Unformed and unforgiving the world started barren and void of visible life, amongst its lands the planet adorned darkness where great beasts flourished and thrived throughout the shadows. The land was thought to be this way for centuries until the birth of man, or rather the becoming of man for man always existed; just, not within sight of the great beasts above. Man in its primordial state shambled into the darkness around it and spread and progressed until it recognized itself as a potential claimant to the veiled world. But the great beasts would not allow man to threaten their grip over the surface and so they attempted to subjugate humanity and for the time their attempts were fruitful, humanity's spread had halted and their development stunted, but what lurked deep in the shadows of humanity's subjugation was an emptiness yearning for a soul and a fire passionately raging beneath the surface... From this burning fire man found its soul, and with these souls they founded weapons, armours, and magic.

Ostarius, The Lord of the Forsaken was the first to reach into the fires deep within the earth and pull from them enormous power... From his earthen Citadel he created a standing force of the lesser developed humans to fight for him and using the magic of shadow and darkness he transformed his near-lifeless brethren into fanatical warriors. From atop the mountains high, Kane taught of fire, the sun and devotion to light from his Kingly Monastery. With these teaching he shaped an army of knights who obeyed a strict code and were willing to freely give away their lives for their Lord of Sun. Deep into the untamed crags and steppes, Janis formed a covenant of murderers who thrived in small packs and hunted stray creatures and killed opposition silently, spreading fear across the lands, The title awarded to the fair lady Janis was the Lord of Stars. Deep beneath the ground magic reigned and mancy of all sorts were taught and shared amongst kin, Leto the Lord of Understanding or so he dubbed himself though not recognized, dwelt with his numerous followers; keeping little to no contact with the outside world. And finally in the empty fields and open wastelands the Deceitful One Raas, or so he was named by Kane, wandered aimlessly with numberless followers on heel. His body was by choice left un-evolved though his mind was anything but... Prisoners and slaves freed from bondage flocked to Raas as he was similar to them in appearance and many of them found cause with this 'causeless' wanderer'.

Years passed and the Lords Ostarius, Kane, Janis and Leto bound themselves together in a pact to build a new dominion for man, and so all forces willing, they openly waged war against their beastly 'sovereigns'. Ostarius and his legions of zealots swarmed the beats in great numbers and brought down numerous monsters whilst claiming a new expanse for man. Kane and his grandeur knights battled using sword, shield and the magic of the illusive and hidden sun to repel the enemy and defend humanity's spread all the while Kane himself continued to plot and consolidate a kingdom for the coming times. Fear and death spread in plagues as Janis and her warriors skulked beneath the everlasting umbra and fog. From within shadow her warriors could strike unnoticed and slay even the most destructive beasts without ever being seen. And Leto with his mystic followers conjured furious storms of terrific lightning and hellish fire across the land until one day, the Lord of Understanding himself vanished, leaving his kin splintered and lost. The war raged for years until Leto's disappearance and it was at this time that the beasts began to strike back causing great concern that perhaps the Lords were to fail in their conquest. Kane becoming ever more desperate sought the aid of Solomon the half-breed and his twisted and devilish companions and after deliberation and promises, Solomon sided with humanity and the beasts were no more...

With victory finally attained humanity openly settled across the world above and with the help of the Lords great cities were forged along with new complex cultures, but during this spread Kane openly expressed his doubt that man could retain itself and its history during its expansionism and so the country of Aestaria was founded, or in the common tongue the Dominion of Gods. It was in Aestaria that Sol Erra was constructed and it was within this city that Kane crafted a connection with the gods who 'gifted' man with fire. The higher beings granted Kane and each of the lords their strength and the blessing of an un-eclipsed sun and so the Golden Age of Light began. Still missing from the this new age was the evasive Raas who before slipping away into the lost chapters of history released a curse upon the land...

For a time the new age flourished, but all things must come to an end and so the beginning of the end came from something as simple as the body of a deceased soldier. It was discovered that this freshly dead guardsmen degenerated into man's primordial form after his body was left to rot for days. The courts of Sol Erra ordered the body burned, but it was already too late, the plague had spread and many more corpses rose as wandering shells searching for the same flame that once brought reason and meaning to the lives of their ancestors long, long ago...

