Source Lands Setting

The Source Lands setting is a fantasy setting with varying elements of High- and Low Fantasy, depending on the era.

Defining Concepts
The Source Land Setting, like all other fantasy settings, have several defining concepts that are extremely important to the setting as a whole.

The Multiverse
In the Source Land Setting, it is understood that there is a multiverse, but that travel between points in the multiverse is largely impossible, as not every parallel universe will have the same laws of physics (this doesn't make sense from our current scientific perspective). This differs from the concept of different "planes" of existence, which are just non-physical realms (or dimensions even).

Magic
Magic, the art of circumventing the laws of physics, is a total impossibility scientifically - in fact, merely trying to scientifically explain magic is an oxymoron. However, in a setting where it is understood that there is a Multiverse, and the laws of physics differ from parallel universe to parallel universe, then it is also suddenly much more feasible to imagine that magic could exist - in so far that "energy" travels from one parallel universe to another, and may not necessarily have to obey the same laws of physics as exist in the material realm that the game takes place in.

The Source
The local name for the actual "Source" of magic, being "the Source", is synonymous with magic itself (Sorcery and Sourcery sound similar enough after all). Magic comes from tears that exist in the fabric of existence, allowing energy to pass from one place in the multiverse to another - and the actual term "the Source" originally comes from the fact that the Elders who came Terra were originally seeking "Sources", thus dubbing them "sources".
 * In the Pre-Imperial Era, there are still many Sources across the whole world of Terra, but by the time the Post-Imperial Era rolls around, there are hardly any Sources left, the only significant one being the Skylands, causing the metaphorical Goldrush for the Skylands, where the Source was believed to be located, to occur - which incidentally is the namesake of both the Sourcelands and the Colonial Era.

Souls
The Sourceland Setting leaves many things to interpretation of the players and is largely an attempt at creating a setting that leans on inspiration from the real world without largely lending any particular credibility to any outstanding agendas - but one major assumption has to be accepted to play in the Sourcelands, regardless of personal belief; and that is the existence of Souls, which are real within the setting, and may not function as Souls tend to do in various specific schools of thought within theology and spirituality.
 * Read more about how Souls function within this setting here.

Time Periods and Eras
The Source Land Setting features a number of eras and time-periods that are only loosely defined at present. It is to be understood that the development of technology spreads very slowly because of the world being much larger, because of the presence of other species to compete with for dominance of the lands (including monsters), and because Magic to some degree impedes the development of technology, for a while, before it turns around and starts to greatly further it.

Default
The Default time period, known simply as the "Post-Imperial" era in the Source Land setting is a Late Medieval Society where some countries have just taken their first steps into the renaissance. It is a fairly classical fantasy setting, but has elements of low-fantasy and medieval horror, more so than classic fantasy.

Time Scope
The Medieval time period on Earth, in the real world, was only about 1000 years, though neither the following time period, nor the former were very different by comparison, at least not in the last and first few decades, respectively.

In the Source Lands, we see examples of technological leaps, but we also see time periods where there is virtually not progression for hundreds of years, despite being on the verge of a new era. You can always safely assume that, when playing in a Source Land game, unless told otherwise, everything around you has been the way it is for hundreds of years.

The Medieval time period by comparison was several thousands of years.

Available Eras
The following Eras are available for play:

Genesis
During the time when the Elder Races first came to Terra, there are many interesting Fantasy/Science-Fiction related adventures to be played. This takes place millions of years before the Default Era, and is a story of a people who come from the stars, but are stranded on Terra, where they slowly fall prey to a corruption that seems to change them as a people, with each generation being a little less like the former.

Elder-Era
During the Elder-Era, Elves and Dwarves fight over territory and dragons ravage the lands. The ultimate weapon is introduced into the fray, settling matters once and for all - humans. Wielded as sapient weapons by the Elves, they finally claim dominion of the Surface World, working out a treaty with the Dwarves, and driving the dragons deep into hiding.
 * The Elder-Era is the direct source of most mystery in the later eras, and should probably be left unexplored on purpose, to preserve the mysteries.

Antique Era
In the Antique, also known as the "Pre-Imperial era", humans had just overthrown the rule of their elven overlords in various parts of the world, and in others, the Elves euthanized the humans before this could happen, or even found solutions to their differences. This setting is one of chaos, disorder and strife. Picture grand city-states built upon the ruins of the fallen Elven Kingdoms and barbarian tribes inhabiting the lands outside.
 * A classic Sword & Sorcery setting, it is the more likely setting to feature adventures into forgotten ruins, scavenging for Elven Technology and classic adventures for treasure and glory, rather than moral pursuits and growth.

