The World of Warda

It always starts with Magic…

Five thousand years ago, the fey walked out of the woods and redesigned the face of the continent to suit even their tiniest whims. Today, fey and humans alike inhabit a world with domesticated magic that controls everything and powers everything from the lights in our homes to the lifeblood of industry. In this sparkling, dazzling realm of intrigue and invention, there is a social spectrum from the highest Seelie to the lowliest human, all nestled safe within the structured walls of the city of Ammingrad. Even the under-city of Amminheim is protected and contained within the safety of the realm, although it contains a somewhat shadier side of society. The width and breadth of the great kingdom stretches hundreds of miles in all directions – and the northern border is lined with a mountain range too steep, too jagged, and too dangerous to climb.

Beyond the wall? Don’t be silly. There’s nothing beyond the wall but empty land. We have everything we need, right here within the city. No one leaves because no one needs to leave – no one wants to. This is the greatest pinnacle of achievement the society could hope for – a true utopia, thanks to the Dair.

At the top of the Wardian great chain of being sits Dair Olgar, and his wife Aulbria, the Mab. It is they, the living gods of this realm, that watch over everyone and everything within the great city. Beside them are the other Seelie, and below them sit the high houses of the four elemental races: the Ifriti, the Sylvani, the Naiadi, and the Janni. Next come the high families of the Gobbins, then the Brownies. The Fairies follow next, then the tiny Pixies, and at last, at the bottom of it all, the humans.

The city has a thousand stories… what will yours be?

Magic
Magic is integral to Warda, and comes in many forms.

The World that Was
Five thousand years ago, Warda was only home to humans. Then the fey came, from the World that Was. Very little is known about that World, but what is known is shared here.

Cosmology
Warda has two moons, Frida and Yara.

Frida is a silver moon that shines a reddish light, Yara shines a bluish light. The Long Hour is when only one moon is in the night sky.


The first Dair of Warda was Dair Ammin, who lent his name to the city he founded. Now Dair Olgar rules.

The Wards
The city of Ammingrad is divided into twelve Wards, each of which have their own distinctive flavor. The outer wards contain most of the farming and "wild" lands of the city, with the inner wards becoming progressively more urban and higher class.

The Guilds
Though the Dair rules all, much of the day to day life in Warda is managed and regulated by a number of Guilds run by various Fey of High Houses.

Education is handled under the namesake guild, and further information on Schooling in Warda can be found here.

Currency
“Money makes life manageable, my dear. Or unmanageable, as the case may be. Without money, there’d be no managing whatsoever. It would be tiresome and not even remotely useful.” — Iggly Twitchwiggler III

In the early days of Ammingrad much of the everyday commerce was done with barter and trading. This was true even though the Governor System era but as Ammingrad began to switch to the Guild System, Dair Olgar instituted the use of actual currency for the general use of the city. He placed the Commerce Guild in charge of its production and distribution and to this day, the city continues to run on the current currency model.

Copper Laras

Named after the title of respect for a female Seelie fey, the copper lara is the base for the entire system and counts as 1. The Lara is a small copper coin with a hole in it’s center. It is inscribed with the profiles of four female high fey. The Ifriti, the Naiadi, on one side and the Janni and the Sylvani on the other. Much can be bought in Ammingrad and Amminheim with a copper lara. Many small goods such as simple groceries, or a cup of cheap wine or a mug of ale can be purchased with it.

Iron Ogs

Named after the title of respect for the children of the Dair, the iron Og counts as ten Copper Laras. The Og is a flat iron disc an inch across that has been etched with the words “Through Unity, Strength. Through Strength, Security. Through Security, Peace.”

Silver Mab

Named after Mab Albria, this silver coin is about the size of a playing card and has the visage of the Mab on one side, and a stylized moon on the other. They represent 50 Lara.

Gold Dair

Named after Dair Olgar himself, Gold Dairs are a major currency in the city and represent 100 laras. They are square coin the side of a playing card with the Dair’s profile on one side and a stylized sun on the other.

White Steel Ammin

White steel is incredibly hard to come by and very hard to work with. As such this rare coin is worth the most and is named for the previous Dair, Dair Olgar’s father, Ammin, for whom the city is also named. The coin represents 1000 laras and is a palm sized square coin etched with a forested door on onside and a depiction of the Ivoryglade on the other. Only the richest and most powerful of families have Ammin in their vaults and a single Ammin could keep a poor family of four in comfort for several months.

Timekeeping in Warda
Time waits for no fey. Time is money. Time runs out for all… except the Seelie.

Time is an important factor in Ammingrad and Amminheim. You can find calendars on most walls, timepieces in most pockets and clock towers in every neighborhood. Everyone measures time and while some have more of it than others, even the longest living fey must mind its inevitable countdown.

Dueling Clubs
Dueling Clubs are a major part of Wardan life, where one learns not only a philosophy of life but martial skills and valuable connections with other Fey. Tournaments and Games are common events, drawing large crowds.

A Wardian Dictionary
Being an incomplete and ever-growing list of popular curses, oaths, proverbs, idioms, and vocabulary in the city of Ammingrad. Etymology and origins to be determined.

Inhabitants of Warda
The world of Warda is home to many fascinating and diverse races, each one unique and special in their appearance, abilities, and status within the social hierarchy of the realm.

From left to right we see here a Seelie, a Sylvani, an Ifriti, a Naiadi, a Janni, a halfgene Sylvani, a Fairy servant, a Gobbin, a human, a Brownie, and an upper insert of a Pixie. This diagram shows both varying physical characteristics, fashion styles, and occupations of various races in Warda.

What would you like to know more about?

Seelie
Mysterious high fey, seldom seen by the public.

Ifriti
Fire-aspected elemental fey.

Sylvani
Wood and plant aspected elemental fey.

Naiadi
Water aspected elemental fey.

Janni
Air aspected elemental fey.

Halfgenes
The offspring of a fey and a human.

Gobbins
Fungal-like fey with an inclination for contract magic.

Brownies
Small but clever, well-spoken fey with a knack for reading emotions and providing sympathy.

Faeries
Working class fey.

Pixies
Tiny, short-lived winged fey with big feelings and a double helping of quickness.

Humans
The rest of us.