The Four Maidens are from a fairy tale called “The Story of the Seasons”. In Remnant, the story is told but the four sisters are believed to be pure fiction.

The world of Remnant is the backdrop for all the events in RWBY. It is not unlike Earth with various climates, multiple seasons, a single (albeit damaged) moon, enormous cities, small villages, and an abundance of living creatures. Every facet of life on Remnant — down to its settlements, culture, and technology — is a direct result of the constant struggle between Man and the destructive, soulless Creatures of Grimm. With these dangerous monsters roaming every continent in vast numbers, the threat of the Grimm has forced the people of Remnant to cluster together in areas that are easily defensible and offer natural protection.

Huntsmen and Huntresses are the best and brightest warriors of Remnant – and its most powerful defense against the Grimm. It’s a dangerous profession that requires a license to practice, which is only granted to those who complete the rigorous training at one of four Huntsmen Academies around the world — Beacon, Haven, Atlas and Shade. Once granted a license, their duty is to serve and protect all mankind. *A male license-holder is a Huntsman, female license-holders are Huntresses.

An Aura is the manifestation of the soul — the life force that runs through every living creature on Remnant. Since the soul is what makes an Aura even possible, creatures that are not considered living, such as the Grimm, do not possess Auras. With the proper training, true warriors learn how to amplify and control their Aura, harnessing its more powerful abilities.

A Semblance is a tangible manifestation of one’s Aura. It’s is unique to each individual. Telekinesis, super speed, teleportation, mental illusions, shadow clones — all of these are examples of an unlocked Semblance. In some cases it is also possible for a person to use their Semblance in conjunction with Dust.

Summoning Glyphs is one of the applications of a Semblance that has been passed down through the Schnee family for generations. Their unique Semblance allows them to summon an enemy from a glyph that has been defeated in the past. Weiss Schnee is still learning to master this ability.

Dust is a primary energy source in Remnant. Found naturally in a crystalline form, Dust is mined from all over the world. Not only does it power every facet of the world’s technology, it can also be triggered by the Auras of Humans and Faunus for use in battle, and has proved to be the most effective tool for combating the Creatures of Grimm. Dust occurs in a variety of colors and types, but is primarily found in four basic forms. The most basic forms of Dust are Fire, Water, Lightning, and Wind.

Nightmare is a special Grimm that grows by absorbing aura, possessing humans.

The Faunus are a human-like species who reside in Remnant. They are set apart by their animal traits such as cat ears, monkey tails, tiger claws, and bull horns. While physical traits among Faunus vary, many may also display heightened senses of sight (such as night vision), hearing, or smell. Faunus and humans have lived together for centuries in varying degrees of harmony. However, longstanding grudges and prejudices still exist in certain parts of Remnant.

The Creatures of Grimm are soulless monsters plaguing Remnant. There are many types of Grimm including various types of mammals, reptiles, birds, etc which have their own appearance and abilities. Some defy explanation, manifesting as the things of nightmares, but all share the common goal of destroying mankind and its creations. Being soulless creatures, they are attracted to negative emotions such as anger, sorrow, envy and fear. They also do not need to feed to sustain life, but some prey on people due to the urge to destroy. Once slain, the corpse of a Grimm will only remain for a short period before disintegrating.

A scroll is a digital mobile communication device used in Remnant.

The White Fang was founded as a group of peaceful activists to advocate for Faunus rights and improve relations between Humans and Faunus. However, over time their ambitions grew more violent and extremist in light of continued discrimination and a change in leadership. They wear white masks mimicking the Grimm to hide their identities.

The Schnee Dust Company is the largest Dust manufacturing company in Remnant, headquartered in Atlas. Founded by Weiss’s grandfather Nicholas, S.D.C.’s current CEO is Weiss’s father, Jacques. Once well regarded, S.D.C. is now the subject of dark rumors regarding labor practices and exploitation of Faunus workers — making them a prime target of the White Fang.

Huntsman Academy is a general term for Huntsmen training schools. Those who have been trained for 4 years and graduate will be granted their Huntsman or Huntress license. Members usually enroll at the age of 17 after graduating from Primary Combat School, but Ruby was allowed to skip grades and therefore entered at the age of 15.

