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Compiled of dozens, if not hundreds of millions of islands, some of the larger collections, outside of the few solid continental land masses, making up collections of small continents of their own. The world of Aven's surface is a water dominated planet with some borders and territories divided in ever evolving ways as the societal presences hits times of growth and times to diminish from wars, piracy, sicknesses, and prosperity.

August 4th, 114 - AJD

The World of Aven is a Neo-Victorian Fantasy Western with hints of magic suggesting greater powers at play than merely politics and drama. With inspiration drawing from Diesel/Whale/Steam/Wind (punk), technology ranges from massive flying airships, to propelled projectile weapons where the bullets can be infused with a kind of energy to pre-charge for maximum range and accuracy, to clockwork, steam devices with subtle internals. The sciences and academic studies of available energy has revealed that instead of typical electricity, which is available in some capacity, the true common power source is Endirigal - a kind of electricity which is more mist, plasma, or floating liquid when it is expelled, rather than a single electrical spark. This encouraged the lean toward steam and clockwork designs, but with a mixture and balance of mechanical, abstract computer components. The reach of technology is somewhat held in place and slow to develop into more refinement due to the physical limitations physics in this world presents. This does not however, stop the researchers and academics in larger cities from exploring possibilities - within safe, controlled parameters, of course.

Endrigal is the side by side comparison to electricity. While electricity does exist, the means of harnessing it is countered by the laws of nature by Endrigal which makes transmitting electricity through wires far more difficult in ambient nature.

Endrigal can be used in place of electricity, but this still has it's limits. Think of it like using a towel to try and dry a puddle, but the towel was already damp before you began, diminishing its ability to soak up. In conjunction of Endrigal and Electricity, Clockwork, Steam, and Wind, and Water Current power are all harnessed to work as one to makeup for the gaps, making luxuries demand a great deal of engineering to maintain, let alone invent and construct. Anything beyond this that might be made for a more common implementation of society is typically reliant on oil, wind, and water current if available. For this reason, most devices that ease and provide comforts of modern life are shared among neighborhoods with a centralized machine providing to a collection of families/locations.

Magic is not your typical, cast a spell, toss a fireball, heal a wound, or anything of that nature. In fact, even those who live within the world of Aven know little of magic itself.

Long ago, in an effort to reach a spiritual awareness and commune with "the other side", groups of shaman cults accessed what they could only describe as, a world made up of the very prism of color when oil spills into water, or the lines drawn by a stream's current. Rough sketches and drawings which these people produced in an effort to describe this finding of theirs only brought forth imagery of swirls, circles, lines, spirals, and other, incoherent shapes. With no signs of spreading sickness or infections endangering those who interacted with these cultists, the doctors who were charged to investigate their apparent group hysteria dismissed the condition as the result of some kind of one-time event that altered their minds collectively by whatever means they attempted to alter themselves with. The cultists were deemed menacing criminals and locked away, deep in forgotten dungeons many unknown years ago. Or so legend says.

Those still walking in freedom's light who hold to the belief of a power from beyond have attempted to recreate some of the rituals of these shaman, only cutting their freedom short with some unknown result, or by seemingly disappearing off the face of the earth.

For those who have observed any rituals seemingly of success, it is believed that there are forces with no names, faces, emotions, or characteristics even remotely comparable to our own. Instead, these beings, or rather, forces of nature by their own right in comparison, are so otherworldly, that our means of physics and understanding are a complete mystery to whatever might be on the other side. As such, many practicing these rituals claim that the other side is too, just as curious of us. This point is highly debated and without foundation as many others who practice or don't also claim malevolence in the intent of the other worldly. Despite the supposed progress made by these "Hoodwinks" who seek to "Jinx, Hex, Beguile", and "Lure" powers from the powers of the "Dissimilar", even practicing such "Chicanery" and "Trickery" to more than a glance of curiosity could risk complete madness. Those who claim to practice as Hoodwinks are often described by interviewers and doctors as... Missing something from their very soul, with eyes like marbles and glass, and smiles like an alligator.

Reports suggest that Hoodwinks are able to summon otherworldly presences which can move objects, summon... somethings, or let something fall into the Abyss of the Dissimilar. However, the expanse of influence is said to go as far to affect people's mental state/health, the attitude of animals, or cause entirely strange and unexplainable phenomena.