The Conjured Isles

As most stories go, in the long long time ago there was nothing but Darkness. Within this primordial Darkness was the nature of all things, the potential for things to be born and unborn all at once. From within this Chaos came the idea of existence, of Order and Life. This first blinding thought, this flash of light and inspiration created the Light and illuminated the great expanse. Once illuminated, Chaos could not stand to look upon its ugly form of disorder and mess and began to organize the parts shining in the new Light into spheres and stars and all forms of structure and order. From this became life, became the world of Yemozan. From this starting point, did the Gods come.

 Unique to this world, the people and cultures do not speak of creation myths that start with the Gods and Goddesses shaping life and starting the engine of creation. It seems that the deities of this world found it quite by accident and were happy to come into the land with its great people and cultures already taking their first steps forward. Various Gods and Goddesses patronize various races and groups in Yemozan, and their influence has changed them both physically and mentally, but even the Gods insist that they are not the creators of life here on the world. They simply found these conjured isles in their travels across the great universe and were happy to settle on in.

 While Yemozan is the official name of the world, named after the first Elven Emperor who united the three lands under his banner and ruled for 500 years, many have taken to calling it The Conjured Isles after the remarking from their deities as well as the peculiar magical nature of the land. Everyone is born with a hint of magic in their blood here, even the simplest child one day wordlessly and without training stumbles upon a cantrip or two they find themselves capable of performing. The land itself at times seems almost otherworldly in its beauty, many of the forests hide fairy rings that lead to the Fey Wyldes or dark catacombs hide secret entrances to the darker realms beyond. Then there is the peculiar incidents that occur all across the land, where people and objects (and sometimes whole towns) simply appear out of nowhere as if conjured by some great magic. These people found are referred to as the Conjured Ones, and though they just began to appear in the span of an instant they seem to come whole cloth with a life and memories of their own as if they had already lived a great deal before.

 1000 years ago, the lineage of Emperors faltered and the Age of Kings began. A great darkness swept over the land, a force of evil that the people of the Conjured isles had never seen before. What exactly occurred has fallen into legend and myth, but it is said a great evil force led by the Lord of Dragons rose up in the far north and laid siege to all of Yemozan. The last Emperor, Yemozan the 9th, fought on the field of battle against the Lord of Dragons. Seeing his forces pushed to the brink, and knowing that if they fell here the rest of the world would soon fall, he removed the Crown of Command from atop his head and broke it in half. The release of the magical energy from within overwhelmed and destroyed most of both armies and shattered the land into a series of small archipelagos. Both the Lord of Dragons and Emperor Yemozan had their souls gathered up by the forces of Light and Dark, to be reincarnated in the future to finish their epic battle.

 It is 1009 AE (After Emperors) and the Conjured Isles are ruled by Kings and magical nobility all whom claim a right to the Throne of Emperors but cannot prove their claim. The golden chair sits in the ruins of a once glorious castle, untouched by age and so far none have had the proper blood right to sit upon it and claim uncontested rule. Whispers of dark forces gathering to the north are on the lips of every Bard and people begin to wonder if this is the time spoken of in the past; when the Emperor Yemozan and the lord of Dragons are reincarnated and the great battle of Light and Dark are to finally reach their conclusion. It is said in this time heroes will rise from among the Conjured Ones and one of royal birth will finally stake their claim for the Throne of Emperors. Each of the Great Kings and many of the noble houses have sent their children into the world to rally the people and make a claim for their “birthright”, but will they succeed? And what is to become of the land and people in a time of growing darkness and war?