Welcome to ExtUril

History

Long ago, when humans were just starting to use tools, their reality crashed suddenly into another, the reality of Genekits, creating a new reality known as Exturil. This event sent ripples through all known planes of existence, causing changes and shifts to them as well. This event became known as the Convergence. Thus began hundreds of years of turbulence as the realities settled again, and learned to coexist. 

The Planet

After the Convergence, the planet went through many changes. The merging of two realities forced many geological changes to the planet, resulting in numerous new land masses popping up, as well as the introduction of magic to the human reality. The two realities never fully settled into one another, instead the planet is a strange gradient between the two, with some areas being more strongly influenced by one than the other. The influence of each reality can still easily be felt to this day, with some areas feeling distinctly Other to the non-native species of whatever reality’s influence is stronger in the area.

With magic woven innately through both Genekits and their reality, areas that are more strongly influenced by that reality have stronger ties to magic than those that are dominated by the human reality. The magic in Genekits dominated areas can be so strong that even humans can tap into the magic and wield it themselves. However, it is quite rare to see a human in the heart of an Genekit Reality territory, as the foreignness is often disconcerting to them.

After the Convergence, numerous other realities on alternate planes of existence were shifted as well due to the impact, with many being pulled closer to Exturil in an almost gravitational way. Some of these additional realities come so close that they even begin to meld with this one. When this happens, it can affect the religions, cultures, societies, and environments of the areas where the melding occurs.

With Humans

For a long time, humans and Genekits, the primary developing species of their reality, did not meet as they stayed isolated to their own parts of the world. As the two species developed, and spread across the globe however, the two creatures eventually crossed paths. While the first meeting between Genekit and Human is lost to time, we do know that the two species learned to coexist in some kind of harmony, eventually. How long this took… Well, that depends on where on the planet you are.

In some parts of the world, Genekits and humans learned to coexist peacefully right off the bat. This tended to be the case in areas where Exturil was in balance and the two realities had equal influence on the area. In areas where Exturil was out of balance, and one reality had more influence than the other, that is where issues tended to arise. This tended to be the case especially in areas ruled by the human reality as magic in those areas was seen as incredibly foreign and dangerous, and its use is generally frowned upon by humans even to this day. So much so that even Genekits raised in these areas sometimes see magic as bad, even though it is innately part of them.

Continent of Safirea

The continent of Safirea is the part of Exturil that is influenced the most by the Genekit reality, and as such, is where you can find the highest concentration of Genekits living. Large populations of Genekits, and full Genekit communities can be found on multiple other parts of the planet as well, but Safirea is widely considered to be the Genekit “Homeland”. 

Magic is innately woven into this continent, and is incredibly strong throughout the entire area. As such, the culture here is quite different than one would see elsewhere in the world. Here, technology, science, magic, and nature work as one. A lot of things that would be considered common elsewhere (like cars and suburbs) do not seem to exist the same way here.

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Aurelixis

Deep in the heart of Safirea lies the most populated city of the Genekit continent; a glistening city of crystal, magic, and technological innovation- Aurelixis. Everything from the towering spires of skyscrapers which can be seen for miles around, to the constantly bustling streets that never seems to calm, exudes an energetic vibe that spurs visitors to the great city to crane their necks and peek around every corner to see what new surprise is in store for them. Being built upon one of the two major natural magical hotspots in Exturil, not only does the overflow of magic give the city its signature crystalline aesthetic, Genekits have harnessed the natural magic to help further their scientific research and development. Many consider Aurelixis to be the main hub for magical and technological advancement.

Navisalo

Safirea boasts a long stretch of sandy beach along its western shore, and upon that coastline you can find the thriving port city of Navisalo. The second largest city on the Genekit continent, Navisalo is the epicenter for most of the land's commerce and trade, its winding streets filled to the brim with merchants looking to sell their various wares. So dedicated are the fishermen and shopkeepers who live here full time that not even tropical storms can stop their business. The squat, sturdy buildings of the city were engineered specifically to withstand any manner of angry wind or waves tossed their way. Just outside the city proper lays pristine beaches of beautiful sand and magic enriched ocean waters which gives the lapping waves a bright, vibrant hue.

