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HJFudge
2007-09-26, 09:06 PM
Considering this is my first post, and Im not TOO entirely sure how to go about it....

Well, my name is HJFudge and I've been working recently on a unique campaign world. I've tried to create it to be system-independant (meaning you can use the setting in any fantasy gaming system) and that means not dealing with house rules or anything of the sort...leaving that up to any individual DM's. This may change as I get more detailed with things or find a group which I want to run a campaign in this world with.

As you read over the races and factions I've outlined briefly, you might notice some passing similarity to several other systems. While trying to be unique, I've not tried to reinvent the wheel and relied on some classic plot points and archtypes to design something that will be both familiar, memorable, and interesting. My main goal is to create a world with tension and limitless possibilities. A shell, if you will, for the creative to form their own adventures and ideas from. I've no problem with someone taking a plot/history point and then running with it wherever they wish.

THIS IS BY NO MEANS FINISHED OR COMPLETE!

Im posting it here for advice and criticism. Please, don't treat me with kids gloves. If something seems stupid, call me out on it. I reserve the right to take or ignore any advice given, but...don't try and be nice. If it's crap, let me know so I can fix it. What might be obvious to you I might've totally missed.

To start, I've listed several Races and Factions that are in my world. As you read the little backgrounds for each race, you will find several tidbits of world history in there. The same with the Factions. I've tried to keep things VERY general at the start for the most part so I can add detail later when I write up a History Of The World which will outline the history of Pearl in a much more organized fashion. Note: I've also included one version of creation for an idea into how some of the population thinks.

If something in here sparks your imagination and you think "OMG TEH AWESOMES! YOU COULD USE THIS BACKGROUND TO MEAN <insert large speculativeness on history detail or future plot point here>" Please, share

Anyway, enough intro, Im very longwinded I fear. Here are the races and factions. Its not organized much but...

The Epic of the Free Man
Penned by Legendary Poet and Historian Marcello De Martin

Act I: Creation
God the Almighty, before he deigned to visit Man as The Emperor, sailed through the empty spaces of the world. All was barren, dust. None but He drew breath. He saw this, and saw that it was not good. As worlds before had been fashioned, so it was with ours. A seed was planted in the barren soil of Pearl, our beloved home. Nurtured by The Almighty God, it grew and took shape....watered by his love and fed by the warmth of his presence, the seed flourished into a tree. Tis known to the Holy Ones as the Tree of Life. From the tree sprouted forth more seeds. Some seeds grew into cattle, some into the fish that swim in the ocean. The Almighty Emperor, God of this world, saw the beauty of creation flourish...the beauty that he himself had planted and helped cultivate. However, not all was well. The tree bore fruit and that fruit blossomed into new beautiful life, however that life lacked the thing that gave our beloved Almighty the thing that made him the most beautiful of all: A soul. He who is the Master Gardener was not selfish, and bore children from the barren dust; helpers to rule over the life that had sprouted from the tree. Fed from the Fruit of that divine creation, the Tree of Life, our forefathers grew and were taught at the feet of The Almighty One. We learned of his ways and of our divine heritage. We were fashioned in the likeness of Perfection...his perfect form. Children know and are taught that: For all the beauty of the life grown from the Tree, none is more beautiful than Man Itself. Only we were born of Him who is Master...only we have a soul. Thus we inherit Creation! Ah the wonder of our glorious message! This is the sanctity and divinity of Mankind, and this is the history of our creation. All was harmony, and all should have remained as such...

Act 2: Seeds of Corruption
While fashioned in his image and possessing the seeds of divinity, man did not appreciate the gift that had been given us. We were unruly...we became tired of taking counsel from our Lord and instead sought to Counsel Him. Oh pride! Sin of Sins! We had grown, prospered, multiplied over the face of the whole land. Our kingdoms, led by the Master himself, flourished and all was love and peace. The Fruit of the Tree prospered under our care, having been taught how to be Good Sheperds and Tenders. What a destiny was in store for us! The old songs tell of the plans that Almighty had for us...that we were to grow and become like him...to be sent out to be gardeners of New Worlds...to spread life to the barren dust of the land beyond the sky. But we believed it was our skill, our cunning that had led to our great success. We forgot that everything we had came from him. Perhaps it was the richness of our lives, the never knowing sorrow but for fleeting moments, that caused us to swell and become stiffnecked and hard of heart. We ceased listening to our Father and Master...and instead started listening to something else. Something that wished to unmake all The Almighty God had planted and return all to dust. Aye, friends, I speak of the Serpent. In those heady days, all was peace. War, hate, strife...all was unknown to us. When a man came among us, a self proclaimed prophet, convinced us that our Father, kindest of all, was using us. Convinced us that we were mere pawns to his whim...fighting a war for him that was not our fight. Blasphemy, of course. Yet then we had heard nothing but truth...so how were we to easily recognise a lie? Such came the fall. We as a race rose up and demanded our God leave. Deeply Saddened, the Great One departed to leave us to our own devices, not wishing to force himself upon even those he loved so very much.

