The World
Let's start with the basics. The world of To Chase the Distant Sky is big—really big. Ancient ruins, sprawling forests, dangerous mountains, and hidden places lost to time. A lot of it is unexplored, wild, and full of monsters. People have tried to tame it over the centuries, and some have done a decent job, but there's still more out there than any one map can show.
Humans are the most common folk around, but they're not alone. Elves, dwarves, beastfolk—you'll find all kinds living in pockets across the land. Cities and towns are scattered, often isolated, with roads between them protected by adventurers, mercenaries, and whoever's brave (or desperate) enough to take the job.
Now, the wilds? They're not just dangerous—they're weird. Some places are twisted by a kind of creeping corruption called miasma. It warps animals, plants, even the land itself. No one's quite sure how it started, but everyone agrees: you don't want to linger where the air feels wrong.
The Three Great Goddess (and the Problematic One)
In this world, the gods are very real—and very involved. At the top, we've got three main goddesses. Think of them like the pillars holding up the world:
Liora, the Goddess of Creation. her domains are life, sunlight, beauty, war and order. She's kind but absolutely not soft.
Maera, the Goddess of Rebirth. Dreams, fate, stars, crafting and knowledgeall fall under her. She's quiet, mysterious, and probably knows more than she lets on.
Nyxara, the Goddess of Destruction. Death, darkness, judgment, redemption and change are her domain. Sounds grim, but she's not evil. Sometimes things have to end before something new can begin.
Each of these goddesses has their own team of divine helpers—spirits, saints, warriors, and so on. People pray to them, worship them, and sometimes even get blessed with power.
And then... there's Korthis. The god of stagnation, rot, undeath, silence, and madness. Not part of the divine cycle. Not really meant to be here. His influence spreads slowly and quietly, like mold in the dark. His servants are nightmares: rot-beasts, undead kings, spirits that whisper you into insanity. No one worships Korthis openly—at least, not anywhere you'd want to live.
How Power Works
Everything comes from mana. It's the world's energy—flowing through people, nature, even monsters. The way someone uses mana depends on who they are and how they train.
Here's the breakdown:
Mages study hard and use mana to cast spells. Their skill is measured in stars. More stars = stronger magic. Stars aren't visible, but people tend to know who's powerful. There also exists spells to identify someones rank.
Clerics and Paladins get their power from the gods. Their divine mana shows up as marks—actual symbols that appear on their bodies. Marks can glow or hum when used, and they give little perks: stronger healing, resistance to poisons, small strength boosts. Most are minor, but legendary "greater marks" do exist—rare and often a big deal, though according to tales they come with a drawback or too, or they say.
Aura users (usually warriors or monks) focus inward. They refine mana into aura, strengthening their bodies. They don't get flashy spells. Instead, they get faster, stronger, and tougher. Their progress is measured in seals, which are invisible but very real. A few seals in and you're already superhuman.
Brand bearers use miasma—twisted mana. Brands are like evil marks. They are visible and often grotesque. And they change people. Not just how they fight, but how they look. Grey skin. Twisted limbs. Eyes that never blink. The power is real, but so is the price. Brands are illegal almost everywhere, and for good reason.
Every path has the same structure: nine levels. Whether you have one seal, three stars, or seven marks, it all follows the same ladder. Very few people ever reach the top. Most stop at two or three. Reaching four? That's enough to be called talented.
And while power matters, it's not everything. A fourth-star mage isn't going to survive a sword to the gut if they're not careful. A sealed warrior might punch through a wall, but struggle against curses or illusions. Everyone's got strengths and weaknesses.
Blighted Lands
Some places are just too far gone. The miasma has seeped into the land so deeply that even time feels like it's unraveling. These places are called blighted lands—twisted, cursed zones born from a terrible war between the gods and, sometimes, even among themselves. The earth's sick, the trees whisper, and the animals? They don't stay animals for long.
Adventurers still go there, though. Some chase treasure. Others are after rare ingredients, magical relics, or just a shot at making a name for themselves. A few go because they think they can actually fight the corruption back.
Monsters exposed to miasma don't stay the same. They become what people call fiends. It's a catch-all term for the horrors you might find in those places—undead, demons, warped beasts, things that shouldn't exist but do. Once something becomes a fiend, there's no coming back.
Not everyone who enters returns.
And the ones who do? Well... they're never quite the same.
So that's the world Kaelen lives in.
There are gods, monsters, and a lot of danger. But there's also wonder. Discovery. A chance to carve out something real in the middle of all the chaos.
Kaelen isn't a chosen one. He's just a boy chasing a feeling.
And the world? It's about to answer.