The World of Meklir

What's going on with this world of Meklir?

The first thing you need to know is that Meklir is a full-on fantasy world with lots of features and denizens that don't exist or make sense in the context of our own world or our own understanding of the universe.

Some fantasy worlds are based on the model of the planet, complete with suns, moons, stars and, at times, the possibility of other such planets. Some fantasy worlds are actually our own Earth re-imagined: either in a far-flung past or a vastly remote future.

Meklir is not.

Based on some ancient mythologies, and almost certainly influenced by the great Terry Pratchett, Meklir is not even a globe. It stretches many thousands of miles in seven directions from its central mountains, dipping down gradually in each direction so that the horizon disappears for its inhabitants in much the same way our own does. Instead of there being a sun, the sky itself provides heat and light. The sky is made up of an enormous zone of sheer divine power, placed there by the gods to give the world its energy source. The power itself is known as the Vapour. Every night, the Vapour turns down to replenish itself, and the people of Meklir can see the far-off evidence of other such Vapours that appear as stars.

Not only is there no sun but there is also no moon. Instead, seven great monoliths hang in the sky, marking the corners of the world. These so-called liths are the direction markers and one of the most accurate means of measuring the passing of time. The liths twitch slightly with each passing second. This is ordinarily not discernible by the naked eye, but the scholars of various institutions have demonstrated it mathematically. No one agrees what the liths really are, or whether they serve any purpose. Perhaps this was once known, but the knowledge is long lost.

Most of the gods lost interest in Meklir many millennia ago, although a small number of them have been known to check in on the world on occasion. 

There are seven main pantheons of gods who claimed to have a part in the creation and ordering of Meklir, but this may be inaccurate, since the gods create so many worlds and so many other wonders. On the plains of Apharon and Terrid, the pantheons are considered sacrilegious. The peoples of both lands believe in a monotheistic god (although not the same one) who shaped the world, but did not necessarily create it in the first place.

Magic is possible anywhere on Meklir. There are many different types, with their own sources, their own practices and their own customs. Magic can be intrinsic or extrinsic, meaning that some creatures, plants, places etc. are simply imbued naturally with certain magical properties. Other types of magic must be accessed deliberately, using special techniques. 

There are various intelligent species who co-exist. In most of the world, humans are both the most numerous and the most organised in terms of civilisation.

The city of Ilwin famously outlaws extrinsic magic, but most other lands are either tolerant or downright enthusiastic about the benefits of magic. However, even in Ilwin, there is a practice somewhat like magic, known as theurgy. Theurgy is Meklir's analogue for our own science.

Various schools of wizardry exist around the world, and wizardry is practised predominantly by humans. Some of the orders work together for the purposes of research and education. The foremost concentration of these orders is based on the island of Cothis, at the King's College.

These are some of the basics to help you along with reading the books.