Act 3: Man's New Master
For several decades after, all went well. Many felt sorrow and remorse for casting out The Gardener....for with him he had taken the fruit of his Tree. The Tree itself he sealed up, and no new life was birthed on all of Pearl. Only the old forms continued to grow and multiply. Many sought to set themselves up as new kings, pitting man against man. We were still innocent. We knew nothing of war. The battles then were those of words....the tongue lashing out were later the sword would replace it to all creations sorrow. Slowly, man forgot his destiny, and forgot much of the knowledge to shape and mold creation that had been taught them. The Prophet had left as quickly and quietly as he had come. None suspected that he had not gone without a final act...to call on his children: The Dragons. They came without warning, without mercy. Death, violence, war, pestilence, all new and dreadful to the Children of God...all these were thrust upon our Fathers. Some tried to resist, but were cut down. The Dragons ruled what remained of God's creation. They did not rule as he did...to nurture...they ruled to reap. They raped the earth itself, drawing its resources to fuel their purposes. Man was a slave. Most were killed, only a few were allowed to remain alive as workers for their Overlords. They were banded together in camps, or what the Dragons called Cities, to work and process the life of Pearl. Many beasts, kind and gentle, were twisted and turned to creatures of war and destruction. Such was the price of our fall. We had cast out our only protector, our only hope. We were doomed.

Act 4: Freedom!
Oh the boundless patience of Our God! Oh the Love he has for man, greatest of all Creation! For he would have been justified in leaving us to the consequences of our actions. Yes, for many thousands of years we toiled under the harsh, unyeilding lash of servitude...but we were not forsaken! He walked among us as one of us. He helped to ease our burdens, to lighten our weary hearts with his mere presence. Walking among the cities, he openly defied the Dragons, slaying them with the might of his Mighty Magics. Our penance, however, was that we would have to break the bonds ourselves. No longer was he to be a Father, but instead our King. We had grown...we had been exposed to the horrors of violence and hate and now it would be our cross to bear until the corruption in his vineyard was cleansed. We rose against the dragons, and with our God at our head, we broke free of our chains. For years and years we waged war, our first. The Emperor, as he now was known, taught us how to forge steel and create weapons of war. He helped us learn to tame many of the beasts that millenia of untold and unnatural experimentation had driven wild and unruly. All creation fought against the Oppressors. Together again, Man and God, we overcame the Serpent's Children...the Dragons. The Great Lords of the Dragons were sealed in the Earth Itself as punishment for bringing such evil to our world. Still today the Emperor, God amongst us, keeps the seal strong and our children Free.


Act 5: The Burden of the Free
All is still not done. Though it has been 782 years since the Founding and our victory over the Dragon, the effects of the war and of our millinea of enslavement can still be seen on the land. We were poor gardeners, and tares still grow in His vineyard. We as servants have been tasked with uniting the broken cities of man and in retaming the now corrupt and wild world. We shall never make the mistake we did at first, though in order that we never again repeat our mistake, the Emperor largely leaves us to our own devices, wielding his Mighty Power only when we ourselves are incapable of winning the fight alone. Our victory is garunteed if we but follow his light and heed his council. He has seen the Strangers that wander in our land, from other vineyards. Some seek to aid us and make welcome allies in our Quest for redemption. The Dwarves may empathize with our mistake and our need to correct it. The Vrek are insidious, and their motives are questionable....one moment acting for us and the next against. They cannot be trusted. Come children, let us always follow in The Father and Master Gardener's path.

Races

Human – One of the original inhabitants of pearl, the origins of their race are shrouded in mystery. Legend says that long ago, they were slaves to a race of Dragons…fierce beings who ruled Pearl with an Iron Fist. The story says that one man rose up, uniting mankind to fight in a war that was to last a thousand years. Eventually, Man won his freedom and drove off the dragons, sealing their Lords deep within the Earth. Since that time of unity, man has been at war with one another and with the other races for dominion. Mankind’s history is long and convoluted, with many heroes and many more villains. When the Vrek came through the Portal, it was during the rebellion of a small band against the largest unified Kingdom of Man: The Empire. Distracted, the forces of the Rebels were able to beat off the Imperial army, which had in their confusion attacked the newly arrived peoples thinking them to be aiding the rebels. The Vrek instantly became saviors for some, and enemies for others. They look, well, human.