-The RP is set more than 600 years after the history
-Kane, Janis and Ostarius are still living beings
-The creature referred to as Solomon is alive
-Monsters still roam the land, though not in significant numbers
-Much of the plague mentioned in the last paragraph has spread far in the east and has caused Sol Erra to be abandoned and Ganaeg has been selected as the new capital
-With the loss of Leto magic has become a more subtle art, things like balls of fire, igniting weapons and telekinetic pushing are all most known sorcerers or mancers are capable of
-To date very few people know much of the Lords but Kane is treated as a demi-god or God depending on who you speak to
-The RP takes place during a time only comparable to the late dark ages of medieval history, as such the world will follow the same gothic style. Having your character sheet reflect this is suggested.
-There are other established countries around Aestaria, though not many. Most of these countries or regions are self governed but pay respect to the decisions made in Aestaria

Name:
Appearance:
Personality:
Weapons:
History:
Age:
Skills(If you can use magic talk about it here):

Ichigo-Nero
Kiki-Lucia Seolforwefen
Live Grenade-Erratus
Sayo-Kechts Udyde
Whim-Talaitha

Name: Nero
Appearance:Light skinned and roughly six feet tall Nero appears young but worn out for his age. His hair is a dark brownr and his eyes are a blank, deep hazel. He sports a feldgrau coloured tunic with or without chain mail underneath, depending on the situation. His trousers are of the same colour of his tunic and around his waist he wears a brown leather belt. On his feet he wears a set of tanned leather boots that rise a few inches beneath his knees. On his back Nero also totes a large brown bag covered in small leather straps and bronze fasteners. Inside the bag are Nero's numerous living supplies and his off hand items
Personality: Nero is best described as socially understanding, as in he understands society and it's workings, but also socially 'inept', as he is dificult to speak with because he tends to avoid conversation. This condition of self-isolation can be best traced back to Nero's youth as he was an only child and grew up in poverty. Besides these faults Nero does atleast show mental and physical competence and is able to learn at an above average rate in fields that attract his interests.
Weapons: A bastard sword
History: Born to a failed black smith and a lord's servant Nero spent much of his young life in poverty and without real parental figures. At the age of five Nero's mother died of illness and her body was taken by the Aestarian guard and burned immediately due to the fear of resurrection, this event left Nero's father broken until his eventual suicide two years later. Now without mother or father Nero was forced at the age of seven to become a farm hand on a plantation called Etters, it was on this plantation that he met an individual named Rickert who at the time worked as a guard in the near town of Drendle. With help Nero would eventually buy himself out of servitude from Etters and become apprenticed under Rickert at the age of nine. At the age of fourteen Nero joined Drendle's guard and served in a unit with his now closed friend Rickert as his superior. Three years later when out searching for a group of lost individuals Rickert and his team were ambushed by a group of beastly hellhounds who mortally wounded Rickert and left his group almost completely shattered. Surviving the encounter Nero fought to protect Rickert's body from being torn apart and eventually fled Drendle after burying Rickert's corpse. Until now he has wandered the countryside performing odd jobs.
Age: 21
Skills(If you can use magic talk about it here): Adept at two-handed and one-handed sword play, is capable of using some larger and smaller weapons efficiently.

Name: Lucia Seolforwefen
Appearance: Standing at an average height, Lucia has an average body figure. Spending most of her years reading books she has not had the time to tone her body for athletics, though her arms and upper back are slightly built due to her recent uptake of archery. Her skin is a tad pale, again from the many days indoors. Her hair is raven black though her bangs, which are tucked behind her ears, are silver; not grey, not white, silver. Her eyes are brown and eagle-like conveying a sense of stubborn determination. Her fingers are long and dainty, though on closer inspection there are various faded pinprick wounds from a needle.
Personality: Lucia has a very mouse-like personality. When among others she is reserved and rarely speaks her mind, though if pushed hard enough she will retaliate with a fierceness most people are unaware of. She has a compliant nature, rather than state her own argument and possibly stir conflict, she'll nod and follow. Her nose is usually in a book, as she prefers their company and enjoys losing herself in their stories. However once she opens herself up to others she can be described as headstrong and daring, unafraid to do what needs to be done and loyal.
Weapons: Bow, Staff
History:Lucia's forefathers had long been workers of cloth, weaving and sewing all kinds of clothing. They took on the name Wefen, for they and all their descendants were weavers. A schism eternally split the family as certain members of the family turned away from a life of weaving to study the arcane under Leto.

