegetables like
Potatoes. The land is incredibly rocky, and the eastern mountain range provides ample opportunity
for mining.

The north of Cwenland is painted with the colossal Whitwood forests. This dense Alpine forest
provides limitless wood for the Cwenland to build with. It is with this and the ample stone resources
that the Cwenlen managed to build the imposing Nixforte. The Whitwood is named for its
permanently snow-capped trees.

Capital

Nixforte is a huge castle fortification built during Cwenlarr’s impressive reign. The incredible
resourcefulness of the Cwenlen people allowed them to construct what was at its time the largest
structure in Serenia. It is thanks to the multiple layers of stone walls and ramparts that Nixforte has
never successfully fallen in war.

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Before becoming the stone heart of Cwenland, Nixforte was one of the first fiefdoms Cwenlarr’s
raiders managed to capture. This is partly why the castle is so large, it was originally a massive
encampment for all the tribes to gather and settle before Cwenlarr’s armies could capture more
fiefdoms. From here it became a simple wooden fort before decades of building made Nixforte what
it is today.

After the Collapse, Nixforte became the new home for the few remaining Cwenlen people to reside.
It is far from overcrowded, yet the lack of resources in Cwenland and the death of trade means that
resources are incredibly low. Disease and starvation is rampant, but there is little that can be done.

Governance

Cwenland’s governance echoes that of the age of Cwenlarr himself. The ruling class is a familial
monarchy, where the province’s most powerful family governs the Cwenlen people. The family
mother and father take the roll of Warchief and Halmaiden. Traditionally the Warchief, while seen as
the leader of Cwenland is largely just a military leader and final decision-maker. The actual control of
the governing body, jurisdiction and control of Cwenland falls in the hands of the Warchief’s wife,
the Halmaiden.

While Cwenlarr was a great Warchief for the Cwenlen people, his warrior wife Tyra took it upon
herself to care for the Cwenlen people at Nixforte while he rampaged across the tundra. This was
the beginning of the Warchief/Halmaiden tradition which has remained in Cwenland ever since.

The Cwenlen ruling family will continue to rule until their Warchief’s strength is questioned. A family
can challenge the throne and begin a tournament where they must defeat the Warchief and their
family in various combat activities. The tournament is not friendly competition, competitors die
often. The Cwenlen people take these tournaments seriously, it is a test of their leaders’ strength
and as such the Warchief owes it to his people to not hold back.

Key Locations

Corvus Castellum
Erected during the Silver age, Corvus Castellum is an impressive, fortified mansion deep in the
Whitwood. Little is known of the building’s origin; however, it’s believed that a small sect of Virtues
who did not wish to serve the Church took pilgrimage to the north to start a casual life away from
Serenia. The castle has been empty since the start of the golden age centuries ago. What happened
to the people here is unknown, but the location is so incredibly inhospitable even for the Cwenlen it
would not be surprising if the harsh conditions wiped them out.

The structure’s mysterious origins and abandonment has led to many Cwenlen folk tales. Some
believe the Virtues who built it were blood-thirsty murderers who escaped death at the hands of the
Church. Others believe the mansion is the resting place of Ernestine, and that she and her consort’s
still walk the halls as spirits.

Regardless of its origin, it is believed Benedict fled Solstice after losing his faith in Barrius during the
Holy War. He is said to have taken off in the night with a small group of people equally tired with the
Holy War and its implications. Heading north into the Whitwood it’s believed he took up residence in
Corvus Castellum, far from the Sainthood’s influence. Due to his exile, Benedict would not have been
part of the Sainthood’s ascension plan and thus it is entirely possible that Benedict and his subjects
still resided in the castle up until the Collapse.

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Sepultrum Burial Mounds
The Sepultrum Burial Mounds are where Cwenlen people are taken to be buried upon dying.
Regardless of what the Cwenlen believed, they all uphold the tradition of being carried to the Burial
Mounds. Back in the tribal heritage of the Cwenlen, the Burial Mounds were supposed to represent
the dead reconvening upon death within the World Soul by all being buried close together. The
Cwenlen who follow the Church of Ernestine have no beliefs that would make this burial unfitting, so
they happily join in the tradition.
The Burial Mounds are treated as a holy space and are meant to be respected. They are meant to be
left alone and peaceful, family members are not expected to visit their dead here. The only time
people should step foot near the Burial Mounds is during the burying of the newly deceased.
During the Collapse, Rodan led a huge funeral procession of the countless dead to the Burial
Mounds, desperate for the souls of the already dead to be carried to Dominion with the still living
during the ascension. A stickler for tradition, he feared not burying the dead would heavily impact
their ability to join God in the afterlife. He would not allow this to happen to his people and so
channelled his power to ensure the ascension of thousands of dead soldiers and civilians during the
Collapse.

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Gwynfeld

People & History

The people of Gwynfeld are known as the Gwyndelen. Both the land and its people are named after
the first Emperor Gwyndurf who successfully took control of eastern Serenia generations ago.
Gwyndurf built his power on colonisation and trade with other countries during his origins as the
Lord of Portmarket. He later used these foreign resources to build an incredible army, famed for its
precision and skilled fighting styles. The Gwyndelen armies were trained by Gwyndurf himself who
had fine-tuned the art of warfare and combat by learning from countries across the world.

Other than a well-trained infantry, the Gwyndelen people boast their intelligence and artistry.
Beautiful shrines, temples and entablature can be found across the Gwynfeld landscape, built by
generations of talented Gwyndelen artists. The Gwyndelen are good-natured and warm at heart but
suffer from pride and self-importance. The Gwyndelen have a bronze complexion, wonderfully curly
hair and are renowned for their beauty.