Du’vrek – Fighting a never ending war with the Dwarves, they were finally forced to flee when confronted with their Dark Ally, the Prophet and his minions. Made in haste, they opened a portal to another land…Pearl. There, they took their families, in a massive exodus to this new world…only to find it was already inhabited. Distraught to find their Promised Land was already occupied, they initially refused to even speak to the ‘rabble’. Seeking to keep to the Old Ways and protect their kind against the heresy of this new world, they have established the Great Houses of Lustria once again and have kept their old name of prophecy… Du’vrek: Defenders against Darkness. Du’Vrek have immaculate, almost glowing skin which is very pale. In fact, everything about them seems to glow and radiate light and magic. Their eyes especially, silvery, pupilless mirrors of varying shades and hues that glow even more than the skin. They have a lightly muscled frame, and stand about the height of a man.

Dwarves – After they unwittingly unleashed the Serpent on Lustria, they realized their mistake and attempted to fight against the Prophet that they had aided…only to have the forces of the Serpent turn on them as well. Fighting a losing battle, they realized the hopelessness of staying on their beloved world, and created the Arkship, which sailed and landed on Pearl several hundred years after the Exodus. In their makeshift citadel, the dwarves try to piece their tattered kingdom together and make preparations to retake their beloved home world…standing a bit below a human’s height, usually 4-5 feet tall, they are usually stocky and well built, and cover their skin with Runes. Fond of Beards, they usually have long and flowing hair as well. The women are in stark contrast, looking more like young adolescent humans, but still retain the runed and tough looking skin, obviously well built for battle.

Sla’vrek – During the Exodus, not all Vrek wished to leave. Some stayed to fight in a desperate last stand; both in an attempt to give their brothers time to complete the Exodus, and on the off chance the battle could be won. They were wrong: It was hopeless. Having bought their brethren time to escape, the brave warriors of Vrek began to retreat to the portal, just in time to see it close…The armies that fought so bravely to buy time were scattered to the wind. Those who survived holed away in groups of desperate guerilla fighters, eventually discovering a way to open the portal again; but not before the chaos taint of fell magic began to seep into their very beings. With the hatred of those who felt Betrayed, they created their own house, and called themselves by a new name. Sla’Vrek: Touched by Darkness. Looking much like the Du’vrek, their only difference is that they are more ashen then pale, and their skin no longer glows as bright. Also, they have taken to the practice of the dwarves, and tattooed their skin with runes and enchantments. Their eyes are also the same as Du’vrek’s, but glow more dark colors.


Draconian – The sole survivors of the Dragon Race, they were spared because they refused to fight in the Genocidal wars against the human race. As punishment by their Dragon fellows, they were forcibly used in experiments to magically cross-breed man and dragon, though bringing it up in front of a human or Draconian is liable to start a fight. Today they dwell primarily on the Toothy Isles, where they sit in council and seek of a way to stave off the hatred of the Empire, which is constantly fighting to destroy this last vestige of Dragon Existence. Cool and Aloof, they refuse aid from anyone but fellow Draconian, having a distinct racial pride that is said to transcend all other loyalties. Hunted, Hated, and scorned, they look to find their place on Pearl in this new, war-torn age of strangers and shadows. Standing about the size of men, they are leaner and their skin is different hues depending on the type of Dragon they claim descent from. Their skin is reptilian, and they have long tails which they use in battle to surprise and trip opponents. Their eyes, however, are startlingly human in nature.

Orcish – More numerous than even the Human Race, Orc kind spreads from one end of Pearl to the other, dwelling in tribal societies who worship various Shamanistic Gods. It is said that the Orc were not created, but simply ‘grew’ out from the earth, and immediately started bending it to their will. Some mistake them for Stupid, Ignorant savages…and while that may be the case for many, those who rule the Orc Tribes are keen and cunning individuals. The Orc Clan is a very loosely organized Class Structure, with your position in the tribe being based on your skill in combat. While orc tribes are constantly at war with one another, at times they gather for Great Hunts into more civilized lands, to raid/loot/plunder. Some scholars say they raid because they cannot reproduce on their own, and must steal and twist the children of other races to survive…though other scholars refute this due to the startling increase and growth of orc numbers in recent years. Big, Muscular, and tall, they stand a good 7 feet tall on average, with bigger orcs reaching heights of 9 feet! Dark green skin tone, their eyes are usually large and black. Completely Hairless, they otherwise look humanoid.



