Hello travelers,
Welcome to Vulkan, a land of swordsmen and knights, magicians and sorcerers, summoners and tamers, beasts and monsters, where you can find all kinds of different races, from the biggest giant to the smallest fairy, where anything can happen.
Countless millenniums ago, the Gods, Saints and Demons united themselves, created an alliance and divided all off us Deities into Ranks, commanded by the strongest ones of each faction. This was all made to retire the endless wars that had taken place since any of us could remember. However, after the end of the war, Deities needed a new objective to point their focus to, so the Upper Ranks decided we would use all of our powers to forge several worlds, in an attempt to kindle the fiery spirits that had been dimmed by the end of the war. It took a long time, a lot of effort and power, so the Deities pay close attention to all of their worlds.
Vulkan is only one among the many, but it still catches a lot of attention due to its intricate existence. A lot of powerful deities invested a lot of effort in the creation of this specific world, to make sure things would be entertaining to them. It all started with the creation of the 7 major different races:
Humanoids – the most numerous and diverse; able to follow any path, yet not particularly skilled in any of them; simple yet complicated, most easily controlled by their urges (Standard humans, Illitharim, Giants, Three-eyed humans, etc.).
Demy – humanoid creatures that have a strong connection with nature and animals; slightly longer lifetimes; small in size compared to most of the other races; not particularly adept at any specific path (Gnomes, Dwarves, Hobbits and Elves).
Wylde – fur covered, anthropomorphic humanoids; more agile, better reflexes, senses of sight, earing or smell, and adept in direct combat, having more difficulties understanding magic or technologies (Skinwalkers, Cyncus, Skinchangers and Fishman).
Mystic – created exclusively by the Saints, the Mystic are beings from all sizes, with all kinds of different features; associated with the occult, they usually possess great aptitudes for mana or spirits; some even able to transverse into different realities or dimensions; depending on which sub-specie, highly skilled in magic or with great physical attributes (Fairies, Vedalken, Ents, Titans, Goliaths, etc.).
Demoniks – created exclusively by the Demons, the Demoniks have a tough constitution and great strength; usually born with horns, spikes or exoskeletons; strong connection, resistance and aptitude with fire and similar elements (Devils, Greenskins, Tieflings, Succubus, etc.).
Celestials – created exclusively by the Gods, the Celestials are seen as beautiful creatures with overwhelming power and imposing figures; great in almost every physical aspect, with great speed, strength and constitution, at the same time they have a great aptitude for magic (Aasimar, Assimon, Angels, Paragons, Fallen Angels, etc.).
Majin – creatures with the toughest exteriors, some of them reaching heights that can easily surpass giants, they were created with chaos as the only purpose and to make sure none of the remaining race is able to completely dominate the lands, having features that allows them to resist most of the other races (Colossi, Dragons, Dragonborns, Drakes and Lizardfolk).
A few centuries after forging all of the worlds, the Upper Ranked Deities decided to constrain all of their inhabitants due to a problem that had led to the destruction of one of the first worlds. The matter was decided unanimously by the Upper Ranks, but the remaining Deities had no say in the matter, not even informing us properly about what led to that world's destruction. There were a lot of assumptions that the change was meant to defend ourselves, limiting how dangerous they might become.
Personally, I think the truth should be much simpler, they created the limitations because mortals are easier to control this way.
Due to the limitations, mortals would have to take centuries to reach the first step towards enlightenment and start the path to become a Deity, having to break through several barriers that become harder and harder as you progress. Due to their short lifetimes, it should be impossible for that to happen. This way, they have no choice but to look at us Deities as unreachable creatures, to be praised and listened to, in fear of what they might do otherwise. Which is how the world has been functioning ever since.
Mortals don't even remember how it used to be, so now they are used to living with limitations and are proud to show how many levels they have broken through, using it as a way to compare their strengths. In truth, it is not as linear as that. Each barrier is somewhat relative, so someone might have more trouble breaking through a specific level but still be stronger than someone who has broken through 2 or 3 more.
There are around a dozen different paths to break through these barriers and the ones who start this journey are usually referred to as cultivators or warriors. Each path can have several sub-paths farther down the future, so there are a lot of different ways to become strong, depending on each individual's strengths and weaknesses.
