The Great War of the Outsiders

[smasher0404]

Spoiler: Change Log

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4/30/2014: Added more details on the Undead Market, and expanded on how the Isles get their necessities.

Preface to the Preface:
Hi Everyone, I've been working on this campaign setting for a while, and I was wondering if I could get a few critiques on it. It is designed for D&D 3.5, and as of right now is currently in use for a small campaign I'm running. However not much of the actual mechanics of things has been worked out. It was originally desigined to be an atheist setting, one without the plethora of gods that usually exist in D&D, and it eventually evolved from there. Some of the details are sparse in places, I know, but I was hoping to figure out the places people wanted me to fluff out more. Thanks in advance!

Preface:
In a traditional D&D cosmology, the heavenly forces of Good clash against the Demons and Devils. But what if a new side came into the war? What if the sentient races of the Prime decide to rebel against both the forces of Good and the forces of Evil. This is Eden. The gods are no longer actively interfering with the world, and leave all the meddling to the ground forces of the planes. Silently, the races of the Prime brace themselves as the Blood War is resolved peacefully and the forces of Evil band together to fight the forces of Good. Planar gates open all over the Prime as the two primal forces clash against each other. Entire countries are razed overnight as the eternal war finally occurs. As the two sides clash, resentment grows among the mortals. What right do they have to bring their conflict and bloodshed to the Prime? Slowly but surely, the combined armies of the races of the Prime march upon both the two infinite armies. Many die, and other flee. Eventually the war gets to be so bad that the mortal races decide to abandon the lands they call home and take towards the sky. Massive platforms made of Soarwood are erected and those who are lucky and have enough money board the platforms, leaving their former comrades behind. The war is still going on around the Prime and those who escaped onto the platforms are still facing off against the Demons and the Angels. But now, the forces of Mortality are divided as those who were left behind grow in resentment with those who took to the sky and abandoned them. Those on the platform face a long siege against immortal forces.

The Planes :
Celestia: The united forces of “Good” are based here. It is an infinite plane covered in eternal sun, and with lush forests and greenery. Fortresses dot the plane, and are where the majority of the forces reside. There is one great city in Celestia, Eternia. With large towers seemingly made out of glass, Eternia is a sight to behold, shining radiantly in the sun refracting light into millions of tiny rainbows. Before the war Eternia was a mecca of trade.

Desolon: Once home to the Blood War, this infinite plane now houses the united forces of “Evil”. Covered in rocky mountains, and snaking valleys, Desolon is home to various types of rare metals that the forces of “Evil” use to create new weapons. The forges of Desolon produce the finest weapons known to man. The largest city in Desolon is Infernus. Infernus is 1 mile underground away from any natural light. The Devils and Demons either rely on their darkvision, or use florescent crystals to light the way.

The Wall of Souls: A gathering place of mortal souls after death created by 8 elite Archmages specializing in each school of magic. Rather than let the souls of the fallen travel to their normal afterlives and be enlisted into the enemies’ side, the Archmages created another plane of existence that traps the soul before it could reach its proper resting place. The souls are eternally wandering, restless from being prevented their proper respite. Many of them retain their memories and can be communicated with if necessary.

Hydronis: The elemental plane of water. Hydronis is an infinite plane literally full of water. There are separate zones of both salt water and freshwater that slowly drift into each other. All the aquatic life you can find on the Prime can also be found here. Water Elementals guard the wildlife here and attack any intruders that are not native to Hydronis. Water magic typically draws much of its power from Hydronis.

Pyris: The elemental plane of fire. Pyris is an infinite plane eternally aflame. No life exists on the plane except various types of fire elementals. The Fire Elementals will attack all other life on this plane. Fire magic typically draws much of its power from Pyris.

Terras: The elemental plane of earth. A plane consisting of mostly rocky canyons and giant mountains. Many of the land animals found on the Prime can also be found here. Unlike Pyris and Hydronis the Elementals here will only attack you if you harm any of the wildlife. Earth magic draws much of its magic from Terras.

Aerianus: The elemental plane of air. A plane consisting of nothing but air, while many would think that birds and other creatures that take to the sky would live on this plane. Every bird needs a place to rest its eggs or land eventually, to the point that the plane is uninhabitable. Air Elementals patrol the area quietly not attacking anyone, confident in the natural defense of Aerianus.

Umbarius: The plane of shadows. Umbarius is permanently enshrouded in darkness that no light can breach. Anyone who stays on the plane for longer than a day are swallowed up by mysterious creatures none can see. Mages have recently developed spells with in the last few years to safely travel along the barrier of Umbarius and the Prime for a short period of time.

Islands of the Sky:
Each of the islands is a sprawling metropolis with a densely packed population, with the perks and downsides usually associated with it. Each contains a prestigious magic academy specializing in one or more schools of magic.

