War of Ethesium

Essential Games Studios Presents…
War of Ethesium
Ideas for Overall Game

Premise

Summery- Ethesium is a fantasy world where everything is based off of a single component called Essence; this energy is in everything to an extent and constantly causes the world to change. The nations of the world were in a time of economic ruin, until they discovered that Essence can be trapped and used for almost anything with the best or worst intentions. This has been the center of progress for the past 50 years and it has been a year since it was discovered that by controlling Essence they are forever taking life from the world. In panic and fear of the news many nations have begun a war to take the Essence that is already trapped. There are rumors of a cashed of Essence Gems that might give one side an edge in the war in Rylus. You play 3 separate characters that are sent to recover the cashed to help in the war only to realize that war is only a distraction to a bigger and older conflict.

Essence and Ractite

Essence- Essence is the energy that sustains life and allows change. Essence and the world equally affect each other to allow weather, seasons, decay and growth. The amount of Essence is reflective to the state of the world, but Ethesium is only affected if an area has a complete lack of Essence, because of this; one location might have more or less than another. If an area completely runs out of Essence then it dies out, when an area dies out everything is absorbed in the area and transferred to Essence causing rapid decay from death. If the world’s overall Essence in the world is too low then everything everywhere decays until the world is back to its normal state. There is evidence that dying out will happen, but it is vastly ignored due to the benefits of Essence Gems. Essence has been known to change without the environment, suggesting that it can change on its own or is being manipulated.

Ractite- Ractite is a mysterious stone that when, molded into a particular shape, can trap Essence. To trap Essence into Ractite the stone must be heated and shaped into an orb with holes (usually 13). Next the gem is filled with grinded Ractite stone dust, Ractite molded spikes or fillers are set on the openings and a fuse is put into the gem. When the fuse is placed Essence is pulled into the gem with air and the pressure sucks the spikes or fillers into the Ractite Gem, if the spikes aren’t perfectly shaped the Essence escapes rendering the gem useless. If the gem is sealed the Essence then the Essence struggles to escape but can’t, due to the resistance of the material, at this final stage it is known as an Essence Gem.

Essence Gems- When an Essence Gem is formed it can be changed to do many things by temperature and force. Essence Gems are affected by the following: a strong impact will cause the inner and outer forces to collide causing the Essence to burst out in a blast of energy, a weak impact will cause the Essence release from the Gem while projecting the Needles, enflaming it will cause the outside to melt until it reaches the Essence inside and cause an explosion, freezing it will allow the Essence inside the gem to melt the outside over it causing the Ractite and Essence to fuse into a Ractite Orb. The many various uses for Essence Gems has done more damage than good for the world, but when power is easily grasped there will always be people who will fight to the death for it.

Ractite Orbs- Ractite Orbs is the closest to controllable Essence as possible. It can be changed to allow sustained fire, the healing of wounds, a use as a medical drug and even used to change and make physical objects. Ractite Orbs are affected by the following changes: enflaming it will allow it to burn until the Essence and Ractite is completely out of energy which could take up to 3 days, letting it unfreeze turns it to watery gel that can be used to heal wounds and ignore pain, smashing it will flash-freeze anything in the area, grinding it will create a salt like texture that can be used to heal wounds and (only in a place with extreme Essence) can the Ractite be shaped by controlling the Essence. Controlling Essence is only known to experienced monks and the Overseer; although only the Overseer can control it completely.
Ractite Orbs are mostly used for military and medical purposes, but can be used for other things that have been forgotten through the ages.
Essence Corruption

Corrupting Essence- Blood in itself does not corrupt Essence; it corrupts Essence when it is trapped with blood without new Essence to replace it. Only blood can corrupt Essence, everything else is just turned into Essence. To corrupt Essence, blood is added to grinded Ractite sand in the Ractite Gem. When the Essence Gem is sealed, the blood corrupts the Essence inside which changes the entire look of the Essence Gem. The Essence Gem becomes red, the Ractite spike twist and turn and a red mist surrounds the gem.
Corrupted Essence Gems- When a corrupted Essence Gem is formed it can be changed to do many things by temperature and force with completely different effects from regular Essence Gems. Corrupted Essence Gems are affected by the following: a strong impact will cause crack causing the Corrupted Essence to spray out as a liquid that burns skin and causes insanity, a weak impact will cause the corrupted Essence to leak out as a liquid which can be trapped and used as a chemical weapon, enflaming it will cause it boil and eventually explodes as corrupted Essence chugs out of the gem, frozen the corrupted Essence will burn straight through the frozen Ractite, causing an unstable corrupted Ractite Orb.

