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  1. - Top - End - #31
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Rolepgeek's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2013
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    Maine
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Kingdom of Lhungho Saar

    Big, regenerating, and always hungry, the river trolls, their hippos, and their thralls all answer to the troll-king - so long as there is food.
    Region 221 – Troll Country
    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    Once known as Surriv, now called Ljung Ghrakka Saar by its present lords, and known by most simply as ‘Troll Country’, the basin of the great river of Sur is a lush, fertile land, with numerous floodplains and wetlands among the many tributaries leading to the river proper. Stonehorn buffalo, knifehead boars, whitewater dogs, crownbreaker elephants and Surrivan lions all call these lands their home, hunting and foraging among the fens and grasses, while scattered trees turn to woodlands in the north as the climate warms, and seasonal monsoons bring life-nourishing rains.

    The most iconic aspect of Troll Country, however, would be the river ecosystems themselves, and the hippopotami that dominate them. While the rivers define the landscape, flush with an incredible diversity of life, both wholly and partial aquatic, the hippos define the rivers, and have greatly contributed to the expansion of the wetlands across the landscape, as have the trolls who herd them.

    Most riverbanks prone to flooding serve as home to villages of elves or dwarves, tending to seasonal grain farms, hunting or trapping smaller game, and fishing the rivers for enough to sustain themselves, all the while fearing their smiling overlords, whose appetites and power seem equally insurmountable.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The lords of Troll Country are, as the name may imply, river trolls, who rule over the elves, men, and dwarves who make their homes on the riverbanks. The Dhraan, as the trolls refer to themselves, are massive, typically standing between 30 and 40 hands tall at the shoulders when fully upright, and commonly weigh between 60 and 175 stone. Colors range from bluish-green to reddish-brown and dappled gray – these colors can shift somewhat to be darker or lighter in response to environmental and social cues. Trolls are perhaps most notably characterized by large, long toothy snouts like that of a crocodile, with thick hides coated by a thin coat of permeable scales.

    As trolls are prone to ‘turning to stone’ when out of the water for too long, their dress tends to reflect this – when they know they will be unable to submerge themselves for extended periods, trolls will dress in hides soaked with hippo fat, or failing that, river muck, clay, and mud. Most of the time, however, troll attire is rather more oriented towards the purposes of self-decoration, armor, or protecting injuries while a troll heals – though this rarely takes long unless the injury is a missing limb.

    To outsiders, the two most infamous traits of trolls are intrinsically linked – their ravenous hunger, and their rapid regeneration. The trolls claim the latter as a sign of their goddess’s favor, and the former informs much of their culture. Combined with their understanding of medicinal herbs, a sufficiently well-fed troll can typically survive injuries that would be death sentences for other species – even impalement through the neck by a spear is but a handicap for particularly fat trolls, as their bodies can produce blood nearly as fast as it is lost, not to mention a rapid closing. This regeneration is taxing, however, and not without costs: tumorous growths are common among battle-hardened or elderly trolls, and their sheer body mass means many trolls are constantly hungry already – and without sufficient energy to heal, the stone-like hibernation that they may resort to is much like death.

    The primary food source for trolls, beyond the tribute of their thralls, comes from herding the shovelsnout hippopotamus, which serves as the primary source of meat, hides, and bone tools for the river trolls - the banded hippopotami are still wild. In addition to the hippo bloats, there are at least two species of bird the trolls care for and use in daily life, the redwinged eagle, a large raptor which they use in hunting smaller prey on land and for sport; and the giant plover, a small wading bird kept as pets and to help pick leftover scraps from a troll's teeth.

    The present lifestyle of the trolls can be maintained only through the labor of their thralls – the elves and dwarves which once lived along the riverbank ruled only by themselves, now working in order to provide their riverine lords with sufficient food to ensure their appetites remain focused elsewhere. Though precise counts are notoriously difficult, some have estimated that there may be even a dozen thralls for every civilized troll.


    Spoiler: History
    Show
    Before the trolls, there were the dwarves. Gouging the land's flesh, prying out it's bones, sucking out the world's golden marrow in their sweltering little huts. So when the mountain fell, the dwarves fled, taking what splintered remnants of their home they could from the holes in the world's skin. They fled to the waters that bled from the wound of the earth, clean and pure as starlight on the mountain-tops, and they stopped by the great river, before it grew too great for what little they knew of the waters to bear them safely on. And with no marrow to drink, and no bones to shelter in, they might have despaired - but the earth heals itself as we do, and is never all aright, and so the dwarves could find the splinters of the world's bones, and these they knew well how to break for their desires. So they cut the sharp shards of the world's broken body, still reeling from that Frozen Light, and they made them into tidy fragments from which to build home and hearth. And they lived well, for a time.

    But before the dwarves, were the elves. Reaping in the dark, basking in the love of the land, and recounting the stories of their youth so many centuries ago. When the Frozen Light shone, the elves say it burned them like nothing else before or since, and that when the earth cried out in pain, the seas heaved themselves up to overrun the great river's flanks, spilling a water that was as poison to all living thing, a Blight upon the world. When the fields would not bear fruit - when the river's tempestuous floods threatened to drown what little peace they found - when they could not bury their dead for fear that the roots of the trees that once loved them would snare the living too - then the elves were generous. The dwarves and their walls of carven bone would bring safety - the elves would bring sustenance, dragging home death from the dark, a bloody toil that gave meat by fallen hunters as oft as it did by fallen prey. And together, they lived as well as a peoples could manage, in the moons after the Frozen Light. But the elves grew bold - the dwarves grew brash. They had survived the river thus far, had they not? Why not claim both her sides, and further still their lot?

    But before the elves, was the river. Mighty, winding, roaring in flood, a murmur in drought, but always, always the river flowed, from the cold mountain snows and the monsoons in the hills, the river widened, deepened. It thrashed on the surface of the world like a child's temper, wrinkling and smoothing all at once, until nothing near her path could call itself untouched. The river was as a great beast, wondrous, host to a thousand lesser creatures and more, but never, never to be underestimated. And with the Frozen Light so freshly piercing all, she was a wounded beast, cornered and desperate - and when the elves and the dwarves took to yoke her, she fought. Surging one moon to drain the next, upsetting the efforts of the peoples who lived on her shores, dependent on her gifts for so long, to claim her in such rude fashion. But the elves were patient, and arrogant - the dwarves crafty and stubborn. They devised a plan by which to pin the river, where she could not unmake their efforts. Take the shards and fractions of shattered femur and fragmented tibia, of worldspine and cave's tooth, gather them in the woven skin of young trees, still drinking in soil and rain, not yet callused by sun and burrow, and drive these like spears into the belly of the river. Atop these piled carcasses would their toil be safeguarded, a foundation from which their burdensome task could be completed. But these charnel-house pillars could not help but accomplish their heavyset task, and their masters drove them hard, piercing deep - too deep. They built with avarice in their hearts, legacy in their minds, and potential in their souls.

    And in the river, they found us.




    Troll families are typically called kin-circles, and will consist of anywhere from 3 to 8 adults and their children, often in similar numbers as the parents. These families are themselves part of larger kin-groups made up multiple kin-circles with familial ties to on another, and this sort of hierachical grouping continues to larger and larger groups of trolls. Internally, these families are dually hierarchical, with both male and female trolls establishing a dominance hierarchy amongst each other. This hierarchy is mutable as injuries and hunger fluctuate, although the familial bonds and loyalty usually predominate in terms of informing social interactions and relationship temperature. Hierarchies between different kin-circles and groups are likewise mutable, but this change is more frequently based on prestige and informed by violence.

    Troll social structure is built around access to food, both prescriptively and descriptively. Higher status means more access to food, and more access to food means higher status. The unifying impulse for the Dhraan is hunger, and so their society has a somewhat unusual hierarchy of prestige. While the very highest position is occupied by the Troll-King and their kin-circle - currently King Haanhangandhal - just below them are the Eduuzhe, overseers of the Inghudhu, who occupy a position of rather precarious prominence in the kingdom, as it is they and their bloat-thralls who are responsible for guiding, breeding, and culling the hippo bloats that feed much of the Trollish Kingdom.

    Similarly well-fed and similarly precarious, but less desirable than either Eduuzh or Inghudhu, are the various Unngthezhe and Ixhudhu who manage the populations of thralls and collect the thrall tax - the Ixhudhu are also called upon in times of war to gather hosts of thralls and fight for the kingdom. Collectively, the Unngthezhe and the Eduuzhe make up the bulk of the Trollmoot, who will meet in part or in full to argue over the finer and coarser elements of life - beyond art and contesting with other trolls, bickering appears to be among the chief occupations of the wealthy and well-fed in troll-society, though it might be noted that there is a level of satiety past which the frequency of said bickering begins to fall again, while the quality of the bickering itself rises.

    Below the level of Edhuuzhe and Unngthezhe, the organization of Dhraan society begins to drop off rather precipitously - the various artisans, laborers, and craftsfolk of the kingdom are most often attached to other kin-circles of Edhuuzhe, Unngthezhe, Inghudhu, or, on occasion, the barge-trolls which travel between settlements along the rivers, surviving on hospitality and whatever acumen for trading they might scrape together.

    It is not infrequent for such disreputable folk to take thralls with them, making use of their counsel for trading, using them as intermediaries with thrall settlements, and even treating them as though fellow trolls, in the most egregious cases. It is no wonder so many Ixhudhu are suspicious of unfamiliar barge-trolls - one can never be certain how the thralls will respond to the sight of such strange and unnatural relationships between thrall and troll. Likewise, Ixhudhu are more liable to rely on additional thrall-taxes than to keep kin near that neither aid in controlling the thralls nor provide food themselves.

    Finally, there are the bands of disorganized, nearly feral trolls scattered throughout the country, hunting, foraging, and preying on travellers and passers-by, unable to see the merits of cooperation nor plan far enough ahead to easily grow past their half-starved state.


    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    Though the spadesnout hippo is one of the most well-known elements of the region, their need for wetlands and the ravenous appetites of their river troll Inghudhu means few, if any, are made available to outsiders. The river’s gifts are many and varied, however, and so it the foremost export of the Trolls consist of a multitude of healing herbs. Over the decades, the high injury rate among trolls has led to a well-developed understanding of the restorative properties of local plantlife - but none are so greatly desired or widely useful as Mother's Milk.

    The Wadingtooth flower, identifiable by it's cream-colored blossoms and colorful but prickly leaves, is a hardy plant readily found along the banks of rivers and marshes, where they appear to thrive, and from which Mother's Milk is drawn, in the form of a pale, thin, blue-ish sap or nectar. Mother's Milk is most remarkable for its capacity to enhance the regenerative abilities of most living creatures, but especially trolls, whose natural capacity for healing and regrowth is not only accelerated but eased - scar tissue, tumors, and the itch often associated with regeneration are all reduced in severity and duration when Mother's Milk is used, and thus it has become one of the most valued non-food commodities in the region.

    Usually, one of three groups does the trading – the trolls themselves do most trading out of Silverstone Fords, while the markets of Lowtown host dwarven traders selling the product of nearby Wadingtooth fields and elf foraging parties travel out to meet foreigners by Five Brooks. Most of what they ask for in return consists of Food of some form – the appetites of trolls are endless, and without a steady supply of materails with which to fill their gullets, trouble may brew – whether from peckish trolls, or overburdened thralls.
    Starting Tech: Animal Husbandry


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    The trolls give praise and thanks to Ghrakka Yonghalo, the River Mother, their patron deity of life, fertility, and healing. Though other deities may exist, it is Yonghalo that the trolls see as having birthed their race, which is first and most favored by her, though she is Mother to Many. Feasts and births are celebrated in equal measure, and her blessing is thought to be most abundant in the Lju-Nghutthi, the healer priests.

    Lju-Nghutthi are often travelers, staying in no place overlong, performing the rituals, tending to the maimed, telling the stories, inciting the feasts and passing on the blessings of the waters, but it is not unknown for the most prestigious of trolls to have Lju-Nghutthi who elect to remain with them. Given the importance of feasts in Dhraan culture, it is no surprise that there is such demand for the healer priests, whose attendance at such a feast is said to bless it.

    More broadly speaking, however, the act of consumption is one of paramount importance in the troll faith - if one is consumed, then they are not truly deceased - their being and selfhood becomes part of that which consumes them. This logic may explain why the offering of flesh (typically a finger joint) fills a role broadly similar to the offerings of bread and salt in cultures of smaller stature - though it is typically reserved for greeting strangers and very formal occasions - and in the cases of formalities, samples of the host's flesh are typically prepared well ahead of time and preserved, so as to be capable of continuing to perform the duties of host during the event.

    Bellowing Bridge is the name given by thralls to the broken remnants of the dwarves’ construction site, where the trolls first awoke. It is now used as a forum of sorts for the more sated trolls to argue the finer things in life (thus the name), as well as the largest shrine recognized across all the meanders of Troll Country.



    Narava, Region 210
    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    A rugged, heavily forested jungle landscape, Narava is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, from the cunning and territorial greater flat-faced monkey to the unnerving but (usually) harmless whispershark and the deadly pygmy ants. The trees are colorful, close-set, and heavy with fruit, while the undergrowth alternates between remarkable, foreboding dense ground cover, and sparser but taller growth that stretches from tree to tree like living nets.

    Most of the region was lost to the jungle in the wake of the False Dawn - especially the banks of the Sur and Erapira, where feral troll populations took root and prevented any attempt at resettlement until recently. Numerous ruins dot the landscape, signs of a prior civilization swallowed by trees, flooded by shifting riverbanks, or simply left to wear away under rain and sun. Many of these ruins are in the process of being reclaimed and inhabited as newfound access to trade and fishing allows the populace to take advantage of the burgeoning prosperity they enjoy at the confluence of the two great rivers of Kiswa.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The Vyrka are by all appearances a brother peoples to the Vygra of Vyterrat - their forms are masculine and compact as compared to the feminine features of their southern counterparts, but they likewise display four different archetypes of form and feature that can be drawn in association with four basic elements. The Vyrka refer to these four elements (and the four phenoforms associated with them) as Ka, a word that can also be used to mean ‘spirit’ or ‘role’, and which plays an important part in their spiritual rituals.

    The Vyrka live within a socially enforced caste system based on Ka. As the Ka of one’s parents has no bearing upon one’s own Ka, there are no restrictions on interactions or mingling with those of other Ka (though neither is this encouraged) - it primarily determines what occupations and tasks one is expected - and allowed - to perform. Though there is no physically enforced prohibition or restriction upon performing tasks outside your role, it is considered shameful and at times even vulgar, and often results in ostracization by one’s community. In dire times, those who take up non-Ka tasks out of necessity are lauded for their sacrifice - but this is always and only meant to be a temporary solution.

    Ravyk are stereotypically slender, with skin devoid of color and often so thin as to reveal violet veins like scattered, frozen lightning. Their hair is likewise grayscale, and will either cling like fog, slowly shifting in the wind, or curl into a resilient cushion-like fluff that bounces back regardless of grooming. Their eyes, however, are so varied as to defy categorization, every part of a rainbow held inside.
    Efryt tend to be visibly muscled, with minimal padding, skin any color of the horizon at sunset, hair so vividly bright or so deeply dark that one might be forgiven for believing their skull was aflame, and eyes reflective enough to appear to glow.
    Bravyd are thick-set, powerfully built and heavy, covered by skin more easily distinguished by texture than color, as cupric greens, speckled grays, and loamy browns bleed into one another. The eyes are as likely to be dull and flat as they are to shine like polished stone, and their hair, when they have any, is usually wiry, coarse, and straight.
    Mikra are considered to have a middling build, with wavy hair the color of foam, clay, or sand, skin the color of rivers and streams in spring, and expressive eyes hidden behind two pairs of eyelids. Their fingers are often webbed, and many can breathe in water as easily as in air.


    Spoiler: History
    Show
    Though there is little in the way of comparison or memories from before the False Dawn, the sheer number of ruins in Narava point to a strong presence of a civilization - possibly one related to that in Inkhwabi. Whatever the case, in the aftermath of that catastrophe, the Vykra tribes pulled inwards to focus on survival and safety. The Mirka have become something of an underclass since then, given the dangers associated with many of their traditional professions.


    ---

    The Ravyk, whose Ka is that of wind, are considered most ideally suited for positions of spiritual leadership, arbitration, and diplomacy. Ravyk born to families of lesser stature often occupy themselves as hunters, weavers, favored servants, courtesans, and musicians. In times of war, they will often be outfitted with slings or light throwing spears to serve as ranged combatants.

    The Efryt, whose Ka is that of fire, are held up as paragons of military expertise and passion; the most honored among them are often great warriors or commanders. Below these vaunted few are found smiths and jewellers, bakers and chefs, storytellers and tutors, and even prostitutes and conscripted soldiers, after a fashion. The most common task by far, though, is that of burning sections of the forest in controlled fashion so as to provide new fertile soil for crops, especially to grow the squat, heavy bananas that the Vykra have found such a bountiful gift. It is also Efryt who are traditionally responsible for the construction of funeral pyres for family members that have died.

    The Bravyd, whose Ka is that of stone and earth, are most commonly found as foragers, carpenters, stone knappers, healers, architects, builders, diggers, sculptors, and scholars.

    The Mikra, whose Ka is that of water, are often found as midwives, fishers, traders, brickmakers, potters, artists, tanners, and brewers. On top of these, unfortunately, many are criminals and recently some have begun sailing.


    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    Bananas! Not just useful as Food, but useful to make into fabrics, used to treat ills and ease curses, fermented and mixed to produce a thick almost syrupy wine, and even used in construction.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    Way of the Wind was the old faith of the area based on the four elements, and the four Ka - more recently, the Vyrka have been focusing less on the spirits of the Ka, and more on those individuals which exemplified the fulfillment of their Ka. The most important site is that of a great four-sided ziggurat now surrounded by Singhon, known simply as the Great Steps.



    Inkhwabi, Region 208
    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    Inkhwabi is an exceedingly fertile land, flanked on three sides by large rivers, with interspersed savannah, rainforest, and rivers. Wildlife is plentiful here, and the wilderness still encroaches heavily on every settlement - which are frequent, but small, often building on foundations laid centuries ago by the prior inhabitants.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    Inkhwabi is populated by Dhraan colonists from Troll Country along with some of their thralls. Only the most intrepid adventurers originally dared to cross the Sur and populate the region, so the original population is a tough and hardy breed of troll, familiar with hunger and defiant of tradition. These original colonists dwell mainly in homesteads in the western portion of the region, where less of the dense rainforest has been cleared. They refer to themselves as the Umfalakulaqa and barely pay lip service to the government in Troll Country. On the banks of the Sur, by contrast, a vibrant community of Dhraan, supported by Vygra and elvish thralls, has arisen as a direct outpost of Lhungo Saar.


    Spoiler: History
    Show
    Judging by the discoveries uncovered by the Sewune, Inkhwabi was once a central territory of the broad stretching empire of Surriv, but that mighty kingdom is long gone. All that remains of their civilization are the ruined temples and palaces of Surriv aristocrats. Scant years after the False Dawn, a tribe of dwarves attempted to build a bridge across the Sur, with its endpoint at Inkhwabi. The reasoning behind this attempt is yet uncertain, but it is thought to have resulted in the awakening of the Dhraan, who quickly overran the construction site and have made no efforts since then to resume that project.

    Yet curiously, there is nonetheless evidence of a sister project starting from the other side of the river, a vast and ruinous stone hulk overlooking the river from the shores of Inkhwabi. The first wave of Dhraan colonization of the region was the exploration of the Umfalakula, who still form a majority in the inland portions of the territory.

    More recently, the region has been under assault by Gluttonous Shadows, which threatens to destroy all the work that has been done to tame these wild lands.


    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    Flocks of wild game run rampant throughout the area, which is perfectly suited to hunting, breeding, and feeding fowl. Domestication efforts have begun to pay off with remarkable speed, which points at the creatures being feral more than truly wild.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show

    While many of the newer arrivals to Inkhwabi are Abiherists, they by no means make up a majority of the population. There are small pockets of followers of the Way of Green as well, mainly among the Vygra population, and some of the Umfalakulaqa retain the traditional religion of the Dhraan. The region is, for the moment, too diverse and geographically divided to maintain the level of social cohesion necessary for a large religious community to be sustainable. There are some who believe this lack of piety to be the reason for the Blightspawn attacks, but few give credence to this claim - was there not a taboo prior, after all?



    Unghlaban, region 220
    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    Drier plains in the south and east, of higher elevation than the wetlands of Lhungho Saar and better drainage. In the north and west, the terrain grows more rugged, woodlands begin to take over, and eventually give way in turn to forests. Nonetheless, heavily cultivated and clearly shaped by the inhabitants, much like troll country. Due to the relatively dry vegetation and high winds in the area, fires are not uncommonly started by thunderstorms that pass overhead where they would not spread in wetter climes.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    Unghlaban is split between populations of Dhraan, concentrated around deeper, larger waterways, and populations of elves, with several dwarf towns and in some cases subcommunities of dwarves within larger elf clans.
    Compared to Troll Country, the relationship between the Dhraan, the dwarves, and elves is far less strained - trolls are more cooperative and interested in trade than domination - this is largely a result of the cultural and physiological impact of the tobacco grown in the region.

    Trolls in the area are mostly engaged in fishing and herding, while dwarves and elves primarily farm and hunt farther from the water’s edge.


    Spoiler: History
    Show

    Trolls came from the south in Unghlaban, as did the dwarves that passed, fleeing them shortly after the False Dawn and the events in Troll Country that drove them from the riverbed. It is claimed that elf lord and dwarf master came together to drive back the menace, and after many months of fighting were finally able to claim peace - not through victory, but through parley, and offering of the sacred tobacco which would gift the trolls with minds like that of any civilized creature - or at least, that is how the story goes.

    In more recent events, rival tribes were getting caught up in growing network of alliances and oaths that threatened to result in a massive war in the area. One of the more important tribes involved in this sequence, the Denga Kjale, was intertwined with the kingdom of Lhungo Saar by marriage between their chief’s son and the Troll King’s daughter, who was able to convince the sages of the tribe to permit a request for help. The diplomatic pressure and material aid provided by Lhungo Saar turned out to be sufficient to cow the competing alliance, and with the Denga Kjale and their allies firmly in control of the area, further cooperation was only natural, especially as that same pressure was turned towards the soon to be chieftain from both within and without. Within a few years, after months of negotiations and a multitude of gifts and tribute exchanged, oaths of loyalty, fealty, and duty were sworn between the King of Lhungo Saar and the clan chiefs and tribal lords of the region - and the sage councils that ruled much of their day to day affairs permitted to attend the Trollsmoot, as well.


    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    Tobacco is used for ceremonial, diplomatic, and medicinal purposes - but the most potent use in the opinion of many is the way it allows trolls to overcome their hunger, and avoid becoming feral during the long fasts the local Dhraan take. Given the stimulating effect on the mind even for non-Trolls, it is no surprise that the plant has been the principal export of the area - nowhere else can grow tobacco of competing quality!


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    The locals largely venerate Dumba Ne of the Lightning, once venerated as a local storm deity, along with his eight sons. It has become more and more common among the folk of Unghlaban to view Dumba Ne as an ancient ancestor who was able to take over or create storms as of late, however, in no small part by the words and cunning politics of Blemmyae missionaries. It is said that Dumba Ne invented smoking, casting thunder upon a dreadful foe while caught up in fearsome rage - but missed, lighting instead a wild tobacco plant. The resulting smoke was said to have brought peace to all on that day - though some say this is due to the choking fumes forcing ceasefire, and that the practice of smoking is purely in reverence for that act, and some say it was by the mellowing, soothing effects of the plant when smoked. Whatever the case, it is certain that the use of the pipe and calling of rain take as large a place as ever in Unghlaban spiritual customs.
    Last edited by Rolepgeek; 2020-11-11 at 02:27 PM.
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  2. - Top - End - #32
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Jade_Tarem's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Elsewhere
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Clann Solais/The Solais Empire

    Starting Zone 113 (Tarandi)



    Spoiler: Summary
    Show
    Leader
    The greatest of the Thanes, also called the First Thane. The current First Thane is Kylara the Ivyreach, a Forest Folk like her cousin Lessa before her. Her own skin is the color of birch, causing her to stand out among most of her kind, and her hair alternates between a vibrant bright green in the summer to gold in the autumn and winter. She was, through much of her early life, seen as a wannabe Lessa, but success in the south and extensive training at the former's hands have seen her grow in both compassion and foresight. Whether she will truly measure up to her predecessor remains to be seen.

    New leaders are chosen as described under People.

    Former Leaders
    Calder the Stoneheart, also called Boss Calder, Thane of the Stag. He was a man of average height bedecked with ropy muscle, cloths, and hides, with a great brown beard and long hair that greyed with age. He died in a blood feud with Rauri and Fionn of the Phoenix for his underhanded practices and attempted war of aggression against the Viskari, but some of his policies remain.

    Lessa the Firecrown, a forest folk from the Sidhe Valley. As such, she stands shorter than most humans, with dark brown skin, pointed ears, and hair that changes color with the seasons - or did, until the departure of her lover, at which point it turned black. True to her title, she bears a magnificent laurel wreath of interwoven and sparkling red, orange, and golden-hued gemstones. After deposing Calder, she led the Solais to become a major power in Tarandi, bonding them more closely with the Eaudenite faction and introducing a number of reforms... and the centralization of authority.

    Starting and Capital Region
    Star's End (Region 113)

    Status
    Empire

    Cultural Identities
    Shadow Under the Stars (roll 2d8 for Assassination and Theft)

    Cities
    Cathair na Realtai (Location: The Silver Plains, Region 117)
    Cathair na Ceo (Location: The Sidhe Valley, Region 139)

    Fortresses
    Dun Salainn (Location: Cladach Sealaithe, Region 171)

    Trading Posts (20)
    TP2 from Region 88 (Silver)
    TP1 from Region 106 (Furs and Hides)
    TP1 from Region 113 (Glimmerwood)
    TP1 from Region 116 (Safflower Oil)
    TP1 from Region 117 (Tundra Wolves)
    TP2 from Region 117 (Tundra Wolves)
    TP1 from Region 118 (Wild Horses)
    TP2 from Region 138 (Cranberries)
    TP1 from Region 139 (Mountain Dragons)
    TPC from Region 139 (Mountain Dragons)
    TP1 from Region 143 (Basalt)
    TP1 from Region 148 (Copper)
    TP1 from Region 152 (Timber)
    TP1 from Region 153 (Deer)
    TP2 from Region 153 (Deer)
    TP1 from Region 158 (Seals)
    TP2 from Region 178 (Iron)
    TP2 from Region 285 (Silk)
    TP1 from Region 313 (Platinum)
    TP2 from Region 313 (Platinum)

    Trade Route: The Wolf Run
    TPC from Region 96 (Living Stone)
    TP1 from Region 112 (Tin)
    TP2 from Region 113 (Glimmerwood)
    TPC from Region 117 (Tundra Wolves)

    Passive Treasure Gain: 4/round

    Organization Relationships
    Reputation: SOS 2, TSR 2, DSP 2, SOW 1
    Favors Held: None
    Favors Owed: None
    Structures: Edge's Embrace, a DSP Tavern in the Silver Plains (Region 117)

    Military Status
    Heroes: Rauri of the Phoenix (9), Fionn of the Phoenix (10), Cu Banrigh/Cu of the Phoenix (10)
    Units: 17/32 (Land), 1/9 (Navy) (2 navy units pending)

    Unit composition and deployment is determined prior to battle per the needs of the moment, but some non-hero military leaders include:
    Medb of the Arrow, responsible for the empire's Warriors.
    Fergus of the Arrow, responsible for the empire's Wolf Cavalry.
    Aoife of the Feather, responsible for the empire's military Hunters and Trappers.
    Muriel of the Mist, responsible for the empire's Scouts and Messengers.
    Garrownak of the Mask, leader and trainer of the empire's Micur Berserkers.

    Artifacts
    Phoenix Ring x1
    The Iron Star
    The Red Storm
    The Gleaming Quiver

    Holy Orders
    Circle of the Dreaming Deer Watches the Stars (Star's End: Region 113)
    Circle of the Raining Serpent Travels the Sky (Skycradle: Region 145)

    Technology

    Spoiler: Civilian Technology (Simple List)
    Show
    Animal Husbandry (+1 to Opulence and Diplomacy Exploration)
    Masonry (+1 to resist Raids and Sacks)
    Writing (+1 Conversion Defense; +1 Conversion in regions that share your writing system)
    Irrigation (+1 Stabilization)
    Pottery (+1 Buyouts)
    Sailing (Enables Exploration and Troop Transport over deep water)
    Eleftherian Democracy (on non-Dynastic leader turnover, +1 to two scores the previous leader had 8+ score in)
    Advanced Masonry (+1 to resist Raids and Sacks)
    Song of the Wind (+1 Deep Water border range, +1 to Exploration over Deep Water borders)*
    Coinage (+1 to resist Buyouts from people who don't have Coinage, +1 to Buyouts)
    Mechanical Joints (+1 to Buyouts and Opulence Exploration)
    Wheel and Axle (Opulence exploration not limited by adjacency, +1 to Opulence Exploration)
    Mountaineer Clothing (Allows Exploration and Troop Transport across mountain borders)
    Wonder Workshops (Great Projects take 4 actions instead of 5)
    Stage Plays (+1 Stabilization)
    Advanced Poisoning (+1 to Theft, Assassination, Betrayal, and related actions)
    Advanced Sailing (+1 Deep Water border range)
    Caravanserai (+1 to resist Raids and Sacks)
    Celestial Navigation (+1 Deep Water border ranger, -1 Deep Water distance losses)
    Stone Rivers (Trade Routes are not disrupted by unrest outside of their anchor city regions)
    Treasure Ships (+1 Deep Water border range, allows trade routes over Deep Water borders)
    Restoration Tonic (+2 to Cleanse person or area of the Blight's influence)
    Aqueducts (+1 Stabilization)
    Pin and Tumbler Locks (+2 to defend vs. theft, assassination, kidnapping, etc)
    Strife Catchers (+1 to defend vs. some kinds of unrest, can stabilize two adjacent regions at once)

    Advanced Masonry: The Arch
    Advanced Masonry: The Dome
    Advanced Masonry: The Tower
    Advanced Sailing: Girded Keel
    Advanced Sailing: Foremast
    Advanced Sailing: Mortise and Tenon

    Tarandi's Daezirn Translation
    Tarandi's Kiswa Translation
    Tarandi's Mamut Translation
    Tarandi's Sikar Translation

    Cure for Corpse Plague
    Cure for Island Fugue
    Cure for River Fever
    Cure for Sand Lung
    Cure for Scale Pox

    *Resource requirement unfulfilled.
    Spoiler: Civilian Technology (Organized by Bonus)
    Show

    Exploration
    Animal Husbandry (+1 to Opulence and Diplomacy Exploration)
    Wheel and Axle (Opulence exploration not limited by adjacency, +1 to Opulence Exploration)
    Mechanical Joints (+1 to Buyouts and Opulence Exploration)
    Mountaineer Clothing (Allows Exploration and Troop Transport across mountain borders)

    Resist Raids and Sacks
    Masonry (+1 to resist Raids and Sacks)
    Advanced Masonry (+1 to resist Raids and Sacks)
    Caravanserai (+1 to resist Raids and Sacks)

    Conversion
    Writing (+1 Conversion Defense; +1 Conversion in regions that share your writing system)

    Stabilization
    Irrigation (+1 Stabilization)
    Stage Plays (+1 Stabilization)
    Aqueducts (+1 Stabilization)
    Strife Catchers (+1 to defend vs. some kinds of unrest, can stabilize two adjacent regions at once)

    Buyouts
    Pottery (+1 Buyouts)
    Mechanical Joints (+1 to Buyouts and Opulence Exploration)
    Coinage (+1 to resist Buyouts from people who don't have Coinage, +1 to Buyouts)

    Sailing
    Sailing (Enables Exploration and Troop Transport over deep water)
    Advanced Sailing (+1 Deep Water border range)
    Celestial Navigation (+1 Deep Water border ranger, -1 Distance Loss over Deep Water)
    Song of the Wind (+1 Deep Water border range, +1 to Exploration over Deep Water borders)*
    Treasure Ships (+1 Deep Water border range, allows trade routes over Deep Water borders)

    Intrigue
    Advanced Poisoning (+1 to Theft, Assassination, Betrayal, and related actions)
    Pin and Tumbler Locks (+2 to defend vs. theft, assassination, kidnapping, etc)

    Other
    Eleftherian Democracy (on non-Dynastic leader turnover, +1 to two scores the previous leader had 8+ score in)
    Wonder Workshops (Great Projects take 4 actions instead of 5)
    Stone Rivers (Trade Routes are not disrupted by unrest outside of their anchor city regions)
    Restoration Tonic (+2 to Cleanse person or area of the Blight's influence)

    Reverse-Engineered Technology
    Advanced Masonry: The Arch
    Advanced Masonry: The Dome
    Advanced Masonry: The Tower
    Advanced Sailing: Girded Keel
    Advanced Sailing: Foremast
    Advanced Sailing: Mortise and Tenon

    Translations Known
    Tarandi's Daezirn Translation
    Tarandi's Kiswa Translation
    Tarandi's Mamut Translation
    Tarandi's Sikar Translation

    Continental Plague Cures
    Cure for Corpse Plague
    Cure for Island Fugue
    Cure for River Fever
    Cure for Sand Lung
    Cure for Scale Pox

    *Resource requirement unfulfilled.
    Spoiler: Military Technology
    Show
    [Special Materials T1]: Bronze (+1 Battle, +1 Leader Loss)
    [Armor T1]: Feathered Capes (More Heroes per Quest/Battle)*
    [Armor T1]: Uzii Battlesmithing (-10% Casualties)
    [Melee Weaponry T1]: Blade Sharpeners (+1 Battle)*
    [Ranged Weaponry T1]: Viskari War Bows (+1 Battle)
    [Ranged Weaponry T1]: Composite Bows (+1 Battle)
    [Ranged Weaponry T2]: Recurve Bows (+2 Battle)
    [Ranged Weaponry T3]: Three Winds Bows (+2 Battle, +1 TacMan, -1 Enemy Leader Loss)
    [Cavalry T1]: Wolf Riding (T1) (+1 Battle)
    [Cavalry T2]: Saddles (T2) (+1 Battle, -10% Casualties)
    [Cavalry T3]: Alodite Cataphracts (T3) (+2 Battle, -10% Casualties)*
    [Scouts and Logistics T1]: Song of the Sea (+1 to Deep Sea Border Crossings, +2 to Leader Loss on ocean/coastal fights if naval units involved)
    [Scouts and Logistics T1]: War Drums (+2 TacMan)
    [Scouts and Logistics T1]: Crab-Claw Sails (+1 Deep Water border range, -1 Distance Loss over Deep Water)
    [Scouts and Logistics T2]: Military Organization (+2 TacMan, +1 Battle)
    [War Beasts T1]: Cloud Striders (+10% Enemy Casualties)
    [Fortifications T1]: Claws of Draz (+20% Enemy Casualties when defending)
    [Combat Drugs and Medicine T1]: Glimmer Woad (+1 Battle OR -1 Unit lost to disease, determined round by round)
    [Combat Drugs and Medicine T1]: Thin Blood Elixir (+1 to Battle and Quest vs. Gluttonous Shadows)
    [Combat Drugs and Medicine T2]: Dhraanish Medicine (-10% Friendly Casualties)
    [Sappers and Siege Weapons]:
    [Subterfuge]:

    *Resource requirement unfulfilled.