Abjur: Abjur is the most heavily defended island of the 7. The annual meeting of the Council occurs on this island, and the largest standing armed force is stationed on this island. Abjur maintains a large armed force warded by the Abjuration specialists of the island. The coastline is heavily defended by various spell-turrets, siege weapons, and traps. The island’s biggest magic academy is Alandore’s School of Mystical Wards, a school specializing in wards and the various defensive spells of the Abjuration school. Most of the dropouts from Alandore’s and the Army are known to become mercenaries and sellswords for the various warlords on the ground. Those who travel to Abjur should expect having to go through many security checks.

Illusia: Illusia is well known for it’s many entertainers. Many people on the islands flock to Illusia for entertainment. Huge fortunes are won and lost over night. Wild Illusions crowd every street providing visual entertainment unmatched anywhere else. The island’s biggest magic academy is Magicia’s Illusion and Enchantment Academy, which teaches its students the ins and outs of both illusions and enchantments. Those wandering the streets of Illusia will find street performers and various casinos on every street corner. Weapons and such are banned as they create a feeling of tension among the island. Illusia defends itself by being a gathering mecca for the various forces, banning violence among the people. In the various bars located on Illusia you might find Demons and Angels socializing, while as soon as they leave they go back at each other’s throats.

Necros:Necros is a strange island among the 7, no one really works on Necros. The dead are treated as valuable commodities, you can sell the rights to your corpse after your death on the open market. Skeletons and zombies fulfill the every need of the citizens, and various more powerful undead provide defenses against the hostile outside forces. Crime is very low, as the punishments are very strict for the crimes and may even lead to death and reanimation. Almost everyone on Necros is capable of necromancy of some kind, and many come to a grand Auction House to buy corpses to make into servants. Death is treated rather lightly, as the people of Necros are used to “recycling” the bodies of the dead.

Evoca:Evoca is the second largest military power of the 7. Evoca is well known for its talented warmages and aggressive military strategy. While Abjur focuses on various magical defenses and large standing defenses armies, Evoca focuses on magical combat spells, and small quick raiding forces. There are mandated military academies that teach any promising youth combat magic, or the art of the sword. Many weapon smiths and armor smiths take residence on this island, and craft fine weapons for widespread use.

Div: Div is the smallest of the 7, it specializes in Divination. Very few people have ever been there. There is no magical academy, or large population. It is said that only one family lives on Div, and the master of the House is the one that leaves for Abjur.

Jura: Jura is a huge industrial island. Large factories fill the air directly around Jura with a dark haze. People and constructs check in and out of factories working on various magical items for the war effort. Artificers design new items in cellar floors and mass production is created by an assembly line of wizards to Dedicated Wrights to Quality Assurance, and then to storefronts or the front lines. Almost every citizen on Jura has at least basic conjuration training in order to work in the factories.

Muta: Muta is an island specializing in science. Various scientists and researchers gather here to study the extent that magic can reach. Volunteers and prisoners come to this island to take part in horrifying experiments on the human body. Various spells and items come out of the island and are enjoyed by the rest of the islands.


The Lands Below:
The lands beneath the island of the sky are home to millions of people. Arcane magic is viewed with suspicion, and alternative types of magic flourish. There are 5 nation-states allied in a coalition. While the states are allied with each other, the relationship is rather tenuous with skirmishes breaking out between them occasionally.

Alduran:
A frozen tundra surrounded by mountains lying in the north of the continent, Alduran’s main industries is fishing and mercenary work. The few who chose to live there are generally powerful in soul. A select few are able to manifest the powers of their soul into things called soulmelds. There are very few large cities in Alduran, rather the majority of the populace live in small traveling family units wandering from place to place. Leaders are chosen in a singular annual conference in which the heads of each family unit returns to a large council hall in order to determine the laws and policies they will abide by. Generally the older the family the more power they will wield in the council.

Kaminas:

A blazing hot desert covers over half the country. The other half consists of prairies which while dry and hot are fertile enough to allow for subsistence agriculture. The other half consists of oasis towns typically controlled by powerful merchants and nobles. The area is technically ruled by a Merchant Prince who is elected among the merchant class. In order to officially enter the merchant class you must have at least 50,000 gp on hand. Some enterprising people have learned to bargain with spirits long gone, faded and beyond the reach of others, for powers unusual and unknown.

Gunari
Located amongst the rolling Centauran Fields, Gunari is relatively defenseless in terms of terrain. As such the people turn towards technology as their solution. Alchemists are constantly attempting to develop new weapons and items to arm the populace with. The Centauran Fields is secretly rich with many metals and minerals that are vital both to weapon making, but also to alchemy.



Verdantis:
Verdantis is covered mostly by the Great Forest long guarded by various Druidic warriors. The entire area is ruled by the great warrior King Birkey. Underneath him is a large bureaucracy of nobles who plot and connive in attempts for more power. The majority of the population relies on agriculture to make their livings. The fertile lands allow them to provide large exports to both the neighboring states and the Islands of the Sky.