One usually follows a path after analysing what sort of energy they are more compatible with:
Mana – Energy that flows on the outside and is part of the world, imbued into its very creation. Mana is everywhere. To use mana, one must understand how it works. To be able to absorb the energy into their body they need a lot of practice, carefully studying books on the matter, adding the input of their own experiences. They have a limit to how much and how fast they can absorb Mana, as this limit grows with them. The user must flow the mana in their body before they can use it to perform spells. It requires great intellect and dedication.
It is required to follow the path of Wizards, Clerics or Paladins.
Spirits – Energy that is part of every element or being as, after they perish, said energy flows through the air. Spirits never truly die, they are simply freed, only to be reborn once again. To use Spirits, one needs to understand them before they can even try to absorb them. Then, they must understand the flow of the energy and guide it through their body. The energy will eventually be absorbed, as the time and the quantity depend on their talent and luck. They have a limit to how many Spirits they can absorb, as this limit grows with them. The user must incorporate the Spirits into their body, with a smooth enough flow, before they can use it to perform spells. It requires great talent, aptitude and time. It is required to follow the path of Sorcerers, Druids or Rangers.
Damon – Once a creature that contains incredible power perishes and turns into a strong enough Spirit, it may be able to turn itself into a Damon. Unlike regular Spirits, a Damon will not lose its rationality and it will still be able to move, communicate and think, even if to a much smaller scale than when it was alive. As the creature no longer has the body to support itself, the Spirit needs to approach someone it deems worthy of its power and propose a deal: If the other party accepts, the spiritual creature offers both its power and guidance to the them, as the Damon starts residing in the mind and body of the other party. The Spirit may not harm them, but it may choose to stop giving them their power at any time. Once accepted, the mortal becomes a Warlock, unable to use any of the other energies and totally dependent on their companion Damon.
Ki – Energy that flows inside your body. To use Ki, one most have a perfect understanding of their own body. Ki is created through meditation, where the user must feel the energy flowing through his body, increasing with every breath. Similarly to mana, there is a limit to how much Ki the user has and how fast he can create it. After being proficient with it, the user may turn his Ki into a specific element. Ki is mainly used to physically strengthen the user and their weapons or armour. It requires a strong physique and a lot of effort and training. This energy is not necessarily required for any path, but it is usually associated with Fighters, Monks, Barbarians and Rogues.
Now that you have learned most of what you need, our story begins in Odyssey, one of the six Great Kingdoms of this world, which may be considered the weakest, not because their inhabitants are weaker than the others, but more related to how divided they are compared to the remaining Great Kingdoms. Odyssey is composed of 9 lands, but out of all of them, only 5 are considered countries, as the remaining are too disorganized, unruled and dangerous to be considered as such. Even amongst these five only four have open borders, as the land of Wano tries as best as it can to cut their connections with the remaining four.
So, out of those five, we have Magnolia, that connects Odyssey to the rest of the world and, as such, it's the most developed country in this Great Kingdom, with the greatest economy, the biggest and most populated cities, the most buildings, the best ports, the most talented artificiers, doctors, blacksmiths, etc., and the least beast/monster attacks in this Great Kingdom.
By its side, we have Hazard, a less populated city, that focuses more on farming, hunting and fishing. It isn't as populated as Magnolia but, without it, neither Magnolia nor Alabasta could exist as it does now, as most of the food that these two lands consume come from here. Not to mention their vast meat and fish resources, Hazard's soil is so fertile and their climate is so ideal that they can farm almost anything, from simple vegetables to the most exotic fruits.
With a bit of a harsher land and weather we have Alabasta, a land of the desert. It might have the least developed cities among the 5 countries, but it also has a lot of resources as it is filled with minerals and monsters, having the most mercenaries, travelers and hunters, be it monster hunters, beast hunters, treasure hunters or even bounty hunters. Besides the beasts that roam near their cities, they have almost no food resources, so they are especially dependent on Hazard.
A bit more independent than the remaining ones, Dressrosa has the most peaceful and beautiful cities and is the perfect place for arts, which is why it also has the most paintors, sculpturors, musicians, cooks, street performers and followers of all arts. Dressrosa has a good climate and it has enough resources to feed itself, so it doesn't need the other countries as much as they need each other. Dressrosa is able to remain so peaceful due to the strength of its guards, as they are able to contain anyone that tries to start trouble in their cities.
