• Hollow Shade: One of the four great cities of the Ebon Realm. The city resides in Dusk Valley, next to the Dire River. It is known for its trading ports and ideal trade location in the Realm. But, it is most well known for its iconic black magestone walls that harbor hundreds of shades. The city is divided into 7 districts:

  • Commoner District: The majority of the population lives here. It consists of the common people. The district is the nearest to the walls.

  • Bourge District: The middle-class, consisting of wealthy merchants and lesser houses, live here. 

  • Villa District: The high-class live here. The district harbors mansions, expensive restaurants, and elegant stores for the leisure of the rich. Greater houses, powerful magi, high ranking civic and martial officials, and prestigious priests live in the district.

  • Scholar District: A district dedicated solely to the four academies of Hollow Shade. The martial, business, civics, and magic academies. It also holds apartment buildings for some of the academies’ staff.

  • Trade District: The largest district. The majority of businesses reside here. While many small stalls exist, there are also many high-end stores that cater to the wealthy of Hollow Shade. The harbor residing right outside of the city also conducts most of its trade in this district.

  • Night District: The district caters to the darker businesses of the city, including black markets, slave trade, brothels, etc. Many wealthy people visit the district to pursue their hedonistic lifestyles. 

  • Central District: The smallest district, it resides in the center of the Hollow Shade. The important civic buildings are here, including the courthouse. The city council’s establishment is also here. The most iconic and religious building in all of Hollow Shade, the Ebon Tower, stands in the very middle of the district.

A forest south of the Ebon Realm. The forest is covered in trees of crimson leaves with grey bark. The forest is known for being one of the most dangerous regions in the Realm. It is sparsely populated by society, with only the sylvan goblin tribes residing within. Various threatening creatures live within the woods, the most common are dire bears and wolves. A cave of lamias lies in the woods as well. Dragons are said to inhabit the deeper parts of the forest. It borders another forest, Glimmer Grove and also the Rupture mountains.

• Stryg: A goblin hybrid from the sylvan Blood Fang tribe. He is a manifold mage novice, wielding two chromatic colors, grey and black. He is currently a 1st year student in the magic academy of Hollow Shade. He has cyan skin, silver hair, and lilac eyes.

• Feli: A human barmaid of the Merry Crescent tavern. She is a local tavern celebrity, famed for her voluptuous body and demeanor. She has deep purple hair, chestnut eyes, and olive skin.

• Rorik Polamtal: A drow captain of the guard stationed in the trade district. He is a son of house Polamtal, a martial middle-class family. He occasionally drinks with Stryg.

• Karen: A goblin commoner. She is a pickpocket and member of the Wild Knives gang. She is the girlfriend of Jax. She was one of the first people Stryg met in Hollow Shade.

• Maeve Mora: A vampire high-class woman. She is the daughter of vampire house Mora. Maeve is the paternal cousin of Callum Veres, her mother is the younger sister of Callum’s father. She is a student at Hollow Shade’s business academy. She has very negative views towards commoners and hybrids. She is a beautiful dainty woman, with platinum blonde hair, and the iconic pale skin and red eyes of a vampire.

• Celica Skeller: An orc white mage who runs a clinic in the trade district. Her clients mainly include middle class families and Hollow Shade’s guards. While the guards can’t afford her services, the city pays for any injuries they incur on the job.

• Jax: A goblin commoner. He is the gang leader of the Wild Knives gang. He is the boyfriend of Karen. His nose was bitten off by Stryg.

• Leroy: A goblin commoner. A member of the Wild Knives gang and right hand man of Jax. 

• Plum: A drow 3rd year student. She works as a librarian’s assistant. She is a purple mage. After many years of reading in low light rooms, Plum needs to wear glasses. She is considered short for a drow, with grey hair, blue eyes, and grey skin with a tint of blue.

• Callum Veres: A hybrid 1st year student. He is half-vampire and half-human. He is a red mage. Callum is from the prestigious and powerful vampire house Veres. His father is a city lord. He has the iconic red eyes and pale skin of a vampire. He has short black hair, and a bit of stubble. 

