Welcome to the LORE section!

NOTICE: This page is subject to updates and changes that have not yet been implemented. I’ll find the time to redo this completely eventually, I promise. In the meantime, like half of the contents in here is varying degrees of inaccurate.

A Tale of Tails is a long-running graphic novel that begun life as a practice project for Feretta (that’s me). Initially intended to help me get better at drawing, it began snowballing towards the end of the first chapter, and has now grown into a full fledged comic book project with years worth of lore and material to work with, all created by a single woman, who does all the writing and production on a weekly basis, usually over the course of two days per page (at the time of writing).

Here in the lore corner you’ll find a bunch of text and eventually a map to describe the world and its various functions. If you feel there’s something missing, don’t hesitate to add a comment at the bottom.
The lore wall is meant to be read as an in-world research document, and contains the following sections:

Farelliar, the Prime Realm
Political structure
The Realms
Magic
Temple and region
Religions
Characters/Important people
Technology


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1   Farelliar (The world/The Prime Realm)

Farelliar is a world home to thousands of races of sentient creatures. It’s a lush and beautiful place, with settlements ranging from single houses in the woods to cities spanning entire kingdoms. The world is, for the most part, well explored and most of the kingdoms welcome any and all races in their midst.

It’s a relatively small world consisting of 17 continents divided by only minor stretches of ocean, calendar cycles are short (roughly 180 days per year), as are day/night cycles (16 hours rather than 24). Dancing twin moons decorate the night sky, allowing rather bright nights when the weather allows.

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2   Political structure

The majority of the world is divided into kingdoms, though some have a more elaborate system of elected rulership (councils). In total, these number roughly 600.

Most of the kingdoms are peaceful and welcoming, though there are, of course, some bad seeds who are more eager for war than anything else. On the whole, however, the world is a fairly peaceful place.

Our home kingdom is Cilitro, but there are several others within travel distance. Excerpt from Mis’Alia’s research on magic activity and political personality:

Salvar – Kingdom, population 100,000 (roughly). International, home to all four prime magic schools, though its largest focus is Avin. Six magic schools recorded, one mixed arts.

Morin – Councilship, population 85,000 (roughly). Hesitant, but open. Restrictive when it comes to magic, but allows it. No magic schools recorded.

Rinos – Kingdom, population 90,000 (roughly). International, welcomes all. Widely known for its benevolent queen, Hildra Miv’sari. Magic focus is Cronin, three schools recorded, one mixed arts.

Olsor – Kingdom, population 3,000 (roughly). Restricted, primarily populated by Welderbest (big, ugly looking bastards, but hardy, strong). Region difficult to travel. No magic activity recorded.

Vilstir – Kingdom, population 7,000 (roughly). Reserved, but occasionally allows immigration. Populated primarily by Maidleigs. Interesting creatures, thrive both in and out of water, gills and lungs.. Strange combination. No magic schools recorded, sparse activity from immigrants.

Stelmar – Kingdom? Unsure, appears unpopulated, but shows clear signs of magic activity. Hidden underground, perhaps? Sent hired scouters, no word back. Will visit personally later. Must be a reason no one is settling there..

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3   The Realmsphere

The world is part if what is commonly known as the realmsphere, a structure of multiple separate «worlds» in slightly different phases. The term refers to an imaginitive sphere structure which contains all of the realms within itself, even though the actual structure is impossible to gauge. This was mostly a concept created to make it easier for the «unwashed masses» to understand it.

The realms themselves are what give power to the many magic forces acting on the prime realm, which is considered the center of the sphere. Each realm has a color designation, which is a requirement for any magic user to «connect» with their power. See more about this in the Magic section.

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4   Magic

As previously mentioned, the various magic forces gain their power from the Realmsphere, each power connecting to its own realm. In order for anyone to be able to use these realms for magic, they must first have been born with a natural connectivity to one. This will usually manifest in the form of miscoloration of parts of their body, for instance a tail with a different color tip than their primary body color.

Second, while there are natural, self-taught mages, it is recommended anyone capable of- and wanting to- learn a magic form are trained by masters to do so. The powers at work can be very dangerous, and many have died trying to teach themselves, or by accidental connection.

The four primary magic forces are elemental in nature. Solarin (fire), Avin (air), Cronin (earth) and Aqanin (water). The fifth form is Hadalen (The void), which is considered both the most versatile and most powerful form. It is also very rare, and only a few hundred Hadalen mages exist in the world, compared to tens of thousands for any other form.

Hadalens versatility and power comes from its ability to create something from the mere mental image of its user, or to put it plainly, the user can imagine something into existence. The complexity of that something depends on the mage’s level of understanding and discipline, but the most common use is to summon tools or weapons, allowing for strong combat versatility, as well as short term shadow clones. Most users can only maintain their spell for a short amount of time before the essence «dries» and fades back into the void.