Finally, a little bit up north, surrounded by the great forest on all sides, the land of Wano, is both the weakest and the strongest among all of Odyssey. On one hand, it has the least number of warriors compared to the other countries. Besides, they aren't that much diversified in terms of classes, as most of them are Fighters, mainly weapon users, having several swordsmen, spearmen and archers. On the other hand, their warriors overall are more skilled than any other of the 4 countries and their weapons are extremely good, having some, if not the most talented blacksmiths in all of Odyssey. As such, they are the strongest in terms of quality and the weakest in terms of quantity.
The strength of these warriors is not a simple blessing of the gods, as Wano has given birth to such strong individuals due to, in great part, the harsh climate they have to live throughout their lives. They lived surrounded by the great forest, filled with the most terrifying beasts, and to feed their population they need to hunt such beasts on a frequent basis, so they have no choice but to be strong, or else a lot of them would starve to death.
Their culture and how they raise their younglings also proved to be determining factor to achieve such heights. They test each child for their greatest strenths and weaknesses, trying to figure out what they should focus on while they are still young, so that they can reinforce it throughout their life.
They focus more on specialized warriors but cooperation is a big part of their training, as they are aware they need to fill in for each other's weaknesses. They teach them how to wield weapons that are perfect and adequate to each of them when they are still infants, following the path of a warrior from an extremely young age. They imbue a specific set of rules, ideals and dogmas into their minds, preaching the Way of the Samurai almost as a religion. Because of this and the fact that they do not let outsiders into their village, they don't have to worry about betrayals or internal conflicts.
Besides these countries, Odyssey has four more lands that are considered very dangerous, where only the strongest races and tribes can survive, which is why no territory was properly implemented and why they never became countries.
Up north, with, possibly, the coldest weather in all of Vulkan, remains the Land of Zou, that is almost inhabitable. One needs to have been born with a specific constitution to be able to survive in such conditions for a long period of time, so only a few different races live here. Most of its inhabitants are extremely strong but they aren't able to grow in numbers the same way humans do, due to their constitutions. Although humans are the race with the most potential, as they can follow almost any path they wish, be it a fighter, a sorcerer or a tamer, they can still be considered as one of the weakest species in general, as most of them are weak. Humans are able to progress and become strong due to one thing, and that is numbers. They are able to reproduce much quicker than all the other races, excluding only beasts or monsters. Contrarily, the races that are strong enough to live in Zou usually have a hard time reproducing, to the point that it's hard to have a growing population due to all the fatalities they have. Their natality and mortality rate are extremely close, so it's a big struggle to progress and grow.
Farther to the east remains Namek, also known as the great forest, filled with all kinds of beasts and monsters. This place is extremely harsh due to their one and only law, the law of the jungle, as only the strong can survive. Any weak person that invades this territory will immediately die, as any beast that feels their scent will search for them until it can turn them into their meal. And the farther into the forest you go, towards east, the more likely you are to die. One of the reasons that Wano is able to stay isolated and to achieve such strength is because it's surrounded by the Namek forest, so few people are able to travel towards Wano, especially if you are not sure of where it is. Wano warriors also grow stronger by testing themselves in the forest and seeing how further in they can go. The farther east you go, the better your score.
Between the two lands of Namek and Zou is Aincrad, a land that is somewhat of a mix of the two, with lots of mountains, trees and beasts, but still more accessible towards travelers searching for an adventure. The main problem of this area is that you may find some aggressive races, so you definitely still need to be careful.
Finally, the last land of Odyssey, Sabaody, a small island in the middle of the Sabaody Lake, that few individuals even know the existence of. This land is occupied by mystic species and aquatic races, as other species shouldn't know of it, and, even if they did, almost no one who was born without the ability to freely move and breathe underwater will dare travel to such a land. The lake is filled with terrifying creatures that attack anything that tries to invade their territory. Even those who can freely move in the water have to be careful and only travel through specific paths, to avoid confronting these creatures.
Anyway, you should also know that there are 5 other continents and Odyssey is one of the weakest ones, but I am sure we will get to them in the future.
