The World
Ballad of a Renegade follows Cyra across two interwoven timelines. In the present, she’s a jaded, infamous ex-soldier, living under an alias after a war. She hides away in an Western-inspired town, running a saloon with her lover. In her past, she lives a very different life as a hyper-competitive student in the kingdom’s most distinguished magic school. This world takes a more Victorian inspiration, with cities and castles, and no shortage of formal balls.
The Magic
Those born with magic are called Syphons. They use crystals to amplify their power, wielding mostly elemental magic. The Kingdom of Castoria is ruled by Syphons, a privileged class in this world, who use their magic to dominate their neighboring colony of Clovia.