Though it has never been recorded in the world’s history, a sixth magic type exists. Vitrin (The concept), a form of magic power thought to be so dangerous that anyone who has attempted to access it have vanished. It is thought that this power is capable of removing anything that exists and pulling it into itself. In simpler terms, it is the opposite of Hadalen, except permanent.

Mis’Alia note: Have been asked to perform (very careful) experiments into Vitrin realm potential. Theorizing possible access scenarios, it seems like one could successfully connect to the realm, but this must be done under highly controlled circumstances. Have consulted the artefact Kial’Via for advice. Recommendation: AVOID AT ALL COST. Will heed recommendation. .. Probably.

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5   Temple and region

The Temple of Life, as it is often called by the commonfolk, is home to roughly a hundred Hadalen mages, mostly of the Rael’Pan race due to the regularity of the particular mutation required for connectivity. The temple is only open to females, and no male has been allowed entry since the first.. Incident. The young maiden that accompanied him never recovered from the physical nor mental scars..

The temple appears carved into the walls of the mountain (which has the name Laevvo), but in reality the rock itself was shaped and pushed to create the rooms and elaborate structures, making the walls themselves much denser and stronger than the rest of the mountain. There are at least four floors, the main one covering basic needs such as dining hall, kitchen, library/study hall and a well stocked gym. The two upper floors are sleeping quarters, primarily double or triple rooms with bed space for roughly 120 girls in total. The second floor also has a large open bath and the headmistress’ bedchambers (and wardrobe. Seriously, that wardrobe is ridiculous). There is also at least one basement level, primarily a single, large open space with seating arrangements, playspace and entertainment. There are also a few smaller (though still rather large) separate rooms for sports, as well as a separate magic laboratory. Rumor has it the laboratory also has several more floors beneath this again, though this has not been confirmed.

The region around the temple holds the name Vilnaer, and is a medium-sized council-based country. It has a recorded population of around 26,000, of which the majority live in the country’s one major city towards the southeastern border. The country itself thrives on farming and export of food and lumber, as well as many other goods, including luxury goods such as gold, diamonds and various natural oils, both for fuel and fur treatment.

The country holds an open international political view, though immigrants must register their entry and apply for an immigration permit before being allowed permanent residence. All political matters are handled by the 6 council members as elected once every ten years.

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6   Religion

The world’s most prominent religion is the Path, a philosophical belief that your road through life was predetermined, and that allowing the Path to guide you is the only way to be truly at peace.

One might be forgiven for thinking this is simply a structured belief in fate, but this is not necessarily the case. While fate is a belief that all things that happen through life was predetermined, the difference lies in your ability to resist. Fate, by its nature, is a locked road, a chain around your neck pulling you through life no matter how hard one might try to resist. The Path, however, is a forceless guide, directing, but never demanding.

Surrendering to the guidance of the Path does not mean surrendering your free will, only releasing yourself to be shown the way. Many use the belief when they feel lost, and it has guided many a soul to a better way of life.

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7   Characters and important people

Here follows an excerpt from Feretta’s notes on persons of interest in the region:

Fenfen Maria Esteban – Can’t imagine that’s her real name, but it’s what she goes by, so to each their own. Fennecians are rare around the world, and I’ve only ever known of one other on this continent. They usually stick to their own minor colony in the Sathra desert.. Still, interesting lady. A bit broken, but given her circumstances, it’s only reasonable.

She was born with both genders, and as a result had a pretty rough childhood. Lost her mother right out the gate, never met her father, taken care of by an elderly family friend. Lost her caretaker at 14, eventually got chased out of town by her peers. Been on the move ever since. Can’t imagine the hardship she’s been through.. Seems to be doing better though.

Mis’Alia, AKA Mistress – Guardian of the artefact Kial’Via, founder and leader of the Temple of Life. Very compassionate and understanding, seems wise far beyond her apparent age. Through her guidance, the world has gained many new Hadalen mages, and many of the world’s well educated and strong leaders are the direct result of her teachings. Her motherly love and natural soft appearance makes her a very comforting person to talk to, and snuggling between those incredible sweater puppies is the best medicine I’ve ever experienced.

Rumor has it she’s also an incredibly strong warrior and magic user, though I have never experienced this first hand. Peculiar obsession with fashion, changes clothes a lot. Very varied style, too. Overall, one of the most hugable people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.

Morgan Laranda, AKA Lamb – Good grief, does this chick ever stop pumping weights? She’s got abs that could deflect bullets and muscle where I didn’t even know you could have any. Pretty cool girl though, very dependable, perky and happy personality. Obviously lesbian, clearly has a strong physical attraction to several of the girls, and they seem to return that in spades.

