Introduction to Zarn
What Zarn is, what Nemizarn is, and the three things to know before you set foot on the material side: magic is rare, the gods are distant, and the savage peoples are not evil.
Revision 1 · updated 9 Nov 2026 · 212 words
Zarn stands for "material" in the old speech. The opposite of Zarn is Nemizarn, bearing a meaning of "immaterial".
The world was created from the explosion in the void splitting the energy into these two parts. For the people of Zarn, Nemizarn is perceived as a hall of gods and spirits. They believe in the afterlife in Nemizarn. They experience Nemizarn's influence under certain circumstances, which drives their beliefs.
Low fantasy
Zarn, a low-fantasy world, shrouds magic in rare mystery, evoking both wonder and dread. Some people may be entertained, some scared of magic, hostile towards magic and its wielders.
Deities
In the realm of Zarn, the gods and celestial beings hold a distant presence, their involvement in the world often a mere echo of worship and supplication. While they are revered by the denizens of this land, the divine rarely extends its hand in direct communication, remaining silent observers in most cases.
Savage, not evil
Orcs, bugbears and other savage races are not evil. Some tribes yield to evil notions, but as a general rule they are cruel, savage peoples who live different lives. They can be met in the world living regular lives. Tieflings are not evil either, yet are perceived as such by some conservative people.