{"id":28,"date":"2011-05-28T18:51:15","date_gmt":"2011-05-28T17:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sandraandwoo.com\/gaia\/?page_id=28"},"modified":"2022-12-31T21:44:35","modified_gmt":"2022-12-31T19:44:35","slug":"setting","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sandraandwoo.com\/gaia\/setting\/","title":{"rendered":"Setting"},"content":{"rendered":"

You can find a short introduction to the comic<\/a> itself on the About page.<\/p>\n

Genesis<\/h2>\n

In the beginning, everything was nothing. From this disharmony, two conflicting forces emerged in the form of pure energy: \u201cThe Everything\u201d and \u201cThe Nothing\u201d. Immediately, the two forces started fighting against each other. When they clashed, the matter of the world was created. Eventually, \u201cThe Everything\u201d transcended into the concept of \u201cLife\u201d or Gaia<\/strong>, similarly \u201cThe Nothing\u201d became \u201cDeath\u201d or Bhaal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Gaia finally won the fight against Bhaal around 10,000 years ago by taking all created matter and forming a sphere around Bhaal. To prevent the furious Bhaal from escaping, Gaia merged with her creation, thus creating the planet Gaia. Shortly after, the goddess planted the seed of life on the planet, creating the humans, the dragons, and all the other species. It\u2019s said that nothing could possibly surpass the joy felt by the first inhabitants of Gaia when they saw the Great Tree<\/strong> bloom for the first time.<\/p>\n

Life, Death and Magic<\/h2>\n

All creatures contain a tiny part of Gaia\u2019s holy spirit, their \u201csoul\u201d<\/strong> or \u201cspirit\u201d<\/strong>. All souls are connected to the Source<\/strong>, the mythical source of all souls somewhere inside Gaia, through the Spiritstream<\/strong>. The Spiritstream itself doesn\u2019t consist of souls, though; it\u2019s more like a kind of ether. When a creature dies, its spirit \u201creturns to Gaia\u201d and joins the Source again. The total amount of spirit energy is thus limited, with larger and more intelligent creatures requiring a larger portion of it.<\/p>\n

In addition to the Spiritstream, there\u2019s the Bluestream<\/strong>. The Bluestream is fueled by Gaia\u2019s raw energy and is the main source of magic on Gaia. The Bluestream is everywhere. It flows through rocks as well as through plants and creatures. With their spells<\/strong>, wizards can manipulate the Bluestream to change the material world. Wizards must feel a strong connection to Gaia to be able to cast powerful spells. There\u2019s no shortage of well-known spells such as Llyra\u2019s Universal Protection<\/em> and Fireball<\/em>, but it\u2019s significantly easier for wizards to create a completely original spell for a specific situation than in most other fantasy settings.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s also the Redstream<\/strong>, which is fueled by Bhaal\u2019s negative energy. Using the Redstream to cast spells is absolutely taboo on Gaia. Even a power-hungry tyrant would often not tolerate a redmage around him for long. The Redstream is significantly weaker than the Bluestream, but its mere existence shows that Bhaal must still be alive inside Gaia\u2019s shell. However, the use of the Redstream makes it possible to cast spells that can\u2019t be cast with the Bluestream, most notably spells that affect the soul of a creature.<\/p>\n

The Darkness (The War of Light and Darkness)<\/h2>\n

In the millennia after his imprisonment, Bhaal regained a significant portion of his power. He secretly built an enormous army of all kinds of monsters; each one created from Gaia\u2019s flesh, but fueled by Bhaal\u2019s negative energy. After gathering enough troops, he unleashed them upon the world and the War of Light and Darkness, commonly known as The Darkness<\/strong>, started. It all began when The Void<\/strong> appeared in the center of the densely-populated Dalelands<\/strong>. The Void is a supernatural channel of nothingness that points towards the center of Gaia and served as gateway to the surface for Bhaal\u2019s monsters.<\/p>\n

Several draconic species were completely wiped out during the war and many humanoid species didn\u2019t do well either. However, the human Arathor<\/strong>, the elf Larindor, and the dwarf Bilbur managed to achieve victory in an important battle and \u2013 with help of the wizards Isaac and Llyra \u2013 evacuate the magnificent capital city of the Dalelands, Mithra<\/strong>, before its destruction. But nobody seemed to be able to stop Asmodeus<\/strong>, the most powerful of the six arch demons. The arch demons were avatars of Bhaal, his embodiment on Gaia. To save her creation, Gaia sacrificed and transformed her transcendent self into the Tear of Gaia<\/strong>, a large crystal that granted Arathor, Larindor, and Bilbur incredible powers. Arathor was even able to enter the Void and slay Asmodeus in an epic battle with his legendary sword Lightbringer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The War of the Three Crowns<\/h2>\n