• Kithina: A dwarf 1st year student. She is a yellow mage. Born in a low-class family, Kithina hopes to be able to support her family through a mage’s salary. She loves the idea of becoming a mage, a powerful spell caster traveling the land.

• Clypeus Gale: A vampire 1st year student. He is a manifold mage wielding green and yellow magic. He is a skilled warrior hailing from the vampire house Gale. Tall and broad shouldered, he is the image of a powerful warrior. Clypeus has a strained relationship with Callum Veres, because of his hybrid nature. Clypeus believes him to be unworthy of carrying the Veres name.

• Nora Azol: A human 1st year student. She is from house Azol, a middle class merchant family. She is a blue mage. Nora is a brunette.

• Kegrog: An orc 1st year student. He is a brown mage. Standing at 6’5 feet, he is the tallest in his class. 

• John: A human 3rd year student. He performed the chrome-probe exam on Stryg on his arrival to the academy. 

• Loh Noir: A drow and a manifold high master mage who wields 3 chromatic colors, black, grey, and orange. She is a scion of the famed magical Noir family. Her grandfather is a city lord. Her astounding spell casting skills coupled with her offensive chromatic colors, have made her one of the most prominent mage duelists in all the Ebon Realm. Loh’s background, power, beauty, and infamous rude behavior, has made her a popular controversial topic among the high-class. She currently works as a professor at the magic academy in Hollow Shade. Loh is the master of Stryg.

• Tauri Katag: An orc manifold high master mage. She wields two chromatic colors, orange and brown. She is the professor of physical conditioning. Tauri is a daughter of the powerful warrior house Katag. Her father is a city lord. Tauri is a childhood friend of Loh Noir. She has short black hair and bright red skin.

• Gette: A human master black mage. He is a professor at the magic academy of Hollow Shade. He is skilled in both spell forms of black magic, necromancy and shadow. He currently teaches “Intro to Black Magic” to Stryg and other 1st years.

• Ismene: A human high master mage. She is the professor of meditation. Despite being aged, Ismene remains a prominent blue mage, feared and respected among mage circles. 

• Rime: A drow master green mage. He is the professor of Magic Fundamental and other magic theory courses. A strict teacher, who denies the existence of the ebon gods.

• Byrel: A drow secretary of the magic academy. She works at the front office of the academy, working as a receptionist and assistant to professors.
  

The ebon gods are the four gods worshiped by the people of the Ebon Realm. While their existence hasn’t been proven, many throughout the years have claimed to see them. Some believe that the gods were once powerful magi who have since passed into legend. While the description of the gods have varied throughout the years a few traits have been mentioned repeatedly. The most common being that the faces of the gods are always shrouded, normally by a black mask. 

• Lunae: goddess of the moon, watcher over all, and patron deity of the goblins. Lunae is said to have silver skin, and long white hair. She is depicted wearing a black crescent mask and only a large white scarf covering her body.

• Stjerne: god of the stars, the traveler, patron deity of humans. He is said to have skin the color of the midnight sky, a chiseled body, and taller than the others. He is depicted wearing a two faced-mask, one side black with a smile, the other gold with a frown. He’s shown wearing pants made of some form of hide. He is known to carry a silver staff, crackling with power.

• Bellum: goddess of war, guardian of the Realm, patron deity of vampires. She is said to have hazel skin. She is depicted wearing a black helmet and dressed in a red breast plate and leather skirt. She is known to carry a large blazing sword.

• Caligo: god of the deep earth, caretaker of the Realm’s secrets, patron of none. Known as the greatest secret of all. His skin is said to be an assortment of terrene shades. He is also depicted with long silver claws. Unlike the other ebon gods, Caligo isn’t known to wear a mask, but his face is covered with shadows, save for his eyes, that are said to shift through a range of colors. He is also the only ebon god to be depicted without clothes.

