The Pyromancer’s Scroll - Maps, Species Guide, and Magic Guide
To accompany The Pyromancer’s Scroll
Maps
Lurria (A Continent on Zenitha)
Close-Up of Elandria
Species Glossary
Humans
Humans are the hardiest and strongest of the races in Zenitha, making them ideal for farming, construction, shipping, heavy infantry, or heavy cavalry.
Avirs
Avirs have a more petite build than humans. They typically work in crafts, textiles, or artisanship, and serve as light infantry, light cavalry, or archers.
Avirs’ eyes and skin tone change colors depending on their emotion, and their general mood dictates the the color that their hair grows.
Griffins
Griffins have a large pair of wings, a beaked head, talons for their front limbs, and paws for their hind limbs. They can carry prey or cargo up to about 30 pounds in flight.
Griffins frequently serve as leaders, scholars, teachers, or diplomats. In the military, they play a critical role in reconnaissance and air control.
Griffins’ lifecycle consists of three stages: (1) broodlings in the nest, (2) independent young adults, and (3) married adults with an established nest and hunting territory. Married griffins are fiercely loyal to their spouse (“wingmate”).
Korriks
Korriks are a warlike race. Their clawed hands and feet give then a natural aptitude for combat, and their thick, scaly hide and physical fortitude allow them to heal quickly from wounds.
Korriks serve in a variety of skilled and unskilled jobs, but are especially prominent in the military.
Korriks live to be as old as 60 or 70. They have a short childhood before leaving home and living a long early adult life, where they frequently stick close to their siblings (their “broodmates”). In their 30s or 40s, they separate from their siblings to marry and raise a family.
Merfins
Merfins are an aquatic race. Instead of legs, they have a tail ending in a fin, and the fingers on their hands are webbed. They are air-breathers like other mammals, so they build their communities in shallow water (rivers, lakes, and coastline).
Merfins are known for their wisdom and make excellent poets, writers, and singers. Although their industry and economy—being mostly underwater—is largely independent of “land-walkers,” they are active participants in the exchange of ideas and information.
Merfins are the longest-lived race on Zenitha, living to be 150 to 160 years old.
Snippens
Snippens are similar to squirrels but are around the size of housecats. They will often wear vests, belts, and other accessories over their fur.
Snippens are very dexterous, agile, and creative. They thrive at art, music, cooking, mechanics, and repairing things. They make excellent secretaries, scribes, and accountants. In the military, they will serve behind the front lines as staff, cooks, or scribes.
Snippens live to be only 25 or 35. They typically live in large extended-family groups in underground burrows.
Swifters
Swifters are very fast, lithe creatures, a combination of wolves and cheetahs. They can run for long periods of time and have excellent senses of hearing and smell.
Swifters are unable to manipulate tools with their paws, restricting them from most professions. However, they are excellent communicators, explorers, storytellers, and hunters. In the military, they often serve as scouts, sentries, or messengers.
Magic Glossary
Aquamancy
The power of water, channeled through potions
Aquamancy revolves around the painstakingly exact mixing of potions. It is the only branch of mancery not limited to those born with innate talent. Instead, its powers are available to all willing to exert the years of study and practice that it requires.
Aquamantic potions have a variety of applications, all dependent on the ingredients used, the process of assembly, and the method of administration. Some potions are meant to be drunk and can enhance physical or mental faculties such as strength, endurance, hearing, or memory. Other potions can have an affect on the air in a room (such as dulling sound) or on a body of water (such as freezing it).
Pyromancy
The power of fire, channeled through motion.
Pyromancers are born with the ability to sense the energy around them and, through motion, to control and direct that energy. This ability takes years of study and practice to develop.
Pyromancers can summon fire, leap great distances, move with incredible agility, summon lightning, or melt metal as if it were hot butter.
Careers in pyromancy include warriors, bodyguards, trapeze artists, spies, cooks, blacksmiths, fire-fighters, and street-lamp lighters.
Terramancy
The power of earth, channeled through objects
Zenitha is laced with invisible currents of power called terracharge. Terramancers have the power to detect terracharge and transfer it between objects with their fingers. Gems are used to store and transport terracharge. Different metals will gain various properties when imbued with terracharge, such as becoming incredibly sharp or developing a deflective energy field. Stone, wood, and other materials each react with different qualities, allowing for a large variety of talismans and tools with applications in warfare, science, timekeeping, communication, and other industries.
Verbomancy
The power of air, channeled through speech
Verbomancy employs an ancient language known as the Numinous Tongue. This language, lost for hundreds of years, is slowly being relearned as ancient texts are discovered and deciphered. When those born with the talent for verbomancy speak in the Numinous Tongue, they are able to shape and command the air around them.
Verbomancers can command air to solidify, amplify their voices, eavesdrop on distant conversations, or summon whirlwinds.
Vivamancy
The power of life, channeled through song
Vivamancy is the power of shaping and controlling living things through music. Vivamancers create music so in tune with the fabric of life that it can alter nature itself.
Some vivamancers specialize in the music of plants, helping seeds to sprout or crops to grow. Others specialize in the music of animals and can guide a herd to pasture or tame wild animals. Others specialize in the music of society, galvanizing troops to bravery or helping the ill to recover.