Shine bright, Arelians!
High above the fog, where the air still carries a hint of sunlight, rise the Tree-Cities, vast living fortresses grown on the backs of the Ardentis, the Trees of Light. Here dwell the Arelians, a people who built their civilization not on the ground but among the branches that reach for the sky. Each Tree-City is its own world, a maze of bridges, platforms, and wooden towers woven around trunks that emit a faint light. Some cities hold ten thousand people, while others are close to a hundred thousand. This count includes the suburbs located just below. The Arelians are not one nation but many. Every tree has its own rulers - councils, lords or kings who claim power through wisdom or wealth.
The greatest of them all is Sorago, the shining city of twelve houses. Its Archon and council govern the skies and oversee distant outposts led by appointed Ethnarchs. Yet even Sorago’s reach has limits; the shroud isolates the cities, and slow airships must travel vast, dangerous distances between them.
Arelian society resembles a pyramid. At its peak sit the Archon, nobles, and admirals who command fleets of skywalkers. Below them work scientists, artisans, and traders - minds and hands that keep the cities alive. Then come the Rangers, soldiers and explorers who descend into the fog when no one else dares. Beneath them live the mudfolk - those who gather food and resources on the ground, living half their lives in shadow. At the bottom are the people who do not contribute to society - beggars, refugees, and exiles.
Arelian technology shines with a unique blend of craft and mystery - gears, wood, and remnants of the ancient world combined through knowledge that approaches sorcery. Coal and gas fuel their forges, while Solar, the burning sap of the Trees of Light, powers their greatest machines. Their skywalkers soar through the skies, while ballistae and clockwork engines hum with a rhythm known only to their creators.
Join our Discord to learn more about DarkSwitch! - https://discord.gg/FaP9KBdtq2
