Kairos

Within the vast expanse of the interstellar cosmos, there lies a great many planes of existence. High
above, veiled in heavenly glory in the Superior, reside the good-aligned deities: The Angelics. Far below,
writhing among the terrors of the Inferior, reside the evil-aligned deities: The Dishonored. Wedged between
the powerful Superior and Inferior planes, surrounded by the elementals, and mirrored by the Fey and
Shadow, lies the Interior. But those that make their home on the Interior Plane call it: Kairos.
The inhabitants of Kairos are mortals: The Anthros. Created by the Angelics and given life by
Resferber’s breath, the Anthros are a puzzle only understood by themselves. For despite the certainty of their
death and their lack of supernatural power, the Anthros proved to be intelligent creatures with hopes and
dreams, and showed that even mortals can accomplish feats of greatness. Many philosophers, like the great
Alexi Apostolo, have theorized that the Anthros were forced to rise above their nature given the world they
lived in. For their world, Kairos, is the intersection of Good, Evil, Law, and Chaos in the universe. It is no doubt
the most complex and interesting place in the cosmos, despite its mundane nature.
And it is here, in Kairos, that your character finds their home. Whether they are from the Ministry
where dwarf clans war over land, simply for the thrill of battle, and push back against the giants of the
Frostbane. Or from the Divine Kingdom, the holy land where the elven royal family guides the country through
great divine advancements, despite attempts to topple the monarchy by monsters and men. Or maybe, just
maybe they are from the wild and dangerous cluster of biomes where the humans turned the uncharted
wilderness into small civilizations. Where the cowboys of the Wild Waste grapple with monsters as they search
for legendary treasures. Where spirits in the faded woods tempt travelers into mortem valley. Where orc tribes
of the expanse are on the verge of war with the tyrannical nobles of Redwake. Where pirates sail the sapphire
sea threatening any ship that has enough bad luck to pass them by. Where politics and alliances between cities
dictate the safety of the citizens that live within them. Where our story takes place: The Brotherlands.
 The Freestate of Providence

Located on the west coast in the middle of The Brotherlands, Providence borders the Tribal Expanse on
its east and the Sapphire Sea on its west. Providence was founded on the idea that no one should be persecuted
because of who they are. It was founded in opposition to Redwake and its agenda of pushing out all non-
humans. Providence is friendly to and accepting of the races from the Tribal Expanse, and has no quarrel with
them. Grayhaven especially is filled with orc refugees from the expanse and its infighting.
Providence is a land of invention and ingenuity. It represents
the essence of the human race, and its ablitiy to evolve and create.
Providence is home to the first great city of The Brotherlands:
Stormwater. It is also home to the mysterious and elusive Shifting
City. Both Stormwater and Serena are hubs for trade and
technological advancement. Providence would not be standing where
it is today without the Freestate Alliance, an agreement between the
leaders of all the major settlements of Providence to protect and
support each other in times of war and peace.

Stormwater (also known as the Crown of Providence) is

one of the largest cities in the Brotherlands. Because of its
importance and location, it has an established trade route south
between Stormwater, Lyron, and Everwind. The previous long
standing Open Lord of Stormwater has stepped down recently due to
controversy and many are questioning the capability of the new Open
Lord. It is commonly known information that an agreement between
Stormwater, Lyron, and Everwind that would add them to the
Freestate Alliance has been in the works for several years. This
agreement would be hugely beneficial for the citizens of the city, and
many are uneasy that the success of the alliance rests in her hands. On top of this, there has also been a push to
build a wall on Providence's eastern border, to protect the freestate from the savage hordes that wander the
Tribal Expanse. While many disapprove of the new Open Lord, many also have hopes that her new leadership
can bring change to the city.
 Serena: The Shifting City
The story is set in Serena:
The Shifting City (though no one
seems to know why its called that).
Serena is run by 10 noble families
known as the Grand Chambers.
Each family controls one aspect of
the Serenian economy. They are
listed as follows in order of
wealth/power:

1. Chamber Viomick – Industry

2. Chamber Thrisk – Religion
3. Chamber Oruitsuka – Hunting
4. Chamber Strata – Arms
5. Chamber Epist – Science
6. Champer Kathig – Education
7. Chamber Chrima – Finance
8. Chamber Empore – Commerce
9. Chamber Anapsy – Recreation
10. Chamber Giatro – Medicine