    Spoiler: Battle Template
    Show
    Invade Region 174Route: 139 -> 143 -> 144. Rauri does not stop to conquer any regions that she clears of units on the way to 174.
    Units: 17 Land
    Leader: Rauri of the Phoenix (+9)
    Technologies:

    • [Special Materials T1]: Bronze (+1 Battles, -1 Leader Loss)
    • [Armor T1]: Uzii Battlesmithing (-10% Casualties)
    • [Ranged Weapons T3]: Three Winds Bows (+2 Battles, +1 Tactical Maneuvering, -1 Enemy Leader Loss)
    • [Cavalry T3]: Alodite Cataphracts (+2 Battles, -10% Casualties)
    • [Scouts and Logistics T2]: Military Organization (+1 Battles, +2 Tactical Maneuvering)
    • [War Beasts T1]: Cloud Striders (+10% Enemy Casualties)
    • [Fortifications T1]: Claws of the Draz (+20% Enemy Casualties when Defending) (Does not apply to this Invasion)
    • [Combat Drugs and Medicine T1]: Glimmer Woad (+1 Battles)


    Tactical Maneuver: Way of the World (+1 to Battles, +10% enemy unit losses)
    Duel: Rauri is setting up to use the Red Storm/Gleaming Quiver and cannot Duel.
    Other:

    • The Way of Eauden's metal magic provides +1 to the Battle roll.
    • Solais forces march under the enchantment of the Iron Star, granting +2 to Battle and +1 to Leader Loss.
    • Solais alchemists bring knowledge of the Gate of Life, granting +1 to Leader Loss and -10% Casualties.


    Total Bonuses and Effects:
    +36 to the Battle roll (+9 Hero, +17 Units, +7 Tech, +3 Magic).
    +6 Tactical Maneuvering roll (+9 Mil, +2 Military Organization, +1 Three Winds Bows, -4 Army Size, -2 Red Storm + Gleaming Quiver).
    -30% Casualties from tech and alchemy.
    +10% Enemy Casualties from tech.
    +4 Leader Loss from Bronze, the Iron Star, the Gate of Life, and Students of Wonder Reputation
    -1 to Enemy Leader Loss roll.
    TD could provide +1 to the battle roll and +10% enemy casualties.
    Army is crossing Mountain Borders, granting enemy forces +4 to Intercept, Tactical Maneuvers, and the Battle itself.
    -2 Enemy Units prior to battle start, potentially ending the battle before it begins.

    Great Projects
    [Military] The Restoration of Dun Salainn (Gain Fortress in Region 171) (Complete)
    [Faith] Purification Rites (+1 to remove Blight from Artifacts/Creatures/Places) (Complete)
    [Intrigue] The Star Watch (+1 to defend against Assassination & Kidnapping) (Complete)
    [Intrigue] The Moon Guard (+1 to defend against Technology and Artifact Theft) (Complete)
    [Intrigue] The Gate of Life (+1 to Leader Loss, -10% Friendly Casualties, +1 Stabilization) (Complete)

    Spoiler: Regions
    Show
    Region 113: Star's End, a highland region at the Southwest of Tarandi, described below. It is the heart of the Solais Empire and home to all the children of light. Resource: Glimmerwood (Great)
    Region 116: Remsi Ola, a forest known for its production of Oil and the tragic failed romance that ruined the life of Calder's Son. Home to the Clan of the Stag, eldest of the Clans and very near the heart of government. Resource: Safflower Oil (Good)
    Region 117: The Silver Plains, a flatland known for its staple crop and abundance of Clann Solais's famed wolves. Home to the Clan of the Beast, those who trade in meat and money. Resource: Tundra Wolves (Good)
    Region 118: Heart's Reach, a sweeping plain inhabited by the hulking Micur. Home to the Clan of the Mask, for the Micur are children of light as well. Resource: Wild Horses (Minor)
    Region 138: The Bloody Hills, a former region of the Ancient Way with a hotly contested history. Home to the Clan of the Blood, those who would settle in such a sanguine, broken land. Resource: Cranberries (Great)
    Region 139: The Sidhe Valley, a forested pass into the lands of the Shandolyn known for its tree-dwelling people and deadly magic mists. Home to the Clan of the Mist, those Forest Folk who rise above the unknown. Resource: Crocodiles (Good)
    Region 145: Skycradle, A mountainous region home to a deep well, possibly the origin of the Great Mother. Home to the Clan of the Tower, those who build on mountains and live among the clouds. Resource: Diamonds (Good)
    Region 153: Rith Fia, A rolling forest dotted with ruins, kept unseasonably cool and populated by the descendants of escapees from a tyrannical kingdom to the east. Home to the Clan of the Wind, those who explore and roam and always return home. Resource: Deer (Good)
    Region 154: Owlgreen, a massive and ancient forest home to offshoot forest folk and strange fauna. Home to the Clan of the Feather, those who would hunt for secrets and keep their own. Resource: Timber (Great)
    Region 155: The Amber Fount, a river delta devastated by the Amber Slime. Home to the Clan of the Arrow, those who know that peace and prosperity must sometimes be bought with violence and ruiniation. Resource: Wild Horses (Minor)
    Region 156: The Ladorian Lowlands, a temperate farmland inhabited by simple clansmen and their cereal. Home to the Clan of the Cloak, those who know that to be quiet and still is the best way to see and hear. Resource: Flax (Great)
    Region 162: Corran Coirce, an agricultural river crescent known for its cereal exports and sense of community. Home to the Clan of the Fire, those who never lost sight of the stars. Resource: Oats (Good)
    Region 163: Roth Cais, home to a nomadic people and their precious cows. Home to the Clan of the Scythe, those who know that all must produce if all are to thrive. Resource: Cheese (Great)
    Region 171: Cladach Sealaith, a place of treacherous coastline, terrible history, and an ancient fortress at the center of it all. Home to the Clan of the Salt, those who face adversity imaginatively but not quietly. Resource: Goats (Minor)

    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    The homeland of Clann Solais is a rough and forested highland, and their territory covers a band of tundra to the north and extends up through the foothills and into the mountains, right to the point where they become impassible and seemingly reach the heavens - the Star's End from which the land gets its name. Conifers, scrub, and rock are plentiful, but there the land's generosity ends. Snow is a regular event for half the year and never completely clears during that time, from the light dustings of early spring and mid-autumn to the raging whiteout blizzards of the winter. The fauna is divided between fast creatures, small and easily missed creatures, and predators.

    There are a few other noteworthy features. The great springs feed hot and clean water through the higher lands and splash in great and violent rapids down into the area below, feeding the massive lakes in three directions. These springs, which perfectly reflect the sky on any clear night, play a part in the local religion. They have been deemed sacred and neutral, unclaimable territory by all the clans of the Children, and fighting each other there is forbidden - outsiders are the exception.

    There are many, many trees in the reaches of Star's End, but one stands above the rest - literally. The Red King was so named for its wood, its height, and its reign over lesser evergreens. In defiance of the highlanders' understanding of how trees work, it stands over five hundred feet tall and at a point higher than the elevation cutoff for similar trees. No storm has toppled in in all the rage of the False Dawn, and two ill-advised attempts to cut it down failed, both times with the perpetrating lumberjack claiming that the tree's bark repelled nearly all attempts to cut it and healed before their eyes when a mark was finally made. The Red King is a recognizable landmark through most of the highlands but too remote to play a big part in the local culture.

    Finally, there is the Arch. No one remembers who built it or why, but it spans an impressive stretch between two mountain peaks, beyond the part where the Children have been able to venture. It gleams in sunlight and sparkles under the moon, but as it appears to do little else, it joins the Red King in being of only minor concern to the locals.

    Spoiler: People
    Show


    Clann Solais

    Clann Solais ("The Children of Light") is the term for the clans that collectively control the Star's End Mountains and their many other holdings. They are heavily tied to their original faith and each clan is named for one of the great constellations in visible from the northern sky. These clans are too small to be truly specialized, but the areas they traditionally inhabit do lend themselves to minor differences in hunting, gathering, and construction techniques, as well as a few truly local holidays. Outsiders likely cannot tell one from the other without identifying each clan's symbol, but the differences are fairly obvious to those who have grown up among them.

    Marriage is a complicated two-stage affair among the clans. Any two or more people can choose to become a Cear - something like Best Friends, but the actual relationship can be subdivided into Cearcall, Cearhan, and Ceardun, describing friendship, romance, or rivalry. These states are not exclusive. If the members of a Cear think it might become permanent, they form a Constellation and cement the relationship until death. This is considered a sacred and unbreakable connection (one that officially links two families, in fact) and does not have to involve the entire Cear (most are between just two people), though it can with little fanfare. Actual sworn enemies do not form a Cear, instead simply trying to kill each other and often dragging the rest of their families into it.

    While this may sound laid back, human relationships are never so simple. The primary mode of entertainment among the Children of Light is storytelling, and that includes the eternal rumor mill, to say nothing of those who would spread stories for their own gains and agendas. While the Clans themselves avoid conflict, there are individual family squabbles that have been ongoing for generations, and that's on top of the infatuation, jealousy, incompatibility, and bungling that can afflict any prolonged interaction between two people.

    In a land where resources are scarce and space is plentiful, taboos mostly center around waste and space. Those handling either improperly are punished with tasks typically assigned to children, the idea being that they need remedial training on growing up. There are other clan-specific quirks, which will remain unnamed for now.

    The eight clans are, as mentioned, named after visible and identifiable constellations. Each clan is formally listed as "The Clan of the X," or "Clan X" for short.

    Prior to the Diaspora and the Writ of Empire, the Clan structure and associated constellations were as follows:

    The Wanderer: Depicted as either a man with a staff or an albatross. (Clan of the Wind/Clan Gale)
    The Trickster: Depicted as either a young woman with a silver bangle or a crow. (Clan of the Feather/Clan Silver)
    The Warrior: Depicted as either a very large man with a bow or a mountain lion. (Clan of the Claw/Clan Spear)
    The Seer: Depicted only as a figure shrouded in a hooded cloak. (Clan of the Cloak/Clan Eye)
    The Druid: Depicted in different ways - young, old, male, female, human, animal, or some combination thereof, but always with a pronounced set of antlers. (Clan of the Stag/Clan Deer)
    The Priestess: Depicted traditionally as a woman with a clay pot. (Clan of the Fire/Clan Star)
    The Beast: Depicted as an enormous creature, serpentine, cetacean, or ape-like mammalian, with a massive maw. (Clan of the Beast/Clan Hide)
    The Craftsman: Depicted always as a human, usually with a little tower next to him or her. (Clan of the Tower/Clan Hammer)

    After the massive reorganizational effort under Lessa the Firecrown, the Clan names were simplified and Clan territory was divvied up among the existing regional boundaries rather than all split evenly among the Clans. Now, only Star's End is not 'owned' by any Clan. Which clans have settled where can be found under Regions, above.

    The ability to make decisions that affect all the clans falls to the First Thane (Formerly the Boss). The First Thane is the Thane of one of the clans and is chosen at the Great Fire, a relatively massive event that involves gatherings of representatives from each clan at Star's Landing, and is held whenever the previous First Thane dies or abdicates. There they mourn the previous First Thane (if applicable), celebrate all that said individual accomplished that was good, and then hold competitions to see who the next one should be. These competitions can involve everything from tests of strength and wit to debates, haggling, and even seduction. The Great Fire has only three rules: First, the big fire that is lit on the first day is not allowed to go out. Second, no one is allowed to kill anyone even if their families are currently feuding. Finally, no one gets to go home until a new boss is named. While fun at first, the process of keeping the fire going becomes increasingly arduous and the pressure on everyone to compromise and settle on someone increases until eventually a successor is named, usually amidst a deal that no one is happy about but that everyone can live with. Originally, only the Thanes were allowed to participate in the Great Fire, but after the introduction of Eleftheria's democratic ideas, individual Thanes were chosen by their clans and sent multiple representatives to the Great Fire to vote on that as well. The result was more personal involvement from the population, even if indirect, it lead to better governance... to a point. As the Empire's territory continued to expand, even this became unwieldy, and now the Solais Empire follows a dynastic-style system of trained and appointed successors. Bloodline is irrelevant, but the First Thane is directly involved in choosing who the next one will be. The Great Fire, perhaps, might be used again in the event of a succession crisis, but for now it is a relic of the past.

    Spoiler: History
    Show
    The actual history of Clann Solais is distorted in the thousands of spoken iterations it has gone through, but the reality is that they survived the False Dawn due to a number of factors. There are traces of an older, possibly more advanced civilization in the area, but what lasted did so because the mountains formed a natural barricade to the worst of whatever wiped out so much else to the south while providing a defensible fallback against the beasts of the tundra and the other people who came from the north to take what the Children had, either from fear, desperation, or greed. This is not to say that the False Dawn didn't take a toll, though. More accurate or detailed records of their history are long gone, as is most of what they once were. They are faced with inhabited and resource-starved lands to the north and mountains that have remained impassible due to terrain to the south - and even if they could traverse the greatest peaks, there lurk the creatures that were not slain by heroes in ages past. Recent history, however, has seen new paths open up - around or perhaps even through the mountains. With enough effort and luck, perhaps the Children could start to explore their surroundings once more. The current First Thane certainly seems to think so...

    Spoiler: Religion: Siderealism
    Show
    Siderealism encompasses the mythology that replaced the history of Clann Solais. In an age of turbulence and a sky stained red, there were still tales of the stars, of lights in the sky that stood unwavering and returned year after year to serve as guides to the lost. It was said that the greatest of heroes stood among them, before the False Dawn, and that their beauty was unmatched, a standard of comparison to which all good things should be judged.

    In particular, eight heroes were etched in the heavens above, each leaving their wisdom for the Children to follow when the time was right. That time is now. The stars have returned, the constellations clearly displayed once more and reflected in the sacred waters at Star's Landing. The teachings, instilled at a young age and never forgotten, now take on a special significance:

    The Teaching of the Warrior - You will defend those weaker than yourself, for no one is strong at all times. Attempt at least one grand feat before you die.
    The Teaching of the Wanderer - You will undertake at least one grand journey in your life, for the world cannot be seen from a single point, no matter how high.
    The Teaching of the Craftsman - You will never cease learning or thinking. Always respect your teachers.
    The Teaching of the Priestess - You will understand that hypothetical virtue is meaningless. Failure to err is not success. Keep faith with these teachings.
    The Teaching of the Trickster - You will know that all is not as it seems, and seeming is not all there is. No one says what they mean, even if they mean what they say.
    The Teaching of the Druid - You will command when at your best and follow for the rest. A worthy leader is worth a mountain of treasure.
    The Teaching of the Beast - You will never forget that the only strength that matters is what is earned. A good thing that endures is better than a great thing that does not.
    The Teaching of the Seer - The future is not decided by a roll of the dice. It is the product of conscious decisions and plans set in motion.

    These things are always open to interpretation, of course, and upon the descent of the star known as the Heart of the Druid to Star's Landing, the line between them blurred further. These tenets have instead been absorbed into the Way of Eauden, which is currently the official religion of the Clans.

    Spoiler: Resources
    Show
    Star's End has an abundance of Glimmerwood for use and trade.
    The Highlanders need Oil for starting fires, preserving hides, religious ceremonies... they have many uses for it, but the animals of Star's End mostly lack the organs and fatty tissues needed to render it.

    Spoiler: Ruler
    Show
    Kylara the Ivyreach
    Diplomacy 7, Military 9, Opulence 9, Faith 7, Intrigue 10

    Record of Attribute Gains
    Turn 1: Military +1, Opulence +1
    Turn 2: Diplomacy +2
    Turn 3: Diplomacy +1, Military +1
    Turn 4: Military +1, Opulence +1
    Turn 5: Diplomacy +1, Military +1
    Turn 6: Military +1, Opulence +1
    Turn 7: Intrigue +2
    Turn 8: Diplomacy +1
    Turn 9: Diplomacy +2
    Turn 10: Intrigue +2
    Turn 11: Faith +1
    Turn 12: Military +2, Opulence +1 (Leader Change 12 -> 13)
    Turn 13: Diplomacy +2, Opulence +1
    Turn 14: Diplomacy +1, Military +1, Faith +1
    Turn 15: Diplomacy +1, Military +1, Faith +1
    Turn 16: Diplomacy +2, Military +1
    Turn 17: Faith +1, Intrigue +1
    Turn 18: Opulence +1, Intrigue +1
    Turn 19: Opulence +3
    Turn 20: Intrigue +1
    Turn 21: Faith +1, Intrigue +1
    Turn 22: Faith +1, Intrigue +1
    Turn 23: Faith +2
    Turn 24: Faith +2
    Turn 25: Military +1, Faith +1, Intrigue +2 (Leader Change 25 -> 26)
    Turn 26: Military +1, Intrigue +2
    Turn 27: Military +1, Opulence +2
    Turn 28: Diplomacy +1, Opulence +1, Faith +1
    Turn 29: Diplomacy +1, Military +1, Opulence +1
    Last edited by Jade_Tarem; 2021-09-20 at 11:54 AM.
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  3. - Top - End - #33
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    The Sewune of Gehudu


    Gehudu Forest
    Region 216


    People that fled underground when the disaster hit only emerged from their bunkers in recent times and were mostly unchanged apart from the growth of a sixth finger on each hand.

    Spoiler: Summary
    Show

    Region: Gehudu forest, ???
    Ruler: "King" Yorick II
    People: Human
    Resource: Sweet Droggen berries
    Required Resource: Metal
    Faith: Light of Elward

    Ruler stats:
    Diplomacy: 4
    Military: 3
    Opulence: 5
    Faith: 3
    Intrigue: 5



    Spoiler: Region
    Show

    The forest

    The Gehudu Forest was not always fertile land but it seems that even the most barren of lands can be cultivated given enough time and "fertiliser". What the Gehudu Forest once was people no longer really know but the stories tell of a place uninhabitable which made it so perfect for the shelters built below it. Surrounded by foothills on all sides only the passages in each cardinal direction are easy to traverse and make for natural choke points. The forest has a rich and diverse ecosystem that managed to flourish in peace with the protection of the natural boundaries the chain starts as always with the fresh grass, plants, berries and trees that are abundant in the area and makes it way up the food chain with boar, deer, pheasant and mice to the alpha predators that can be found in bears and cougars. The streams that flow down from the foothills provide clean(ish) drinking water with streams full of fish, frogs, mosquitoes and other small aquatic life. The people that settled in this region have a Capital in the centre surrounded by smaller settlements that have created farm lands and orchards.

    The hills

    When travelling up the foothills the weather quickly turns to snowstorms and most of the vegetation seen in the forest below disappears replaced by pine trees and small bushes providing only berries resistant to cold. The food chain turns simple up here the rabbits eat berries and the wolves eat rabbits known to travel all across the foothills the wolves own these lands never setting foot in the valley below making use of small rock outcroppings to traverse the natural passages in each cardinal direction. Standing on the top of the hills provide an excellent view of the surrounding regions and the valley below.

    The wastes

    Beyond the hills lies only barren wasteland as far as the eye can see. Lone trade routes have formed fanning out to the four winds the routes cannot be called maintained but traces of frequent travel along them keeps them clear to follow. The environment is harsh so the wildlife here has adjusted to the environment, while not all species have been discovered travellers often have to deal with giant scorpions and snakes while coming to or from the forest. The few scrubs that grow here have no right to and would only provide the smallest amount of sustenance for any desperate enough to eat them.


    Spoiler: People
    Show

    The Surface

    The Sewune people are humans that now call the Gehudu Forest home they have been left relatively unchanged apart from a sixth finger growing on each hand. This extra digit sprouting beside the little finger is fully functional and as one might imagine makes some tasks easier and others harder. The Sewune people are an agricultural civilisation that pride themselves in trade, quick to make contact with other tribes to share in the bounty the forest provides in exchange for resources it does not. Most of the populace works the fields harvesting weeds and fruits, the Droggen berries are unique to the region these red berries the size of a child's fist are incredibly sweet and their crimson juice is used in many of the alcoholic beverages throughout the kingdom.

    The country is led by "King" Yorick II. The people that live here have no taste for war and prefer to live out their lives in peace without the hassle of conflict. The king's family has been on the throne ever since the abandonment of the bunkers below and his current heir is his daughter Anivia who at the age of 16 already has the people's trust and admiration. The nobles that advise the king live spread throughout the forest representing the small settlements surrounding the capital of Edhonia. Below the nobles is the military while small in number it is their task to keep the peace and stand guard at the passages leading in and out of the valley a small company of soldiers patrols the foothills. Below the military are the common folk who live their lives tending fields or running shops; they have many professions as one would expect.

    The underground

    The official records show that the entrances to the bunkers were lost in landslides and other strange but believable incidents. The reality however is that in secret a shadow council remains within the bunkers controlling the king and his nobles and the choices they make from below the earth. This other side of the Sewune people is a hive of villainy and deceit that care not for the well-being of their fellow man and should another disaster hit they would close the doors to their safe bunkers and wait out another storm. The outside world does not know much about this underground civilisation if anything at all however if anyone paid close enough attention sometimes in a pub or random crossing in the streets they may hear people greet each other with "As below so above".


    Spoiler: History
    Show

    The ancestors to the Sewune people had the good sense to know a disaster would come eventually and spared no expense building bunkers in a remote location to make sure that they and their offspring could survive what was to come. Whether it was luck or wisdom it seemed they were proven right just not quite as early as they envisioned. When the bunkers were finally complete and stocked with provisions a small earthquake hit not enough to scare anyone really but the biggest contributors of the bunkers decided this was it and called for all that wanted refuge to come now or be sealed outside forever. Many responded to the call and while the population lost tracks of what happened outside their bunkers life within went on. Over the many years an hierarchy was established and a council ruled over the inhabitants. The rules established were simple: everyone had to work to maintain the bunkers, any criminal was given a choice exile or death and any dead were deposited above ground to be claimed by the wastes.

    At some point disaster did strike and the world did change forever and while the people lived in the bunker for many many years slowly the dead deposited above ground created enough fertiliser for life to grow anew. This was discovered when for the first time in many years a group of criminals chose exile and as they were dumped in the lift to the surface and the doors opened they were greeted by a new forest and not the wasteland that were supposed to be here. This group quickly set up camp and their leader Elward made sure that defences were in place. Over the years the camp grew in size and any new exiles were welcomed to join their group. As time went on the people in the bunker learned about the outside world when a door malfunctioned and opened up to the wastelands forest. The council was against people leaving claiming it not to be safe however the people were tired of their underground lives and most of them choose to make a living above ground.

    Over time the original camp became the Capital of Edhonia and Elward ruled as the king with his original group of exiles supporting him in the roles of nobles. With fair rule he established a country that was prosperous and peaceful and after having explored the entire valley he sent our scouts to the wastelands beyond to find trade routes. His family would take up the throne after him and rule for many years. As time progressed the people started hailing Elward as their saviour and a religious group grew revering him as a god.

    In the bunker the council that one's rules with absolute authority did not care much for this change and worked their hardest to regain influence over the people. It took years of planning and scheming but they were able to convince the populace that the bunkers were sealed off and lost forever while they secretly continued to use them as their base. With small acts of deceit, a friend here and a casual meeting there the council managed to get the children of Elwad and his nobles on side. Strengthening their influence with each generation the descendants of the council gained more and more control over the Kings and his Nobles to the point where the council were considered the real rulers by anyone high enough in the country. While the general public remained blissfully ignorant the council set up secret tunnels and a spy network to rule over them in the shadows.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show

    The Light of Elward is a religion that sprouted around the first king of the Gehudu forest. Its followers hail the king for guiding them out of the darkness and into the light of the sun. While worship is not enforced in any way many of the citizens follow this belief and leave tokens of gratitude to the forest and once a year celebrate with great bonfires so that the night can feel the light that Elward provides.

    The council does not follow this belief for obvious reasons however they do celebrate the holidays in their own way. Having realised that the sought after fruit the Droggen berries only grows because of the bodies that were deposited over the years they make sure that fresh fertiliser is provided on a regular basis. They use the priests of the light of Elward to explain the disappearances in the night and so far the populace seems to accept the explanations given.

    Holy Site: The doors of revelation. The doors that malfunctioned to reveal the outside world to the Sewune people have been converted into a holy site. While the entrance to the bunkers has long since been sealed off many pilgrims still gather here to honour the past and their guide to the light.


    Spoiler: Resources
    Show


    The forest has an abundance of fruits, vegetables and wildlife however unique to the region are the Droggen Berries. These berries are very popular due to their sweet taste and the fact they are excellent for creating alcoholic beverages.

    TP 1: The royal Orchard owned by the Sewune people
    TP 2: The western Orchard Open
    TP 3: The eastern Orchard Open

    Required resource: Metal
    While the forest and foothills provide an abundance of natural resources it appears no metal can be found in the area. The Sewune people have to import this to create their tools and weapons.

    Starting tech:
    Animal Husbandry: +1 to Opulence and Diplomacy exploration


    The Kywamma of the Lehydy Plains


    Lehydy Plains
    Region 215

    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    The Lehydy Plains start with barren lands in the west where it borders the Gehudu wasteland, however the further east one goes the more the land becomes lush and green until you meet the sea on the eastern coast. The landscape is dominated by tall grass and small hills with the occasional tree being spotted near one of the rivers that flow east.


    Spoiler: People
    Show

    The natives of the Lehydy Plains are the Kywamma, a bipedal species that resembles a gazelle. Standing one and a half meters tall with horns adding thirty centimetres to this on average. Their slender bodies are perfect for quick travel across the plains and while they have become the dominant species in the area their natural instinct to flee can still be seen when unexpected noises or movements are made. The average lifespan of the Kywamma is forty years with the oldest on record being seventy five.

    Kywamma settlements are concentrated around the rivers that flow through the land and seldom house more than one hundred people. The main source of food is the grass that grows abundantly on the plains with supplements of leaves from one of the trees on occasion. The time saved by not having to hunt for food is used to perfect their crafts and so the Kywamma are expert artisans mostly focused on weaving and clay sculpting.

    There existed no formal ruler of these lands and when the Sewune forces arrived the settlements accepted their rule without conflict. Their daily lives have not changed since the new leadership and continue to weave and sculpt daily. The only difference is that there is now a central market where these goods can be traded.


    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    The resource of the Lehydy plains are the Kywamma themselves. After the introduction to the other survivors in the surrounding areas some were eager to practise their weaving and pottery skills in other areas of the world.

    Artisans: Good

    TP1: SEW
    TP2: SIR


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    The Kywamma had no formal religion when first discovered by the Sewune however it did not take long for The Blemmyae to send over missionaries and spread Abiherism. Apart from a few murmurs in the population the conversion went on without a hitch.

    The Holy site is what is now known as the tree of ancestors, a large tree growing at the top of a small hill.

    HC: Abiherism



    Knycc Bmyehc
    Region 231

    Spoiler: Region
    Show

    A moderately cold climate that has been spared the majority of the chills from the south. Most of the region is covered in pine trees par the north west where on the shores of the lake plum plantations can be found.

    [The Center]

    Pine trees fill most of the region and the ground has little grass growing on it. Mushrooms can be found growing at the base of many of the trees. During the day Squirrels can be seen foraging for pine cones and burying them at the same time one might be lucky enough to see one of the eagles hunt the squirrels.

    [The North]

    The Northern reaches of the land slowly give way to wasteland as they come closer to the Gehudu Forest region. The newly planted Forest has not reached here yet and many creatures like Giant scorpions and Manticore roam this area.

    [The East]

    As one comes closer to the Lehydy Plains pine trees give way to grass these grassy plains and the wildlife that comes with it. Hares, pheasants and meerkats are just a few of these animals. Although trees become more scarces the further east one goes they are more abundant than in the neighbouring Lehydy Plains.

    [The South]

    The chill of the southern reaches are felt the further south one travels and the pine trees grow more dense than in the center of the region. Not much is known about this area as every explorer to have ventured this way is yet to return. Howls of unknown creatures can be heard.

    [The West]

    The proximity to the lake has made the western edge of the region more lush and house a higher variety of plants. The biggest thing of note are the plum plantations that have been created by the native humans. The many plum trees fill the horizon when one stands on one of the cliffs near the lake.



    Spoiler: People
    Show

    While the east is inhabited by a tribe of Kywamma that roam the lands on a continuous hunt most of the region is inhabited by a human tribe called the listeners. These listeners live in villages all around the region with the biggest concentration being in the west near the plum plantations. Their villages are rudimentary however serve the purpose of surviving in this climate. The culture seems to revolve around the growing and harvesting of plums which are left as offerings for their god.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show

    While the region holds no organized religion many of its inhabitants worship the Unseen Howl. The howls coming from the south have been a mystery for the natives for many years and while they could not find out what causes the howls they have learned how to appease the source. While in the past this unseen presence raided villages and pillaged their food stores after the listeners started leaving offerings of plums for this Unseen Howl the raids stopped.

    Holy Site: The site of offerings for the Unseen Howl has a shrine with large bowls at the bottom that are filled with plums each full moon.


    Spoiler: Resources
    Show


    Plums
    TP 1: The eastern shore plantations lies Open
    TP 2: The Western shore plantations lies Open
    TP 3: The Southern shore plantations lies Open


    Rufmehk Vunacd
    Region 232

    Spoiler: Region
    Show

    The plains in the north stretch on from the Lehydy Plains however the further south one goes the vast plains make way for tundra. The cold has penetrated the way of life in this region and many of the animals have adapted to this. While the region is mostly barren there is just enough vegetation for animals to survive which in turn creates room for predators to emerge. The main predator in this area are the wolves that roam in packs while the bottom of the food chain has the horned hare. The fields to the east and west have packs of wild asses that seem to escape the roaming wolves for reasons unknown.



    Spoiler: People
    Show

    The Lyheha that live in this region are a nomadic human tribe. They live off the land and follow the seasons as they travel from place to place. Their society runs off a bartering system that sometimes interacts with Kywamma to the north. Traveling on asses they manage to traverse the vast tundra and plains without much difficulty as they chase their prey and harvest from the scarce vegetation.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show

    The believe the wolf holds the balance of this place and worship the great wolf who watches over them all

    Holy Site: An altar has been constructed to resemble a Wolf standing above its kill. This altar is carried around on the back of four asses.


    Spoiler: Resources
    Show

    The regions resource are wild asses that roam the plains. They graze from the small amounts vegetation and most herds live a nomadic lifestyle following the sun around as the seasons change. Their main predators are the wolves that roam and while a lucky kick can kill one this is not the usual outcome of one of these encounters.

    TP 1: The eastern fields remain Open
    TP 2: The Western fields remain Open
    Last edited by Moriko; 2021-07-22 at 02:37 PM.
    Empire 4 played the Council of Jintha
    Empire 5 played the Empress of the Mier Formica
    Empire 6 played the Kingdom of the Sewune.
    Empire 7 Gm together with LapisCattis Empire 7: Into the Depths

  4. - Top - End - #34
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    RangerGuy

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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    The Brayewen Tribes
    Region 129, Braye


    Spoiler: Summary
    Show

    A small civilization of grey humans with a passion for arguments

    Resource: Grousse Shark
    Required Resource: Wood
    Starting Tech: Pottery


    Ruler: Thought King Kartoffel
    Description: Kartoffel is of short stature with a rounder face than most Braywenese. He is plump and enjoys having friendly discussions with his subjects over a pint of mead.
    Stats:
    Diplomacy:4
    Military:2
    Opulence: 4
    Faith:2
    Intrigue:1
    Rolls1
    One more
    Rerolled my second 1
    Trading Posts:




    Spoiler: Geography
    Show

    The region of Braye is a Rocky tundra with large hills and deep ravines. The landscape is mostly rock with patches of moss and shrubs that can survive the harsh winters. Braye has a very cold landscape, however the humidity moderates the temperature and the mid summer weeks are warm enough for residents to go without sweaters or coats. Throughout the region evidence of a great civilization is visible. The capital, Kleng, sits upon the ruins of a large castle, the King still resides within the castle however the walls are broken down and would provide no military protection.

    The capital, Kartoffel City sits on the ocean, right in the crevice between The Cliffs of Klammen. The Cliffs of Klammen are only 10 km apart near Kleng and the Ocean, however they expand to around 50 km in the center of the region allowing some farmland. An Aquifer runs between the cliffs of Klammen, allowing Kartoffel City and the main farming town, Baurenhaff, to get access to fresh water. Regions to the north and south use the fat from seals to heat water so it can be desalinated. Water is bought and sold at a premium in these regions which include all towns except Baurenhaff and Kartoffel City. The farmlands around Baurenhaff do not produce much grain, so the population lives off fish.

    The towns from north to south are: Reesen, Fësch, Kartoffel City, Bauerenhaff, and Terade.

    To the north of the region lay the broken paths. Once these paths were used by thousands, now they lay barren. Stabby stones rise out of the ground and the region is scattered with . If the region was once known, that knowledge is lost. Now only death himself walks these paths.

    In Braye, merchants always caravan by the marked roads lest they stray across the Eruungo. The people talk of the spirit Eruungo, it speaks in a tongue lost to time. Travelers claim they see a man lying on the ground with a severe injury begging for help, most leave him alone. The travelers that do help him are said to join his spirit army as he prepares to take his revenge on the living. Truth or not, travelers always get the same advice: Stay on the road, and don't help anyone you don't know.


    Map of Braye, Ignore the dark lines that go through the other territories and the orange dot


    Spoiler: People
    Show

    The people of Braye are human with gray skin and nearly white blonde hair. They glow faintly while communicating in any way, and presenting arguments causes them to glow like a small candle. Most of them have sharp pointed noses and faces. The common fashion is to keep their hair short and parted in the middle.

    Their culture revolves around discussion and arguments. Haggling is expected and the Braywenese never take anything at face value. If new knowledge is described the expected response is "Why?". The only one above these cultural rules is the Thought King. Anything the Thought King says is regarded as absolutely true. He can change truth as he sees fit. Arguments among natives nearly always use proofs based on the thought king's sayings or messages received by a group of people from Fraiheeto(see religion).

    The Thought King is picked from all children 6 years of age. Generally a backup is chosen when the next thought King is chosen and a true successor is picked only when the King reaches 50 years of age. The king is chosen by a round table of elders from every major city in the country(Reesen, Fësch, Kartoffel City, Bauerenhaff, Terade). The elders are mostly hereditary but the elder is basically whoever holds the most power in the city, the Thought King also has the ability to change elders to anyone else. Note that although King is used as title of the leader, the king is not always a man.


    Spoiler: History
    Show

    The Brayewen Tribes have been rebuilding since the False Dawn. The burns from the False Dawn seared the skin of all the Brayewen and large swaths of the population were culled. Houses caught fire, fishing nets were scorched and the already dwindling population turned on each other for food and shelter. During the chaos an earthquake ruptured the area now known as the Broken Paths, leading to even more calamity and devastation.

    Around 100 years ago, Schuel, the first Thought King was said to have received instructions from Fraiheeto to begin the reformation of the people. He was also told that the calamity was over and a new age was beginning.

    The next king was Fraen the bold. She was the daughter of Schuel. She established the council of elders based on Fraiheeto's instruction and allowed them to choose Kartoffel, the new king.


    Spoiler: Religion: Fraiheetism
    Show

    The Brayewen Tribes worship Fraiheeto as their God. She is the only one whose absolute truths transcend the truths from the Thought King. The Brayewen tribes claim that they hear her voice whisper truths and that upon receiving such a message it is the receiver's duty to share it with the tribe. There are small huts in the major towns where people will occasionally ask Fraiheeto for help by burning some vegetation in a clay bowl.