Goblin – Cousin to the orc, they are usually found among Orc Tribes, or on a rare occasion in a tribe all their own. Much more Culturally Advanced, however, they are skilled negotiators and craftsmen, and usually act as a tribes Advisor and Diplomat, though due to the nature of the orc culture diplomats are rarely used for more than announcing the terms of a battle to settle disputes between tribes. Goblins also are more attuned to the mystic then their stronger brothers, and also due to their size are a bit more nimble. Those Goblins who show little talent in the art of war or magic or diplomacy are usually treated as rubbage by the talented goblins and the orcs, and in times of war are conscripted to be Meat Shields and use overwhelming numbers to subdue the enemy. With a light green skin tone, they stand around 3-4 feet tall, usually have a wiry frame, and are completely hairless. Their ears lie low and pointed on their head, and their feet are usually exaggeratedly large.

Halfling – It is said that during the Ancient Wars of the Dragons, that in an attempt to quell the human uprising, one of the Dragon Magi cast a powerful spell upon the inhabitants of the city of Thrynn. Seeking to cripple the human creatures, he devised an enchantment that would shrink them to uselessness, making it an easy job to destroy them. The spell, however, didn’t quite go as planned. No one knows if it was countered, if the natural resistances of the humans prevented it from taking effect, but all the spell did was simply further attune the Humans to magic and shrink them to half their size. Today these people are known as Halflings. Many Halflings still consider themselves to be Humans, much to the chagrin of the other races…and they have no kingdom as such, but dwell among their human cousins, fighting side by side with them, and often stealing their things, as they can fit where most human adults cannot, and have developed quite the knack for running away….Standing about 3-4 feet tall, they usually are plump and slightly muscular, and are covered in an overabundance of hair. Otherwise human looking.

Djinni – Dwellers in the depths, these elemental beings developed sentience long before the other races of pearl, and dwelt constantly under the world, delving the rocks and feasting on the bounteous energies of the earth. Recently, though, they have discovered a new source of energy in a place never before dreamed of….where there is no ceiling! The Above Land. Drawn there by a magnificent source of light, energy, and heat that the Above Dwellers call the Sun, they have quite suddenly established collectors to mine this new energy and ship it to their below ground kinsman…until the shadows came. Fell Beasts which drained life and heat came from the depths, quickly ravaging the Djinni Kingdoms. Their kind was driven slowly and steadily from their mining homes under the earth, and now they have been pushed to the surface, on which they flourish among the lesser races…yet they long to go back to their homes underground. Standing from 5-6 feet tall on average, their bodies are masses of toughened sinew that are afire with their element. Able to interact with items and even wear them as normal, they can alter their shape and form slightly if they have the energy available. One remarkable feature is their shiny eyes, which seem to glow even on a backdrop of flame and light which makes up the Djinni.

Col’Rathi – Not all Vrek wished to keep to the old ways…after the exodus there were several who wanted to become a part of their new home, who wished to be citizens of Pearl in truth. This, of course, was blasphemy and Heresy to the Houses of Vrek. All who were found preaching it were exiled…and these vrek eventually founded a city deep in the heart of the forests of Pearl. They took upon themselves a new name, to reflect their new home and their ‘oneness’ with the natural beauty of what, to them, was indeed the Promised Land. They call themselves the Col’Rathi: One with Nature. Usually the Col’Rathi is a bit taller then the average human by about half a foot and the centuries on pearl among the trees have tanned their skin remarkably well, and are usually very lean and fit. Their eyes have lost some of the Vrek hue, however, and have due to their diet begun to lose their luster and look humanlike.

Factions:

Zionists: Religious group who seeks to found the Holy City of Zion on a sacred site of ground. They recruit throughout the civilized world, taking any race that wishes to raise a sword in the defence of Zion. They are often railed on by the Empire because they take citizens and resources from it and bring it to a city in the middle of the wilderness that is currently under seige. The Emperors Hand Cult considers them Heretics (and vica versa) but treats them with a modicum of respect...though tensions between the two groups are rising as they compete for followers. There true enemies are the Naturalis. When founding Zion, they chose a spot that was one of the most sacred in all of Nature according to the Druids, and so a holy war to drive zion into the sea was called. It is a city under seige.