OK, now that you have a general idea of this world, let's zoom back in… There is Odyssey… Magnolia is right here… A little to the left… A little up aaaaaaannnnnnndddddd that's it! Right in the center of the Amestri city! The Amestri Prison, the most impenetrable and guarded building in all of Odyssey. And in that room right there, the little office on the fifth floor in the west wing, something picked my interest.
I can see the past of every mortal I look into, as well as their fate, not being able to predict the future or knowing exactly what they are going to do, but vaguely aware of what waits for them in the near or far future. But something around here has been obstructing my vision. I have been observing this world for the last few centuries, and this is the first time anything remotely similar to this has happened. It took me some time to locate that interference all the way to this room, but now I know for sure it comes from here…
In this room, I can see 15 individuals, seven on each side of the room and one in the middle. On one side are the regular guards. In front of them, in the middle of the room, is Brutous, a big, muscular man with an unshaved face, rebellious black hair, a sleeveless shirt, loose pants and a long saber-sword tied to his belt. By his shabby look, one wouldn't believe that he is one of the highest-ranking guards in here … but if one is observant enough, they shall easily perceive that he definitely has more than enough strength to wield such a position.
On the other side of the room, facing him are the remaining 7 individuals, all separated with their hands tied behind their back and their heads covered by individual bags. I believe these guys are the source of the blur. They are not particularly strong, as they are still too young. You wouldn't have to search for very long to find someone stronger than them. Perhaps not the 7 in front of them, which are just regular guards, but any elite guard in this prison is much stronger than any of them, not to mention a high-ranking officer such as Brutus.
The 7 mysterious creatures are wearing a jet-black uniform, simple white shoes and have chains tying their arms and legs together. Even though their faces are still covered, anyone can see that these individuals aren't simple humans based on their silhouettes.
One of them is borderline gigantic, another one is a bit smaller but still pretty big and seems to have a gigantic head, as the bag over it seems stretched beyond its limits. On his shoulder rests a small, extremely tiny prisoner, covered mostly by a tiny bag, slightly bigger than a thimble.
Brutous orders one of the guards to take the bags from their heads, acting like he is too busy to do it, savoring his tobacco leafs. The guard does as he is told, and we can finally see the face of these individuals. The moment the first bag is taken off, a big mane almost jumps out, as if it was so compacted it was about to burst out on its own.
The first individual is a big white leonin, a Wylde Skinwalker that takes the characteristics of a humanoid white lion.
Sitting on his shoulder, with an annoyed look upon her tiny face, is a blonde Mystic Fairy with two black marbles tied to her little legs.
Having some difficulties staying up, stands an old looking young Human male. I can tell he is only around 20 years old, but due to his feeble physique, decrepit skin and huge dark circles around his eyes, most people would assume he is an elder man. He seems to be the most agitated and fearful among the group.
Next to them is a small young Human male with tanned skin, long jet-black hair and navy-blue eyes. He is definitely still a growing child, probably 14 or 15 years old but, even so, he is nowhere near the age of the youngest prisoners in this place. He is able to remain calm and peaceful even in this type of situation.
By his side, a gigantic Mystic Goliath with strong, big and defined muscles, blueish grey skin, a thick silver mustache and grey markings that start on his forehead, run across his head, keep going down his neck and upper back. He probably had more marks on his body, but the only parts of his skin that could be seen were his hands, his head and his neck, as the rest was covered by the prison's attire, similarly to his remaining colleagues. His worried face seemed somewhat peculiar due to his huge frame.
On contrast, with a completely carefree demeanor is what seems to be another regular Human male, with tanned skin, black short hair, average frame and slightly above average looking features. He seemed to be more concerned with the females around him than the situation he found himself in.
At the end of the line stood a Demy Wood-Elf girl with milky white skin, blond short hair, pointy ears and yellow eyes, never letting her killer gaze die down.
Who are these individuals and how did they get here? What makes them so special that I cannot tell anything about their fate? Not only that, as they are also interfering with the remaining guards' fate. Brutus was supposed to die in a few years, after he messed with someone he shouldn't have, but that fate seems to be changing … I don't know into what or even why it's changing…
I am not sure if it's one of them that influenced the remaining ones or if all of them have this weird characteristic … Even though I can still see their past, I can't see what their fate holds. It's like their fates are connected and everything becomes blurry and obscured. Either way, let's start by analyzing the past and we shall each draw our own conclusions after that.