Imperial Era
The Westerland Empire was founded immediately after the Elves were defeated, but the Empire didn't spread across the surface of the Westerlands in one day. The Imperial Era truly begins when the Empire has established, close to total dominion of the Westerlands and some surrounding colonies.
 * An interesting era of conquest, expansion and colonization, but also politics, schemes and plots. Largely suited for political games and military campaigns.

Post-Imperial Era
The Empire never did truly die, it only went into hibernation - at least so the good people of Estheim would claim. Practically speaking, however, the Empire did very much collapse after several thousand years of prosperity. The collapse came about because the ones who prospered were mainly the citizens of Estheim - the rest were regarded as colonists for the most part, and were not afforded the same luxuries and opportunities.
 * The Post-Imperial Era is the default era for this setting, and is one where magic is a distant memory with only a select few having access to it, and it often being a highly mysterious subject. It is an era of conflict and intrigue among those who fight for power and dominance over land and people alike.

Colonial era
The colonization of the Source Lands originally began when the Empire decided to make an attempt. Attempts faltered and stopped, due to the collapse of the Empire and other reasons (including secret threats of violent action from Estheim, if colonization did not cease). In the Colonial Era, the various Westerland Nations have built up enough power that some reattempt the colonization, discovering the mysterious Skylands for the first time - islands floating in the sky between the North- and South Sourcelands.
 * The technological level is renaissance technology at the beginning of the Colonial Era, and roughly equivalent to the technological level at the time of World War I, when the era ends, though with much technology being based on magic, staying true to the steam-punk vibe of this era.
 * The Colonial Era rolls around because the majority of other Sources have disappeared from the world, and magic is becoming rare, thus initiating a metaphorical goldrush for the one remaining potent Source in the world, found somewhere in the Skylands.
 * It was during the Colonial Era that the Sourcelands were formally named as such, and were previously just known as "the New World". Prior to the Colonial Era, it wasn't even known that they were two separate continents.

The Shattered Era
The many Source Companies that settle in the Skylands during the Colonial Era relied on Source Hunters, orders born of the old Slayer orders, dedicated to containing Source Corruption to keep people safe. They eventually discovered the namesake of the Source - the Source from which all magic seemed to flow. This wasn't the case, but it was the biggest tear into the "Other-Realm", being the source of MOST magic, and unfortunately, the zealous and dedicated Source Hunters decided to destroy it, causing the Skylands to plummet into the sea, and magic to grow very unstable, and a nearly post-apocalyptic era followed in the wake.
 * The Old-World Countries had come to rely on imported magical solutions for almost everything, and overnight, their infrastructure completely collapsed, causing the millions of people living in cramped cities to rise up and practically exterminate each other over the bits that remained.
 * This repeated itself in many locations, and only rural areas were largely safe from such effects.
 * A significant amount of Magic-Energy was directly tethered to the Source itself, and once destroyed, it wreaked havoc upon the Sourceland Population, causing volatile mutations, radiation and terrible afflictions, resulting the Sourcelands virtually becoming wastelands.
 * It took almost 200 years before the world had properly recovered, replacing most of the WWI-style technology they had, that was based on magic, with actual technology and started moving forward again.

The Modern Era
Roughly 200 years after the Shattered Era began, the Modern Era began, being defined as when the majority of the previously civilized world had returned to such a state, and reclaimed technology on par with what they had before the collapse (namely World War I technological level).
 * The Modern Era continues for roughly 100 years, when the Post-Modern Era begins, but remains yet unexplored by the author.
 * Close to the switch from Modern Era and into Post-Modern Era, lies the sweet-spot that is roughly equivalent to the technological level we have in the real world anno 2018, but more advanced in some aspects, and also with a significant supplement of magic-based technology, seeing a return during the Modern-Era.

People
Information relevant to Culture and Society is discussed further down in this article, but information relating specifically to the Species can be found in the separate article about Source Land Species.

Geography, Nations and Regions
Geography is discussed in a separate article, about Source Land Geography.

Religion, Mythology and Occultism
Religion is discussed in a separate article, about Source Land Religions.

History
History is discussed in a separate article about Source Land History.

Culture & Society
Culture & Society is discussed in a separate article about Source Land Culture & Society.

Economy
Economy is discussed in a separate article about about Source Land Economy.