Gwynfeld is a rich land, with very little extreme poverty and during its early life as an Empire.
Extravagance and pleasure took centre stage. By the time the golden age was approaching, much of
Gwynfeld’s former glory and freedom had devolved into a dictatorship demanding more of its
people for little reward whilst hoarding their own wealth. The artistic boom and easy life of the
Gwyndelen had collapsed into a weaker, frustrated population who turned to the burgeoning
Sainthood and the Church of Ernestine for faith and guidance.

However, once Emperor Gladius took power, as a pious believer in God he pledged the Empire’s
allegiance and wealth to the Church, submitting his and the state’s power to the Sainthood. After
the Sainthood took over and converted the capital to the glorious city of Solstice, Gwynfeld was
reformed into a religious state which removed the excessive extravagance and shared out the
hoarded wealth. This rebirthed hope in the Gwyndelen people and returned Gwynfeld to its past
glory.

Biome & Climate

Gwynfeld is a warm, sunny province for most of the year, with warm showers in spring and little
more than cool breezes and rain in winter. Fields of beautiful wildflowers and shrubbery are left
wild; the people of Gwynfeld get most of their produce through trade there so there is little need for
extensive farming. The province is also home to many beautiful lakes and rivers. The coastline of
Gwynfeld is covered in beautiful, white-sand beaches and clear seas.

The Holy War and Collapse have caused a lot of damage to Gwynfeld’s beautiful landscape. The
northern fields were home to some of the bloodiest battles during the closing acts of the war.
Because of this they are a wasteland of unmarked graves and blood-soaked soil. The eastern villas,
once home to much of Gwynfeld’s glorious vineyards were destroyed by the Collapse, leaving only
charred remains behind.

Capital

Solstice, once named Gwyndurf after the first Emperor (and Deórstead before that) is the capital of
Gwynfeld. The cities white marble walls and beautifully ornate streets made it a wonder of the
world. When the Sainthood took over and converted Gwyndurf into their religious capital Solstice,
the city grew even more. The Solstice Cathedral stands around 400 meters high, a pinnacle of human
engineering and architecture. The Cathedral is home to the impressive Hall of Saints which features
massive sculptures of every Saint past and present.

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The Cathedral is just one of many impressive sights in the city, with huge baths, tourney arenas and
massive continental markets, often built with the finest foreign marble and wood. Between the
hoarded trade funds of pre-Sainthood era to the massive wealth of the Church, Solstice has seen
centuries of incredible architectural progress thanks to its wealth. During the Collapse, Saint Barrius
enacted the ascension plan from these halls, aided by Amos, Pillar of Jurisdiction.

Now the city is empty. The stone and mud surrounding the city melts in the face of the pure Aether
energy that is trapped here after the ascension. The aura is powerful enough to evaporate skin and
dissolve bone. Yet somehow through the dense Aether field surrounding the city, the marble walls
and structures appear to stand untouched.

Governance

Before the Sainthood took power, Gwynfeld was an Empire. Ruled by an all-powerful Emperor, the
governance of the province was handled democratically by the Senate. The Senate would be made
up of learned scholars and politicians who would handle things from the treasury and law to
humanitarian and international relations. The Empire’s Senate was made up of 99 Gwyndelens who
would usually study for 6 years and then prove themselves as Officers in enacting the Senate’s
decision. Every two years, the Senate and Officers would all be allowed to vote for the 99 people
who would take office for the following two years.

The Sainthood’s government is based on the structure Lady Ernestine created when she first became
ruler. A Saint would lead the people, selecting any eight people they like to fulfil the roles of each
Pillar. A Pillar is a position of power based on one of the eight principles of humanity laid out by God
and written into scripture by Ernestine. Each Pillar has its own job as an arm of the government,
related to the principle they are meant to uphold. (for more on the Church of Ernestine check the
dedicated section on pg. 14)

Key Locations

Portmarket
During Serenia’s feudal era, Portmarket was a humble port town that grew into a trading
powerhouse. Portmarket was Gwyndurf’s fiefdom and it was Portmarket’s international connections
and high income that allowed Gwyndurf to build such an impressive army for his Empire.

At first, Portmarket was nothing but a small market town that used its port for fishing. Soon
Portmarket saw the benefits of trading with other ports in Serenia and beyond. Over time the Lords
constructed an impressive defensive wall, more as a symbol of strength and prosperity as opposed
to defence for war.

After successfully conquering east Serenia, Gwyndurf moved his capital from Portmarket to
Deórstead, a rich and powerful city with the infrastructure to host an Empire’s capital. He renamed
the city after himself (for more on Gwyndurf/Solstice, read the cities dedicated Capital segment on
pg. 22). Currently, Portmarket acts as a last bastion for the Gwyndelen who abandoned the cursed
city of Solstice and the ruined Gwyndurf towns and villages.

