Welcome to Ryner, a planet rich in magical places, strange creatures and untold secrets.
Ryner is made up of 3 great nations; The Kingdom of Mane, The Republic of Kou and East Londell.
While these nations are currently enjoying a time of peace, they have each declared war on multiple occasions since the creation of the Meister armies some thousand years ago.
These wars were driven as many often are; by political gain, greed, power, territory and resources.
They are also referred to as the “Great Meister Wars”.
THE REPUBLIC OF KOU:
The Millennium Exile story takes place within a region known as the “Republic of Kou”.
Being at the epicenter of both the Rapture and the Sable Fall, Kou’s population is far fewer than that of Mane and Londell.
As a result of these cataclysmic events, much of Kou’s flora and fauna were irreparably altered, giving way to thousands of new species, which now populate much of the world. One thousand years later, and many scars still remain - permanently etched into the planet. Never the less - the residents of Kou live on, as they continue to rebuild the shattered lands that was once a proud nation.
Kou is also the birthplace of the original Miester armies, and it’s dangerous, yet mysterious terrain makes it a haven for explorers, relic hunters, and historians…all hoping to uncover the secrets of a forgotten part of the world.
Ryuuga Metropolis
The Ryuuga Metropolis is the main capital of Solace, Fel Bara.
It is the largest city in Kou, with the exception of Templin in Xerxes. During the Sable Fall, Templin was all but eradicated, leaving nothing but a carcass of the once-great city that stood as a monument to humanity.
The Metropolis serves as a capital for high-end businesses, financial institutions, and world-class research & development facilities.
Ryuuga’s history was not always so bright and prosperous. Its initial construction was a cover-up, designed to hide the impoverished conditions of those who lived within a military compound known as the Ryuuga Ghettos’.
Before the Metropolis, this facility was constructed as a way of quarantining the families of post-war veterans following the Rapture. After the war had ended, a contamination spread across the land as a result of the invasion.
Any humans thought to have been exposed to this plague was forcefully gathered, and held within the military compound under strict supervision.
Years later, after the plague had been eradicated, funding was cut to the military program, and the facility was shut down.
A large wall was constructed - trapping the facilities residents between the high mountains of Starfall Forest and the metropolis being built up around them.
This area soon became a breeding ground for criminal activity and became known as the Ryuuga Ghetto’s.
One thousand years later, and the Ghetto’s origin is but a lost page of history - a secret kept deep within the highest levels of government. A small police presence now stands at the forefront of the ghettos…preventing public access from those within the Metropolis. Rations are scarcely provided by the government and the population are loosely, monitored.
A powerful illusion-based seal was erected atop the fence, in order to prevent civilians in high-rises from peering over and noticing the ghetto’s below. Although generations of culling has prevented a spike in numbers, any Meister’s are quickly relocated at a young age. This is to prevent any possible uprising from occurring.
Heaven's Peak
In the far north lie three large islands known as the Shattered Peninsula and home to the largest mountain on the planet, Heaven's Peak. A frozen tundra, Heaven's Peak is often a popular tourist attraction for people that would attempt to climb and conquer the mountain, however over the years, blizzards and extreme weather conditions have prevented people from climbing it past half way.
Rumors have been circulating of a giant man living on the higher parts of the mountain, and cries of a dragon have been heard emanating from the peak. These whispers have brought even more attention to Heaven's Peak as there are no records of dragons living outside of the Twilight Forest.
If things progress as they are, the entire Shattered Peninsula will become uninhabitable within just a few years. Environmental scientists speculate that these growing cold conditions could become a Kou-wide hazard if left unchecked.
The Twilight Forest
Located on Fel Bara and segregated from society by a perilous mountain range known as the "Forbidden Pass", lies The Twilight Forest. Thousands of years ago, dragons roamed the planet freely, however, during the Rapture, a deep pit was opened up (this would be later referred to as the “Basile Crater”). With this massive hole blasted into the planet, Ryner's core was exposed and caused massive instabilities, threatening the planet's existence. The great Sage dragon, Baltara, flew down into this abyss, wrapping his tail around the planet's core in an attempt to prevent it from breaking apart. Through Baltara's selfless actions, his tail was fused to the core of the planet...his life now one with Ryner and his body growing massive in size.
With the core stabilized, a nature based energy known as "Manna" spewed forth, creating a massive lake now known as the Manna Well. This manna greatly altered the plant-life that grew throughout the forest; enriching the soil and enabling it to produce plant-life that gives off a brilliant luminescent glow, giving rise to trees taller than most buildings.
Having been hunted for their magical properties, all known species of dragon now call this forest their home and they defend it with ferocious tenacity, attacking any human or man made object that reaches the forest's edge or passing overhead.
Because of this threat, very little is known about the Twilight Forest and has been ignored for many years now and is regarded as an impregnable fortress.
The Vega Citadel
Beyond the battle-scarred Vorpal Plains of Kethlar, lies a desert wasteland.
The air here has a heavy curse laid down upon it - remnants of the ill will of an annihilated species that once rivalled the very dragons themselves!
However, scattered throughout this apocalyptic nightmare lie fragmented, makeshift ruins.
Welcome to the Vega Citadel - the city of darkness and nightmares.
Hailing as one of the most mysterious ancient wastelands on Ryner; several sightings of strange creatures are reported every year, as well as a myth of a group of creatures known as the Linage clan are said to inhabit these lands.
Remnant Islands & The Dead Sea
The Dead Sea was once a vast body of water, located at the center of the main island. At the bottom of the seafloor, lies a shallow vein of Manna - a pure and magical energy source that was naturally produced by the planet’s core.
A large facility was constructed, and operated as a drilling site, in order to pump and store massive quantities of manna.
When the Rapture Invasion took place, this structure was targeted and sustained heavy damage throughout the first great Meister war. This caused several reactors to meltdown which led to the facility’s inevitable destruction- thus destroying the rare manna vein.
This explosion also subsequently opened up a permanent flow of magma - running just beneath the water.
Years later, a powerful ancient entity would use this location as his home. This soon led to another devastating calamity known as the “Sable Fall”; in which the previous host of the Wrath (Clough), lost control and became engulfed by its overwhelmingly destructive power.
The Wrath then transformed into a large black tree sprouting from the ground and growing thousands of meters into the air. Its roots tearing through rock and metal alike, devastating the face of Ryner and consuming the geothermal energy from the magma below. Eventually, the tree’s destructive growth was haltered by a Lord named Yui, who possessed a powerful celestial relic. Yui used the relic to perform a seal over the world tree, thus preventing its growth and sealing it away deep beneath the waves of the Dead Sea.
A massive and horrific sacrificial ritual was additionally performed on the waters to ensure the seal stayed true - now staining its waters dark red.
To this day, The Dead Sea remains one of Kou’s most dangerous and forbidden locations.
This passageway is just one of many cracks throughout the island’s surface, leading out to the Dead Sea itself.
Some think these cylindrical objects are fossilized black roots from the world tree, while others believe them to be remnants of the destroyed mana-tapping facility.
Ventris Island
Located South of Xerxes, Ventris is a hidden island that is covered with a protective cloak.
By utilizing a powerful seal, light is reflected from both the sun and the sea, to successfully camouflage the Island from sight.
Hidden deep within this tropical paradise lies Pulse, GRAVE’s main headquarters and base of operations.
All GRAVE personnel live on base, however, outside information of the island’s whereabouts and existence is highly classified… reserved exclusively for Vaan’s personal contacts within the world military and high-ranking government officials.