The World of Rhimn

Larger than one would guess, yet diminished from the past.

Rhimn is a grieving realm. Once teeming with divine magics and bickering pantheons, it suffered a downfall known as the Immortal Reckoning, and lost much of its history to flood and divine wrath. What land remains is divided between the two countries of Gadhi and Ullua. The people of these lands live primarily under the rule of four gods;

Gardhe, god of sunlight and ironwork — in his mind, a purifier, purger of the unworthy, proud bringer of the Reckoning.

Alluari, goddess of starlight and rainfall — a powerful, grief-stricken survivor of the old era’s end.

The Romne, twin gods of the earth and the seasons — shepherds of all those who are still being struck down by Gardhe’s hand.

But these are not the only forces still at work in Rhimn. Aside from a smattering of half-dead gods, waiting patiently for an opportunity to rise from their graves, Rhimn hums with forgotten magics that work long past the death of their first casters. Sea drakons swirl in the deep. Animals and plants grow warped when wild magic touches them too deeply. Shattered god-fragments are reborn as fey, or as ethereal ichorian beasts.

And the Cycle reels on, irreverent to the changes in the world. All souls filter through this circle of death and rebirth. Mortal soul or god-fragment, damselfly or direwolf, all return to it as they die, and are reborn at its whim.

Gadhi: The Sun-Favored North

Rhimn’s sole surviving continent — barring the frozen poles of the world — is split soundly in twain. The smaller upper half is Gadhi, a land cupped iron-fisted palm of the Irongardhe noblility. Most humans here worship the sun god Gardhe. Indeed, it is illegal for citizens of Gadhi to attend to other gods. While visiting traders and scholars from Ullua are reluctantly allowed to tend to Alluari, the Irongardhe stamp out Romne-worship and any other practices deemed too “fey” to tolerate.

Gadhi’s topography is characterized by cold winters, plentiful forests, and deep lakes. The central language of this land is “Gadhin” and the people born here are “Gadhian.” There is also a clade of relatively compatible sign languages here known as “Gesture.”

The country itself is divided into six provinces;

Morei (more-RAY)

A narrow, semi-coastal region housing Gadhi’s crowded capital city, Talimour. This is the largest walled city in Gadhi. Noble houses from all across the land flock to the Talimourian Council, hoping to win favor from their Herald-Regent, who rules the land on Gardhe’s behalf.

The rest of the city’s politics and landscape are heavily influenced by the Council. Merchants come to sell fine wares to the wealthy, common folk vie for good jobs in their estates, and harvesters arrive with food sold to everyone. And at the very bottom of the social hierarchy are the pickpockets and beggars passed over by high society. While few would admit it in front of a knight, Talimour has an ill-spoken reputation as a city of thievery and fraud. Much of this is blamed on the fey.

Across the river in Talimour’s Upper Reaches lives the three largest city courts in Gadhi; the Earthsung Court, the Windridden Court, and the young Frostbitten Court. All three courts are starkly isolated from the wildercourt fey, due to Talimour’s iron-mixed walls and strict patrols. They are thrown into upheaval whenever the Enchanter’s Guild runs low on prisoners.

Gerosia (ger-RO-see-ah)

Dubbed “the breadbasket of Gadhi,” Gerosia grows most of the food eaten in Morei and Kavia. Orchards, berrygroves, wheat fields, Gerosia has it all! At the center of this harvestland lies Geros, Gadhi’s second walled city. Theoretically, the province of Maughrin has just as much arable land as Gerosia does; however, Gerosia has historically been better-defended against Ullua in times of war, and has become vital to the country because of this. Gerosian nobles have well-lined pockets indeed.

During the winter, the Mystral Court travels through Gerosia’s southern forests to live off of their summer huntings and stealings. They’re not so prone to highway banditry during this season. Rumors about their generosity abound among the local villages. Should one approach a Mystral fey and keep their manners about them, it’s said that the fey might be willing to barter their more “useless” Irongardhe-sourced valuables for strange prices — such as the cost of a good story, or a fresh-baked pie!

The Irongardhe do not particularly enjoy these rumors.