Magic is the act of transforming ethereal energy into a corporeal substance. There exists three forms of ethereal energy, chromatic (also known as mana), elemental, and void. 

Ethereal energy exists within the natural world, invisible to the naked eye. It is produced by the Null Realms themselves. Some creatures have the innate and passive ability to absorb mana into their body, they are the ones who can use magic. Once mana is absorbed into the body it resides within the heart and flows through one's veins.

There are two ways someone can create magic. The first is called natural magic. It comes through a natural act, innate to a species, such as a drake breathing fire. The drake is capable of breathing fire without any practice or focus, it is simply a part of them, like lifting a finger. Natural magic users can control the amount of energy flowing within the body as they are using magic. For example, a drake can control the size and heat of it’s flame while breathing fire. 

The second way to create magic is called spell casting. Someone who uses spell casting is called a mage. A mage cannot naturally use magic or control the amount of energy flowing within while using magic, unlike natural magic users. Instead a mage must imagine a clear specific image of what they wish to create with magic. They must also have an incredible focus to summon the energy within themselves to match the exact amount required for the magic they imagined. If a mage can do both these actions they can create magic, also known as a spell. If a mage fails to create a clear image or have a mismatched amount of energy, the spell will fail, possibly fizzling or backfiring.

Elemental energy is divided into 11 types. Death, Life, Light, Creation, Fire, Earth, Air, Water, Lightning, Dark, and Chaos. Chaos is unique in that no creature can absorb it and that it bonds with no chromatic color. Species that can naturally absorb elemental energy are collectively known as elemental species. Some species are natural magic users, while others are magi. Every member of an elemental species has the natural ability to absorb elemental energy. For example, all drakes can absorb elemental energy and breath fire.

Chromatic energy is divided into ten colors, Black, Grey, White, Red, Brown, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple. All the species who can absorb chromatic energy are collectively known as chromatic species. Unlike elemental energy, only a few members of chromatic species have the natural ability to absorb chromatic energy. The only exception being dragons, who all have chromatic energy. All users of chromatic magic are magi, there are no natural magic users. 

Chromatic energy is unique in that it does not exist in its pure form in nature. Instead chromatic energy inherently absorbs elemental energy around it. Making chromatic energy always blended. Each color bonds with two different elemental energies. The mixture of energies creates two spell forms within each color of chromatic energy. A third form exists, which consists of pure chromatic energy, this can only be achieved by a true chromatic mage.

Void energy is purely theoretical and has no actual proof of existence.

The 10 elemental energies are listed in bold lettering and are shared by two colors each.

Elemental Energies: Death, Life, Light, Creation, Fire, Air, Earth, Water, Lightning, Dark

Chromatic Energies: Black, Grey, White, Red, Brown, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple.

The spell forms are listed in between the elements, with each element corresponding to its spell form. For example, "Light - Wards" means the combination of red and light energy creates the "Wards" spell form.

Chromatic Manifold Mage:

A manifold mage is a chromatic mage who has more than one color of mana within themselves. 1 in every 10 chromatic magi is a manifold mage capable of wielding two colors. Any more than 2 colors is very rare, for example a manifold mage who can wield 3 colors is 1 in 100. The more colors a chromatic magi wield the rarer they are. 

Having multiple colors does not equate more power. A mage’s talent varies on each color. Meaning, a mage could be incredibly talented in blue magic, but have subpar talent in green magic. The same applies to both spell forms of each color.

True Chromatic Mage:

A true chromatic mage, is a chromatic mage born with the ability to purify the chromatic energy or mana, within themselves. By doing this they are able to split the mana from the elemental energy within their bodies. This creates two reactions. The first is that the elemental energy within their bodies is now free and the mage’s body can no longer harbor the energy, causing it to be naturally expelled from the body. The second reaction is that the mage is now able to cast spells with pure mana. Each pure color creates different spells. 

