KUNG LAVOS'S PROFILE

"Spellbound" takes place in Alpharia, a world rich in magical energy.

The land of Alpharia is divided into four continents; Erysis, Eulias, Indus, and Utur. The story takes place in Mercenion, a large country located on the western coast of Erysis.

Mercenion is a proud, powerful and wealthy monarchy, governed by the archmage Theodore. It features a high concentration of bustling cities and well-travelled roads, although there is a less densely populated mountainous region towards the north of the country consisting mainly of smaller towns and villages, which thrive on the bounty of ore contained within the region.

A large percentage of Mercenion's national income is derived from its long-established trading route with the neighbouring continent of Indus, through which it obtains a wide variety of exotic goods. Mercenion values its favourable diplomatic relations with the nearby countries of Indus above all else, and its emissaries constantly strive to keep all interactions between the various nations as cordial as possible.

For all its glory, however, Mercenion is not without its dark side. With so many rich targets available to an enterprising thief, Mercenion's crime rate is, unfortunately, quite high. Although the local trade routes are well guarded, bandits are nevertheless an ever-present risk due to the numerosity and determination of the various gangs that exist. Brutal mercenaries and cold-blooded assassins are all too easy to come by, and they have no trouble finding employment beneath corrupt, wealthy nobles.

Rumours even abound of an expansive and secretive crime syndicate known as the Blood Eagles, although if such an organisation does exist, it has not been conclusively proven.

In spite of this, Mercenion is looked upon with awe by many inhabitants of other, less well-developed countries, and tends to draw in a large number of immigrants seeking to begin a new life. As such, Mercenion has a higher degree of racial diversity than any other country in the world, and its culture has become quite muddled over the centuries.


Everyone in the world of Alpharia possesses at least a small degree of magical talent according to the sign of the Arcane Zodiac under which they were born. Much like a person's physical prowess, the magical power of any given person can vary wildly according to both their inborn ability and the extent to which they practice and develop their skill. Some can barely summon enough energy to make a glass of water ripple, whereas a few rare individuals may bend reality to their whims as easily as moulding clay.

Although the ability to use magic comes from within, magic itself does not. Much like light or heat, it is simply a type of energy. In its unrefined state it is wild and chaotic; pure potential in a raw form. Only by being channelled through a focused mind can it be utilised and directed; the effects of being exposed to magic that has not been "distilled" in this manner are often nothing short of catastrophic.

Magic is an extremely important (some would say integral) aspect of the world of Alpharia. It has been responsible for almost all of the civilisational advancements made in history. At the dawn of man, Seers scoured the land in search of other tribes, and the arts of trade and diplomacy were born from the contact that was soon established. Elementalists summoned rain to feed crops and, as seafaring became a reality, brought favourable winds to direct ships to new and exotic lands.

Healers laboured day and night to keep the population in good health, ever striving to develop new spells to counter illnesses and maladies. At the hands of the Alchemists, with their ability to manipulate matter of all kinds, technology advanced at a rapid rate. When mankind developed the inclination to research their history, the Necromancers stepped in, summoning forth long-dead spirits to hear the stories they had to tell, and through the keen minds of the Abjurers and the insight of the creatures called forth by Summoners, humanity gained a greater understanding of the workings of magic itself.

The only exceptions to the rule are those born under the sign of Nihil. These unfortunates have no innate magical abilities whatsoever, and are completely unable to utilise magic unless it is supplied to them through an external source, such as an enchanted staff or a magical potion.

The polite term for these individuals is "Nullborn", or simply "Nulls", although many other, more derogatory names exist for them.

Nulllborn suffer persecution and ostracism throughout the world. They are often perceived to be "bad luck", which may be tied into the theory that eventually, the Nullborn population will undergo a sudden surge, causing them to become the predominant "race" on the planet and resulting in a massive decline of magic users and magic in general. Given that most of the world's population relies on magic as heavily (if not more so) as they rely on the Sun rising every morning, the prospect of having to live without it is one that terrifies many.

There are some communities in the world that do cautiously accept Nulls, and a few that treat them as equals in every respect, although such places are few and far between, and they are often small and isolated.

In general, however, Nullborn are sent (often forcefully) at a very young age to "Null Centres", institutions that fall somewhere between a boarding school and a prison. In these places, Nullborn are offered food, lodgings and (usually) education or military training, but conditions are often poor and the inhabitants are rarely allowed to venture into the outside world. It is common practice for Nullborn brought to such places to have the letter "N" imprinted on their foreheads in order to make their "condition" known. This is usually performed by means of a painless magical ritual, but more malevolent centres have been known for both tattooing and branding.

The world of Alpharia is home to humans, but other realms exist that house a wide variety of strange and wondrous beings. No human has ever successfully travelled to these realms, so very little is known about them. However, a certain type of magic user known as a Summoner has the ability to call forth the inhabitants of these places, which has been sufficient to offer some small amount of insight into their nature. Currently, there are four known realms, not counting Alpharia itself. These are named Auyil, Ferroris, Malthrax and Zyori

Zyori is home to mysterious entities that are at least partially composed of pure magic. They vary wildly in form; some of them have a vaguely humanoid shape, while others are almost alien enough to defy description. Although the inhabitants of Zyori are not malevolent, their motives are quite inscrutable, and they are largely indifferent to humanity.

Auyil is a vibrant realm filled with sylphs, fairies, undines, gnomes, and other such spirits of nature and the elements. Although these creatures are by no means always friendly, they tend to be more benign than the Zyorians, and have, in a few cases, been known to develop friendships with humans.

Ferroris is a wild, untamed world inhabited by fierce beasts and savage races such as ogres and trolls. The creatures of this realm are often difficult to bargain with, if indeed they can be bargained with at all. They are not evil in the true sense of the word, but their primitive mindset means that they are often ill-tempered, violent and callous.

Malthrax is the last of the worlds beyond (or at least of those that are known) and it is one that is staunchly avoided by all but the most determined or demented of Summoners, for it is populated by the terrible creatures known as daemons. Although these foul beings are almost as diverse as the Zyori, they are invariably malevolent and vile through and through. Many daemons wield tremendous power, and due to their malicious tendencies and capacity for destruction, summoning them is strictly forbidden in almost all societies.