    The people believe that everything has a form. The bushes, animals, the sharks. They all have an essence that guides who they are. The essence of peoples is more complex and the essences of objects are simple. Through discussion the true form of each of these things is revealed and can be shared with all. The people that see these forms say that it's like coming out of a deep dark cave, and into the light for the very first time. Devout followers of Fraiheeto search for her form.


    Spoiler: Resources
    Show

    Braye is in dire need of wood. Trees don't grow naturally in this region and the fishing business requires wood to make rafts for the fisherman.

    The main resource of Braye is Grousse shark. These sharks swim frequently in the ocean near Braye, the fishers will use smaller fish as bait and nets to catch the Grousse shark. The shark skin absorbs light, and releases it over an extended period of time. The people of Braye will leave the skins outside during the day and bring them in for light at night. The shark is seen on the Brayewen Flag and it is also used for food.
    Last edited by m9p909; 2020-09-07 at 12:52 PM.

  5. - Top - End - #35
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Lady Serpentine's Avatar

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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers


    The Naherin Coalition
    Xehra Tzkepte

    Spoiler: Ruler Stats
    Show
    Diplomacy: 1
    Military: 5
    Opulence: 5
    Faith: 4
    Intrigue: 3


    Spoiler: Summary
    Show
    A recently unified land, born of a bloody war. Whether it stands or burns, only time can say.


    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    The land held by the Naherin is surprisingly kind, for Sikar. Considering that the border to the south and west is dominated by a harsh desert primarily broken by springs of explosive liquid and deep rifts in the earth that show no sign of filling up no matter how much sand the land above pours down their gaping throats, this says something about what Sikar is like - though in the area's defense, that is the reason that their border lies where it does. This section does have its uses, though... Assuming that one can find workers to exploit them and keep enough of them alive to do so, anyway. Most notably, the great gorge surrounded by a network of bloodfire springs that is known as the Wound lies in the desert here, just near enough to more tolerable climes that a brave and prepared band can recover enough for small-scale use and have a bit left over for internal trading.

    Unfortunately that quantity is more or less useless for anything else. As such, the new ruler has recently mounted an expedition into the desert in an attempt to set up a more permanent camp at the Wound - she has plans, and she needs something to trade for those plans to come to be. The fact that such a camp will need a constant influx of bodies and supplies is of little concern to her, for she has ample flesh throw into the desert's hungry maw, and her lands can afford to send the food, building materials, and most particularly water, that is required.

    Fortunately for those dwelling here, however, those barren and torn lands do slowly give way to a broad and hilly grassland dotted with trees; here in the nameless heart of their lands, the better part of their population has lived since the False Dawn, communities forming around the springs and rivers. A few herds of wild horses roam these plains, but - while welcomed for the meat they provide, when they can be hunted - the clans here have never managed (or bothered) to tame them. The most notable landmark here is far more recent, however; the ruins of several towns surround a great open pit mine, where copper and stone alike are pulled from the ground and sent north.

    The northeast, where that stone goes, is dominated by the coast. However, it also holds the only forests anywhere in the vicinity, even when taking into account what lies outside their borders; the trees that freckle the grassy plains grow denser as one moves towards the sea, melding together to form a dense band of jungle that is thickest around the lake, but covers more or less the entire coastline. It also holds the oldest settlements in the area, one of which is what would, in a later time, be considered the capital city, a place named Txalitya. Besides being notable as the seat of the self-proclaimed ruler, and the heart of her power, it also holds the best shipyard in the region (and one of the few in the entirety of Sikar).


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    Those who live in the region can be split into three main groups. The first, and most populous, are the Naherin themselves - mostly human in appearance, their skin ranges from a dull and ashen gray to a rich brown. Their features are not quite what one might expect from normal humans, however, tending towards a striking and faintly inhuman beauty - though sometimes more obvious features present themselves: a scattering of scales most often hidden beneath clothing, dead black eyes with no visible white, or pointed teeth. These features are particularly prominent near the coast, where they have had the least chance to mingle with others; the further inland one goes, the nearer to a normal human appearance they are likely to possess. The second - though this categorization is a formality - are the humans. Firmly Naherin culturally, no distinction is made by either group; it is not their fault that they arrived in the wake of the goddess's retreat and so did not share in her blessing - and besides, the two are rather heavily intermingled, to the point that it is impossible to tell the difference unless there are obviously unusual features to judge by, save that the far southeast shows some cultural influence from the Ashir.

    The third group is the Night Elves. They, however, are more complicated.

    Until ten years ago, the various Naherin settlements were largely peaceful - they were, however, also not in the least unified save by a common culture and did not consider themselves a single nation. Instead, each settlement was more or less a clan in itself (with a few more prosperous exceptions). This was when Xehra Tzkepte rose to power - and where her father had seen a pleasant status quo to be maintained, she saw opportunity. She gathered a few other clans as allies, bought with promises of power and wealth, and set out conquering; the fighting was long and bloody, especially after the initial surprise faded and other groups began to form their own alliances. Nevertheless, after the better part of six years (the first four having been spent solidifying her power and gathering those she needed to make her ambitions a reality), she had won - and now had to decide what to do with it.

    This brings us back to the Night Elves. Previously so rare as permanent residents as to be dismissed entirely, Xehra bought the services of an entire clan, employing them as raiders and assassins to take advantage of their ability to operate in the dark.... And she seems to have no intention of dismissing them, either, leading to whispered questions about what she continues to need their services for. They have not yet been employed since the end of the war (at least not in any way that has been noticed) - but recent construction indicates they may be rather more of a permanent fixture than her other allies thought.

    Societally, the Naherin are currently undergoing a massive upheaval as they shift from small communities to a single centralized government. The transition is not smoothed by the massive bloating of the slave class, which previously existed, but was primarily used after minor skirmishes where prisoners were taken. Those slaves were usually traded for, and in many cases they were never put to work because negotiations began immediately. This new form, however, offers both little recourse and a massive expansion of the numbers both proportionately and in terms of the raw number of people enslaved, with some entire settlements having been claimed as a punishment for particularly fierce resistance. As for whether or not this can be recovered from... That remains to be seen.


    Spoiler: Resources and technology
    Show
    The most important export of the Naherin is a strange, viscous, red liquid that they call bloodfire. Supposedly the blood of their goddess, its origin is less important than the effects of it - violently explosive in its raw form, it can be refined into a shockingly efficient fuel, hot-burning and capable of fueling large fires for much longer than should be possible. Until recently it has been largely unexploited, used in small quantities as fuel and in certain religious rites, but the new ruler means to change this - whether or not any of it makes it past the borders.

    Required resource: The Naherin's lands unfortunately have little in the way of pure trade goods - or decorations appropriate to the tastes of their more ostentatious nobility. While they are clever workers of bone, stone, copper, and wood, such things simply are not suitable for some uses, and they are currently seeking a source of precious metals.

    Starting technology: Sailing. (Enables exploration and troop transport over deep water.)


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    The faith of the Naherin is a fractured thing, no two groups agreeing on the details of it. The broad strokes, however, are fairly universal - they were shaped of flame and metal by a great goddess (who is called by a variety of names), scaled and winged, who served as their protector for many generations. Here is where stories begin to diverge, however; while most agree that she was wounded at the time of the False Dawn by another god and forced to retreat lest she be struck down after the surprise attack, the reason for her accompanying them to this land is... Less than clear, considering they fiercely maintain that they are not from the area. The two most common theories are that they were setting out to avenge some forgotten wrong (though none can say against who, given the way that the False Dawn blew all astray) or that a large portion of their people fled a nameless danger, perhaps even some foreknowledge of the False Dawn itself. Regardless, they believe that her blessing is the reason that they made it here as unharmed as they did, and while she has not appeared in physical form in living memory, they hold that their rites have as much power as ever.

    The branch practiced by Xehra Tzkepte and those who follow her is a particularly bloody one, fond of elaborate (if to now infrequent) sacrifices of one sort or another. Of course, only time can tell if her views will spread, or if she will instead be forced to moderate them to maintain her rule - and if she will do so if presented with that choice, for she is a devout believer in her particular form of worship. Whatever the case may be, however, she currently serves as the foremost religious authority as well as the ruler, though some are beginning to mutter darkly that she ought to give up one mantle or another.

    Holy Site: Txalitya Temple

    Xehra's rule is too recent for her to have built a great temple, yet; she is still handling more pressing practical concerns. As such, she conducts her rites in the same large stone building that her clan has used for generations, albeit somewhat expanded with additional side-buildings and a few extra rooms to account for the glut of resources her recent conquest has granted her.

  6. - Top - End - #36
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    HalflingPirate

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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    The Anbroch Houses
    Spoiler: Kincany- Region 198
    Show
    A fertile Jungle region controlled by Dwarven migrants at the mouth of the great Kiswan rivers.

    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    The western border of Kincany was defined by the mouth of the mighty Sur river and the sea, while its southern border lay on the Erapira river. The northern part of this country was also the beach of the peninsula, while the eastern border was constantly shifting as skirmishes with peoples inland went well or poorly.

    The rock of the Kincany inland was young, rough and porous. Tunnels snaked their way under the ground in a massive maze, and large bats and other monsters inhabited them. The Anbroch dwarves settled around the entrances to these tunnels, forming village communities that connected to their holdings underground.

    On the surface, Kincany was a veritable paradise of food for those who knew where to look. Among many other fruits Coconuts, Tomatoes, and Figs were all common fare. Old Luthrail gardens and young Anbroch ones could be found by wandering meandering paths through the jungle, and due to the lack of winter some fruits could be harvested all year long.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The Anbroch Dwarves of Kincany stood far shorter than the average human, typically between 3 and 4 feet in height. However, they weighed about the same amount, and could usually exceed their taller counterparts in brute strength. They were hairy, and their women could grow beards to rival those of their men, though both men and women preferred to remain clean shaven as a mark of their adulthood.

    The Anbroch’s eyes glowed when illuminated in a dark area, and they possessed exceptional vision in Darkness, preferring to work during the night and sleep during the day. This was one of their greatest advantages against the Luthrail people in their home region, who had difficulty defending themselves against Anbroch raids in the deep dark of the Jungle night.

    The Anbroch were dominated by noble families which called upon the loyalties of their “partisans” for labor. A dwarf born a partisan was bound to the family that they served, and these loyalties survived long after the dwarves fled the mythical mountains of the south. Through service, particularly in battle, a skilled partisan could hope to earn membership in the Family, though this was a privilege rarely granted among the Ambroch. The noble families were each led by a Matriarch and a Patriarch, passed on through the male line, and the children of partisans were bound to the same family as their parent of the same gender. All the Ambroch were expected to wear the pattern of their noble house somewhere on their body, though shortages of cloth often led to solutions via face and body paint. Typical Anbroch surface garb was adopted from the Luthrails and included a grass or coconut fiber skirt, with a shawl or fur poncho on the upper body to deflect rain and protect against biting insects.

    Anbroch society followed strict but shifting gender roles. According to the old tales, the male Anbroch had always had the responsibility of mining, while the women’s duty was trading the profits to provide food for their family. In Kincany this meant that the men were usually away from the surface for days or weeks at a time, fighting with each other and exploring for rich tunnels to harvest Guano, Copper, and Obsidian from. Male children were taken into the tunnels at an early age to be trained for life in the tunnels, and men and women met seldom, usually at dances and other festivals, where marriages might be arranged.

    While the products of the mens’ labours were valuable trading goods, their wives and daughters on the surface contributed far more to their people’s survival. The only representatives of the dwarves on the surface, they traded, warred, and learned how to farm the Jungle from the Luthrails. Noblewomen on the surface took up new titles borrowed from the men such as Warlady and Battlemistress and conducted raids and small wars on still independent Luthrail bands and each other, while partisan women and slaves grew the tomatoes, bought the fish, and trapped the game that fed the men in the tunnels.

    Spoiler: History
    Show
    he Anbroch dwarves always claimed to have come from somewhere in the mountains to the south, though the civil war that drove them from the mountains and down the Sur river was not so fresh in their memory as what happened to them in Troll Country. They claimed that upon arrival in Surriv, as is was then known, they were welcomed by the elves there and though times were lean worked together to scrape enough food from the river and the wilds. The only price that the elves asked for this was a bridge built to the opposite side of the Sur. The Dwarven storytellers tended to trail on for a bit in this section, detailing the elves’ piteous requests and many compliments they paid to the Dwarves’ architectural genius. Regardless, their ancestors acquiesced, and began building a mighty bridge to cross the raging Sur river, at that time much more furious than it is today. It is to the construction of this bridge the dwarves attribute the awakening of the Trolls that Troll Country is known for today. The trolls emerged from the water, eating Dwarves, elves, and all else that got in their way. Terrified of these second new arrivals, the elves betrayed their friends and offered the dwarves in their villages as livestock for the monsters’ feast. Only the bravest and strongest Dwarves fought their way out of their betrayers’ villages and past the marauding monsters to continue their journey north on land. Anbroch storytellers also tended to go into exquisite detail upon which of their ancestors was among this bunch, and their deeds of valor and retribution in the flight. Eventually, losses to the heat and disease of the jungle forced the survivors to settle on the patch of jungle and coastline they called Kincany.

    Kincany was of course not uninhabited either. The local Luthrail people tended not to be particularly pleased at warbands of ragged dwarves setting up in their territory. Though some accommodations were reached, most of the Anbroch families had to earn their place in Kincany by fighting the Luthrails for pieces of the jungle. Over time, the Dwarves tended to take the high ground and tunnel access points, while the Luthrails were pushed northwards to the coast. As time went on, a moderately stable trade interspersed with occasional bouts of violence developed, the Luthrails supplying the Anbroch with fish and goods from the ocean in exchange for guano and tools.



    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    Resource: Guano
    Required Resource: Dye

    Guano, the dung of bats and other cave monsters, was the primary surplus resource produced by the Anbroch in Kincany. The Anbroch believed that giving it to their crops made them produce more fruit, and that it had certain medicinal properties as well.

    The Anbroch had a large demand for dye, since both partisans and nobles were expected to wear the signature pattern of their noble family.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show

    Holy Site: The long path. Religion: Loren Worship
    A particularly dangerous and winding route through the lava tunnels under Kincany, the long path went from the banks of the Erapira to the sea in the north. It was loosely marked by statues of the god Loren, and earnest pilgrims were expected to walk it while trading gossip with miners in the tunnels as a way of earning Loren's favor. Those who completed the journey were generally considered blessed, and may be called upon by their noble family as an advisor. Men would often be called to serve on the surface, and women below ground, as experts on the affairs of the other portion of Kincany.

    The patron deity of the Anbroch, Loren, was worshipped by nearly all of the dwarves, and some of the Luthrails as well. A bearded figure, none of the dwarves were quite sure what Loren’s gender was, and most sculptures and idols were made so as to leave some abiguity. Loren was a god of rumors and gossip, and rumors were considered to have a life of their own as Loren’s servants in the world. An Anbroch who conducted their holy rites properly and appeased Loren was said to be blessed by gossip about their good virtue, could smite their enemies with devastatingly embarrassing rumors, and would always be up to date on the latest news both from the tunnels and the surface.
    Last edited by Potato_Priest; 2020-07-27 at 02:57 AM.
    Quote Originally Posted by No brains View Post
    See, I remember the days of roleplaying before organisms could even see, let alone use see as a metaphor for comprehension. We could barely comprehend that we could comprehend things. Imagining we were something else was a huge leap forward and really passed the time in between absorbing nutrients.

    Biggest play I ever made: "I want to eat something over there." Anticipated the trope of "being able to move" that you see in all stories these days.

  7. - Top - End - #37
    Dwarf in the Playground
    Join Date
    May 2015

    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    The Sands of Shá
    Region 307, Sikar

    Geography
    Spoiler
    Show

    Hot. Dry. Parched and dying. The weak perish under the gaze of the sun. Yet the strong prevail. Life is harsh among the desert sands that sweep the land of Shá burying all that is untended in their endless grains. Yet where life perseveres, where strength overcomes weakness in unity and fortitude, the sands are kept at bay. Within Shá the epicenter of this defiance of the desert lies at Dzah a mighty town of warriors and merchants guided by the wizened minds of Rvered Elders sun-touched with the knowledge of the earthly and heavenly realms.

    Dzah is the only permanent settlement in Shá an assemblage of stone and bones erected in defiance of the cleansing desert sands. At the center of Dzah lays a carefully constructed and well maintained temple, the Solstice Solarium, used to track the astrological movements of the sky. An elaborate calendar system updated regularly within acts as record keeper for the major tribal accomplishments of the past as well as font of prophecy for the future. Only the three oldest Revered Elders reside permanently in the Solarium with adults of decreasing age living further from the city center.

    Aside from the city of Dzah and the shifting sands there exists one other major feature of the region, the Shining Foothills from which great deposits of gold are extracted for trade and barter within and without the Sands. No particular individual or tribe holds absolute dominion over the Foothills themselves and inter-regional conflict often extends from disputes over the mining claims of rival factions. Still, the hills are rich in their abundance and so far it has remained possible for rival groups to find enough sites to extract the metal.


    History & Government
    Spoiler
    Show

    It is said that in ancient times, before the False Dawn, Dzah was one of many such towns within the Red Sands. Impressive but of no great importance to the ancient inhabitants of the desert lands. Yet even before the Red Years scoured the earthly realm it played host to those who recognized divinity in the True Sun even as others squabbled over worship of the lunar feylord or ascription of ancestors to the nighttime stars. When the False Dawn came it scoured these heresies and destroyed many towns and ancient cities yet Dzah persevered. This perseverance was attributed to the Revered Elders and their devotion to worship of the Sun as supreme Godhead of the Heavens even when the False Dawn threatened to smother the Sun beneath its red haze.

    Dzah and therefore the Sands of Shá more widely is led by a Council of Revered Elders, a multi-tiered gerontrocracy headed by the three eldest Revered Elders who make the major decisions for the tribe. In times of crisis past the Council has invested its authority in a singular non-Elder, often a warrior of great renown, as a temporary measure intended to allow more rapid response to pressing issues that cannot afford to be contemplated at length. However the appointment of a Solardictus is seen as an option of last resort and not to endure overlong. The eldest of the Council of the Revered Elders acts as Mouthpiece of the Council and given the frailties of old age this can often mean relatively brief tenures among Mouthpieces and entire Councils can be reshaped in a decade with only the youngest member from a decade prior enduring to act as Mouthpiece meaning attempts to ingratiate oneself with the Council can be difficult to maintain.


    People
    Spoiler
    Show

    The people of the Sands of Shá are red-skinned humans although their skin is truly and not hyperbolically red. Varying in shades from hot pink to cherry red there is a possibility the tribes of Shá have mixed heritage outside mainstream humanity but for all intents and purposes they appear to be human. The people of Shá dress in white loose fitting short open chested tunics leaving their legs, arms, and torso to be exposed to the holy sun. Sunburn is unknown to the tribes of Shá, a quirk of their dermatological mutation, although reddening of the skin in the form of tanning does occur. Tribal members who roam the foothills often dress more practically for work with longer robes intended to protect them from the hazards of the wastes. Less clothing and more jewelry of gold are signs of opulence and the Council of Revered Elders are often naked or wear nothing more than loin cloths accompanied by golden necklaces, earrings, headbands, and other forms of opulent jewelry.

    The people, or tribe, or Shá divide themselves by familial bonds into Clans. A society that values age above all things there is no strict division based on patriarchy or matriarchy but rather based on seniority. The elder partner in a relationship absorbs the younger into their clan. This often does result in male dominated clans but it is not always so. The clans tend to flourish more rapidly in Dzah itself though a small number of clans have chosen to remain isolated from the affairs of the city retaining some level of greater independence in their hamlets among the sand.


    Resource
    Spoiler
    Show

    Gold - Valued for both its beauty and religious significance as repository of sunlight gold is harvested extensively from the Shining Foothills. Conflicting claims pepper the region's deposits but among them three clans stand supreme.

    Y'ta Ashdla - One of the largest clans in Shá and Dzah itself the Y'ta Ashdla have long paid homage to the city of Dzah in the form of gold tributes and have been rewarded with a near constant presence among the upper echelons of society. (SHA)

    Y'ta Hastiin - Second only to Y'ta Ashdla in size of their clan Y'ta Hastiin has never been as comfortable with the political patronage to Dzah and maintains a looser hold in the capital. Still, their influence can be felt among the smaller villages and roaming traders who know and respect their clan for fair dealing even outside officially legal channels. (Open)

    Y'ta Tó - In truth a recent amalgamation of two more minor clans Y'ta Tó is quickly proving itself an ambitious clan in the arena of gold mining. While willing to bow their heads and praise the Sun members of this clan are more interested in expanding trade opportunities beyond the insulation of Dzah-ruled Shá than they are in merely joining the internal struggle for power within the region. (Open)

    The dry sands provide enough sustenance for Dzah and the roaming tribes but little exists naturally in the way of herds or large animals. The desire to import beasts of burden to lighten the load and provide more meat is near universal among the people of Shá and the provision of such beasts would elevate the status of leadership who provided such creatures to an idolized state.


    Faith
    Spoiler
    Show

    Path of the True Dawn - The Revered Elders of Dzah believe the Sun is a physical representation of the primary deity invested in the health and survival of righteous and strong peoples. While the Sun was a harsh judge and disciplinarian it is equally a valiant warrior who fights on behalf of it's adherents in the struggles of the heavens above. While not infallible the Sun seeks to administer justice and build strength through adversity for not only itself as Godhead but also for those who follow its tenets. Often portrayed as a warrior or emperor-judge with a head of fire the Sun acts as a seal of power and authority with its iconography limited in endowment to those who have proven themselves righteous and valiant leaders capable of just and fair rule. It is believed the Sun bestows fractions of its godly knowledge to mortals in two ways: One through time and exposure, with elders exposed to the Sun's light gaining prestige with age and the tanning of their skin, and the other through prophesied and unpredictable acts empowering mighty heroes with divine power.

    It is believed the False Dawn was an incursion by a rival malicious god seeking to destroy the Sun and all it had grown through careful cultivation on heaven and earth. While the False Dawn, also refereed to as the Red Star, won many battles against the Sun in the end it was the Sun who emerged victorious in its war casting out the false light and reclaiming its imperial throne in the heavens. The day the False Dawn ended is celebrated as a holiday throughout the Sands of Shá.

    While the Path of the True Dawn worships the Sun as the imperial Godhead of the universe it is not strictly monotheistic recognizing both the Red Star of the False Dawn as a malicious competitor to the Sun as well as recognizing the Moon as a god-like being albeit one of far lesser power and far less interest in defending or treating fairly with the mortal realm. The Moon is seen as a trickster being, fading in an out of its heavenly role to serve other ends in faraway realms unknown to mortals. Occasionally portrayed as both lover and sibling to the Sun the Moon is believed to pursue inscrutable ends and while treatise with the Moon is not portrayed as vicious betrayal of the Sun as consorting with the Red Star might be it is common in tales of Moon worship that the mortal who engages with the flighty lunar body often is tricked or deceived in some way through their interaction with the night sky's protector. It is possible other gods could be found in the heavens but none would be likely to usurp the central place of the Sun for the followers of the True Dawn.

    The other stars observed at night are believed to be fractured pieces of the Sun itself scattered across the Heavens to engage in war against the Red Star and its allies as well as to harvest of heavenly mana from the far places. Astronomy remains rudimentary although some observations have prompted the discussion of possible minor gods represented in non-star heavenly bodies, though whether benevolent, malevolent, or neutral remains unsettled.


    Technology
    Spoiler
    Show

    Pottery +1 Buyouts

  8. - Top - End - #38
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    DoomHat's Avatar

    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Austin Tx

    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    The
    Thunderpeople


    Geography: Sikar #275 "Thundermark"
    Spoiler
    Show

    At the southeastern edge of Sikar lies a hunted ruin which the golden lions seem to forsake. Once the opulent capital of a mighty seafaring kingdom, its old name is now forgotten, and its glorious remnants crumble and rot in the unnatural fog that roils in from the blighted sea.

    Half shattered temples and statues to forgotten kings and heroes litter the landscape, fading echoes of the Before Times. At the heart of the territory, those ruins give way to eerie new monuments. Towers of unworked stone, bound in a crude mortar, and decorated in arcane patterns with the bones and hide of blightspawn.

    There is no immediate sign of habitation, save the figures skulking at the edges of your vision, watching you. You can hear the faint sound of drums, growing louder.



    People:
    Spoiler
    Show
    Bang the war drum to begin the hunt! Bang the festival drum to begin the harvest! Bang the mourning drum to subdue the hungry dead! Thunderpeople flourish in the blight-time, because the earth can hear our pulse, and the sky fears us!

    Thunderpeople, powder your body with corpse ash so no wicked thing leeches into your skin. Thunderpeople, put on your spidersilk robe, honor the tender care of its making. Thunderpeople, put on your blightspawn hide and bone, for it is armor and signs of honor, earned in The Hunt.

    Thunderpeople, do not defy your warchief in times of hunting and crisis, for the sky drives man and beast to madness, and we must move as one at the sound of the warchief’s drum.

    Thunderpeople, do not defy your mosschief in matters of bed and ration, for thunder people live below the ground. Thunderpeople, eat of your farmed mushrooms and crawling things, and see by the glow of moss light. Thunderpeople, spurn a badly dug hall, for they collapse, slaying tribes, and adding to the hungry dead.

    Chiefs of the Thunderpeople, do not defy your Highchief, lest the bonds that bind the tribes be broken, and all the world falls to despair.


    Resource: Blightspawn Trophies
    Spoiler
    Show
    The Thunderpeople are avid blightspawn hunters and trappers. Their region is rife with blightspawn, and the local culture is obsessed with tracking, studying, and dismantling them. The practice of wearing and trading blightspawn trinkets is so ubiquitous blightspawn bone is practically the local currency.

    TP1 [Thunderpeople]: Red Spiral Tribe
    The Mosschief of the Red Spirals once did a terrible mischief to the current Highchief’s grandfather. The mischief must never be spoken of, but the penance is eternal. The Red Spirals offer blight tribute only to the High Chief now.

    TP2 [Unowned]: Yellow Square Tribe

    TP3 [Unowned]: Green Fang Tribe


    Required Resource: Foodstuffs

    Faith: Red Sky Hunting
    Spoiler
    Show

    Holysite: The Highchieftain's Hall
    At the time of the red stain first fading from the sky, the spiritual beliefs of the Thunderpeople were simply a loose collection of superstitions. The most consistent of which being…

    The Hungry Dead:
    It is believed that should someone die an ‘unworthy’ death, their unsatisfied spirit becomes trapped in the mortal world, craving a fulfillment they can never achieve. This craving, without fail, drives them to wickedness. Almost all forms of disease and bad fortune are blamed on the hungry dead. Some shamen even insist that blightspawn themselves are ancient hungry dead, who’s pain and wickedness have congealed over time into a new physical form.
    The Thunderpeople always cremate corpses as soon as possible, for fear that the body will soon rise again, possessed by a hungry dead longing to return to a physical form.

    Worthiness and The Hunt:
    There is one sure way to escape the unworthiness that leads to becoming one of the hungry dead. Only hunting blightspawn brings worthiness. One does not need to participate directly in The Hunt to earn worthiness. When you provide care and good tools to a hunter, they go out into the sky-touched world carrying your spirit with them.
    Wearing armor and trinkets from slain blightspawn shows your worthiness, for you must have hunted a blight spawn, or received it in gratitude from a mighty hunter who benefited from your care.

    The disappearance of the red stain from the sky has been regarded as a sign of ill portent by the Thunderpeope’s shamans. The Thunderpeople have proven themselves mighty under the red stain sky, so the shamans say. The blightspawn are plentiful, and so the hunts mighty. The Thunderpeople have proven strong and worthy under the red sky, what is to become of them now that the Mighty Dawn has expired? Will there be no more blightspawn? Will the Thunderpeople no longer be worthy?

    Is it the task of the Thunderpeople to bring about a second Mighty Dawn? Or do the Thunderpeople have some new destiny, yet unimagined?


    Starting Technology: [Masonry: +1 to resist Raids and Sacks]

    Spoiler: First Ruler
    Show

    Highchief Orgo
    "HE IS WORTHY! HE IS WORTHY! In his right hand, a spear of Blightbone, held above you! In his left hand, a cup of root wine, extended graciously. He is life! He is death! Upon his back is the pelt of Once Immortal Blood Maw, the blight that slew many hunters before meeting with Orgo's spear! HE IS WORTHY! ai ai HE IS WORTHY!"


    Game History
    Round 1
    Round 2
    Last edited by DoomHat; 2020-08-06 at 04:48 AM.
    ...with a vengeance!

  9. - Top - End - #39
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    Chimera

    Join Date
    Sep 2018

    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    The Fffolkkk

    The Sand Reefs
    Region 266

    Summary:
    A barren land bordered by high mountains and the sea, its people spend their days trading valuable food for even more valuable minerals and fresh water.
    Resource: Kelp Olive (oil)
    Required Resource: Corrosion-resistant metals (copper)
    Starting Tech: masonry
    Spoiler: information
    Show

    Spoiler: Geography
    Show

    The sand reefs is a region wedged between the sea to the south and impassible obstacles to the east (The Halls of Dawn mountains) and west (the Swift Channel). Because of its orientation, most of the rainfall is blocked by the mountains. The numerous small streams pouring down from the snowcapped peaks carve and wind their way through a small region of canyons before evaporating on the sandy plains before reaching the ocean. The ocean beyond the plains is shallow for a great distance, and dotted with numerous reefs, rocky outcroppings, and larger islands capped with ruins. Cutting through the reefs are deep, steep, drop-offs through which strong, cold ocean currents stream through.

    The Maze, as it is called, contains a fair amount of scrub, trees, and small animals and birds. But the sandy desolation between the Maze and is devoid of both water and food. In the ocean, the reefs are packed with a massive variety of ocean life, and the deep troughs are lined with kelp-olive.
    Weather on the sand reefs is hot and dry during the day, and cool-almost cold at night. The sands do little to store heat, and actually reflect it up onto anything crossing the barren lands. Rain is almost non-existent.

    At first, signs of habitation seem almost absent as well. Travelers through the Maze will find caves with stores of wood and pots of oil, rock walls turning outcroppings into small dwellings, and the occasional small dam to create pools of clean water. Along the coast, rafts can be spotted in great numbers. At night, their owners congregate and tie up to the outcroppings or along the shores. Each day, they set out to a new place, so permanent villages are not found.

    In between the Maze and the sea, on the desolate sand reefs, the inhabitants build large, stacked-stone round forts, open to the sky. Inside are sheltered areas for sleeping and food storage, and a large firepit. Many of these seem to be abandoned, others strongly guarded by a pair of the land’s inhabitants. In addition to these temporary places, however, 3 cities exist- Krooonla, Terrrlotlotlot, EEEyup, and Qu. Intricate stonework, held together without binder, rise from the sandy ground high enough to hold back the wind-blown sand. Inside, the stone has been carved deep into the ground, with numerous stairwells and landings, in an inverted pyramid shape. At the bottom, a pool of cool, clean water is to be found. These stepwells, carved over generations, host the only permanent settlements.

    Spoiler: people
    Show

    The natives of the Sand Reefs call themselves simply the Fffolkkk. They are a race of bipedal turtle-folk. Some outlanders believe there are 2 “species” of Fffolkkk, and they are content to let them believe it. Both are bipedal turtles standing between 6-8 feet tall, weighing between 4-600 lbs. They have no hair, and eye color from lightest yellow to darkest brown. Their voices naturally are pitched so low normal humans would struggle to hear it. They can speak the common trade language only by forcibly pitching their voices into a falsetto. They wear no clothing, but favor woven harnesses and belts with numerous pouches and sacks. The harnesses are adorned with numerous soapstone cameos, as discussed below. They also have a passion for both wide-brimmed hats and mother-of-pearl jewelry. But beyond that, there are two very different “species”.

    One “species” is largely gray / brown in color, with large trunk-like 3 toed feet, wide-domed shells, and gnarled clawed hands with 3 mutually opposable digits. This group spend their days traversing the desert between the mountains and the shore. They can keep pace with walking human, but have no ability to run. Oddly, they can travel for days on end, entering a trance-like state equivalent to sleeping while plodding along. One strange quick is that they are able to drink vast amounts of water and store it, then excrete it through special protrusions of their shell.

    The other “species” are tinged blue/gray/green in various colors, with sleek, longer arms with webbing between their fingers. Their legs are longer and flatter, and their shells more streamlined. Not as well versed to land, they are slower and more ungainly when walking. They spend most of their time in the sea, farming and fishing. Air breathing, they can hold breath for nearly an hour. They also seem to sense ocean currents, and drift along them in a similar state to their land-born versions.

    But the truth is even stranger. These are actually the female and male version of their sexually di-morphic species. The males taking to the water and females to the land. The women travel back and forth, bringing fresh water, fruits, and wood down to shore. Men catch fish, and tend kelp-olive forests. They meet in the cities to exchange goods, then return to their native lands.

    The Fffolkkk identify each other by a first name, and the unique patterns in the shells on their backs. No two patterns are identical. Each Fffolkkk use soapstones from the mountains to carve images of their shell markings. Each child receives one from mom and dad, and they trade with their siblings. More are created and traded throughout their lives. The exchange of the cameos is an important sign of trust and friendship, and not done casually. They wear the marks of their friends proudly on their harnesses. It is said that you can know someone by their friends, and that is never truer than with the Fffolkkk.

    Mating is done once, and it is a ten-year process. Fffolkkk meet, agree to mate, and travel out into the sands to build and provision a home. Once their home is built, they pair will never again leave it, even for a single day. So, such homes are jealously guarded and heavily provisioned. In their home, they have a clutch of eggs and protect them as they develop over a 6-month period. After the children hatch, they spend the next four to six years teaching their children the basics of life. By six, the children are ready to face the world, and the parents are exhausted. Typically, it is the death of the parents that cause the children to leave. The homes are abandoned, often to be scavenged by another family later. This means that they typically only live only live 40-50 years. Some Fffolkkk were told by their parents that, ages past, some of them lived several centuries. But that is just folklore.

    Fffolkkk tend to have no permanent residence, considering their shell their true home. All else is temporary- from their rafts, to their mountain shelters, to the stalls on the landings of the stairwells where they trade their wares. Ownership is a largely foreign idea, though possession is understood. Their cameos are used to determine possession- tied to rafts and hung in doorways to show that someone is currently using that resource. With lack of home and family, all the Fffolkkk can truly rely on is their name. Etched on their shells, they strive to be honorable and trustworthy. They literally carry their weight of their name into the world, so they would never dishonor it.
    Spoiler: government
    Show

    Their first leader created their government:
    A Guides for Shaylles to the Draw of the Fffolkkk, as Transcribed by TruthSeer Benedine.

    As a preliminary note, the Fffolkkk can be very particular about their pronunciations. Insufficient emphasis on certain sounds can change the entire meaning of a word or phrase. I will document those peculiarities I noticed at a later time. For purposes of brevity, I will simply note a base pronunciation for each term
    Secondary note: They refer to all non-folk, regardless of origin, as Shaylles, which derives from shell-less in pronunciation, and in how they view other creatures.

    Up until just a few years ago, the Folk had virtually no formal government to speak of. Each turtle-person acted independently of each other, with a few small trading centers built up around sources of fresh water. The government they described to me was almost wholly the invention of the leader known as Nopppa and a few close associates.

    Their government is called The Draw. The name itself stems from the geographical term they use for the small, steep, dry creek channels that make up the Maze. Their whole mindset seems to revolve around expending valuable resources to find the best paths through the unknown.
    The Draw is made up of 6 Wayfinders, or Waifs. These 6 Waifs select another folk to be their leader. This leader doesn’t have a title, and their purpose is to provide vision and settle disputes between the Waifs. It takes a vote of 5 of 6 to select a new leader, should the need arise.
    Tertiary note: The need for 5 of 6 to vote out the current leader does seem to be a construction designed only to keep Nopppa in power.