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The Fields of Piety
The final years of the Holy War led to many brutal battles within Serenia and beyond. The
Sainthood’s crusades to stop the misuse of the Aether (which they saw as unholy blasphemy in the
eyes of god) led to them making many powerful enemies. These enemies bought colossal armies to
Serenia, leading to the largest pitched battles in history. The Fields of Piety are named after the
thousands of devout knights of the Sainthood who lost their lives defending Gwynfeld during the
Holy War.
The final battle hosted in the fields led to the death of hundreds of thousands on both sides. The
fields are now covered in mountains of corpses, the armour of the Sainthood’s Knights glistening in
the sea of death. The surrounding environment has been flattened by the rampaging armies and
scorched, warped and blasted by Virtues.
Nobody dares to venture too deep into the fields out of fear of disrespecting or waking the spirits
that lie here. Some believe that the spirits of the dead armies here are doomed to continue the
battle for eternity. The Pillar of the Knight’s Order, Gabriel is said to still stand in the fields, always
ready to defend Solstice, Gwynfeld and the spirits of his dead brothers-in-arms from any invaders.
The Scarred Wastes
The Scarred Wastes were once home to some of Gwynfeld’s most beautiful landscapes, famous
vineyards and idyllic villages. However, the land was set alight by Alexander, Pillar of the People’s
desperate attempts to ascend the people of east Gwynfeld to Dominion. Some say his efforts failed
so spectacularly because he was so traumatised by the loss of people and the fear of so many more
dying.
His attempts led to the entire east of Gwynfeld being engulfed in a firestorm, scorching the land so
heavily that it is still burning to this day. The embered fields permanently spew smoke, and when it
rains the smoke becomes a dense black fog as the eternal flames continue to burn the damp earth.

24

25

Characters & Factions

This section describes many of the key characters from Serenia’s past and presence and the
factions/locations they align/associate with.

The Hamlet

A small, hidden hamlet in the far south of Serenia, it is home to the decedents of survivors from the
Collapse who built this refuge over a century ago.

William

William is the main character of the games plot. With his younger brother becoming the first
Ophanim the Hamlet has seen in centuries, he takes it upon himself to save him by merging their
minds in Coalescence. Determined to return young Lawrence to his body and let him live a normal
life, William embarks on a journey that ends up pulling him into an even bigger mystery.

Race
Free People of Serenia

Gender
Male

Age
19

History
Despite being a key factor in Serenia’s future, William isn’t from any kind of special lineage or
background. He grew up in the hidden Hamlet on the southern coast of Serenia. His mother Serena
died giving birth to Lawrence, causing his father Johnathan to grow detached from his sons and
people in general. After a few years of solemn silence, he disappeared when William was just 13.
Taking over as young Lawrence’s father figure, William matured fast with the sudden
responsibilities. He became a darling of the Hamlet and the locals would help him and Lawrence with
food and money.

Appearance
Lawrence looks like an average, young farmhand usually seen in simple clothes and a messy, short
hairstyle. He is moderately handsome and well shaven, has bright green eyes and is in good, athletic
physique thanks to helping a lot around the Hamlet. His somewhat ordinary and everyman look is
part of his charm as a protagonist, he is supposed to be a normal man thrown into a world of magic
and monsters despite only wanting to help his little brother.

Character Traits
William is warm and caring and has a strong parental bond with his brother. He can often seem
brash, hot-headed, and overly defensive; he takes time to warm up to and trust people. Around
people he knows and has learnt to trust, his defences are lowered, and he exudes politeness and
kindness aplenty. Lawrence helps him loosen his guard as his carefree, immature, and youthful
outlook on the world perfectly balances Williams more cynical and calculated conclusions.

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Lawrence

William’s younger brother Lawrence finds himself succumbing to the Aether as an Ophanim.
Thankfully, his big brother successfully pulls Lawrence’s consciousness into his own through
Coalescence, saving Lawrence’s life. Lawrence spends the rest of the story in William’s mind, further
tightening the two’s bond.
Race
Free People of Serenia
Gender
Male
Age
11
History
With his mother dead and his father gone, young Lawrence had nobody to look up to apart from
William. Thankfully, the Hamlet were not judgemental of this parent-less family and instead
supported them. Because of this, Lawrence’s childhood had remained largely positive, despite his
circumstances. Lawrence was unlucky however as he was subject to a random surge of Aether that
tuned him into an Ophanim.
Appearance
Lawrence is a rosy-cheeked, cheerful child with freckled skin, light brown hair, and beautiful green
eyes. The Hamlet spoils him, providing him with the nicest tailored clothes they can make, making
him stand out from his more mundanely dressed brother. He has a traditional bowlcut hairstyle, a
popular choice for children in Southweald. He is slightly chubby, likely due to the constant feeding
from enamoured townsfolk.
Character Traits
His respect and love for his big brother is immense. Thanks to his support from William and the
hamlet’s inhabitants, Lawrence has managed to grow up as a typical care-free, fun-loving child.
Taking after his big brother, he also has a caring heart and love for all. Where Lawrence differs
however is his overly trusting nature and approachable demeanour. While often left alone to be
free-spirited, sometimes he needs William’s stern parenting to keep him in check.

27

Meredith

Seen as a wacky old lady, a witch, a lunatic and a mad old hag by the Hamlet at large, Meredith is
believed to have been a survivor of the Collapse despite it being over a hundred years ago.
Race
Free People of Serenia
Gender
Female
Age
???
History
Meredith is believed to have survived the Collapse, escaping with many other panicked civilians to a
hidden clearing to the south of the Southweald. These survivors would build a small Hamlet and live
a modest life, ignoring the rest of Serenia and the world. Over the years, as generations pass
Meredith lives on. She seemingly has a connection to the Aether, as people observed her ability to
correctly foresee the future and even read minds.
She was seen an oracle and respected by many for her powers and heritage. However, as time
passed and the newer generations begin to question the likelihood of the Collapse, her influence in
the Hamlet waned. Much of the current population believe the Collapse and horror stories of
current day Serenia are nothing but myth, and as such are unlikely to believe Meredith’s powers or
claims. Yet out of respect for their forefathers, the people of the Hamlet make sure to keep her
cared for and fed. But her times as a respected prophet are long past.
Appearance
Meredith wears layers of old, brown, and tattered cloth robes. Around her neck and arms are
numerous beaded necklaces of varying lengths, colour, and sizes. Her skin is brown from age and
wrinkled like leather. Her beady black eyes and soft smile pierce the dropping skin of her face,
almost dog-like in appearance. She is incredibly short, further shortened by her bent and crooked
stature.
Character Traits
Aloof and incredibly hard to understand, Meredith will often converse with herself seemingly mid-
conversation with someone else. Her behaviour and actions are erratic, and her swift motions and
speech patterns are a stark juxtaposition to her haggard appearance. It is unknown if her insanity
derives for her powers, her old age, her traumatic past or all of the above. However, beneath her
crazed exterior lies an elderly woman who just wants the best for future generations.