Lamb is a pretty beefy girl, so obviously she’s got a very melee heavy combat style, with a lot of variation potential because of her magic abilities. I’ve seen that woman summon claws from nothing and cut her way through bandits like they were weed blocking her path. Scary, but also awesome..

Vixavil Hadaliv, AKA Vix – Now that’s a mouthful of a name.. Strange girl, hard to put my finger on, but she seems to emanate this sort of.. Energy, and that’s not just her hyper-energetic personality. Will have to observe her closer.

Either way, Vix is a really perky and upbeat young lady, always has a funny comment ready and seems impervious to sadness. Like seriously, she could smile her way through a funeral and make everyone else feel better by her mere presence.

The other girls at the temple seem somewhat nervous around her though, supposedly she’s got control issues with her magic, put her first teacher in the infirmary at the tender age of 4 and managed to blow several holes in the temple walls at various points in time. Which is impressive, those walls are like granite.. Still, she’s very friendly and absolutely adorable. Really needs someone to be close to.

Jennifer Evelynn and.. Jennifer Evelynn? AKA Jennie or The Twins.. These two I really have no idea about, they seem identical in every way, so much so that they even speak together. I can only imagine it’s some form of magical spell that connects them or something, but I’ll have to do more digging to figure it out..

In any case, these two are the Mistress’ handmaidens, they follow her around and attend to her every need like they were born to do it.. But I’ve also observed them on their own, and they are definitely chosen to do that for a reason, these girls are almost as good leaders as Mis herself. They break up fights, they comfort, they help cook and clean, they teach both strength and magic, and they’ve got the kind of world knowledge that only true scholars achieve. Usually by lifetimes of study.. Did I mention they’re like 23 years old?

Kaenvil Cockra, AKA Mayor Cock – Not the brightest fellow I ever met, but he’s got a decent head on his shoulders. Good leader, supposedly a former member of the Battlecocks, one of their battle commanders or somesuch. Handy with a greatsword, strong, but aging.

Cock makes himself seem pretty tough and strict, but he’s a genuinely caring guy, I’ve watched him play with the younger kids in town, and he’s got the patience of a saint when it comes to Thomas, who seems like a pretty thick-headed bull..

Sha Vida – Now this is the owl to know in the region. She usually hangs out in the city, but she gets around a -lot- when there’s any form of exploration or adventuring to be done. More money than most kings/queens, makes her fortune on a mix of fashion and dungeoneering, which is kinda weird.. I guess when you’re that rich, you just crave excitement.

Never seen her do any fighting, but she’s always got people around her who are more than capable of handling that. Very posh woman, not sure of her exact age, but if I were to hazard a guess, I’d say middle-aged.. 35-40? Wise, certainly, and razor sharp intellect. Some of the sharpest eyes I’ve ever known, had her spot and pluck even the slightest uneven seam in my tank top when we met. OCD, I think.. She tries to supress it, but sometimes she just can’t help herself.

Took a swing at me once, close call too, and called me, uh.. «A HOOTing squirrel».. Note: Never suggest she’s a barn owl. In fact, it’s probably best to never mention barns around her. At all.

Meeka Rose – Curious, if somewhat reserved girl. Seems happiest when on the road, currently part of Sha’s crew alongside Red. Looks somewhat meek, but when she gets mad, she gets -really- mad, and she’s a lot stronger than she appears. Drags around a ridiculous-looking bow, some kinda clockwork mechanical device by the looks. Even I could barely pull that thing halfway, and I’m pretty fit myself.

Girl’s loaded up on gadgets and equipment though, some of it for padding and protection, some of it to help her use that crazy bow thing. She’s certainly got the skill to handle it though, I’ve seen her showing off to the kids in town – Shooting arrows all the way from the forest line to the mountain wall in the back, and hitting her target perfectly every time. Impressive, to say the least.

Redevan Tauron, AKA Red – Big, strong, temperamental. Typical traits for a Torrin, but seems to have a lot more patience than the average bull. Most of his kind would’ve just rushed into any fight and crushed some skulls, but I’ve watched him step in and -break up- bar fights. Unusual. Cute, though.

Can’t say I’ve ever seen him carry a «real» weapon, but he’s got some cool heavy gauntlets that can do serious damage if they need to, and he’s certainly got the physical prowess to direct that damage.

Not a bad looker, either.. Bet he’s got a pretty big co-[end of excerpt]

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8   Timeline and technology

The prime realm has one odd feature, its age. Roughly a thousand years ago, the world and its inhabitants simply.. Began. One moment there was nothing, the next there was a lush world and thousands of people of various races. Over the thousand years that followed, everything grew at an incredible rate, from practically stone age to a fairly high tech and connected society, well developed with both magic and clockwork mechanics of incredible complexity. More info to come as it’s explored.