Beacon Academy is located in the kingdom and city of Vale. It’s goal is to be a guiding light for Huntsman and the rest of Remnant. It’s tower is also a beacon to those looking for hope. Headmaster Ozpin emphasizes teamwork and cooperation above all.

Haven Academy is a Huntsman Academy located in Mistral. Leonardo Lionheart serves as Headmaster. Studies focus on combat, history, and the cultures of Remnant.

Atlas Academy is located in the floating city of Atlas. It’s highly regimented curriculum emphasizes efficiency, strength, and focus on Dust use in combat. General James Ironwood is not only a leader in the Atlesian Military, but also the school’s headmaster. Attending and graduating Atlas almost guarantees a job in the Kingdom’s military.

Shade Academy is located in the dangerous and wild kingdome of Vacuo. It is a bit more relaxed in classes and homework, focusing more on combat ability and survival. Headmaster Theodore leads the school.

Primary Combat School is a general term for primary training schools attended before entering Huntsman Academies. There are several in each Kingdoms, such as Signal Academy where Ruby and Yang attended, as well as Sanctum Academy where Pyrrha attended. Ruby and Yang’s father Taiyang, plus their uncle Qrow have both served as teachers at Signal Academy.

The Four Kingdoms of Remnant- Atlas, Mistral, Vale and Vacuo are relatively large and contain resources necessary for sustaining human life. They have managed to survive and even thrive despite the presence of Grimm. However there are some communities that do not reside within the Four Kingdoms.

Vale is a Kingdom located in the northeastern part of Sanus, the largest continent of Remnant. Beacon Academy resides on the eastern side of the city while the island of Patch (Ruby and Yang’s hometown) sits on the western end overlooking the sea. Signal Academy is also located on Patch.

Mistral is a Kingdom located in Anima, the second largest continent in Remnant. The largest territory of the four Kingdoms, Mistral is host to a wide variety of ecosystems and cultures. While the upper class has a high degree of contribution to culture in the world, it is difficult to maintain order in Mistral due to its large territory, making it a cover for vicious criminals in some areas. Haven Academy is also located in Mistral, where Pyrrha set a record for winning the Kingdom tournament for four consecutive years.

Atlas, the youngest of the four Kingdoms, is located on the Solitas continent at the northen end of Remnant. While the frigid region provides a natural defense against many types of Grimm, it was also a harsh environment for pioneers. To survive, Atlas had to grow into a military nation by developing science and technology at a faster pace than the rest of Remnant. Atlast is also home to Atlas Academy, as well as the Schnee Dust Company (or S.D.C.), the world’s largest supplier of Dust.

Vacuo is a Kingdom located in the western part of the Sanus continent. Currently a desert wasteland, it is said that the territory was once a paradise rich in natural resources before it was harvested by other Kingdoms. Here, Shade Academy is known to be the only authority in what is a mostly lawless and unordered Kingdom. Vacuans share the mentality that if you’re strong enough to survive in Vacuo, then you are worthy of respect and welcome among them.

Emerald Forest is a forest area in Vale just beyond Beacon that is inhabited by Grimm. A dangerous place, Emerald Forest is also the location where Beacon Academy tests their new freshmen.

The CCT System- or Cross Continental Transmit System allows for instantaneous multimedia communication wirelessly over large distances. First developed by the Kingdom of Atlas as a gift to the rest of the world, the CCT System is reliant on four primary relay towers, with one located in each of the four Kingdoms.

Magic is a mysterious power that is generally perceived by the people from Remnant as fantasy.

The Great War is the largest war to ever take place between the four Kingdoms in Remnant. Set about 80 years before the main story, the Great War lasted for ten years.

The Vytal Festival is an international event held once every two years. It celebrates the peace between the Four Kingdoms since the end of The Great War. In addition to dances and parades, tournament battles are help by representatives of each Huntsmen Academy. Each country takes turns being a host to the event. Vale hosts the festival the year Ruby enters Beacon Academy.

Silver-Eyed Warrior information is largely rooted in fairy tales. People born with silver eyes are extremely rare and are said to be destined to lead a life of a warrior. They possess special abilities not seen in others.