Corrupted Ractite Orbs- Corrupted Ractite Orbs is the deadliest use of Essence in Ethesium, it is also the most unstable. Corrupted Ractite Orb must be held with a moonstone gauntlet or it will sink through the skin and kill all the cells in the body. By itself Corrupted Ractite Orbs can be used to penetrate armor and kill an enemy, but it can also be changed like a normal Ractite Orbs with fewer results. Because it is completely unstable and barely solid, it can only be change by fire. When exposed to fire it repels it and spreads into different directions, this is mostly used on tight areas where fire is abundant.

Religion

Acceptance- Almost every nation except for Rokulu and some of East Nimphus have a belief in a god. Every Nation has a belief in their own god, but they also believe in all the other nations’ god, which they see as an honored adversary or treasured ally depending on their relationship with the nation. The common acceptance of gods comes from the central belief in Essence and its religious implications as well as scientific wonder, which translates to the gods creating life with something that is tangible but will never be understood or recreated. Even in the worst of times nations respect the other nations’ gods, which might be the last hope for peace in the wars to come.

Creatures and Monsters

Golems- Golems are rocks held together with Essence that is controlled by the Overseer. Golems are not alive but if they are not controlled correctly, they will act on their own. When Golems are under control they are usually used for stealth kills by falling into rocks and waiting for a group of soldiers to come by then shooting itself in pieces to kill the group. If they survive then it will form together and fight the opponents with head-on force. If a Golem is not being controlled, then it will kill anything it sees to complete the last thing it was doing until it dies. Golems have never been seen before the current War of Ethesium and are still considered a myth.

Ul’gothor- Ul’gothor is a giant insect species that inhabits the Verkacki Swamp under Rokulu. Since their arrival to the swamps, the Ul’gothor have killed everything in it and began to focus on Scarlatin and Rokulu. Ul’gothor are made almost entirely of bone, with cartilages as skin. The structure of their head allows them to suck Essence right out of a dead victim and digest it, this has given them the name of “Essence Demons” for using what was sent to man by the gods. Ironically the Ul’gothor recycle the Essence they digest back into the atmosphere and are one of the few things keeping the world alive, but this doesn’t stop them from destroying everything that opposes them. The Ul’gothor use the Essence they collect in their small stomach to allow their feet to stick to walls, constant energy to the brain and the ability to extend their back tail that is connected by fat. Since their discovery the Ul’gothor remain the second biggest threat to humanity, the first being itself.
Gremlin- Gremlin are nocturnal humanoid creatures that scurry around the dark tunnels and caves of Ethesium and are in almost every area that man is absent. Gremlin are known to hunt in packs and scavenge anything they come across, they can see in the dark but can’t in light. Gremlin are usually seen as pests and annoyances, but can be a very serious threat at night and in caves.

Gro’log- Gro’log are wrinkled, small and peaceful creatures that live in the Dead Lands under the Veracki Swamps. The Gro’log’s main threat is the Ul’gothor, even though they mostly ignore them. The Gro’log survive by making raids on the outskirts of Veracki Swamps to steal food. The Gro’log are on the brink of extinction and have begun to move into the ruins of Scarlatin.

Nations and Governments

Ragnum- Ragnum is the current superpower of Ethesium; its strength comes from its military might, tactical strategies and most of all Essence Gem from Rokulu. Ragnum’s current ruler is Emporer Demactrius, who is focusing his new reign to storing Essence Gems and preparing for war. Ragnum has a senate, but anything can be decided by Demactrius, because of this the senate most votes on alliances and the war. Ragnum’s culture is based on the miracle of life, the honor of death and the joy of battle. Ragnum has a desert terrain with many oasis, water and food in its 5 cities but is dead everywhere else. Ragnum was once grassland, but after many ancient civil wars and the use of Essence, the plants died and only the life in and near the cities have survived.

Rylus- Rylus is located between Ragnum and Naxus and it well known for its beautiful land and many allies. Rylus has the highest level of Essence in all of Ethesium, the result in this is floating land masses and an excess of water, life and resources. Rylus remains the safest place on Ethesium because of its religious meaning that it is the sacred place were the gods created life and symbolic idea that Ethesium is still alive and able to save. Rylus has lakes that are created from the floating land above, grassland that covers almost everything, a small town and the mountains that covers the eastern area; it only has a single village that is devoted to keeping everything preserved.

