Lore of Ren
Dina
The world is called Dina. The country Ren is situated on the world of Dina. Dina is the fourth planet distant from the sun Adela. Dina has 3 moons: Mortus, Riane and Cora.
Months / Seasons
On Dina months and seasons are synonymous. Each month lasts for 100 days. One year has 400 days. The months on Dina are:
Eltos – Spring
Matos – Summer
Anthestos – Autumn
Boestos – Winter
Ren
Ren, officially the Kingdom of Ren, is a small coastal land. It borders Loren to the west, Silen to the north and is cut off by the ocean. The capital city is Rendae, which situate slightly to the north in the centre. The Royal Palace is in Rendae.
The land is narrow and can be crossed in a few days’ marches, however its mountains are quite high. In the south it consists only of smaller islands.
The climate is in general mild due to significant maritime influence. Ren itself has a moderate climate with a rich flora and fauna. In the north the temperature drops, and the landscape gets bleak.
Loren, Silen and Ren were once one country. It was divided by several civil wars and the individual countries came into being.
Politics
Current regent is the King Yldir Vac. Yldir Vac enforces laws hard and merciless. Within a few years order was restored to war-torn Ren. Initial riots and uprisings due to the hard reign were bloodily suppressed. Other groups capitulate to the power of King Yldir Vac. The regency keeps the population poor and suppresses upcoming changes. Typical life for the people is to work, to produce offspring and to die. Furtively and in secret the population calls him the Mad King Vac.
Because Vac is a magician, his reign has lasted for over 70 years and an end is not in sight.
Population
Ren’s inhabitants are humans. They have a normal demographic distribution and an average life expectancy of 45 years.
Around 3% of the population show signs of magic but only 30% of them really develop magical abilities. Those who are magically active have a considerably higher life span.
Religion
The society believes in nature gods. All gods, except the god of death, are female. Most worshipped are:
- Adela, Goddess of the sun
- Riane, Queen of the water
- Dina, Lady of life
- Cora, Mistress of the night
- Mortus, God of death
Food and Drinks
There are many breweries for beer and cider in Ren. The most popular beers are:
Daksini’s Lager. Fresh hoppy, pleasantly malty, slightly spicy, long finish and golden yellow. Brewed by the southern monastery Daksini Matha.
Rendae’s Royal. The Royal Brewery in Rendae is famous for its pale beer of light yellow to golden colour. It has a balanced and a light fruity taste that blend well with the hoppy aroma. The main attributes are: Floral, grassy and citrus. And it’s much healthier to drink than the water in the region of Rendae.
Vayléhn’s Ale. Strong, very malty and darker than the night. The taste of roasted malts and caramel overlay the aroma of resinous and pine.
Unfortunately, the brewery of Daksini and Vayléhn has gone out of business.
Drylands
The Drylands is the largest hot desert on Dina. The permanent dissolution of clouds allows unhindered light and thermal radiation. The weather tends to be sunny, dry and stable with a minimal chance of rainfall. The sky is usually clear above the desert, and the sunshine duration is extremely high everywhere in the Drylands.
The Drylands alternate between desert and savanna grassland, there are areas of sparse grassland and desert shrub, with trees and taller shrubs in valleys, where moisture collects.
People lived on the edge of the desert hundreds of years ago. There is no sign of population now.
There is no information about the centre of the Drylands available which is surrounded by the Blight.
Southern Realm
The Southern Realm is Dina’s southernmost continent and it’s surrounded by ocean. The Southern Realm is nearly completely covered by ice that averages 2km in thickness.
It is, on average, the coldest, driest and windiest continent.
The southern lights are a glow observed in the night sky near the centre created by the plasma-full solar winds that pass Dina. Another spectacle is diamond dust, a ground-level cloud composed of tiny ice crystals.
Attempts were made to settle the land, but this project was abandoned.
Other countries
The following places are not part of the game Ren’s Underworld.
Silen and Loren
Silen and Loren are both neighbours of Ren. Demographics, climate and geology are nearly identical to Ren.
Loren, Silen and Ren were once one country. It was divided by several civil wars and the individual countries came into being.
Blight
The Blight is a dangerous area and it is hostile to people. The soil is hardly nutritious for plants. Only black tendrils with thorns proliferate in this area. There are no animals here, only monsters. These are quite aggressive and fight everything in their area.
Mors
Mors is the only island that borders the Great Barrier. The island is uninhabited and without animals and plants, it consists mainly of stone.
Some expeditions were sent to this island to investigate the barrier there. None of these expeditions have returned. The island has been a restricted area since then.
Seafarers will not head for this island, because due to stories among seafarers and pirates, this island is considered a cursed one.
Great Barrier
The Great Barrier extends around the entire world in the north and is not penetrable, nor can you see through it. This barrier has existed since the first records, what is behind it is not known. There is also no information about who or what created this barrier. It hits only one point on mainland, the island of Mors.
This barrier is a dark book for magicians, and any magic that is cast on it is dissolved.
Uwen
Uwen is an island system consisting of more than 90 islands and islets. These islands include active volcanoes, low-lying atolls, raised limestone islands and large fragments of continental crust containing tall mountains and insular rivers. The climate is tropical, moderated by trade winds that blow year-round. Many of the islands are populated.
