The world you live on is commonly known as Aereth.

For the learned and the wise, it is a spherical

planet and part of the cosmos. For most people it doesnt matter. The land is below, and the sky above.
The heavens move across the sky and are full of gods and demons and celestial happens that are beyond
understanding. There is one sun and one moon, much like our own world. The sun and moon are
worshipped in a thousand ways across as many cultures as bringers of life and death, as sources of
power and magic. They aren't gods, though. Most likely. Gods do exist however, in both greater and
lesser forms, with powers that can alter the fabric of reality itself. They have their own desires and
plots, wants and needs, and they do not always follow the logic of time, physics, or of rules
comprehensible to mortal minds. They are dangerous, demand fealty, and have minds that are utterly
alien to the lesser races.

Commonly known gods are as follows:

JUSTICIA - Goddess of the righteousness and mercy. Often appears as a powerful warrior bearing a
flaming golden longsword, clad in ornate gilt-engraved silver armour, but never with a helmet. This is so
no visor or eye-slit can impede her perception of the just path. She is worshipped in all corners of
Aereth where man can be found. Paladins faithful to her can often be found rooting out and slaying evil
creatures and returning stolen loot found in their lairs to the poor villagers that were plagued by them.

THE THREE FATES - Beholden to neither god nor man, the Three Fates weave the collective destinies of
the universe upon the loom of time. They are strict wardens of Order and are in constant conflict with
forces of Chaos, who in their darkest forms look to undo creation itself. Many pay fealty to the Fates,
hoping to desperately or selfishly enact a change in the path of their life. Most think this is pointless; the
Fates will continue to weave the future regardless of some petty prayer or offering. Some claim to have
found their favour, however, and managed to defy their destinies through patronage or offering.

THE KING OF ELFLAND - Master of the verdant realm glimpsed only through sun-dappled groves, the
mist of great waterfalls, and the moments of dusk and dawn, the King of Elfland rules all elf-kin from his
throne of mist and ice. Most mortals have heard of the King of Elfland, as the magical realms of the Fey
are the stuff of legends and dreams in all corners of Aereth, and the denizens of which are often blamed
for misfortune or unlikely coincidence. All Elvenkind, no matter how distant and far spread in the
diaspora they may be, have a connection to Elfland, and therefore to its King. It is from there that they
draw their power and it is the spring from which flows their immortality. The King is mostly concerned
with his children, but will often take notice of interesting mortals - though his attention can be fickle
when dealing with matters not directly pertaining to Elfland.

PELAGIA - Goddess of the Sea. Any who wish to cross the vast seas and oceans of Aereth would do well
to provide offering and prayer to her if they wish to arrive safely at their destination. She is most
concerned with keeping the oceans healthy and clean, and accessible to all, and will offer her favour to
those who aid her in doing so.
THE HIDDEN LORD - Known by a thousand names in a thousand places, the chaotic god's true name is
shrouded in forbidden lore. Many of the dark cults that skulk in the shadows of civilization’s light
unknowingly worship the same unseen master, though it is said the upper echelons of the various sects
are aware of their common bond. The Hidden Lord has no tenents nor iconography, and is never
depicted in any form. He makes His presence known through sudden acts of entropy such as mirrors
shattering or flames bursting spontaneously to life. Most inhabitants of Aereth have some run-in at least
with stories of Chaos Cults or terrible dark happenings that sprung up in formerly peaceful areas. These
are usually generally ascribed to the workings of "The Chaos Gods" when in fact it was likely the
workings of just one.

OTHER GODS you may have heard of:

KLAZATH - God of war and honor. Most in military service pay fealty to Him
ULESH - God of Peace. Many homes have an Idol of Him/Her, and most will pray to Him/Her during
turbulent times.
SHUL - God of the Moon. Worshipped a thousand different ways. Represents measurement, language,
literacy, and is considered the embodiment of Law.
ILDAVIR - Goddess of Nature. Seeks balance for all living things, with none favoured over another.
AHRIMAN - God of death and disease. The desperate will sometimes plea to him when a loved one dies,
or when beset with illness. This often ends badly.
SEZREKAN - Not a god so much as a man that attained something close to god-hood. Often worshipped
by magic-users and those seeking selfish power.
MALOTOCH - The carrion crow god. Her symbol is that of a Crow, and where they can be found her
presence is usually nearby. She is responsible for the process of flesh returning to earth and all the
disgusting things that happen between. Often associated with cannibalism and human sacrifice.

This may seem like a lot of Gods, but is barely the tip of the iceberg. The world is incredibly polytheistic
and many worship and pay fealty to more than just one or two of them, and usually in very different
ways. Many will say it was the righteousness of Justicia when a wicked person gets their comuppance.
Most will pray thanks to Shul when a solar eclipse ends and the sun reappears. Only fools won't give
offering to Pelagia before boarding an ocean vessel. Hushed voices will beg for mercy from Ahriman
when a plague ravages a town.

Regarding Aereth itself: it is large. Not only in size but in variety. Magic has existed for a long time, and
with the power it provides has allowed great civilizations to rise to incredible heights. It has also brought
along their downfall time and time again. The cities and villages of the world are built upon ruins of
cities that were built on ruins of cities that came before them. The dungeons of the world are often the
remains of these ancient (and often advanced) civilizations and sometimes a single artifact that is
procured from them can reshape entire kingdoms. From the little hamlet you started your lives (and
your adventure) in, you were aware of there being other towns out and across the great wilderness (and
have maybe even known people who travelled to and from them!), and have heard of there being cities
with thousands of people living within its walls, though to you this probably seems quite hard to
imagine.

You know there are powers beyond you that shape the course of the history and you are but a small
pebble on a mountain side. Looking up, the heavens are vast and dominated by the airless, cold cosmos
- the void, where Gods are birthed. Where celestial events take place that some attempt to scry to learn
of portents or secrets beyond the knowledge of human minds. Deep below your feet is the Underdark,
the Hollow Earth, the inky blackness that spawns all sorts of monsters and horrors that crawl from cracks
and fissures to terrorize and stalk mortal man.

And here you are. Small people with a desire for something beyond the smallness you were born into.
You are a meager speck upon the infinite, a grain of sand on a never ending beach.

And yet, sometimes all it takes to create an avalanche that levels a mountain is a single snowflake
alighting on the right point at the right time...