ReaderAt2046
2012-10-14, 03:33 PM
Alright, so I've been working on a couple of fantasy worlds over the past couple of months and I would love some feedback on them (I'm only detailing one in this post).
Niether of these worlds has a name yet, I'll just call the world I'm doing today "Primus" until I come up with a better one.
The area of Primus we're interested in has a geography resembling that of North Africa, except stretched a lot North-South. The central country (not necessarily the most important, but geographically central) is called Harrath. It's a huge country (about maybe the size of Europe), mostly consisting of savannahs and hills, with the occasional small forest. Harrath is currently in the Late Middle Ages tech level. It used to be a matriarchy, but two generations ago, the priestesses of the Nine Goddesses (Harrath's state religion) decreed that women could no longer hold the throne, though oddly enough, the throne still descends through the female line. Harrathian names are fairly exotic, with a vaguely lyrical feel (Altimar, Jussa, Pell, Valsavin). Harrathian culture is intended to have a vaugely Arabic feel, especially in their military.
Immediately to the west of Harrath lies the realm of Ennedi. Geographically, Enndi and Harrath are very similar, though Ennedi is much smaller (only about a third to a quarter as big). It is in turn intended to be bound by the ocean on the west, as the coastline turns down. Ennedi is slightly ahead of Harrath technologically, just entering the gunpowder age. (A book I am writing marks the first point gunpowder was used in battle.) Ennedi culture is intended to be extremely similar to European culture, with modern names like Matthew and Lucy.
The Ennedi follow a religion known simply as the Path, essentially identical to Christianity (I have yet to decide whether it is post- or pre-messianic). They refer to God as "Elsh'Addi" and followers of the Path are known as "brights". All followers of the Path gain the ability to channel the Light of Elsh'Addi, the energy that is the foundation of all magic in this world. Most brights learn only the most rudimentary of Lightskills, such as the kelistar (a ball of Light with approximately the same illuminatory value as a lantern). However, there are some, known as Lightmakers, who put forth the time and effort to master the art of bending and shaping the Light, and use it to do all sorts of wondrous things, ranging from etherworld corridors (a complex network of magical gates) to shields to bolts of energy to illusions.
Some further notes on this magic:
1. It is not restricted by race or culture, but only by religion. (The Queen of Harrath becomes a fairly good Lightmaker after a secret conversion. So far, there are no non-human sentients on Primus, so that’s a moot point.)
2. It is restricted by religion. So far, the only way to use magic without being a follower of Elsh’Addi is to murder someone, rip their soul from their body, and then use the soul to fuel the spells. Obviously, this is only for the really evil and not even for most of them.
3. It isn’t Vancian. Once you learn a Lightskill, you can use it as often as you want, provided you have enough juice.
Now on to the minor nations. There are three other civilizations that I have established to exist in this area. To the south of the Ennedi/Harrath expanse is a vast desert inhabited by several dozen wandering tribes, collectively referred to as the Atrizan. They are a significant nuisance to the major civilizations (Ennedi and Harrath) but no more than that, primarily because they fight among each other almost as much as they raid the civilized lands. If they actually united, they would be a major power. I have not yet fixed what’s on the other side of the desert, and will take suggestions if there are any.
To the east of Harrath lies a vast mesh of swamps and lakes, inhabited by a culture known as the Ferrans. They are vastly inferior to the Harrathians, let alone the Ennedi, in technology, but they know their own swamps like the back of their hand and have a mastery of poisons beyond any other. The upshot is that they can’t push beyond the swamps, but they can’t be driven out of them either. Like the Atrizan, they raid the Harrathians on and off, and are a general nuisance.
Finally, the sea to the North is dotted with islands, which I have peopled with a culture vaguely reminicient of Japan, but with much more emphasis on trading. I am referring to these as the Yamato until I can think of a better name.
Back to politics, this time with more emphasis on history. Ennedi and Harrath have been at war off and on (mostly on) for centuries now. The war was originally about religion, but has since become more an innately cultural thing, especially on the Harrathian side. The two sides are pretty well-matched, as the Ennedi have superior technology and the Lightmakers, while Harrath has vastly greater numbers and resources. In more recent news, the book I’m writing chronicles the final end of this war with the conversion of Queen Altimar and the civil war that will lead her to claim the throne of Harrath.
Immediately before this would be an interesting time to do a campaign. The most recent outbreak of war ended about 20 years ago (time for this blurb is defined relative to the beginning of the book) when the young King Pell disappeared after a battle near the southern end of the border. In the chaos that followed, Jussa of Telomere, the king’s chief general, seized control under the title of “Queen’s Protector” and managed to negotiate the Treaty of Fallingsway, ending the war comparatively well. Unfortunately, he had to spend much of the next decade putting down a series of rebellions within Harrath itself. At the present, Harrath and Ennedi are relatively at peace, but there are stirrings of trouble near the border, rumors that the Ennedi or the Harrathians have broken the treaty. Jussa still holds the throne, but his control is tenuous.