28

Jonathan

Father to William and Lawrence, Jonathan left when they were very young (aged 3 and 11). The
Hamlet is entirely unaware of his reasoning, but rumour sparked that he was talking with Meredith
often before his disappearance and that her insanity sent him on a fruitless quest to the north.

Race
Free People of Serenia

Gender
Male

Age
52

History
Jonathan was a simple huntsman whilst still living in the Hamlet. After his wife’s death he became
closed-off, as if losing a part of himself. He seemed incapable of mourning for her, but instead
burned with regret and a feeling of disappointment with himself that he could not do anything to
save her. His emotional dissonance turned to desperation, as he sook Meredith’s help. He
demanded she tell him if there was a way to bring her back.

She explained the concept of Dominion and the Aether to him, and that as the source of life it
potentially has the power to bring his wife back. But she clarified that such power is close to
impossible to achieve and warned against seeking it. But regardless of what she said, his desperation
would lead him to an early grave if he didn’t act upon it. He left swiftly with not a word to his sons,
seeking answers north of the Hamlet.

By the time William finds him again, Jonathan has joined the ranks of the Sanctum Operandi as a
Virtue and is one of their prized killers. Their promise of power and the rebirth of his beloved in due
time keep him in check, a slave to their bidding with not a care in the world for anyone but his
deceased wife.

Appearance
Jonathan is a gruff, shaggy-haired, and short-stubbled man with rough skin, dark eyes, and a
chiselled jaw. His dour complexion, shaggy trench coat and aged leather hat give him the
appearance of a hermit. He is tall and strong, an imposing figure when not suspiciously hunched
over, hiding beneath the brim of his hat.

Character Traits
A rude, aggressive, and uncaring attitude make Jonathan an unlikeable man, purposefully pushing
people away. He doesn’t have a particularly hateful personality, just a lack of empathy and hefty
amounts of spite and frustration. He will put up with people if they are deemed helpful or at least
not a nuisance who gets in the way of his plans. Ignorance is bliss for Jonathan, he keeps his head
down and focused on finding the power to bring his wife back. Some would treat this incredible
devotion and obsession as mania.

29

The Sanctum Operandi

Residing beside the Sanctum Marshes (and with additional outposts near Solstice in Gwynfeld), this
fanatical cult is attempting to rebuild the once great Sainthood. They are driven by rage and
frustration at the current state of the world, which they believe is due to the failure of Serenians to
truly devote themselves to their faith. The Operandi are an incredibly militaristic group, forcing
families into servitude to their guerrilla armies. Misguided in their actions, the Operandi take it upon
themselves to bring penitence and atonement to the people of Serenia by force.
The few settlements of mankind that manage to survive in the unforgiving post-Collapse Serenia are
being raided by the Operandi, killing sinners and taking many people as slaves who are forced to pay
for their sins by serving the Operandi. Young children are often chosen to be Virtues and Ophanim,
either from slaves or the families of devotees to the Operandi.
The young Virtues are taken from their families at 13 and forced into Coalescence, killing many but
the strongest survive. What follows is rigorous training to turn them into killers for the cult. The
Ophanim are taken at all ages, but often younger than 16 for they will live longer and thus provided
a more reliable source of Aether for a Virtue. The Operandi manage to create so many Ophanim
through Virtues taking the chosen into the Marshes and forcefully irradiating them with the
corrupting Aether energy that resides there. This process can involve forcing them to eat the
poisoned mud and drink from the Marshes, or simply throwing them into the choking mists. Most
die but for some, it triggers a surge in their body as they begin to fit, aether energy coursing through
them.
To account for the tortured minds of the Ophanim impacting the Virtue’s abilities to accept their
training (which in itself is agonisingly savage), the Virtues are swiftly trained to subdue the
Ophanim’s mind and drown out their thoughts.

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Clarissa

Clarissa was once a Virtue for the Sanctum Operandi. Born into the cult, she was groomed as a
Virtue from a young age and had no choice but to accept. Forced Virtues like herself have a high
chance of dying during Coalescence due to a lack of intent to merge with people they do not know
and fight for a cause they may not even believe in. A survivor and a promising Virtue, Clarissa went
against the training of the cult and refused to subdue her Ophanim.
Race
Free People of Serenia
Gender
Female
Age
18
History
Born into the Operandi as a 3rd generation slave, she was forced to engage in daily religious
repentance, scripture reading and praying. She was chosen as a toddler to be a Virtue when she
came of age, which led to her religious indoctrination becoming even heavier. She was taken away
from her family to be specifically tutored in the word of the Ernestine Scriptures by the Operandi’s
scholars.

