Eclipsed Realms RPG

Genre

Dark Fantasy with Cosmic Horror and Elemental Mysticism

Overview

A fragmented world trapped in a perpetual solar eclipse, divided between the fading light of dying suns and the chaotic shadows of the void. Elemental forces govern the realms, and ancient beings known as "The Eclipsed Ones" manipulate reality. Survival and magic are deeply intertwined with the elemental balance.

Geography

The Splintered Lands: The world is broken into floating, continent-sized islands suspended in a void. Each island is an ecosystem tied to a specific element: fire, water, earth, air, light, shadow, metal, and aether. Travel between these islands is dangerous, requiring the use of ancient skyships or arcane portals. Each land is constantly shifting, as the void warps reality around them.

Technology

A blend of arcane-infused machinery and elemental alchemy. Ancient technologies from the Pre-Eclipse Era have been scavenged and repurposed. Skyships powered by elemental cores, weaponry crafted from crystallized aether, and steam-powered golems are common. Societies use "Glyph-tech" — magical runes that enhance tools and devices — as the primary means of technological advancement.

Magic

Elemental Confluence: Magic is derived from the elemental energies that permeate the world. The balance between the elements is crucial; too much reliance on one can cause catastrophic instability. There are seven schools of magic, each corresponding to an element, and "Eclipsed Magic," a forbidden art that taps into the void between the realms, allowing for reality-bending effects at a great cost to the user.

Factions

The Celestials: Worshipers of the fading light, they believe the world can be saved by rekindling the dying suns. They are devoted to preserving order and restoring the Pre-Eclipse Era. The Void Cults: Followers of The Eclipsed Ones, they seek to harness the power of the void to reshape the world in their image, believing that true strength lies in embracing the darkness. The Elemental Guilds: These are neutral parties focused on maintaining the balance of elemental forces across the realms, ensuring the survival of all. Their politics are intricate, as they walk the fine line between cooperation and competition.

Threats

The Eclipsed Ones: Primordial beings that embody the void. They are neither fully alive nor dead, and their influence warps reality itself. They appear during the most intense eclipses, sowing chaos and destruction. Elemental Aberrations: Unstable creatures born from elemental imbalance. They are hostile to all life and often infest areas where the elemental balance has been disrupted. Void Storms: Massive, chaotic storms that sweep across the void between islands, warping reality and often bringing with them Eclipsed Ones or elemental disasters.

Theme

A struggle for survival in a dying world, where the balance of elemental forces is key to staving off oblivion. Characters grapple with the temptations of power, the consequences of their actions, and the nature of reality itself as they navigate the fragmented world under the constant threat of eclipse.