Kavia (ka-vee-UH)

Though not the smallest region, Kavia often feels that way, being largely overtaken by its namesake Kavian mountains. Much of its industry lies in mining and metal-dredging from the ore-rich mountain bases. To the north, the Irongardhe’s Enchanter’s Guild lives in the walled city of Verwahl, drawing in ore and prisoners to use in their bloodforging commissions. The Court of the Encanted Eye often attempts to infiltrate the Guild in glamoured guise, and as a result, Verwahl has strict curfews and entrance policies. Northern Kavia is a place of feyrie horror stories for a reason.

However, the wyfwolves of the Lycarious Court call the mountains and the rocky forests to the south their home, and many of their number live quietly among the humans of Ferheim. Chalky moonstones glitter under the conifers like rows of teeth, largely unnoticed to the Irongardhe forces living in the region.

Maughrin (maw-GRIN)

As the sun rises in the east, so too are his priests trained there, greeting his mornings with jubilation and prayer. Maughrin is by far the largest province in Gadhi, housing the walled city of Caraghmagh and several major priest circles. It’s impossible to walk into the city and not notice the mistrust of outsiders there. The Mystral Court’s summer stomping grounds lie in the forest around Caraghmagh, and they readily plunder the carriages of nobles and priest-acolytes shuttled to the city for worship and training.

Aside from the busy forests to the north, the rest of Maughrin is wild prairie and military camps. The edge of the borderlands where Gadhi and Ullua meet is kept under careful surveillance. While the two countries are currently at peace, there are many who wait eagerly for the day they are given the order to earn battle-glory on the field.

Neir (near)

The northmost province and the least populated. Much of this area is taken up by the infertile World’s Wound, a strange place where the plants grow gray and new life struggles to take hold. Rumor has it that the last old god laid a curse upon the land as Gardhe killed her. Devoted Gardhe-adherents shy away from the Wound’s bitter ashlands. Feyrie courts sometimes dive into the Wound to shake off the Irongardhe, but they never stay in the barren hills for long.

The most populous city (or town, really) is Mukkot, an amiable fishing village making the best of the swampland above Talimour. The Irongardhe make little effort to personally rule their least productive region.

Lyrell (lie-RELL)

Known best as “Gadhi’s forgotten province.” Its central city is Lyreth, which is not one of Gadhi’s famous walled cities. During the centuries of warfare with Ullua, Lyrell held a key position, providing naval defense and levying attacks when the Irongardhe were feeling confident. During peacetime, it’s just a passthrough region for trade aimed at Geros and Talimour. The vast bay between Lyrell and Ullua is quite calm; deep enough for ship travel, but not so deep that the sea serpents of Rhimn’s open ocean make their nests there . . . usually.

The Shorecrest Court makes their home on the coasts. Unlike other feyrie courts, they have limited contact with the Irongardhe and subsist more off of spear-fishing than thievery. While Shorecrest fey have a reputation for knight-killing on par with that of the Mystral Court, said reputation tends to keep the Irongardhe at a distance, and they’ve been known to sail over to Ullua during unsettled times.

The Borderlands

An uncertain belt of land between Gadhi and Ullua. It has been the centerpoint of many conflicts in the past, where the two countries have warred, and ceded or changed ground. Older maps can be hazy on the exact placement and size of the borderlands. Since a political marriage that established peace between the two countries over a hundred years ago, it’s remained relatively stable. In their last conflict, Ullua managed to push up into the border, slightly expanding Edah Fyr.

Ullua: The Star-Favored South

To Rhimn’s south is Ullua. As a large, mostly unbroken landmass crushed together during the Reckoning, parts of Ullua are wracked by extreme weather; this is not helped by the sun’s shining distaste for everything outside of his domain. However, Alluari’s blessings help mitigate his hatred. Half of this landscape is characterized by dry summers and rainsung winters that rejuvenate the land.

In spite of the climate complications, many find Ullua to be the more hospitable of the two countries.

Ullua’s government is centralized under the rule of the Matrius, Herald of Alluari. Though it would be technically accurate to describe Ullua as one country, in reality, her provinces are more diverse and defensive of their independence than “one country” would imply. Not every province was brought in peacefully. In the present, everything is precariously unified by trade relations, political marriages, and the self interest of fending off Gadhi’s idle daydreams of violent conquest. It’s not a perfect peace, but it’s a livable one.

