Welcome to Gaia! ::

Before you lies a thick little book, the once-brilliant leather binding now soft and faded with age. Shadows of plain black lettering speckle the pale lapis cover, the dark ink another victim of time. Barely, one can make out a simple title: Viata. And underneath that word, in a slightly smaller font, is another word: Tory.

Opening the book reveals surprisingly clear cobalt blue ink on the yellowed pages. Simple cursive fills the lines.


Hello, and welcome to my journal. Feel free to read if you like, but please treat my thoughts with respect. My name is Tory Steirle, and I'd like to tell the story of a dream...




Please note that this is a private RP diary. Unless you are a member of the Castaway Dream staff, I'd appreciate it if you ask permission from me before posting here. Also, do not steal anything from this thread - everything here is the intellectual property of myself and Castaway Dreams. Thank you.


___~ ToC ~___
1. Preface and Journal ToC - You are here
2. Updates and Announcements
3. Table of Contents [Story]
4. Viata
5. Lien and its Countries
6. Cast
7. Magic
8. Species
9. Reserved
10. Reserved
11. Reserved
12. Reserved
13. Reserved
14. Reserved
15. Current Setting

___~ Table of Contents ~___
Preface
Chapter 1: Nascent

___~ Lien ~___
Welcome Lien, the southeastern continent of the planet Iora. A continent overrun by the forces of magic, Lien consists of four countries in wary alliance. Each country except for Iersi is ruled by a council of elves, and the revered Lady Gwendaira watches over them all.

Map of Lien



___~ Countries ~___
The Shrine of Gwendaira: Ruled by the Moonlight Council, which is naturally headed by the elven Lord and Lady. The inner country and the home of the elven royal family, the Shrine of Gwendaira is actually a powerful elven city centered around the oldest temple in all of Lien. According to the legend, the spirit of the first great elven lady Gwendaira resides in this temple, constantly guarding Her people, and in Her honor every new elven lady is also given the title Gwendaira. The people of the Shrine are generally highly anti-human.

Jinal: Ruled by the Starlight Council. The northernmost country of Lien, Jinal is the most accepting among the elven kingdoms. Because of this, it hosts more humans and furries than the other elven kingdoms combined, and at times Jinalites are scoffed at by other elves for mingling with inferiors. Nevertheless, the country is rich in gems and magic, and its ports are the busiest of the entire continent.

Hathen: Ruled by the Sunlight Council. A country of the desert, Hathen is the resting place of the Primeval Library. The majority of its people are scholars and intellectuals, always working on new developments and experiments. The elves of Hathen are typically neutral towards humans, neither scorning nor respectful.

Folar: Ruled by the Firelight Council. Of the westernmost country of Lien, Folarians are among the most anti-human. They are a proud people, but their arrogance stems from good reason, as their skill with the longbow is unquestioned and the majority of the August Elves come from their people.

Iersi: The sole country ruled by humans. The people of this snowy land struggle to survive, but at least here they are free from discrimination... Iersi is also the location of the infamous Tessellation Academy, the only institute in the entire country that teaches to human mages.

___~ Magic ~___
The magic of Iora centers around the belief of Jivas, or souls. Jivas are found on earth, as well as in the water, air, and sky, and are scattered all over the universe. With proper skill, these souls can be harnessed and manipulated.

Based upon the number of senses and mobility, Jivas are classified into two categories: Ekendriya and Panchendriya.

Ekendriya - Immobile Jivas and the power behind spells. Ekendriya Jivas are further divided into the following subcategories:
Prithwikaya (Earth): Seemingly inanimate forms of earth are actually living beings, ex. clay, sand, metal, and coral, etc.

Vayukaya (Air): Seemingly inanimate forms of air are actually living beings, ex. wind, whirlwinds, and cyclones, etc.

Apkaya (Water): Seemingly inanimate forms of different types of water are living beings, ex. dew, fog, iceberg, and rain, etc.

Teukaya (Fire): Seemingly inanimate forms of different types of fires are living beings, ex. flames, blaze, lightening, forest fire, and hot ash, etc.

Vikaya (Plant): It is well known that plants grow, reproduce, etc., and they are accepted as living beings. Trees, plants, branches, flowers, leaves, and seeds, etc. are some examples of plant life.

The first four subcategories are commonly referred to as Elements. The last, Vikaya, is rarely used and indeed, nearly completely forgotten.

Panchendriya - Mobile Jivas and a side of magic that only a few are capable of accessing. Panchendriya Jivas are further divided into the following subcategories:
Naraki (Infernal): Occupants of Hell

Dev (Celestial): Occupants of Heaven

Tiryancha: Non-human beings

Manushya: Human beings

The first three subcategories are commonly referred to as Summons. The last is another forgotten art, or perhaps a power that has yet to be developed...

[ Reserved ]

[ Reserved ]

[ Reserved ]

___~ Current Setting ~___
Date: April 27, 2005

Location: The Tessellation Academy in Iersi, Lien.

Weather: Cloudy and cold.