The Grand Chambers are

second only to the Ecclesial
Diocese, a tyrannical religious
order dedicated to the worship of
the angelic of holy fire: Agio the Kindled King. They are known for mounting people on pyres and burning
monsters with holy fire. The Diocese is divided into two sects:
The Kindled Parish – A sect that strives to embody the sun’s merciful warmth. They operate
churches, deliver sermons and send missionaries, nursing the ill and giving hope to the down trodden. They
operate mainly out of St. Gladwyn’s Hospital, offering hope to the poor of the Waning Ward.
The Convent of the First Flame’s Light- The sect of the Diocese that all of Serena fears. They are
an order of religious zealouts dedicated to purging the wicked with the fury of the sun’s own flame. They are
brutal and uncompromising, seeing their work as a holy crusade against the bestial and wicked-hearted.
The bulk of the order consists of Hunters. Clad in silvered armor adorned with black cloth and holy
talismans, these zealot warriors conduct Night Hunts through the city streets, purging the city of infected
undead and unnatural beasts that stalk in the shadows. Their martial training and dogmatic belief make them
incredibly dangerous and unpredictable.
But perhaps even more feared than the Hunters are the Gatherers, a small and secretive cell who prey
upon the living rather than the dead. The Convent’s most promising and talented are inducted into the
Gathering, tasked with purging those the Church deems to be a threat. Among the monsters that hang and burn
in city squares, you will also find the corpses of dissidents who dared to oppose the Church.
The conditions of living for the working class of Serena can only be described as utterly miserable. Smog
chokes the lungs and dims the eyes, industrial noise sends tremors through the walls and floors, and crime
plagues the clogged streets. Eighteen-hour workdays are commonplace in the factories, where workers are
forced by slave-driving foremen to operate deadly machines. Worker strikes are met with clubs and bullets, and
the injured and unewll are cast onto the streets to languish. But those who suffer in the Foundry suffer
together, forming a bond of rage and resentment towards those who abet such cruelty.
The Gangs of Foundry Way are formed for despots, thieves and undesirables, united in their hatred
of the bourgeoisie. They target and terrorize those they blame for their way of life, most often the trusts that
run the factories and the Bluecoats who enforce their tyrannical laws.
 Known colloquially as “Bluecoats,” The Serena Constabulary serves as the town guard and martial
arm of the political forces in Serena. Under-funded, staffed and equipped, the Bluecoats struggle to maintain a
semblance of peace in the streets. They face constant opposition from the various Foundry Gangs.
Affiliated as they are with the governing powers of Serena, the Bluecoats face strong resentment among
the city’s many disenfranchised citizens. Under the guidance of the ruthless and uncomprimising
Commissioner Livingston, the Bluecoats employ force to maintain order, instating martial law in the most
unruly districts and conducting clandestine raids to uproot the city’s criminal underbelly. Citizens are accosted
in the streets, taken from their homes, and arrested without cause or warning.
The Constabulary’s presence is strongest in the Waxing Ward, where they war openly with the Foundry
Gands for control of the streets. Raids devolve into firefights in broad daylight, and innocent citizens are too
often caught in the crossfire. With a city threatening to come apart at the scenes, discretion is not among the
list of priorities of Serena’s “peace-keeping” authorities.
Serena is a city of contradictions - indulgence and poverty, comfort and strife, justice and sin. The poor
languish while the rich prosper, as the din of machinery in the day is replaced by screams in the night as
citizens are hunted by both monsters and men. Dark experiments with cosmic forces take place in the bowels of
the College, while inventors skirt the bleeding edge of technology in the military’s workshops.
The city is fraught with danger, but this does not stop its many comers from flocking to its maze-like
streets. Conceptions of what is possible change with the hour as great minds grapple with powers they barely
understand. Daring adventurers find their fortunes on the high seas, backed by the city’s many wealthy
patrons. Dark forces whisper from the shadows, tempting the ambitious with promises of power beyond
imagining. Serena may be dark and dangerous, but those of strong will and flexible morality will find power
and wealth in equal measure waiting for them in the shadows of the Shifting City.
Where your character falls is up to you. You may be a rogue member of one of the notorious gangs, or
you may be a wealthy sorcerer of a Grand Chamber family. You may be a devout cleric or paladin of the
Ecclesial Diocese, or a fighter Bluecoat looking to gain recognition. You may be a wizard or artificer studying in
the labs of the Eidwick Institute, or a bard looking for an epic story to tell. You may be a monk or druid of a
lesser deity who has gained a following in the Patral Commune, or a ranger hunting down the beasts that roam
the city at night. You may be a barbarian looking to unleash your rage upon man and beast, or a warlock
abiding by their patron’s request to uncover the powerful secrets this city holds.
These are only a few possibilities of what your character could be. I have simply given you a setting. But
your character and their story? That’s up to you.