The World of Artica

Artica is a planet that spent thousands of years locked in war. Race wars, religious wars, territorial wars, and Order wars shaped every continent and every culture. For most of Artica’s history, peace was nothing more than a rumor. But for the last eighty years, the world has finally been able to breathe.
The ancient wars have faded. The old religious conflicts have almost vanished. With the end of war, the population has begun to grow again. Without battlefields to fight on, people have turned to capitalism, trade, and innovation as their new form of competition. For the first time in history, Artica is building instead of destroying.
This new era of peace was made possible by the southern island city of Otayga.
Otayga is a fast, crowded, thriving city built on the idea that anyone can become a citizen. Islanders, countrymen, mainlanders, mystics, and wanderers all live side by side. Life moves quickly there, but it is far better than the harsh islander life or the quiet country existence many came from. Otayga has become the center of Artica’s new world.
But peace does not mean perfection. There are still shadows moving beneath the surface.
Otayga has revived its ancient Coliseum tournament, once used to settle disputes between Orders. Now it is a global event to determine who is the most victorious challenger in all of Artica. There are many Orders across the world, but only six have been invited and accepted to come to this year’s tournament.
Not every Order agrees with Otayga’s leadership, and not every religious dispute has been resolved.

Tri the second largest relgion and power, refuses to attend due to Otayga’s foundation in Shodo religious principles. The Tri religion belieevs they are the third book as the Shodo book was the second. There religous differences have boiled over for generations and the people of Tri believe it is time to begin their own supercity for their people. Wrath will not attend either, believing Otayga has become too political and that the Coliseum no longer represents true judgment. Even in peace, old grudges remain. They also side with the Religious beliefs of Tri and that Shodo is trying to rewrite history in their third religious book. 
Emazha enters the tournament divided. Half of the Order believes the father of the Four Flames is RyBlayGuanShay. The other half believes Emazha herself stole the flame from the originator. Ry Gen, a distant relative of RyBlayGuanShay, enters the tournament determined to reclaim the title for his lineage.
Glyph, once known as Sigil, has chosen not to bring any of their islander clans. Their ancient magic is not fully understood by Otayga or Shodo, and the city believes it is safer to invite only mainland Glyph challengers.

Much of the world’s peace comes from Aero, the Order that ended the island wars. Aero is formed from the combined teachings of Cloud Skai, Wadis, and Golem Anvil. Their unity brought stability to the southern islands and allowed Artica to finally rest.
Veyo remains mysterious. Few have seen their astral magic, and fewer understand it. Their teachings come from the Last Sage, U Gen, who was meant to join the Circle of Sages on the day they all vanished. Believing himself the only Sage left, U Gen has trained only a handful of masters. Veyo keeps to themselves, but their presence in the tournament is impossible to ignore.
As for Shodo, the Third Book has been written. Their religion has changed. The old ways of sacrifice, blood, and scars have ended. They still honor their traditions, but the violent rituals have been discontinued. Shodo has appointed the first female vessel, Yushiri, marking a new era for their Order.
Artica is at peace, but the Coliseum is calling. The world is watching. The Orders are gathering. And the shadows are beginning to move again.