World

Land Dwellers
Hard skin that develops natural cracks and becomes brittle with a lack of physical exertion, or strong and rocky with an abundance of it.
Originated in the cold south and survived if they did not thrive, growing steadily and expanding northwards.

Sea Dwellers
Soft skin that is a deep dark black, and naturally oily to allow better swimming. Fades to grey with long periods spent out of the sun.
Originated in the northern deserts, but flourished on the inner coast. Dominate The Circled Sea and populate much of the surrounding coastline.

Throne on the Sea
Belongs to the captain with the largest fleet and the biggest crew. The wooden throne, formerly gilded but worn down by rain and wind and sea-spray, is placed on the deck of their flagship and there stays until another captain asserts royalty. When the Sea King is on land, the title falls to his first mate until his return.

Throne on the Land
Unites the civilised south-eastern half of the continent, and claims rulership over the many and varied smaller seats of power. Succession is decided by Naming, rather than blood. A successor is Named in secret, the name written by the monarch and sealed in an envelope with the Royal Seal, to be kept safe by the Head Priest until the monarch's death.

Religions

The Church of the Light
Worshippers of the light, they worship also the shadow, for it defines the light. Their god Malux is without gender, and is fairly ineffable beyond a vague goodness and care. Most important is that he is powerful. They chiefly worship at night, beneath Malux's shadow, for that is when light can be seen. Converse to the shining priests are the church's shadows, the spies and assassins it employs so that it maintains a firm grip on the kingdom. While it is the official religion of the kingdom, most citizens are somewhat ignorant of the intricacies and the shadow worshipping aspect of the religion.

The Followers of the Triad
Arranged in nomadic tribes, Followers of the Triad believe the greatest beauty, grace, and divinity in the world is to be found in the harmony of the three races, and worship one god of land, one of sea, and one of sky. Once a year they hold the Ceremony of Paragons, where an exemplar of both surviving races is chosen, and a third man to be dressed as the honorary sky-dweller, and the three are treated as royalty for the duration of the festival.

The Children of Allad-Reya
Allad-Reya is the motherly goddess of the coastal regions surrounding the Circled Sea. She is worshipped almost exclusively by sea-dwellers, though some land-dwellers who have come to live among them have adopted her out of expediency. She has no real church to speak of, worshipped by families rather than by congregations. Her priestesses, usually being merely a studious woman who gives guidance from above as her second job, preach compassion and love.

The Beast
The Beast is strong. The Beast is swift. The savage tribesmen of the rainforest follow The Beast.

Magic
True Mages
A sparse few people are born with impossibly bright eyes, the tell-tale sign of True Magic. In his life, a True Mage may expect to learn one or two tricks that he is capable of. The greatest of history knew as many as ten.

Conjurers, Druids, and Supernaturals
There is a small number of people who, though they are not blessed with True Magic, are nonetheless capable of some magical feats. Through study and practise, enchanters and conjurers may turn a profitable trade, while areas without the reach of any Church are serviced by those versed in ritual and ceremony to achieve a desired effect. And there are some born with certain gifts beyond normality.