Editing Hyphantasia (section)

==Game World==

Somewhat grim bogstandard fantasy world of fragmented, corrupt petty kingdoms ruled by crime lords.

The world of Highphantasia* has grown complacent in the time of peace. A few thousand years since the BIGBADTHINGY* had almost thrown the world into permanent shadow and despair and now the peoples of the world are concerned with themselves. The elves keep an iron hold on their wooded kingdom, making such places inhospitable, the dwarves have long disappeared into their mine kingdoms, so that other races begin to wonder if they ever existed at all. The gnomes live by greed and trade, their inventions more and more geared (pun intended) towards the whims, laziness, and pure naiveté of others.

Humans have spread across the world, conquering one another and building the largest cities and kingdoms ever seen in history. They have become a lot seen as nearly insane by the other races. Either driven by greed and power or the polar opposite, ideals that do not waiver or compromise. Both types equally dangerous. 
But now the Circle, a mysterious organization that has guarded the world and watched for signs of evil's return, has discovered something..."

'''Dwarf Sightings:''' Dwarves on the surface are uncommon but not rare, Grimstone is mostly unique in that he's one of the few upper class dwarves to head outside their mountain holds. Even rarer than dwarves is knowledge of dwarf politics, most dwarves are good at keeping mum about what happens in the mountains.

There's probably a small organized crime element at the base of the mountain that tries to control the traffic of surface goods, but I figure most surface dwarves are commoners who had to move to the surface. They tend to be farmers and lumberjacks and other jobs where they can send their produce beneath the mountain. 

'''Ancient Debts:''' This is involved. The Elverest Clan suffer a reputation of ruthlessness and brutality both in the dwarf holds and on the surface. Some of this changed in Grimstone's youth, when he and his four siblings overthrew their father and established a council of elders. That said, there are still things to answer for in the surface world and Grimstone's freed up his schedule. Some of these debts are alliances and promises that weren't fulfilled when the dwarves retreated to their holds. Some of it are crimes that he wants to make up for (Like when one ancestor flooded a goblin settlement).

/* subject to change

===Issues===

====A Thousand Kingdoms, No King====

===Faces & Places===

====Riverside====

River-Adjacent Trading Hub ruled by a council of merchant-princes/princesses. Issue: ''The Merchants Can Be Worse than the Criminals''

====The Circle====

Secret alliance trying to restore order.

====The Duchy of Aladros====

The Duke / Duchess (undecided, willing to leave it in GMs hands) is working along the lines of Klaus in Girl Genius. Peace will reign - if necessary, when everyone else is under my boot.