Arisicca

Characterized by bronzed shifting sands and arid heat, at first glance Arisicca appears barren and desolate, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Hidden amongst the mountains of sand lie a number of thriving oasis birthed from small underground springs creating small mini jungles packed with all manners of brightly colored flora and fauna unique to Safirea. Further in, where those same springs come up and converge to form flowing rivers, one can find a number of Genekit settlements flourishing on the riverbanks. Locals mutter rumors of long lost treasures hidden beneath the sweltering sands, the fortunes of royalty and thieves both. Though no such riches have been found yet, many explorers hoping to strike it rich test their luck searching the desert lands.

Silvolia

Boasting tangles of fronds and a network of deep rooted trees, the forests of Silvolia are a beautiful yet deceptively treacherous place. It is easy to feel claustrophobic when encapsulated by the tightly packed flora you can find here, many find it hard to tell when one plant ends and another begins. The webs of leaves trap sunlight and moisture making the forests incredibly humid, leaving every available surface slick to the touch with a small film of water. If one can struggle their way through the net of vines they will come across camouflaged Genekit villages scattered throughout the forest, concealed by the towering moss covered trees they call home. Once night falls, handfuls of bioluminescent flowers open up giving the forest a soft but otherworldly glow.

Agrariana

Stretching as far as the eyes can see, the rolling grasslands of Agrariana are truly a sight to behold. With a wind that never stops blowing, tall grasses stretch for miles in every direction waving in the breeze, creating the illusion of a green colored sea. Among the plains wild animals native to the Genekit continent roam contently in their herds, lazily going about their day giving the land a mellow, laidback feeling. Due to the area being mostly flat, one can spot Genekit towns and farms from miles away, though be sure to be mindful of the distance. What looks like a simple 15 minute walk is actually an all day trek. It’s important for travelers to use the rare tree or large boulder as landmarks to keep track of their journey. In addition, Agrariana is unique in that due to its landscape being flat and near the center of Safirea, it is one of the best places to see all the other biomes in the distance, such as Nixaltus’ mountains to the North and Silvolia’s forests to the East.

Nixaltus

Reaching up to scrape the sky, Nixaltus’ majestic mountain ranges are beautiful and dangerous in equal measure. Temperature harshly drops the higher up you climb up the cliff faces, and the warm colored woods that blanket the valleys below swiftly turn into snowy ridges that only the most prepared and experienced mountaineers brave. Winters here are especially harsh, freezing winds leaving everything exposed to the elements in a sheet of chilling ice. Huddled together in clumps to help keep warm you can find Genekit cottages nestled into the mountainside, billows of smoke rising up from the number of bonfires they keep alight all year round. Life here is difficult, but worth it to see the seasonal changes in the leaves and catch the first rays of sunlight each morning. If you’re lucky you may stumble across one of the rare natural hot springs that dot the landscape. Locals swear that the water that flows from them has special properties, though nothing has been proven scientifically yet.

Tephrea

Possibly the harshest biome of the Genekit continent, Tephrea’s landscape is riddled with hard, rocky terrain leading up to a series of active volcanoes at its center. Most everything here is dark in color, stained by the minerals of the lava and molten earth that spews from the volcanoes from time to time. Very little grows here naturally and wildlife is near nonexistent aside from the occasional seasonal birds that fly down here to avoid the cold winter months up north, and small lava geckos who adapted specifically to weather the extreme environment here. In all of Safirea, Tephrea is by far the least populated biome, but there are small colonies sprinkled throughout inhabited by Genekit who are brave and evolved enough to tolerate the harsh environment. It’s said that the small amount of fruits and veggies they manage to grow using volcanic ash as fertilizer are the largest and best tasting on the continent.