At 13 she was taken to her Coalescence where she succeeded in merging her mind with her
Ophanim, Rueben. After years of torturous training for the Operandi, Clarissa worked with Rueben
to find his body and sneak it out of the cult before beginning her first mission. Clarissa succeeded
escaping the Operandi’s grasp, but now finds herself alone and with a young boy’s body to care for.
She is on a mission to try and separate Rueben from her and return him to his body, just like William.
Appearance
Clarissa has long auburn hair tied into a braid, bright blue eyes and freckled cheeks. She wears a red
cloak over her old Operandi uniform, which is made of white woollen leggings, a leather corset with
a loose-fitted white shirt topped with a long flowing tabard. Strapped to her back in a makeshift,
wooden-crate backpack sits the lifeless body of Rueben who she must always keep with her.
Character Traits
Clarissa lived a very sheltered life. She has little understanding of the world at large outside of the
Sanctum Operandi. Humour and sarcasm are lost on her, taking everything seriously. She thinks
methodically and tactically about almost all situations she finds herself in. It can be hard for her to
properly describe her emotions or show her true, empathetic self, something William has similar
issues with.

31

Warden Operandi Marcellus

The 9th Warden Operandi Marcellus is a blind devotee to the cult. His fervent belief in the return of
Barrius and his utter disgust at mankind pushes him to the brink of insanity, joyously watching his
cult in action.
Race
Gwyndelen
Gender
Male
Age
41
History
Marcellus has led the Operandi for a little over a decade, working alongside the mysterious Eadric, a
seemingly non-human entity with the ability to perform miracles without an Ophanim. Under his
reign, the cult has grown exponentially as he increased the number of raids and the cults presence in
the last major strongholds of Serenia. With his ingenious tactics, the Operandi have managed to
recruit many people from the cities with promises of power, strength, and repentance before god.
The Operandi is on a tipping point. Its armies are growing to such an impressive size that no cities
defences could stop him from taking them by force. It is just a matter of time before Marcellus tries
to reclaim Serenia in the name of the Church and Saint Barrius.
Appearance
Scarred and burned, the Warden has an oppressive visage further exaggerated by his hard face and
pointed chin. He is bald and cleanly shaven, wearing a golden circlet round his head. Despite his
scarring, he looks pretty young for his age. He wears ornate white robes, trimmed with gold.
Character Traits
Marcellus takes more pleasure in the torturing and abuse of his vassals than he would ever admit.
He is oblivious to his sadism as he has truly convinced himself that such measures are entirely
necessary. He has a methodically cold view of his fellow man, disregarding their humanity unless
they dedicate their entire life in servitude of god. His power has made him obnoxious and arrogant.

32

The Grovesisters

A cabal of female devotees to Ernestine, the Grovesisters largely survived the Collapse by hiding in
the Matrem Grove. The cabal lives incredibly modestly, self-sustaining themselves and avoiding
trade or communication with the outside world. Their home is a small castle tower that has been
overgrown by the Grove over centuries, which they have dubbed Galahearth.

The Grovesisters worshipped God and Ernestine very differently to the Church. Their pagan rituals
and practices seem alien to most but are largely based on the ancient traditions of the Gwyndelen
tribes. The Grovesisters believe that God and Ernestine still live on in the mortal plane within all
nature. Their presence is said to flow through the trees and grasses like wind. The Grovesisters put
their love and respect for nature before the ideas of praying and scripture readings, preferring to
tend to the forest, grow plants and perform ritualistic dances and songs under the hallucinogenic
influence of intoxicating plant fumes.

Grovemother Alessa

The current head of the Sisterhood, Grovemother Alessa takes care of her sisters and watches over
the Matrem Grove. Under her supervision, the Grovesisters have been trained to hunt the mutated,
Aether-warped beasts that threaten the sanctity of the Matrem Grove.

Race
Gwyndelen

Gender
Female

Age
53

History
Alessa took over the Sisterhood at a time when Galahearth struggled to keep the savage mutants at
bay. With the Seraphim in the Ardent Lake continuing to corrupt the forests, the Grovesisters
needed to learn at the very least to defend themselves. Alessa took it upon herself to train every
Sister in the use of bows and spears, training specifically to kill the cursed fauna with as much dignity
and swiftness as they can.

Now after almost two decades of her leadership, every Sister is an expert hunter. The Grovesisters
now actively leave the safety of Galahearth to hunt the beasts that once threatened their extinction.
Alessa knows of a greater, darker power deep in the forest but she nor her Sisters have the power to
stop it.

Appearance
Long and ragged brown curls filled with twigs and flowers flow from Alessa’s head to her ankles. She
has brown, button-like eyes and her skin is coated in freckles and dirt. She wears all brown likely due
to the rough, home-made cloth the Sisterhood make. Her crude clothes take the form of simple
trousers and shirts, with a tabard of sorts acting almost like an apron.

Character Traits
While much of the Sisterhood have aloof and detached personality, Alessa is more urgent and
sensible. She has the mind of a leader and will make all decisions with the livelihood of the
Sisterhood in mind. Despite being incredibly defensive of her Sisters, Alessa is kind and
understanding of those who come to Galahearth peacefully.

33

The Final Saint and his Children

Barrius may have been the only person to successfully achieve ascension to the Aether during the
Collapse. Now one with the Aether, Barrius has left the mortal plane and is essentially dead.
However, on his ascension, parts of his being became entities left in reality. These entities (or “the
Saint’s Children” for lack of a better name) took the shape of humans but are gifted with immortality
and the ability to use miracles without an Ophanim, thanks to their direct connection to the Aether
through Barrius.
Despite them technically being a part of Barrius’ being they are unaware of their origin. They are
however aware of their connection; the children often receive visions of each other’s whereabouts
and can speak telepathically should they choose too. While seemingly all powerful, they have one
main weakness and that is the Seraphim.
The Seraphim as remnants of the Pillars are a lasting reminder of Barrius’ failure and simply being
near their presence is enough to cause immense pain to his children. With the Aether slowly
returning to the world, the Seraphim are beginning to increase in power. If the children find no way
to destroy the Seraphim, they will likely perish.

