The world of Zephyria, as it is known today, is a testament to both ancient magic and modern ambition. Eons ago, it was a singular, solid sphere, a far cry from the scattered archipelagos that now drift through an endless azure void. This primordial state came to a cataclysmic end with the Great Splintering.
This magical cataclysm, famously attributed in nursery rhymes to overzealous wizards attempting to bake the world's largest soufflé, shattered the planet into countless floating islands. In its wake, gravity became a mere suggestion, and civilization learned to cling to chunks of rock suspended by mystical Mana magnetic ley lines. This profound reshaping of the world ushered in the Age of Sail and Steam, a period that would dominate much of Zephyria's subsequent history.
A mere century ago, the realm suffered under the oppressive thumb of the High Altitude Monarchy. This regressive regime notoriously taxed the very air people breathed, stifling innovation and personal freedoms across the floating lands. Their tyranny ultimately proved their undoing, igniting the fervent Merchant's Revolt.
This uprising was a unique blend of violent insurgency and cunning bureaucratic maneuvering. The realm's trade princes united, not only defeating the King's forces but strategically buying out his generals and foreclosing on his ancient castles. From the ashes of the monarchy, The Golden Chain emerged, a guild that rapidly morphed into a ruthless corporatocracy.
01 February 1: The Golden Chain officially solidified its dominion, marking the "Founding" of a new era. This powerful entity seized control of the vital trade winds and the Mana drives essential for keeping skyships aloft. Their influence now emanates from the bustling, smog-choked capital of Geargrind, a hub of hostile takeovers and literal corporate warfare.
Beyond the corporatocracy's iron grip, the outer edges of Zephyria remain wonderfully wild and whimsical. Here, adventurers like Seraphina Cinder Valerius pilot experimental gliders, ever hunting for lost artifacts from the Pre-Splinter world. The skies above are often filled with impossibly fluffy clouds, and the diverse lands below teem with bizarre hybrid animals, such as the delightful Kangarooster.
While the greedy tycoons of The Golden Chain and the unpredictable nature of unstable magic pose very real threats, an eternal optimism pervades Zephyria. Its inhabitants, ever looking to the horizon, embody a spirit of high adventure that defines their unique floating world.