    The purpose of these Waifs are not to create laws. Instead, their job is to best represent ideals of what the folk want to work together to achieve. They are, as best I can tell:

    The Wayfinder For Living believes that gathering food from the sea and water out of the maze can be difficult. More Folk need to be encouraged to take up harvesting.
    Wayfinder For Creation believes the current levels of kelp-olive, soapstone, and building-rock harvesting is sufficient. What is needed is a better way to store the oil for long lengths of time.
    Wayfinder of Civility believes that the folk need to build up reserves of treasures that the Shaylles can respect, so that they will be willing to accept the rules of fair trade. In addition, the need to find and restrict those that do not follow the fair trade rules needs to be increased.
    Wayfinder of the Incivility believes that the outside world is a greater threat than within, and continues to press for more maze-runners, and better leaders. However, she recognizes that the current system of labor-bounties for wrongdoers is not working.
    Wayfinder of Truth believes that the better educated the future clutchlings are, the better folk they will be. He believes that getting one common set of facts and histories together to be shared is the best way to do that.
    Wayfinder of the Currents believes that the world has indeed fundamentally changed since the last great event. The winds and tides are changing, and that can be frightening. However, the folk are solid on their feet and unflinching. She is promoting periods of meditation and reflection each day for everyone.


    Every eight years, the entire folk gather to cast votes. Each folk gets 2 votes, represented by 2 of their soapstone cameos. They cast their votes for the Waif they feel best represents their beliefs. They can cast 1 vote for 2 candidates, or 2 for 1 if they feel very strongly. The tally of these votes effectively determines both how well the Draw represents the Folk, and where improvement is needed.

    The Waifs that received the lowest two totals now have to act. They have 1 year in which to put out a proposal to change their views and list specific actions they will take. During that year, anyone may offer up a formal challenge, with their views and actions. Individual folk then offer their labor, in the form of 10-day increments, in support of the action plan they want to see followed.

    At the end of the year, the proposal with the most labor behind it is implemented. If the challenger’s proposal wins, the Waif must step down. The folk who supported the plan then are used to implement it. Those who supported the opposing plan are still required to fullfill their labor commitment. These labor-commitments are ‘sold’ to those that supported the winning plan, to help offset the labor-costs.

    One very interesting point is that all of this is done openly, and on a weekly basis. So everyone interested can see how the betting is progressing.

    Currently, the fffolkk do not believe the Wayfinder of the Currents is doing enough to improve the spirits of the fffolkkk. So Sttimmi has proposed building bell-poles across the land. To toll each day at sunset, to remind the fffolkkk to stop work and reflect for the day. An opposing plan, put forth by Thickick, is suggesting the Draw hire village criers to announce reflection time each day. She believes this will be less costly than bells. Sttimmi has countered that those in the Maze and away from the villages, could not hear town criers, but could hear bells. Both have promised that the losing side's labor bets will be used to support the bell-ringer / town criers lost work time. Currently Sttimmi has received 5000 hours of support, but is losing to Thickick. He has 6550 hours of support for his project.

    Spoiler: History
    Show

    Most of what the Fffolkkk know of their history comes from the stories passed down from their parents. The Sand Reefs are not as they once were. The winds have changed, and once water flowed from the snow-capped peaks to the sea. Forests covered the Maze. Numerous large villages of stone dotted the shoreline and straddled the deep valleys of cold seawater. These villages were filled with related families. But the Red Veil, as they called it, changed the weather. The rain stopped, and the flow of sweet water ended. The seas rose, bringing the salt and killing the plains. The Flood, as they call it, moved the shoreline hundreds of miles towards the mountains. Ruins of these ancient villages can be found submerged in the sea, or rising as ruins atop rocky outcroppings on the edges of the horizon.
    The Fffolkkk were nearly wiped out. For the last 200 years, the focus has been on gathering enough resources to have clutchlings. Most adults don’t live past 30, preferring to have large clutches of children to growing old. Those older than 50 are seen as not doing their duty, in the false belief that clutch size decreases with age.

    Spoiler: Faith: The Wind and Tide
    Show

    Holy Site: The Great Link.
    The Fffolkkk have a simple belief set. They believe that the world has a natural ebb and flow. Like the wind and the tide, there are forces around them that move an individual from place to place and event to event in their lives. When you are in harmony with these forces, your life can be pleasant. When not, it is a struggle. That is not to say they are simple-minded. The Fffolkkk understand that adversity is a component of growth. The true life is found at the edges of the currents, the wind blowing through a portion of the Maze unexplored, or a hard swim to an unvisited island. It is the attempt that is important. The Winds and Tides will only give you what you can endure.

    Just outside the city of Qu lies a small fortification around a deep, narrow stairwell. Dangling down the center of the well is a miraculous soapstone carving. It is a meticulously detail representation of a rope, with knots at equal distance down its length. 2000 individual knots from top to bottom of the stepwell. At the base, other carvings, of ocean depths and rafts, of oil lamps and ocean passes, of baskets and rafts, surround the pool of water. The Fffolkkk have no record of who created the place, or why. But the drawings are the basis for their entire measurement system- length, weight, and volume, all summarized in eternal pictures. They call it the Great Link, and see it as proof of the unified harmonious nature of the world.

    Spoiler: Resources
    Show

    Resource: Kelp Olive (oil)
    Required Resource: Corrosion-resistant metals (copper)
    Along the borders between the shallow-water reefs and the deep-sea canyons, a species of kelp grows in great abundance. It can tower from great depths up to the surface. This kelp is used by the Fffolkkk to make ropes, their personal harnesses, woven to make roofs and baskets, and a hundred other uses. But by far the most valuable is the kelp-olive. These fist-sized green masses grow along the surface of the kelp. Eventually, they break off and float away on the currents. Over several days, they slowly become waterlogged and sink, wedging themselves in the jagged rocks of the sea-floor and walls. There, they take root and grow a new kelp plant.

    The Fffolkkk have learned how to farm the seeds to grow new beds. But the majority of them are taken, cut open, and squeezed for their oils. This KO oil can be used for cooking, as fuel for simple lamps, and as a base for many traditional medicines. It is their most pried and abundant commodity.
    Beyond the kelp-olive, they prize soapstone, as mentioned above.

    The region is in need of corrosion-resistant metals, like copper. The sea salt corrodes away fittings on rafts, and the wind-blown sand etches even the simplest mechanical items.


    Spoiler: Ruler
    Show

    https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24662409&postcount=261

    Nopppa
    Diplomacy 5 [4+1]
    Military 3
    Opulence 5 [4+1]
    Faith 3
    Intrigue 1


    Nopppa is a medium sized fffolkkk, about 7 feet tall and only 500 lbs. Mottled in grays and browns, she is a tough, young, female. Her face and shell are streaked with a vibrant red/brown, which has become part of her name-mark. Her eyes are a bright yellow, almost amber color. She favors wide-brimmed hats decorated with sea-bird feathers and small shells. Her name-mark has 2 ovals at the bottom, with a vertical central line. At even intervals along line, matched pairs of curving lines arc out, getting narrower as they approach the top.

    She came out of a clutch of 11, 6 girls and 5 boys. Her parents couldn’t have been prouder of the size, but it stretched their resources considerably. It seemed an omen that the comet came during the mourning period for their parents. With the fresh dawn, the siblings parted ways.

    Her mother told her of an excellent soapstone quarry deep in the Maze. She made a name for herself quarrying and selling the stones for cameos, even carving some herself. Nopppa seems to have more single-mindedness than the average turtlefolk, focusing on one activity instead of subsistence resource gathering. She developed a network of contacts and friends, sporting dozens of cameos on her harness, belt, and hat. It seemed as if she was always dealing with someone who knew someone who spoke well of her.






    The Redoubt
    Region 267

    Summary:
    A dry, dusty land of canyons and plateaus, its turtlefolk denizens jealously guard their fortified homes.
    Resource: Mountain goats
    Required Resource: Cooking / heating fuel
    Spoiler: information
    Show

    Spoiler: Geography
    Show

    The Redoubt has the Swift Channel to the west and the Hall of Dawn mountains to the east. To the south, the land further rises into a maze of canyons, natural tunnels, and steep paths called the Maze. The rest of the land, to the north and up to the waterline, are tall plateaus with broad winding arroyos between them. The Maze contains a fair amount of scrub, trees, and small animals and birds. These increase in variety the farther north it goes. Along the canyons, the main tree is a form of large, spreading fig tree. It’s wood is hardy and oily, yet it does not burn well and its smoke is quite irritating. Still, the figs are tasty. The small seeds are spread far and wide by the birds. And any small crack or depression that can hold some soil and water is enough for the fig trees to sprout. Fig trees can be seen growing impossibly out of the sides of the sheer canyon walls, seemingly defying gravity.
    Weather is hot and dry during the day, and cool-almost cold at night. The sands and rocks do little to store heat, and actually reflect it up onto anything crossing the barren lands. Rain is almost non-existent in the mountains, but gradually increases as you move north.
    The land does seem abandoned at first. But deep in the canyons, built high up in the canyon walls, are long, narrow, fortified towns. Each of these towns usually only has one route to it, exposed to the view of the city for a great distance. Each town also has some form of a stepwell within, ensuring a permanent water source. Inside the city, the air is tempered by the rock around it- warmer at night and cooler in the day. It can be quite pleasant.
    A particular species of mountain goat is home to the north side of the maze and the canyons beyond. They are small, social, highly agile, and very aggressive. They seemingly can scale sheer walls, finding the tiniest of cracks and protrusions to balance upon. When threatened, they will work as a group to surround their foes and batter them with their horns until they are knocked down. They seem to understand the idea of dislodging a foe off of a cliff face. The Fffolkkk of the Redoubt keep them as pets and beasts of burden.

    Spoiler: people
    Show

    The natives of the redoubt are another group of the FFfolkkk. They dress similarly, they speak similarly, and they have the same sexual dimorphism as their souther
    Where they differ from the Reefers (as they are starting to call them) is in their reproductive habits. For some odd reason, females outnumber males nearly 20 to 1. It has been a strange circumstance of birth since the great calamity. As such, they are solidly in charge of the society. Male Fffolkkk are held in high regard and protected. The name of the area, Redoubt, is because each town is run by a collection of related females and is their permanent home for raising generations of their family.
    Males understand that they are key to the survival of the redoubt Fffolkkk. When they come of age, their elders will host a grand celebration, and other redoubts will send prospective mates to be selected. The male will assist in raising several clutches at the same time. When the young are of age, the females return to their redoubt.
    However, not all females are chosen to have clutches. These female Fffolkkk assist in raising the young and running the individual town. Some of them claim to be well over 100 years old. It is the belief of the ‘Doubters (as the Reefers are starting to refer to them) that Fffolkkk can live for many centuries. It is the stress of producing and raising offspring that leads to their mortality. This has caused much distress among their southern cousins.
    When Nopppa’s brother arrived in the area to explore, he was a sensation. A free adult male Fffolkkk! He travelled to every single town in the Redoubt, and before long had a large following of available females vying for his affections. Being young, this proved far too distracting. Years later, when Nopppa arrived with an armed escort, she found her brother happily in familial bliss, raising several clutches of children.

    Spoiler: History
    Show

    What the ‘Reefers call The Flood the ‘Doubters call the Rising. Their oral histories tell of great slimy, tentacled beasts coming up out of the waters to the west and ravaging across the entirety of the land. These creatures were led by a gigantic version of a male Fffolkkk, with far too many tentacles for arms and legs, and three heads that spewed a paralyzing fog. It was called Sleeeperkkinn. The creatures and their leader sought out male fffolkkk, dragging them back into the waters, or consuming them on the spot. Clutches were raided, and their female defenders slaughtered.
    Those that survived fortified their towns, and protected the few males that survived. Maybe the Sleeeperekkinn cursed them, or maybe it was something in the Rising. But only 1 in 20 eggs had a male fffolkkk.

    Spoiler: Faith: The Wind and Tide
    Show

    Holy Site: Unclaimed
    These Fffolkkk follow a similar belief set as their southern cousins. But it is far more fatalistic. They see the best they can do is survive. Following the winds and tides will only keep you safe for a time. Rip tides and tornados will come. The best you can do is plan and hope. There is an ancient temple of some sort, high on a bluff overlooking the Swift Channel. But it has been abandoned for more than a century. Some claim the victims of the Rising still haunt the place.

    Spoiler: Resources
    Show

    Resource: Mountain goats
    Required Resource: cooking fuel (oil or trees)
    Numerous groups of wild mountain goats live in the Gates of Dawn. The ‘Doubters have domesticated them and use them in a wide variety of ways. There are at least three villages that produce them in enough abundance to export:
    The fig trees in the area produce an acrid smoke when burned. It irritates the eyes and nose, and taints any food cooked with it with a bitter, greasy taste. They need a source of clean fuel for cooking, either good wood or oil.
    Last edited by Lt-Murgen; 2020-10-15 at 12:18 PM.

  10. - Top - End - #40
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Shandolé
    Elf Country

    Trí’Meloá – Skies of Color
    Tarandi Region #140 – Land of the Skyclad Dancers
    (Meloa Skies)



    On Shore of Glitter at the Ocean of Kings
    Skyclad Dancers laugh in spring.

    At the Forest of the Wind and Skies of Color
    Skyclad Dancers sing all summer.

    In the Caves of Thunder and the Nesting Halls
    Skyclad Dancers prepare for fall.

    Below the Mountains of Wrath and the Cliffs of White
    Skyclad Dancers wait through winter’s night.

    ---

    Summery

    The forest, shores and cliffs west of the pass through the Santícemnáh Mountains is inhabited by a shapeshifting avian race known as Skyclad Dancers. It’s a hauntingly beautiful country, rich in game and lumber. However, the most beautiful and entrancing aspect of all is probably its native population.

    Region: Trí’Maloa, #140 – Tarandi
    Capital: No
    Native Race: Skyclad Dancers (Shapeshifting Harpies)
    Leader: The Winter Council
    Holy Site: Cult of Freedom & Hope
    Resource: Skyclad Dancers (Good- TP#1 & TP#2 are both open)

    ---

    Geography

    Most of the northern and central parts of the region are covered in hardwood forests with the rocky cliffs of the mountains and their evergreen skirts rising in the east and the cliffs and beaches and of the ocean in the west. The eastern cliffs get ever steeper and more spectacular, until the point where Serpent Pass cuts wide and bold through the Santícemnáhs, like an enormous plow furrow. In the west the beaches are made of pale sand that sparkle with bright quartzes in the sunshine. The water here is quite cold, but also a dark sapphire blue with rolling crashing waves. High in nurturance and close to strong transcontinental currents, the marine life of these waters is robust and diverse. South of Serpent Pass the region’s woodlands thin out some into rolling hills and dales, smaller scrub brush and pockets of scraggly forests among emerald meadows. Thunderstorms and rain often roll off the ocean and gather against the mountains showering the region with regular precipitation, as thunder echo off the mountains. Many creeks and waterfalls lace their way through the land, running from the mountains into the sea. During the winter, snowfalls are deep, locking down the country under a white weight and making any travel through the region very difficult.

    Spoiler: Places of Note
    Show


    Places of Note


    Glická’Shól – Shore of Glitter
    There is a cove along the southern shoreline, where the beaches are especially wide and fine and a number of caves open out of the nearby hills to overlook the smooth waters protected by the cove. It’s a favored nesting and gathering place.

    Lynd’Dinhí – Ocean of Kings
    Ocean of Kings is what the Skyclad Dancers call the Lyndicalah Sea. They believe the royal gods live across the waters and sent them the Blue Commit from beyond its waters.

    Pash’Á’Moriah – Forest of the Wind
    The Pash’Á’Moriah is a hardwood forest that covers the northern half of the region. It has numerous ash, elm, oak, maple, sycamore and hickory trees and is home to elk, deer, black bears, grizzly bears, foxes, rabbits and many other animals. It also has plenty of berry bushes and is overall a very abundant region, where many of the native population make their nests.

    Á’Trí’Meloá Zandi – The Skies of Color Overlook (Holy Sight)
    On a mountain ledge, overlooking the norther forests, there is the ancient twisted remains of a bristlecone pine, leaning out over a rocky point. The ledge has a vast view over much of the Pash’Á’Moriah and the wide western skies above. The northern lights can often be seen here in all their splendor, flowing and rippling above the rustling forests. On the night of the Blue Commit a luminary dancer hatched under the flashing colors of that sky. He grew to become Tlanextli a great leader who drew manu the flocks into his Cult of Freedom & Hope. He named his birthplace a holy place, naming the ledge a scared sight to all Dancers. When the Region was concurred by the Shándole he fled to Á’Trí’Meloá Zandi and killed himself rather than surrender.

    Thêruí’Baru – Caves of Thunder
    At the base of the mountains in the southern parts of the region are many cliffs pocketed by caves and hollows. Many large flocks of Skyclad Dancers live in and around these caves, forming the closest thing to a town the region has. Deeper within the caves are a number of protected caverns referred to as the Nesting Halls, where many young dancers first hatch.

    Santí’Varik – Mountains of Wrath
    Mountains of Wrath is what the Skyclad Dancers call the Santícemnáh Mountains, which rise high jagged and snowcapped to the east. Shining glaciers hold their lock upon the high peaks all the year round and these glaciers are referred to as the “Cliffs of White” by the dancers.

    Dollátuluva - Serpent Pass
    Cutting a wide way through the high mountains is a single low pass, connecting the western coast of Tarandi with the rest of the eastern tundra. It’s high altitude and snowy vales make it difficult at any time and practically impossible to trek in winter, but it’s clear and smooth enough to afford even large numbers a rout to the west. However, travelers should be wary of the dangers and mysteries that might lurk just below the surface of the crystal snow.




    ---

    People

    The Skyclad Dancers are a mystical avian race with short but vibrant lives. With abilities to shapeshift, flying dances and enchanting voices they are memorable people. Recently unified and driven by a renewed zealotry in religion and culture from the Blue Commit, they shouldn’t be underestimated dispute their small size and vivacious beauty.

    Spoiler: General
    Show





    In their primary form, Skyclad Dancers are an avian race similar in appearance to harpies, with taloned bird like legs, tail feathers and feathered bodies, but with a torso, arms and heads more similar to humanoids in basic form. Though their arms are adorned with large feather and their fingers quite long, they cannot fly in this form. The best they can manage is to glide short distances and slow any falls from great heights in order to achieve a gentle landing.

    Most Dancers grow to be around 4’6” to 5’4” tall, with slim bodies, comparable in size and strength to a teenaged human. Their bones are hollow, making them a rather fragile race, especially to bludgeoning damage, but they are remarkably nimble and athletic. Most only live twelve to fifteen years, reaching maturity around age five. Females will lay clutches of three to six eggs every three years, though their final clutch is always only a single egg.

    The last egg hatches into a male of superior size and strength, known as a luminary dancer. Luminaries have a life span that is nearly twice as long as normal dancers and they almost always become leaders of their flocks. They will either forcefully drive away any other luminaries born into the flock, or else send their sons off with a group of lesser Dancers to begin a new flock somewhere else. Only in their elder years will they select a luminary to raise as their heir, taking them under their wing and teaching them all they know. Unfortunately, after a female dancer has laid her luminary egg, she usually quickly declines in health and often dies before the egg hatches, leaving her final child to be raised by their father and the rest of the flock.

    Almost all Dancers have brilliantly colors feathers, with multi-color patterns of glistening feathers. Vivid blues, verdant greens, violets, pinks and canary yellows are often seen in various colorations across the race. They are very proud of their colors and feathers, often grooming and showing them off. Those few Dancers born monochromatic and especially those born all white or all black often get shunned and driven away, while Dancers with especially vivacious and dramatic feathers are lauded and celebrated as being the most desirable and beautiful of their flocks.

    Dancer flocks range in size, but usually will be between 30 and 70 dancers. Occasionally, several flocks will gather together in once place, like the Caves of Thunder, but they often maintain their own order and hierarchy, even within a larger community. It is uncommon for a single luminary to be able to lead more than 75 dancers at once and even then it takes great skill and charisma. Flocks will often send younger luminaries away with splinter groups, once they have reached around 50 in number.

    Traditionally Skyclad Dancers are mostly monogamous, choosing mates for life, but a good deal of cheating and sneaking around does happen behind the scenes and the primary exception to the rule of monogamy are luminary dancers, who will often take many wives, mating with whomever they desire.

    Homes are built in elevated places, like tall trees or cliffs and are simple “nests” of mud, straw and sticks, lined with feathers, leaves and dry grass for warmth.

    With feathers to keep them warm and to showoff, they were very little clothing, usually only a mask. Their masks are highly decorative and symbolic and are personally made and designed when they come of age. The form and colors of the mask will usually reflect the dancer’s roll in the society and their personality.

    They use tools made of stone and bone and carry slings and then either short spears or flint-edged wooden clubs as weapons and hunting tools.



    Spoiler: Shapeshifters
    Show



    When Dancers mature around the age of five, they become capable of transforming into their “Sky Form.” Sky forms are feather serpentines, smaller than their primary form, but with larger wings, a long supple body and a head like a dragon, with dangerous teeth. Their feathers in this form are often the same colors and patterns as in their primary form, but they also become bioluminescent, glowing slightly in the dark. Most importantly, in this form they can fly, though not with much speed or altitude and it’s with this form that they do their ritual dancing.

    Dancing is an important part of all their social and cultural customs and spiritual practices. There are dances for all kinds of occasions, ranging from small intimate affairs between two dancers, to synchronized dances involving whole flocks together. They dance in the air, using their flight and the flexibility of their sky forms. The music they use is mostly made from drums, xylophones, woodwinds and vocals. They love dancing and consider it the art that elevates them above the animals and through which they express their souls.

    While their dancing is their preeminent artform, its worth noting that dancers also have very beautiful voices and can sing with an almost enchanting sweetness. With song and dance combined they can be downright enchanting, especially at night when they shine with bio-iridescences.




    Spoiler: Flight
    Show


    For the Skyclad Dancers flying is seldomly the most efficient means of getting around and is mostly only used for dancing and for special scouting missions, or in order to reach specific locations they couldn’t get to otherwise. It takes a lot of energy and doesn’t propel them very quickly, though they can hover in one place pretty easily.

    It is best to think of flying for the Dancers in the same way you would think of swimming for normal humans. It’s possible and enjoyable and the mostly skilled and athletic of their kind can cover some good distance and reach some impressive altitudes, but it’s not easy and most dancers can’t fly in high altitudes, nor go very far without having to stop and rest. They cannot fly over the mountains, as the air even in the pass grows too thin too quickly and will tired them out quickly.

    However, they are able to ungulate, in place, using a serpentine flowing pattern that lets them hover or move slowly through the air, without expending nearly as much energy. It’d be comparable to treading water. Weather in place or in a direction, whenever they fly they are extremely graceful and beautiful to look at, even if they won’t be winning any races with the eagles.





    Spoiler: Military
    Show


    Historically the dancers haven’t been able to gather in large enough organized numbers to form a particularly effective military, but the the leader Tlanextli managed to unite hundreds of flocks under his cult and so formed the first dancer army of the region. It numbed nearly 500 troops with several more along as family and scavengers. Tlanextli used it to bring even more flocks under his rule but also considered himself prepared to defend the lands from invasion. The dancer army relied heavily on slings, clubs and short spears and carry light woven shields. Most preferred to fight in their primary form, as it is larger, tougher, faster and can carry and use weapons. However, some have trained to fight in Sky Form making use of the teeth and talons of the flying form. Against the Shándole Tlanextli recklassly order many other to attack in Sky Form, hoping the aerial attack would win his victory, despite its fragilities. Unfortunalty most were not trained in this style and were quickly shot down by stones and arrow, falling to become crushed under the hooves of the invaders' horses.

    Unfortunately, despite his charisma and zealousness, Tlanextli wasn't very organized, because the army was several flocks joined together, they tended to struggle with coordination and strategy. Even under Tlanextli there is a lot of miscommunication, disagreement and internal resentment. Not everyone is was enthusiastic about Tlanextli’s rise to power and the Cult of Freedom and Hope as others.

    Finally, they just lack the strength, size and endurance to easily go up against larger tougher races one vs one. Their primary forms seldom weight more than 90 lbs and their flying forms usually weight between 15 and 20 lbs. Their hollow bones make them light, but also fragile and most can only muster strength to match a human child. Even with some flying and good reflexes and agility, they mostly had to rely on number to overwhelm humanoid enemies, but the Shándole came in large numbers.



    History

    Story of Tlanextli The Blue Prince

    Leader Score: 7

    Before the Shándole conquest, Trí’Meloá was mostly united by the Cult leader Tlanextli. Even after his death, his presence remains a large part of the Skyclad Dancer's recent heritage and legend.

    Spoiler: Tlanextli
    Show


    Tlanextli The Blue Prince


    On the night of the Blue Commit a luminary was born in a small and remote flock in on the cliffs of the norther mountains. Tlanextli was born with feathers in many shades of radiant blue with silver highlights, an embodied reflection of the fresh night sky. He was blessed with great strength and charisma and managed to overthrow his flocks previous luminary as a very young age. He believed he was an avatar of the Blue Commit and the kings of old. The spirit of a price that had escaped the prison of Lost Stars and then banished the False Dawn. He took credit for the freedom of the skies and sang about leading the Dancers into a new era of Freedom and Hope.

    His flock rallied around him and began to worship him. They set out to convert other flocks, convincing many and dominating by force those they could not convince, killing older luminaries and replacing them with younger luminaries, who were eager to follow Tlanextli into this new era. Soon all the flocks of the Forest of the Wind proclaimed Tlanextli as the spirit of the commit and the returned prince of stars.

    The flocks of the south and the Caves of Thunder resisted and tried to organize against Tlanextli, but inner squabbling and backstabbing kept them from being able to fully unit under one luminary. Instead an uneasy alliance of a dozen luminaries agreed to try to cooperate in the moment. They rallied all the flocks and retreated into the Caves of Thunder to hold off Tlanextli’s army. It was a highly defensible position and were well supplied with food and water. Despite their internal conflict, the luminaries were certain they could outlast Tlanextli and that winter would break his grip over his army.

    However, a traitor helped Tlanextli disguise himself and his and his most faithful warriors and they snuck into the depths of the caves and waited for the right moment. It came when the luminaries broke into a squabble once more in plain sight of the many huddled flocks. Tlanextli revealed himself and shouted, his voice breaking like lightning over the conflict and demanding all attention. He challenged the luminaries, daring them to fight him and prove their worthiness. One agreed and charged, but Tlanextli killed him with a single powerful blow to the skull, using his stone edged club. The duel was over in less than ten seconds. After this none of the others dared step forward and Tlanextli turned to the flocks, denouncing the cowards who had convinced them to hide in prisons of stone, away from the sky and the stars, who would tell them to fight when they themselves were to terrified to raise their heads above their shoulders.

    He called on the warriors to fight for what really mattered, for freedom, for the skies and the hope of the new dawn. His speech convinced the flocks and they turned against their luminaries, killing them and proclaiming Tlanextli the Prince of Stars, the Blue Commit and the king over all the Skyclad Dancers.

    However, after unifying all major flocks of the dancers, Tlanextli struggled to maintain his power and focused heavily on the religion and portraying himself as the semi-divine and the embodiment of the Blue Commit. Though many younger dancers become radically devoted, Tlanextli still lived in paranoia that new luminary will arise to challenge him. Rumors of young unindoctrinated flocks with charismatic luminaries living in the mountains or the deeper depths of the forest haunted him, as he imagined another like himself coming from the fringes of Skyclad society to overthrow him. He has begun hunting down the furthest flocks, leading bands into the higher mountains to make sure all dancers are brought under his reign. It troubled many, who were fearful he would anger the mountains or that his desire to control all the dancers in the name of “Freedom” was actually a madness. However, they dared not speak out against him.



    ---

    Religion

    The historical traditions and myths of the dancers is rich with oral stories and lore. They recognize a celestial pantheon based on the sun, moon and planets and believe in an afterlife, where souls join the gods as stars in the heaven. They also believe reincarnation is possible and that many souls will eventually either choose to return to the world of the living or else get cast down, so as to make room for new souls, creating an eternal cycle between life and afterlife.

    They also see a strong divide between good and evil, with the world and heavens ac serving as a battle ground for warring forces across time. Wind, fire, the stars and all the bodies of the sky are seen as forces of creation and goodness, while deep waters, deep stone and earth are seen as forces of destruction and evil. Souls are not the only thing in the balance the very essence of the world and existence is at stake.

    Through dancing, sacrifice and good deeds the dancers can align themselves with the forces of good, strengthen the Sun and his allies against the darkness of the Depths and saving their souls, helping the dead find their way safely to the stars of heaven.

    These beliefs and traditions were coopeted by The Cult of Freedom and Hope in the decade following the Blue Commit when Tlanextli claimed to be the avatar of the Blue Prince, one of the celestial planets, and responsible for banishing the False Dawn. In the years after twisted the religion to center more and more around him, gathering power and rulership over all the skyclad dancers, until he died in the Shándole conquest.

    Spoiler: The Vortex of Heaven & the Journey of the Dead
    Show


    The Vortex of Heaven & the Journey of the Dead

    The dancers believe that the stars are the souls of the free dead ascended, that the planets are Great Princes and the Sun and the Moon are the king luminary and his queen, who made the world and now rule the souls of the dead and watch over the living. They believe you can eventually reach heaven and the land of the dead by crossing over the ocean to an island that has spinning vortex that leads to the skies. The souls of those who die wander in the winds, until they find their way over the sea and to the Vortex of Heaven, where they can finally ascend. The norther lights are the wondering souls on their journey toward heaven, still finding their way. When the winds blow hard you can hear their voices. Most souls find their way eventually, but it can be a dangerous and long journey and dark forces seek entrap them along the way.

    To make the journey as simple as possible, dancers try to deliver the souls of their dead on the winds flying westward, by building tall sky planforms on top of the cliffs and mountains and laying their dead upon them. They always make sure to crack the skulls of their dead, for they believe souls can become trapped in a skull. Dancers would never bury their dead nor seal them in coffin or crypts, as this might keep the soul from freedom.



    Spoiler: The Depths & the False Dawn
    Show


    The Depths & the False Dawn

    It is a dark and forbidden magic to chop off a head and then seal the skull with clay, imprisoning the soul and forcing the ghost of the departed to do your will. Imprisoned souls can grant great power, but ultimately to do so is a betrayal of freedom and will give the evil forces of the Depths a way to catch your own soul once you die.

    In the Depths of Stone and Sea are malignant forces seeking to overturn the rule of the Sun and the Moon and burry the world in blood and darkness. In many eras they have succeeded, drowning the world in floods, tearing it part by wars, or choking the skies with smoke. However, every time the Sun and the forces of good have been able to renew the world back to life.

    In the False Dawn the Depths nearly succeeded once again. They unleashed the Blightspawn and struck the sky, reversing the Vortex and drawing all the stars and planets down into the earth, imprisoning them. They then cast blood over the sky, obscuring the sight of the Sun and the Moon, so they could not protect the dancers from the blightspawn.

    Without the heavens to guard them, the dancers had to save themselves, but for all their courage and determination only a few flocks managed to survive, and they struggled through winters and monsters, hiding in caves and forests in constant fear of Blighspawn.

    Blightspawn are twisted souls that during their lives chose to use dark magic. Many of them were once dancers or other people, but by compromising their souls with dark magic, they themselves were easily trapped by the Depths after their death. The torture that the Depths used against them resulted in the twisted forms and tainted souls of Blightspawn. For many centuries the Depths built up a secret army in the deeps of the world. Those who use dark magic now will also eventually join those ranks and even virtuous souls, who have the misfortune of getting lost, might become enslaved by the Depths. Without the Vortex of Heaven, no soul was safe and had to continually fight and flee, contending with the forces of evil even after death, because the way to heaven was lost. That is until the Vortex was restored, and the prison of the Depths broken by the Blue Prince.



    Spoiler: The Blue Prince
    Show


    The Blue Prince

    All the stars and the planet princes were imprisoned after the False Dawn, locked under the Island of Lost Stars further west even than the Island of the Vortex. Buried deep in a hell they could not escape, for many years they endured torture. The Depths hoped to twist even them into their blighted armies, planning a final crusade against heaven and the end the world. But the strength of the stars was great, and they resisted, remaining pure and loyal to the Sun. In particular, one planet prince the Blue Prince, never stopped fighting. His faith in freedom and heaven was so strong he eventually overthrew the prison of the Depths, breaking the Island of Lost Stars and releasing all the stars and his fellow planets. They surged upward restoring the vortex and soaring back over the skies. The Blue Prince led the charge, clearing the mask of blood and flying over the ocean and over the lands and the Mountains of Wrath, declaring freedom and hope to all the dancers.

    His spirit was reborn that night as Tlanextli self-proclaimed "greatest luminary to ever live". He mostly united the Skyclad Dancers and promised to make them safe from Blightspawn, before he dies and returns to heaven at last. But instead killed himself in the shame of defeat, leaving many Dancers bewildered and uncertain in their faith.



    Spoiler: Dance & Fire
    Show


    Dance & Fire

    In practice dancers celebrate the freedom of the stars and the hope of the future through dance and song. Gifts and adornments are collected and offered to the Sun, Moon all the planets and the stars as shines and temples.

    Tlanextli was also given gifts and celebrated as a god among the dancers. He claimed he gathered his armies to fight the blightspawn and one day the Depths themselves and many warriors gladly gave their lives for his cause. Females were honored to be chosen as his mates and carry his eggs and young luminaries hoped they might one day become worthy enough to be chosen as his heir. His death shell-skocked the most ardent followers of the cult.

    Songs and dances of prayer for good winds and protection are often carried out in accordance with the heavenly calendar. The solar patters and the paths of the planets and the starts are carefully observed and holidays and festivals are held on auspicious astral dates.

    Along with song and dancing worshipers will burn sacrifices. Burring consumes a soul and essence forever, but adds its strength to the power of the Sun. It is an ultimate sacrifice. Animals are burned on the winter solstice to help strengthen the Sun and hasten the coming of spring. In the worst of times and the coldest of winters sometimes dancers will offer their own souls to burning, ending their existence in this life and all others to strengthen the Sun and the forces of good.

    Shortly before his demise, Tlanextli started spreading word that burning can also strength the planet princes. That there are many colors in fire. Orange fire is dominant and strengthens the Sun, but when you see white, blue, red or other colors in the fire, that is for the strength of the princes. Blue fire supposedly strengthened him. This caused a greater interest in fire and burning and the ways the fire can shift colors, depending on the fuel. One Tlanextli’s wives, a priestesses named Eztli, found a way to make a dust that turns fire blue. She traveled around the flocks, challenging dancers to make an ultimate show of loyalty and gratitude by sacrificing themselves in a blue bonfire. Eztil alone bore witness of Tlanextli’s suicide and told of how his burned himself at Á’Trí’Meloá Zandi. Since then she has begun preaching retribution and vengeance, claiming that the Dancer's lack of faith and sacrifice led to their defeat at the hands of invaders. She claims declares that Tlanextli will be reborn stronger than ever before, but only if the Dancers prove themselves. She has begun regularly burning Dancers alive in blue bondfire, as well as any shan or other traveler unfortunate enough to fall into her clutches.