34

Saint Barrius

31st Saint of Solstice and the Church of Ernestine, Barrius was for a while the second most powerful
mortal to ever exist, after the Lady herself. It is said the Barrius had performed over 100 successful
Coalescences and had power rivalling Ernestine. It is said that he alone was worth a thousand
armies, yet his modesty and respect for mankind made him refuse to battle.
Race
Gwyndelen
Gender
Male
Age
86
History
Barrius was adored by his people. During his rule he used his immense powers for healing and the
good of mankind. He did not want to go to war, but saw it as a necessity to stop the misuse of the
Aether from destroying the world. While his Pillars and the Church believed it was only Virtues
outside the Church causing the instability in the world, Barrius had a gut feeling that he and the
Church too were misusing their powers. Because of this, for much of his final years he refused to use
his powers.

At multiple times during the war, Barrius would visit a battlefield to heal all survivors on both sides
and bring them all back to Solstice. He hated war and despite encouraging peace, the Pillars stressed
how peace was no option. Barrius was not a Saint ready for war, and it is likely this reason that
things went so awry during the final act of the Holy War.

(Read about Barrius and his Holy War and Ascension plan on pg. 11)
Appearance
Despite being 86 years old, Barrius’ incredible powers gave him eternal youth. He was the most
handsome man in the country. He had skin that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. His beautiful
blue eyes radiated light through his mid-length brown, curly hair.
Character Traits
A Saint as powerful as he was is likely to have their good traits exaggerated, but Barrius was actually
a man who truly cared for his fellow man. He was hopeful and caring to a fault, believing in peace
above all else. His hatred for conflict and war meant his Pillars largely took over his rule when war
became an inevitability. He would not discriminate; even non-believers had a place in his heart as he
believed all could one day see God’s light. His religious fanaticism may have shaped his good nature
but as a leader in dark times of crime, murder, war and the brink of reality collapsing these traits
simply do not work for a leader of men.

35

Randal

Randal is one of the Saint’s children. The weakest of the three children, Randal has very little power
over the Aether, instead being gifted with a brilliant mind.
Race
n/a
Gender
Male (in appearance)
Age
118
History
Randal, aware of the Seraphim’s threat to himself and his brother and sister is seeking a Virtue with
enough power and a good heart to slay them on his behalf. With his guidance he believes he can
help this chosen Virtue rid Serenia of its past sins and start anew.
Appearance
Randal has the appearance of a shaggy, skinny outcast. His pale brown wiry hair sits beneath a
rugged straw hat. He wears an old, dusty scholarly suit and a pair of rounded glasses. Beneath the
stubble and offensively unkempt hair however, Randal is quite an attractive man, sharing the exact
same facial structure as his “father”.
Character Traits
He is a quiet, mysterious and shy man, seemingly adopting Barrius’ traits of humility which dwelled
inside him. His intelligence is his strong point, and his knowledge of the Seraphim will prove to be
the key to defeating them.

36

Eadric

Eadric is one of the Saint’s children. Eadric seemed to have adopted much of Barrius’ power but little
of his personality. Potentially born through Barrius’ regrets and blame, Eadric is an innately evil man
who would want nothing more than to take his father’s empty seat as ruler of Serenia.
Race
n/a
Gender
Male (in appearance)
Age
118
History
Eadric is not only strong but cunning. He sees the opportunity in the Sanctum Operandi, aiding the
current Warden Operandi Marcellus in growing his influence and armies. Eadric’s main goals are to
use the Sanctum Operandi to take over Serenia, and for them to produce a Virtue with enough
strength to take down the Seraphim. Eadric’s strength is at only a fraction of its potential as the
Seraphim drain his potential.
As Eadric and Randal’s plans involve freeing Serenia of the Seraphim, their paths often clash. The
two have a strong dislike for each other but Eadric is happy to let Randal try and find a Virtue
powerful enough to slay the Seraphim. However, Randal doesn’t like the idea of Eadric taking control
of Serenia and Eadric knows this. The two know that at some point, they will have to fight over
Serenia’s freedom or enslavement.
Appearance
Eadric looks pretty much exactly like his father, minus the holy aura Barrius would emit. His attire
usually consists of pompous noble wear: a cream doublet embroidered gold, a light brown cape
draped over his left shoulder and shiny brown leather boots up to his knees and the finest dark grey
trousers. The man takes care of his image, likely seeing it as a way to appear as an accomplished,
fine gentleman and have stronger influence over people’s perceptions of him.
Character Traits
Cunning and selfish, Eadric does not care what he needs to do to achieve power and status, he will
do anything to climb to the top. His hunger for power fuels everything he does, manipulating and
misleading all those around him. Even when in the presence of his brother and sister who know
more about him than anyone, he mockingly portrays himself as a benevolent man.

