Olucra Syndicate

"Deep within the heart of the bizarre dungeon, I was commanded to kneel before the demented audience. An alien, nightmare parody of a royal court, blue lights made of glass lined the floor and roof casting a sickly pallor to all within the chamber. A speaker finally stepped from the shadows. This was Cyvorak, the Arch Biomancer, a visage of a creature whose dark skin and horns were covered in glowing turquoise tattoos and tubes.

'It is but in the 11th hour that I finally request a forum with thee, Master Cenobite. No other would hear my clarion call; yours are the final ears to hear my warning sound.'

'While men sit in their long halls and talk of war and conquest,' the shadowed person croaked, 'we seek solutions to conflict at a biological level. The life that you have sought so long to destroy, we seek to perfect. Our new world will be devoid of war, struggle, or affliction. We shall usher in a new unity under the black sun. In the shadow of Olucra, all of Rasa shall embrace assimilation. . .'"



It is the vile league that twists reality. It is the voice that whispers forbidden secrets. It is the corrupter of kingdoms. It is a nation of Biomancers, assassins, and aberrations. Their deepest roots are grounded in the Far Realm, the space beyond the planes. Though Olucra has many mouthpieces, the real governor is madness and irrationality.



They seek to make every living thing "better" than it already is. Their Biomancy leaves victims with twisted tube enhancements. Unlike bloodforging, biomancy beautifies instead of scars, perfects instead deforms, and illuminates instead of dampens. However, these terms are relative to the practitioners of it. In reality, the augmentations are just as bizarre.



They employ the hidden and slimy things--mind flayers, beholders, foulspawn. While Olucra claims to be the ultimate nation of enlightenment, in reality, their minds have all been damaged due to the incompatibility of Far Realm augmentations.



Olucra knew of the irresistibility of their forbidden knowledge. They often auctioned secrets to the highest bidder during the Last War. Noble men made difficult ethical decisions, whether it was wise to make deals with the dark syndicate under veil of moonlight. These decisions cost them. As Olucra double-dealt to enemy and ally alike, their power magnified and they turned into a threat of their own right. Since the treaty, the six nations decided to exile the syndicate. Without political legitimacy, it returned to the cracks of the earth.



Vector denies that the Olucra ever existed, and would furthermore discredit any claim that the source of their Steam Science stems from darker realms.



But it is the truth, and I seek to show it to the world. That's right, you, the reader of my journal have been informed. Yet now, there is nothing that you can do. I shall show Rasa a force that surpasses any army of steam, blood, rot, star, or rune. My wrath shall come swiftly, there are none who can contend. . .

Realm of Elenion

"I remembered the haze well, that dark fog that obscured the sun. I had spent enjoyable seasons here many years ago with those that I counted as family. It seemed to have grown even darker during my time away.
When I arrived back to the Silverrim road, I expected a grand welcome from my kin. Instead, I found a void sea of eternal darkness. Tears streamed down my face as I crumpled to the earth. I frightened me, but understood then that there was only one nation left to hear my call. . ."




It is the twilit north filled with mystics and esoteric magic. It is the stronghold of eladrin, genasi, and others who hold kinship with the elements. It is the fey-kissed, moonlit countryside that is slowly being devoured. Most of the good creatures that fled from Morgwold found comfort here, but now they have grown sleepy and gloomy from the perpetual dusk that has cursed the land.

While others have focused on scientific advancement, Elenion has stayed native to more arcane roots. Concentrating their blessing of intelligence on raw arcana, they have perfected the art of Rune Magic. Subsequently, Elenion warriors employ powerful runic weapons. Eidolon rune-golems serve eladrin courts. Moon archways subtly illuminate the surrounding forests.



A terrifying darkness has spawned here that grows ever thicker in the land. Dubbed "the Void", it continues to disintegrate the landscape, inch by inch, encroaching on cities and wilderness. As one stares into the blankness, nothing but black haze can be discerned. Word has spread to foreign lands of the Void and attempts have been made to determination the cause. Vector keeps word of it secret and spends fortunes on its study. Elenions know the truth, that this is done utterly in vain. . .



The extraction of elemental power from the multiverse, the source of Vector's technology, is the source of the Void. A great imbalance of matter is the result. However it's happening, the planet is literally being folded inside-out, or so the Elenions claim.



As consequence of the ravaging nothingness, the land is no longer stable. Great palaces and towns are gone. Evil is finding it easier to take up residence.

Sylvan mages are finding it increasingly more difficult to channel elemental power. As the world sucks up resource, there is only void.



Aita, or wind.
Duero, or earth.
Salamo, or fire.
Neela, or water.

The Four Elements will soon be gone.

Primidia Holy City

"The Golden City was as a trove of light in the middle of a blinding desert. The townsfolk kept to their business, mostly ignoring my attempts at asking them for directions to the Great Observatory. When I finally found the place, I was halted by stoic sphinxes that stood as guards. They towered above me, their sentences were jumbled as if everything they spoke was a question."



It is the ancient world renovated by astral technology. It is the blurred line between the mortal realm and the afterlife. It is the time of the pharaoh met with the ambition of astronomy. In the midst of the scorching sands, the city shines as a bastion of refuge. Those who are permitted to enter within the walls of the Holy City witness floating towers and magnificent pyramids. Those who speak with the citizens notice their deep religious convictions. Those who tarry long enough are met with the presence of "gods" who walk among them.

Unlike Scorlanthe, the Primidian pharaohs had been overthrown long before the Treaty of Thronehold. At some point, stern and majestic sphinxes had taken over the government. The great "Prime" sphinxes are in control, that is, the elders of the race who assert their dominion over the land. There is no doubt that the residing common sphinxes are the favored species; the serf human class is even commanded to worship the elders.



The enlightened spend most of their time here analyzing the stars. Primidians are obsessed with astronomy and religion--such a marriage between the two has led to the developments of "Stargates" that allow planar creatures to enter this realm. Consequently, many religions have been established in the city. The Elder Sphinxes encourage the following of any religion as it self-serves their purposes of furthering space analyzation. They like it when the church summons angelic messengers as it furthers their development of astral technology--the science that enables levitation and teleportation. The sphinxes are anxious to discuss astral theories with visiting immortals.



When weaponized, astral technology takes the form of radiant energy which is often expelled from the staves of zealous Priests. These are men or women so dedicated to serving the Sphinx Hegemony that they are endowed with special astral augmentations. They are easy to spot as they don headdresses that resemble a corresponding animal-headed deity from the ancient times.

The High Priests wear the headdress of Ra, a falcon, and they are the highest rank a mortal can achieve. Others don the mask of Anubis, the jackal, or Ammit, the alligator. When going into battle, they will wear the headdress of Sekhmet, the lion, which is their ancient god of destruction.



While generally peaceful natured, the Sphinx Hegemony still requires great sacrifice at the cost of its people. The Holy City is beautiful, but such astral majesty often comes at the price of lives. The sphinxes are neutral to any infernal or abyssal entities that might wander through an unattended Stargate. To them, evil intruders are just more experts with different perspectives on astral technology.