Just a few weeks after the Darkness, tension began to grow between humans, elves and dwarves. The clashes culminated in the War of the Three Crowns<\/strong>. The details about its cause and course are sketchy, but the end is well known. The few remaining dwarves were wiped out and the elves fled over the Karach mountain range to the remote land of Ysdar<\/strong>. After their escape, the elves built the Mythal<\/strong>, a gigantic magical protection shield, around all of Ysdar which prevents any creature from entering their homeland. The creation of the Mythal in the year 0 marks the start date of the commonly used calendar on Gaia.<\/p>\n

At the end of the war, the Tear of Gaia was split into three parts. The first part is believed to be hidden somewhere in the Thunderbolt Stronghold<\/strong> of the dwarves. The second part was taken to Ysdar by the elves, and the third part became the treasure of Midgard<\/strong>. Midgard is a kingdom to the south of the former Dalelands founded after the war by Arathor. Arathor became the first king of Midgard, which quickly became the dominant nation for the next millennium.<\/p>\n

Geography and World Politics<\/h2>\n

Today, Midgard and Cania<\/strong> are by far the two most powerful countries. While Midgard had been in decline during the reign of several rulers of questionable ability before Savos of Mainora, the current king of Midgard, seized power, Cania\u2019s steady rise to power has lasted a century now. Formerly only a small duchy around its capital city Aracona<\/strong>, Cania is now the leading nation in most regards, and Midgard is its last remaining opponent on Cania\u2019s road to total dominance over Gaia. Cania\u2019s rise to power started when its army slew a powerful evil dragon that had terrorized the bordering countries for decades. At the same time, Aracona became the world\u2019s center for constructive magic, and its population quadrupled in just a few decades. Over the course of the next decades, all bordering countries joined Cania voluntarily, most notably Askaroth<\/strong> and the Free City of Cheysh<\/strong>. The main reason to join Cania was to finally escape Midgard\u2019s tight grip.<\/p>\n

Ileasaar<\/strong> was one of only two countries Cania conquered by force. The war took place ten years ago. Ileasaar\u2019s capital city, Greendew<\/strong>, is built around the Great Tree<\/strong>, a gigantic and legendary tree that\u2019s as old as the planet itself. It symbolizes the power of Gaia and has a special connection to the Source. It\u2019s the holiest place on Gaia, and every person strives to see it at least once. Ileasaar is also called the Old Kingdom<\/strong> since it\u2019s the oldest country on Gaia. Before the Darkness, Ileasaar was mostly inhabited by the avariel, a draconic species that resembled winged humanoids. Ileasaar is named after Ilias the Brave<\/strong>, a human who saved the daughter of an avariel chief. He was given the Avaril<\/strong>, a powerful flight crystal, as a gift for his heroic act. Even though no centralized government existed at the time, humans usually regard this act of fraternity as the founding date of the Old Kingdom. After the Darkness, humans moved into the desolated cities and proclaimed the Kingdom of Ileasaar. Since the kingdom\u2019s inception, the Avaril has always been regarded as the showpiece of Ileasaar\u2019s crown jewels. However, in the last century, Ileasaar fell from grace due to ill fortune and incompetent leadership. Otherwise, Cania wouldn\u2019t have been able to conquer the Old Kingdom so easily.<\/p>\n

Cania\u2019s kings have never wielded the absolute power of Midgard\u2019s kings. In addition to the powerful governors who reign over Cania\u2019s provinces, there\u2019s also the prestigious Academy of Cania for Arcane Studies and Material Arts<\/strong>, which is located in the outskirts of Aracona. The Academy is led by some of Gaia\u2019s most experienced wizards and fighters, and its students and alumni are committed to fight with their lives to protect the integrity of the Academy and Arathor\u2019s Principles (see the chapter \u201cSociety of Gaia\u201d below).<\/p>\n

With its 1.5 million residents, Aracona is the fastest growing city on Gaia. However, it\u2019s still smaller than Midgard City<\/strong> with its 2 million residents. Midgard City is now almost as large as Mithra once was before the Darkness, but it lacks Mithra\u2019s beauty and magic. Other countries of note are Santhilia, Golnar, and Harasanth, all located in the southern hemisphere. Santhilia<\/strong> is the mountainous homeland of the dragons and former main territory of the dwarves. It\u2019s ruled by the Dragon Council<\/strong>. Santhilia is even safer than the other countries thanks to the strong hand of the Dragon Council. This comes at the price of very strict laws and the fact that humans are treated as second-class citizens, except for selected individuals who earned the dragons\u2019 trust and respect. Golnar<\/strong> is often called the \u201cbreadbasket\u201d of Gaia, as its countryside is dominated by vast stretches of farmland. Golnar is the home of the Church of Gaia<\/strong>, and their main temple is located in the capital city Osterath<\/strong>. The country is also known for the many famous adventurers born there. Harasanth<\/strong> has the hottest climate on Gaia and there\u2019s even a sizable desert in its center. Harasanth is known for its sly merchants, but also for its creative artists and authors.<\/p>\n