They became his disciples and studied under him, unlocking vast powers previously unknown. However, as an odd familial quirk, as they unlocked their magical abilities their hair gradually took on a silver colour. Leto's disappearance led to his disciples' disorganization and eventual dissolution. These stray Wefen returned to their ancestral home, though they were never truly regarded as family again, and forced to take on the family name of Seolforwefen for their unnatural hair.

Lucia comes from this outcast family line, and much her childhood was difficult and spent in isolation. Upon the onset of the resurrection of the dead, her parents were blamed as the source of the curse upon the land and they were both burned at the stake. Newly orphaned Lucia, who had yet to show any magical talent, was taken in by a widow who had no children of her own. The widow cared for the child as if Lucia were her own, though on one fateful day Lucia discovered she could spin light as if it were thread. While her “aunt” was amazed at the feat, the rest of the village soon found out and the girl was ousted from the village with not much else besides the few supplies her aunt could hurriedly gather for her.

Rather than give up all hope, for once again she had lost it all, she decided to enquire further into the strange phenomena of the shambling undead.
Age: 20
Skills: Lucia is a skillful archer and competent of defending herself with the wooden staff she carries. Technically the staff is magical, a relic brought back from the sanctuary where Leto and his disciples had lived by her father and passed onto Lucia. While it is an excellent medium for magic, Lucia is unaware of using it to attune magical forces to do her bidding. She is also capable of magically spinning energy into string. This has allowed her to create an enchanted cloak spun from fire which allows her to stay warm no matter the cold surrounding her. She can also unwind the string to release the stored energy in the string.

Name: Talaitha

Appearance: With a tanner shade of skin, shaggy black hair reaching her shoulder blades, and alluring, dull brown eyes, Talaitha's gypsy lineage stands out in comparison to natives of Aestaria. Her body is lean, almost seeming frail, but looks betray. Her traditional, dull orange robes are much different than the fashion of the region and she, like many female gypsies who become successful in their trade, is covered in gold jewelry (bracelets, necklaces, rings, etc.), so much that it clanks and clatters as her body moves. She wears woven sandals tied up to her ankles on her feet. Around her waist is a belt that holds various properties and items essential to her trade, as well as a jambiya sheathed in an ornate white scabbard.

Personality: Talaitha takes things very seriously, usually with a no nonsense attitude and she's generally very practical and acts in a mature and composed manner. She doesn't like to break away from this attitude because she desires to have an air of superiority, especially since gypsies are treated as if they are inferior to natives.

Weapons: A jambiya enchanted with electric properties.

History: Born to a group of gypsies, Talaitha was trained in magics like enchantment from an early age so that she could fulfill any odd jobs given to her community. During her childhood a large amount of the gypsy children were often sold away because they could not all be taken care of; however, Talaitha was chosen to inherit nearly all the enchantment knowledge and ended up being the only child left. Growing up surrounded by adults, Talaitha matured quickly, even for the age.

For 15 years she worked at learning the enchantments, and by the time she was 23 she was finally complete and broke off from the community on her own, settling in the small village of Verhoof. Talaitha set up shop and supplied wayfarers with enchantments for four years until members of the local chapter of the enchanter's guild forced her from the city for being a gypsy, sour that she stole much of their clientele.

With that Talaitha, broken by her loss, set out toward Ganaeg in order find a new place to set up her trade.

Age: 27

Skills(If you can use magic talk about it here): Knowledge of just about every sort of enchantment for weapons and armor.

