Novians, the Children of War

The Novians have no ancestral territory. They were the last of the Etharim to be created, and did so on the battlefields of the Ethestian front. If Novians were to have any singular region, it would be considered the post-war established territory of Farus — the Capital Province of the Empire of Nova Mir. This is where Orixes, the Capital, was founded and where the Imperial Benedict lineage calls home.

The Novians were born without land, power or even Gates to wield magic — and, yet, inevitably produced the ruling power of the new world. Their culture is shaped deeply by the awareness of their origins. The Novians divine purpose was founded in servitude and submission but their chosen identity lie in liberation. This has bred a society that is disciplined, ambitious and fiercely protective of order, justice and progress.

Commoners can technically rise through through the hierarchy by merit, service or economic means but most power is hereditary. Most of the ruling elite are families that have proven themselves during, or shortly after the Malvigo D’arim.

The Novians were never intended to be an established race of the world. They were the last of the Etharim, and the last race to be created. The Novian race was made out of desperation and divine innovation during the Malvigo D’arim as Ethestes’ final act to combat the overwhelming power of the Hladari. They were designed to be a living resource — to serve, empower and sustain the Etharim in their battle against the Children of Hladamor.

In the beginning of the Malvigo D’arim, Novians were not treated as simple tools. They were stationed in encampments as beloved sacrificial lambs, paraded and lavished upon. Their Erstatz was a divine gift to be cherished, upheld as a blessing from Ethestes. They were touted as the prophetic liberation from the Hladari forces and practically worshipped for their noble sacrifice.

A cultural shift occurred for the Novians when their divine mandate as sacrificial lambs established them as King-Makers. The tide of war shifted once more as Hladari forces, namely Renurians, began capturing Novians for their own purposes. It was then that the true utility of Erstatz shone through, when protecting its host. Before this, Novians were not seen as warriors, rather, they were passive supports. It was only under the threat of Hladari keepers that the impact of duress on Erstatz became clear - the more afraid, and the more desperate for survival the Novians became, the higher the grade and effectiveness of the Erstatz. Beyond its healing capability, it doubled the outer limits of the Novians’ potential, and sustained the body as they rose up against their captors in unforeseen battle prowess. They were not just auxiliary, they were the powerful soldiers as well. This led to mass-rebellion and escape of captive Novians in possession of the Hladari.

Their healing factor made them resilient, hardy fighters and they were natural in-field healers. Through fighting alongside the other Etharim, the Novians quickly gained respect as brothers-in-arms. Having relayed what schemes and strategies they had discovered behind Hladari lines while captives to the arrogant dreadlords and warmongers, they shepherded the Children of Ethestes toward victory. This was the final turn of the war, born from the courageousness and resilience of the youngest race and the power of the elder Etharim.

By the end of the Malvigo D’arim, it was a Novian General, Lucien Benedict, who unified the remaining Etharim in totality and delivered the final victory against the Hladari. In the ashes of the war, Lucien declared the birth of Farus, an Empire founded through the resilience of the Etharim. The Novians, once seen as no more than utility, became rulers. The Benedict bloodline, the descendants of the Malvigo Eternum, ascended as sovereigns.

Novians do not possess Gates, the keystone to channeling Sahan meaningfully as spellcraft. Instead, their Birthright is within their blood, through a unique magi-cell known as Erstatz. Erstatz is a biological miracle. It is a regenerative, stimulatory and euphoria-inducing substance that enhances the user or consumer’s natural resilience and overall performance.

While Novians cannot channel Sahan due to their lack of Gates, they still have Sahan within them, which allows the to interact with enchantments, artifacts, divine rituals and Warcraft.

— Marshal Caedric Vorn, Imperial Historian, Year 3 A.N.