Terrantis
Terrantis is covered by rocky plateaus where large stone fortresses stand. Known for its large collection of rare ores and gems, Terrantis is dotted with various mines where prisoners work day and night to collect the ore for smelting and refinement. Blacksmiths of great renown gather here to gain access to the rare metals that they will then forge into high tech weapons and arms that will be used in the war effort. In order to provide for the large amounts of food needed to feed their large population, there are huge underground farms using special luminescent crystals which provide the energy for photosynthesis.


Theology in the lands
With the gods long destroyed, the people of the lands have taken to worshipping the Four Spirits of Nature for miracles and power. The spirits of Fire, Water, Earth and Air are impersonal wells of divine power that were created by humanity’s need to worship.

The Cataclysm:
Once in the lands there were a plethora of gods. The forces of Good and Evil stood in uneasy peace with each other, under threat of mutually assured destruction. Peace could be found among all planes, war was not as common as is the case now. However with the breaking of a single rule, that all changed. The Goddess of Fertility, Banta sired a child fathered by the God of Death, Necross. In a burst of Fury, the God of Courage Bravan, brother to Banta, slew Necross with his blade. A provocation of that scale could not be ignored, as the Gods of Evil swarmed Bravan and slew him in retaliation. The Gods of Good could not stand for it and retaliated with great force. A war among the Gods ensued among the planes as each side used their Servants and their own Might to attempt to outmaneuver each other. Eventually after 100 years of bloody warfare, all of the Gods were slain, the Child God was carried off by the wisest of the Dragons who fled, never again to be seen by mortal eyes. The Angelic beings of Good and the Demonic beings of Evil retreated back to their respective planes to lick their wounds. After another 100 years of more uneasy peace, as the forces of Nature assumed the place of gods in the hearts of mortals, a small bit of divine spark was found in the Material Plane leading everyone to believe that the means to actually fully replace the Gods was opened. The forces of Good and Evil collided upon the Material Plane, turning most of the world into a war-torn battlefield, causing most continents to become uninhabitable, leaving a single continent, Edenia. Edenia is filled with magical creatures, including the remaining Dragons that were much less common on other continents. It could be said that Edenia was blessed, the ambient magical energies in the area made it much easier for one to learn the magical arts, or for them to naturally manifest. However, the situation looked dire, Edenia could not stand against both the forces of Celestia and Desolon, so a group of Archmages decided to attempt a most desperate plan. They combined their powers to raise large islands into the sky, with them they took with them their students and others specialized in the arcane arts. These large fortresses stood as a way to guard themselves from the attacks of the outsiders. The people on the ground however persevered, their connection to Nature strengthened, and their strength of arms growing with each day.

The Paths to Divinity:
There are two paths possible in this setting to reach godhood. The first one is the most well known one as well as the easiest. Find the giant divine spark left in the wake of the war between the gods, and absorb a part of it into one’s self. However just because it’s the easiest doesn’t make it actually easy, everyone is on the lookout for the divine spark, and it is said to be guarded by immortal dragon guardians who believe that the age of gods is over. However there is another method, within many legendary creatures lies a tiny spark of divine energy. Nowhere near enough to make one into a god, yet if one were to accumulate enough of these tiny sparks they may be able to become a god with them. Yet this path is more difficult. As those infused with the divine spark are renowned for their strength and magic and would not be easy to slay. They are hard to find, and the spark they carry is tiny, if someone were to seriously pursue that route they would have to slay 1000’s of these creatures, having sought them out from the ruined continents and the ancient ruins.

Government of the Floating Isles:
The Floating Isles is governed by a council of Archmages, the first council was made up of the 7 archmages who first raised the islands up into the sky. Each one of them also governs their home island. The current selection process is aimed at selecting the most powerful mage on the island. The archmage must secure both a nomination from the people, and have demonstrated mastery of the school of their specialty. Finally they must have performed some great deed in service of the Floating Isles. The current archmages are Mortis Demones the Unliving(Necromancy), Tolecnal the Guardian(Abjuration), Senka the Wise(Divination), Melody and Aria the Songmages (Enchantment/Illusion), Leda the Tinkerer(Conjuration), Trent the Everchanging (Transmutation), and Maria the Mad (Evocation).


Mortis Demones: The oldest of the Current archmages, he was one of the original 7 Archmages. Having escaped death by undergoing a transformation into a Lich, he has always served a passive role in the Council almost never taking a side during a debate. However, when he does get involved, he is often fierce in debate. He is almost always accompanied by a retinue of powerful undead, often fallen champions of some cause or another.

Tolecnal: Tolecnal is the youngest of the current archmages. Having served a valiant tour of combat during the latest stages of the war, he has a remarkable service record, including multiple successful military battles against Devil generals. A local idol, Tolecnal makes many public appearances, and frequently makes public addresses to the people.

