In Narosia the players portray a group of adventurers, typically sanctioned professionals charged with defeating any who might threaten the peace and progress of the world. All governments around the Sea of Tears Basin acknowledge the Declaration of Talimane, a document issued by Lord Drakewyn, the High King of Aetaltis, calling for adventurers to address challenges with agility and precision no nation or army can possess. (See p. XX for more information about the Declaration of Talimane.) In a world that has suffered subjugation by a fallen god, liberation by alien would-be conquerors, civilization-shattering cataclysm and the creeping doom of the Void, these opportunities and the motivations to pursue them are numerous and varied.
Motivations
While individual motivations vary, most adventurers possess one or more of the following Motivations. Rarely will a group of adventurers share the same motivation, and the interaction of individual motivations will often define the group dynamic. Pursuit of a single motivation rarely obviates another as elements of each are often found on the path of any particular one.
LIBERATION
The world was saved by the arrival of the Atlan Empire from another world. The might of the Empire pushed the Fel forces of Endroren into the Deepland Halls, once the domain of the tsverg. Holy servitors, channeling the power of the gods, then sealed these halls to ensure the Fel Hordes would never escape. As time has passed, many believe the Deepland Halls must be reclaimed, and The Fel pushed even deeper into the earth. It is these individuals that work to open the seals, liberate the halls, and reclaim their lost heritage.
RESTORATION
Leveraging victory over the forces of Endroren, the Atlan Empire became the dominant culture in Narosia despite their alien status. Cities, towns, and villages grew overnight as the Empire flourished far and wide, accelerated by a network of magical gates between all of the Empire’s major cities and the single Worldgate to the Atlan home world. For a brief period, prosperity for all seemed the order of the day – until the Cataclysm shattered that fragile peace. Chaotic energies surged through the network of gates, culminating in apocalyptic destruction as each gate in turn exploded, showering the land with shards of Voidstone and calling those beyond the pale to come to this world. After hundreds of years the ruins of the Atlan Empire continue to hold vast secrets, wealth, and power, but they are perpetually guarded by Voidspawn, demons, and their Qliphothic masters. Many adventurers see the opportunity to reclaim this lost knowledge by venturing into the cities and fortresses of old, whether to purge it of demonic influence, restore it to the demesne, or harvest it for wealth and glory.
EXPLORATION
Through the trials of history, much of the previously-known world has become lost. From the Eloren Wilds created by the hubris of the Queen of the Eloren court and her failed divine ascension, to the blowing sands of the Scythaan Wastes, lost treasures from ancient eras abound. Those adventurers who press beyond the known world may even find fabled artifacts of the Age of Sorcery, items of power that defy the will of the gods. Such discoveries bring with them wealth and fame, as well as the scrutiny of crown and pantheon – their possession is enough to risk life for legend.
HUNTING
Threatened from above and below, the world remains a dangerous place. After the Age of Darkness pockets of Endrori, minions of the fallen god Endroren, continue to threaten the peace. The destruction of the Cataclysm heralding the arrival of the Voidspawn altered this threat even further. While the Endrori cling to the shadows, swarms of Voidspawn rage out of the ruins of the Atlan Empire. The Declaration of Talimane created a formal structure to reward those who hunt down these enemies of civilization and further expand the peace. Those who pursue this evil are as feared as they are respected, and while they often find far less wealth than explorers, liberators, or restorationists, their singularity of purpose provides a stability and direction that few can match.