Imagine a world immersed in death. Where once the sun shone bright in the sky and life flourished all around, now the sky is black and death is but a day's journey away. At the edges of their lands, creatures of Death itself make forays into their realm, spreading their master's influence. Those who scratch out an existence in these far places often become tainted by deathly energy, turning into ghoulish creatures who feast upon their uncorrupted kin.
How does something like this happen? How can such a place exist?
Origin Story
Long ago, there were two gods, each the master of a unique domain. Vafi, the god of Death, ruled over the realm of Nevma, domain of the soul. Zoj, the goddess of Life, ruled over Soma, home of the physical. These two domains were distinct and separate, and thus they remained stagnant.
Over time, Vafi and Zoj fell in love. In a night of passion between the two, the realms of body and of soul mixed and gave rise to life. Thus was Tondyo created.
The two remained fascinated with what they had created, for a time. Eventually, however, Vafi's attention drifted back to his lover, and he grew jealous of the world for drawing all of her time.
He began to court her, showering her with many wondrous gifts from Nevma. She would examine each in turn, treasuring it for a time before gifting it to her children, the living creatures of Tondyo. The world became increasingly diverse, and it became ever more difficult for Vafi to draw Zoj's attention away from it.
Realizing that he could not compete with his rivals, Vafi formulated a new plan; if nothing from Nevma could hold Zoj's interest, he would give her Tondyo itself. He reached down into the world and withdrew a section of it, carving it into a jewel for his lover. It would be the capstone of his courtship.
Yet when Vafi presented this gem to his lover, she recoiled in horror at his callous disregard for life. Far from winning her affection, his act instead caused Zoj to flee crying back to Soma to mourn for the loss of so many lives.
Crestfallen, Vafi cast the gem away; it landed in Nevma, near the border with Tondyo yet ever out of reach. This jewel, a slice of life forced to dwell in death, became Tonekron, abandoned by the gods. Its remaining inhabitants were left to fend for themselves in a hostile environment, and the experience would change them forever.
Overview of the World
Tonekron is a small continent adrift in a sea of souls; a traveler on horseback can cross from one side of the realm to the other in just under a week. Crossing the borders of Tonekron in any direction results in the traveler entering Nevma, the realm of dead souls. This is a hostile environment, for the dead are an envious lot and seek to steal the spark of life from those who possess it.
Yet the dead cannot easily encroach upon the territory of Tonekron. When Vafi carved it into a jewel for his lover, his magic preserved it in stasis; the spark of life it had when it was a part of Tondyo remains inviolate, though severely weakened. Creatures of Nevma can cross into Tonekron for a time, but they cannot remain and are inevitably forced back to their own domain.
What little light shines upon Tonekron is filtered through the veil between Nevma and Tondyo; the sun itself never appears in the sky above Tonekron. Between Vafi's preserving magic and this small amount of filtered light, the hardy plants of Tonekron can just cling to life. This is enough to keep the humans and animals of the realm from starving, provided their population remains small.
At the center of Tonekron, where Nevma's influence is weakest, lies the largest settlement: Ochiro. It is here where the bulk of humans live, sheltering behind their large stone walls. In the smaller villages which lie closer to the outskirts of Tonekron, it is up to their strongest men and women to fight off the occasional incursion from the dead.
The centuries have squeezed the hope out of most citizens of Tonekron, yet some dream of a better life. Every decade or so, a group of adventurers attempt to cross the expanse of Nevma which lies between them and Tondyo; nobody knows if any ever make it, for none return. But then, would you return to death if you managed to escape it?
Ever-Present Danger
The most obvious expression of Nevma in Tonekron is the abundance of ghosts. When someone dies, their soul is drawn into Nevma to rejoin its kin. In Tonekron, where Nevma engufls the realm, this pull is significantly weaker; therefore, most deaths result in a ghost.
The inhabitants of Tonekron long ago learned a form of burial rite which can lay the soul to rest, sending it back to Nevma where it belongs. Not everyone who dies is in a position to be buried properly, however. The ghosts of the dead which did not receive a proper burial linger; in time, they grow strong enough to become a danger to the living. Only the ghost hunters, a militaristic organization with a chapter in most large villages, stand between the living and the dead.
The ghosts of Tonekron are among its least threatening dangers, however. At the outer edge of the realm, horrific creatures of death occasionally cross into the realm of the living and rampage through the small villages that dot the region. Many are too strong to fight; the people of Tonekron have learned to hide and wait for theses monsters to be drawn back to their native realm.
The most pervasive threat to the living of Tonekron is the ever-present risk of famine. With so little light, few plants can survive the hostile environment; fewer still animals can make it. What little food can be cultivated must be carefully rationed.
In lean times, some people become desperate enough to hunt the creatures of Nevma itself. Though it is fairly easy to bring down one of the smaller beasts that haunt the realm of the dead, this is still a risky move. Eating the flesh of dead souls does provide nourishment, for reasons unknown, yet carries a great curse. Those who eat dead flesh are twisted into monsters half-living and half-dead: ghouls. Driven by an inhuman hunger, they attack and eat anything they can, including humans. The only thing a ghoul will not eat is another ghoul. Entire villages, given in to desperate hunger, have been known to fall prey to this curse and become villages of ghouls.
Passing On
This has been a brief overview of Tonekron: its history and the threats faced by those who dwell within. Next week, I'll cover the tools these hardy citizens use to protect themselves, including the magic they wield.
Catch you next time.
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