Senka: Senka is the current head of the Div household. The second oldest member of the council, he has survived multiple assassination attempts, both from the opposing sides of the war, but smaller branches of his own household. Whilst physically feeble, Senka has been known to receive visions that allow him to evade death by assassination or disease. While the visions he receives are erratic, he also has a variety of more traditional divination spells at his disposal.

Melody and Aria: The mystical twins of illusion and enchantment. There are rumors that their presence is actually an illusion perpetuated by a more powerful illusionist. This is aided in the fact that they are considered to occupy only one spot on the council. Yet, there are rumors that they are from a much rarer mythical race, the dvati. Masters in both illusion and enchantment, the true identity of this dynamic duo is virtually unknown. There are rumors flying about that they are in charge of one of the world’s largest espionage networks that have managed to infiltrate the deepest corners of all who would oppose the council.

Leda: Leda is the master of magical invention. She can always be found in some laboratory or research facility attempting to invent new magical items. When she is finished inventing whatever it is she is working on, she immediately sends it into production in the huge factories present on her home island. Many consider her mad, other just think her cruel, but the war effort would not be possible to continue without the powerful magical artifacts that she invents.

Trent: Trent’s true form is unknown, as he is always in the form of some mythical creature or another. He never shows up in public in the same form twice. Trent is almost unanimously considered cruel and insane. He personally conducts the more inhumane experiments on those who are sentenced to serve their prison sentences on Muta. He considers anyone expendable in the name of science.

Maria: The second-youngest archmages, she is known for raining down fire upon whomever angers her. She used to lead a small raiding force of 5 mages who wreaked havoc upon the devil and angel war lines. Very rarely can she be found doing any political business, rather she can be found on the front line, raining down meteors and fireballs upon the enemies of the isles.


Magic in the World

Magic has been around since the beginning of time. It is said by some ancient cultures, that before there was anything else, a nebula of chaotic arcane energy existed, swirling around with great power. From it, great concentrations of energy formed now called the Divine Spark. The energy then formed beings of pure energy animated by the Spark, who were once called gods. The gods with their new found life then took to creating a home for themselves, they created two planes, the planes now known as Celestia and Desolon. The gods took residence in both planes. The existence of the two planes unbalanced the once purely chaotic energy, accidently condensing enough to form a third plane, the material plane. Seeing opportunity, some of the young gods took some of the energy and formed four more planes, the elemental planes. Using the newly created elements, they created the planet out of earth, the oceans out of water, and filled the orb with air. Seeking a need for something to make their creation interesting, they sought to create more life. Taking some of the divine sparks left over they used it to create guardians of the elements, the Nature spirits and their protectors. Seeing that the gods had young to raise, some of them took the divine spark and made the dragons, seeking for them to raise the godlings with their power. They also created the Horati, beings of equal power to the gods. The Horati were rebellious and seeked to create their own life, they created the mortal races, and the animals and beasts to populate the material plane. Seeing these creations angered the gods, as the mortals lacked the divine spark, insulting the power that they held. The gods rather than destroy the mortals however took their anger out on the Horati. The war went on for a millennia, but eventually the Horati were wiped out. The mortal races came to worship the gods, and eventually the concepts of Good and Evil emerged from this worship. The gods divided themselves into the concepts of Good and Evil, and fearing a war, they began taking some of the energy and granting it to their worshippers. Some mortals however sought to better themselves began looking to take some of the arcane energy themselves. Some learned how to siphon off energy around them, drawing upon the power of Nature itself. Others imitated the dragons and learned how to manipulate the near bottomless energy bestowed upon them by the Horati. There are various ways of manipulating energy around them, and there does not seem to be an end to the arcane energy.

The Undead Market
Necros’s basic economy relies on the presence of relatively cheap non-sentient undead. As a result, the people of Necros are less reluctant to use the bodies of people after they die for labor, as long as relative consent is given. One way of giving consent is to sign a body release contract. In exchange for a sum of money delivered upon the death of the seller, the buyer is allowed to raise the body as a zombie or skeleton for use in labor. In addition, the corpses of non-sentient creatures are gathered for different sorts of labor, and does not require express consent of said creature. Typically, a body release contract goes for 100 gp per HD, and will be auctioned off at around the (cost of the body + cost of animation)*1.5. In order to sell zombies or skeletons on the open market, one must obtain a legal license from one of Necros’s many legal offices. While Mindless Undead are a traded commodity, Sentient Undead are considered legal citizens, and can never be sold on the marketplace.

Food and Water on the Floating Isles:
The Floating Isles is not entirely self-sustainable. They depend on a symbiotic trading relationship with the lands below. With a higher than average concentration of Arcane Casters, the Floating Isles produces many more magic items than any other country. In exchange for food and natural resources, the Isles export minor magic items and weapons to the lands below. The Floating Isles relies upon natural precipitation for its water supply, occasionally supplementing it with Create Water spells, and reusing their water supplies through a filtration system. To avoid diplomatic incidents with the Lands Below through the consumption of valuable rain water and creating huge shadows over areas, the Isles are constantly moving, albeit at a slow pace, propelled by captured Fire Elementals.