True chromatic magi are incredibly rare. However, there tends to be more true chromatic magi in the same color as the color aligned Realm. For example, the Ebon Realm’s color alignment is black, therefore it generates more black mana, along with more black magi and true black magi. 

A true chromatic mage will never have more than one color and therefore can never be a manifold mage. 

Black Mana:

Black mana is fused with death and dark elemental energies.

The fusion of death energy creates necromancy spells. This form of black magic allows a mage to raise and control undead. Necromancy can only control the bodies of the dead, not their souls in any way. The more preserved the corpsed the easier it is to control. The longer a mage spends on reanimating a corpse the longer it will last as an undead, before needing to be replenished with mana. Most black magi, at best can only control a few undead at a time. Undead are weakened by light, their bodies become stiff in daylight and are rendered useless. Undead are very useful at night, however. They can perform various tasks, such as patrolling, fighting, carrying, etc.

The fusion of dark energy creates shadow spells. Shadow spells can manipulate one’s own shadows and through it the shadows of others, including objects. Shadow magic tends to be used as a form of camouflage, to help infiltrate or to help in night battles. Very skilled and powerful shadow magi can turn shadows tangible and use them to attack others. While tangible shadows are very flexible and strong, they are brittle and are a poor excuse for defense. 

Pure black mana creates soul spells. Soul magic allows the user to manipulate the souls of others, which normally causes their death. Soul magic is generally not used in combat, because the spells require direct contact and long channeling times. Powerful true black magi can use soul spells to create shades from the souls of others. The more powerful the soul, the more powerful the shade. However, even an arch mage would at best be able to control a few shades at a time. That the walls of Hollow Shade harbor hundreds of shades, remains a mystery to all.

Hollow Shade recruits many black magi that focus in necromancy magic, to help bolster their undead warriors. There are far fewer black magi that focus on shadow magic within Hollow Shade, most of whom act as spies or assassins for powerful families. True black magi are revered highly within the entire Ebon Realm, thanks to their magic sharing alignment with the Realm’s color, black.

Grey Mana:

Grey mana bonds with the elements of life and death.

The fusion of life energy and grey mana creates drain spells. Drain magic allows the user to drain different forms of energy from others. While this often consists of draining life force or stamina from opponents, the spell can also drain ethereal energies. Grey mages can not only drain energy they can also absorb it into themselves. A grey mage can absorb the life force of others into their own bodies in order to heal themselves. A grey mage cannot absorb the ethereal energy of others into their own bodies unless they also have the same kind of energy. For example, a grey mage could absorb and use grey mana from another, but while they can drain blue mana they cannot absorb it into themselves. 

The fusion of death energy and grey mana creates curse spells. Curse magic has various effects that all share a common goal. A passive attack on the opponent. Curses can range from making an enemies skin itch, to cramping their muscles, or even blinding them. Majority of curses last for very short periods of time, and have long casting durations. But there are a few curses that can be cast quickly, and even fewer that can last very long, even a whole lifetime. 

Because of the offensive nature of grey spells, grey magi are normally combat oriented. Many serve in military groups as high ranking officials. Along with orange magi, grey magi are generally considered the most deadly of all magi.

White Mana:

White mana bonds with the light and life elements.

White mana has little effect when mixed with the light element, producing bright spells. Bright spells are generally used for utility, such as when traveling in darkness, or for blinding enemies in a battle. Though a sufficiently concentrated blast of light can prove lethal, most white magi don't have the skill to produce a blast of this degree.

The combination of white mana and life energy creates healing spells. Because of the complexity of a being’s body, healing spells are incredibly difficult to master; with each body part, ailment, and wound requiring extensive knowledge to cure. Most white magi who use healing spells often study to be doctors as well. While there are a few potions that can help accelerate healing, white magic is the dominant curative chromatic magic, without question. 

Healing magic is incredibly sought out in the Ebon Realm. With white magi being paid handsomely for their work. Because of the difficulty of mastering healing spells, it is incredibly expensive to hire a white mage. Middle class families can manage to pay their fees, but only high class families can do so comfortably. 