People born in Ullua are “Ulluan.” Ullua has several languages; the most common is simply known as “Ulluik,” or “Ulluic” to Gadhians. There is also a sign language known as “Reteirik” that has branched off into several forms, one of which became Gadhian Gesture.

Ullua divided into nine provinces;

Edah Fyr (ee-DAH fear)

The northernmost region, and one of the most arid, bar Terhou and Hybirah. Edah Fyr is distinguished for housing Edah Vale. This is Ullua’s capital city; an architectural marvel that houses the Matrius. It is crucial that the Matrius be situated near Gadhi, but not too close. If there is war, she is expected to fight. If there is peace, she is expected to entertain, and to guide her Consultation as they govern the nation.

For many reasons, Edah Fyr is also considered one of Ullua’s more conservative regions. Most of the terrain here is taken up by shifting dunes. However, the soil is fertile and heavily orcharded along the main river leading up to Edah Vale and its lake.

Edah Myar (ee-DAH mee-YARH)

Edah Fyr’s southwest sister, a narrow strip of coast that controls Ullua’s naval trade and warfare with Gadhi. As Gadhi has the most ready contact with this area, most of Gadhi’s impressions of Ullua are formed from the people here. This includes their propensity for water-burials, and the braided style of their uen headscarves. Myarik Ulluans share a lot of cultural ties with the Shorecrest fey up north.

The Court of the Mirthful Ones also originated in Edah Myar. A group of fey from Gadhi and Ullua were employed in a local circus troupe, and eventually split off to form their own court. Now the Mirthful Ones circle both countries in a striking guise of glamour and motley.

Terhou (tear-RHOW)

Terhou is Ullua's largest region, and also one of the most sparcely populated, as it encompasses the harsh-yet-beautiful desert between Edah Fyr & Myar and the rest of Ullua. Despite the lacking manpower, Terhou's nobility hold a lot of sway in the Consulation's decisions. This is perhaps because it has historically formed a powerful alliance with both Edah Fyr and Edah Myar. When Edah Fyr wants something done, Terhou bows and obliges — and is oft rewarded for the loyalty.

Most of Terhou’s industry is rooted in livestock farming, as its climate is perfect for breeding kvarhev and serkaet, and its soil is unfavorable for most forms of mass agriculture. This is also where a majority of Ullua’s spear-senties are sent to learn combat and cavalry skills.

Hybirah (HIGH-beer-UH)

The near-center of Ullua, and one of the few regions even more arid than Edah Vale. Populated towns are few, concentrated around rare water sources, and most of its industry is in mineral dredging, metal-mining, and glasswork. Hybirah has an especially strained relationship with Terhou and Edah Fyr, thanks to a history of conquest and labor exploitation. It became worse over a decade ago, when famine struck all the desert provinces; Terhou responded by diverting Jhemakian aid out of Hybirah and into its own borders.

There is a small valley near one of Hybirah’s deserted glasswork towns where the sand is black as obsidian. Rumor goes that something from the Pre-Reckoning survived the continental crush, and made its home there.

Jhemak (cheh-MAHK)

Jhemak is a rainforest region flourishing with plants that open up to absorb starlight as well as sunlight. Some plants even prefer to subsist on starlight entirely. Thanks to its defensible mountain range and rough terrain, it was the last region to be assimilated into the larger country of Ullua. The mountains also ensure that the storms that drift in from over the sea never go further inland than Jhemak, contributing to the desert conditions in Hybirah and Terhou.

Jhemak has historically had much goodwill with Hybirah and Nautilyd; when possible, all offer each other aid in time of strife and upheaval.

Nautiyld (nah-TILLED)

Western Nautiyld is a part of the same vast desert as Edah Myar, Edah Fyr, Terhou, and Hybirah. Meanwhile, its eastern half is one of Ullua's most calm, temperate regions. The province’s political history is another story. This region joined with the other provinces of Ullua in the hope that it could borrow enough power to permanently resolve its feuds with Bhirgonne.

