Story

_{Cog Kleinschmidt works happily as an artisan within the stronghold of the world’s leading empire, Mercia Fortress. He finds his life taking a screeching turn upon the arrival of a diplomat from the enemy Kingdom of Arcadia, who needs something from Cog - whether he agrees or not!}

   

_{"Do Not Falter."}

_{Ruler: Emperor Theodoric Dareaurum Eberhart VIII
Founded: Unknown}

_{The Empire of Mercia is the dominant power of the world. It has a long history of warfare, much of which has resulted in their favor. However, they have been unable to bring Arcadia under the watchful eye of their empire, resulting in a great deal of tension between the two nations.} 

_{Mercia has rather ruthless methods of dealing with the few stray individuals who use magic - executions, assassinations - although with a sudden surge of magic-wielding terrorists, Mercia struggles with how to proceed. Just where are they coming from all of a sudden?}

_{"Whatever it Takes."}

_{Ruler: Queen Adelle de Arcadius VI
Founded: Unknown (oldest known civilization)}

_{Arcadia is the second largest power in the world, ruled by aristocrats and their beloved queen. When Mercia first attempted to occupy the kingdom, they were driven back by the world’s first airship, developed by Arcadia. A treaty of peace was formed to avoid further conflict.} 

_{Unlike Mercians who find comfort in simplicity, Arcadians take pride in their wealth, rich history, and a love of finer things in life. Many people around the world with an interest in theater, art, and architecture will find themselves gravitating toward Arcadia. However, due to Arcadians valuing blood and birthright above all, the divide between the rich and the poor in Arcadia is a large and unchanging one. As a result, a community of “peasants” has formed beneath the city, banded together and maintained by the mysterious Ringleader.} 

_{As rich as their blood may be, it seems to be filling the streets as Arcadian aristocrats are routinely being found dead. With both a serial killer AND the Empire of Mercia breathing down their necks, Arcadia finds itself at a loss.}

 

To exist in this world, all things follow the world's fundamental laws.

The laws of nature. The laws of science. The laws of physics. The laws of time. 

Long ago, humanity received a sin from the heavens - a power to break these laws. 

_{The Five: A revered council that serves directly beneath a nation’s leader, and are also considered leaders themselves. They are handpicked by their leader for their extraordinary skills in both combat and intelligence. 
The identity of Mercia’s Five is kept secret from everyone but the emperor, and those who work directly beneath each member. More recently, Arcadia’s Five have revealed their identities as a sign of good will to both their people and the people of Mercia.
Each member of The Five usually oversees an important division, such as; Foreign Affairs, Weapons Development, Public Security, Military, ect.} 

_{Known members of Mercia's Five:
Esther Victoire (Ambassador/Royal Advisor) 
Lyra O'hara (Admiral/Head of Airship Development) 
???
???
???}

_{Known members of Arcadia's Five: 
Alexander de Leveque (Ambassador/Royal Advisor)
Leonardo van Ostrand (Admiral)
Kasper Hawkins (Head of Police)
Cecelia Boucher (Head of Weapons Development)
Osbert Altair (Head of Airship Development)}

_{The Catacombs: Refers to both the place and the society that lives there. The Catacombs are a series of large chambers and pathways beneath the city of Arcadia, where those with no place to go retreat. They are ruled by The Ringleader, who rubs shoulders with the aristocrats above to get work for his people, helping them to get back to the surface.} 

_{Airships: Great flying machines first developed by Arcadia, in order to counter Mercia’s attempts to overtake them. They are the reason Arcadia has been the only nation to ever parlay with Mercia and form a peace treaty.
Osbert Altair, a member of Arcadia’s Five, is the world’s leading airship engineer. While Mercia has been able to craft their own airships, Osberts designs are ultimately superior.} 

_{Khonsur: A beautiful desert nation built upon the coastline and ocean. They have absolutely no interest in the conflict between Arcadia and Mercia. However, due to their advancement in the medical field, both Arcadia and Mercia try to keep on good terms with them. Khonsur is ruled by the Prophet Iakhet.}