Skralmo
Skralmo is a big island covered in ice with many adjacent ice islands and big ice floes. The climate is not as harsh as in the Southern Realm. It is the most sparsely populated country on Dina.
Buchet, Luch, Teh and Wern
These lands are heavily forested with many mountains, lakes and rivers. There is a very dense wildlife and diversity of plants and animals. Buchet is the most populous country in the world.
Races
Humans
The human being. Spread all over Dina, he represents most of the individuals.
An’ga’tur
The An’ga’tur have a greatly increased endurance and resistance, as their skin is thick and leathery. Contrary to their appearance this race is educated and mostly peace-loving. A few of the An’ga’tur have distinctive wings and can fly.
They live mainly underground near natural heat sources such as magma.
They are almost never found on the surface. At the few encounters the humans named them ‘The Demonic’ because of their appearance. They are ostracized and persecuted by humans. In human settlements none of them is welcome.
Ratlings
A race that lives just below the surface. They are large rodents standing on two legs, with a long tail and a ratty face. They communicate with squeak sounds.
They are rarely seen on the surface among humans. Sometimes, under cover of darkness, they move to the outskirts of cities to get food or other practical things they can find.
The society of the Ratlings is organized in tribes. The naming scheme of a tribe consists of the name of the founding Ratling followed by the names of the leaders and at last the name of the individual.
Due to the long history of families often the older parts are omitted when talking to friends, but in official circumstances this would never occur, unless an individual wanted to leave the tribe to start his own or was being exiled from the tribe. Heritage and naming are quite important to the Ratlings.
Dryads
The Dryads are tree spirits who live in ancient supernatural trees. A Dryad is closely connected to the trees. If the tree is injured, it bleeds and the Dryad suffers.
A Dryad itself is invulnerable, but due to its close rooting with the tree it is also stationary and can only move freely in a small circle around the tree. If a Dryad is far away from the tree, the Dryad dies as well as the tree.
For some people the Dryads represent a bridge between the souls of humans and nature. They are benevolent towards the Dryads and offer sacrifices like milk and beer to the tree.
Ghouls
A Ghoul comes from the family of the undead. Ghouls are parasites that feed off the Essence of Fate.
At the birth of a Ghoul, the next dead body near them is occupied. Magic from the Essence of Fate prevents this body from decaying. Most Ghouls are not hostile to humans, unless they desperately need a host.
Important persons (selection)
The Family
Arthema – The Player
Fin – Brother
Elna – Mother
Brennard – Father
Ira – Dog
The others
Yldir Vac
Current regent of Ren. The population calls him secretly the Mad King Vac.
Simahaa
Fateweaverin and right hand of the King.
Azadus Silas Iwren
Monk and student at the monastery Daksini Matha for the research of new spells.
Maynard Ilore
Fellow student of Azadus. Researched the Essence of Chaos and has been corrupted. Founded the church of chaos under the basement of the monastery. Summoned the rift with 7 others to bring chaos into the world. The seven helpers were: Ephiphom Barun, Therin Anur, Olaph Renu, Ishka Pentek, Edvin Angol, Bent Wuren, Fin Szinda
Cid
Dryad you find in the near of the City of the Dead.
Angar Doel
General in the war between Loren and Ren and King of Ren after the death of King Karl until he was killed by Yldir Vac.
Bort
Leader of the exiled magicians in the destroyed monastery.
Points of interest (selection)
Daksini Matha (destroyed monastery)
The southern monastery used for the study of magic. The monastery itself consists of several buildings, which are also spread over several small cliffs in the sea. It is separated from the ocean to the south, east and west. Only to the north is it possible to take a difficult path over the steep cliffs to get away from the monastery. The long journey of 3 weeks to the next town was not taken without a reason. Because the monastery was completely self-sufficient, it was not surprising that sometimes during the year not a single caravan left for the nearest town of Vaylèhn.
The monastery was inhabited by 50 people until the day of the magic accident. Most of them spend their time studying or writing books. Also, magical studies to explore new spells were strongly practiced here. The monastery is located at a position where the connection to the magic lines is particularly strong, a reason for building it here. Furthermore, the barrier behind the Essence of Fate is thinner at this place, which is why Maynard Ilore and 7 other magicians conducted research on that, what lies behind.
In the year 524 the monastery is destroyed by a suddenly appearing barrier. Many barrier shreds push it up through the earth, destroying parts of buildings and separating many monastery inmates. Some are separated by the barrier itself. The monastery is completely cut off from the outside world by the barrier, as the way to the north has been blocked.
Most deaths occur within the first days after the disaster. These poor souls stuck in small rooms slowly die of hunger. Only 6 of them have gathered in a larger part of the monastery where they can think. They begin to explore the barrier. Except for one, the last ones die while trying to magically discharge the barrier.
The only surviving Azadus Silas Iwren flees through the ground.
Vaylèhn
Vaylèhn was the southernmost city in Ren, right on the coast. It was a rich fishing city with 5000 inhabitants. Vaylèhn was built of stone on the high cliffs by the sea. Stairs connect it with landing stages and the fishing ships.