Bhirgonne (bear-GONE)

Along with Ylin, Bhirgonne is responsible for most of Ullua's sea-rice production. It’s not a region in need of the Matrius’ talents, since it is wracked by the same seaborne storms as Jhemak and lower Nautiyld. This province is known well for its impressively sturdy boats . . . and also its long history of naval disputes with Nautiyld.

Northern & Southern Ylin (ILL-in)

Ylin was once a single country, but was broken apart in a war with Edah Fyr, Edah Myar, and Terhou. The northern half was forced into becoming a province of Ullua, and the southern half eventually followed suit. Both halves have a complicated relationship from the strain of being turned against each other during that time. Along with Hybirah, much of Ylin has been pushing for independence from Ullua.

The Peoples of Rhimn

At its most simplified, ethnicity on post-Reckoning Rhimn could be categorized on two axises; human vs fey, and Gadhians vs Ulluans. These categories can (and must) be further broken down into smaller and more nuanced groups. Other identity influences include feyrie court allegiance, wyfbeast turnings, religious associations, province origin, social class, and cases where the distinctions between “human” and “fey” become culturally snarled.

For some examples of how characters may identify themselves;

• Navaeli is a human Ulluan.
• Crislie is a Gadhian human¹ from southern Kavia.
• Meparik is a Moreik city fey from the Frostbitten Court.
• Eustais has a mortal soul, but identifies himself as a fey from one of Kavia’s wildercourts.
• Ainzel is an Ulluan fey from Edah Fyr, and has always been solitary, I.E. courtless.
• Morekai is a Hybiran fey from a dead court.
• Joyous Reason is a fey from the court of the Mirthful Ones, meaning that he travels frequently between Gadhi and Ullua, and does not describe himself as being from either country.

Regarding the strangeness with people like Eustais, humans raised by fey are often regarded as fey — commonly, these adoptees are known as changelings², or feyrie-kinned.

Fey raised by humans are also known as changelings. However, they are usually still distinguished as being fey, and not human. Humans raising fey happens more commonly in Ullua, where fey are accepted openly in society.

In Gadhi, it is difficult for most fey to live in Irongardhe-controlled cities without a method of disguise. Glamour enchantments are a recent development, and many courts have glamour only as a philosophy of misdirection. If a human in Gadhi takes in a fey, they do so knowing that the child will be raised in isolation, and that the Irongardhe will not view the sheltering favorably if they are found out. Most humans who stumble on a feyrie babe would rather turn it over to the Irongardhe, or seek out a court to take it in instead.

The Humans of Rhimn

In the Pre-Reckoning era, humans were considered one of the least divine races, in good part because they lacked the pointed ears of most peoples and gods. On Post-Reckoning Rhimn, the humans of Gadhi generally consider themselves the most blessed people, being decendants of Gardhe’s chosen. The humans of Ullua simply consider themselves the lucky survivors of history.

Otherwise, they’re all relatively similar to Earth’s humans. Relatively.

Humans are affected both by their local climates and by the latent influence of their gods of worship. Gadhian humans are most affected by Gardhe. They tend to have thicker hair and their eye colors skew toward earthy and metallic tones. Ulluans are more affected by Alluari. They have a much broader variety in hair texture, and their eye colors trend cooler, often poetically compared to the night sky, the stars, or the ocean. The exact ratio changes between populations, but Alluari’s blessings also ensure that Ulluan women outnumber Ulluan men by at least three-to-one in her most devoted regions.

Romne-worship is more spread out, and studying the effects of their devotion is troublesome when most of their adherents are fey; most of a fey’s appearance is determined by their ancestral god.

Humans with feyrie parents often inherit traits from that parent’s ancestral god as well.

The Feyrie Folk of Rhimn

The feyrie folk of Rhimn are a people reincarnated from the shattered souls of the gods killed in the Immortal Reckoning. In the Pre-Reckoning, fey were extremely rare occurrences. Gods died seldomly, and when they did, they usually reincarnated directly into another fully-divine form. In short, a dead god usually resurfaced from the Cycle as a new, whole god.

But, in his quest to become Rhimn’s sole divinity, Gardhe learned how to enchant weapons with the power to shatter divine souls and prevent whole reincarnation.