Niether of these worlds has a name yet, I'll just call the world I'm doing today "Primus" until I come up with a better one.
The area of Primus we're interested in has a geography resembling that of North Africa, except stretched a lot North-South. The central country (not necessarily the most important, but geographically central) is called Harrath. It's a huge country (about maybe the size of Europe), mostly consisting of savannahs and hills, with the occasional small forest. Harrath is currently in the Late Middle Ages tech level. It used to be a matriarchy, but two generations ago, the priestesses of the Nine Goddesses (Harrath's state religion) decreed that women could no longer hold the throne, though oddly enough, the throne still descends through the female line. Harrathian names are fairly exotic, with a vaguely lyrical feel (Altimar, Jussa, Pell, Valsavin). Harrathian culture is intended to have a vaugely Arabic feel, especially in their military.
Immediately to the west of Harrath lies the realm of Ennedi. Geographically, Enndi and Harrath are very similar, though Ennedi is much smaller (only about a third to a quarter as big). It is in turn intended to be bound by the ocean on the west, as the coastline turns down. Ennedi is slightly ahead of Harrath technologically, just entering the gunpowder age. (A book I am writing marks the first point gunpowder was used in battle.) Ennedi culture is intended to be extremely similar to European culture, with modern names like Matthew and Lucy.
The Ennedi follow a religion known simply as the Path, essentially identical to Christianity (I have yet to decide whether it is post- or pre-messianic). They refer to God as "Elsh'Addi" and followers of the Path are known as "brights". All followers of the Path gain the ability to channel the Light of Elsh'Addi, the energy that is the foundation of all magic in this world. Most brights learn only the most rudimentary of Lightskills, such as the kelistar (a ball of Light with approximately the same illuminatory value as a lantern). However, there are some, known as Lightmakers, who put forth the time and effort to master the art of bending and shaping the Light, and use it to do all sorts of wondrous things, ranging from etherworld corridors (a complex network of magical gates) to shields to bolts of energy to illusions.
Some further notes on this magic:
1. It is not restricted by race or culture, but only by religion. (The Queen of Harrath becomes a fairly good Lightmaker after a secret conversion. So far, there are no non-human sentients on Primus, so that’s a moot point.)
2. It is restricted by religion. So far, the only way to use magic without being a follower of Elsh’Addi is to murder someone, rip their soul from their body, and then use the soul to fuel the spells. Obviously, this is only for the really evil and not even for most of them.
3. It isn’t Vancian. Once you learn a Lightskill, you can use it as often as you want, provided you have enough juice.
Now on to the minor nations. There are three other civilizations that I have established to exist in this area. To the south of the Ennedi/Harrath expanse is a vast desert inhabited by several dozen wandering tribes, collectively referred to as the Atrizan. They are a significant nuisance to the major civilizations (Ennedi and Harrath) but no more than that, primarily because they fight among each other almost as much as they raid the civilized lands. If they actually united, they would be a major power. I have not yet fixed what’s on the other side of the desert, and will take suggestions if there are any.
To the east of Harrath lies a vast mesh of swamps and lakes, inhabited by a culture known as the Ferrans. They are vastly inferior to the Harrathians, let alone the Ennedi, in technology, but they know their own swamps like the back of their hand and have a mastery of poisons beyond any other. The upshot is that they can’t push beyond the swamps, but they can’t be driven out of them either. Like the Atrizan, they raid the Harrathians on and off, and are a general nuisance.
Finally, the sea to the North is dotted with islands, which I have peopled with a culture vaguely reminicient of Japan, but with much more emphasis on trading. I am referring to these as the Yamato until I can think of a better name.
Back to politics, this time with more emphasis on history. Ennedi and Harrath have been at war off and on (mostly on) for centuries now. The war was originally about religion, but has since become more an innately cultural thing, especially on the Harrathian side. The two sides are pretty well-matched, as the Ennedi have superior technology and the Lightmakers, while Harrath has vastly greater numbers and resources. In more recent news, the book I’m writing chronicles the final end of this war with the conversion of Queen Altimar and the civil war that will lead her to claim the throne of Harrath.
Immediately before this would be an interesting time to do a campaign. The most recent outbreak of war ended about 20 years ago (time for this blurb is defined relative to the beginning of the book) when the young King Pell disappeared after a battle near the southern end of the border. In the chaos that followed, Jussa of Telomere, the king’s chief general, seized control under the title of “Queen’s Protector” and managed to negotiate the Treaty of Fallingsway, ending the war comparatively well. Unfortunately, he had to spend much of the next decade putting down a series of rebellions within Harrath itself. At the present, Harrath and Ennedi are relatively at peace, but there are stirrings of trouble near the border, rumors that the Ennedi or the Harrathians have broken the treaty. Jussa still holds the throne, but his control is tenuous.