Skylands

is a magical world in the center of the Universe that contains an endless expanse of clouds with large and small floating islands; each with its own world, inhabited by both normal and fantastic creatures. Protected by legendary heroes known as the Skylanders, it is under constant threat by evil, particularly from the Dark Portal Master, Kaos. Everything in Skylands was created by the Ancients with Mind Magic, first created for everlasting peace until The Darkness was accidentally unleashed. With no known beginning or end, Skylands is a wondrous world filled with magic and mystery, both light and dark. Magic flows through everything in Skylands, from every rock, tree, and beast. The Portal Masters and the Skylanders have protected Skylands and its magical Core of Light for generations, using their magical powers and weaponry to keep peace and balance in their world so that all creatures can thrive. Throughout the history of Skylands, brave explorers have piloted airships far and wide to see what lies beyond its cloud-filled skies. Some were lost, while others were shipwrecked on strange and dangerous islands. But one thing has always proven true: there is seemingly no boundary or end to the world of Skylands. Skylands is stationed at the center of the universe, connected to all worlds in the cosmos. If a villain ever conquers Skylands, they will have access to all worlds, putting them under threat.

Many materials that don't exist on Earth can be found in Skylands. Sky Iron is a durable metal used for the creation of shields and other resistant objects; Radiance can be found in crystalline form or harvested from crops and bottled, and is used as currency as an alternative to bronze, silver, or gold, as well as an energy source; Quicksilver is an oily substance and is the energy where Magic comes from and flows through, wielded by the Arkeyans long ago; Skylithium is a material strongly associated with crystals; and Traptanium is said to be one of the strongest materials in Skylands with the power to trap creatures inside of it and channel elemental energies. Sometimes, the very ideas and thoughts behind creation can take physical shape, appearing as Imaginite crystals when Mind Magic is unleashed. Petrified Darkness is a purple, crystalline form of darkness used to turn its victim into a dark, crystal-covered version of their former self. The evilized victim is turned evil and enraged, and hold no memory of their life prior to the transformation. However, this state is very temporary and can be snapped out of by destroying the crystals.

Due to the Tech elemental energies, the technology level in Skylands varies from prehistoric to futuristic, notably with the creation of independent robot AI being commonplace. However, technology tends to be constantly in a mix between rudimentary and more advanced levels of development.

Magic, when not referring to specifically the Magic elements, is simply something extremely common in Skylands. So common, you are exposed to it in minuscule traces just by existing—it's in the air you breathe, and in everything you consume. It can be utilised in many ways, and is extremely versatile. Some are born more magically inclined than others, and some creatures are born to always be magical in certain ways.

There are 10 elements:

Magic - Being the most essential of all the initial eight Elements, Magic flows through everything and every other Element would be rendered powerless without its presence. This element is associated with magenta, violet and violet-blue, and several other shades of purple. The history of Magic can be traced back to before the Arkeyan's tyrannical rule—they discovered that a substance called Quicksilver was the very essence of all magical being. The Quicksilver is now a component in the Core of Light. Abilities associated with Magic include various traditional spells and charms, and has also been associated with potion-making. It should be noted that most magic is the result of other elements being used in tandem—Magic being used in its purest form is quite rare, isn't usually seen outside of the Magic element Skylanders.

Tech - Orange is the main color associated with this element, though it is also commonly associated with gold, silver, metallic red and royal blue. Although the element of Tech was around long before the Arkeyans 10,000 years ago, it was this ancient civilization who discovered it and perfected the use of technical machinery beyond any other. Abilities associated with this element are, obviously, related to mechanical prowess, but it can also be tied to time, endlessly turning like a gear. In tandem with Magic, it could even be used for time manipulation.

Light - Along with the Dark element, was lost when the Core of Light was destroyed, only recovered some time after it was rebuilt. This element is associated with the colors yellow, as bright and saturated as it can get, and white. A most useful element in pushing away the Darkness, Light is a powerful weapon that heroes and villains alike have been quick to use. Abilities typically associated with this element obviously involve the manipulation of light, as well as the use of celestial bodies, but it can also be associated with clarity—Light illuminates and guides.