The Merchant Prince:
Kaminas has an economy almost entirely surrounded around trade with other nations. As a result gold and silver play an important role in the political system of Kaminas. If a merchant makes a lot of money, he can move up the ranks of government. At the top of the system is the Merchant Prince which is the only position of government one cannot buy. To become the merchant prince, you must be elected by a small council of the 5 richest merchants in the nation. They each have “bought” a vote at the council for each 1000 gp they invest into it. While the richest of merchants might be able to buy a large part of the votes, if the other 4 decide to vote against him, they will almost always have enough money to upturn the vote and elect someone else. The position of Merchant Prince is a position for life, and a Merchant Prince’s term can only be overturned by the buying of more votes than the amount of votes originally given to the Merchant Prince.

The Council of Chiefs
As a result of being in the frozen tundra, Alduran does not have any large cities. The people of Alduran tend to migrate and live nomadically in small family units. However in times of war, the people of Alduran are honor bound to come together to each other’s defense. When deemed necessary to form a war party, each family unit sends the head of the household to ________, where heads of household will nominate the leaders of the war party and rally men to the cause. In addition, they take the time to elect 8 leaders of the council who will speak for the rest of the households. Those 8 leaders will have power over all the other households, and serve as emissaries to foreign nations.

King Birkey and the Noble Houses

The Royal line of King Birkey is said to stretch all the way back to the creation of humans. It has been said that the kings of Verdantis are also the kings of the world. Verdantis was once an even more powerful superstate, having once conquered the majority of the world. Yet over time its territories have eroded from invasions across multiple fronts. While militarily powerful, the Verdantis could not stand to be invaded on so many fronts, the army while brave was pushed back to its present day borders. However, in Verdantis traditional law, a noble title cannot be revoked once it has been given. The various nobles that were appointed to govern the various areas of the empire still were nobles after the territories they once ruled were gone. The former superstate which could afford such an extensive network of nobles and governors, no longer had enough power to avoid conflicts between the nobles themselves. King Birkey, while a good and honest king, cannot command his vast network of nobles as he is relatively untested. He was born after the era of invasion, and he was to young to have an effect on the defense of the borders. King Birkey’s only show of experience and ability to command has been during the ongoing war.

The Gods before Time
Before the God War there were many gods. In modern times, although the Age of Gods have come and past, there are still people who worship those who created the world. The bodies of the major gods were lifted after the God War by the dragons into the skies becoming the constellations of the universe, visible from every plane of existence.

Lunus the God of the Moon and Tides who shaped and created the moon for which Umbraris to hide the stolen light. With the aid of his creation, the tides flow ever onward, forcing invaders away from the continent. Lunus is the patron god of both Sailors and Lycanthropes. Lunus is allied with Solis and Umbaris, and is directly opposed by Necross who leads many sailors to their dooms causing them to curse Lunus’ name.

Umbaris the God of Shadows and Night, who stole the light of the sun from one end of the world and brought it to the other introducing the day and night cycle. He was the patron deity of thieves. Umbraris is allied with Lunus and Necross, and is directly opposed by Gardna who stops his worshipers in the night.
Unus: God of clouds and rain, he who creates the weather of the world. He is allied with Terras and Artus and is directly opposed by Pyris who burns the clouds.


Aeranius: God of wind, he who provided the breath to air, and filled the sails of ships. He is the patron god of birds. He is allied with Bisavel and Pyris and is directly opposed by Terras who blocks the wind.

Banta: The Goddess of Fertility and Life who breathed the first breaths of light into the lesser races. She taught the races agriculture. She is the patron goddess of farmers. Banta is allied with Necross and Gardna, and is directly opposed by Bisavel who poisons the crops and brings plague.

Necross the God of Death who introduced mortality to the lesser races, and sired the baby which led to the death of the Gods. He is the patron god of the undead and the recently deceased. Necross is allied with Banta, and Umbraris, and is directly opposed by Lunus who created the Lycanthropes to save lives.

Bravan: The God of Courage and Wrath, who subjugated the Dragons and destroyed those who would threaten the gods. Yet with his rage he also caused the fall of the gods with the striking down of Necross causing the God War. He is the patron god of Heroes. Bravan is allied with Gardna and Atillan, and is directly opposed by Thula who stops the wars from which Heroes arise.

Gardna: The Goddess of Defense and Protection. Her temples were once safe havens for those who are hunted. She was one of the first slain in the war, as she tried to protect the baby god, and was killed for her efforts. She is the patron goddess of Guardsmen and Fortresses. She is allied with Bravan and Banta, and directly opposed by Umbaris who encourages attempts to penetrate the defenses of homes and sanctuaries for centuries.