    ---

    Myths & Stories - WIP

    Spoiler: The Lost Flock
    Show


    The Lost Flock
    Story is by Mystic

    There is a story in Trí’Maloa that mothers tell their young after they catch them playing under the sky during a storm. They take their brood beneath their feathers and whisper to them of the Lost Flock. The Lost Flock were the best dancers in Trí’Maloa, they would twist in the wind and create elaborate shapes that only now other Skyclad Dancers were rediscovering. They were gorgeous and beautiful, but they were proud and that pride was their undoing.

    Once during a great storm, with rain and lightning arcing in the sky the Lost Flock raced into the heavens to put on the most daring dance ever danced. They contorted their serpentine bodies in the sky as thunder provided the beat. The entire flock created shadows in the storm and as the rest of Trí’Maloa watched in awe the storm suddenly shifted. A great gusting wind beat the flock in the air and, as their dance lost structure, they were left flying against the great gust that now carried not only rain but stones and sticks. They fought against nature as much as their hollow bones could bear, but they and all of Trí’Maloa knew that it was too late. The wind carried them off beyond the mountains and they never returned. The young whimper beneath their mother’s feathers and think twice to dance in the rain.




    Raven’s Sacrifice

    The Pale Prince

    Forest of Skulls

    The Wrath of the Mountains

    The Planet Princes and the Flooding of the World

    The Thunder Bird


    ---

    Map


    ---
    Last edited by Laura; 2020-09-07 at 03:33 PM.

  11. - Top - End - #41
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jun 2020

    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Eleftheria
    Tarandi Region 133 (Thade, The Distant Shore)




    Spoiler: Summary
    Show
    Region Name: Thade, The Distant Shore
    Resource: Night-Seashells
    Required Resource: Art Objects
    People: Ambisexual Humans, though some smaller populations of other peoples exist
    Faith: Atheism
    Starting Tech: Sailing

    Leader: Nel Sorgen
    A reluctant yet wise leader, Nel has been at the head of the Sorgen family ever since the previous family head passed away ten years ago. They are 47, with dark wavy hair, simple brown eyes and a round, soothing face. An accomplished playwrite and navigator, Nel tries to use their position to amicably settle disputes among eleftherians and keep local politics civil. Lately however, Nel finds themselves more and more taking advantage of the weight of their words. For twice as long as they have been the head of the family, Nel has kept dawn with Lear Syndanos, a fierce night-seashell carver.
    Diplomacy: 3
    Faith: 2
    Intrigue: 2
    Military: 2
    Opulence: 3


    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    Nearly the entire shoreline to the north of Thade is a cliffed coast, a massive edged granite shelf that drops dangerously down into the waiting waves of the Night-Sea below. In the water below, a casual observer would notice many teetering spires made of twisting, gleaming night-seashell. Occasionally drifting with the tide or crawling along the ocean floor, huge night-sea snails roam the waters below the granite cliff. Only one section to the east crumbles and eases to allow for a proper beachhead and harbor. A sliver of shrouded taiga forest sits at the cliff’s edge, building up from nothing into great, old trees that abruptly end at the ocean. known by eleftherians as the Fallen Forest, its roots twist down the cliff, reinforcing it against the endless call of the Night-Sea. Though only dipping south a couple miles into the mainland, the Fallen Forest peters out where a stretch of bleak tundra begins. With very thin soil atop bedrock, Thade is not kind to its inhabitants. Tough grass, shrubs, moss, lichen, and the occasional berry make up the majority of Thade’s flora. The Fallen Forest contains some spruce, fir, and pine, as well as a smattering of ferns and softer grasses. Aside from night-sea snails, fauna in Thade includes bears, vole, badger, fox, hare, deer, as well as a multitude of birds and fish. Some eleftherians even claim to have spotted an elusive Viridissimum Elk, a hulking behemoth with all manner of moss growing on its rocky antlers.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    Most of the population of Eleftheria are ambisexual humans who use the pronouns they, them, and their. Usually eleftherians are sexually latent androgynes (this time & state is called tideset), but for a couple of days at the end of each lunar cycle they experience lunar dawning, a temporary state of elevated sexual receptiveness and fertility. During this time, they become sexually male or female. Dawning occurs for the first time near age 16, around the same age that other humans might experience puberty. Eventually, elder eleftherians reach tidelock (when sexual activity is no longer possible). There is usually no predisposition towards the sex developed in dawning, but it can be affected by context and relationships. The children eleftherians sire and give birth to are always ambisexual. Though the original ambisexual population comes from the lost island Azumaba, they have been at Thade for many generations, and as a result these features have begun to spread among the few outsiders who have since joined Eleftheria. Eleftherians form long lasting bonds, love-pledges, known as “keeping dawn”. Some people keep dawn in pairs, while others pledge with multiple people, forming many different types of familial structures. Children are raised in communal homes, called hearths, where the burden and privilege of raising children is shared among the adults of Eleftheria.

    Eleftheria is a loose commune of villages, a people with a shared history, culture, and goals. Eleftheria is "ruled" by the Sorgen family, one of the oldest and most powerful families in Thade. They are the only ones who know how to build, maintain, and sail night-seaworthy ships, as they are descended from the scholars who first developed these methods many years ago on Azumaba. By virtue of controlling the ships, the Sorgen family controls the fishing. By virtue of controlling the fishing, the Sorgen family controls the main supply of food in Thade. Eleftherian culture demands adherence to a code of conduct called besklock, or shadow. Prominent people cast longer, deeper social shadows, and besklock is their ability to maintain equality in any relationship by respecting the person of the other.

    Theater, dance, and song are regularly staged in Eleftheria. These forms of media are used to pass down stories and knowledge, such as that of The Crossing of the Night-Sea. Yearly performances of The Crossing carry on the collective memory of Eleftheria, and it is added to with each new notable event whenever it is performed. Other performances comment and reflect on the all sorts of different aspects of life such as love, politics, the nature of art and beauty, and more. Some recent favorites include "Two or Three Days" (a comedy), and "Astrathaen" (a tragedy). Eleftherian trends in performance change drastically with time, as new ideas and tropes are introduced, inverted, subverted, and evolved. Eleftherians also use stages for public debates, announcements, and celebrations. The most significant stage in Thade is The Auditorium, a large open-air theater carved into the cliff edge, wreathed by towering trees and overlooking the vast Night-Sea in the direction of Azumaba. Besides performances, Eleftherians also celebrate individuals first-dawning with special ceremonies in a dawninghouse and throw parties for people when they enter tidelock.

    Eleftherian fashion features large poncho-like cloaks that reach from neck to ankle, blossoming out to form round cones, or flowing down to catch the wind. Patterns dance along the bottom edge, exploring upwards cautiously. These overcloaks are all a range of shades from black to gray to white but are never colored. Underneath, clothes are much more vibrant. Wide mono-color shirts cut short to expose the midriff to varying degrees are the current trend, and sometimes one or two separate arm sleeves are worn to deal with the cold. Pants are form fitting or baggy with a poof at the bottom of each leg. Basic jewelry is made from shards of night-seashells and precious stones.


    Spoiler: History
    Show
    Eleftherians originally came from an island across the Night-Sea, known only in stories as Azumaba. They fled from Azumaba when they were betrayed by god, and long to return. The people of Eleftheria survived their betrayal and were able to escape across the Night-Sea due to the ingenuity of a group of scholars who built their first sailboats.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    Atheism
    Betrayed by god, the people of Eleftheria believe only in themselves. They believe the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and together an individual plurality is capable of feats even greater than traversing the Night-Sea. Travelers who approach Eleftheria with proof of the divine and intentions of conversion are met with suspicion and ridicule.
    Holy Site: The Auditorium


    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    Thade’s waters are inhabited by gigantic night-sea snails. Their shells can be more than 50 feet long, though are rarely less than 20 at adulthood. These shells glow softly in the moonlight and are incredibly light and durable. Eleftherians hunt these behemoths and harvest their shells and meat, making tools, weapons, armor, jewelry, small buildings, and more. Eleftherians need art objects to fuel their culture and facilitate the constant need for growth and progress in performances like The Crossing.

    Great (Night-Seashells)
    TP 1: Eleftheria
    TP 2: Open
    TP 3: Open

    Required Resource: Art Objects

  12. - Top - End - #42
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Laura's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    USA Texas
    Gender
    Female

    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Shandolé
    Elf Country

    Dól’Shilo – Valley of Smoke
    Tarandi, Region #114 – Land of Diamonds & Ash
    (Shilo Vale)




    “The young an’ the wise.
    Under ashen skies
    Ride boldly ride
    Warriors side by side.

    See fire in the skies
    Fear an’ courage in our eyes
    The Ember Bats to assail
    Ye an’ me in Shilo Vale

    By shadows pass
    Into a great crevasse
    Through smoke an’ night
    We find the lair o’ flame & blight

    Diamond mounds & fleshy stone
    Sleeping ‘spawn of obsidian bone
    Strike the walls that bleed with fire
    Turn this mountain into their pyre.

    See fire in the skies
    Fear an’ courage in our eyes
    The Ember Bats to assail
    Ye an’ me in Shilo Vale
    Ye an’ me in Shilo Vale”

    “Quench the Skies”
    as sung by Edge.

    ---

    Summery

    Region: Dól’Shilo, #114 – Tarandi
    Capital: No
    People: Shaní (Elves), Sangar, Dannu & Wýnro (Humans)
    Leader: The Winter Council of Shandolé
    Religions: The Ancient Ways, Way of Eauden & Secrets of Wýnro (Open Holy Sight)
    Resource: Diamonds (Great)

    ---

    Geography

    Shilo Vale is a craggy wild country still recovering from the devastation of a volcanic eruption. The Santíshilo Mountains dominate much of the region and are made from a combination of ancient grey schist and newly formed black basalt. Fissures and cliffs crisscross the landscape and there many caves and hot springs, as well as some explosive geysers, spewing boiling water and minerals. Rivers run down from the mountains cutting their way through fissures and jagged hills toward the coast. The Jómahlyn River in particular cuts through a deep gash in the land, with tall cliffs rising to either side. It flows directly down from the volcano and diamonds can be found washed down its stream. Rugged forests struggle to survive both the fiery wrath of the volcano and the harsh freezing winters. Lower in the valley there are hardwoods and growing higher up on the mountain slopes are evergreen forests, including redwoods and bristlecone pines. A number of islands rise from the waves of the Lýndícalah Sea near the volcano, but they are mostly baren and rocky turf. In the south the mountains are close to the coast of rocky cliffs and crags of Cemndíclâggen’Cahnîg separate it from Shandolýn. Mammoths, wolves, reindeer and elk live in the Vale, along with many other creatures, though the frightful history of the Ember Bats and the eruption of the volcano has caused them to be sparce and skittish. The coast is more obviously thriving, with large pods of seals, orcas and walruses and hunting sperm whales amid a flourishing verity of fish and sea birds.


    Spoiler: Places of Note
    Show


    Places of Note


    Santishilo – Smoky Mountains
    While not as tall and glaciered as the Santicemnahs just south of them, the Santishilos arche from the south east all the way across to the northwest, forming both the eastern and northern boarders of the region. Mostly made of schist and basalt in a mix of igneous and metamorphic rocks, they’re deep and old with many caves and secrets to hide.

    Antcíroont’Sandí – Batblight Mountain
    The great volcano that was the flesh-stone lair of the Ember Bats is still feared and avoided. Though its rumored that mounds of diamonds are buried within, most people prefer to search the rivers and outer base. Smoke and ash still issue forth now and then and the caldron is considered unstable, liable to boil forth lava at any time. Along its slopes many igneous rocks can be found, including valuable black obsidian, which can be used for weapons and to make mirrors.

    Jòmahlyn – Ember River
    Jómahlyn runs north to south from the norther mountains to the Lýndicalah, cutting a deep canyon along the way. Much of the runoff & erosion from Antcíroont’Sandí is washed down the Jómahlyn, making it an excellent place to pan for diamonds and obsidian. Its course is rough and rocky, with many rapids and dangerous eddies, making it nearly impossible to navigate by boat. Right before reaching the ocean, it cascades over a high waterfall at Tól’Thaláurên’Cahnîg – Town of Craggy Falls.

    Tûftlyn – Ash River
    Tûftlyn runs east to west from the Kinfûlýn’Momûndískor - Mammoth Skull Geysers – flowing through the forests and down to the Lyndicahal at Tól’Thaláurên’Cahnîg – Town of Craggy Falls, where it cascades to the shore. Like the Jómahlyn, it has several impressive waterfalls and steep rapids. The water tends to be a little mirky, carrying a lot of greyish slit and mud and giving it an ashy look. The hot water springs near its source and the rapidity of its current usually helps it flow all winter long, even through the high snows and ice.

    Cemncílyn – Frost River
    Running south to north, the Cemncílyn joins the Tûftlyn about halfway through its course above some impressive waterfalls. Starting up in the high barren regions of the Cemndíclâggen’Cahnîg - Ice Worm Ridge, its waters are cold and clear compared to the waters of the Tûftlyn. In wintertime it tends to freeze over more often and is generally not as swift and deep as the other rivers in the region.

    Claráglemní’Canzi – Diamond Fissure
    A deep canyon cut by the Jómahlyn, Claráglemní’Canzi shows the many layers of igneous rocks spewed out by Antcíroont’Sandí over the millennia. Deeper down it also has the warped and jagged layers of metamorphic schist from the mountains’ core. Heavy with the ash and mud and stone washing down from the recent eruption, the river waters are dark and murky and its banks are rough with hardened lava flows and huge craggy boulders. Much of the vegetation around the canyon is still burned and ruined by the eruption, though new growth is beginning to show. Despite its bleak and scared appearance, the canyon is a great source of wealth as broken and valuable bits of obsidian, as well as predacious diamonds often get washed through it by the river to be dropped near its southern end, allowing people to gather these riches without needing to journey into the remote and dangerous regions directly under Antcíroont’Sandí’s shadow.

    Kinfûlýn’Momûndískor - Mammoth Skull Geysers (Holy Site)
    In the eastern mountains are a set of geysers and boiling hot mineral pools. The violent and frequent eruptions of hot water and steam are impressive, even frightening to observe, but the scene is macabre because of the enormous mammoth skull abandoned near the pools. Several times larger than a normal mammoth skull ever should be, it rises nearly 20 feet into the air and its tusks curve over the pools like two huge boughs of some great bone tree. A shaní could stand at full height in the skull’s eyes socket and the hollow space inside isn’t much smaller than the space inside a typical wigwam. Water is considered the holy element and the violent and dangerous expression of water at the geysers, as well as the huge skull overlooking it all quickly inspired a sense of sacred awe around the place. A simple stone alter and some pained totems and wooden icons were set up between the Mammoths tusks and the site became known as a holy place.

    Thûrú’Fûthlyn - Caves of Steam
    Not too far from Kinfûlýn’Momûndískor, further north along the mountain chain, are several caves lining a steep mountain valley. Steam can often be seen rising from them and filling the area with fog. Venturing into the caves, it doesn’t take long to discover several saunas of underground pools and springs of hot water. Through communal bathing and saunas isn’t a traditional means of relaxation for the Shaní the Dannu have an appreciation for its healing and meditative properties. The area is remote, but nonetheless has become a sought-after destination point. A number of camps often settle in the valley during the summer months when the place is more accessible.

    Therûglemní - Crystal Cave (Cursed)
    From Thûrú’Fûthlyn, if you follow the mountain chain even further north there is another large cave system that has been discovered. Some camps settled in the area, hoping to discover some rich mines, but almost immediately the settlers began experiencing terrible misfortunes. People went missing regularly and others went mad attacking their friends and family without explanation or trying to bind them and drag them into the depths of the caves. Other unsettling phenomena such as sightings of phantoms, animals going rogue and terrifying dreams or trance visions plagued the camps as well. Daimons, crystal and other gems were discovered in the area, but despite this wealth, the camps were quickly abandoned and word spread that the place was cursed.

    Cemndíclâggen’Cahnîg - Ice Worm Ridge
    Rocky step and mesas rise on the southern rim of the region and the mountain glaciers sits closest to the ocean in these parts. There’s little vegetation and the winds are bitter and fast, screaming over the sharp ridge rocks with a spiteful malice. The area separates Shilo Vale from Shandolýn, but it difficult and dangerous to traverse, so most people prefer to travel between the region by means of boat, especially since the place is known for the enormous Cemndíclâggen (Ice Worms) it’s named after. These ice-burrowing beasts usually hibernate, but when they waken, they will eat everything in their paths, swallowing whole herds, swathes of forest and could easily devour a whole caravan.

    Nenaí’Antcíjomah - Ember Bat Islands
    At the base of Antcíroont’Sandí this chain of islands are mostly rocky and barren affairs with burned forests and gritty black beaches. However, there are often hundreds of seals, walruses and sea birds that take harbor up on the beaches and boulders of the islands and the ocean around them is teaming with fish and whales, making it an excellent destination for fishermen and hunters. However, the looming presence of the volcano gives the whole coastal area an unsettling and cursed atmosphere, so no permanent settlements have been established yet and those that visit don’t stay for long.

    Nenaí’Cahnîg – Crag Islands
    There is only one accessible deep harbor bay in the region and situated a way off that coast from it are two large islands. They’re rocky with sharp shores of jagged rocks, but the rolling green hills are suitable for grazing and raising sheep, goats or even a few mammoths. The islands also make excellent lookout points with views over the harbor and along the coastline both north and south.

    Tól’Thaláurên’Cahnîg – Town of Craggy Falls
    The deep-water harbor along the region’s coast has shores of gritty black sand and all around are high cliffs cupping the bay. Both the Jómahlyn and the Tûftlyn cascade in great waterfalls down to the shore and a port town has been built between the two waterfalls. With wharfs and some buildings build down at the shore, a steep hitch-back road rises up the cliffs with houses built tight along the sides. At the top are towers and fortification overlooking the road and the harbor and protected on two sides by the rivers. Most of the trade and travel in and out of the region goes through Tól’Thaláurên’Cahnîg and it is the largest of the frontier towns that have been established so far. With farming difficult and hunting sparce, the village provides much of the region’s food via fishing and there are often many fishing boats to be seen on the waters when the weather is good. Tól’Thaláurên’Cahnîg has a mix of both shaní and human and there is a lively and adventurous atmosphere to the place with many people coming and going on there way deeper into the region, or returning with wealth and stories.

    Tól’Tri’Claráglemní – Town of Diamond Sky
    Established at the southern end of the Claráglemní’Canzi – Diamond Fissure, Tól’Tri’Claráglemní is the largest and most successful mining town in the region. Both shaní and humans can be seen panning the waters and sifting the mud and a number of mines and quarries have been established nearby. Diamonds are the glamourous resource most seek after, but obsidian, flint and sturdy construction stone of grey schist are also mined and exported from the place. Its location is where the high walls of the canyon fallaway to the open plains and rocky hills and the sky above can be a beautiful sight to behold, whether it be a spread of stars, the vivid reds and oranges of a sunset, the flashing northern lights, or the billowing of smoke and ash clouds from the volcano’s distant grumblings. There is little comfort to be found at Tól’Tri’Claráglemní, but it’s hard not to feel a sense of grandeur and adventure around the place, where any day you might strike it rich, or be consumed in the sudden eruption and wrath of Antcíroont’Sandí.

    Tól’Zaní’Cemncí – Town of Frost View
    Tól’Zaní’Cemncí is the smallest frontier town established so far, but also has made the most progress in cultivating the forests and land. What little food is grown in the region is grown here and the forests around the town are the most untouched by the volcano’s burning wrath and so has the best game and vegetation available. So far, the area has mostly been settled by shaní though a few Sangar families have also moved in. It’s located on a high cliff overlooking the Tûftlyn river with grassy fields and forest stretching behind it toward the mountains.



    ---

    People

    Shilo Vale is a rugged and dangerous county, only recently freed from blightspawn and with an active volcano looming over it all. Yet, beside these ominous threats, the country offers great wealth, adventure and opportunity for new beginnings. Those drawn to such a frontier may come from different races and nationalities, but they all have a common sense of daring and hope. While many shaní answered the Call of the Vale, including the hero Edge himself, the shaní population has never been large and their presence alone would hardly have been enough to colonize the wild country, so the Winter Council reached out to some of their allies around Tarandi. A number of human nationalities joined the shaní, swearing allegiance to the Winter Council in exchange for the chance of a new life, wealth and freedom in Shilo Vale.


    Spoiler: The Call of the Vale
    Show


    The Call of the Vale


    Shaní – River Elves

    When the Winter Council decided to colonize the region, a whole tribe of the shaní agreed together to relocate north. They call themselves the Wind Dash tribe and many had been growing discontent with the rising level of sedentary life in Shandolýn, seeking to return to a more transitory and adventurous lifestyle. Along with the Wind Dash Tribe a good number of other shaní decided to venture north for riches and new horizons, including Edge himself, who battled the Ember Bats beside Hinarah the Rider of Sangar. Though his various quests, adventures and his duties to the Winter Council cause him to travel all around Tarandi, the heroes relocated much of his livelihood into the new country and takes an active role in its leadership and in the various local adventures when he isn’t busy abroad.

    The shaní brought with them their language, culture and ways of government. For the most part these have dominated in the region, though the influence of the various human cultures has had a strong affect. For example, the language of the Wýnro is the bases of the western trade language that many people across Tarandi can use and understand. The shándole language is commonly spoken, but most people also speak the Wýnro and it is most often used between cultures. The traditions of Elder rule have also been adjusted and adapted to fit a more cosmopolitan community, where not everyone is ageless and lives numerous centuries. Human family structure and blood kinship has also been given more emphasis as well as the roll of parents raising children in society.


    Wýnro - Distant Tradesmen

    An enigmatic and reserved race of unknown origins, the Wýnro were trading up and down the western coast and through the mountain passes before the era of the Blue Commit. Often seen traveling in caravans or flocks of canoes they’re excellent barters and have connections all over western Tarandi and supposedly over the sea on shores unknown. They seldom settle into towns nor venture around in especially large groups, but are a common and often welcome sight, as they tend to be peaceful and wealthy.

    Short and stalky of stature, they seldomly grow taller than 5 and a half feet. Their skin is pale, with very dark almond eyes set wide apart and smooth dark hair. They typically dress in seal skin coasts and bear furs and are very at home on the cold waters and coasts. Their religion is important to them and every wýnro wares a shell neckless and whispers of various superstitions and spirits, but they will never share any details of what they believe and secrecy seems to be a prime aspect of their faith. Just as little is said about their home of origin and cultural history.

    Those that agreed to settle in Shilo Vale and swear loyalty to the Winter Council seem to have been part of a religious schism that splintered off the main culture and there is a level of animosity and tension that exist between them and the other Wýnro, but the story isn’t told to outsiders. Nonetheless, despite their secrets, they seem to get along with whomever else they meet on the frontier, easily adapting and adjusting to the culture around them in all ways save religion. They have no interest in practicing or even hearing about any religion except their own.


    Dannû – Opportunistic Frontiersmen

    A number of ambitious and adventurous people from The Dannu Gaon Tribes agreed to join Shandolé, seeking the opportunities of new homes and wealth in Shilo Vale. Most of them were those without a clan, or smaller sects that had their ambitions eclipsed by the rise of Clan Mak, finding themselves out of favor with the powerful Nocter and Noctrix.

    They’re mostly commercially driven, with several flocking to the diamond mines or panning the rivers for riches. Others take bold risks, exploring the mountains and ruins for treasures and hidden wealth, often being the first frontiersmen to establish camps in new locations.


    Sangar – Disenfranchised Families Looking for New Beginnings
    In the wake of their civil war and the defeat of Keeper Milah Polahi, a number of Sangar humans found themselves disenfranchised, out of favor and with little political or economic prospects in their native lands. With the blessings of Hinarah, Jia and Perandi, several of these human families agreed to swear allegiance to the Winter Council and relocate to the western coast to seek wealth and a new beginning in Shilo Vale. They are perhaps the most sedentary of the new colonist, playing key roles in establishing and building the new towns and organizing religious and governing centers. Many of them are craftsmen or warriors and have become foundations of new industry and militia in their communities. With strong work ethics and deep religious values, Sangar work to compose a song to mark the start of settlement in the Shio Vale, hoping to pass it down to the generations to follow and are determined to make the most of their fresh start in a new land.




    ---

    Leadership

    While the Winter Council in Shandolýn technically governs over the whole of the region, most decisions are actually made on a more local level by town or camp Elders. Rule by Elders as practiced by the Shándole is the officially recognized means of local governance and is practiced in most communities, but some adjustments have been made and a few human traditions of law and order has been incorporated in a areas. Meanwhile, on some of the further frontier camps, very little law and order has been established at all.


    Spoiler: Notes on Frontier Governance
    Show


    Notes on Frontier Governance


    “Elders”
    By Shándole tradition an Elder is defined as someone four hundred years or older. However, as settlements made of mixed human and shándole populations got established, the Winter Council held a long debate on whether or not they should redefine “Elder” in such a way that humans can participate in the local councils and governance of a region. A good number of shaní spoke out against such changes, arguing that relative life spans is irrelevant, and it is unreasonable to judge a mere 60 or 70 years as equal to 4 four centuries in wisdom and experience, regardless of race. However, in the end, the Winter Council did pass a resolution qualifying humans of the age of 60 or older as Elders and giving such individuals the rights and authority granted all Elders within their communities. Nonetheless, its likely a number Shándole Elders shall only burgeoningly accept human Elders as their equals and, while technically this qualifies human to be appointed to the Winter Council, it is unlikely that any humans will be granted such a seat any time this century.


    Renegades
    In many camps and smaller settlements officially organized Elder Councils don’t exist. It may be that no Elders are living in the community at all, or simply that such law and order is not getting enforced. Renegade gangs have risen in places, mostly made of younger individuals competent in warfare and charismatic enough to enforce their own authority. These gangs may lead for either good or ill and mostly remain very localized, though a few gangs have taken to roving.


    Edge
    In Shandolýn and on the Winter Council Edge has never been especially popular as a leader and his criminal history has led several Shándole to mistrust him. However, in Shilo Vale most people are much more willing to dismiss past sins and mistakes and the story of Edge’s quest against the Ember Bats has made be quite popular and celebrated. This, along with the fact that there are fewer Elders in general who chose to migrate to the Vale, has caused Edge to be very influential in the region and looked up to by many. He seldom has the will or even the opportunity to leverage this influence, but if he wished, he could probably convince much of the population in Shilo Vale to follow him. Other Elders of Shandolýn and the Winter Council, who have noticed this, are not pleased, as Edge’s more violent and non-traditional policies are not viewed very favorably there.




    ---

    History & Mysteries


    Spoiler: Lost Ruins
    Show


    Lost Ruins


    Across Shilo Vale a number of old stone ruins can be found, both on the surface and within underground caverns. Such things exist in Shandolýn as well, but the Vale seems to have many more. The true origin of the ruins is unknown, but it’s thought that they belonged to a lost civilization of Shándole that existed in an era prior to the False Dawn and that it had a much larger in population than the current shaní tribes. No decipherable writing has been discovered, but the emblem of a thorny rose seems to be a common motif among these ruins and the level of stonework and masonry suggests a somewhat more advanced understanding of engineering and architecture, as well as better tools. What other secrets and magics might have belonged to these ancestral people remains a mystery.

    Shaman and lore-masters speculate heavily upon these ruins and their implications, but shaní memory of this era is completely erased and trance visions regarding it are very few and hard to interpret. However, it seems clear that the center of this civilization was not in Shandolýn and the Ka River, but in Shilo Vale and that the chaos and Blightspawn of the False Dawn completely destroyed the civilization in this region, leaving only the southern outskirts of fringe tribes and refugees to carry on into the present.





    Spoiler: When Edge and Hinarah Quenched the Skies
    Show


    When Edge and Hinarah Quenched the Skies



    Shortly after the coming of the Blue Commit, the Dream Speakers explored the region of Shilo Vale and discovered it was blighted by the Ember Bats.

    “The Ember Bats are terrible opponents, horse-sized chiropteran creatures composed entirely of fiery flesh and obsidian bone. Alighting on the stormy air around their nest, no conventional force has a hope of prevailing.”

    ~ M’Ká’acindi’tonyóndersan of the Dream Speakers

    For several years no one dared to travel north to face these creatures, but eventually, M’Eld’Quêth’Dóah – I Face the Edge of Darkness – took up the challenge. At his side rode Hinarah of Sangar, whose youth and stature belied his stout heart. Passing beyond the edge of Shandolé’s territory, it was not long before they felt the biting kiss of ashfall from the mountains. Storm clouds wreathed the horizon, lit from within by the baleful light of the blightspawn and given eternal life by the noxious fumes of their nest. The first attack came two weeks into their expedition, a lone Ember Bat descending like a comet from the night sky in search of easy prey. It died disappointed, skull crushed by a sling stone launched by ancient hand, and the two heroes hurried on their way as its body disintegrated into burning putrescence. Thus, began their long struggle towards the bats’ nest, assailed day and night by hunters trailing a pyroclastic fume in their wake. As hours of battle turn to days, then weeks, Edge and Hinarah slowed their pace, fatigue stalking at their back even as the Ember Bats grow more numerous. Eventually, staggering beneath a layer of soot that clots their wounds, the two stood atop a ridge overlooking the smoking caldera.

    An eternal fire red as blood lights their path from then on, passing from shadow to shadow beneath the notice of dozens of Ember Bats as they sought the smoking crevasses that led to the heart of the volcano. Down they climbed, further and further still into the beating heart of the mountains, until from darkness they emerged into caverns drawn from the nightmares of a madman. The stone of the Ember Bats’ lair had twisted into strangely organic formations, at once reminiscent of their fading dreams of home and deeply repugnant. Had either man been blessed with a full belly, they might have lost it passing through those bloated arcades, but the righteousness of their task guided them on. Here and there they found pockets of Ember Bats clinging to the ceiling, the walls, twitching in a deathly sleep. They rarely wake alive, and in the scattered bones and cinders of their nests the heroes discovered mounds of unpolished crystal hard as a Sentinel’s rod - diamond.

    This discovery proved the end of the Ember Bats, for as Edge and Hinarah skulked through their domain they took the sharpest of the gems to the pillars and walls, carving great bleeding gouges in stone that proved near as soft as flesh. Charting a path around the fiery pit of the volcano, they eventually succeed in preparing their trap. With a mighty roar, they roused the full horde of the Ember Bats from their rest, and in their alarm the Blightspawn do the work of a hundred miners. Walls collapsed beneath flailing wings, stalactites fell like the hammers of the gods, and as more and more Ember Bats rebounded to die in the boiling magma the earth itself heaved. Spending the last of their strength, the heroes retreated, even as the earth itself joined their fight. By some miracle, Edge and Hinarah reached their pinnacle overlook just as the volcano finally exploded, a blast that sends them to the ground with bone-crushing force and consumed the last of the Ember Bats in a fiery embrace.





    Spoiler: The Crystal Cave Camps & The Ka Snatchers
    Show


    The Crystal Cave Camps & The Ka Snatchers (Evil Spirits)

    At a cave in the NE mountains of the region, prospectors found ruins and several large crystals, both diamonds and amethysts. Some raw, but also many already cut, presumably by the people who had created the ruins. The cave system is large and deep and has yet to be fully explored, though it seems to have been a site of a significant underground settlement at one point, with crumbled constructions of stone and old houses carved from the very sides of the cavern walls.

    News of the ruins and especially of the large crystals drew a good number of prospectors, even out to these remote edges of the region, but they began encountering troubles almost right away. People and animals went missing, disturbing reports of phantom sights and sounds circulated and then the murders began happening. Without any seeming motive or forewarning a number of people began killing others. Most victims were human and their bodies were discovered desecrated with their throats cut inside the cavern. Eventually, some perpetrators were caught, but most denied it, claiming to have no memory the horrific events and confessing only to “blackouts” in their memories. Those few who confessed, however, shed light on a disturbing phenomenon. When cornered, one murder laughed maliciously and spoke in a strange dialect. It was Shándole, but odd with archaic words and an unfamiliar accent. She confessed to killing the “filthy humans” and proclaimed, “Thou art all ignorant beyond measure and kin nary where ye stand, nor the power of those who reside here still!”

    Some further questioning and investigations was done and people soon concluded that the caves were haunted by evil spirits able to possess the bodies of others. How this was happening and how many people had already become possessed was unknown, but it set off a panic in the camps with no one certain who could be trusted. Shaman directed people to ware name chips close their own skin, for a symbolic strong tie to their own identity in the hopes that it will keep the spirits from being able to take over. They also advised loudly repeating the full name of someone you know and are close to three times over to help them fight off possession and cast the spirits out. But primarily shaman recommended that people leave the area. This advice was promptly followed, and the camps were abandoned for the time being.

    However, rumors of the spirits, the caves and the large crystals to be found there continue to be told. It is also possible that a number of people who were there, may still be possessed and not be whom they appear to be. The true nature and motives of these spirits is a mystery.





    Spoiler: Seaswathed Singers
    Show


    Seaswathed Singers (Magical Creature)


    Found off the coasts particularly in the northern waters around the Nenaí’Antcíjomah – Ember Bat Islands, are some strange creatures. From a distance they appear very beautiful, with an upper torso appearing like young men or women with bioluminescent wings of blues, greens, opal and black at their hips and simmering fish tales. They sing with beautiful voices hauntingly alluring melodies, as they sit on rocks and crags, or circle slowly in the air a few feet above the water.

    However, once someone gets closer their forms shimmer and change, like a dissolving mirage and the creatures are revealed to be emaciated, haggard things with large mouths containing wickedly sharp teeth, clawed hands and slimy skin the colors of putrid greys, whites and blacks. They show neither mercy nor sentience, attacking in droves, clawing, biting and trying to drag people into the water to be devoured.

    A resemblance to the Skyclad Dancers has been noted, as they are of similar size and the abilities to fly, shapeshift and sing in beautiful voices are all things they hold in common. However, these creatures aren’t awakened to the higher level of intelligence the Dancers have and seem driven by an unending hunger and malicious craving for flesh and blood. It’s been considered that these “Seaswathed Singers” are some kind of cursed flock of aquatic dancers, possibly similar to the twisted spirits of the Banished found in Shandolýn (cursed elven spirits).

    Fishermen and sailors are warned to never approach these creatures and to turn around if they hear their singing, but the haunting beauty and allure of those voices, still draw many foolish souls to their death in the northern waters.






    Spoiler: Shanánîar’Athân - Hooded-Lady-Seal
    Show


    Shanánîar’Athân - Hooded-Lady-Seal (Magical Spirit)


    A shané fishman called Zaní’Glicka’Á’Lafá’Á’Lyndi - Watching Reflections of the Moon on the Ocean – was one of the first frontiersmen to settle in Shilo Vale. He made a home on the Nenaí’Cahnîg – Crag Islands, where he kept a watchtower and a fishing boat. Seals often came to the beach near his tower and he watched them with growing interest and amusement, getting to know the pod and appreciating the company for what it was worth. For he was quite lonely on the island. Then one day he noticed a shaná walking on the beach among the seals, dressed only in a long sealskin cloak with a large hood.

    Concerned that she was the victim of a shipwreck, he went to help her. She spoke with difficulty in faltering Shándole and seemed confused. She said her name was Shanánîar’Athân – Lady-seal in a Hood –, but couldn’t answer any other questions he put to her. Á’Lafá’Á’Lyndi did what he could to help her, providing some food, more clothing and speaking to her about casual things, for, though she had difficulty speaking, she seemed to understand him well and be comforted by his voice.