Name: Erratus

Appearance: Erratus is the very picture of disarray. He is average in height, his appearance emaciated. His muscles are wiry and thin. His muddy brown hair is long, filthy and unkempt, as is his facial hair. He has a permanent slouch, and is very deliberate in his movements. His dull blue eyes are shifty and vacant, and his hands are constantly fidgeting. He is presently wearing a stone tunic, dirt trousers, a tattered cloak, and leather foot wraps.

Personality: Erratus is typically quiet and aloof, lost in thought. He becomes irritated when forced to be still. His hands are never idle and, due to his kleptomania, are often in other peoples' pockets. Despite his deceptive cleverness, his behavior is usually bizarre and uncouth. This is a result of his ignorance of most practical knowledge. His interpersonal skills are practically nonexistent, and he often operates outside the parameters of what is generally considered socially acceptable. Despite all of this, he feels an incurable emptiness that stems from his need for purpose.

Weapons: Daggers, Hooked cane

History: Erratus's birth name was Khast Vamall. He was born to a pair of nomads, descendants of Raas's disciples. When he was only seven, his parents were killed by slave traders who then abducted him. The weeks that followed were easily the most difficult of his life, being held captive in a caravan and fed only the paltriest morsels of meat and bread. In the market, he had the good fortune of being bought by a kindly farmer. The man referred to the him as Erratus while he nursed him back to health. Once he had made a full recovery, the farmer offered to release him. Erratus strongly considered staying to work for him, but he was far too uncomfortable remaining in one place. In the end, he left the town behind, but he held on to the name the farmer had given him in appreciation of his generous deeds. For the next few decades, Erratus survived by hunting, gathering and stealing from travelers he encountered. He wandered aimlessly for years, struggling to survive without cause or reason. Eventually, he simply grew weary of the whole routine. He wanted more than anything to do something meaningful.

Age: 41

Skills: Despite his demeanor, Erratus is a quick mover and a quicker thinker. His approach to combat is creative and versatile, and he is a fast learner.

The west consists entirely of one region called Doltry...

The Lands of Doltry: Doltry was once a larger land mass that sat mostly beneath sea level. More than 200 years ago a terrible storm submerged a decent portion of the fertile south-west lands of Doltry leaving only the wooded eastern portion and a very fertile but small area near the ocean. Numerous tribes make up the people of Doltry and although the people in the region aren't nearly as barbaric as the Northerners none of them as of yet have come together to form a suitable nation. The people of Doltry are mostly hunters or fishermen. A large Gypsy population lives near the border of Aitos

The south is a flat region dominated mostly by rivers, plains and a small desert in the far east. There are three major regions in the South

Aitos - The land of Gypsies: Serving as the home for most of the Gypsy population on the continent, Aitos is a land covered in nomadic people, odd farming techniques, lush woods in the north, and a number of walled cities in the south. No nations or city-states in Aitos are recognized by the Aesterian government but there is at least one 'Gypsy Nation' formed on the western side of the territory and numerous flourishing cities along the Sea of Doltry.

The Riverlands As its name suggests The Riverlands is an area covered in numerous rivers that pour in from both The Emerald Sea and The Sea of Doltry. The Riverlands is a mostly unified territory though the Aesterian Government does not formally recognize the King of Riverlands, Robert Tyress, or the country his family established known to many southern commoners as The Kingdom of Ashenryk. Robert Tyress openly disagrees with and does not follow any Aesterian decrees, meaning his nation also does not recognize Aesteria as the motherlands of humanity. The only part of the Riverlands that does not belong to Robert Tyress is a small area of desert in the far east that borders the Eastern Lands. The people of Ashenryk are mostly farmers and fishermen and the area is as civilized as Aesteria and boasts a fairly well trained and organized army. The Tyress family has ruled over Ashenryk as kings for four generations.

Vyr: A mysterious land of forests and mountains, most of Vyr is ruled by druids who worship beastly deities. There are no nations in Vyr and the population is mostly comprised of hunters and druid warriors

Flat grasslands, desert, and harsh dry lands make up most of the East. This area, along with Vyr and the North is one of the many areas that has been blamed for the plague that has swept Aesteria and the regions around her.