Gardhe’s intent was to banish his fellow gods to the Cycle’s void, but instead, shattered gods simply return to the world in a meeker form. The Irongardhe follow his view that the dead god’s return in any form is blasphemy. Knights are duty-bound to hunt down fey; killing them is considered acceptable, but the real goal is to remove them from the Cycle via bloodforging. To aid them in their quest, Gardhe’s spite causes his sacred element — iron — to burn fey upon touch.

Physically, fey are characterized by sharp, expressive ears, monochrome eyes, and the occasional oddity inherited from their divine ancestor. A fey descended from a drakonic god may have scales or horns. A fey of a feline god might have a tail, or a little fur.

Fey harbor slivers of their ancestor god’s domain and aspects in other ways too. Subtle magics influence their talents and quirks. A fey descended from a lake goddess may be a strong swimmer. A fey descended from a god of commerce might find coins more often, and be unusually persuasive when haggling. A fey descended from a god of libraries may find themself to be a quick reader, but unable to speak above a whisper. Not every blessing is comfortable to embody.

When it comes to living gods, feyries are associated with the Romne, twin gods of the seasons who have made it their duty to protect them. Not all fey are Romne adherents, however. Ulluan courts often gravitate to Alluari as well. There are also rumors that some courts have found guardians in half-dead gods that escaped Gardhe’s notice, though the only confirmed case of that is with the Lycarious Court and Lykari.

Feyrie culture is largely formed within courts, though courtless fey do exist and are commonly known as “solitaries.” Information on individual courts can be found on their own separate page. In summary, smaller courts are comparable to family units, while others are large, self-governing clans with leadership positions and internal laws. Courts of all sizes play an important part of how most fey are raised, and also in how they find other fey to raise. Since shattered god-souls are spat unpredictably out of the cycle, a feyrie’s birth is equally unpredictable. Most fey will simply . . . appear from the aether, a new infant with no parents at all. A small minority are born to human parents, and an even smaller minority are born to other fey.

(Fey typically give birth to humans. Feyness is a quality of soul inheritance, and not blood heritage.)

In any case, most fey are born lonely and vulnerable. This is where courts come in. When the Romne forsee the birth of a new fey, they guide the nearest court or solitary feyrie toward the infant. They could also reach out to a trustworthy human instead, but courts are usually a safer bet.

Sometimes, misunderstandings occur. Imagine being a new parent in Gadhi, baffled and a little terrified to discover that your child was born a feyrie. Then a court knocks at your door with an offer; either you give the child to them for safekeeping, or the Irongardhe will eventually find the child and take it away. It’s a terrible choice. Some parents, trying to rationalize the situation, conclude that the fey had pulled a terrible trick on them. Maybe they’ve been cursed. Maybe the fey have their “real” child hidden away somewhere. Maybe they've offended Gardhe in some way, and need to make up for it.

This sort of hostility is part of why fey rely heavily on glamour to get by.

Glamour as Survival Philosophy

Glamour as a concept has existed among the fey for a long time. The exact nuances of what “glamour” philosophically is and entails differ from court to court, but the essence of it is misdirection, appeasement, and disguise.

Meparik summarizes it thusly;

Glamour as Social Face

Ulluan courts, living in a somewhat more tenable situation than Gadhian courts, filter glamour through a less desperate lens. It’s less of a way to trick enemies and moreso an approach of social lubrication and unity. For example; presenting ideas to other people in forms they’re the most likely to accept, or keeping yourself well-liked enough to be able to gather support in emergency situations.

This is Joyous Reason’s take on the matter;

Glamour as Magic

Initially, glamour was nothing but philosophy and social impetus. But within the last fifty years, fey escaped from the Irongardhe Enchanter’s Guild have come together to form the Court of the Encanted Eye. Combining ritual and runework knowledge taken from their captors, they’ve created a new form of spellwork — glamour enchantments. Jewelry and clothing inscribed with the right runes can be used to disguise a feyrie’s inhuman features. Basic enchantments will bestow a fey with the illusion of human eyes and ears. More advanced work can hide tails, scales, antlers, and all manner of inhuman features. The Encanted Eye is hard at work figuring out a rune combination that can disguise ironburn scars as well.

The vain might be interested in removing acne or altering other aspects of their appearance, but this still a very young field of study among runecarvers. The Encanted Eye focuses only on survival alterations.