Dark - Along with the Light element, was lost when the Core of Light was destroyed, only recovered some time after it was rebuilt. This element is associated with the colors of black, indigo, dark purple, and teal, the latter also frequently given metallic texturing. Dark is perhaps the most dangerous element of all. Despite what the name might suggest, creatures aligned with this element are not powered by the Darkness itself. If there was never any darkness, what would be the point of illumination? Like the Light element, the use of celestial bodies are typically associated abilities with this element, but it can also be obscurity, or mystery.

Water - This element is associated with most shades of blue. Water is present in all living things. Without it, few of the Elements would ever have come to exist. Abilities typically associated with this element include, obviously, manipulating water, as well as ice and steam. Water is often associated with the first, primordial forms of life; beginnings.

Fire - It is commonly associated with the color red and shades of orange closer to it, such as vermilion. Fire is one of the most ancient sources of power in all of Skylands. Abilities typically associated with this element includes, obviously, manipulation of fire or other extremely hot substances, but it can also be about purity—a fire hot enough can return the most dark and corrupt things to a clean slate.

Air - Colors associated with the element are cyan, sky blue, capri, and occasionally white and azure. The skies above, around and often below, Skylands are infinite, meaning the Air Element may hold a limitless number of secrets that weren't yet aware of. This makes the Air element one of the most mysterious of them all. Abilities associated with this element obviously include the manipulation of air, atmosphere, and/or weather.

Earth - This element is associated with the color brown and its many shades. Not to be conflated with the strange planet of the same name. The Earth element is typically associated with abilities that involve manipulation of the very ground we walk on.

Life - It is associated with the color green. There is no avoiding the Life Element. It is the Element that ensures Skylands maintains its natural balance. From the tiniest seed to the tallest tree, from the smallest grub to the largest land whale, Skylands teems with Life. Abilities typically associated with this element don't have to necessarily be about plants, despite them being the symbol for Life—it can involve the creation or care of living beings.

Undead - This element is associated with shades of gray, white, pure black and occasionally thistle, grayish blue and deep purple. The Undead Element inhabits the darkest corners of Skylands, lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce—and then serve up a lovely snack or tell a terrible joke. The point is, this element is about as inherently bad as any other. Death is just an inevitability, nothing to be afraid of, and creatures aligned with the Undead element tend to be particularly fearless. Abilities typically associated with the Undead element include necromancy, unsurprisingly, as well as more general frightening imagery, as well as sometimes being associated with toxicity or contagion.

Information about Kaos:

Kaos is a Dark Portal Master, one which has long been corrupted by the Darkness. He appears as a rather short figure cloaked in black (the only color he seems to care for), a caucasian human male with a notable lack of hair. His eyes are red, black marking surrounding them and ending in upward points like two vertical cuts, his canines sharp, all consequences of the Darkness' influence. Strange symbols are emblazoned on his forehead, glowing blue, a symbol he's adopted as his own. He has constantly sought to conquer Skylands through various schemes, but has so far been consistently thwarted by his archenemies, the Skylanders, the heroes of Skylands. Many kinds of banishment has been employed to get rid of him permanently, but if there's one thing he's competent at, it's crawling his way back into a position of authority. Kaos is overconfident, with a big ego as well as an inferiority complex. He is selfish, loud, and with delusions of grandeur. As expected, Kaos glorifies himself immensely, with his castles filled with things that boost his already enormous ego. However, underneath his overconfident and reckless exterior, Kaos possesses a genuinely cunning mind. When he speaks, he tends to be thoughtfully quiet one second and screaming the next. He was ridiculed quite a bit as a child, which may be the source of many of his issues? He despises the new Portal Masters whom he calls names such as 'Apprentice Portal Master' and 'Poser Master', and claims that only he is the real Portal Master. 'Sky losers' is another name he has for the Skylanders in general. He also hates trees and tree folk. Even evil ones. Even when interacting with other antagonists, he either only tolerates their presence, or makes his hatred of them clear.

For more information, always defer to the lorebook's descriptions.