The World of Heimal
The planet of Heimal once had a stable orbit and a ten thousands years old high technology empire that controlled the world. Then came the Creeping Cold. That cataclysm felled the empire in days. In its wake was left fear, chilling cold, and a few thousand survivors. Those survivors spent the next millenia trying to scrape together a life. Some succeeded, some failed. All of them did so under the shadows cast by a darkened sun.
Many millions now inhabit the twin continents of Hivern and Cailleach. Split by the waters of the Amaranth Sea, these continents house the descendants of that cataclysm's survivors. To the far north and south, high ice capped mountains act as a natural boundary. Beyond the mountains are endless plains of ice and snow.
Magic use is widespread and common. Though a war 20 years ago led to the deaths of the most experienced mages. Today centers of learning are still rebuilding. But here and now new conflicts are arising. The Hivern Provencial Union has filed an official protest at the use of indentured servitude contracts in the Dwarven Mountainhomes. The Kingdom of Cailleach is undergoing internal strife as a succession crisis is brewing. Pirates, both legal and otherwise, have begun to prowl the waves, as the major world powers turn their focus inwards and even against each other.
Here in the Sun Dappled isles, the Outlaw Obscura, a group of organized pirates, have begun to operate with impunity. A few more civilized settlements still act as ports of call for legal trade, but not many are left. Avaelin is one of the last freeports. Home to the Mystic Mariners' Academy, which acts as a learning center for more than just navigation. In a world starving for experienced mages to replace those lost in past wars, the academy has found renewed importance.