Welcome to Isen[]
Isen is a fantasy world used for novels and the tabletop roleplaying games, Pathfinder, Dungeons & Dragons, and d12GO.
Geography[]
The world of Isen consists of one main continent (known simply by inhabitants as Isen), a smaller continent to the west (known as The Wild), an island to the far east (known as Hama), and an uninhabited frozen continent to the south (known as Meygas).
The Main Continent[]
For a long time, the kingdoms of the main continent lived in relative peace, but in the year 1542 AC, the at-the-time-small kingdom of Arkvale started to conquer neighbouring kingdoms, gradually taking over the majority of the continent and forming the Arkvale Empire, under the rule of Empress Tajna.
Besides Arkvale, the remaining kingdoms on Isen are Terranis, Pinebridge, the Northern Isles, and Ballentia, though these are all under threat from the Empire.
The Northern Isles is a collection of islands and archipelagos at the top of the main continent, that forms a kingdom with a strong maritime tradition and a powerful naval force.
Ballentia is the largest kingdom (besides the Arkvale Empire) and takes up the southern quarter of the main continent. It is protected by a very dense forest known as the Wolfwood.
Terranis and Pinebridge are situated between Ballentia and Arkvale. They are both small kingdoms, but have allied with one another to put up a very strong fight against Arkvale's invading forces.
There is a large mountain range in the west, that runs from North to South, essentially cutting off a small portion of the western point from the rest of the main continent. There is a city high in the mountains called Lunaris, and is the seat of the Trittoran religion. The small sliver of land on the western edge of the continent is referred to as The Free Lands.
Outside the Main Continent[]
The Wild is a large island to the west, and home to a tribal people who most "mainlanders" believe to be savages and barbarians, although very few have ever met anybody from there. The flora and fauna on the Wild are said to be larger than most of what is seen on the main continent.
Meygas is a large continent to the south that consists entirely of ice and snow. There are no known civilisations there, and the few explorers who have ventured to Meygas have reported it is filled with natural hazards and dangerous beasts.
Hama is a small island to the far east. It is almost entirely mountainous, and home to a large number of temples and religious orders who live in harmony with one another.
Magic[]
All magic in Isen comes directly from the planet, in the form of Raw Magic, which comes to the world in an immensely powerful burst every 800 years. There are a number of types of ways this can be used, and a number of different types of casters who can use it. The most powerful, and unleashed, of these casters are known as Wielders.
Wielders[]
Wielders are rare casters who can hold an unlimited amount of Raw Magic inside of themselves, and draw upon it at will.
Every 800 years, Raw Magic comes to Isen in an immense destructive burst known as the Surge. If any wielders are present at the Surge, they absorb the bulk of this burst, essentially taking ownership of near-infinite magical ability, and becoming extremely powerful. If there are no wielders present, however, the power comes into the world unleashed and can cause global catastrophic disasters.
The current year in Isen is 1600 AC (After Cataclysm), as civilisation had to rebuild from the rubble of one such catastrophic disaster 1600 years ago.
Other Users of Raw Magic[]
Raw Magic can also be utilised in small amounts by other types of casters.
Wizards, for example, learn to draw small amounts of Raw Magic for specific tasks, through years of dedicated study.
Clerics are granted small amounts of Raw Magic by their chosen deity.
Druids can filter Raw Magic from the natural world around them, to fulfill a specific need.
Bards draw Raw Magic from the world through artistry and song.
Sorcerers are perhaps the closest and next best thing to wielders, due to their innate ability to draw Raw Magic from the planet at will for their spells. However, they are unable to store it inside themselves, and must use it as it is being drawn.
Populations[]
During the last cataclysm, every civilised race on Isen was brought near to extinction. Humans, although suffering immense losses themselves, were the least decimated, and have managed to rise and become the dominant race on the planet.
Other humanoid races such as elves, dwarves, orcs, halflings, etc. still exist in Isen, but have been assimilated into human-centric societies as minorities. Although there are some humans who are prejudiced against non-human races, most humans and non-humans coexist without issue.
Religion[]
There have been many religions in Isen, with some disappearing or being replaced any time the population is decimated by a Surge cataclysm.
See here for a list of Gods that are currently worshipped in Isen.
Historical Timeline[]
See here for a timeline of significant events in Isen's history.
Important Characters[]
See here for a list of important people and characters in Isen.
Important Places[]
See here for a list of important places and kingdoms in Isen
List of All Pages on Wiki[]
See here for a list of all pages on the Isen Wiki
The Fate of Isen Podcast[]
The Fate of Isen is a D&D 5th Edition Actual Play podcast, set in Isen, and recorded in Wellington, New Zealand. The main characters are Banffor Watt (played by Oliver Scripps), Marley Kraff (played by Julz Burgisser), Trestlespoon Dur (played by Josh Kingsford), and Arcus (played by Jules Daniel). Brad Zimmerman - the creator of Isen - is the Dungeon Master. The story of the podcast, revolves around the United Arkvale Resistance, an organisation set up to fight back against the Arkvale Empire.
Campaigns[]
Find the many Isen Podcast Campaigns here.
Latest activity
Isen's Main Continent