Atillan: The God of War and Aggression. He who is the most bloodthirsty of the gods, he brought order to the Celestials as well as the Fiends, organizing them into fighting forces. He invented the concept of war and brought it upon the mortal races. He is the patron god of Soldiers and Hunters. He is allied with Bravan and Fera and is directly opposed by Ateria who directly opposes his bloodthirsty ways.

Thula: The goddess of Beauty and Diplomacy. She was the most charismatic of the gods, and her beauty was well renowned, almost all the gods lusted after her. She is the patron goddess of Diplomats. She is allied with Ateria and Solis and is directly opposed by Bravan who’s “heroics” often ruin attempts at diplomacy.


Fera: The Goddess of the Forge and Invention, she who provided the divine insight to the mortals to create the weapons and tools to maintain the earth. She is the patron god of smiths. She is allied with Atillan and Pyris and is directly opposed by Solis, who rivals her in inventiveness.

Terras: Goddess of stone, she who shaped the earth itself. She is the patron goddess of masons. She is allied with Unus and Bisavel and directly opposes Aeranius who erodes rocks

Bisavel: Goddess of Poison and Fear. She created that which plagues the world. She is the patron goddess of Assasins. She is allied with Terras and Aeranius and is directly opposed by Banta who hates her creations.

Pyris: God of Fire, he who ignites the flames of the earth, and provides warmth for the earth. He is allied with Aeranius and Artus, and is directly opposed by Unus who extinguishes flames.

Artus: God of Art, he who isolates beauty. Patron god of artists. HE is allied with Pyris and Unus, but none oppose him for art is found in everything.

Gods not in the Calendar:

Ateria: Goddess of peace, she who brings hope to the worlds and hopes for peace, she while directly opposed and allied with has no personal allies and does not personally oppose anyone. She seeks to maintain balance between the gods.

Solis: The God of the Sun and intelligence. He who was smartest of the gods designed the sun to forever shine his light upon the world. Even after his death, his creation still lights one side of the world. He is the patron god of Scholars. He is allied with Thula and Lunus and is directly opposed by Fera whose metalworking steals luster from the sun.



The Calendar:
15 months- One for each god “upon the Eye of Artus” and skips over Solis god of the sun who commands the divide between Day and night and Ateria who does not ally or oppose other gods
44 days per month- One for each alliance and direct opposition “of the alliance of Pyris and Aeranius”
So for a specific date it would be “upon the Eye of Artus of the alliance of Pyris and Aeranius”
Note: Order matters! “upon the Eye of Artus of the alliance of Pyris and Aeranius” is completely different from “upon the Eye of Artus of the alliance of Aeranius and Pyris”
5 month to each “season”- Primus, Decarius, and Tricarius
Thus 660 day years rather than 365 days
24 hour days as per normal
Years are marked from the beginning of the God War, the current year is the year 400, 200 years into the current war, years before the God War are treated as x BC (Before Cataclysm)
Example of a complete date: Upon the Eye of Artus of the alliance of Pyris and Aeranius in the year 600” goes in order of the above listing
Work is conducted in a three day cycle, the two alliances were work days, and the one opposition day was a rest day. Resulting in 30 days of work 14 days of rest, as Artus has no opposition

Currencies
The various nations below used gold coins of various sizes, the basis for gp is based on the Verdantis Marc. Typically all currencies are treated as equal, the various cultures will accept the various coins of the nation. The only real fluctuation is between the Astral Diamond and the Verdantis Marc
Current Exchange rates:
Alduran currency is usually barter, while gold coins of the other nations are accepted, there is no specific currency of Alduran

The Kaminas Kollar is worth 25 gp each
The Terrantis Telo is worth 2.5 gp each
The Gunari Guinea is worth .5 gp each
The various Floating Isles typically use Astral Diamonds which are worth 100 gp each and are each 1 oz for all major deals or the Verdantis Marc for smaller ones.
Values of the various currencies may vary but the Verdantis Marc is always worth 1 gp per Marc

Banking in the Floating Isles:
The Banking system of the Floating Isles is one of the most secure in the multiverse. At each of the branches of the Bank of the Archmages are 3 highly trained wizard tellers who will assist with all banking needs. They are qualified to exchange Astral Diamonds for Verdantis Marcs and vice versa, and can store valuable items on a demiplane for your usage. Each of the branches are guarded with an anti-field everywhere except the teller stand, iron golems flanking each of the tellers as well as two outside of the booths, as well as a retinue city guardsmen stand guard. While they do act as moneylenders on occasion, they also charge a small fee to store items on a demiplane. The cheques of the Bank of the Archmages are as good as cash and are exchangeable for an equivalent amount of wealth. The wizard tellers all have a persistent true seeing effect as well as see invisibility spells on them at all times. The demiplanes themselves can only be accessed with specialized ring gates.