Red Mana:

Red mana is fused with two elemental energies, light and creation. When combined with light energy, red mana produces ward spells. Wards are spells created by sketching symbols in the air. No one knows the language where the symbols originate from only that if the correct symbol is written then the ward will block that representation of the symbol. For example if the symbol for water is written, the ward spell will create a shield that blocks water. The strength of a ward is based on the skill, knowledge, quantity of mana, and chirography of the caster. Wards only last as long as the caster is focused on them. The moment the caster’s focus is lost the ward spell will break. Wards can be very useful in battle as a form of defense, thanks to their range of protection.

Red mana mixed with the creation element creates alchemy-like spells, specifically potion brewing. Although one of the slowest forms of chromatic spells, and requiring ingredients of all sorts, potion brewing offers a vast array of abilities. Ranging from healing, defense, offense, subterfuge, and other uses. Red magi are highly sought after for their potion capabilities. The potion business is quite lucrative in the trade city Hollow Shade; most red magi of the city choose to focus on potion-brewing spells rather than ward spells for this very reason.

Brown mana is fused with the creation and fire elements.

The fusion of creation and brown energy produces enchanting spell form. Enchanting can create enchantments by combining a magestone with another physical material and etching spell words to the object. The spell words are the same mysterious language as the ones used in red’s wards spell form. Depending on the spell words and material used, the enchantments create different effects. Enchantments can only be activated if the magestone is charged with mana. Enchantments are one of the most diverse spell forms, because the spell words are compatible with other colors. For example, even if the enchanter cannot use the color green, they can still create an enchantment for green magic and a green mage can charge the magestone for the enchanter. 

The fusion of fire and brown energy produces the vigor spell form. Vigor spells are one of the 3 body enhancement spell forms. The spells allow the user to enhance their own strength greatly. The vigor spells can even mimic orange’s agility spell form, by strengthening one’s own legs to enhance the user’s speed. Vigor spells can’t enhance speed to the extent of agility spells however. Vigor spells do not enhance the users durability. When a vigor spell is cast the user’s skin gains a bronze sheen. Like other body enhancement spell forms, a mage requires having a very fit body to be able to cast the vigor spells properly, otherwise risking grave injury, even death.

Brown magi who use the vigor spell form often work as warriors in armies. They prefer to act as long range sharpshooters, using their enhanced strength to attack from great distances and with great speed and force.

Enchanters are wanted throughout all of Hollow Shade for their magecraft. Because of the expensive nature of magestone and other required materials, enchanted objects are incredibly expensive. Enchanters often compete with red mage potion brewers in the market of magical objects.

Orange Mana:

Orange mana is fused with fire and air elemental energies.

Orange mana has little effect on its fusion with fire energy. The fusion creates the flame spell form. Flame spells are able to produce fire to varying degrees of heat and size. The spell form is quite destructive, although even the simplest of flame spells take large amounts of mana, with the more complex spells capable of emptying a mage’s orange mana reserves. Flame spells are also potentially dangerous to its owner; if a mage loses concentration while casting, they could potentially burn themselves to the point of death. 

The fusion of orange and air energies produces the agility spell form. Agility spells enhance the users themselves by granting them extra speed and reflexes, along with making their body lighter, allowing them to jump large distances. While all magic takes a toll on the user’s body, agility spells take a more excessive burden on the body. An orange mage could cast an agility spell through skill, but if their body is not in very good shape the spell would threaten to overwhelm the caster and injure them, if not outright kill them. When agility spells are cast the user’s veins visibly darken for the duration of the spell.

Most orange magi try to focus on the flame spell form due to its powerful and flamboyant appeal and the difficult body maintenance requirements of the agility spell form. Because orange magic can be very dangerous to its own users, many young orange magi have suffered spell casting accidents and have been forced to retire or have died. Orange magi commonly join military groups and serve as elite warriors or high ranking officials. Orange and grey magi are generally considered the most deadly of all magi.

