Cinder Fall

The four Kingdoms of Remnant are Vale (center), Vacuo (west), Atlas (north), and Mistral (east). Each Kingdom has its own distinct culture; for example, Atlas was known for its martial nature and technological advancements, and Vacuo for its rough and rebellious lifestyle. Vale was located on the continent called Sanus, with Vacuo at its opposite end. Mistral is located on the continent of Anima. Atlas was located on the continent of Solitas. Vytal is the name of the island north of Vale. Other known landmasses include Menagerie, the continent in the lower right corner. The last, dragon-shaped continent (west of Vale, north of Vacuo) remains unidentified. Although its southern region was apparently inhabited at some point, no settlements are currently known to exist on the continent. Most of the continent is geographically hidden for unknown reasons. There are also smaller islands surrounding the larger continents. However, it is currently unknown whether any of these are inhabited or part of the Kingdoms.

The Grimm Creatures, or simply Grimm, are monsters that inhabit most of Remnant. They were originally created by the God of Darkness, and their current master is Salem. They are described as "creatures of destruction" that lack a soul, preventing them from using an aura. They are also attracted to negative emotions such as jealousy, grief, loneliness, hatred, and fear, leading them to congregate at the source of these emotions, attacking any human or faun they encounter. The Grimm were created by the God of Darkness to destroy the creations of the God of Light. Eventually, the two Brothers ended their enmity by creating something that could both create and destroy: Humanity. However, despite the younger brother's involvement in Humanity's creation, the Grimm still persisted, roaming Remnant and harassing it. The Grimm have been locked in an existential war with Humanity since time immemorial, seeking to destroy them and all their creations. When the God of Darkness exterminated the first wave of Humanity, he spared the Grimm before departing Remnant. Following Humanity's resurgence, the Grimm began attacking again. At first, it seemed they would succeed, as Humans lacked the strength to fight them. However, Humans discovered the power of Dust, and with it, the Grimm were repelled. During this time, Humans enjoyed a period of peace and soon formed their own Kingdoms, which grew to survive and prosper. However, this era would not last indefinitely. Although the Grimm roam aimlessly across Remnant, they have a hidden master in Salem, an ancient and mysterious figure capable of controlling and creating them. Currently, he uses them as foot soldiers against Humanity to achieve his goals.

The aura is the manifestation of the soul of living beings and can be used for a wide range of abilities. The specific abilities and their strengths vary from person to person and depend on various factors, such as experience, training, and innate talent. It is primarily used for protection from harm. Some people develop an active power from it called Semblance. The aura is an ability that every person with a soul can utilize, at least with sufficient practice. Since the aura is the manifestation of the soul, it can appear very differently depending on who uses it. For example, the color of an aura varies from person to person, although a color has no advantages or disadvantages; the color of the aura is random and has no effect on anything.

Fauns (singular: faun) are one of the two intelligent races inhabiting the Remnant; the other race is humans. While fauns resemble humans, they are often easily distinguished from them by possessing animalistic features. Fauns are similar to humans, except that they share certain traits with animals. Some types of fauns are more common than others, and some are extremely rare. Fauns with mammalian features, in general, appear to be quite common. Their origin is unknown. However, it is known that they began to appear after the extinction of the original humanity. In general, mermaid-like wings and fishtails are quite rare, and in the case of mermaid-like fauns, this trait can be a disability, hindering their movement. Therefore, the Shallow Sea makes life easier for mermaid-like fauns. It has been said that fauns can only share one physical trait with their animal. However, this only seems to apply to body appendages and the dermis. In addition to these traits, most fauns (though not all) possess remarkable night vision, a trait they use to great effect in combat, and some appear capable of emitting animal sounds. Furthermore, fauns have been shown on multiple occasions to possess other non-physical traits and behaviors of the animals on which they are based.

Beacon Academy: Beacon Academy is Remnant's number one academy (in facilities, education, and prestige). Located in the Kingdom of Vale, it trained teams of Hunters to annihilate the various monsters that plagued Remnant. Following the end of the Great War, Beacon Academy was founded in the Kingdom of Vale. Along with the other three Hunter academies, Beacon was established to train Hunters to annihilate the Grimm Creatures. For 80 years after its founding, Beacon trained many generations of Hunters. Beacon Academy is a boarding school, with students housed in dormitories on campus. It appeared to have every comfort, including hygiene, food, and laundry. However, students were not confined to campus outside of classes and frequently spent weekends in Vale. In "The First Step," the current headmaster, Ozpin, stated that his new students would be part of his selected teams for four years. This strongly suggests that this was the duration of their training at the academy. After being accepted at Beacon, new students had to undergo an initiation, after which they were divided into teams. They attended lectures given by staff on various topics to prepare them for their work, such as the different types of monsters they might encounter.

