The world of Xeirin; a massive planet encircled by over forty celestial bodies, as it and its spinning guardians dance through the vastness of space around the watcher of this world; the flaming orb of light and life Cressedea. Said to be the gift of, or ancient remains of a deity of light, Cressedea looms over the land during the day, and is said to sleep beyond the mountains during the night, when her twin Clemmedeus, the ever glowing violet orb of the night watches the world. Behind these twin giants, watched over by them for all of time, forty other moons observe from the heavens, influencing from behind the curtain of night, as the primary moon and sun stand center stage to the events that are soon to unfold.

 

The world of Xeirin; a world full of life and magic, stemming from the just as mysterious elements of the universe itself. It is these very elements that are said to have created Xeirin, from the descending bodies above, which many believe to be gifted by deities long gone. One such legend speaks of a shattered moon, Soulis; prideful of his rainbow glow, the mighty moon was boastful and bragged of his magic-filled exterior. This brought jealousy from his sibling moons, who tore him apart while their guardians Clemmedeus and Cressedea were away. The shards of the poor Soulis crashed below with incredible force, shaping the continents of Xeirin as they are today. Though the moon of Soulis still circles the planet below to this day, the eternal crescent looks like a woe filled eye, as if mournful of its lost pieces.

 

These ten elements make up all things of the natural and supernatural world, and are as easily manipulated as they manipulate the universe at large. These elements are;

 

• Inferno; the fiery heat of passion and desire.

• Aqueous; the flow of time and life giving water.

• Frost; the stillness of death and coolness of touch.

• Voltic; the spark of life and energy coursing through all things.

• Sylvan; the roots of Xeirin and it's growth and nourishment.

• Gale; the breath of life flowing into all things and the continuous change of life.

• Terra; the stability that holds structures and the delicate balance of life forms.

• Shadow; the secrets and fears that lurk in all hearts.

• Radiance; the balancing wisdom and openness of peace.

• And Normal; the seemingly mundane, which acts as the base of all life on Xeirin, before the influence of the other nine elements can create the diversity we see today.

 

The world of Xeirin; rich with magic embued from the elements sent from above. The elements from Soulis shaped the world below, infused with such potent and chaotic magic. From this magic, life grew and evolved, with parts of Xeirin being influenced by each of the elements in different concentrations, with ten spots on the surface directly influenced by the purest essence of the elements. These became the primary countries of Xeirin, currently referred to as;

 

• The Country of Khult; a realm where the Shadow of man’s fears has blinded the many to follow the warped few.

• Thesses; a holy city-state of iron innovation, where Voltic energy surges and protects the nation from the influences of surrounding Khult.

• Xelfuld; a nation lost in the Aqueous mists of the many crashing waterfalls, hidden and seemingly timeless.

• Conlista; the sturdy Kingdom making up the largest landmass on Xeirin, whose Terra roots stretch to all lands.

• Brintlys; the continent of the clouds, with Gale forces shifting its locations to change with the growing nations of below.

• Salanada; the scorched lands, where Inferno passions gave birth to vast rainforests and heated violence in the sands.

• Malento; the stoic fortress of the north, where honor and time stand frozen in the Frost etched tundras.

• Visolensia; the land of nature and growth, where life thrives until its corruption by man, where Sylvan now is wicked and gnarled.

• and the Halosian Peninsula, the Radiant place of balance and peace. The location where our story begins.

 

It is from the Halosian Peninsula and its ancient people where the modern calendar originated from; the ancient tribes of the Halosin region, from before the Kingdom’s inception, worshiped Cressedea and Clemmedeus as grantees of power and life. As the region was originally settled in a valley, the hours were organized by the rising and setting of Cressedea over the surrounding crests. As such, the term Crestrising (CR) is used for the hours while Cressedea rises to her peak. And thus, Crestfalling (CF) is used for the hours when Cressedea leaves to rest, leaving her brother as sentry of the tribes.

