Xon Droste
From the frozen wastelands of Bolslov to the blistering dunes of the Aruvian Empire, the continent of Xon Droste is a world comprised of many conflicting cultures and diverse environments. People have made their homes wherever the land has allowed, leading them to the rolling hills of Veaure, the frigid isles of Oskaldr, and the humid swampland of Lorívia. In Xon Droste, the obsidian temples of Krennis cling to cliff sides on Ekrisia, forgotten monuments of ancient monarchs tower over the villagers of southern Azarithnea, and the life-giving waters of the Rhulli River that brought rise to the city of Vothira are halted by Vothira’s gate, a monumental dam built in reverence to an Aruvian god.
For millennia, the inhabitants of the continent have felt they were put here by supernatural forces - gods, they believe in and still honor today. Though the identities of these gods and the cultures of these people have diverged over time, many of the underlying practices that unified the people in the early days of civilization remain today. The art of mask-making, for example, has persisted throughout the continent, though it now takes on many varied forms.
In Azarithnea, masks and other practices rely on the use of nectar, a substance crafted from human blood in the entrails of swamp leeches. Nectar introduced the concept of magic - the ability to perform supernatural feats after nectar has been introduced into the bloodstream. Use of magic varies widely throughout the continent, ranging from a central art in Azarithnea, to a forbidden practice in Lorívia.
For millennia, the inhabitants of the continent have felt they were put here by supernatural forces - gods, they believe in and still honor today. Though the identities of these gods and the cultures of these people have diverged over time, many of the underlying practices that unified the people in the early days of civilization remain today. The art of mask-making, for example, has persisted throughout the continent, though it now takes on many varied forms.
In Azarithnea, masks and other practices rely on the use of nectar, a substance crafted from human blood in the entrails of swamp leeches. Nectar introduced the concept of magic - the ability to perform supernatural feats after nectar has been introduced into the bloodstream. Use of magic varies widely throughout the continent, ranging from a central art in Azarithnea, to a forbidden practice in Lorívia.
Contemporary Xon Droste
The world of Xon Droste today is shaped largely by its cultural interactions and natural landscape. Historically, the Aruvian Empire and Azarithnea have been at odds, warring on and off. Now, the two empires keep a fragile peace, threatened by the Aruvian Empire’s disastrous attempt to secure a border between the states - a border that has desolated much of the land between the two. The conflict has sent thousands to take refuge in Parramicci, where the people watch the struggle and the spreading Aruvian Plague with worry. To the north, Oskaldr has discovered a new culture hidden in the far reaches of the northern oceans, bringing Bolslov into the struggles of the continent for the first time in thousands of years. To the west, Wyver wages a secret war with Veaurisian nobility using new and deadly weapons, while both regions are suffering from the volcanic winter emanating from the recent eruption on Krennis. Meanwhile in the deserts of the Kuun, strange creatures emerging from the mountains threaten nearby tribes. Disasters have lead the world down a desperate path, but at the same time, ripened it for adventure. . .
Regions of Xon Droste
The Natural World
About this Project
Xon Droste was initially begun as an exercise in world building. As college students looking for a creative outlet (or more specifically, young adults looking for a method of procrastination that at least felt productive), we began by drawing a rough map, dividing it into sections, and talking about what kind of interactions the people in those areas probably had. At the beginning, most of these sections only had one defining feature - like Bolslov’s isolation from the rest of the continent, or Azarithnea’s proximity to magic producing creatures - an early idea we had for the world. Over time, however, these different sections of our map began to develop in our minds, gaining separate cultures, histories, and even religions. For months, we poured our free time into this project without any real end-goal, and it continued to grow, even after college when we ceased to live in the same city.
Now, with well over a book’s worth of information and counting, we’d like to share what we’ve come up with in the hopes that other people will gain entertainment, inspiration, and just a little bit of the enjoyment we’ve had out of this project. We intend to slowly upload the information we’ve written, so if you see a page that’s unfinished, fear not! Over time more will be uploaded as it is edited and completed.
Now, with well over a book’s worth of information and counting, we’d like to share what we’ve come up with in the hopes that other people will gain entertainment, inspiration, and just a little bit of the enjoyment we’ve had out of this project. We intend to slowly upload the information we’ve written, so if you see a page that’s unfinished, fear not! Over time more will be uploaded as it is edited and completed.