    He promised to help her find her way home and she took his hand and squeezed it gratefully, large brown eyes filling with tears, but a soft smile on her lips. That night he gave her a place to trance and departed to his own meditations. However, when he’d finished and went to check on her, Shanánîar was gone. Frightened for her safety, he searched his tower and the surrounding shores, but could find no sign of her, only the unseal pod of seals sleeping on the beach and playing in the waves. Á’Lafá’Á’Lyndi was greatly distressed and determined to search the whole of the island come sunrise, preparing his traveling pack. For two days he walked all over the island and found it barren. There was no one but him on all its shores. Finally, he could only conclude that Shanánîar must have wandered off in the dark and drown and returned to his tower very disheartened. To his surprise, however, Shanánîar was standing on the beach near his door and smiled to see him returning home. He asked her where she’d been and what had happened and she could not explain. All she said was “I missed ye, so a’here I am.” He didn’t understand, but his heart was filled with peace and happiness when she smiled, so he did not press her further.

    He made her a meal and they spoke long into the night, struggling with a language barrier but finding the company easy nonetheless, laughing and smiling together. The next day, Á’Lafá’Á’Lyndi took her to the mainland and asked at Tól’Thaláurên’Cahnîg – Town of Craggy Falls – if anyone knew her or knew about a recent shipwreck. No one did and they said no boats had come nor been expected in several moons. Shanánîar quickly grew exhausted walking around the town and asked that they go back to the island. Not knowing where else to take her, Á’Lafá’Á’Lyndi brought her back home to his tower, all the more confused and uncertain about her nature.

    She drew close to him that night, running her hand through his hair and he wrapped his arms about her shoulders, his heart filling with a fondness that was deeper than he’d ever known. And yet there was something sad and anxious wavering just beyond his understanding; something that told him things wouldn’t be alright. Yet, still, he knew that he loved her.

    She disappeared after that night. This time Á’Lafá’Á’Lyndi was less surprised and watched the shores and waves, going about his work in silence and anxiety. A couple days later, he came out of his tower in the morning to find her standing by, greeting him with a smile. She could not say where she’d been.

    This continued on, with Shanánîar appearing on the shore, staying a few days and then vanishing for a few days. Á’Lafá’Á’Lyndi could not fathom where she disappeared too, but begin to resent it more and more, wanting to be with her always. Finally, he watched her carefully and saw her one night, as the moon was rising. She stepped to the shore and pulled her hooded cloak up and about her and, as she did, she changed, turning into one of the seals. He realized then that she was a calah, a spirit of the ocean bound to the seals and the waves. He did not tell her of his discovery, but held it in his heart, considering. His love was deep, but it was also jealous. He witnessed her transformations several more times and a plan formed in his ka. One day, while she was meditating, he took her cloak and hid it away in the chimney of his fireplace.

    When Shanánîar came out of trance she missed it immediately and search everywhere, asking Á’Lafá’Á’Lyndi where it was, but he said he didn’t know and even helped her search, but in vain. Shanánîar wept, though she said she didn’t understand why. She was confused and shaken and Á’Lafá’Á’Lyndi comforted her.

    As he’d hoped, she did not return to the ocean. Without her cloak she remained in shaní form and with him at his tower. But there was a sadness about her, a wistful confusion. Á’Lafá’Á’Lyndi felt some pang of guilt and considered that maybe he should tell her the truth and return her cloak to her, but was frightened she would be so angry she would leave for good. Then Shanánîar became pregnant and a son was born and Á’Lafá’Á’Lyndi knew he would never tell Shanánîar the truth. She was too precious and the family they’d made too important to him. He’d love her for a thousand years and keep her as his own forever, even if it meant keeping her very Ka his captive.

    They named their son, M’Clâggen’Híahní – I Stepped from the Waves.





    Spoiler: Klicé’Nichí’Á’Melôdí - Wolf Racing the Lights
    Show


    Klicé’Nichí’Á’Melôdí - Wolf Racing the Lights (Magical Spirit)


    Frost wolves are malicious creatures feared throughout Shandolé, but, as frontiersmen settled in Shilo Vale, rumors of a peculiar frost wolf began to spread. Like others of her kind, she was very large and snowy white with frosty blue eyes, but she didn’t lead a savage pack and neither did she descend with hatful freezing breath upon any two-leg in her territory.

    Seen running in the distance under the northern lights, she once frightened a camp of prospectors, howling at a distance and threatening them so much they packed up and moved to the shelter of some caves a distance off. That very night an avalanche shook the mountain and the place where the prospectors had been camped was completely buried. Moving camps had most assuredly saved their lives.

    Another time a family of Sangar got lost in a blizzard. Freezing and exhausted they were ready to give up and accept their fate, but the huge snowy wolf appeared, her fur shining as if reflecting the auroras, even though the sky was completely blanked out by snow. Her howls sent spikes of terror through them and they fled before her, despite their exhaustion, only to stumble right into a nearby camp. One they never would have found on their own through the blizzard. When the snows died down and the family were warm in safe in the care of the camp, they again saw the frost wolf in the distance, looking down from a ridge, the auroras above her flashing in silent approval. The family knew if she hadn’t chased them, they’d be frozen corpses buried in the cold mountains. The Sangar mother composed a song that night in gratitude.

    Other stories of lost travelers being chased or led to safety were told, as well as stories of the wolf bringing warnings or fending off evil spirits. In all of them the strange frost wolf remained at a distance, seen running under the northern lights or standing poised in the freezing winds, her coat reflecting colorful lights that weren’t there. The people of Shilo Vale started calling her Klicé’Nichí’Á’Melôdí - Wolf Racing the Lights. Some claim she is a guardian servant of Eauden. Others say she is a can’calah in her own right, a magical spirit dedicated to protecting people from the dangers of the cruel winter.





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    Map


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  13. - Top - End - #43
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Phoenix is retired, so I am moving his region writeup to the lands thread.

    Scions of the Thalaz'ir (SoT)




    Na'karat
    Region #30, Mamut

    Summary: Displaced solar nobles

    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    Na'karat is a strange land of dying grass giving way to scorched wastes just north of it creating a symbolic pathway from their supposed ancestral home to the north, abandoned during the false dawn. Littering Na'karat are craters of varying sizes ranging from no bigger than a few feet to some that may span the width of a house or larger. In the infancy of Na'karat, these craters were infested with small groups of blightspawn who have since been cleared out by the Scions.

    The Scions themselves have erected many buildings made of stone in which to eke out their new existence, as well as several small monuments, altars to the sun (and a few to the moon) at which they leave offerings for their divines.

    The south of Na'karat is touched by a river which they call Shar-Rakza, from which the Scions get most of their drinking water, as well as the water for their rather simplistic 'farms'.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The people of Na'karat are descended from the nobility of their former empire, and so did not take kindly to their sudden change of lifestyle. Almost universally loud, the tall and lean-built humans of Na'karat settle their differences and grievances with violent outbursts usually stopped by the intervention of the sun priests. Judged before them, the one determined to be in the wrong for instigating the violence is taken to the sun temple at Na'karat's heart.

    Dark skin, typically brown or green eyes, and dark hair are all telltale characteristics of men and women of the Scions when combined with their tall stature. Some individuals of Na'karat have been born with orange eyes, an omen that the sun priests are very eager to investigate, often claiming the newborn to be raised among the temple instead of with their parents, ensuring that they always have an ample number of faithful to carry on the ancient traditions of the sun.

    Starting Tech: Masonry: +1 to resist Raids and Sacks


    Spoiler: History
    Show
    The history of the Scions of the Thalaz'ir is tumultuous, having been the former ruling caste of the great empire of Arrakh-Rah before the false dawn, the men and women who would become the Scions were decadent, lavish, and foolish. Though all true historical records of their once-great nation were lost, those who survived speak of dark magics and vile perversions that led to their empire's fall, blaming the entirety of the false dawn on themselves for angering the gods with their 'corruption'.

    Before the false dawn, the empire of Arrakh-Rah was ruled by the Thalaz'ir (God King), who's blood it was said ran gold like the warm sun, and whose eyes were shimmering silver like the full moon. This Thalaz'ir was supposedly reincarnated several times, with each new incarnation being born during a solstice. Over the generations, as the kingdom grew in prosperity, so too did the arrogance of the Thalaz'ir, who became seduced by darker temptations, and if the sun priests are to be believed, dark whispers.

    When the false dawn came, the people of Arrakh-Rah were scattered, with the lower class escaping the crumbling empire much faster than the nobility. Some say that most of the upper caste remained behind, too engrossed in their own depravities and corruption to escape with their kin, though these are merely rumours. Of those that did survive, many were sun priests who led their people to safety in the plains of Na'karat.

    19 years ago, a new Thalaz'ir was born, and the Scions are in the midst of turmoil to decide whether to crown and follow the reincarnation of the man who once led them to ruin, or to cast him out into the blighted wastes alone.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    The people of Na'karat practice Solar Mysticism, which they have brought with them as part of their traditions after losing their homes in the north to the False Dawn. It entails worship and reverence of the sun, and a belief that it is a living deity who moves through the sky each day, enriching and nourishing the land with his warmth. The Scions believe that without a sacrifice of precious stones each month the sun will refuse to move through the sky and will leave the world out of balance as his twin, the moon, remains.

    The moon, the Sun's opposite is seen as an equal to the sun, less bright than the sun but with stars all around it to support it's brilliance. Where the sun suggests power individually, the moon suggests power together. Both provide light in different ways, and to be without light is to die. When these people of Arrakh-Rah departed from their lands to seek safety, their number did not include a moon shaman to guide them in the other half of their spiritual faith. The scions seek to recover the lost pieces of their faith and culture as their numbers increase once again.

    Though secretive, a third sect of their mystic faith exists, one fascinated with death and all of its depictions...

    Currently the only solar temple is called the "Atrium of Plenitude", which resides at the heart of Na'karat, surrounded by fields of simple crops gently blowing in the wind.


    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    Na'karat is one of few places where the strange resource of Comet Stone can be found in abundance, typically buried in or beneath the craters that fill Na'karat. Comet Stone is a deep blue rock of similar texture to obsidian or other glassy rocks, though notably much harder to break. Comet Stone is of great religious import to the Scions, whose sun priests decorate their staves with it. Part of the solar faith dictates that the people leave tribute of Comet Stone for their deity. The sun priests collect it each night while the populace sleeps, but where they bring it is unknown, the common folk believing it to have been taken up by the sun.

    However, the region lacks in natural sources of labor. Whether accomplished through servants, beasts of burden, or another mystical method, they are required for trade and construction on any decent scale that can result in stagnancy and unrest when lacking. The people of the Na'karat are a descended from true nobility who never toiled for anything, relying on the common folk to do it for them.
    "What is to give light must endure burning."

  14. - Top - End - #44
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Spoiler: Region 109 - Uldra
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    A snow-covered kingdom bordered by lakes, the Arrok are fiercely protective of their lands, their wolves, and their northern allies.

    Spoiler: Geography
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    Uldra is a rocky, snow covered tundra region full of sloping hills and jutting crags of rock. Intermittent pools and small lakes are often covered in ice but host fish that can be gathered for sustenance. Vegetation is scarce and relegated to stubborn shrubs, lichens, and grasses, with fruit and herb bushes emerging in the warmer months. This vegetation sustains both traveling groups of people as well as migrating herds.

    Cities and buildings are constructed out of bones, stone, and dried mud bricks collected in warmer weather and covered in treated hides and packed snow. Mother’s Crown lies in the central north of Uldra, built around a scattered system of natural hot springs and rock outcrops, and is the largest of the two permanent settlements and acts as the primary center for trade, celebrations, and animal rearing (namely herbivores for prey and direwolves bought from Nordgen traders). Mother’s Heart is the second permanent settlement, built at the mouth of the cave to Aratak Falls, an underground river leading to a triple-forked waterfall. This settlement lies just a half-day north of Mother’s Crown and is the home of the Elders, mystics, and the center of all rituals and religious celebrations of the Uldra.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The sole sapient race in Uldra are the Arrok – humans who are dark of skin and hair, short and stocky in stature, and more stubborn and territorial than an ice-bear over her nest. The Arrok are a matriarchal society governed by a voting group of Elders who oversee affairs and, if needed, will appoint War Chiefs or Hunters to rally forces or explore new lands. Any person of sufficient age may be an Elder, though only a handful each decade survive the frozen wilds long enough. Though the population in general has a say and sway in decisions, the Elders are the ones who take the final vote and ultimately decide issues. Clothing consists of treated hides collected from hunted animals that are cut, sewn, layered, and decorated with bone, stone, and gems to tell of a person’s standing and accomplishments. The Arrok are semi-nomadic, with most ‘villages’ traveling around Uldra in temporary settlements to follow the hunting. The main permanent settlements are occupied by a full 30% of the Arrok population, with most living at Mother’s Crown and a smaller population at Mother’s Heart. Families are based around the mother's line, with no concept of biological fatherhood. Multiple partners through life are common, as are multiple partners at once. Should Arrok wish to be monogamous to another (or others), a Binding ceremony is performed by the Oracle. Unbound males generally help to care for the children of their mothers, sisters, or cousins, or other women they have a close connection to in their 'village.'


    Spoiler: Resources
    Show
    Resource: Salt is harvested in abundance from the frozen lakes surrounding Uldra and is used for food preservation and rituals

    Required Resource: Northern Husky Dogs – used for transportation, hunting, protection, and general companionship.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    Arrok had worshiped flowing, unfrozen water and the wolves from the north as key elements of life for generations before meeting the Nordgen Seekers, and quickly bonded over shared beliefs before integrating the more organized faith of the Way of Eauden.

    Arrok rituals are based around the Aratak Falls, a subterranean cave system containing a river flowing to a triple-forked waterfall plunging far into the abyss. The water glows with a soft brilliant blue light and its magic can be felt as soon as one enters the cave entrance. The water leaps and flows as if it had a mind of its own with no regard for gravity, leading to the belief that the water of this Fall is blessed by the Moon Spirit. The stories of Aratak Falls led to the joining and alliance between the Arrok and the Nordgen when their Seekers came in search of the Falls. Seekers of the Arrok and the Nordgen often train and learn together, and have frequent journeys between the holy sites to share knowledge and worship at each location.


    Spoiler: Region 130 - Falo
    Show

    Region 130 has been discovered by the Arrok! It has a Minor resource of Horses, a Holy Site dedicated to the Endless Horizon and 2 units of native defenders!

    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    Falo is characterized by rugged, rolling hills and plateaus, covered in wind-blown snow for most of the year and tall grasses for the rest. Snow and icemelt feed rivers and springs that run-off north. The rolling land is broken only by shrublands and sparse forests of short, wiry trees. The Kano river cuts a slim but persistent line through the land, joining untold numbers of unnamed springs, creeks, and streams. The sharpest bend in Kano is around the Saddle, two large hills creating a sloping valley in between, wherein is nestled Dokra, the breeding grounds and primary pastures for the Faloan horses. Dokra acts also as the center of permanent life for the Faloan people, and is filled with large oval dome residences.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The Faloans are taller than the average Arrok but still a short, stocky people. Their reflexes and grace on horseback make them appear not quite fully human, nor does their keen hearing and eyesight, though any Faloan would laugh and just cite good horsesense. Their hair is grown long and braided, with the normal dark colors often dyed by the various berries and grasses on the plains. Most dye their hair pale yellow or white to match their horse's manes. Practically raised on horseback, Faloans are masterful horseriders and warriors, and are just as inclined to start a brawl as they are to comment on the weather. Clans, typically made of extended family, are led by a Fen, with the High Fen residing in Dokra and reigning over Falo.


    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    Falo has a Minor resource of Horses. These horses are dun to black, with white manes and shaggy fur. Shaped more like a barrel with legs, Faloan horses have stamina unmatched by any other mammal known to Tarandi, and delight in discovering new fruits and grasses to feed on.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    So too as the stars dance in the night sky, so do the souls of the Falo and their horses when their time is past. The border of life and death is as clean as the line between sky and land. It is only at the transition times - dawn and dusk when souls that have been severed from the land can pass into the sky and join their ancestors in the Rider's Eye, a fixed formation of stars surrounded by everlasting cloud.

  15. - Top - End - #45
    Ogre in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Crow's Tribe - Highnest
    Region 306



    “Caw.”

    Spoiler: Summary
    Show

    Resource: Shattered Runestones [Great]
    1. [self]
    2. [vacant]
    3. [vacant]
    Holy Site: Crow's Talons [Native Unorganized]


    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    Like most of Sikar, Highnest is hot and dry, but it's most notable features are a series canyons and multi-hued rock formations formed by forgotten rivers that dried up long before the False Dawn. Ancient villages and crumbling fortifications dot the cliff sides, carved right into the stone, but their original owners have long since moved on or died. The most impressive of these collapsing, ancient cities exists on a massive plateau rising from the desert at the north east end of the canyons. This is where Crow's Tribe made their home.

    The northernmost reaches of Highnest are unbroken desert, but as you move south the desert yields to shrubland. The canyons are dry most the year, but some rivers form in the rainy season and flow north east towards the distant coast line. Trees are fairly uncommon for most the span of Highnest and the ones that survive there tend to be short and twisted, barely differentiable from the shrubs. In the rainy season these vast fields are vibrant and green. Despite how desolate the terrain may seem to an outsider, it is brimming with life, most of it small or nocturnal. Wild sheep are the largest herbivores in the region and coyotes are among the largest carnivores. The rest of the native fauna tends to be small mammals and reptiles. Vibrantly colored lizards and snakes are common, as are fields of rodent tunnels.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The crows of Highnest are several species of blackbird, though true crows and ravens make up the vast majority. They traveled to the desert from distant lands and made the ancient ruins of Highnest their own. They are a people destined for greatness by their own description. They view themselves as superior to all other species, but are collectively covetous of many humanoid creations. In their homeland, far to the north, they had a disagreement with the other animals over the morality of adopting human technologies, like farming and tools.

    Individual crows can be quite eloquent and insightful, but in groups they are prone to mob mentality, and are very distrustful of outsiders. Few outside their lands are even aware the birds can speak, let alone that they actually rule Highnest.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    From the perspective of Crow's Tribe:
    Long ago animals and humans lived in harmony, but this was not enough for Man. He sought to tame the wilds and subjugate the beasts to labor for him.
    Crow saw the bounty Man harvested. He was impressed and wished to join him, but Man was greedy. Man tried to kill Crow and chased him away.
    From high on a mountaintop Crow watched over Man's crops and hatched a plan. Without the sun, nothing would grow. He would teach man a lesson.
    So Crow flew as high as his wings could carry him and snatched the Sun from the Sky.
    Nothing grew. Man's crops failed. Man suffered and disappeared.
    Vulture feasted, but grew jealous of Crow's cleverness.
    Vulture rallied the other animals against Crow and they demanded he return the Sun to the Sky.
    But the Sun was rightfully Crow's. No one else had helped him. They had not braved the heights to steal it.
    So he took it with him across the world, and hung it low over his kingdom.


    Spoiler: Resources
    Show
    Starting Technology: Writing

    Shattered Runestones are artifacts collected from the abandoned cliff cities of Highnest. The crows don't know who made them or what they're for, but they seem important, and some of them are very shiny.

    Food is, unfortunately, never in great supply. Crows don't farm.
    Quote Originally Posted by lt_murgen View Post
    Exploratory expeditions expeditiously expediting exploration would be epicurially equipped.

  16. - Top - End - #46
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Spoiler: Region 75: Glaondi Yejon (Updated to round 21)
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    Spoiler: Terrain
    Show

    Glaondi Yejon isn’t a place anyone would choose to call home. The northern half of the island is covered in large sand dunes, which becomes rockier towards the centre but remains just as barren. Further south the dunes rise into gentle dirt ridges, the largest almost becoming hills if one squints hard enough. The ridges provide bushes and other low vegetation the traction they need to grow, with a few sturdy trees breaking the otherwise soft curves of the landscape.

    Often harrowed by harsh winds the locals have made their home inside the ridges. Having spent the last centuries carving out their home beneath the thin dirt layer a vast network of narrow tunnels and small rooms now intertwines below the ridges. Miajo Hregger marks the highest point on the island and is a veritable maze underground at this point. In the midst of this chaos most Smiaurskotor have claimed one of the shallow widenings or alcoves as their own.


    Spoiler: Society
    Show

    Tilroun Ugglo are slender 4-5 feet tall nocturnal creatures. They have thick mottled skin in greyscale. Their most defining feature are their heads, sitting on top of a narrow neck, which can twist and turn almost three quarters of a circle in every direction. The large triangular ears jut out like horns, giving slightly taller creatures a clear view into their ear canals. Instead of a nose they have two large round eyes, which glows in the dark above their small mouth. They have little to no body hair except the short and disheveled hair on their ears. Maturity is reached around 12 and most have died by 45 with outliers reaching ages of 60.

    Tilroun Ugglo were originally smiths and scouts for the Daezirn, a tall and mythical people, which controlled most of the isles before the false dawn. The tale goes that the Daezirn nurtured every resource they came across to perfection and their great trade imperium weaved the isles together. When the blight infested the sea they tried to nurture it as well, creating ever more horrific creatures, leading to the rapid downfall of their imperium.
    Long before then most others had fled the Daezirn capital and the Smiaurskotor were no exception. Gathering the tribe on primitive catamarans they aimlessly set sail away from the monsters, before crashing into the glowing island. Lacking a clear structure of their own those well versed in their trade soon also became figures of political power.

    But smithing din’t provide shelter and reconnaissance didn’t provide food. The lack of enemies, suitable fuel and ores didn’t make the knowledge more useful either and over generations their purpose changed. The smiths became tunnel diggers and the scouts fishermen, still tradition held and the most skilled within their trade are still in charge of the others.

    The Smiaurskotors’ hierarchy is largely based upon skill and various guilds have formed between and in the different ridges. While it’s true that everyone has a nook in Miajo Hregger most prefer to live their life in the homeridge, only visiting Miajo for events and trade. The ridges thus form a loose tribe system, with the largest intertribal guilds being the Smiajor and Skota, respectively in charge of tunnel digging and fishing.
    When someone shows exception skill in their trade others may acknowledge them as a Mystorinn, effectively giving them a large say in the guild’s dealings. The largest guilds often have multiple Mystorinn and among those they may acknowledge a Husbandi, the guild leader. In past generations the Husbandi in the Smiajor or Skota guild has also been the de facto Smiaurskotor leader, depending on their guild’s size, influence and relevance.

    While climbing the hierarchy in theory should be a matter of pure skill it’s in practice at least equal parts willingness, pacts and heritage, as higher posts mean practicing less of the intended trade and families often guard their trade secrets incessantly.


    Spoiler: Resource
    Show

    With the tunnels' creation an abundance of Pyroemeralds were and still is found. The mottled blue green mineral glows after being exposed to sunlight or heated, glowing long after exposure it has been enough to illuminate the tunnels for the Smiaurskotor.

    The specifics may be lost to time but that doesn’t stop some Ugglo from trying to forge their own tools, furthermore their housing is both cold and damp at best, flooded at worst. Combined this have created a massive need for Heat Sources, both practical and cultural.



    Spoiler: Faith
    Show

    Glyemo is the act of meticulously recording something in writing to expand the knowledge of those coming after. But just as important as recording the knowledge itself is the act of ensuring that it only reaches its intended audience. Because knowledge only increases someone’s importance if others lack it. While any skill can be improved by Glyemo the Smiaurskotor are obsessed with mastering smithing once more.
    Believing the skull to keep the wisdom of the dead Smiaurskotor bury their deceased’s bodies at sea, keeping their craniums as talismans in their homes. Often objects of importance are engraved in Styinn, telling a story of fiction, their creation or past. This practice is believed to imbue the object with a will of its own.

    Just south of Glaondi Yejon lies Grytt, a rocky isle with few living things except grass and birds. This is the most common place for Smiaurskotor to send of their dead into the sea, even inscribing memories of those gone into boulders and cliff faces. Over the years the etsing tradition has turned the whole isle into a giant collective Glyemo.


    Spoiler: Kannun Era
    Show

    In the Kannun Era Troustur Hreggur slowly overtook Miajo Hregger in prominence. Dug out in one of the loose rocky dunes the settlement started small but are now crowned with the city of Styinor, its windowless tower reaching for the skies above ground. Below ground the heat of the Oceanforge permeates the central tunnels, providing a reprieve from the otherwise cold and damp quarters of the Hreggurs.
    The Oceanforge is lies deep beneath Styinor in a cave filled with pyroemeralds, below, above, and the sides, the largest spanning multiple men in size. At its centre is a roiling pool, shifting in all the ocean’s color when the smiajor works it magic with, settling into a viridian shimmer when it’s unused. Its properties stem from the decades of somtvinno surrounding it, runes weaving tales of transformation, heat, and purification around the pyroemeralds, spinning out into even greater stories along the walls.

    During the Kannun era the Sagu guild swept over the Hreggurs like a flood wave, expanding rapidly as they converted most of the Daezirn isles to Glyemo. Responsible for the creation of the Oceanforge the capitalized on their success and broke the line of smiajor and skota Husbandi, taking over many of their political endeavours. The Smiajor guild meanwhile turned their full attention to learning the inner workings of the forge and expanding it while the Skota guild turned their attention outwards, taking on a role of exploration and trying to establish themselves elsewhere.


    Spoiler: Spriklondi Era
    Show

    Soon after their invasion, the Scrim established a small Nursery in Glaondi Yejon. The Scrim coming from there are made of limestone, and are unusually keen sailors by Scrim standards.




    Spoiler: Region 78: Siryno Yejor
    Show
    Spoiler: Geography
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    Siryno Yejor is a collection of a handful smaller islands and innumerable isles. The largest island to the south is densely vegetated and holds the settlement of Skagur deep within the underbrush, full grown trees remaining a scarcity. The isles further north begin to show signs of a colder climate with rockier terrain and grassy dunes, as the warm currents move elsewhere.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    Tillroun Galtur are a humanoid species which stands 3-4 feet tall when upright, with mottled grey skin covered in a thin dark fur. Their face is dominated by a long nose and two massive foreteeth. With an above average sense of smell and taste most Galturs appreciate a good meal, someone who knows their way around a firepit is worth keeping close.

    One of the more festive dishes is full roasted shark. Seen as a rite of passage the specifics varies between the islands, but common acts include catching a shark alone and impaling it while it still moves, if it remains on the spear until it’s fully cooked a life of adulthood begins.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    Believing in the act of intrusion little is kept secret on Siryno Yejor and every part of the body is utilized when preparing a meal. When the Sagu came from Glaondi Yejon with Glyemo little changed. Not understanding the point of hiding their art from each other a central mural dedicated to the delicate craft of cooking begun to take form. To the dismay of the Sagu many of the recipes were inexact but as the Galtur trained their own loremasters they turned out to be excellent cooks as well, easily deciphering complicated expressions such as “a pinch” and “after taste”.


    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    The waters of Siryno Yejor contains a multitude of Arctic Sharks, often hunted by the Galtur for their meat. Swimming too far from shore however can prove fatal and even a child knows not to set foot in the waters with the tiniest scratch. Especially after educational stories of stone and sand sharks, indistinguishable from the bottom, just lying in wait children to go swimming without permission.

    Last edited by Torv; 2021-05-15 at 02:25 PM.

  17. - Top - End - #47
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    { Additional Uzii Lands Post # 1 2 }


    No-Climb Cliffs
    Wilderness Tamed

    Region 33
    Spoiler: No-Climb Cliffs
    Show
    Spoiler: Summary
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    Region Name: No-Climb Cliffs
    Brief Description: A decimated area that is slowly reestablishing life.
    People: Uzii / Humans / Goliaths / Scrim / Hraban
    Resource: Copper (Great)
    Faith: Soul Honor

    Local Leader: Talky-Chieftess Sun-bright Deathgrasp


    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    The area shows signs of once being verdant and quite livable. After the attack of the Flowerspawn and the Blight-owl - and the battles to stop them - the mainland area of the region has been turned into a rocky mess, with few areas of green to speak of; the exception, of course, is along the edges of the region where the two mighty rivers flow. The Uzii that have come to settle here call them North River and South River. As there are no natives to dispute this, the names stick.

    The overturned soil of the region shows promise for a return to a more arable land, making it decent farmland; if hard work for the first few years. The overall terrain from the southeast is flat with the occasional hill and plateau, two features that become more and more common the closer one gets towards the northwest. Mountainous cliffs dominate the northwestern border, a deadly shear drop for those foolish enough to climb it. A large amount of male Uzii are just the right amount of stupid to try, mostly from the Fartrek Clan. It gets bad enough that all the Shaman and Den Mothers of the region say the phrase "No Climb Cliffs!" on a near daily basis at first. Until they realize that... this too is another name that sticks, and the whole region is now referred to as No-Climb Cliffs.

    South River has a huge waterfall from the side of these cliffs, into an enormous pool of water that has been creatively called South Lake. North River has a much smaller waterfall, that leads into another smaller waterfall, into a final one. Compared to South River, North River's overall flow is much faster, spewing forth as though in some great hurry to finally meet with it's sister. The river that is the Alqar border is full of dangerous rapids and sharp jutting crags, and only a single area along the North River has a natural rock bridge that makes it somewhat safe to pass. This dangerous rocky path is closest to the mountainous cliffs themselves, near the second of the three waterfalls. Due to the Uzii's prior relationship with the Alqar Clan, this mountain path is heavily guarded.

    The other geographical area of note is Final Fight Mountain. This is the single large mountain that houses the ruins of the previous civilization near it, and was the last stand of the defiant Flowerspawn infected who were protecting the underground nesting lair of the Blight-owl. The mountain itself is a dominating feature of the region, able to be seen from quite some distance away. It is a constant reminder that many a good warrior died from a Blightspawn awakening in a foul mood, as the terrain around the mountain is crushed and flattened where it is not cracked into small spider-web like crevices. Each such crevice marks the passing of a warrior, as it is where the Blight-owl (also known as the Amaryllis Dragon) thrust it's mighty beak towards the soil, and broke the ground in it's exuberance.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    As the region was once inhabited, but became a wild wasteland when the sleeping terror of the Blight-owl awoke, there were no uninfected survivors to call No-Climb Cliffs home. The Uzii claimed the land through right of conquest and sent a new colony, led by Den Mother Sun-bright Deathgrasp, to hold dominion over the land. Still, it was a vast area with many biomes, and the Uzii were uncomfortable living so far from any large water sources. As more Uzii became curious and set out to join Clan Deathgrasp, it soon became Sounder Deathgrasp. Many Dens and Clans spread far and wide along the two riversides to the South and North of the region. Den Mother Sun-bright Deathgrasp settled near South Lake, but immediately knew that the Uzii had an opportunity here.

    For their service against the Blight-owl, Sun-bright reached out first to the Hraban. An entire wing of curious crow-men, seeking to get to know their Soul-Cousins better, came to live within the region and accepted the charge of defending Final Fight Mountain; watching and protecting against any signs that the Blightspawn's foul flowers might grow and bloom once more near the mountainside. The Uzii call them the Wise Watchers, and treat them with respect for the important job they do.

    While many of the refugees fled from the Amaryllis Dragon to the Sokau Tribes, there were a few that saw the Uzii for what they claimed to be: protectors. These humans were led by a man named Riktor, and he came with over a thousand others to Swampum in the hopes of being given a new home. While Riktor at first balked at the idea of living closer to where the Blight-owl once had it's nest, the swamps of Swampum were not kind to those he led, no one who did not grow up in Rodrak could stomach so much Cheese, and the nomadic life of the Cau in Cow Place did not suit them. Riktor's people - referred to by the Uzii as Sounder Riktor - agreed that a new start in a new place was ideal, even if it would be hard going for the first few years to make the rocklands into farmlands. What deadwood existed in the region was quickly turned into houses, establishing the beginnings of human villages throughout the land, just a bit away from the rivers. Getting actual farms started, however, was a problem.

    Thankfully, the Uzii had a solution: While no Deru was willing to come live in the region, Homage Closed-fist Mudmore was able to convince some Deru to visit and offer advice to return trees and plants to the otherwise empty of vegetation region. This helped both Sounder Deathgrasp and Sounder Riktor; the former was able to have more Swampum-like trees to build their Dens in, and the latter were able to build farms much quicker.

    For the rocky areas that were beyond hope of settlement, too arid for farmers or swamp-dwellers, Den Mother Sun-bright had yet another idea: speak with the Scrim. Longtime acquaintances bordering on allies, the Uzii were pleased to offer the Scrim a new place to establish a Nursery. Led by the mighty Gorignak, the rock-people found the rocky areas to be ideal for their needs. Pledging to follow Uzii leadership, those of Clan Gorignak were happy in their new home, so long as they were allowed to send rocks from No-Climb Cliffs to their original homeland of Thun.

    And finally - and perhaps most importantly - the Uzii give their blessing to the Targiz to come into the region for Copper, without the need to sneak around. For over a decade, intrepid Goliaths have carefully explored and located the Copper mines of the region, to export the precious metal to those whom need it. Without the help of the Goliaths, the Uzii would not have the metal they so desperately wanted in order to have better weapons. Den Mother Deathgrasp is quick to negotiate with the Xon'Ibom Commune, and convince them to build actual mining towns at all three major mines in the region. While the Uzii benefit from these mines more than a little, the Goliaths of the Commune are more than pleased to be able to do away with having to be so circumspect when mining and transporting the metal.


    Spoiler: Government
    Show
    With so many eclectic groups of people living in the region, it quickly becomes clear that wrangling them to all do anything collectively is difficult. Thankfully, all the new settlers agree that the ultimate leadership falls upon the Homage in Swampum, but for the local governance, there is much disagreement. Because of all of her hard work in gathering them all, Den Mother Sun-bright Deathgrasp is recognized as the representative of the Uzii within the region; she is given the title of Councilor by the Humans, a title that the Hraban, Scrim, and Goliaths agree with. Most male Uzii find the title too difficult to understand, until a Hraban explains that it means "Talky Chief" at which point that becomes the new title. Talky Chieftess Sun-bright Deathgrasp puts up with the title, but insists that each race put forward their own "Talky Chief" to form a Council of Advisors.

    The Hraban put forward the Wise Watcher leader, Commander Zuschauer. Sounder Riktor is quick to agree that Riktor himself should be their new Councilor. Gorignak reluctantly agrees to the position, but more oftent han not, a younger member of the family - who the Uzii call 'Shale' - is at the Council meetings, as Gorignak's main concern is the nursery. The Xon'Ibom Commune are the holdouts, arguing among themselves as to whom should represent all three mining towns; each town insisting that their leader should hold the Council position.

    Talky Chieftess Deathgrasp finally states that the Goliaths either have to figure it out in the next hour, or all three town leaders will fight in a duel and as is Uzii tradition, the strongest will lead. As two of the leaders are older Goliaths and one is a young man in his prime, this is not an outcome the older two want, and quickly outvote the young man to set up Elder Miner Tron'Gin Xon'Ibom as the new Councilor.

    With the heads of state for the races of the region set, Sun-bright allows them to figure out the various leaders of towns and villages and Clans as they want. The humans of Sounder Riktor fall back on Mayors for their farming villages. The Goliaths have their mining Foremen, led by the "Subterranean Council" or "Sub-Council". The Hraban have their more militant leadership structure, since they are tasked with aiding in protection of the region. The Scrim are small enough in number that Councilor Gorignak leads the No-Climb Nursery without too many other assistants.

    And the Uzii fall back upon their usual leadership structure: Den Mothers lead dens. Clan Leaders lead Clans. Sounder Alphas lead Sounders. There is one key difference. South Lake becomes the home of Talky Chieftess Deathgrasp, and while her mate is the current Sounder Alpha for Sounder Deathgrasp, she leads everyone else. This is not the typical leadership among Uzii, as everywhere else, a male Uzii leads when outside a Den.

    Many female Uzii are watching closely to see how No-Climb Cliffs develops...