The cults of the Gods
Some gods till have influence upon the mortal world due to the collective faith of their followers. While the gods are not alive anymore some still hold the ceremonies and rituals that honor them. While some gods are no longer actively worshipped, some are worshipped in elite organizations in society, and still retain significant power.
The Order of the Dawn
An elite caste of knights in Verdantis who were once loyal worshippers of the sun god Solis. They are highly selective and are the elite military force of Verdantis. They deem themselves choosen by the sun themselves, and are put through a series of challenging tasks in order to enter their ranks. They still hold their power through military might, as they are some of the strongest warriors in the world.

The Pact of the Moonblooded
A small group of lycanthropes who have bound together due to their mutual curse. Rather than treating it as a curse, the members of the Pact of the Moonblooded treat it as a blessing, which releases the primal and natural side of a mortal. They meet in secret at dusk during the alliance of Lunus and Umbraris, and participate in hunts. They do not control much political power as a whole, but many influential people were once members of the Pact of the Moonblooded. Their name typically lives on only in song and story.

The Steamforged Knights
Worshippers of Fera, the members of the Steamforged Knights are hybrids of smith and warrior. They combine new technology and traditional smithing techniques to create marvelous machines of war. They are based in Terrantis and use the rich minerals there to create their inventions. The head of the organization is treated as a diplomat in Terrantis and Terrantis alone.

The Night Riders
Once great worshipper of Umbraris, the Night Riders are all but wiped out. They were once the greatest Thieves’ Guild in the world, having once aided Umbraris in stealing some of the sun’s radiant light. Most of their glory has now faded. Their existence only lives on in song and legend.

The Shieldmaidens
Once a cult of mighty warrior priestesses of Gardna, they are now an order of knights who protect all who seek refuge from them. They only accept females into their ranks, and the members of the Shieldmaidens learn the art of war while members of the Shieldmaiden. They can combat the fiercest of knights. They are the staunchest defenders of the realm and none have passed their wall of shields. Members of their order dot the map and will defend all whom seek their aid.

The Bladebrothers
The opposite of the Shieldmaidens, the Bladebrothers consists of a coalition of cutthroats and bandits. They are the kings of aggression, they raid any town they see, and fight any opponent in their sights. Bladebrothers have no centralized organization, they fight for glory and honor. One is inducted into the Bladebrothers under an oath of blood with another Bladebrother. They all seek a goal of violence and power. Very few are willing to stand in the path of a group of Bladebrothers working together.

The Peacekeepers
The Peacekeepers was an organization founded in honor of Thula, goddess of Diplomacy. It is a diplomatic network of noblemen who seek to maintain peace between the nations. The Peacekeepers always number 12 and meet once a month on the opposition of Thula and Bravan in public as a show of good will.

Holidays:
The Harvest Festival:On the Eye of Banta, upon the alliance of Lunus and Solis: The day upon which the harvest season of Primus ends and the cold season of Decarius begins. The farmers gather together and throw a huge feast of wild boar, fresh bread, and wild grape brewed wine. They toast to Banta and Solis for their creation of wheat and the sun. They then they chase a child dressed as “Umbraris” who carries a torch which symbolizes the stealing of the sun’s light. When the boy is caught, more wine is poured, and fireworks are fired.

The Champions Games: At the end of the year there is a 4 day stretch upon which no opposition between the gods occur. From the Eye of Artus upon the alliance of Artus and Pyris to the Eye of Lunus upon the alliance of Lunus and Umbraris are the Champions Games where festivities of all sorts occur. Non-lethal gladiator contests occur at the border of Verdantis and Terrantis where every nation send their best warriors. Poetry Contests occur in the capital of Verdantis, where the best storytellers, bards, and poets come to showcase their finest works. Airships and people race across the continent with breakneck speed as they claim to be the fastest on the mortal plane from coast to coast.

[JCjr]

Given the amount of material you've set out, I think it'll be easier if I just give you feedback in point form.

First off, I quite like the notion of the sentient Prime races teaming up to beat up the whole Pantheon - 'good' and 'evil'-aligned clerics and paladins (or blackguards) would be a the core of the world's forces as their magic and powers are particularly effective in permanently taking out demonic or angelic entities.

Second, you might consider coming up with some shorthand for your calendar, i.e. some way for more common folk to keep track of the days and months as your formal system produces rather lengthy and complicated dates.

Third, how would the diplomat status of the head of the Steamforged Knights play out given that they are based in Terrantis and that the status only applies there. Does it provide the head with some sort of immunity from prosecution? Is the property of the Steamforged Knights not subject to Terrantis' laws?

Fourth, I love to hear more about the unknown entity that murders anyone entering Umbarius, though keep some of the vagueness. Particularly, how precisely did the wizards figure out to protect against it? Camouflage or a more straightforward shield? Could the protection be related to something particular to that entity?

