Lore of the Rift
What is Karth?
Ancient and Fantastical, the world of Karth is one of many realms accessible beyond the shadowy fringes of the Rifts borders. Pre-Industrialized and highly magical, the World of Karth ( a massive continent comprised of many Nation-States and 500 million multi-racial humanoids and fauna) was once a bustling hub of magical intellectualism, discovery and gold----now whittled down to a shadow of it’s former self as war and pestilence have overshadowed it’s progress.
Since the untimely death of the King of Karthopolis, war has ravaged across the land for 5 long years, razing cities and towns to the ground and disintegrating it’s once sizable adventuring population through conscription and draft.
discovering the rift
Several years after the beginning of the Great War-- the exalted Karthian Arch-Mage, Spectrum Elysias--- chanced upon a magical portal upon a leisurely walk along the trails of the Blackened Forest.
Sir Elysias; renowned for his insatiable curiosity and suicidal tendencies--- had discovered what was soon to be known as the Rift, a tiny interdimensional scar that lanced across Space & Time.
With excitement, the Arch-mage petitioned the Royal Consulate of Karth to survey the lands beyond the portal--convinced that it in some way held the secrets to turning the tide in the Great Civil Wars that had torn the land asunder. The Consulate, exhausted by the toll of constant battle, agreed--- lending Spectrum Elysias the resources for a surveying party of the newly found dimension. The survey found little gold and treasures---but instead stumbled upon a vagabond community consisting of wayward travelers, Arcanists and Mages hiding from Conscription, mercenary outposts, Rogues and very well-connected Kobold caravans. The Rift, had become something of a neutral territory for "those in the know"....
The fuck is a "oakda"?
Oakda Malkuth is a hundred and fifty year old (37 in Orc-Human longevity comparison) Orc raised in the mountainous & forest-y Nation-State of Whel. Sturdy, hale, and covered in scars, Oakda is a consummate war veteran.
Renowned for her prowess with a BattleAxe--- Oakda has been in dozens of adventuring/mercenary companies and nearly as many wars and has earned the respectfully wary eye of Paladins, Thieves, Arcane Elves, Corsairs and Druids alike. Equally comfortable in the Cities, Woods and Sea---Oakda has trained many young adventurers and has run her own Adventuring company at one point in her life.
It is known that Oakda and the Arch-mage Spectrum Elysias were very close friends who adventured together in their "youth". A century later, after "accidentally" killing a Paladin general in a duel--- Oakda was banished from Karth and took up permanent residence in the Rift. It is said that this decision by the Karthian Consulate pushed Oakda from Lawful Good to Lawful Neutral/Chaotic Neutral.
It’s obvious that Oakda is still in contact with certain denizens of Karth despite her Exile and it’s well known that the Tiny Minotaur has been a hub of information and activity on all spectrums of “alignment”. What Oakda is doing with that information remains to be seen...