 

To better organize these cycles, the tribes supplied the names of the days for which we catalogue the seven day week. The names took advantage of what the tribes believed to be the Magical Elements; the four elements infused with the greatest power of the elements, that shaped society through force and innovation;

 

• Galleus from Gale

• Inferrus from Inferno

• Voltalus from Voltic

• Frosterus from Frost

 

The remaining elements were considered too sacred to be used by the common members of the tribes, with only the strongest utilizing the Celestial Elements (Radiant, Shadow, and Normal), and the wisest and most respected using the Natural Elements (Aqueous, Sylvan, and Terra). As such, two of the remaining names for the week went to the two tribes of this land, Draxinus for the wise and learned Dracloud tribe, and Adollos for the powerful Adolwolf tribe. 

 

The primary day of the week, Archnos, encapsulates the Celestial and Natural Elements as a whole, for this day was granted such a name from the creators of this world, according to the ancient scrolls of the Dracloud and Adolwolf tribes. The tribes, and soon the entirety of Xeirin, knew the power of the relics known today as the Archnotes, and honored this immense strength by announcing the start of each week with their worship and respect. 

 

But why do the legends speak ill of the Adolwolf tribe, yet show reverence and awe to the Dracloud? It stems from the history between the two tribes, from the expulsion of the Adolwolf tribe from the Halosin valley, which tainted the once trusted unity between the Dracloud and Adolwolfs to be one of harshness and spite.

 

What started as a prank between teens devolved into the death of three Dracloud priestesses, who’s visions foretold their ends by ‘the hands of the great shadow’. Superstition of this, and slowly bubbling resentments and fears of their once closest allies, the Dracloud issued a proclamation - all Adolwolf tribesmen must leave the Halosian valley, or they will be forced out. This was indeed the final piece of the puzzle, the final bit of resentment and spite needed to fuel the creation of a new Archnote.

 

The creation of an Archnote is not like creating a sword or shield. While it does require the necessary components to create, and certain conditions must be in place, the creation process is one without the physical work of people. No, it is an ancient magic, stemming from the mighty relic, a Grand Archnote, in the heart of the Halosian valley of the Dracloud’s origin. For when the components are ready, and the conditions are set, the magic enters the air. Should the emotions surrounding the magic be excited and happy, the magic can create Archnotes of joy and prosperity. But when the air ripples with spite and vengeance, when the people look at each other with distrust and fear… then an Archnote of violence is born. 

 

The Grand Archnote ignited in a fiendish glow, and erupted in a whirling mass of energy and light. The four guards, two from each tribe and unaware of the decree, could only watch in muted confusion as the world seemed to be drowned out in a sound of whirling gales and humming clicks. Then, as the sounds slowly fell to a hum, the once occupied stations sat in silence, as swords and armor clattered to the stone floor. The Archnote had been borne, and would take days following the retreat to discover it, and not the now vanished men.

 

For a time, the Dracloud used their created Archnotes to bring great change to the world, and became centers of trade and magic. It is this influence that sparked the unification of dates and names on Xeirin, as the diverse nations respected and feared the Dracloud. However, bearing witness to the power and wickedness of the Archnotes in the hands of friends and foes alike, the Dracloud dismantled their empire in Halosin, and locked the secrets of the Archnotes away. Though many came to try and reclaim this lost territory, the Archnotes soon faded to legend, eventually being lost to time itself. Until only recently, with the uncovering of the Archnodic Gate by the current King of the Kingdom of Halosin, in the very valley of the Dracloud’s origin.

 

Please join us as we travel to the modern age, when magic is a part of the lives of all who live on Xeirin. The stage is set for our tale to begin, as the twins of the soul travel to discover the secrets of this world, approaching the only recently re-discovered source of the once lost Archnotes. With relics thought lost awakening and the souls of men being put to the test, let us begin our fabled saga in the Kingdom of Halosin, on the world of Xeirin.

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Written by Christopher Rentko