The Five Realms

You jiggle a little in the carriage as it rattles forward along stone roads toward the large city of Midgard. Looking out of the window, you see an eclectic mix of styles, with European and East Asian buildings, mostly low technology although you're certain you can see the glare of neon lights in some sections. There appears to be temples of some sort in a higher district, farms with small attached tent communities at the outskirts, and the docks have a more Napoleonic era feel to them, with large sail ships off shore.

The cataclysm was a long time ago now, and the various industries and sectors of humanity have adapted accordingly. Some of the less affected cities still cling to the old ways, but with demons in the machines and a lack of a wider industrial base, they're now barely clinging on.

You can see lights flashing in the sky, and follow them up to the clouds, seeing pristine white walls and golden gates sat atop them. In the far distance, so large it becomes part of the background, a towering mass of wood so tall you can barely see the leaves rises past the city in the sky. Back down on Earth you pass by a roadside farm, and can see various animal eared humans helping to till the soil, before you come to a steady halt.

"We're here, Master!" a voice calls to you, though not from the driver's seat. Stepping out, the two horse-eared women who had been pulling you along beam at you from their harness. "The locals will take it from here," one says. "This is where we stop." You look at the building next to you, somewhat like an inn or saloon. More immediately though, there's a small honesty box outside, with "Treats for the Workforce" written on a sign. Inside are a bundle of carrots, and looking back at the women, you can see their tails flagging and hands clenched as they watch you with anticipation.

Living in Midgard is like learning several languages at once, but the most important language is one everyone is familiar with; money. Midgard lives on trade, and in need of a quick job to earn a little money you head out of the city proper and to one of the farms that's hiring hands.

"You're the new guy then?" a toned, middle aged man says, having watched you from all the way up the road as he stands by the gates. "Right," he says with a nod. "This way." He turns, and walks back around the farmhouse and towards the barns and stables. "You ever worked on a farm before?" he asks, before continuing without giving any time for an answer. "You're on general yard duties. Just clean, shovel, move stuff, milk Brenda if she asks for it. The dogs'll tell you what to do."

You look past him at a dog sat laid out in the sun, eyes clamped on the sheep and cows out in the fields. Your eyes are caught by the tail attached to a person walking past carrying empty milk cans, and when you see the doglike ears on her head you realise he's probably referring to the beast folk.*

"They work for me, and you work for me, so they'll see ye as an equal. Try to assert dominance and they'll rip ye a new one, so don't," the farmer continues. "If you hear screaming in the locked barn, that's Felicity, she's in heat. Open that door and she'll have you, and she's a wild cat so it'll hurt. Kicked Ghost out of her nest. She'll be back in the evening, so if you see a big winged thing swoopin', don't worry about it, she's huntin' vermin." He turns back to face you once you reach the tool rack. "I'm heading out to the fields. Work until then and you get paid, disappear on me and you get nothin'. As fer the wild ones, don't treat 'em like animals, and don't treat 'em like humans. You'll pick it up."

With that, he turns and walks off toward the fields, the dog that was laid out gets up and pads after him. Looking around, you can see horses in the stables, real ones, as well as some actual cows in a nearby pasture being looked after by a particularly voluptuous woman with short horns and a tail of her own, presumably Brenda. The dog girl from before is still rushing around, ears twitching with a frown occasionally, and listening carefully you can in fact hear scratching and yowling from the nearby barn in time with the dog-girls outward annoyance.

Living in Midgard is like learning several languages at once, and you've become quite proficient at it. Whenever you see an angelic figure, just smile and nod and agree with everything they say, and make sure everything you're doing shows some level of logic, then point them toward the nearest jewellers. If what you're working with has anything more complex than pulleys and levels, there's probably a demon in there, and if there's some oddly coloured or otherwise unnatural looking person skulking about with a grin, there definitely is. Let them have a little fun then send them on their way. If you meet an animal person, either act like you own the place, or if they own the place, just do as they say, and either way they'll like you for it. If you see someone with fins or tentacles, or if they look wet or their shadow is a strange shape, don't ask any questions, don't even look at them unless they come to you.

Simple rules, but they help during the day to day. There are different sections of the city where the different groups tend to congregate. Humans live in the South, with an especially large housing and governmental district, since most of the permanent residents are human.

To the East is the harbor, with the docks being host to sailors as well as the odd creature from the depths. They're rare, but not so rare that it's unexpected to see one, and occasionally they do even wander to the market.

To the West is a mountain range, but underneath it through caves and tunnels the techno-city of Gansho, with the Western part of the city having demon powered electric trains carrying passengers to and from, including the rowdy physical youkai themselves.

The North is a raised area, where the embassy of the Ethereals stands like a temple, occasionally flashes of light of the angels themselves travelling up and down from their city can be seen.

Throughout the whole of the city, and especially the farmlands, beastfolk wander around. They're only the outermost variant, with at most strange ears and tails, and they're almost all domesticated. Seeing a true beast from the Natural realm outside the forest is practically unheard of.

