An Out-Of-Setting Introduction to Aetherworld
This page is written for potential players of Starlight: 515, so it will not mention anything after that year. Starlight: 515 branches into an alternate timeline and there is no expectation for it to remain consistent with post-515 events on the wiki.
Aether
Aether is a substance that appeared in the air after the Enchantment. It amplifies the physical force of compressed air beyond what is normally possible, and has semantically-determined effects when put into specific shapes. See Aetherpower.
Soon after the Enchantment, individuals (wizards) learned to control the semantic aspects of aetherpower. This was quite dangerous to learn, but simple spells could be replicated and taught easily. Wizards became economically and socially indispensible. Additionally, some countries (such as Arkand and Ercos) began to industrially produce compressed air and explore the industrial applications of mechanical aetherpower.
In 346, the triplex compressor was invented, a windmill-like compressor that can fill consumer-size canisters. This kickstarted a sort of industrial revolution, and aetherpower is used as ubiquitously as electricity or the combustion engine (neither of which exist in aetherworld). Generally as of 515, the cultural and tech level is between 1850-1920 depending on the region.
Countries
There are two continents: Lanteen (west) and Itaan (east). (The world is a sphere, east and west is how they appear on standard world maps).
Arkand
- In southern Itaan
- Extremely industrialized
- Governed by a Board of vertical syndicates, see syndicate accords
- Generally somewhat aggressive/warlike, has spies everywhere
Delsin
- Autonomous region of Stolmont
- Libertarian research center anarchy
Ercos
- Freezing cold industrial-optimization zone
- Largest producer of blue (standard grade) air
- Centrally planned economy, generally isolationist
Ikara
- southeast bit of lanteen and nearby islands
- Civil service democracy
- Former colony of Arkand, tumultuous history
- Current de-facto prime minister really hates beasts
Kogane
- Isolated island nation west of delsin
- See Nine Knot War
Kota
- southwest bit of lanteen
- Notable for industrially refining air into emerald (highest-grade)
- opaque politics (because i havent figured out how they work)
Liara
- very rich city-state in the cormorant strait (venice vibes), which is the west-east passing in northern lanteen
- known for the cormorant lock system
- formerly part of Tilia, still very friendly and ruled by a branch of their royal family
Lusquo
- tiny island nation east of liara that exists mostly to get reversed-falklands’d like 200 years after this game takes place
Marisa
- also kind of tiny but also the home of the largest shipping company in the world
Monnais
- like if revolutionary france stuck with it
- northern 1/3rd ish of itaan
Qamar
- pretty underdeveloped tbh
- collect emerald air from the upper atmosphere in balloons/planes
- middle 1/3rd ish of itaan
Stolmont
- in the same archipelago of Marisa
- cultural hub/vacation spot
- does watches/lenses (it’s swiss/dutch kinda)
tilia
- east coast is roaring 20s art deco, rest is old west frontier
- technically a monarchy but the monarch doesnt get involved in day-to-day governance and historically privatizes a lot of stuff
Cerevis
- not a country; north pole region with various tribes that nobody really knows much about
- currently being united by Ataya “Scamdalf” Drongo