    Spoiler: Resources
    Show
    [Copper] (Great)

    The Pinkish-orange metal was widely coveted by many within Mamut, and until recently, No-Climb Cliffs was the only region that produced enough to be able to consider exporting it. The Xon'Ibom Commune oversees three mining towns that extract the metal from the earth. Some Scrim assist with opening new mining shafts, molding the stone into new Scrim while making it safe for the Goliaths to continue their work. Uzii and Hraban help to guard the metal as various caravans travel to the borders to sell or trade it. Human smiths in the farming villages help to craft weapons and tools out of the metal for the entire region.

    Copper is the reason that so many paths lead to each of the mining towns. One exists to the northwest, near the North River Falls, as is guarded heavily by Uzii and Goliath alike; not just for the Copper, but as River Falls is the nearest town to the safest path between No-Climb Cliffs and the Alqar homeland.

    One exists in the southeast, where North and South River meet. Twin Rapids is the deepest of the three mines, and is a constant stop for the patrols of Wise Watchers.

    The last is not far from South Lake, barely a day's walk. Cliff Edge is a sprawling mining town that is nestled under the very cliffs that are so deadly to climb. Being close to South Lake, the Uzii warriors are more than happy to both protect the mining town... and learn to mine a bit, themselves.
    Spoiler
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    BladeofObliviom said:
    I've only seen a character at anything resembling this level of absurdity thrive exactly once, and he/she/what-the-jongo had the advantage of being written by Gengy, who I look up to as a writer.

    "What-the-Jongo?"
    Before you insult someone, walk a mile in their shoes.
    That way, you'll be a mile away, and have their shoes!

    Got me a Real Job™ (yay!). Still busy (boo!).
    ~avatar by myself

  18. - Top - End - #48
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Hyd Lands Post: Kiswan Hemisphere

    Region 268: Grovelia
    Spoiler: Groveila (268) Tl;dr
    Show

    Ownership: Noc Hyd
    Geography: Forested Mountains
    People: Alondite Elves, Night Elves and Treants
    Resource: Seafood
    Faith: Shamanistic Paganism
    Continental Culture: Sikar


    Spoiler: Population Demographics
    Show
    Natives of this place are made up of Mangrove Treants and a type of elf that closely resembles Alondite. Previously these two lived in relative peace, with the treats sticking to the salty shores where they farmed the water, and used the bounties of fishes they incidentally got to trade with the elf natives in return for all manner of other services.

    With the inclusion of this area as a dominion of the Nocturnal Hydra, there is now an overcast of Night Elves and a small number of tourists from the native shores. Though those traveling here have to make a significant trip so it is generally not a vacation spot but more of ‘moving out west in the USA to live there forever’. Once better sea traversal technology becomes obtained, more back and forth sailing may become common.

    Tl;dr: Night Elves, Alondite Elves, Treant Mans, in proportions of about 1 to 6 to 4


    Spoiler: Mangrove Sea Shores (Seafood Resource Stuff)
    Show
    The shores of this land were not always this far out. The Mangroves built up salty sediments as they took root, heading deeper and deeper out into the sea itself. There are tons of rivers along the extended beaches that were in essence made artificially, with those treants taking root constantly. These people can even fish with their long roots, given the mobility of said roots and being traded by elves from on-shore bait, to then give the fish back. Which is part of the purpose of deliberately leaving little rivers to flow inland towards lakes, it gives a reason for fish to travel through, and thus to get easily caught by treats who are not purely on the outskirts.

    Also, the Mangroves are alive, that should probably be mentioned.

    They are a variant of Treant, living tree people. With long roots, but low mobility. Sturdy and powerful as hell, though lack of said mobility means any sort of advanced ranged weaponry or even basic warfare quickly outmatches their natural ability to fight back against it. They derive sustenance from the water, purging the salt to use for trade and sediment while drinking up the pure water from the ocean. They can survive purely on this and sunlight alone, but to thrive they need quite a lot.

    Surprisingly, they are quite resistant to fire. Though this isn't so much due to their natural ability and more because of their proximity to contact supplies of water. Therefore they aren't subject to regular random wildfires which seem semi common inland, and are perhaps one of the evolutionary factors that motivates the treants to move into the oceans in the first place.


    Spoiler: Social Hierarchy
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    The Night Elf representatives form an upper caste, helping manage the empire, divvy up the land, and making treaties with the natives. This also proves to be a good place to collect the wild and weird fauna of the north, if they are to colonize that region they will need to learn it's weird kiswan tastes. Down here they can utilize the mangroves enough to subsist.

    Alondite Elves are treated with surprising respect despite having earned the ire of the night elves during their long and grueling fight. This is due to a combination of respect for their martial capacity, and for the fact that Night Elves actually have allies back home that are very similar in appearance. Hell, the person who *lead* the invasion was Mars, a (half) Alondite Elf herself. Still, all but a few of them are treated as second class citizens, at least at the time of colonization, and it isn't due to their race but their status as savages and lack of connections that results in this.

    A few alondite natives have moved up the ladder. Be it by making the trek back to the hyd homelands to live there and tell Oraora of the land in person, by becoming a consort to a hero, or by proving their merit in some craft, there is enough upward mobility to give the rest of the fairly well treated elves hope. Mangrove Treants are who on paper got the worst of this deal.

    Mans are treated as serfs, part of the land that they are on when it comes to which Night Elf owns which slice of the beach head. They're regarded as people, but barely, one step above war trolls. This said, not too much interference is done within their lives, and they are not treated with undue disrespect. The empire concerns itself primarily with affairs based on the land, and while talks of creating a port somewhere have been discussed, a direct voyage between the homeland and the Groveila needs to be proven possible before such effort is considered worth it. As long as they provide seafood under the terms of the Night Elves, and don't leave (not something they were prone to do anyway), they are left to their own business.

    Debatably they even have a better deal than before, on a material level. While the previous natives gave a generous amount to them and shared a wealth of shamanistic traditions, that was in proportion to their status as basically hunter gatherers. The Hyd is a Great Kingdom, and even though they're self admittedly stealing the seafood, the pittance they give back both to capture it and in other goods outpaces anything the natives could possibly have offered on their own.


    Spoiler: Shamanistic Paganism
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    The ongoing religion of this region is still somewhat practiced, that of the interactions with treants being seen by alondites as spirits of nature. There are tales long ago of the treant spirits being much larger and more grand, rising up forty feet tall, having complete dominion of the whole region and not just the beaches.

    There were even tales of dryad spirits an alondite elves that were descended from their union with the trees. All this ended two hundred forty years ago, when a false dawn crashed over the region. Setting fire to everyone, leaving the entire species of land based treants extinct, and only those smaller mangroves adapted to be near water sources were able to survive that wrath. Now those before times are only remembered on stories, and much of that is made up of paganistic rituals and interpretations of those past events.


    Spoiler: EmptySpacer
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    Spoiler: EmptySpacer
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    quack


    Dubwul, Region 204

    Spoiler: Dubwul tl;dr
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    Region 204
    Geography: Snowy Mountains
    People: Night Elves, Naherin and Mangrove Treants
    Resource: Copper
    Faith: Night Elf Imperialism (Open)




    Spoiler: Mangrove Imports
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    Naturally, some mangroves from down in 268 wanted to leave, but couldn’t. It was for a variety of reasons, and the forbiddance caused some social tensions. The Hydra colonizing 204 created an opportunity. They needed a significantly large and dependable workforce. Mangroves were, as a ‘workforce’ part of the property, way too densely packed. 

So spreading them out and incorporating some of the literal Serfdom into the region was a good start to make it more active and more alive. With the advent of advanced sailing, some of these areas were left open for ports, and some lucky Mangrove treants became boat crafting experts, climbing up the social ladder in general.

    Of special note is Gan Hyu, an especially ambitious Mangrove Treant who not only has managed to buy his own freedom, but take a significant controlling interest in the biggest port in the north, Gangrove. To the point where it’s even named after his family tree (Gan is the surname, Hyu is the given name, Mangrove Treants list their family tree surname first and foremost).

    Hyu acquired power through startling mathematical ability and ability to manage, as well as a natural charisma and the ability to produce the most vibrant, beautiful flowers of all treant kind (or so Hyu would like you to believe). The Nocturnal Hydra (especially under new management from Wuuluu) value innate talent and accomplishment, so his innate racial status as a ’Serf’ wasn’t the factor it would be for some other societies.


    Spoiler: Dragonborn Tribes + Sisterhood of Shards
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    As part of the fight to ward off the Glutnous Shadows, both the Sisterhood of Shards and a small retinue of Naherin citizens have set up camps near the border to Grovelia. These will become permanent basins from which they base their activities to keep everywhere safe, and in the case of Wuuluu’s implanted Dragonblood regions, be a small source of faith spreading on her new Path of the Astral Wyrm passion project.

    They’re a great source of relief for the citizens of both portions of the Nocturnal Hydra colonies in their small week to week patrols and providence of comfort. Mars made sure that they take a much more active role in giving pleasantries and aid, and set up rest points for them so that they don’t need to burden entire towns by taking up their resources for a fortnight like some roving band of marauders.

    These also serve as recruitment stations for the governmental affairs, especially their one basin on the other side of the region, on the coastline, at the major shipport into Dubwul. There’s a lot os bustling trade, and with that a chance to recruit for fighting not only against the blight spawn, but to recruit in drives for other heroic activities.

    Small groupings of lamias, and even a troll was brought over for the war effort, in religious honor. Though these aren’t true dragon blooded like the Naherin, they still have some, and get a little support from the Astral Wyrm benefiting. The major benefit is the closer alliance between the Nocturnal Hydra and the Naherin, leading to them having a sizable presence on the continent of kiswa with their immigrants.



    Spoiler: Gangrove Port
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    The largest ship port in all of the known Blightlands (as of 239 AFD, when the Nocturnal Hydra know of exactly 204 and nothing else). At first called Ship Portal, by the same good-at-naming people that gave the night elf lands names such as “Land Of Thanks” and “Drinky Hole”, after Gan Hyu got a sizable interest and bought it out.

    A whole town forms around Gangrove port, with treats and elves living in harmony much more than before, for now they constantly live in tight proximity. In some cases Mangrove Treants drape tarp shawls and literally serve as tent housing for more humanoid citizens.

    It is a new opulent source of trade between the Orcan Fortress and the East Coast, providing much of the new Seafood from below (primarily harvested and provided handily by fffolkkk), and by 245 AFD three separate Nocturnal Hydra rulers have graced its ports and stayed at the miniature mansion constructed inland specifically for their stay..



    Spoiler: Wuuluu, the Sought Heir
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    Wuuluu gazed out from her high vantage point onto the happy if also frigid colony she’d successfully governed. A shining beacon to Night Elves everywhere, one Oraora herself was coming to visit. Her bad luck had finally been outpaced by hard work and immeasurable talent. She thought back to when she first returned to the HYD territories after her extensive stay with the TSR.

    Wuuluu had gone through an awful lot of trials and intensive studies. The tower was in Ashir lands, so she even became quite a proficient horse rider. Wuuluu had proven her worth by every metric, and was now ready to take on the rightful throne of the HYD kingdom. There was only one problem.

    Oraora absolutely did not approve.

    Oraora wasn’t ready to step down just yet, and moreover… while Wuuluu had in the past studied under both Zora and Oraora, being cloistered up put her out of touch on the affairs of the kingdom. Even if she still was pen pals with Zora Soulsilver, they talked primarily about personal affairs and mundane things. That older woman was quite enjoying her retirement.

    The truth seers saw some merit to the quandry. Ironically, in their attempt to scrutinize the dynastic roots of the HYD kingdom, they themselves undermined them.

    So much haggling, but finally, a conclusion. If Wuuluu could prove herself by leading a colonization of the empty northern lands, Oraora would grant her dominion over it. Not rulership, but… worth a shot.

    Wuuluu herself made the very first voyage with Celestial Navigation, signaling to the HYD empire that yes, you could just sail right from the Orcan lands to this other shore. The voyage was surprisingly smooth sailing, a good omen from the Truthseers? Surely a large army navally traversing these oceans would have a much harder time.

    Actual colonization was far, far rougher. The kingdom had racked up treasures, mostly sent via the traditional long route, and a ton of immigrants. Many of them were lost in the long trek, but the half that survived worked twice as hard to make up for the half that did not. If it weren’t for the steady supplies the HYD coffers gave the mission… it surely would have failed.

    Learning about the strange ruins of architecture, the flora, it was like this place was an entirely different continent. Maybe it was. The truthseers were pivotal in identifying and helping build out all the infrastructure. If it weren’t for their aid, mundane and mystical, this colonization also would have failed.

    After three years of hard work and establishing her claim, Wuuluu was the new queen of a bustling region, and potentially could prove herself worthy to be the successor to the entire queendom. There were many other people to thank of course, but Wuuluu’s expertise in all learned areas was the centerpiece of the colony now known as Dubwul.

    A shadow loomed on the horizon.



    Spoiler: Snowy Copper Mines
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    This region looked to be blighted and empty, stripped bare. Even during the recolonization, the Night Elves almost seemed superstitious about the old architecture, leaving it battered and untouched. Fffolkkk coming in didn’t have such superstitions about the haunted curse that eliminated all trace of civilization from these lands, so copper was still being gathered, but the area around them still seemed… colder. Darker. The mines containing the copper seeming to ward away all light.

    There doesn’t seem to be any overt presence of Blightspawn here though, the SoS stopped by and made sure of that. Both earlier and before. If there were any nests, they’ve long since been cleansed. The copper is fairly bountiful too, and is a strange new resource to the people in Sikar who at this point had never seen such a giant bounty. 

Even if it is a lot less lustrous than Silver or Gold, it’s a damn sight more practical, and finds uses for something.



    Easika (Region 203)

    Summary
    Geography Damp and full of Rivulets
    People: Night Elves and Mangrove Treants
    Holy Site: Vacant
    Resource: Dyes (Great)

    Spoiler: Mangrove Planting Expidition
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    These lands were barren, blighted, they were called the Blightlands for a reason. Supposedly on the other side of the Blightlands were distant peoples. Expeditions were even sent to talk with them to discuss politics and trade. But for the common elf they may as well have been in Tarandi for all it mattered.

    And given all this empty real estate with the self-destruction of the Glut Shades, it was only natural for the same exploratory and expansionist heart to cause an influx of pioneers. Like the dolod venturing into the twilight, many prospective Night Elves made a brand new fortune, and within a couple years .

    There were multiple Night Elves that wanted more turf, given the bustling Dubwul and how many were making it their home and choice for ship building ports, there was a ton of money floating around to help the settlement. More room to spread out and promises of full equality for Mangroves got many of them to move into this area. Wuuluu herself even provided a bounty of golden coins for further motivation.


    Spoiler: Enkakhaana Tributary
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    One of the biggest features of this land, providing home to aquatic wildlife ripe for fishing, and making the whole region a little more damp by its mere titanic presence which almost felt more like a thick line of ocean than a real river. There were thin remnants of previous civilization along this river, as it supposedly was a prime spot for fishing and for sailing up and down to promote trade.

    This is especially notable around the ‘walk-off’ point, where you can see a well trod path going right from the center of the Easika river to the end of the Sur. However, these ruins are utterly unusable due to first the Glut Shades scraping the land clean, and then probable years of being looted by trolls who cared not for the bridges of the previous habitants of Easika.

    Though the central dividing line isn’t the only part of the region altered by the presence of Easika river. Rivulets sprouted out from it all across Easika, changing the nature of the entire eastern half of the region and providing many fishing and water spots for the Mangroves, most of whom didn’t dare get so close to Troll Country.

    Spoiler: Colonization Conga
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    Oh, also, small note, the Eassikar Tributary was also filled to the brim with Trolls, signaling for would be Night Elf colonizers not even attempt a crossing. Not many of the trolls of their colonizers came past it though, and those who did could easily be bought out by the much more well funded Noc Hyd, so for now the relationship is peaceful.

    The real colonizing challenge came two full years after Easika had been fully settled. A wild band of brigands seemed to also have the same expansionist mindset, coming from a far off shore to settle in. They were paid to do so, and in addition they wanted this as a pincer point for their ongoing mercenary war with the Trolls.

    However, they failed because their arrival was delayed for… some reason unknown to the residents of Easika, and the Nocturnal Hydra was too far entrenched for them to reasonably oust them. They paid locals, they waved around their swords, but ultimately there was no avail.



    Spoiler: Dyes of Royal Indigo Navy Blue
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    As it turns out, despite being unpopulated by civilized people, these lands were extremely well populated by Marine Snails. Normally unremarkable, with the Mangrove residents including into the area along the river and ocean line and using it to farm, they wound up collecting these snails incidentally. It was discovered that their hypobranchial gland could be gathered into indigo cakes, https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...ndigo_cake.jpg and that these could be used as powder to create lovely colors.

    The snails themselves were also a delicacy, helping feed the population, and since they were overrunning the area as what appeared to be an invasive species they were in almost limitless stock. It was just a matter of tapping the resource.

    Quickly sea snails became the sea food of choice not just here, but in the treats homeland of Grovelia as well. Banquets became commonplace, and Mangrove treats continued to rise higher and higher in the social order over in the Blightland Colonies as they become more pivotal in the economic sector.


    Spoiler: A culture of Heavy Drink
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    Despite the conflict, many denizens come to the coastline to party and celebrate. Being a wild west relatively free from restricts from far governing bodies, flooded with trade from many ports, and bloated with wealth from the new access to their dyes, the land that has been empty but one year ago became swollen with life. While the trolls have yet to come inland to meet with t he humans and elves that try to outdo each other in these games, they might eventually.

    All in all it provides a pretty solid contest to settle conflicts without actaulyl stooping to blood conquest. Not that this doesn't happen, but usually if you lose and get too inebriated, you're at a disadvantage in any aftermath contesting the result anyway.

    Notably, contests are somewhat altered and changed to accomodate different species. Mangroves aren't able to drink at all. Creatures typically need to drink portions suited to their innate size and slenderness. This is not at all a thinly veiled method of making Night Elves proportionally have to drink less, being relatively slender and small compared to much beefier races, it's just coincidence that they benefit the most from this rule (excepting the stray Ko or Goblin).
    Last edited by Epinephrine_Syn; 2021-02-27 at 01:08 AM.

  19. - Top - End - #49
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Uldra

    Region 109, Tarandi


    Spoiler: Geography
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    Uldra is a rocky, snow covered tundra region full of sloping hills and jutting crags of rock. Intermittent pools and small lakes are often covered in ice but host fish that can be gathered for sustenance. Vegetation is scarce and relegated to stubborn shrubs, lichens, and grasses, with fruit and herb bushes emerging in the warmer months. This vegetation sustains both traveling groups of people as well as migrating herds.

    Cities and buildings are constructed out of bones, stone, and dried mud bricks collected in warmer weather and covered in treated hides and packed snow. Mother’s Crown lies in the central north of Uldra, built around a scattered system of natural hot springs and rock outcrops, and is the largest of the two permanent settlements and acts as the primary center for trade, celebrations, and animal rearing (namely herbivores for prey and direwolves bought from Nordgen traders). Mother’s Heart is the second permanent settlement, built at the mouth of the cave to Aratak Falls, an underground river leading to a triple-forked waterfall. This settlement lies just a half-day north of Mother’s Crown and is the home of the Elders, mystics, and the center of all rituals and religious celebrations of the Uldra.

    Spoiler: People
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    The sole sapient race in Uldra are the Arrok – humans who are dark of skin and hair, short and stocky in stature, and more stubborn and territorial than an ice-bear over her nest. The Arrok are a matriarchal society governed by a voting group of Elders who oversee affairs and, if needed, will appoint War Chiefs or Hunters to rally forces or explore new lands. Any person of sufficient age may be an Elder, though only a handful each decade survive the frozen wilds long enough. Though the population in general has a say and sway in decisions, the Elders are the ones who take the final vote and ultimately decide issues. Clothing consists of treated hides collected from hunted animals that are cut, sewn, layered, and decorated with bone, stone, and gems to tell of a person’s standing and accomplishments. The Arrok are semi-nomadic, with most ‘villages’ traveling around Uldra in temporary settlements to follow the hunting. The main permanent settlements are occupied by a full 30% of the Arrok population, with most living at Mother’s Crown and a smaller population at Mother’s Heart. Families are based around the mother's line, with no concept of biological fatherhood. Multiple partners through life are common, as are multiple partners at once. Should Arrok wish to be monogamous to another (or others), a Binding ceremony is performed by the Oracle. Unbound males generally help to care for the children of their mothers, sisters, or cousins, or other women they have a close connection to in their 'village.'

    Spoiler: Resources
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    Resource: Salt is harvested in abundance from the frozen lakes surrounding Uldra and is used for food preservation and rituals

    Required Resource: Northern Husky Dogs – used for transportation, hunting, protection, and general companionship.

    Spoiler: Faith
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    Arrok had worshiped flowing, unfrozen water and the wolves from the north as key elements of life for generations before meeting the Nordgen Seekers, and quickly bonded over shared beliefs before integrating the more organized faith of the Way of Eauden.

    Arrok rituals are based around the Aratak Falls, a subterranean cave system containing a river flowing to a triple-forked waterfall plunging far into the abyss. The water glows with a soft brilliant blue light and its magic can be felt as soon as one enters the cave entrance. The water leaps and flows as if it had a mind of its own with no regard for gravity, leading to the belief that the water of this Fall is blessed by the Moon Spirit. The stories of Aratak Falls led to the joining and alliance between the Arrok and the Nordgen when their Seekers came in search of the Falls. Seekers of the Arrok and the Nordgen often train and learn together, and have frequent journeys between the holy sites to share knowledge and worship at each location.

    Spoiler: Way of Eauden
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    Spoiler: Way of Eauden
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    The Five Elements of the Way of Eauden

    Elements Season Color Attribute Astrology
    Water Winter Black Patience Full Moon
    Earth Change of Seasons Yellow Stability Earth
    Fire Summer Red Renewal Sun
    Wood Spring Green Abundance Stars
    Metal Fall White Transformation New Moon

    • The Full Moon overcomes the Earth because it affects the tides on the Earth.
    • The Earth overcomes the Sun by turning away from it.
    • The Sun overcomes the Stars by being the closest one to us.
    • The Stars overcome the New Moon by remaining in the sky while the moon isn't visible to us.
    • The New Moon overcomes the Full Moon by erasing it from the sky.


    Phoenix Star: As a shooting star, it is associated with the aspect of wood. Harbinger of hope and a new spring.

    The Tenets of the Way of Eauden:

    • Naturalistic Civilization. Many of the processes of nature are good and healthy, but this does not mean changing them is wrong. Many things in nature are without purpose, signs of a world-soul at odds with itself, and turning them to a purpose is good; it forges a small piece of a shattered identity anew. Trees can grow back, and the lumber can be put to use; this is not the same as rapacious destruction. The natural world is in constant flux and we can learn from it and use that to our advantage. Fire is a natural element and can be used to shape metal, metal can then be used to shape wood, this is a natural transformation.
    • Death-as-dormancy. Outside of unusual cases of restless spirits, dead people and animals merely sleep. Their old purpose lost, they rejoin the World-soul in much the same form the spirit of unworked stone has. In time they may become a different sort of spirit, joining the stone as interred or the soil as ashes. Some spirits might be reborn as humans again, if they are very patient. In rare cases, they might retain an old identity if their remains are cared for and cherished for what they are. Aer Caladon, adopted from the Aran Viskari, is seen as the aspect of Eauden that Guides the souls of the dead to their next journey.
    • Spiritual Materialism. While dealing with the supernatural like any faith, the Way of Eauden is materialistic - it deals with things existing in physical space, rather than gods and demons, afterlives, planes, and abstract ideas. Spirits are linked to things in the world and not unbound ideas; the river Yvaon has a spirit, the land you stand on does, each person and beast does, but there are no spirits of "vengeance" or "justice" or "knowledge" - though the spirit of a murdered bride might be vengeful, the spirit of an honorable knight's sword just, or the spirit of a library knowledgeable. Spirits are representative of the shape of things, a purpose, more than necessarily conversational living entities. A lump of metal has a spirit, but likely a dormant one; forging this lump into a sword makes it the spirit of a sword, a thing with purpose.The Way of Euden places significant emphasis on roles and purpose, finding your Path is a recurring theme.
    • Unifying. Though one spirit, one thing, is not another, all are parts of a whole. A great and complex system of specialized small things. All that is on Earth, taken whole, is a world-soul. This is not to say individual parts cannot be at odds with what is good; cancer is part of the body and seeks to destroy its host. The Blightspawn are likewise seen as a great cancer. The False Dawn is seen as the great sundering that broke apart the world-soul and created chaos. The world is healing, after the coming of the Phoenix, but we are not yet whole.
    • Lunar and Stellar. The Moon is divine, its light magical and pleasing. It does not burn, merely illuminates. The world-soul loves and longs for it, though it keeps its distance, it has not yet healed from the wounds of the False Dawn. Why does the Moon not embrace its lover? After her long absence from the sky, Eauden is too shy to embrace her lover, the world-soul. Even so, we have forgiven her; the waters rise to her, the wolves howl. It is natural to long for the Moon. The Stars are pieces of the world-soul too distant to reach, the missing pieces that make it whole no more. The sun is merely the closest of them, and its presence heals the world in green abundance as it passes.


    While the Way of Eauden does leave room to respect the indigenous culture of our adherents, such as weddings and funerals, there are certain aspects and traditions that are universal amongst Eauden worshippers.

    • Sacred Hospitality. Way of Eauden worshippers can not deny another in need of food or shelter, nor can they allow harm to come to another while under their roof.
    • Household Shrines. In lieu of trekking through the often inclement weather of Tarandi to visit a public shrine, adherents keep a small shrine within their domiciles. These shrines can vary from the simple to extravagant. They are adorned with symbols representing the moon, wolves, owls, and can be changed to represent the current need of the worshipper. Somebody needing help with patience might lay their shrine with a black cloth and a bowl of water, for example.
    • Way of Eauden practitioners celebrate the Lunar New Year. As the long winter is about to end, and a new year begins, it is a popular time to begin new projects or make resolutions for the upcoming year. Oracles, or their regional equivalents, will meditate on the portents and their interpreted meanings for the upcoming year. Days begin and end at midnight, and months begin on the day of the new moon. Years begin on the second new moon after the winter solstice.
    • Winter Solstice. The Winter Solstice represents the height of Eauden’s power and is often marked with pilgrimages to Holy Sites. Those who do not survive the trek are said to go on to serve Eauden in the spirit realm. A ritual in Eauden’s honor is held at these holy places, always at night and can vary depending on the phase of the moon in any given year. A common theme during the solstice, regardless of moon phase, are the offerings brought and left on the communal altar. Offerings can consist of food, alcohol, or anything with personal value to the adherent. These offerings help sustain the holy center for the rest of the winter months.
    • Symbology. The primary religious symbol of the Way of Eauden is a wave encircled within a full moon. Some other symbols often associated with them are depictions of wolves, the moon in her various phases, owls, and a tree with stars for leaves. In the northern reaches of Eauden’s influence, dog and wolf figurines are seen as bringing good luck to travelers.
    • Moon Phase Meanings and Associations.


    Phases of the Moon Attribute 1 Attribute 2 Attribute 3
    New Moon New Beginnings Possibility Intentions
    Waxing Crescent Energizing Growth Declaration
    Waxing Half Moon Momentum Challenges Action
    Waxing Gibbous Refinement Gestation Nurturing
    Full Moon Blessings Gratitude Celebration
    Waning Gibbous Release Service Contemplation
    Waning Half Moon Transition Decomposition Forgiveness
    Waning Crescent Surrender Reflection Intuition



    Hiverness

    Region 108, Tarandi



    Spoiler: Region Summary
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    Region: Hiverness, Tarandi, 108
    People: Human
    Resource: Northern Husky Dogs
    Required Resource: Luxury Goods
    Faith: Way of Eauden
    Starting Tech: Writing

    Spoiler: Geography
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    Terrain:
    The frozen expanse that falls beneath the claim of Hiverness is an arctic tundra. Above the permafrost, the gravel-like soil offers little nutrients for all but the hardiest of vegetation. These coarse scrub grasses and shrubs feed herds of large grazers, such as reindeer and mammoths, who in turn, feed the humans and wolves that rely on them for their primary means of sustenance in these harsh lands. Never reaching temperatures above twelve degrees Celsius, the frozen treeless plains of Hiverness are enshrouded in Winter for most of the year.

    There are few landmarks amidst this desert of white, but for the ones created by human hands. Located in their southwest territory is the capital settlement, known to its denizens as Wolfenhall. Wolfenhall consists of hundreds of round mammoth bone houses, arranged in concentric circles spiraling out from the largest in the center. These mammoth bone houses are formed of large curved mammoth bones painstakingly dug deep into the permafrost layer, lashed together with woven grass and then finally covered with animal hides for additional wind protection and warmth.

    In the extreme northern frontier of the Hiverness expanse, is a smaller outpost of settlers eager to try their hand at taming the edges of civilization. These tenacious adventurers call their encampment simply, The Breach, seeing themselves as trailblazers, unwilling to settle for the relative safety of the larger community group in exchange for their freedom to roam their territory and beyond. In-between Wolfenhall and The Breach lies the oldest man-made structure within Hiverness, The Stones of Cristalmont. A sacred site to the people of Hiverness, the Stones of Cristalmont consist of thirteen large stone formations, each chiseled with intricate esoteric carvings largely consisting of an astrological theme. These formations were placed to coincide with the phases of the moon and the Winter Solstice.

    Spoiler: People
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    People:
    The people of Hiverness are humans, with light-brown skin, dark brown hair and pale eyes. As lean as their diet, the harsh environment has produced a rather short population with adults ranging from 5’-5’6” for full grown women and men, respectively. They call themselves the Nordgen, simply Northmen in the local vernacular. Despite the seeming cruelty of the Hiverness environment, the Nordgen strive to find and exploit the beauty of their frigid lands, which is shown in the intricate beadwork of their heavy clothes or the carved stone totems that rise up from their settlements, often representative of an important family’s dwelling. The humans of the northern expanse must be eminently adaptable in order to survive the harsh climate. They see change as adaptations for survival instead of threats to the status quo, believing in innovation and tradition in balance. It is this flexible mindset that has enabled the Nordgen to flourish in lands where a less yielding people might struggle against the elements instead of adapting to them.

    Wolves, Mammoths, Owls and the Moon are all important symbology for the Nordgen and often arise in their art, lore and sculpture. In Nordgen lore, their people were taught to hunt in a pack by the wolfback-riding Spirit-Princess Pamuya. Like the wolves of their legends, the Nordgen value their community above all else, including their Arrok of Uldra to the west who are seen as extensions of their own people.. With heavy emphasis on love and family, their folklore is often told as precautionary tales, riddled with valuable tidbits of survival passed on by generations since before the False Dawn. It is this pack mindset that allows the Nordgen to hunt the great mammoths that roam in herds across the frozen landscape in search of food. Hunting groups of ten elite hunters each are at work nearly year-round, tracking and bringing down the large animals on which the populace depends upon for food, fuel, clothing and shelter.

    Spoiler: History and Government
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    History & Government:
    According to most of the Nordgen legends, their people have endured the harsh Hiverness conditions since the world began. The arctic environment of their territory is not inherently supportive of life however, especially a burgeoning one, so the reality is more likely of migration and adaptation from the south, no matter how unpopular the idea might be amongst the proud Northern folk. It is believed that the Nordgen were once nomads, following the migration patterns of the herds of reindeer and mammoths they rely on for survival. With the swelling of the population came also the desire for stability, and so Wolfenhall came to be the first, and still largest, of the Nordgen settlements.

    The Nordgen Government is composed of several pieces, each wielding its own power and influence over the citizens. At the head is the Nordgen Chieftain, responsible for the intermediating of disputes and diplomacy between the Nordgen and the varying other clans that share their northern lands. The War Council is comprised of several veteran hunters and is responsible for the mapping out and planning of the hunting routes. The Chaman is in charge of utilizing and teaching the healing arts of herbs and spirits and imbuing the next generation with their wisdom. The Oracle is said to be the direct intermediary between our world and the Spirit world, and is in charge of maintaining that connection as well as being given the oversight of holy day celebrations.

    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    Resource:
    Believed to be a gift from the Spirit-Princess Payuma herself, the Great Northern Husky dogs are revered amongst the Nordgen and are considered to be an important part of their family, rather than pets. Highly intelligent and adapted to the cold environment with their thick fluffy coats, the Northern Huskies are believed to be descended from domesticated wolves and still hold a strong affinity for their pack. Useful in hunting and hauling, Great Northern Huskies are the pre-eminent working dog, unfailing in loyalty and the stamina required to thrive in the harsh conditions of their environment.

    Due to the scarcity prevalent throughout the Hiverness wilderness, the Nordgen value luxury items such as salt and gems very highly. Gems are sought out as high status gifts for special occasions, or as the status symbols of the wealthy who can wear these items in their day-to-day lives. Salt is more practical luxury though just as coveted by the Nordgen for drying their meats to last throughout the harshest deep Winter when hunting is impossible in the blizzard-like conditions.

    Resource: Northern Husky Dogs (Great)
    Required Resource: Luxury Goods

    Spoiler: Faith
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    Faith:
    The faith of the Nordgen has evolved over generations but has held onto a core reverence for the elements that enable their survival in their harsh frozen wasteland. Originally known as the Way of Wolf and Water by their ancestors, its adherents now refer to their system of beliefs as the Way of Eauden, Eauden being the name for the Moon Spirit that is revered by Nordgen. Credited with dominion over wolves and water, the moon is seen as the driving force in the northlands, as the influence of the sun on the tundra is comparatively weak. Adherents of the Way also sometimes refer to themselves as Seekers, such as Seeking the Way, and the significance of finding one’s own path is a recurring theme in the Nordgen’s spiritual philosophy.

    Freshwater lakes and rivers being somewhat scarce in the permafrost lands, open water sources are seen as divine gifts which Eauden either lovingly tends to on behalf of her followers or wields in the guise of floods or droughts against their enemies. A flood or drought in Hiverness would be an occasion to appease the Great Moon Spirit, most appropriately with offers of juniper berry and white sage, both symbolic of the moon. Home shrines are common and often depict symbology of depending upon the focus of prayer for the day, month or week. A moon would symbolize protection or healing. Water upon the shrine would symbolize purification or change. A wolf would symbolize family or success in the hunt.

    A yearly gathering is held at the holy site of Cristalmont, a difficult journey at the height of the Winter Solstice. Those who do not survive the trek are said to go on to serve Eauden in the spirit realm. The spiritual leader, known as the Oracle, is seen as the conduit between the spirit world and our world. It was the Oracle who first dreamed of the Aratak Falls to the South, which led to the meeting of the Nordgen and Arrok peoples. Aratak Falls is revered as a space sacred to Eauden and pilgrimages between the two lands are a common occurrence.

    LC: Cristalmont (Way of Eauden)

    Elements Season Color Attribute Astrology
    Water Winter Black Patience Full Moon
    Earth Change of Seasons Yellow Stability Earth
    Fire Summer Red Renewal Sun
    Wood Spring Green Abundance Stars
    Metal Fall White Transformation New Moon

    Spoiler: Way of Eauden
    Show
    The Five Elements of the Way of Eauden

    Elements Season Color Attribute Astrology
    Water Winter Black Patience Full Moon
    Earth Change of Seasons Yellow Stability Earth
    Fire Summer Red Renewal Sun
    Wood Spring Green Abundance Stars
    Metal Fall White Transformation New Moon

    • The Full Moon overcomes the Earth because it affects the tides on the Earth.
    • The Earth overcomes the Sun by turning away from it.
    • The Sun overcomes the other Stars by being the closest one to us.
    • The Stars overcome the New Moon by remaining in the sky while the moon isn't visible to us.
    • The New Moon overcomes the Full Moon by erasing it from the sky.