You make your way to the city centre, and find that it's a shared market day, with stalls lining the streets, and all kinds of people here. There's an Ethereal giving an oration in the centre, with some youkai looking on with the clear urge to mess around. Beastfolk are mingled in with everyone else, and you even spot what might be a couple of deep people as well, one of them even appears to be manning a stall.

Midgard is a multicultural city, but it's mostly split into areas. You're in the South, where humanity is the most prevalent. There are plenty of beastfolk around, mostly for day jobs working at the stores and houses, some as live in servants performing chores. The real sights here are the sprawling government buildings, the ornate magical academies, the libraries and the technical college.

Due to the nature of Midgard, there has always been a wealth of knowledge to be discovered here, where the boundaries of the physical and the other realms converge. Studies into the different realms is highly encouraged, although the research into the depths is stymied and even treacherous at times given the nature of those beings.

While there are buildings dedicated to each of the different realms, two stand out. The first is the official palace, home of Jin-hee, and partially open the public. A woman who rapidly rose the ranks through her efforts in being an ambassador and deal maker for the different realms using Midgard as a mediator, she's now the most powerful woman in the city, but remains a down to earth and friendly person willing to step in and help in any way she can. There are rumours that this is just a facade though, and that behind the scenes she has a ruthless iron grip on all business in the city.

The second building is far more fantastical, appearing as a giant rose shrub fashioned into an ornate, grand structure, with huge rose flowers dotting its surface, and a truly massive one as the centrepiece. Many years ago, a young farm girl wandered into Tenalach through the woods to the North of the city, and disappeared. Years later, Rosalind emerged, born again as one of the most powerful mages in the world, having made a pact directly with the perfect Rose Spirit in the central strata of Tenalach. Though she has near unlimited magical prowess, she seems content to further her studies in the physical realm for now, though no one truly knows what her next goal is.

Midgard is a multicultural city, but it's mostly split into areas. You're in the North, where the large temple-like embassy of the Ethereals sits, projecting a view of order and dominance downwards, though it's mostly aesthetic for their benefit. When they first arrive, they took over all construction of the area that was allotted to them, tearing up even the pavements of the floor. Now, everything is perfectly clean, all the slabs are aligned and symmetrical, and any defects are rectified immediately upon being noticed with reality bending magic.

Up ahead you can already see some Ethereals discussing something esoteric, and another gushing over the molecularly perfect gem their friend had managed to acquire. In the distance the sound of an oration can be heard over the air, a learned Ethereal giving a sermon on reality itself, in essence. Many humans come here who are students or practitioners, since they can always find friends and help amongst the rigidly logical and truth-seeking Ethereals.

Midgard is a multicultural city, but it's mostly split into areas. You're in the West, where the train station to the underground sits. Most advanced technology is under the control of the demons, and these are no different, with the trains themselves yelling out at passengers and loaders, telling them to hurry up so they can get back to riding the rails. There are youkai around too helping load and unload, some of the few that have a useful bent to their emotional satisfaction, finding pleasure in physical activity without devolving into a battle hungry savage. Or, at least they keep that part to themselves.

Around this section of the town there's various shops and services that use technology, including some very advanced tech that's only possible in this part of the world using a mixture of demon technology and human ingenuity. Magically powered mind jacks, where a person sitting in a chair can be momentarily shown images, or made to feel certain emotions, are a popular attraction here, beyond the typical work requests. It's only a showcase of what's possible, as they essentially act as tourist hooks, inviting people to ride the trains down to where the real fun is, in the demon city of Gansho.

Midgard is a multicultural city, but it's mostly split into areas. You're in the East, where the city meets the sea. The sound of seagulls squawking fills the air amidst bells and men yelling, large wooden ships with sails line the docks, except for one that's metal, and appears to be yelling at someone.

Walking along the docks to and from warehouses and taverns are sailors, women looking to make some money from their time ashore, and a strange humanoid figure they all seem to be avoiding eye contact with. You can't quite make them out from here, but there's something more to them, whether it's tentacles, a tail, or strange tendrils you can't quite tell, and probably shouldn't try to find out.

The ocean is home to more than just regular sealife now after all, and you can see some people who are well aware and yet pushing their look, as a research group boards a ship ready to head out for the open ocean. They seem a little short staffed, and would probably accept some less academic help, if offered.

Outside of Midgard to the North is a forest, though not just a regular forest. This one is linked to the Natural Realm of Tenalach, made obvious by the colossal tree in its centre, the mass of which stands taller than the clouds, so thick that even from this distance it takes up a solid portion of the horizon.

Around the forest and especially towards the edge of the city of Midgard there are farms, many of which have beastfolk working there. The ones you can see just inside the forest though, are different. They look just as human, but their eyes are focused, and they glance at the outside world as if looking out for something. On very rare occasion, you can see flitting lights of what could be spirits, or fae tricks.

The tribes of the forest are dangerous for humans, both because of the strict hierarchies within them you're expected to know automatically, and punished for transgressing, but also because some of them hate humans instinctively. Others are more accepting, and will even help guide humans deeper in, but it's a risk any who step into these woods must accept.