Sanctara

Sanctara is one of the five continents of Nova.

Overview

Geography

Sanctara is a compact continent, spanning approximately 500 miles across, located in Nova’s temperate western region. It features rolling hills, gothic castles perched on cliffs, and misty forests that stretch toward the coast. The Astral Moon illuminates the spires of grand cathedrals with a holy light, while the Umbral Moon casts deep shadows over ancient battlefields and coastal ports, where Aetheric rifts from the First Shattering linger with spectral energy. Ebon Scales, fragments of the shattered Ebon Moon, are enshrined in sacred reliquaries or buried in war-torn ruins, radiating a faint divine aura that draws both reverence and greed.

Culture

The Holy Order, a theocratic knightly society, dominates Sanctara from the city-state Divinholm, ruled by the Pontiff of the Sacred Blade, a figure of absolute authority. The Order enforces a faith centered on the Council of the Divine Knights, a pantheon of 12 deified knights, each embodying a unique domain and wielding a sacred relic. These relics, housed in the Sacred Reliquary in Divinholm, are revered through knightly oaths, relic consecrations, and martial prayers, believed to shield Sanctara from Klythar’s corruption. Inland, the Order’s theological control is absolute, with cathedrals and knightly orders enforcing doctrine. Coastal cities like Port Solace and Havenreach, open to trade and strangers, blend influences from Ravus, Triad, and other cultures, creating a cultural divide. The Order of the Ouroboros seeks to corrupt the relics with Ebon Scales, while the Ravus Empire targets coastal resources.

History

Sanctara was once a land of warring kingdoms, unified by the Holy Order after the First Shattering devastated its castles and scattered Ebon Scales. The Council of the Divine Knights’ relics were forged to guide the faithful, with the Pontiff’s rise establishing Divinholm as a spiritual center. The coastal cities’ openness has drawn outsiders, including the Order and Ravus, who sense a Klythar connection in the relics.

Key Factions

• Holy Order: Theocratic knights, allies if the party upholds their faith or aids in defense.
• Coastal Merchants: Port Solace and Havenreach traders, open to outsiders.
• Ravus Empire: Harvesting Aetheric energy and Scales, exploiting the chaos to claim relics.

Key Locations

• Divinholm: A cathedral-city with Aetheric stained glass, housing 20,000.
• Port Solace: A coastal trade hub, 100 miles west.
• Crusader’s Battlefield: An inland ruin, 150 miles east.

Species Population

• Sentient Species:
• Humans: Majority, forming the theocratic knightly society under the Pontiff of the Sacred Blade (est. 74-78%).
• Aasimar: Revered celestial descendants (est. 10-12%).
• Air Genasi: Wind-borne mystics (est. 6-8%).
• Kalashtar: Psychic monks, exiled elsewhere, serving as spiritual advisors (est. 2-4%).
• Astral Elves: Rare, otherworldly scholars studying Aetheric mists (est. 1-3%).

In the timeline

• Circa 1000: The War of the First Races fractures Roh-ber, creating Sanctara through tectonic upheaval.
• Circa 2001: Sanctara's settlers harness mist rituals.
• Circa 2500: Sanctara's Mist Confederacies establish ritual sites.
• Circa 2900: Sanctara's Mist Confederacies worship a Council of Divine Knights.
• Circa 5000: Sanctara's Theocracy emerges.
• Circa 5200: Sanctara resists Dawn Haven in the Dawnforge War.
• 6352: A campaign hub.