library of lore
The Library of Lore
Through mysterious means, you find yourself in a strange and wonderful building: it seems to be a great library. Shelves upon shelves of tomes, books and scrolls fill the vaulted halls. Sunlight filters in from tall windows, and the air glitters with dust, making it hard to see what lies beyond the walls of the building, further giving it a dreamlike, hazy atmosphere.
But not all the shelves are filled. Some are empty, seemingly waiting.
“Greetings, weary traveler. Though the journey is long, I appreciate your visit—I hunger for news of the outside world! So please, tell me what you know; let me hear about the rich tapestry of life in Ivras, its inhabitants and its scenes, landscapes, and locations.”
“My name? Oh, don’t worry about that.”
Later, when you have somehow returned home, you begin to wonder if the place even existed at all…
A collection of player-made content
Anathema doesn’t have much official lore—we leave that up to you, the players, and on this page we will showcase and collect player-made factions, locations, and miscellaneous worldbuilding, for easy access. ♥️
We will keep adding things from the Locations, Factions, and Worldbuilding forums here. If your location, faction, or piece of worldbuilding isn't there, send us a modmail and we will add it. Likewise, if you want yours removed for any reason, let us know!
Everything that is added needs to have written information easily accessible somewhere, be it a forum post, literature, or google doc.
locations
The lands of Ivras and beyond are varied and diverse, with endless sights to see and wonder at. Here we have collected some of the wonderful locations and places our players have come up with!
cities, towns & villages
Large, bustling cities; quaint towns; and countryside villages and hamlets—here you can find various player-made settlements, big or small.
- Iqiri - a small town nestled between Mead, Namarast, and the Sunless Jungle. Outcasts, cutthroats, and hidden mages make their home there.
- Leona - once an independent city-state, now a prospering city on Ivras' southwestern coast.
- The Silent City of Corvatia - the ruins of an once great city.
- Misery Bay - a pirate outpost in the southwestern Ivratian archipelago.
establishments, estates, places of interest
Taverns, inns, establishments; estates and specific venues and buildings.
- The Black Jug - a tavern in Faline, infamous for its fighting pits in the basement.
- The Drowned Hag - a bath house in Faline.
- The Veres estate - home of the Veres family and their wineyards. Situated in Faline.
- The Lighthouse - A lone lighthouse on an island in the Mirror Bay.
- The Beggar and Flagon - part tavern, part bordello, part gambling den; located within Faline.
- Starpoint Tower - a tower on the outskirts of the Sunless Jungle. The top of the tower seems to be damaged.
landforms & regions
Mountains and valleys, rivers and lakes; forest and meadows, and strange, magical sights.
- The Dark Reach - a stretch of land in the heart of the Whispering Sea, always shrouded in darkness.
- The Ebon Stretch - a small area on the far shores of Nymene, at the tip of the northeastern peninsula.
factions
There are many groups and factions in and around Ivras, containing a multitude of people—all with various motivations and goals.
- Faces of Nymene - Nymene’s best-kept secret: a covert group tasked with infiltrating Ivras and securing the Order’s secrets, created and commanded by the cabinet of the Iron Empress.
- The Specters - a secret group of people fighting to protect mages that are wanted by the Order, including hidden mages and non-mages accused of being mages.
- Sangre Mar - a group from Siregal, known for being on the pro-mage side in the civil war, and being against all forms of monarchy.
- Teeth of Oros - a loose band of hunters and scientists who study Greater Beasts and other magical creatures, to protect people from being hurt by them.
- Monastic Order of Reverence - a group with the goal to tame and control all mages across Ivras.
- The King's Guard - an Order-based private infantry military force governed by King Gladius, with three main outposts and divisions dotted around Ivras.
- The Trespasser - an infamous pirate ship and her crew.
- Vatuh Urath - a Wild clan of mercenaries and assassins hidden in the southern edge Sunless Jungle.
- The Ravens Watch - a merry band of thieves and bards who daylight as a private theatre company, stealing from the very noble homes and manors they are invited to.
- The Strays - a group of wayward souls, mostly children. They live in the cities as well as the forests around Ivras.
- The Stalhúð - a seaside Wild clan that hunts giant ocean beasts.
- The Magia Cult - a since disbanded cult of non mages who believed that pairing with and being close to magic folk would grant them magical power.
miscellanous
Various worldbuilding and lore that doesn't fit in Locations or Factions.
history & culture
History, traditions, customs.
- Religions and Ideologies of Ivras - a non-comprehensive collection of various religions and faiths that may be found in Ivras.
the natural world
The Sciences; flora and fauna; natural history of Ivras.
- Flora Ivratensis - a compendium of common plants and fungi in the kingdom of Ivras. (by Apel)
- The Biology of Greater Beasts - by Theodore Griffith; Origin, Morphology & Behavior. (by Drawberry)
- A Bestiary of Ivras - a variety of creatures that might be found in Ivras.
- Insects of Ivras - some species of insects that may be found in Ivras.
magic
Research, theories, musings.
- The Corruption Echo Theory - a hotly debated magical theory by Keita Archijd.
- The Maladies of Magic - magical diseases and illnesses.
- Familiar Phenomena - a brief Essay on the Peculiar Familiar by an Anonymous Author.
folklore & superstitions
Folk tales and legends, myths and stories.
- The Ivratian Zodiac - birth signs and constellation lore. (Written by GoId and mercuriel-art)
- The Ancient One - a sad tale of a king of old.
- The Bay Shaper - an Excerpt from Ancient Ivras: Myths and Legends, published y. 970 by Vaeryn Mythos.
- Whispers of Treason - a story from around the campfire.