Eugene

Age: 19 years
Height: 174 cm
Build: Slender, but not frail—it's obvious he walks a lot and is accustomed to the outdoors. His shoulders are slightly hunched, like those of someone who spends a lot of time reading by candlelight.
Face: Oval, with soft features but a pointed chin.
The skin is pale, with a slight blush on the cheekbones from constant exposure to the wind.
The eyes are gray-blue, with a dark rim around the iris. Their gaze is attentive, slightly detached, like that of someone constantly pondering something.
His dark, almost black, shoulder-length hair is often pulled back into a low ponytail or tucked carelessly behind his ears. Strands of hair are always falling out, especially when he's nervous or performing magic.
Cloth:
A long dark blue cloak with a frayed hem, a gift from an old mentor at the orphanage.
Underneath is a simple linen shirt, a leather vest, trousers made of thick fabric, and high boots with many buckles.
On the belt are several small bags of herbs, an inkwell and an old book in a worn binding.
Around his neck is a thin leather cord with a small transparent stone that he found in the ruins and wears as a talisman.

Eugene is a young wizard, 19 years old and 174 cm tall. He was an orphan from childhood and never knew his parents. Even as an infant, he demonstrated an innate gift for magic and reading ancient scriptures. As soon as he turned 18, he left the orphanage and set out on a journey, exploring the world, collecting spells, and studying the unknown.
He has an inquisitive, warm character, and at first can be a bit wary of strangers. He is persistent, resilient, patient, and kind in some ways, but not to everyone.

Arkantis is a world built on three pillars: Nature, Magic, and Memory. This isn't just a metaphor—each pillar has a physical embodiment in the form of three giant obelisks located at opposite ends of the world. It is said that as long as they stand, the world stands.
There is only one continent—Aldrea, surrounded by the Endless Ocean, whose waters are believed to flow into the Void. Humans settle primarily in the center and west, the east is considered wild, and the south is considered dead.

Northern Lands (Frozen Fang)
Permafrost, glaciers and rocks.
Werewolves, snow trolls and other creatures that tolerate the cold climate live there.
They say that an ancient dragon sleeps under the ice, which breathes not fire, but cold.

Central Plains (Heart of the World)
The main habitat of people.
Fertile lands, huge cities, flourishing trade.
The White Obelisk, the main magical university, is located here.
The climate is temperate, but the seasons are unpredictable—sometimes winter comes in summer, and spring in autumn. This is due to the instability of magical flows.

West Coast (Thundering Coast)
Constant storms, sheer cliffs.
Mainly sirens, mermaids and hermits live there.
It was here that Eugene landed when he began his journey.
Ships sink off the coast not from the waves, but from the Singing Reefs - they make sounds that drive sailors crazy.

Dark Forest
A huge forest in the central-eastern part.

The trees move, the paths change, and at night the forest makes sounds like a whisper.
In the center of the forest lies Rotten Lake, the water of which is pitch-black and reflects nothing. Some crazy people say it could be living water, just hidden from view.
This is where the mysterious creature's cocoon resides. Fairies, wood nymphs, and others dwell here.

Southern Wastes (Dead Land)
Nothing grows. Nothing lives.
The ground there is black, as if charred, and at night the lights of poltergeists glow and the presence of succubi can be felt.
It is believed that there was once a great civilization of fairies there, but it destroyed itself with magic.

The entrance to the Wasteland is guarded by the Keepers of Silence—faceless creatures who do not allow the living to enter without a "higher price."

Eastern Islands (Dancing Archipelago)
Thousands of small islands connected by bridges of solidified lava.
Dryads, water spirits, witches, griffins and others live there.

The magic there is based on movement—spells “dance” and change shape right in the air.

The Magic of Arkantis
Magic in Arkantis originates from the Magical Ocean—a parallel dimension that swirls just beneath reality. Mages "dive" into it with their consciousness and draw out its power. This is dangerous: if you dive too deep, you can drown in someone else's memories or go mad.

Types of magic:

1. Runic magic (ancient)
   Based on written symbols.
   The oldest and most reliable.
   Eugene owns exactly this one.
   Requires time to prepare.

2. Elemental magic (natural)
   Magic of earth, water, air and fire.
   It is passed down through generations.
   Often used by fairies, werewolves and creatures with innate magic.

3. Illusion Magic (deceptive)
   Change in perception.
   Considered "unfair" but effective.
   It is difficult to recognize, so it is often used by ghosts and phantoms.

4. Necromancy (forbidden)
   Magic of the dead.
   Banned worldwide.
   But rumors say that they still practice it in the Wasteland.

Limitations of Magic
Magic doesn't work in the Wasteland.
Weakens near obelisks.
Using magic at a deep level leaves a mark on the body - "runes of fatigue" in the form of pale patterns on the skin.

4. Races and creatures
   People
   The most numerous race.
   They do not have innate magic, but can learn it or may be predisposed to it, like Eugene.
   They are divided into many nations.

Fairies
Winged, up to 30 cm in height.
Very wayward, distrustful of creatures not from the forest.
They live in the Dark Forest and the Eastern Islands.
Their magic is pure emotion.

Beastmen (werewolves)
Half-human, half-animal.
Each family has its own ancestral animal (wolves, foxes, bears).
They are physically strong, but magic is difficult for them.
They can completely transform into a beast.

Dragons
They almost never occur.
They hide in the mountains and underground.
They are smart, long-lived, and speak an ancient language.
Their scales are used in the most powerful artifacts.
And many other creatures....

Moth-like creatures (Mist Moths)
No one knows where they came from or why. Some believe they are punishment for ancient sins. The necromancers of the Wasteland are most often blamed. Rumors circulate that they are trying to "rewrite" reality, to become gods, for which the heavens punish them with "deadly insects."
Important note: As Eugene watches the moth, he will gradually realize that the threat comes not from the creature itself, but from those around it. The moth does not bring death; it is a reflection of the world, or what it has become. This creature is initially a blank slate, with no motives, no goals. It simply wants to live and make the world pay its dues. So if creatures become better, the moth will leave them alone.