Yldir Vac destroyed the whole city in a fury in 554 with a big fireball.
Rendae
The capital city of Ren. The Royal Palace is in the center of the city.
Gemwoods
The sky in this bizarre cave is made from countless gems, the greater ones hang like plants from the ceiling. They all glitter like stars in many different colors and illuminate the area with their shimmering colors. Flying dinosaurs circle in the distance and there is a rustling in the thicket nearby.
City of the Dead
City founded by Ghouls who rose from the crypt under the monastery.
Tur’ga’nak
City of the An’ga’tur, which lies directly at the lowest point at the beginning of the magma under the monastery.
An’Khaam
An ancient temple of the ancestors of An’ga’tur that has not been entered for hundreds of years.
Flora and fauna (selection)
Imitac
The coat is deep brown with black vertical stripes towards the head to imitate tree bark. To hang on a tree, they have extremely long claws, almost like sloths, but shorter, so they can also be used as a weapon. The body is rather small compared to the head, scrawny to stay well camouflaged.
A saturated Imitac can be recognized by its thick body because the digestion of the animal is very slow. The head is big, flatter and is always pressed against a tree. Unless the Imitac has a victim in attack range or he is eating one.
The outstanding feature of an Imitac is the ability to imitate almost any voice or noise immediately. So, it is able to mimic the sounds or voices of its victims and thereby attract it. As soon as a victim comes within reach of the tree to listen to the noise at the bottom, the Imitacs detach themselves almost silently from the trees and jump onto the victim.
Usually the victims don’t stand a chance, as the Imitac’s large mouth is equipped with large thin dagger-like teeth.
Magic sniffer
A type of dog that can sniff the use of magic. The coat of this dog breed is dark, black or brown in nearly all cases. Their stature is like that of a sheepdog. The rear legs are shorter than the front legs, which makes for a sloping posture. The dog’s nose is slightly high and very large compared to other dog breeds. The ears are pointed and always stand out from the head of the animal. A further decisive characteristic is the set of teeth. Unlike ordinary domesticated dog breeds, the Magic Sniffer has large muzzle and fangs.
The behavior of this dog breed gave it its name, they sniff magic.
It was only a few years ago, with the beginning of Yldir Vac’s reign, that the people of Ren began to domesticate these wild creatures. Like many other breeds of dog, this breed had a trainable loyalty that made domestication possible and made it much easier. Under Yldir Vac’s, a special guard unit was formed to guide magic sniffers to locate magicians.
Rockworms
Worms with hard pointed teeth that can move through stone. It can access the Essence of Earth and can easily burrow through stone. Azadus spent two years studying these creatures to develop a spell that made it easier for him to cut passageways in rock.
Stone Golems
Stone Golems are peaceful creatures by nature, at least the little ones, who have only connected with the Essence of Earth. Most of the time, the little golems are in a kind of resting phase, they settle down as cairns and only become active when threatened, ready to defend themselves or flee.
But there are also larger specimens of this species, which have been drenched with the Essence of Earth. These then no longer consist of stones, but of large rocks. They roam about, hostile and aggressive. If you see one of them at a distance, you should plan another route.
Ghosts
Ghosts continue to cling to life with the help of the Essence of Fate. This usually occurs when death has not yet been foreseen by fate. Mostly the ghosts become aggressive over the years and try to hurt people. Ghouls can soothe spirits.
Skeletons
With skeletons the body of the deceased, detached from the spirit, clings to life with the help of the Essence of Fate. They no longer have a mind and will of their own. They can be commanded easily by Ghouls.
Chronicle
| 486, 1st Matos | Azadus Silas Iwren is born exactly at the beginning of Matos | |
| 496, 66th Matos | Azadus begins his studies in magic in Daksini Matha | |
| 524, 42nd Anthestos | Magical accident in Daksini Matha | |
| 524, 64th Anthestos | Maynard Ilore dies of the Essence of Chaos | |
| 524, 72nd Anthestos | Azadus is the last survivor of the magical accident and begins his journey through the underground | |
| 542, 2nd Eltos | The war between Ren and his neighboring country Loren begins around the coastline | |
| 551, 2nd Matos | King Hakon III. dies on the battlefield. The young prince Karl takes over the throne | |
| 553, 12nd Anthestos | Peace is made with Loren | |
| 554, 15th Anthestos | The King dies of assassination. Because the lack of a successor, General Angar Doel claims the throne for himself | |
| 554, 23rd Boestos | Yldir Vac destroyed the city of Vaylèhn | |
| 555, 98th Eltos | Yldir Vac conquered Rendae and killed Angar Doel | |
| 555, 99th Eltos | Yldir Vac takes over the throne | |
| 555, 23rd Anthestos | Magic is now prohibited by law | |
| 556, 12th Matos | Yldir Vac convince Loren and Silen to forbid magic by law as well | |
| 614, 1st Matos | Arthema is born exactly at the beginning of Matos | |
| 628, 71st Anthestos | Arthema is banished to the destroyed monastery for using magic |