The Eastern Lands: An area covered in desert in the south and dry grasslands in the north. The area is ruled by hordes of barbarians and nomadic hunting tribes. This area was heavily influenced by the Draniki after they crossed the Sea of Stone and rampaged across the continent. Many of the warlords in the area still practice the same horseback combat that the Draniki were famous for, even well after the great horde retreated back to Maek Dranik

Mek Dranik-In the common tongue of Aesteria, The Fist of the Dranik People: Mek Dranik is a region in the far east that was captured by the Warlord Gebben after he sailed across the Sea of Stone with his horde.(He was the first and only Dranik to ever do so) After Gebben and his horde were beat back in Aesteria, he slowly lost grip on his new western Kingdom which was situated in eastern Aesteria and the Eastern Lands. Forced to completely abandon his Kingdom, Gebben died of old age and left his horde in complete disarray. What was left of Gebben's horde after they returned to Mek Dranik is mostly unknown to the west. But what is known is that the horde is no longer a threat and very few of the Draniki remain in Mek Dranik to this day. The Draniki are not farmers or fishermen, the Draniki do not believe in homes or professions, only war. As such the area that is Mek Dranik consists of only one city, Mek Dranik, and very few of the Draniki still roam near it.

The Kingdom of Variya: The Kingdom of Variya is a large territory and the only nation, other than Abellos, that is formally recognized by Aesteria. Not much is know about Variya except that Variya is no longer ruled by a king but a council of the richest men in the kingdom. Variya also has extremely tight ties with numerous cities and nations on the continent of Yarris and until recently was considered a very close ally of Aesteria.

Yarris: A massive continent across The Sea of Stone that is home to the Draniki and numerous other powerful peoples. Commoners of Aesteria know very little about Yarris and the only peoples/groups to have a large amount of contact with the people of Yarris is the Aesterian council and The Kingdom of Variya.

The main religion of Aestaria and one of the largest religions in the western world; The Way of The Sun is a religion that worships a single God like entity that is supported by numerous lesser gods and entities from both old and new pantheons. Millions across Aestaria follow this religion in a multitude of ways, though in Aestaria it is kept in a much more formal way where in other lands it can be seen in a more brutish or less organized fashion.

According to the holy texts The Way of The Sun and Fire came into beginning almost immediately after normalized civilizations were founded and the The Last Night (A period of prolonged darkness) ended.



In Aestaria the following of The New God known simply by the title Erus is done in churches and massive citadels scattered about the country. Erus is the only godlike figure that is worshiped, his lesser god-like servants are not, though they can be prayed to for favor. It is unique to Aestaria that people also include Kane in their traditional prayers(Referring to him as the Lord of Fire, The Son of The Sun or simply as Solavi(Literally meaning the lesser sun). In other countries where Erus is worshiped it is less common for Kane's titles to appear anywhere in prayer(An example being in the Riverlands where Kane's supposed meeting with Erus is never mentioned anywhere in any religious texts)

General Information: The group met Gonye while imprisoned in Fort Beauchamp and with the help of his mercenary band they escaped their captors and slipped away into the dense, dark of night. While under the protection of Gonye the group learned that they are indeed ill with the same plague that causes many to turn into husks upon death, though Gonye expressed his belief that the group was somehow infected in a much different way than the normal husk. Gonye seems extremely secretive and reveals information to the group only on a need to know basis which has lead most of the group to distrust him and constantly question him. As it stands Gonye is currently a neutral force. He has displayed that he's willing to help the group, but as of now his reasons for doing so are unknown.

Appearance and Personality: Gonye has been described as gruff looking, his hair is short and brown, his eyes are hazel and his face looks heavily aged. Gonye is fairly serious, though he has proven that he has a sense of humour. Gonye seems to have the traits of a traditional mercenary, gruff, ventured, crafty, and shrewd.

