Do you like maps? I like maps. Wanna see a rough map I made 1.5 years ago? My hand drawn one doesn’t scan very well, so I decided to quickly whip up a janky Inkarnate version the whole program is super weird and difficult to use, so there’s no trees on this map >.< This is the world of Blood and Roses, it’s called The Continent, there are a few small islands off some of the coasts, they aren’t included here. Other than the islands, the Continent is the only known landmass.
Here’s a work in progress map:
The Fourth Empire
The primary power on the continent is the Fourth Empire, which rules from the warm, pleasant, lovely idyllic southern shores all the way to the boundary mountains, the far north is not part of the Empire. Incredibly religious, the Church, whom dictate worship of the Rose Goddess, commands near absolute power underneath the Emperor himself. Magic is forbidden, under threat of the dangerous and powerful Inquisition, whom also serve the Emperor directly.
However the Fourth is a sham, especially in the south, where every building is gilded with shining silver, every street is immaculately clean, every church window scrubbed diligently every day. Children sing in orderly choirs of the Fourth’s glory, the Heartland’s vast swathes of fertile fields are laden with nature’s generous bounty. The capital is a beacon of order, beauty, power, and the staggering strength of the imperial machine.
Stray from the capital, to the mountains belting the south and beyond, and you’ll see the truth. The buildings of Middenland are rundown, their windows boarded up, streets are cracked and broken, the churches are dirty and forgotten. The Hinterlands is choked by encroaching wilds, by stagnant imperial funding and endless administrative neglect. The Halberni, ever a thorn in the Empire’s side, have never accepted their annexation, and their vicious mistreatment by imperial forces is only rivaled by the myriad dangers that slowly creep ever closer to the Heartland. Every province north of the great lake knows the truth, even if they’re afraid to admit it,
The Fourth Empire is dying, slowly and rather painfully.
Administrative failures aside, the denizens of the continent have to contest with rampant plagues, ceaseless crime, famines and floods and droughts and terrible storms rolling up from the violent northern seas to ravage crops and shoddily built homes. The frontier struggles, Halbern is slowly dwindling, but even in the cozy heart of the Fourth, the people still live in fear. None are safe, not really, not from monsters.
Monsters and Hunters
The Hunter’s Guild defines a monster as any creature created through supernatural means, whether the process happens spontaneously or with human intent. And monsters are absolutely everywhere on the continent, every dark nook, every chilled cranny, every bog is a possible den for a vicious hag; every cave could harbor some terrible beast of claw, scale, bone, or worse. Basilisks maim with acid, Banshees cause madness with their wails, and Vampires stalk the night with glowing eyes of bloody crimson. No one is safe, the Goddess alone cannot save you from the clutches of these creatures, only silver and steel can offer any defense.
That’s where the Hunter’s Guild comes in. Formed from an ancient order, the modern Hunter’s Guild is one of the most important organizations within the Fourth, these extremely secretive warriors are trained from a young age, armed with knowledge and weaponry to match, they stalk the stalkers. Hunters hunt monsters wherever they go, they are sent by guild officials, they travel to their destination, and run down any monsters or allies of monsters they find. They wield a special, sanctioned form of magic they call natural magic, only casting what could be feasibly done by hand.
They are revered, feared, and poorly understood; therefore most go secretly and often in disguise. They are essential to stemming the violent tide of dark magic, but no one wants to see a hunter in their town, for it only means trouble.
Our story will focus on one such hunter, Elizabeth Bennet. Next week we’ll introduce her. If you like the sound of this wretched place, keep your eyes and ears peeled for Blood and Roses!! Leave a comment if you want <3 See y’all next week.
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