37

Rothaid

Rothaid is one of the Saint’s children. As a fragment of Barrius’ self, she represents his loyalty and
devotion to God and Lady Ernestine. Unlike her brothers, Rothaid’s body is less permanent as she
tends to fade if she resides away from sources of incredible Aether power for too long. She cannot
interact with the physical and is trapped in the Matrem Grove as it is the only place that can sustain
her immaterial body in this realm.
Race
n/a
Gender
Female (in appearance)
Age
118
History
Rothaid’s life has left her stranded in the Matrem Grove. The Grovesisters who have seen her in the
forest on occasion believe her to be Ernestine’s spirit reaching out to them, so Rothaid largely avoids
them as she does not wish to be lauded as the spirit of the great Lady herself. With nobody to reach
out to, she has grown very close to the one brother who cares for her, Randal. Randal visits her
often, making sure she doesn’t feel too alone.
The one thing that gives her hope is the Ardent Lake. She believes she may be able to give herself a
real body if she could harness the lakes incredible power. However, she or her brother cannot go
near the lake currently as one of the Seraphim resides there, draining the lakes energy. This is
another reason why Randal is so desperate to find someone who can destroy the Seraphim.
Appearance
Rothaid is so beautiful, she looks almost inhuman with sharp eleven features and large, shimmering
green eyes. Her long red hair cascades down her back and over her shoulders. She wears a
stunningly beautiful, aethereal and delicately embroidered silk dress that shimmers in the rays of
light that pierce the Matron Grove’s treetops. The arms of the dress are like ghostly whisps flowing
in the wind as if the air was water.
Character Traits
Rothaid is a woman who holds etiquette and politeness as her utmost priority. Infallibly kind and
deeply caring, she in many ways echoes how Lady Ernestine is described. Much like her father she
has an active dislike of conflict and war.

38

The Final Pillars and the Seraphim

Saint Barrius’ Pillars shared the burden of the Holy War and the Collapse with him. Much like Barrius
himself, many were indeed passionate and caring about their people. Their intentions were always
to protect the people above all else, and despite the ascension plan failing, they ultimately did halt
the Collapse and saved mankind (although it is of course arguable if it was the best solution to the
problem)

The Final Pillars

Alexander, Pillar of the People
Alexander was of humble origins, a Gwyndelen farm hand who moved to Solstice to join the church.
Adriel, Pillar of Faith
Adriel was from birth destined to become a Pillar of Faith as his family has held the positions for two
generations prior.
Gabriel, Pillar of the Knights Order
An incredible warrior. Son and heir to an old Lordship in the Southweald.
Benedict: Pillar of Integrity
Once a man drawn to crime by unfortunate circumstances in youth, Benedict sought and received
penitence in the Church, receiving his position as Pillar of Integrity as a man who benefited and
thrived thanks to forgiveness.
Amos: Pillar of Jurisdiction
Amos is a calm, calculated devotee. His knowledge of the law got him the job but he became one of
Barrius’ most trusted advisors thanks to his methodical logic yet understanding mindset. He was
always willing to counter Barrius and help him think more rather than simply following his heart and
gut, which Barrius respected thoroughly.
Rodan: Pillar of Tradition
Rodan is a very old man, but he has such a passion and energy for tradition it only made sense for
him to keep his seat as Pillar of Tradition. He loved his job and loved making his subjects happy in
marriage or content with the loss of their loved ones.
Khronos: Pillar of Predestination
Khronos had shown an incredible gift as an Oracle, using his powers as a Virtue he had unfailingly
predicted everything during Barrius’ reign apart from the failure of the ascension plan.
Ishmael: Pillar of Knowledge
Ishmael was the quietest of the Pillars, but his ability to understand the Aether was unparalleled and
he managed to teach Virtues incredible miracles.

39

The Seraphim

The Seraphim are corrupted amalgamations of the Final Pillars, cursed to live on the earth as
mindless mutated creatures representing the antithesis of their beliefs. These creatures continue to
exude excessive and damaging Aether energy into Serenia. William is tasked with fighting each
colossal beast to free Serenia from their harmful influence.

Humility
The Seraphim of Alexander, Pillar of the People. Humility takes the appearance of a giant head atop
an arm, wearing an ornate crown with six feathered wings sprouting from its neck. This Seraphim is a
representation of conceited arrogance.

Reverence
The Seraphim of Adriel, Pillar of Faith. Reverence takes the appearance of a four-winged bat-like
beast with a multiple skeletal, humanoid faces. It has two skeletal arms tied into a praying position
before its exposed ribcage that shows the absence of a heart. This Seraphim is a representation of
scorn and a hatred of God.

Strength
The Seraphim of Gabriel, Pillar of the Knight’s Order. Strength is a colossal iron behemoth wielding a
gigantic Greatsword. The imposing suit of armour oozes with a thousand corpses of dead soldiers.
Numerous cages and chains adorned with corpses hang from the beast. This Seraphim is a
representation of bloodthirst and death.

Modesty
The Seraphim of Benedict, Pillar of Integrity. Modesty is a long limbed, androgenous creature with a
wicked smile. The creature is adorned with torture devices that seem repurposed to provide
pleasure. Modesty has a largely masculine body but with four breasts and numerous mouths
covering its body from head to toe, long tongues or parasite-like tentacles protruding from all of
them. It has a purposeful lack of clothes and moves in a strangely beguiling fashion. This Seraphim is
a representation of degeneracy and decadence.

Judgement
The Seraphim of Amos, Pillar of Jurisdiction. Judgement has the appearance of a human corpse,
immobile in a golden throne sat atop a hulking headless beast made from pale, twitching human
bodies. This Seraphim is a representation of punishment and oppression.

Devotion
The Seraphim of Rodan, Pillar of Tradition. Devotion appears to be a giant baby with a face of
permanent agony, with aged skin and long, thin strands of hair clinging to its scalp. It has one arm of
an adult man, out of proportion with its infantile body. This Seraphim is a representation of hatred
and despair.

Providence
The Seraphim of Khronos, Pillar of Predestination. Providence has an armless, muscular torso of a
man. It has three heads, each facing different ways with strange steel masks on each and giant
feathered wings sprouting from its back. A giant, heavy golden spear pierces through the beast’s
torso, seemingly restricting its ability to fly. This Seraphim is a representation of damnation and
crushing expectation.