And, as glamour enchantments are not done via bloodforging, they wear off within a matter of months. It is important to renew enchantments frequently, lest they fade at an inopportune moment. Working with the aid of a god — typically the Romne — can strengthen and lengthen the enchantment’s duration, and ward off the fatigue that usually follows spellwork.

Gender & Sexuality on Rhimn

Unlike Earth, Rhimn's cultures are primarily matriarchal³. This was true before the Reckoning ever took place. It is still true long afterward. This could be contributed to a lot of factors; the fact that Rhimn’s first half-dozen deities were all goddesses, and that its semi-magical flora provide more forms of herbal reproductive healthcare than you could shake a stick at are the most plausible. Unfortunately, Gadhi's authoritarian regime and the uneven gender ratio in Ullua made the old gender disparity even more drastic than it was in the Pre-Reckoning.

This is not the only way that Rhimn's gender constructs deviate from Earth norms. Due to the influence of feyrie culture, some societies recognize up to four separate gender categories;

The feminine category — Femininity on Rhimn, associated with “she” and “jha” (Ulluik) pronouns. In many cultures, the ideals of womanhood include confidence, vocality, brutality, and honesty. Femininity is often imbued with a sense of authority. Shy women are sometimes socially left behind, as it is expected for them to fend for themselves and not be “coddled.”

The masculine category — Rhimn’s ideals of masculinity are just as alien to Earth as its femininity is. “He” and “kha” are the usual pronouns for men. Examples of “masculine” ideals include poise, patience, generosity, and cooperation. Assertive men are regarded as something akin to a yappy pursedog; this is a particularly common stereotype of male knights in Gadhi.

The ungendered category — Associated with “they” and “zha,” the ungendered would be seen as “nonbinary” on Earth; most could be more narrowly categorized as agender, specifically.

Ungendered identities are often readily accepted in Ullua as a third gender. However, the reality of that acceptance can be complicated. Some conservative positions argue that this gender, as well as the feral gender, should only be adopted by fey. In some places, intersex humans may be assigned this category as well. To be ungendered is absence. This category tends to be associated with free-spiritedness and an unshackling of limitations. It doesn’t quite matter what is expected of men or women when you aren’t either.

It’s emblematic of the way that fey are often allowed, or even anticipated, to subvert human norms.

The feral category — Also known as the “bestial” or “wild” gender, this is the oft-overlooked category for those who feel too distanced from humanity to fit into its norms at all. Though the name suggests a kinship with beasts, those with feral genders may very well liken themselves to plants or landscape features instead.

Feral-gendered folks might go by “it” or “eta” when the situation is safe for it. Like with the ungendered, this category’s fey association makes it less accepted in Gadhi. On earth, the feral gender would be most comparable to xenogenders. Though it seems nonbinary from our perspective, it’s actually grouped more closely with “female” on Rhimn. Both femininity and ferality are considered “aggressive” genders. It is noteworthy that Lykari, the divine being most associated with this gender, is still considered a goddess⁴ in some respects.

Footnotes Section

2. Do note that the word “changeling” is a) specific to Gadhi and b) potentially insulting in the wrong context. It has roots in the Irongardhe practice of accusing fey born to humans of being cradle-swapped out for the “real” baby, and it is easily lobbed around as a way of insinuating that someone has feyrie sympathies. Fey can also weaponize the word by using it to assign human courtmembers an outsider status. Despite this, it is still a common word that many humans adopted into courts use for themselves.

Other relevant terms here include “lostling” and “foundling.” A lostling is essentially an orphan; a child with neither parents nor a court to look after them. It’s also slang for someone naive. A foundling is simply any child adopted into a court, fey or otherwise.

3. As a small aside, it is worth noting that an alien, matriarchal take on the “inherent qualities” of birth sex assignment is still a gender essentialist presumption, and that rule by matriarchy does not create utopia any more than a rule by patriarchy does. At the end of the day, people of any gender or sex are still people. And people do not always categorize as neatly as we would like.

In short; trans rights! Bio-essentialism is a very limiting lens to interpret the world through.

4. The matter of Lykari's gender is also quite complicated, but that's a discussion for Moon Teeth.