9. Into The World

(Sidebar) This book contains a brief overview of the Dark Return setting. More information can be found at DarkReturn.com 

Excerpts from “The Guide to Uteria; A view of a strange dark world.” by Aldyn Wayfarer, Druid

Uteria

Uteria is a world that has been ravaged by the dark and irresponsible use of magic. Vast swaths of land have been left desolate by the Great War, while others have been plagued with disease, famine, and mutations. Some lands have been touched less by the destruction, but none have escaped unscathed.

Magic had disappeared from Uteria for hundreds of years and was, therefore, often viewed as a myth by common people. It has only recently begun to return in the last few decades. When encountered, magic is usually met with fear, awe, and suspicion.

Uteria is impoverished by centuries of plague and misfortune, so most people do not own a sword or a bow. They are farmers and merchants, and for most, their supplies run thin. They do not have gold to toss around but rely on small amounts of silver to buy meals or pay for seeds. Those who venture into the wilds in search of ruins and treasure often find death before they become rich.

And while the world has many continents, peoples, and stories, this story takes place on the continent of Atheles.

Atheles

Atheles is a continent in the world of Uteria.  Filled with diverse people, plants, and animals, a single book is not enough to describe it. The name Atheles is taken from the old elven word Ath’eles which means imperfect. The lands are commonly divided into regions, referred to as the Northlands, Westlands, Eastlands, and Southlands. This simplicity is due to the turbulent years that have scarred the lands and peoples. Since the Great War and the Disappearance, the lands have fallen to darkness. Plagues, war, and lack of resources dwindled the peoples into a shadow of their former selves. The last 30 years have seen significant changes to the continent. Nations and peoples have banded together to rebuild the world. Modeled on the ancient cultures of the Age of Kingdoms, the new world was starting to find a new balance. That was until the Return happened.

The Dark Return

From the personal journal of Aldyn:

The Dark Return is the name given to the return of magic and creatures thought lost since the Great War.

The supposed first instance of the Return was in 5677, in the small town of Raven’s Rift, somewhere out west. It’s an easy date to remember; it was the same year I was born. My mother never let me forget the odd little child that I was. She always cursed me and said I must have been born from a fey. If I was, I wish a little more of their magic had worn off on me. But anyways, that’s the first time magic was found to be back in the lands, in the infamous cycle known as my birth year. Now the wizards in Ish say their magic never left, and strange things have always wandered out of the Wastes, but it was 5677 when a young woman cast a spell in the town center of Raven’s Rift and started the whole thing. 

For years after that, more and more people showed their ability with what most haughty scholars call “the Arts”. Even with the strange new creatures plaguing the world, many in the world were happy, if not a little wary. News of the magic spread like wildfire, but there was no time to celebrate as soon after the shadows seemed to come alive and demons started crawling out of every cave and burrow. After that, travel and news dried up like the last bit of a beer on a warm day. 

This phenomenon was renamed the Dark Return in 5683, right when I was starting to find I could light fires by saying funny words or heal small animals with the right amount of humming and herbs. I knew it was not good to have the ability to do these things, so I hid it. Like most kids do with the toad they grabbed, I boxed it up and slid it into the recesses under my bed. The reason it was called the Dark Return is because it is when the whole Never seemed to burst open. The first ghuls poured forth from the Wastes. They were twisted creatures, bent on killing all that was found in their path. And then the giants came down from the mountains and stole whole herds to feed their ravenous appetites. After them all manner of beasts and foul monsters slithered out of every forest and field, and people grew scared. Of course, out of all of them, the greatest monsters were us. Once we started to find the power in magic, lines were drawn, flags were flown, and we went about killing each other to see who could put their flag in more places. While the soldiers and sorcerers fought in battlefields, the commoners had to deal with all manner of dark beasts making their already tough lives tougher. Luckily the Return Wars didn’t last long as there wasn’t much to fight for, and people fell into the new world of magic, demons, and fear.

Three Realities

There are three known universes in which sentient creatures reside.

Uteria

The world we reside in, this planet surrounded by unknown space and stars. The elves talk of travel among the stars and that there are other planets, but this seems little more than a myth as any way to travel these distances has long been lost. Uteria is often referred to in scholarly texts as the prime plane of existence. Two main continents fill this world, Atheles and Tuya. 

The In-Between

The In-Between is a nebulous plane that exists between all known universes. It is a limbo filled with microcosms of different varying environments. It is everywhere and nowhere. The In-Between overlaps both Uteria and the Navirim. During the Disappearance, many of the more magical species of Uteria found themselves trapped in this limbo, living in this foggy desolate land. 

Navirim

The Navirim is a dream-like universe whose very physics are different from ours. It is bound to our universe by some strange force, and many scholars believe that it is colliding with our plane of existence. Monstrous and ancient horrors cross the boundary from the Navirim to our realm. These demons, as many call them, have thrown our world into turmoil. As the boundaries between our two realities draw closer, what new catastrophes could our worlds face?

Magic

Magic has only begun to return in the past 30 years. The magic that is known is either ancient and being relearned or new and untested. Magic is distrusted in many places, or its newfound power is used to gain influence and control over people and lands. 

A nightmare returned

Magic is what destroyed the world hundreds of years ago, and its return is viewed by many as a portent for a future cataclysm. In many parts of Atheles, the use of magic is not only shunned, but also punished, sometimes even with death. 

Magic brings power

Some places such as Eredar, the tower of wizards, are moving at a fast pace to relearn and use magic to try and benefit the lands. In other places, like Uthgard, it is used by government and religious powers to solidify their hold over their kingdom.

Old artifacts are sought after

Artifacts from ancient days are wanted and collected by many of those in power. A popular, but dangerous, way to gain wealth and renown is hunting and recovering ancient magic items and texts.