Valmere Setting
Welcome to Valmere, a continent void of dragons, the absence of Gods, and the decay of magic.
History of this large continent goes back thousands of years. This land is where a handful of kingdoms rose to power far too quick, only to collapse soon after . One such nation, the Kalinean Empire became one of the first to have united the entirety of the continent under one banner. It was not long after the great uniting that the empire began its slow undoing. One of the starting incidents was the extermination of dragons across the land under the command of Emperor Kalin. A handful of regions under his rule were appalled by this unprovoked killing of life.
Civil War broke out, the first nation to declare independence from the Empire was the Sovereign Nation of Keirotheria. This small nation, now allied with the forces of dragons began a long and brutal war. In the tomes of history they call it “The Dragon Crusades” . Even though the Keirotherians were allied with these powerful beasts, their efforts were in vain. After the 9 years of the Dragon Crusades, all dragons were considered extinct, and Valmere then broke into several independent nations and countries. Many years after the collapse, a prophecy began whispering throughout the people of the continent that after 1,000 years a new kingdom would arise from the ashes of the Kalinean Empire. That time is close at hand.
Since the mass extinction of dragons, the Valmerian landscape has seen drastic change within its ecology. What once were their enemies, Giants began their aggressive expansion throughout the land, evolving into new terrible forms and reclaiming their lands of heritage. One region known as the Vermilion Peaks, a vast reddish rocky mountain range has now been reclaimed and heavily terraformed by the tyrannical ruler, a fire giant called The Lord of Flame. Far to the north in the Umbris Highlands, small villages were decimated by the massive Frost Giants that dwell there. Now the behemoths of ice and snow reign supreme over the frozen wastes of the north.
Giants are not the only aspect of Valmere that has seen change. Even the magical realm has witnessed a drastic shift. Due to the disappearance of dragons, the weave of magic that ties all magical beings together has been severed. Spellcasters have become an endangered species, and those who are considered such, like a wizard or druid, have seen their mystical powers dwindle in potency and accuracy. Most people nowadays view magic to be dangerous and keep their distance, and the amount of mages around currently are slowly dwindling. The few wizards still alive to this day are recluses, staying out of the public eye.
Over the past 10 centuries, less and less people have been following the various religions that are found within the realm. Faith has been on the downturn, and the Gods have become distant, creating a land void of worship and prayer. Temples, shrines and churches still stand, but are relics of an ancient time of peace and tranquility. The last bastions of hope and faith reside within quasi-deities known as Aasimar who walk among the people in secret. These god-like beings have concealed themselves due to dark superstitions surrounding their powers, such as causing plagues, summoning tsunamis, and bestowing curses upon entire villages.
Even in these dark times, there are still heroes that stoke the flames of hope throughout the realm.