Yellow mana is fused with air and earth elemental energies.

Yellow mana fused with air energy creates the wind spell form, also known as aeromancy. Wind spells allow the user to manipulate wind around them. Yellow magi are capable of creating powerful gusts to smash into their foes and wind walls to block incoming projectiles. Very powerful yellow magi can even harness the power to consistently manipulate the wind, allowing them to fly.

Yellow mana fused with earth energy creates the durability spell form. It is one of 3 body enhancement spell forms. It has the ability to increase the defenses of the body, hardening the skin, muscles, and bones, along with increasing one’s own weight significantly. The spell form can even help against extreme temperatures. When active the user’s skin gains a bronze sheen. Sufficiently powerful durability spells can protect one from blades, arrows, and blunt trauma. Like other body enhancement spell forms, a mage requires having a very fit body to be able to cast the spells properly, otherwise risking grave injury, even death.

Yellow magi who specialize in aeromancy tend to be found near large bodies of water, where they manipulate the wind to aid ally ships or defend against pirates. Magi who specialize in durability spells can be found in armies, where their defenses shine. Yellow magic is said to have the greatest defensive capabilities of the chromatic magics.

Green Mana:

Green mana bonds with the water and earth elemental energies.

Green mana has little effect on earth energy. The combination of the two creates stone spells, also known as geomancy. The spells cannot create rock, only manipulate it. Geomancy spells are limited to the manipulation of solid stone. Nonetheless, the strength of manipulating the earth is highly prized. Geomancy is used in construction as much as it is used in battle.

The combination of water and green energies creates flora spells. Flora magic involves the manipulation of plant life. While the spells can’t create plants, they can control and grow them from all different stages, including seedlings. Flora magic is prominent in forests or areas with very little vegetation.  

Green magi have been known to work as rangers in Glimmer Grove, thanks to their magic being well adapted to the environment. Green magi are also regarded highly in Frost Rim’s mines. They are able to help open up new tunnels, clear debris, and protect others from possible tunnel collapses. 

Blue mana is fused with the water and lightning elements. Blue mana has very little effect on its fusion with either element.

The combination of water and blue energy creates the torrent spell form. These spells revolve around the creation and manipulation of liquid water. The spell form is limited to the control of water’s liquid state, it has no effect on the solid or gas states. It takes more energy to create water than to control existing water. In combat the spell form tends to be used to create whips or blasts of water to attack one’s opponents, hence the ‘torrent’ namesake. 

The combination of lightning and blue energy creates the storm spell form. The spell form allows the caster to produce electricity through their own body and discharge it. Storm spells are considered the most destructive spell form of all, however it is notorious for being the most difficult spell form to master. Unlike other spells that use ethereal energy to create a corporeal substance outside the body, electricity is created within the body. Because of its extremely volatile nature, any lack of focus or an imperfect clear image, will cause the electricity to recoil and electrocute the caster, almost always leading to instant death. Only a handful of blue magi are able to cast electric spells, and even less have mastery of the spell form.

Most blue magi tend to find work in naval regions, such as the Dire River, Hoarfrost Bay, or Ebon Sea. Their ability to manipulate water helps ships have swift travels and protect them from pirates, similar to a yellow mage. The few blue magi who are able to cast electric spells do not normally engage in combat, preferring a more tranquil life. The few magi that have fought in battle are feared throughout the Realm for their devastating prowess.

Purple Mana:

Purple mana is mixed with the darkness element. The combination creates illusion spells. Illusion spells are often used to confound enemies, ranging from espionage to large scale battle tactics. Some purple magi use their illusions as a form of entertainment as well. While illusions may seem ethereal, they do in fact have a physical form, that is almost as faint as air. An illusion that is damaged, even by the slightest touch, can crumple easily. Only skilled purple magi have the ability to sustain their illusions through injury and for long periods of time.