Naxus- Naxus is located just before the Desert of Falinal and is known for their optimistic leader, Paraviel and the corrupt politicians. Naxus is mostly isolated and only jumps into a conflict when it benefits them or is important to Ethesium as a whole. Naxus’ military consists of loyal militias and an average sized military. Naxus is a dry swamp with rising grassland.

Rokulu- Rokulu is small but powerful nation that is located between Ragnum and the Veracki Swamp. Rokulu is mostly known as a prison and mine that Ragnum uses for its needs. Despite Rokulu’s small size, it remains one of the most dangerous nations for Ragnum, because of their brutal warriors and huge amount of Ractite. Rokulu is ruled by the Warlord Sha’rin; who is said to be the strongest warrior in Ethesium. Rokulu has had a lack of Ractite to give to Ragnum dispite their huge number of slaves; because of this Ragnum has become more suspicious of what Sha’rin is hiding or planning in secret.

Uropus- Uropus is an isolated military nation that lies above Entrallin and is devoted to protecting their land and Ethesium at all cost. Uropus is a mostly peaceful nation that has an abundance of

Veracki Swamps-

Nimphis (Old)-

West Nimphis-

East Nimphus-

Entrallin-

Tirinas-

Ruins of the Old Kingdom-

Major Locations

Minor Locations

Politics and Alliances

Ragnum and Rokulu- Ragnum and Rokulu have a very unstable but powerful alliance. Their alliance states that Ragnum will send all their slaves and criminals to Rokulu and Rokulu will use them to mine Ractite and give most of it to Ragnum. Rokulu then uses Ragnums extra slaves to do all of the other work and the criminals to fight back the Ul’gothor. Since the war began the alliance has become even more unstable, with each nation hiding secrets and battle plans. The alliance remains and Rokulu helps Ragnum the best it can.
East and West Nimphus- East Nimphus has kept its traditions, but remains destroyed and beaten even with the help of Tirinas, while West Ragnum has been fully saved by Ragnum and is now devoted to keep East Nimphus back. The hatred between the two has begun a war for the Ractite below.

Major Characters

The Overseer-

Demactrius-

Dyninsus-

Sha’rin-

Protagonists

The Survivor-

The Loyalist-

The Protectorate-

Protagonists’ Backstories

The Survivor-

The Loyalist-

The Protectorate-

Companions

Companion’s Backstory

The War of Ethesium

The Beginning of the War- The War of Ethesium began when Rokulu couldn’t mine Ractite fast enough to support Ragnum’s defense of West Nimphus. Ragnum sent forces to Rylus to secretly collect Essence with the remaining gems. The soldiers were caught and fought back killing the priests that found them. The invasion of Rylus was seen as an attack on Ethesium itself to the surrounding nations. Many of the nations around Rylus sent troops to defend Rylus from the invaders. Emperor Demactrius, with no other options, sent his troops to remove his men from the conflict. The rescue turned into a battle, which quickly pulled in more nations starting the War of Ethesium.

Overall Story

Ancient Ethesium- Ancient Ethesium was abundance in Essence that allowed the creation of Ethesium and the Ancients. In the time of the ancients Essence was everywhere and controlled with the Essence in the soul; something only the ancients possessed. The control Essence allowed the ancients to build giant empires and decide everything that happened in the world.
The War of the Ancients- The War of the Ancients began when Ethesium ran out of enough Essence for the Ancients to control it. In greed they fought each other for the material possessions they could no longer make. The wars dragged on for hundreds of years until the ancients and all their knowledge had been forgotten.

Ractite’s Creation- Ractite’s creation began before the time of the War of the Ancients when the Ancients used Essence beyond its natural uses. When the Ancients overused Essence to an extreme amount, it dissolved into mist and fell as liquid to the ground. Over time the liquid dissolved into the rocks creating Ractite, because of this Ractite is actually part Essence which allows it to trap and hold Essence.
Parethious- Parethious was an order of 12 Ancients that predicted the future for the Ancients and every other civilization after would follow the pattern that the Ancients left. Near the end of the war, the Order of Parethious researched a way to restore Essence and give another chance to their people by sacrificing their souls for Essence through control of the Essence inside.