General Information: The group first met Pitt the morning after their escape from Fort Beauchamp. Not much is known about Pitt, but hearsay the group picked up while at the mercenary camp has lead the group to believe that Pitt has knowledge of some kind of large beast that resides in the east and that Pitt perhaps has some control over 'occult' powers. As it stands, Pitt is currently a neutral force. He hasn't done much to impact the group's progression, but just like Gonye he seems to be hiding information and perhaps even pulling certain strings.

Appearance and Personality: Pitt has been described as young, handsome, and fairly feminine looking. His skin is pale, his hair is long and white, and his eyes are a sharp blue. Pitt seems incredibly lighthearted, though the group's limited interaction with him could be the reason why.

General Information: A researcher the group met early on in East Harengoth's legendary Guild Hall. Gaston and his fellow researchers are, in a way, almost completely responsible for the group's current predicament. Gaston and a few researchers had secretly traveled east and had smuggled a captured husk back to Harengoth to perform experiments upon it in an attempt to debunk the popular idea that husks spread their infection by nature and not by choice. According to Gaston the researchers had been experimenting on the captive husk for sometime before it summoned up an incredible amount of strength and broke free from its bonds and escaped into the guild museum where the group had, by chance, all been gathered. When the group arrived at Fort Beauchamp Gaston was split away from the group and, according to a log book, taken to the abandoned, sacred city of Sol Erra for unknown reasons. As it stands, Gaston is an unknown force. The group has had very little contact with him and so his feelings for the group are extremely vague.

Appearance and Personality: Sniveling, frail, and overcurious are perfect words to describe Gaston, as these were the only traits he exhibited during his brief time with the group. Gaston's physical appearance is that of a thin, young man no older than 20. He has short oiled brown hair and his eye colour is brown.

Hundreds of years ago man crawled forth, unwashed and loathsome, from deep scars within the earth and defiantly they challenged the creatures who inhabited the surface world. After a war that lasted ages, man conquered the world using loyalty, iron, and magic. Magic has been with man since its roots, or so it is said, but when men began to spread out across the surface world magic seemed to deteriorate slowly until very little knowledge of the art remained. Many blame this on Leto who abandoned his many students and left man to fend for themselves near the end of the war. Others debate Leto's' actual existence and claim that the mythical First Mage was in fact nothing but just that, a myth. Leto's true shape or existence is of no matter in our current world, but what is of matter is the masses growing fear of magic and mages growing inability to use it. The arcane arts are slowing dwindling as each generation grows weaker and loses attunement with their inner-energy. Within the next five generations many have predicted that finding a true mage will be nigh impossible and what we will be left with is urchins and callow fools who will be nothing but impudent street performers and inutile court mages whose greatest magical feat will have been turning a page within a tome using their vile dribble. For Aestaria to remain a power within the world we mustn't allow ourselves to fall behind others, I have been to the east, to Yarris, and to the country of Shara where another type of magic has become commonplace. Shara is a land where soldiers train themselves day and night to reach an advanced state of spiritual understanding so that they may freely tap into the deep reservoirs of energy within the bodies' and unleash destruction on their foes. Shara has never lost a war, ever... The Sharasi have always obliterated those who have stood before them using magic, these are people who have never even heard the name Leto! So what excuse does the west have for allowing their true power to dwindle? We've grown passive and inattentive, perhaps even apathetic to the world about us. Many mages of the west have no idea what a gate is, the most fundamental part of magic has been lost to so many. Gates are the basic part of a network inside the human body that allows energy to travel about, this includes the areas where energy is stored, released, and captured.