A Semblance is the manifestation of an innate personal power, a unique ability of each individual, whose effects vary considerably from user to user. The large number of people who unlock their Semblances can lead to unrelated individuals acquiring similar abilities. The nature of a Semblance is considered an aspect of personality. However, a person's appearance may resemble that of their parents or other relatives. The only inherited Semblance is that of the Schnee family.

Dust is a source of energy in Remnant. Its physical properties make it incredibly useful for various purposes, especially in the weapons of many characters in the series. It is known to emit a distinctive "bright" sound both passively and during use. The name "Dust" is hinted at as a reference to the primordial state from which humanity believed it originated. As a natural resource, it is sometimes poetically called "Nature's Wrath" or, more prosaically, "energy propellant." The arrival of Dust marked a turning point in the war. It appears that, following the defeat of the Grimm and the building of civilizations by humanity, Dust became integrated into everyday life in Remnant. However, despite its widespread use and prevalence in society, humanity remains largely unaware of the origins and implications of its relationship with Dust. The Schnee Dust Company is the largest company in Dust sales, and it is owned by the Schnee family.

The White Fang is a faun organization on Remnant. Following the Faun Rights Revolution, the White Fang was initially conceived as a symbol of peace and unity between humans and fauns. Over the decades, the White Fang took on different forms and was led by different individuals. Although each iteration was viewed as subversive or criminal, all sought to build a better world for fauns through their own means. Under the leadership of Ghira Belladonna, they were a peaceful activist organization that sought to improve relations and civil rights for their race. Faced with continued discrimination, Sienna Khan succeeded him, and the White Fang began to adopt more radical methods, permitting the use of violence when necessary. An extremist faction led by Adam Taurus in Vale became world-renowned as a terrorist group and later assassinated Sienna to usurp her position as High Leader.

Handmaidens: There are four Handmaidens at any given time, each corresponding to one of the four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and autumn. The Handmaidens' power is magical, independent of Dust usage and distinct from that of a Semblance. It does not feed on Aura, and a Handmaiden does not need Aura to use her powers. Handmaidens can use any elemental power they choose, without being limited to their season, and some simply prefer certain elements over others. The Handmaidens are also linked to the hidden Vaults beneath the four Hunter Academies, created by Ozma to protect the Relics. They act as keys, so no one else can open the chambers where the Relics are kept. Spring can access the Vault at Haven Academy, Autumn at Beacon Academy, Summer at Shade Academy, and Winter at Atlas Academy. Succession: The Handmaidens' powers are passed from host to host upon the death of the current wielder, a process that has continued for thousands of years. The exact method by which the power chooses its next host is not fully understood. Under normal circumstances, the next Maiden, who is always a young woman, is the last person the previous Maiden thinks of before dying. However, if the person the dying Maiden thinks of is male, too old, or unqualified to receive the power, the next host is seemingly chosen at random. This system apparently ensures that no one person can hold the power indefinitely.

Relics: The Relics are the physical manifestations of the four gifts bestowed upon Humanity by the Gods. These gifts are knowledge, creation, destruction, and choice. The Relics were left behind when the two brothers departed Remnant. Each is said to contain immense power, and if someone were to wield them, they could change the world. In reality, uniting them will summon the God of Light and the God of Darkness back to the world, where they will judge Humanity. If the human race has come to accept one another and learned to live in harmony, the Gods will dwell among them as before and unify them with the ability to use magic once more. However, if Humanity remains divided and makes demands upon them, the Gods will destroy Remnant and all its inhabitants. Though the Relics are shrouded in secrecy, very few people know their power, and only a handful—you could count them on one hand—know what happens if all the Relics are gathered.

Salem's Inner Circle: Salem's Inner Circle is a faction comprised of Salem and his subordinates. Their goal is to create a new world order on Remnant by using the four Relics and destroying the Hunter Academies. They also seek the Handmaidens, as their powers are the key to unlocking the Vaults that contain the Relics. The group is closely linked to the Grimm Creatures, as their headquarters is located in the Land of Darkness (a Grimm-infested territory). Salem has explained that he will help each member of his group achieve their respective goals, but only after they have collected the Relics. He warned that putting their ambitions before his would be doomed to failure. Although his followers believe they will create a new world order, Salem's true objective is to summon the Gods to destroy Remnant in an attempt to eliminate his immortality, a plan known only to Salem.