All in all, the history of Gaia has been quite peaceful since the two big wars and large-scale military conflicts are very rare on Gaia. Nobody could say how a major war between the two most powerful countries would turn out, since such a thing has never happened before in the history of Gaia. Soldiers would have a very low tolerance to be used as \u201cmagic missile fodder\u201d. So the generals would have to give them a very good reason to continue fighting after the first crushing defeat. Moreover, genocidal maniacs generally don\u2019t live long on Gaia, so citizens can assume that the foreign ruler can\u2019t be that<\/em> much worse than their current one, further reducing loyalty. There\u2019s no doubt that a couple of the most powerful wizards and dragons would band together to assassinate a truly terrible tyrant. If the three most powerful wizards on Gaia come to the conclusion that Gaia would be a much better place without you, you would be dead. Everybody knows that, and there\u2019s no<\/em> protection against it! Now, assassinating Eldor<\/strong>, that\u2019s a different story\u2026<\/p>\n

Society of Gaia<\/h2>\n

Apart from magic spells and clothing styles, Gaia differs from medieval Europe in many other ways too. There are newspapers, world-renowned singers, compulsory education, magic cable cars, cameras, and record players. Low-level magic like that to produce a magic light bulb is widespread and makes daily life a lot easier for peasants. However, powerful wizards who are able to cast spells with more dramatic effects are as rare as in most other fantasy worlds. Since the weather on Gaia is usually pleasant with mild winters, famines occur very rarely. Incompetent leadership can still result in dire situations, though.<\/p>\n

There are no professional sporting<\/strong> events since it\u2019s much too easy to magically enhance your performance in almost undetectable manners. Sport is practiced only as a hobby among friends who trust each other.<\/p>\n

The same language<\/strong> is spoken all over Gaia. But there are several exotic writing systems, especially found in old magic books.<\/p>\n

All over Gaia, most people try their best to follow Arathor\u2019s Principles<\/strong>. That\u2019s not a specific list of rules like the Ten Commandments, but a loose collection of moral values derived from Arathor\u2019s way of living and his actions. This means everybody has their own version of the Principles. Still, nobody would question that \u201cCourage\u201d and \u201cDedication to Gaia\u201d are integral parts of Arathor\u2019s Principles. The Church of Gaia<\/strong> is an assembly of particularly devout followers of Arathor. Although many priests are also talented wizards, spellcasting is usually not their main concern. They spend most of their time preparing church services, taking care of the needy, and maintaining their beautiful temples. The Church has a distinctly positive outlook on life, celebrating life and nature in their prayers and temples. However, contrary to the official teachings, many priests develop a more melancholic outlook on life and death over the course of their lives.<\/p>\n

Since the beginning of time, the fertility of all creatures on Gaia has been significantly lower than that of an equivalent species on Earth. Spirit is a limited resource, so overpopulation of a specific species is practically impossible. A human female just can\u2019t get more than five or six children during her lifetime, even if she wanted to. Therefore, species whose number of individuals goes below a certain threshold face extinction<\/strong> even faster than on Earth. Since so many species were lost during the Darkness, many people on Gaia give their best to ensure that no more species go extinct since that could lead to serious trouble in the future. For example, there are only a few dozen types of insects.<\/p>\n

In many fantasy settings \u2013 and in the real world \u2013 common people aren\u2019t particularly concerned about nature<\/strong>: \u201cIf I burn down this forest, I\u2019ll have more farmland for the next few years? Excellent!\u201d This train of thought isn\u2019t common at all on Gaia. People are very concerned about the state of the planet. Gaia isn\u2019t just an uncaring rock floating in space; Gaia is their one and only goddess who gave her life to save her creation during the Darkness. Moreover, all creatures must take care that Gaia stays in good shape, or Bhaal might be able to escape his prison inside the planet and cause the total destruction of the world. The existence of the Void is a constant reminder to everyone that the end of the world is a real possibility. This doesn\u2019t mean, of course, that people don\u2019t seek their own advantage. The death of a couple hundred soldiers during a battle certainly won\u2019t damage Gaia itself and will therefore never stop a ruler from declaring war.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You can find a short introduction to the comic itself on the About page. Genesis In the beginning, everything was nothing. From this disharmony, two conflicting forces emerged in the form of pure energy: \u201cThe Everything\u201d and \u201cThe Nothing\u201d. Immediately, the two forces started fighting against each other. When they clashed, the matter of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-28","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sandraandwoo.com\/gaia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/28","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sandraandwoo.com\/gaia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sandraandwoo.com\/gaia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sandraandwoo.com\/gaia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sandraandwoo.com\/gaia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sandraandwoo.com\/gaia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/28\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sandraandwoo.com\/gaia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}