Emperor's Hand Cult: Believes that the Emperor is God Incarnate, and seeks to spread the worship of Him who is the Perfect Man throughout the Empire....often violently. They are zealous and do not tolerate any percieved enemy of Humanity. They treat every other race as second class citizens at best, filth at worst (save halflings, which they look upon with pity). They are despised by moderates in the Empire, but they do not care and the true believers place them in many positions of power throughout the empire. The Knights of the Empire believe the Cult to be a danger to the Imperial Ideal and stability, and the two groups are often at odds. They HATE the dragoons and will kill a Dragoon on site if they can.

Dragoons: A group that dedicates themselves to the path of the dragon. Originally founded by the human resistance in the great Dragon Wars in order to better combat their oppressors, today it seeks to preserve the last remnants of Dragonkin and learn the wisdom of the Drake. The Empire considers those who follow this path Traitors, and those who join are often found in the halls of the Vrek Houses as there personal elite combat force. The Dragoons and the Knights of the Empire have a great respect for one another, and will often avoid fighting each other if possible.

The Magicians Guild: Dedicated to the study of Magic and the workings of the mind, they travel throughout the world, studying ancient relics and searching for lost knowledge. They often jealously guard secrets they deem of great importance, sharing it only with the upper echelon of its members. Many warriors join in order to learn tricks of the magician to compliment their fighting prowess...or just to get weapons and armors enchanted at discount prices! Both the zionists and the Cult denounce Guild Members as devilish and accuse them of using Demonic Magics, though the Cult is much more violent towards the Guild then the Zionists.

Naturalis: A group of druids and followers of the Olde Religions, worshipping the gods of earth and sky. They tend to avoid towns and have shrines set up in the wilderness at which to worship. Very little organization, there head is a council of druids and shamans, and there are many offshoots and break offs from the main order. They hate the Zionists with a passion and have declared a holy war on their city in the wilderness.

Knights of the Empire: A militaristic order that is dedicated to the defence and spreading of the Imperial Ideal. They are an elite group of fighters, wizards and others who uphold a strict code of conduct and fight in some of the fiercest battles around Pearl. There other primary task is to keep corruption out of the empire, and they are charged with bringing traitors in front of the Immortal Throne, and executing rebellions. They despise the Fort Iron Mercenaries, who sell themselves out 'like *****s to the highest bidder' and will refuse to fight alongside them.

Fort Iron Mercenaries: While there are many different mercenary organizations in Pearl, none are so famed nor so well known (nor so expensive) as the Fort Iron Mercenaries. The best money has to offer, they train entire armies and rent them to nations and groups. They also hire out on a smaller scale, selling body guards to merchants and officials who feel themselves in danger.
They despise the Knights of the Empire, who have the dubious honor of being the only group a Fort Iron Mercenary will cross swords with for free.

Order of the Serpentine: Throughout all cultures, nations and worlds both on Pearl and Lustria...in every pantheon wether it be monotheistic or polytheistic there exists a great enemy, and opposing force that is feared and shunned as evil. It has many different names...and on Pearl it is called The Serpent. Serpent Worship has been banned for many millenia in all but the crudest of nations, and none but the Orcs allow their followers to openly bear the mark of the Order of the Serpentine. More than just simple worshipers, these are the Serpents instruments on earth. His goal, so says the order, is the destruction of everything, the corruption of all life...to destroy. Even the Shadow Council will not accept members of the Order, saying they are too volatile and unpredictable to be trusted.

Shadow Council: Not much is known of this, or even if it really exists. Whispers say that its membership is almost totally secret, only the Shadow's Eyes know who are members and who are not. Even then, the highest ranking council members operate totally independantly, sending out their servants to do the will of the council. Their goal? No one knows. What is known is that they are hunted religiously by all nations and governments, and when found, executed quietly and quickly. Wars have been caused by them, Peace Treaties designed by them, lives saved and destroyed all for some grand purpose that most council members themselves do not know.

The Society of Friends: Among the nobility of the Vrek and the Empire, it has become more of a matter of who you were born to then what capabilities you have. As a result, many are raised in lavishness and never have to want...or work, or struggle. This has given rise to a widespread boredom...and nobles of the Vrek especially have been known to have strange tastes. The society of friends is a group of noble sado-masochists who thrive on pain and pleasure. They are not too secretive, though many look down on them and step lightly around them, as they have been known to torture people on a whim if they can, or commit some sort of macabre pain self-mutilation ritual then having an innocent arrested for 'causing them harm'. Peasants, besides the occasional ***** (male or female) are not allowed to join this society