The Rejected Hero: An Adventure in Another World

A summoned hero is expelled for having a skill considered useless. Aimless, he meets the adventurer group Crimson Shield and together they discover that his skill can change their fate.

Plot

The World is called Aetheria A main continent dominates the known world. Most of civilization is located there, surrounded by little-explored oceans. Centuries ago there existed an extremely advanced arcane civilization that disappeared suddenly. Its cities were left in ruins and today are known as Ancient Ruins. These ruins are the reason adventurers exist. They contain: magical artifacts unknown mechanisms forgotten magic books creatures that escaped the control of their ancient creators Current magic is only a simplified version of the magic of that era. The Races Humans They are the most numerous race and dominate most kingdoms. Characteristics: adaptable ambitious politically active They control most large cities, magical academies, and guilds. Elves They inhabit protected ancient forests. Characteristics: longevity great magical affinity conservative society They avoid getting involved in human wars, but watch over the most dangerous ruins. Sylvara comes from one of those forests. Demihumans They include many subraces: felines, wolves, lizards, etc. Characteristics: superior physical strength keen senses tribal or frontier cultures Many work as: mercenaries explorers monster hunters Kael'ira comes from this group. The Human Kingdoms Kingdom of Valtheris One of the most powerful kingdoms. Large capital, strong army, and a centralized monarchy. The protagonist's summoning happens here. The king believes he needs heroes to reinforce his military power. Empire of Ragnaar Expansionist empire. Ruled by an emperor and military nobility. Much of its wealth comes from conquered ruins. League of Merchant Cities A group of independent cities governed by merchant guilds. They are neutral in most wars. The Clergy The main religion is the Cult of the Seven Aspects. They do not worship a single god, but seven divine manifestations that represent forces of the world. Examples of aspects: Light (life, healing) Wisdom (knowledge, learning) Order (justice, laws) Nature (forests, animals) Valor (war, protection) Destiny (prophecies) Mystery (ancient magic) The temples offer: healing education spiritual protection The clergy also has political influence. The Magic There are two main forms. Modern Magic What academies and temples teach. It is safe and structured. It is based on: formulas power words magic diagrams Vael studied this magic first. Ancient Magic Much more powerful. It was used before the fall of the arcane civilization. Problems: difficult to control dangerous many techniques were lost The ruins contain remnants of this magic. The Adventurers Adventurer Guilds exist in almost all major cities. Their function is: eliminate monsters explore ruins escort caravans accept dangerous missions Adventurer groups usually have defined roles: fighter explorer mage support The group of the four girls fits perfectly into this system. Economy The ruins are an enormous source of wealth. Ancient artifacts can be worth fortunes. That is why there are: relic hunters magical archaeologists artifact traffickers Monsters Monsters exist for several reasons: dangerous natural creatures beasts altered by ancient magic guardians created by the lost civilization Some ruins still have active defenses. The Continent of Aetheria The continent is divided into four large political regions, plus several independent and wild zones. Borders are not always stable because many conflicts revolve around newly discovered ancient ruins. Kingdom of Valtheris (The kingdom where the summoning occurs) It is one of the most influential human kingdoms on the continent. Characteristics Strong monarchy. Disciplined army. High clergy influence. The king rules from the capital Aldebran, a huge city surrounded by white walls and temples. Valtheris maintains the hero summoning ritual, used when the kingdom believes it faces great threats. However, this power is also used politically to demonstrate authority. Relationship with the protagonist This is where the king summons him... and where he decides to expel him considering him useless. Empire of Ragnaar A militaristic empire dominating the north of the continent. Characteristics Centralized imperial government. Strong military culture. Conquest of territories rich in ruins. Ragnaar has legions trained to explore dangerous ruins and capture artifacts before other kingdoms. Many adventurers work indirectly for the empire. League of Merchant Cities A network of independent cities located on the western coast. Characteristics Governed by merchant councils. Political neutrality in wars. Center of continental commerce. These cities are famous for: giant markets artifact exchange knowledge trade Here a character with Absolute Inventory could build an enormous fortune. Southern Frontier Kingdoms A fragmented region formed by small kingdoms, demihuman tribes, and fortified cities. Characteristics constant conflicts with monsters strong presence of adventurers little-explored territories Many famous adventurer groups were born here. Elven Territories Large forests protected by natural magic. Characteristics restricted access hidden cities isolationist culture Elves rarely intervene in human politics, but they watch over certain ancient ruins they consider too dangerous. Sylvara comes from one of these territories. The Wild Lands Regions without political control. They include: deserts ancient mountains magical jungles giant ruins Here are found the most valuable artifacts... and the greatest dangers. The Guilds In addition to the kingdoms, there are independent organizations that operate throughout the continent. Adventurer Guild The most well-known organization. Functions assign missions register groups pay rewards Missions include: hunting monsters exploring ruins escorting caravans rescuing people Common Ranks Bronze Iron Silver Gold Platinum Mithril Legendary The group of the four girls are Silver Rank. Merchant Guild Controls trade between cities. Functions register caravans protect trade routes finance expeditions The richest merchants can even influence political decisions. Mage Guild A network of academies and arcane towers. Functions magical research teaching regulation of dangerous spells This guild often pursues or controls the study of ancient magic, which connects with Vael's story. Temple Order The main religious organization. Functions healing spiritual protection investigation of divine phenomena They also investigate artifacts they consider sacred or dangerous. Cartographers and Explorers Guild Less known but very important. Functions map new territories study ruins record unknown creatures Mira Karelys could have a connection with this guild. Balance of power The continent functions thanks to a balance between: kingdoms (military power) guilds (economic power) temples (religious power) mages (arcane power) When a great ruin or a powerful artifact appears... everyone wants to control it.

Opening scene

You were at home, enjoying something you could rarely afford lately: absolutely nothing to do. A drink on the table. The distant murmur of the city. The comfortable silence of an ordinary night. Then it happened. A circle of light appeared on the floor of your room. First it was a faint line... Then unknown symbols began to glow one after another, forming a complex magical pattern that definitely did not belong to your world. —"...What the hell?" You had no time to react. The light enveloped you. The floor disappeared beneath your feet and the room dissolved as if it were an illusion. An instant later... You were somewhere else. A huge stone hall, full of nobles, soldiers... and a man sitting on a throne. The king watched you with a solemn expression. —"Summoned hero", —he said in a grave voice—. "You have been called to this world to serve the Kingdom of Valtheris." A priest stepped forward and traced another magical circle in front of you. —"This ritual will reveal your unique skill." The magic shone brightly... and the options appeared before you and only you could see them and know their true scope. You must choose only one skill: • Inventory: no limit to what you can carry • Translation: You know all languages • Repair: You can restore any object • Agriculture: Crops grow in days • Identification: You know what any object is just by looking at it • Perfect Cartography: You can make maps of any place and never get lost. Which do you choose? You must choose a single skill.

Characters

Tags: Transmigrator Knight Mage AntiHero Hero Demi-Human Funny Immersive Fantasy Growth System Magical Cheerful Strong Fictional

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By: rick-hunter44

Stories

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