40

Percipience
The Seraphim of Ishmael, Pillar of Knowledge. Percipience has the appearance of a withered old man
with no eyes in a loincloth, face stuck in an anguished scream. This Seraphim is a representation of
folly, ridicule, and belittlement.
Seraphim Locations
Each Seraphim resides in an area of the map (see the next page for their locations on the world
map):
Percipience - Finis Navem
Reverence – Sanctum est Excelsis
Providence – The Ardent Lake
Devotion – Sepultrum Burial Mounds
Modesty – Corvus Castellum
Strength – Field of Piety
Judgement – Solstice
Humility – Scarred Wastes

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Game Plot

Act 1 – Saving Lawrence

The opening act of the game is focused on William saving Lawrence after Lawrence becomes a
Ophanim. The player will spend some time living a normal life in the Hamlet before Lawrence is
found to be fitting and groaning in pain. William will then be shown a vision, within which it will
show Lawrence in agony and confusion and a mysterious being trying to contact him. Speaking with
Meredith the day after, he takes her advice and grabs his supplies, leaving the Hamlet to find a way
to Coalesce with Lawrence and save his life.

The player spends much of their time during this stage without Aether powers, and instead can only
use simple weapons to defend themselves. The south of the Southweald is populated predominantly
by small to medium sized mutated creatures like rats and dogs, as well as various bandits, ne'er-do-
wells and mindless Aether warped zombies.

Players are guided towards Frimstadt where they can learn and see more of how humanity survives
in Serenia. Additionally, they can seek guidance on what Coalescence is and where they could
potentially achieve it.

From here, they will have learnt that there is a small shrine by the outskirts of the Matrem Grove,
just below the southern tip of the forest. Here in this ruin the player can Coalesce with Lawrence,
gaining the powers of the Aether.

Act 2 – The Seraphim

After successfully becoming a Virtue, William becomes a focus for the Saint’s Children who
immediately sense his power. Eadric, the most powerful of the three had already sensed Lawrence’s
power and was the one who the player hears talking to Lawrence in the dream section at the start of
the game.

During this segment, the player will start by exploring the rest of the Southweald. This will introduce
them to the Sanctum Operandi and Grovesisters, learning more about the Ernestine religion and a
bit of the past through both parties rose-tinted, and largely misguided views. Additionally, he will
meet Carissa, who’s similar objective to save her Ophanim will lead her and William to continuously
cross paths and work together henceforth.

At this point Eadric and Randal will reach out to the player and explain to them the Seraphim and
the threat they pose to mankind. Seemingly at a dead-end on solutions to getting Lawrence back to
his old body, William feels he has no choice but to help fight the Seraphim.

This act will take William across the map of Serenia, learning of its cultures, fighting the Operandi
and ultimately taking out 7 of the 8 Seraphim. This Act makes up the bulk of the game and sees the
player’s ability and strength growing massively.

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Act 3 – The Operandi Crusade

For the final act of the game, Eadric, Marcellus and the Sanctum Operandi begin their crusades,
enacting war upon Serenia. During this period, William must aid the last bastions of men in keeping
the Operandi at bay. Additionally, with the final Seraphim Judgement still residing in Solstice begins
to become empowered by the Aether being awakened by the Operandi’s Virtues. William must use
everything in their power to break through into Solstice and slay Judgement before it rampages
across Serenia.
After defeating Judgement and heading to the Saint’s throne room, William is confronted by Eadric.
With the Seraphim defeated Eadric is at full power and is prepared to fight William and Randal to the
death. Once defeating him, a rift opens in the throne room to what can presumably be the Aether.
The rift appears above the corpse of Saint Barrius, and through it he speaks with William and his
allies. He beckons to William, begging him to join him in the Aether and give William the power to
stop the Operandi. The player can choose to enter the rift or reject it.
Entering the rift will keep Aether’s influence on the world, and using the power bestowed upon him
William may end the Operandi’s Crusade. Additionally, Barrius says he can save Lawrence and
Rueben and return them to their bodies. Despite this seeming like an obviously “good” choice, many
players may see the continuation of the Aether’s influence on the world a recipe for disaster.
Humans by nature, hungry for power will continue to abuse the Aether and destroy the world
around them. Seeing the pain and death caused by the Aether, some players may choose to reject
Barrius, dooming Lawrence and Rueben (and all Ophanim) to die; a sacrifice in service of ending the
cycle. Whether a world without the Aether would crumble to dust or simply live on is completely
unknown. But is that risk worth it when the Aether is doomed to bring humanity to the brink of
extinction anyway?
The game ends here, without fully showing what happens to the world after beyond a short
cutscene showing William and his allies leaving Solstice and seeing the armies of the Operandi and
Serenia people fighting across Gwynfeld. The player is expected to reach their own conclusions and
interpretations of what comes next, likely resulting in differing theories from all players.

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Sources

Bucke, R., 1901. Cosmic Consciousness: A Study In The Evolution Of The Human Mind.
Genius. 2021. Swans – Mind/Body/Light/Sound. [online] Available at: <https://genius.com/Swans-
mind-body-light-sound-lyrics>
FromSoftware, 2014. Dark Souls: Design Works. Udon Entertainment.
Parkin, S., 2015. Bloodborne creator Hidetaka Miyazaki: ‘I didn’t have a dream. I wasn’t ambitious'.
[online] The Guardian. Available at:
<https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/31/bloodborne-dark-souls-creator-hidetaka-
miyazaki-interview>
Osmond, A., 2018. INTERVIEW: SATOSHI KON. [online] AllTheAnime. Available at:
<https://blog.alltheanime.com/interview-satoshi-kon/>

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