All humans release some type of energy from their first gate, but only by birth attunement or training can we feel this energy being released. This energy is generally faint and can be used to perform minor feats such as controlling already existent elements such as the fire of a torch or the water of a flowing stream. The power of the first gate is completely dependent on the opening of the second the gate, a task that only a mage or someone who has a strong sense of center can achieve. It is from the second gate that all true mages draw power, and the more power they have the stronger their first gate becomes. This power can be used to create flames from the simple oxygen in the air, or call down great bolts of lightning. In Shara they refer to the second gate as an area of the body known as the Coen Zhusa. The Sharasi unlock energy from the Coen Zhusa by performing spiritual exercises repeatedly from dawn to dusk. Some of the exercises include moving the body about in flowing motions whilst breathing or punching a stone wall until your energy naturally shields your hand from harm. These exercises may appear, to the untrained, to be completely artificial- but they are not. The Sharasi men are capable of releasing amazing energy from their second gate and with little trouble they were able to redirect the energy to any point of their body. Men were able to shatter stones with a single strike. Others were capable of allowing their body to be directly struck by spears and glaives, but sustained no damage. The western mind is not able to comprehend what these men were truly capable of, their power was so raw... Words cannot describe the ferocity which stirred deeply inside their bodies, but that ferocity was inhibited, made to bend to the users will, travel where they wished it, expelled only when they determined it.

Opening the second gate and drawing on its power is no easy task, the men of Shara, as stated before, have trained for years upon years performing the same exercises over and over until their bodies could handle opening the second gate and drawing upon it. Many mages from elsewhere have learned to open the second gate through exercising usage of their first gate, though this seems to be a working system it still can lead to undesirable side effects. Some mages, after first tapping into their second gate claimed they felt as if they were disemboweling themselves and that they needed to vomit to discharge some kind of uneasy force from their bodies. Others suffered through severe lightheaded-ness, temporary loss of the motor skills, consciousness, vision, and numerous other senses such as touch and hearing. These side effects eventually fade away after the second gate has been fully opened and the power within can be tapped into but how far one can exert themselves is still limited by how much energy is stored behind the second gate. Scholars still do not agree what happens to one who overexerts themselves when attempting to tap into their second gate without proper training. The Pyromancer in-training Hessik Vareen could perhaps serve as a model for what might happen to one who is capable of ignoring the side effects of exhaustion and continue to attempt to open their second gate. Hessik was part of an open rebellion of foreigners lead by his teacher Galvin of Aitos. The rebel forces clashed with Aestarian forces at what is now known as the battle of Greenwert. Many of the rebels were killed during this battle, including Galvin, the rebel leader. Hessik on the other hand was captured and carted off to the capital to be tried and executed for treason, but on the way to the capital Hessik and all the men inside his prison cart were caught in a small fiery blast the originated from inside of Hessik's body. According to one rebel Hessik was attempting to conjure forth a hellish inferno in an endeavor to escape but was unable to do so as he had never been train to perform such an act. Allegedly he was wailing in pain, crying and even vomiting but was able to continuously exert himself until he violently cooked himself from the inside out. Hessik's fate should serve as an example to every mage, the example being that they know and understand that they have limits that must be aptly and knowledgeably challenged so that they may overcome them. The idea that you must pace oneself when learning anything is common knowledge, yet many seem to think they can change the rules of anything with magic. The Sharasi believe that purely through strength of will they can rise above and beyond even their own gods who were long ago just ordinary people as well. This idea that a strong will and complete devotion to your art can somehow allow you to achieve a level of perfection, even if it is faux perfection, has left many outsiders completely questioning their own lives. Though Sharasi rarely use their art to control the elements and instead seem to favour using their energy to bolster themselves and their weapons, I believe every mage must look to the east for a true understanding of what magic truly is. Without observing the Sharasi's brilliant and romantic world of recluse warriors in training one can never and should never consider themselves a true master of the magic arts. The Sharasi have much to teach and have always been willing to help others who wish to achieve the ultimate state of understanding, Yeo Danhao.

Yeo Danhao is believed to be the ultimate goal of the Sharasi way. Only one who has dedicated their entire life to being one with the world around them and having complete mastery of their inner energy can achieve this state. It is believed that each of the many gods of the Sharasi religion achieved this absolute state and ultimately became so powerful that they could no longer be contained in a single place, and as such became part of the ambient energy that emanates from all things in nature, the first gateway energy. Though the western understanding of the energy gates is much less mystical and more 'scientific' therefor cementing it as an absolute study rather than a loose teaching, I still find myself more interested in the eastern approach to magic and to my grave I will continue to insist that every mage should make a pilgrimage to the east and study in one of the many autochthonous mountain monasteries.