Seventh, please expand on Necros - it sounds really, really cool and the consequences that this all would have for a society are mind-boggling. What position would more sentient undead have and is there some way for ordinary undead to ascend after their term of post-humous servitude has run out? Are zombies perhaps modified to make them more suitable for their particular tasks, e.g. an implanted lantern in a zombie's chest for guides or added muscles to make them better dockworkers?

Eighth, where does water and food come from? Do they siphon water up from lakes or collect rainwater? If its the latter, the islands would be particularly disliked by those stuck on the ground as a lack of rain could lead to draughts, in addition with the large shadow the island itself would cast over the land. Are there special farm islands? What about animals and other needed resources like wood or stone?

[smasher0404]

Thanks for the quick critque, I'll put in my answers to the few questions in Red, and will work them into the main post later. I will address the non-question issues later when I get more time.

Given the amount of material you've set out, I think it'll be easier if I just give you feedback in point form.

First off, I quite like the notion of the sentient Prime races teaming up to beat up the whole Pantheon - 'good' and 'evil'-aligned clerics and paladins (or blackguards) would be a the core of the world's forces as their magic and powers are particularly effective in permanently taking out demonic or angelic entities.

Second, you might consider coming up with some shorthand for your calendar, i.e. some way for more common folk to keep track of the days and months as your formal system produces rather lengthy and complicated dates.
Good point I'll start working on that.
Third, how would the diplomat status of the head of the Steamforged Knights play out given that they are based in Terrantis and that the status only applies there. Does it provide the head with some sort of immunity from prosecution? Is the property of the Steamforged Knights not subject to Terrantis' laws?
The Steamforged Knights were a relatively new addition to the setting (I actually added it in to accommodate one of my player's character concepts. The idea is that Terrantis, and Terrantis alones, treats the property of the Steamforged Knights as being its own nation. That does mean the head of the order is immune from prosecution from the law, and those who stay in the Steamforged Knights are considered foreign citizens, exempt from taxes, but can be punished by the letter of the law as if they were foreigners. Buildings owned by the Steamforged Knights are considered not the property of Terrantis and follows its own laws. However officially speaking, none of the other countries recognize the legitimacy of the Steamforged Knights as their own country, because strictly speaking they have no real continuous territory, but a few buildings owned by the organization.
Fourth, I love to hear more about the unknown entity that murders anyone entering Umbarius, though keep some of the vagueness. Particularly, how precisely did the wizards figure out to protect against it? Camouflage or a more straightforward shield? Could the protection be related to something particular to that entity?
Simply put, the creature is really unknown, because literally has survived an encounter with it, the reason why the spells that travel through this plane works is simply put, it doesn't let the caster stay there long enough to be hunted down. It takes at least a day for the creatures to hunt down intruders on the plane.

Seventh, please expand on Necros - it sounds really, really cool and the consequences that this all would have for a society are mind-boggling. What position would more sentient undead have and is there some way for ordinary undead to ascend after their term of post-humous servitude has run out? Are zombies perhaps modified to make them more suitable for their particular tasks, e.g. an implanted lantern in a zombie's chest for guides or added muscles to make them better dockworkers?
While I'm sure some of the people who make money off of animation of undead do make some modifications (such a precedent could be found in feats like Corpsecrafter which would still be available in game) but a larger part of the market is finding the right natural corpse for the job. Mindless undead are basically treated as guilt-free slaves, there really wouldn't be an easy legal way for them to ascend to sentience besides something like Awaken Undead. If a zombie or skeleton were to gain sentience, it would also gain full citizenship. Sentient Undead are considered only slightly below the fully living if not equal. They are able to run for office if they wish, and some are quite affluent on the island. The Archmage of the island himself is publicly a lich, having been one of the original Archmages.
Eighth, where does water and food come from? Do they siphon water up from lakes or collect rainwater? If its the latter, the islands would be particularly disliked by those stuck on the ground as a lack of rain could lead to draughts, in addition with the large shadow the island itself would cast over the land. Are there special farm islands? What about animals and other needed resources like wood or stone?

To be honest I felt it entirely possible for the islands to rely on importation of foods from the lands below. If you would take into account actual size, the floating islands are actually much smaller than any of the lands below. Verdantis could probably afford to export food to the islands and still feed its own populace. While the majority of the Floating Isles water supply comes from rain water, they are able to reuse a lot of it, through a filtration system, as well as supplementing it with the Cleric cantrip Create Water(Although obviously not to the scale then say the Tippyverse does." The islands do move quite a bit, as they aren't precisely anchored to anything, preventing them from stealing "too much" rainwater from a region, as well as not casting a huge shadow over an area. The Floating Islands would be perfectly happy to trade simple magic items to the lands below for natural resources, and with The Floating Islands having a much more highly concentrated arcanist population, they can do so at a rate much larger than any individual nation below.