Purple mana is also fused with the lightning element, creating mind spells. Purple magi can use these spells to access the minds of other people, to read their thoughts, search their memories, and even damage their brain. Purple magi who specialize in mind spells tend to work as inquisitors and torturers. Because of their unique skill set, they are one of the most feared types of magi.

  A named house is a family with a surname within the Ebon Realm. A house can only be founded by a lord or lady. The house will be named after the founder's own name. For example, house Gale is named after their vampire founder Lady Gale.  Even after the founder dies or if their are no lords/ladies left, the house will still exist, so long as it wields a significant amount of power, whether it be magical, martial, political, or financial. 

  People who are not born into a named house are considered commoners. The weaker named families are part of the middle-class, although there are many from the middle-class who aren't from a named house. All high-class individuals come from a named house.

  There are different groups of named houses, ranging from the most powerful houses to the weakest. They are divided into groups depending on their history and current state of power.

  If a named house has several lords/ladies within the family after several generations or at the same time, they are considered a great house. Great houses are considered the most powerful families within the Realm. If a great house ceases to produce lords/ladies after many generations or if there are no lords/ladies currently alive then it reverts back into a regular named house.  

  If a house has no lords/ladies or power they are considered a destitute house, a pariah of society, and are shunned by other houses. Even if a new lord/lady were to appear within the destitute house, they would not be able to rebuild the house's standing. Instead the lord/lady would have to found a new named house. This is called a remnant named house. Remnant houses have a very difficult time holding any real power within society because of their ancestral background.

  A similar example would be a legacy house. This is when a lord/lady splits from a regular named house (NOT destitute) and founds their own house. While considered a normal named house, society still tends to see them as having the same ties of allies and enemies as their ancestral house.

  A great house of Hollow Shade. An ancient drow family, tracing their lineage back to the days before the Schism. They are one of the most renowned great houses in all the Ebon Realm. They are famed for producing many powerful magi throughout the centuries. Noir magi are known to be as skillful as they are ruthless. They currently have two mage lords within the family, with a third to be expected from Loh Noir, prized scion of the family. House Noir has held great influence within the great city of Hollow Shade ever since its founding. The house has traditionally held a seat on the city council since the time of the ebon lords. Lord Elzri, head of the house, currently sits on the city council. Despite remaining neutral in the politics of Hollow Shade, House Noir is still considered the greatest mage family in the city and are feared among the high-class denizens of the city.

  A named house. A drow martial family. The house is considered quite young, existing for only a little over a century. Founder Polamtal was a warlord and general of Hollow Shade. While the founder has passed away and the family hasn't produced any more lords, House Polamtal has stayed relevant thanks to their scions' consistent roles within Hollow Shade's military.

  A named house consisting of an orc mage family. Originally from the great city of Murkton, the house moved to Hollow Shade a little over a century ago. While the family currently does not have a mage lord they have many magi within the city. Most of the Skeller magi are either red or white chromatics. They have made a name for themselves within Hollow Shade by setting up clinics and potion brewery stores throughout the trade and bourge districts.

One of the oldest vampire families within the Realm. The Great House

Veres is one of the 7 Ruling Families of Hollow Shade. They were loyal

servants to the Ebon Lords and migrated from the Northern Lands to

Hollow Shade during the city's first founding years.

The family is famous for having once united the Ebon Realm under Ebon

Lord Koval’s leadership. The family has consistently produced several

war lords and even mage lords throughout the centuries. The Veres are

known to produce skilled black magi and expert swordsmen.

The legendary enchanter and smith, Ebon Lord Koval, crafted and

gifted the sword Krikolm to Lord Veres I as a reward for his outstanding

loyalty and performance as the marshal of his armies.

Krikolm became House Veres’ ancestral sword and a symbol of their

power. The sword was wielded by Veres family leaders until its rumored

disappearance. Nonetheless, Krikolm remains one of the most famed

weapons within all the Ebon Realm. The red blade of Krikolm is pictured

in the banner of House Veres.