    Phoenix Star: As a shooting star, it is associated with the aspect of wood. Harbinger of hope and a new spring.

    The Tenets of the Way of Eauden:

    • Naturalistic Civilization. Many of the processes of nature are good and healthy, but this does not mean changing them is wrong. Many things in nature are without purpose, signs of a world-soul at odds with itself, and turning them to a purpose is good; it forges a small piece of a shattered identity anew. Trees can grow back, and the lumber can be put to use; this is not the same as rapacious destruction. The natural world is in constant flux and we can learn from it and use that to our advantage. Fire is a natural element and can be used to shape metal, metal can then be used to shape wood, this is a natural transformation.
    • Death-as-dormancy. Outside of unusual cases of restless spirits, dead people and animals merely sleep. Their old purpose lost, they rejoin the World-soul in much the same form the spirit of unworked stone has. In time they may become a different sort of spirit, joining the stone as interred or the soil as ashes. Some spirits might be reborn as humans again, if they are very patient. In rare cases, they might retain an old identity if their remains are cared for and cherished for what they are. Aer Caladon, adopted from the Aran Viskari, is seen as the aspect of Eauden that Guides the souls of the dead to their next journey.
    • Spiritual Materialism. While dealing with the supernatural like any faith, the Way of Eauden is materialistic - it deals with things existing in physical space, rather than gods and demons, afterlives, planes, and abstract ideas. Spirits are linked to things in the world and not unbound ideas; the river Yvaon has a spirit, the land you stand on does, each person and beast does, but there are no spirits of "vengeance" or "justice" or "knowledge" - though the spirit of a murdered bride might be vengeful, the spirit of an honorable knight's sword just, or the spirit of a library knowledgeable. Spirits are representative of the shape of things, a purpose, more than necessarily conversational living entities. A lump of metal has a spirit, but likely a dormant one; forging this lump into a sword makes it the spirit of a sword, a thing with purpose.The Way of Euden places significant emphasis on roles and purpose, finding your Path is a recurring theme.
    • Unifying. Though one spirit, one thing, is not another, all are parts of a whole. A great and complex system of specialized small things. All that is on Earth, taken whole, is a world-soul. This is not to say individual parts cannot be at odds with what is good; cancer is part of the body and seeks to destroy its host. The Blightspawn are likewise seen as a great cancer. The False Dawn is seen as the great sundering that broke apart the world-soul and created chaos. The world is healing, after the coming of the Phoenix, but we are not yet whole.
    • Lunar and Stellar. The Moon is divine, its light magical and pleasing. It does not burn, merely illuminates. The world-soul loves and longs for it, though it keeps its distance, it has not yet healed from the wounds of the False Dawn. Why does the Moon not embrace its lover? After her long absence from the sky, Eauden is too shy to embrace her lover, the world-soul. Even so, we have forgiven her; the waters rise to her, the wolves howl. It is natural to long for the Moon. The Stars are pieces of the world-soul too distant to reach, the missing pieces that make it whole no more. The sun is merely the closest of them, and its presence heals the world in green abundance as it passes.


    While the Way of Eauden does leave room to respect the indigenous culture of our adherents, such as weddings and funerals, there are certain aspects and traditions that are universal amongst Eauden worshippers.

    • Sacred Hospitality. Way of Eauden worshippers can not deny another in need of food or shelter, nor can they allow harm to come to another while under their roof.
    • Household Shrines. In lieu of trekking through the often inclement weather of Tarandi to visit a public shrine, adherents keep a small shrine within their domiciles. These shrines can vary from the simple to extravagant. They are adorned with symbols representing the moon, wolves, owls, and can be changed to represent the current need of the worshipper. Somebody needing help with patience might lay their shrine with a black cloth and a bowl of water, for example.
    • Way of Eauden practitioners celebrate the Lunar New Year. As the long winter is about to end, and a new year begins, it is a popular time to begin new projects or make resolutions for the upcoming year. Oracles, or their regional equivalents, will meditate on the portents and their interpreted meanings for the upcoming year. Days begin and end at midnight, and months begin on the day of the new moon. Years begin on the second new moon after the winter solstice.
    • Winter Solstice. The Winter Solstice represents the height of Eauden’s power and is often marked with pilgrimages to Holy Sites. Those who do not survive the trek are said to go on to serve Eauden in the spirit realm. A ritual in Eauden’s honor is held at these holy places, always at night and can vary depending on the phase of the moon in any given year. A common theme during the solstice, regardless of moon phase, are the offerings brought and left on the communal altar. Offerings can consist of food, alcohol, or anything with personal value to the adherent. These offerings help sustain the holy center for the rest of the winter months.
    • Symbology. The primary religious symbol of the Way of Eauden is a wave encircled within a full moon. Some other symbols often associated with them are depictions of wolves, the moon in her various phases, owls, and a tree with stars for leaves. In the northern reaches of Eauden’s influence, dog and wolf figurines are seen as bringing good luck to travelers.
    • Moon Phase Meanings and Associations.


    Phases of the Moon Attribute 1 Attribute 2 Attribute 3
    New Moon New Beginnings Possibility Intentions
    Waxing Crescent Energizing Growth Declaration
    Waxing Half Moon Momentum Challenges Action
    Waxing Gibbous Refinement Gestation Nurturing
    Full Moon Blessings Gratitude Celebration
    Waning Gibbous Release Service Contemplation
    Waning Half Moon Transition Decomposition Forgiveness
    Waning Crescent Surrender Reflection Intuition



    Falo

    Region 130, Tarandi


    Spoiler: Geography
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    Falo is characterized by rugged, rolling hills and plateaus, covered in wind-blown snow for most of the year and tall grasses for the rest. Snow and icemelt feed rivers and springs that run-off north. The rolling land is broken only by shrublands and sparse forests of short, wiry trees. The Kano river cuts a slim but persistent line through the land, joining untold numbers of unnamed springs, creeks, and streams. The sharpest bend in Kano is around the Saddle, two large hills creating a sloping valley in between, wherein is nestled Dokra, the breeding grounds and primary pastures for the Faloan horses. Dokra acts also as the center of permanent life for the Faloan people, and is filled with large oval dome residences.

    Spoiler: People
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    The Faloans are taller than the average Arrok but still a short, stocky people. Their reflexes and grace on horseback make them appear not quite fully human, nor does their keen hearing and eyesight, though any Faloan would laugh and just cite good horsesense. Their hair is grown long and braided, with the normal dark colors often dyed by the various berries and grasses on the plains. Most dye their hair pale yellow or white to match their horse's manes. Practically raised on horseback, Faloans are masterful horseriders and warriors, and are just as inclined to start a brawl as they are to comment on the weather. Clans, typically made of extended family, are led by a Fen, with the High Fen residing in Dokra and reigning over Falo.

    Spoiler: Resource
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    Falo has a Minor resource of Horses. These horses are dun to black, with white manes and shaggy fur. Shaped more like a barrel with legs, Faloan horses have stamina unmatched by any other mammal known to Tarandi, and delight in discovering new fruits and grasses to feed on.

    Spoiler: Faith
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    So too as the stars dance in the night sky, so do the souls of the Falo and their horses when their time is past. The border of life and death is as clean as the line between sky and land. It is only at the transition times - dawn and dusk when souls that have been severed from the land can pass into the sky and join their ancestors in the Rider's Eye, a fixed formation of stars surrounded by everlasting cloud.
    Last edited by PepperP.; 2021-02-11 at 06:13 PM.
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  20. - Top - End - #50
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Region 287: Black Swan Steppe

    Spoiler: Geography
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    The Black Swan Steppe is a hilly semi-arid region couched in between the parched rocky landscape of the orc lands and the tropical forests of the northern Sikarian Cape. The climate of the southern end of the region is a hot steppe watered occasionally by meandering monsoon winds from the east and north. The hills in the region's center provide a rainshadow separating the wetter north from the drier south. The northern forests and hills are where the majority of the region's food is grown, along the oasis, rivers and streams. Notable locations include the Erbita salt flat, the Couturie forest in the north, and a trio of hills known as the Afar triangle. Fauna of note include wombats, red kangaroo, sikarian elephants, camels, wild horses, koalas, walking birds, saber tooth cats, wild dogs and enigmatic Black Swans.


    Spoiler: People
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    The people of the Black Swan Steppe are humans that can be divided into two groups, the Beja and the Black Swan Hada. Physically humans of this region are typical of average height, pitch black in skin tone, with red hair and green eyes. The Beja are agriculturalists who mainly reside in the hills and among the oasis in the region's southern half. Unlike many neighboring elf cultures the Beja lack incredibly strict he recharges. Farmers can freely move to towns and learn trades, while scribes and forgers often retire to the countryside to farm millet. Each Beja town has its own government, some are rulers are merchants, others are craftsmen, while one town is ruled by a co’opt millet farmers. The one exception to this is the sacred Black Swan Hada, a sect where a select few Beja children are taken and trained to become skin changers. Skin changes are shamans who live in isolation, frequently denying themselves of material luxuries while engaging in psychoactive drugs, and wearing the pelts of Black swans. The strongest of these shamans have reportedly been able to shapeshift. In their human form they resemble drifters, with long robes and capes of black swan feathers, in swan form they resemble swans with iridescent coats black as midnight.


    Spoiler: History
    Show
    The Beja claimed to be descended from a supposedly once widespread human ethnic group known as the Habesha. In the days before the false dawn, the Habesha was an expansive human ethnic group that lived across Northern Sikar. They were dedicated agriculturalists that were able to flawlessly navigate the region's dry and wet seasons. However, as the false occurred, migrations of elves from the east, along with a drying of the region slowly began fragmenting the Habesha, until they were diminished into small enclaves. Of these enclaves, the Beja are the largest and by far the most successful in this post-dawn era.


    Spoiler: Resource
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    Millet is by far the most common crop produced within the region. A drought-resistant breed is a particular favorite among the southerners and hill folk. Millet is used in a wide variety of Beja cuisines, including flatbread, porridge, and kurakkan.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    While the holy site is currently open, religious expression in the Beja community has long been tied to shamanism and the consumption of hallucinogenic plants. The most powerful shamans wear cloaks of black swan feathers that alow them to skin change into swans.



    Region 283: Moonlit savanna

    Spoiler: Geography
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    The Moonlit Savanna is a vast coastal plane well watered by the North Sikarian Monsoon keeping the region fairly green year-round. Much of the savanna is interrupted by tropical woodlands, lakes, and marshes. Notable fauna includes gomphotheres, Sikarian elephants, saber-toothed cats, buffalo, horses, marsupial lemurs, and Alskan worms. The native night elves have cultivated the land by creating reservoirs, orchards, using controlled burns, and using Alskan worm dung to create one of the most fertile regions in Northern Sikar.



    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The Nobotian Night elves are a group of Night elfs that settled the Moonlit Savanna approximately 300 years ago. As the false dawn approached, the periodic seed storage of the Nobotia slowly developed into full grown agriculture. The rough post false dawn years taught the Nobotia much about the nature of cultivation. How to shape land, how to burn land, how to select grasses for yield, durability and nutrition.This hard work eventually led to a domestication event for maze. The difficulty in shaping the savanna has given rise to a very collectivist culture. Villages act almost like large family units where each Night elf family provides a portion of their harvest for the village community fund that can be accessed by any Night elf in case of bad times. A key cultural concept is the concept of face. Every individual Night elf must keep up a dignified, stoic facade, in order to preserve the reputation of their family unit. Many Night elf practices are similar to the nearby Makurite elves, however, night elf adaptations mean that most agricultural work is done under starlight. While working at night lets the night elfs work at consistently lower temperatures, it exposes them to more insects and nocturnal predators. The Nobotia have adapted this by working in groups of five and by wearing veils that cover the arms, neck, and face. The Nobotia also mix a variety of herbs and Alskan worm dung to form a very effective insect repellent.



    Spoiler: History
    Show
    Over dozens of generations, Nobotia has learned to master the art of planting and terraforming the savanna. This has led to immense cultural pride and independent spirit among the Nobotia. This led to the then present queen of the region, Myriae of Throns, to reject a wedding offer from the matriarch of the Nocturnal Hydra. While seemingly a good decision at the time it left the Moonlit Savanna bereft of allies in the wake of an Alodite invasion. While Myriae put up a good fight, the wicker shields of the night elves stood were effortlessly punctured by the bows of the Alodites.

    Spoiler: resource
    Show
    Resource (Maize) Maize is by far the most common crop produced within the region. A humidity-resistant breed is a particular favorite among the night elf communities. Maize is used in a wide variety of food. In addition to that corn husks are used heavily in creating textiles.


    Spoiler: faith
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    The main faith practiced on the moonlit savanna is the faith of True Dawn. The savanna is dotted with a series of stone megaliths featuring the deeds of ancestors in reverence to the unconquered sun


    Region 284: Land of Twa

    Spoiler: Geography
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    Twa is a region that can be divided into roughly two halves. The northern tropical forests are watered by equatorial winds flowing from the north. The southern half of the region consists of dry semi-arid hills and steppes. The tropical forest in the north are chocked with rainbow eucalyptus and other incredibly vibrant flowering plants while the hills are made from dark red clay. Notable fauna includes the wide variety of wombats that inhabit all areas of the region. The northern forest is inhabited by many different types of marsupial, including, wallabies, koalas, and walking birds. The southern hills have fauna similar to other areas of northern sikar.


    Spoiler: people
    Show
    The Twa are a group of elves that are on average 1-2 feet shorter than Alodite and Night Elves. The Twa are also much more rotund than the average elf, with much thicker legs and midsections. How various Twa tribes live to vary based on their location within the region. Tribes in the northern forests typically live in tree houses and cultivate the forest floor via a mixture of charcoal, feces, and bone shards. The Northern Twa cultivate Sikar nut, palm oil, kola nut, and Mango trees specifically while burning less productive tree types. The Two forest management is key to tamping down seasonal wildfires. In the southern hills, the Twa live in elaborate burrows, dug into the red cliffs. They mainly seek subsistence via herding wombats and goats that make this area their home. The southern Twa are known for carving large petroglyphs of the various fauna and holy symbols on the faces of the region's iconic red cliffs.


    Spoiler: history
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    Oral traditions claim that the Twa were the first elves to migrate into Sikar from a land far to the north. Legends say that the Twa were once tall until their enslavement by humans they call the Cho. Over the generations, they became shorter and shorter until they escaped the Chos’ notice. Once the Cho w rightfully felled by the false dawn, the Twa began to emerge from hiding and inhabiting the overgrown ruins of their masters. From that point onward the Twa began to develop a series of permaculture settlements that terraformed much of the region to suit their needs.


    Spoiler: Resource
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    Wombats, both herded and feral are extraordinarily common within the land of twa. Their meat is used in a variety of elf dishes while their square poops are famous fertilizer components.


    Spoiler: Faith
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    While the Twa believe spirits reside in every living thing there are currently no organized faiths residing in the region.
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  21. - Top - End - #51
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Lands of the Bozuls

    Spoiler: Region 86: Ogrontir
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    Spoiler: Geography
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    Ogrontir, meaning 'cold land' in a forgotten tongue, is a flat, barren landscape covered in snow for the majority of the year, but during the thawed season, its flat plains are covered with a plethora of hardy flowering plants making the most of the short growing season. A few small mammals and birds are present when the snow melts, but they either migrate south or hibernate for the rest of the year. Near the center of the region is a massive vein of coal, dotted with bell pits, vertical shafts originally dug long ago. Further inland are a handful of drift mines dug into Baskum Hill (the highest point in the otherwise flat expanse of Ogrontir) by the Bozuls for clay and copper ore, which they use to make tools, pots, and furnaces for smelting.

    Spoiler: People
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    Bozuls are giant arctic bumblebees, up to three feet long (although the Queen is about five feet). They have yellow and black stripes and very thick fuzz, which protects them from the cold of Ogrontir. Their Hive was originally made in one of the many still-intact bell pits, and consists of numerous spherical 'pots' (about two feet in diameter), which are made by the Bozuls from a mixture of wax and pollen. More recently, they have included some clay and woven grasses into their recipe, making a stronger composite material. The pots are used as chambers to hold developing larvae, as well as to store nectar, pollen, and honey.
    The Bozuls have expanded their hive by digging small tunnels to adjacent bell pits, allowing them access to more space during the season when the openings are sealed with wax. With these small tunnels, the Bozuls are also able to mine more coal without as great a risk of collapse as with bell mining. They use the coal in clay chimneys and furnaces to heat the Hive and smelt copper, which allow them to work through the winter without hibernating, and make tools for mining.
    Bozuls have a culture focused on industry and harmony, just as their smaller ancestors did. The individual Bozul exists simply to serve the Hive, and to serve Queen Polari. The Queen demands sugar to feed and grow her Hive.

    Spoiler: Resources
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    The Bozuls mine coal in tunnels branching out from pre- False Dawn bell pits left by the Daezirn. They do so using copper tools they make themselves using a meager ore deposit further inland, harvested from the drift mines they made in the hillier terrain found at that edge of the region of Ogrontir. As they expand, they generate much more coal than they consume, and so they frequently have some surpluses stored in their wax pots which they seek to trade away.
    As a result of their growth, the Bozul Hive is now seeking additional sustenance, and will import anything sweet to sustain themselves through the cold winter seasons.

    Spoiler: Faith
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    The Bozuls of Ogrontir currently do not revere any gods. They do not have any significant system of beliefs, but are all driven toward a life of industrious harmony by their Queen, in part because the pheromones that pervade the Hive.
    The Hive is the center of all Bozul activity in Ogrontir. If the inhabitants of the region were to adopt a faith, the Hive would be the Holy Site where it would take hold.

    Last edited by xanxosttheslaad; 2021-01-07 at 11:01 AM.

  22. - Top - End - #52
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    DruidGirl

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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Citlallo Island

    Region 81

    Summary: Humans who have an affinity for fire and their little fox friends

    Geography:
    Spoiler
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    Citlallo is a mountainous island that was formed from underwater volcanic activity. Temperate weather and good soil from volcanic rock mean the island is full of plant life and small animals. To the Northwest, the mountains become steeper and sparser, and have more volcanic activity. This area is where obsidian and volcanic sand are collected. Most of the people live towards the central and southern parts of the island, leaving plenty of room for wildlife to the Northeast. Because they have such little space, the Citlalli build their houses into the sides of the mountains and use slash and burn techniques for land cultivation.


    People:
    Spoiler
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    Citlallo is a place where birthright does not matter much. Although leadership is dynastic, roles are not inherited by blood. Important leaders in the community take on apprentices and choose a successor based on abilities and aptitude for the position. Without a focus on birthright, the concept of a family is much more open, with apprentices fully adopted and couples of the same gender being common.
    Within every person, there lives a Spark, a fire spirit. These fire spirits cannot live for long without a host, and the people in turn cannot live for long without their Spark. Every person is born with a Spark that lays dormant until the age of ten. When a child turns ten their Spark awakens, and the child can begin to hear the voice of their Spark. This is a special time for every child and there is a yearly festival on the Summer solstice to celebrate the children whose Sparks have awakened that year. It is at this festival that children can start to take on apprenticeships under various teachers.

    The people of Citlallo are humans with a darker complexion that ranges from tan to a deep brown. As children, the people tend to have varying shades of brown hair that will then change when their Spark awakens at the age of ten. When their Spark awakens, their hair colour shifts to match the colour of the flame inside them and can range from blinding white, a warm pumpkin orange, or even a deep magenta. They can have any eye colour as dependent on their parents.

    Having a fire spirit does not give a person powers, but it does allow the people of Citlallo a certain affinity for fire and often an aptitude for a skill. This is because a person's Spark is their inner voice, and they can work with each other to improve upon their knowledge of how fire works and what they can do with that. This shows in the different things people have talent for. For example, some people will be able to sense food is cooked perfectly, others know how to tell a kiln is hot enough to make glass, and some might be able to develop new methods for technology based on how they come to understand the properties of fire /heat, etc.

    If a person suffers from hypothermia, their Spark can get too cold and the flame will go out. Even if the person can be revived from hypothermia, if their Spark cannot be ignited, both will die. If the person suffers from an illness or a fatal wound, the person may die and so will the Spark unless it can find another host to survive in.

    The only other being on the island that can keep a Spark alive are a species of small island fox called Cuectli. These foxes are gentle and often live as companion to people. In many cases, if their human companion dies, the fox will take their person’s Spark and keep it alive. Because of their gentleness and ability to keep parts of their departed loved ones alive, the Cuectli are loved by the people of Citlallo and are considered sacred. It is taboo to hunt or kill the Cuectli foxes.


    Faith:
    Spoiler
    Show
    While not deeply religious, the Citlalli have a deep connection with their Spark. It is believed that the Daezirn islands were created when a star fell from the sky, and wherever the embers fell, an island formed. The Cehui is a hidden area of tide pools near the Southwest coast. These tidepools filled with life are thought to be the place where the falling star died out bouncing from pool to pool until it could bounce no more. There, the dying star met a fox and a deal was struck to keep the flames of reach others life burning. And so, life on Citlallo began.


    Resource:
    Spoiler
    Show
    Besides a practical trade in obsidian tools and jewelry in a land rich with volcanic rock, the people of Citlallo are best known for the Glasswork of their artisans, forged by generations of experience and the assistance of the Spark in making kilns hot enough for it. Though sand is abundant on the shores, the best sand for quality glasswork is found further inland, and sources of it can be hotly contested.

    Citlallo tends to have fairly cold winters so to keep the people and their Spark warm through the cold season, furs are precious imports.


    Starting Technology:
    Spoiler
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    Pottery

  23. - Top - End - #53
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    LapisCattis's Avatar

    Join Date
    Sep 2017

    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Spoiler: The Avicenna Isles - Region 70
    Show


    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    The Avicenna Isles, are a series of four mangrove-covered small islands surrounding a larger island. The smaller islands are Angio in the northeast, Arsio in the northwest, Abia in the west, and Aegica in the south. Together they are the Glow, and each island is similar - ephemeral shores and land of sand, mud, and rock with towering mangroves and vines rising from the shallow water. The mangroves in the Glow are relatively small, the widest trunks only sufficiently large to hold one family's dwelling or workspace. Carved or grown hollows in the trunks and joins of trees act as dwellings and buildings. Each island of the Glow has its own shine - the bark and under-water of the mangroves glow with their own color of bioluminescence from hosting and soaking in bioluminescent bacteria. Blue, green, red, and dull yellow shine at night, and swirls of the colors mix in the water between each island.

    The core island, Acantha, shines with a light purple glow, and has a permanent and mostly-visible landmass of moss-covered rock broken up by water channels. The mangroves of Acantha are the largest, three times the height of the mangroves of the Glow and up to four times the width for a single trunk. The trunks and branches are semi-wild, with generations of management from the indigenous species shaping the trees to form roads, hang-ways, and houses in the canopy level. At the lower levels, carving is still the predominant method for shaping out spaces to live and work.

    The internal structure of the Avicenna Isles is a shallow plateau of shore covered in no more than 30 feet of water, shallowing to 10-20 feet maximum between and inside an island. Outside of the islands, the continental shelf drops quickly, fueling the ecosystem with birds, fish, and crustaceans seeking both refuge and food.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The Avicennians are a vaguely humanoid race, covered in long shaggy fur (that is itself often covered in glowing moss), with a blunt, sloping head and face, long arms ending in 3 heavy flaws, and a shaggy tail. Fur colors vary from dark brown to a light sandy color, and can be mottled, patched, or solid color, though it is most common for the feet, hands, nose, and mouth to have darker fur than the rest of the body. They are capable and comfortable of switching between quadripedalism and bipedalism easily, and move around their mangroves by either walking on branches or climbing slowly by hanging upside down. Males and females show no visible differences, but the voices of females are lower-pitched and are capable of much louder calls than males. Clothing is not typically worn, but if an Avicennian is feeling particularly festive they might wrap themselves in hanging moss, usually one from an island that their fur hasn't grown moss from in order to show off a different color.

    Living on a series of islands, the Avicennians eat a diet of vine-fruits, seaweeds, edible mosses, and fish. Fish and seaweeds are gathered by swimming from canoes carved from branches or rafts made of tied vines, which are also the primary transports between islands of the Glow and Acantha. Though predatory fish are rare, Avicennians are not known for their speed in the water, and canoes and rafts are used widely. In addition to platforms to gather food from, Avicennians have a long-standing tradition of salvaging and gathering items on longer raft ventures. Any shiny, glowing, or hard object is the source of great curiosity and greed, particularly if the item can be tied or woven into the fur.

    Social hierarchy is based solely on visual appearance, namely the cultivation and arrangement of the glowing moss on their bodies, and the dancing displays that Avicennians take part in twice a year to celebrate seasonal fishing catches and find mates or establish a new position in the social hierarchy. Moss and water of different colors is either taken from the different islands or an Avicennian will rotate living areas in order to cultivate patches and patterns of different glowing colors in their fur. At the celebrations, Avicennians compete with each other through a series of slow-moving dances, where the aim is to show off their glowing fur and mesmerize the audience.


    Spoiler: Government
    Show
    As with all other aspects of Avicennian hierarchy, the Shine - leader and ruler of the Avicennian Isles - is decided by a dancing display, however competitions for the position of Shine are only held every 4 years and contestants are judged by the entire population by both by their display as well as how well they have maintained their fur display since the last competition. The Shine has total official control of the Isles, but separates island-based duties to the Gleams - local leaders of each island who compete in the Gleam competitive displays once a year.


    Spoiler: History
    Show
    The Avicennian Isles have recently re-unified after a long, 30 year civil war. 31 years ago, the two primary Shine contestants formed highly protective and ardent supporter groups after several years of collecting jewels and objects to boost their displays. The week before the competition, a great storm flooded the Isles, battering and washing away moss, dwellings, and vines. In the aftermath, one contestant had managed to escape with his items and display intact, while the other, backed by most of the Glow, had been washed off and had only a small cultivation of Acantha and Aegica algae left in his armpits. The former contestant danced and won, and discontent spread through the Isles. The Gleams and the smaller, lower-level positions had also been hit similarly, and the turnover and malcontent spread until war erupted. Thievery of items, sabotage of displays through fertilizers, even poisoning of moss and trees became widespread as the individual islands of the Glow quickly separated to engage in a five-way dispute. The last Shine finally ended the violence, and he and his Gleams spent five years attempting to restore goodwill and the health of the mangroves. His successor turned eyes outside of the Isles, thinking that a focus on outside offerings and possibilities might unify the Avicennians with a strong, cooperative bond to restore the glowing islands to their former height.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    Blessed are the Avicennians, who have been granted the gift of life upon the sacred water. No other material in the Great Wet or the Great Dry can both glow and be grown. The glowing, colorful water is worshipped as a gift from the White Sun, and the moss that grows on their bodies is a marking that the Avicennians are the chosen ones.


    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    With an abundance of glowing mosses and bark, Avicennians offer Glowmoss - a portable, non-flammable light source that can be kept alive as long as it is kept damp.

    To climb the social ladders, Avicennians are always in search of Precious Gems to add to their fur displays.


    Spoiler: Starting Technology
    Show
    Pottery



  24. - Top - End - #54
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
    Location
    In de` Void!
    Gender
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Drazollin
    Region 180
    Summary: Co-existing human and lizard folks that are interested in the past and others.
    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    The land of Drazollin is one of height extremes, with both high mountains to the low seas. In a cooler temperate climate, the winters are longer and colder than normal, increasing in severity the higher the mountain scape one went. The mountains are home to primary the Seiscales, who are a bit more adapted to the cooler environment, though still find it difficult during the harsh winters. Not far from the mountains, the sea and other large bodies of water can be reached. The temperature is warmer here and allows the Tidescales to be able to operate with relative ease, though the winters are still present and can sometimes cause issues for the Drazols adapted for warmer climates. Humans are found all throughout the area, building their cities and settlements to help house both people.

    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The Drazolites are a made up of two co-existing people: Humans and their scaled companions: the Drazol. The Drazol are then made up of to main subspecies: The Tidescales and Seiscales. The Drazolite humans are generally composed of light tanned, black hair, and brown to black eyes. They stand a bit taller and stronger than most other humans, due to the rugged lifestyle of their land and their past. The Drazols are humanoid scaled individuals, standing upright and using their tails to help balance and guide them as they walk. The green scaled Tidescale Drazols are often mistaken as 'awakened gators' due to their larger muscular stature and capabilities to do well in aquatic environments. The Seiscales Drazols are smaller in comparison, more akin to smaller 'lizards' of the mountains, capable of navigating the subterranean landscape with their enhanced sight with a lighter blue scale complexion.

    For many many years, the humans and Drazol were at an uncomfortable point in their existence. Although, the Tidescales and the Seiscales have always been united, their acceptance with the 'softscales' humans, was met with resistance. Likewise, the humans only considered the Drazol only useful for labor and were considered wild tribal beasts. Slavery was however, not possible due to the small conflicts between the two people and generally looked down upon via both people. The closest thing would be prisoners of war, which was always a rare and brief occurrence. However, by a chance encounter at what is now a holy sight to the people of Drazollian, the two people came together in the search for answers of who they were. It was a risk that both were hesitant at making, but evidence from both sides to each other caused them to put aside their differences to try to answer why in the stories of the Drazol and in many of the cherished artifacts of the Humans both contained the exact same sources, including a language that they both had developed. Most of these questions are still unanswered, however from the joining of the two people, both realized that they would be stronger together than alone, citing that they must be from the same origins.

    As the two people mixed, their cultures began to become intertwined. The 'primal and savage' natures of the Drazolscales were seen in a different light by the humans and even became a welcomed sight. Likewise the Drazolscales started to become very attached to their human companions because of their ingenuity and their robustness, to the point where the term 'Softscale' went from a derogatory name, to one of deep affection, taking pride in caring for their companions. It is now to the point where it is not uncommon for cities, government, and even houses to have a mixture of both people.

    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    Due to the combined proximity to both the mountains and ocean, the region is rich with minerals, namely salts, which they trade with. Both races work together to help mine and gather efficiently; the Tidescales doing the main work in the ocean while the Seiscales work in the mines with humans helping with either being the muscle for the mines or for the land transport and handling for the ocean. Rarely gems or other elemental deposits are found (such as gold or coal), but those are normally kept for adornments or practical uses.
    However, due to the high salinity of the soils around, all but the toughest plants die out, leaving little for livestock to feed or for other fibers to be grown. Although the people of Drazollin take pride in their forms, the need for textiles for practical and protective use is in dire need.

    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    After both the Drazolscales and humans started to mingle and co-exist with each other, certain crosspaths between the two continued to emerge. The relics of the past that were studied and sought out by the humans were paired up with the folklore of the Drazolscales. Dragon iconography predominantly present in both caused both to revere the stories as well as sought out for more info.
    The major holy site for this is a monument structured near a small battlefield where the first settlement of both humans and Drazolscales came together for the first time.

    Spoiler: Government
    Show
    WIP

    Spoiler: Starting Technologies
    Show
    Writing: +1 Conversion Defense, +1 Conversions in regions that share your alphabet.
    The discovery of the common writ between the two race's histories was a major awakening that drew the two peoples together.

  25. - Top - End - #55
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    DruidGirl

    Join Date
    Jan 2021
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    Vancouver, BC
    Gender
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Popoco
    Region 82, One of the Citlallo Isles


    Summary: More humans who have an affinity for fire and very big birds

    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    Popoco is a somewhat flat island divided by a steep mountain range that separates a bowl-shaped valley in the Southwest corner of the island. While the North and South eastern parts of the island are bountiful; all life is at the mercy of the largest predators, the Terror Birds. Protected by the mountains, the Southwest valley is lush and filled with a variety plants and small animals. This is the area where most Popocoans choose to live.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    Popocoans are remarkably similar to the Citlalli, as they are the same people with the same common ancestor. They too have a Spark, fire spirits that keep them alive. Like the Citlalli, Popocoans keep Cuectli foxes as faithful animal companions.

    The people are humans with a darker complexion that ranges from tan to a deep brown. As children, the people tend to have varying shades of brown hair that will then change when their Spark awakens at the age of ten. When their Spark awakens, their hair colour shifts to match the colour of the flame inside them and can range from blinding white, a warm pumpkin orange, or even a deep magenta. They can have any eye colour as dependent on their parents.

    Having a fire spirit does not give a person powers, but it does allow people a certain affinity for fire and often an aptitude for a skill. This is because a person's Spark is their inner voice, and they can work with each other to improve upon their knowledge of how fire works and what they can do with that. For example, forging, cooking, slash and burn horticulture, etc. This shows in the different skills the people hone.

    If a person suffers from hypothermia, their Spark can get too cold, and the flame will go out. Even if the person can be revived from hypothermia, if their Spark cannot be ignited, both will die. If the person suffers from an illness or a fatal wound, the person may die and so will the Spark unless it can find another host to survive in.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    Like the Citlalli, Popocoans believe the Daezirn islands were created by a falling star and have a deep reverence for the sky. As such, their holy site is the Tepeticpac, the summit of the tallest mountain and the highest point on the entire island. Here there is a small shrine for people to offer their prayers and gifts to the stars. Offerings tend to be shells, feathers, trinkets carved from terror bird bones and other decorations to adorn the shrine as if to make it as lovely as the skies above
    .

    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    The island of Popoco boasts a large population of tall, flightless, carnivorous creatures known as Terror Birds. While they are the most common threat to the people of the island, they are also the people’s best resource. Their beaks and bones are made into tools, their meat is used for food, their feathers are used in clothing, their skin makes for strong leather, and their large eggs are used as water containers.

  26. - Top - End - #56
    Halfling in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2020

    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Fei Dang (223)
    Spoiler: Geography
    Show

    Situated at the headwaters of the Daogu Tributary, Fei Dang is a harsh but fertile land. The Taikan mountains rise high above the province before descending into rolling hills and valleys cut with streams and brooks. The winters are long and cold, but during the spring ice melt fills many streams and brooks that flood rice paddies and bring rich soil down from the mountains. Conifer trees dominate the heights, populated by goats, yaks, kirin and mountain-lions.

    Small towns and villages dot the hills and valleys, growing rice and barley in terraced paddies and fields. The towns themselves are almost always fortified with walls, often built on raised platforms that put them above the floodwaters of spring. The capital city of Tangtzi rests atop a peak in the foothills of the Taikan mountains, overlooking a large brook that flows through the ravine below. The town is ancient, with weathered stone stairs that progress up the mountain to the dynastic palace that rests at its peak.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The humans of Fei Dang are short, tan humans with predominantly black hair. They are a matrilineal and matriarchal society: family descent is passed down through the female line, and the mother or grandmother of a family is responsible for administering the family business. Most Fei people live in large, family homes that house entire extended families. Families own land and other major assets in common, and make trade and marriage deals. A families' lineage is of utmost importance; having good ancestors, especially ancestors from the Golden Age, is a sign of good fortune and ability. Because of this, the Fei always put their family name first.

    The vast majority of the population live and work as farmers, growing rice and barley to feed themselves, and making handcrafts during the winter to sell at local markets. Some families, particularly those with good connections, settle in towns and function as craftsmen or merchants. The noblest families send their children to be warriors, scribes, or priests serving the Lim family. The Lim themselves monopolize rulership; while the Queen maintains central power, key members of her family serve as generals, governors, champions and officials. Scions of noble families who serve the Lim well are often taken as imperial consorts, strengthening the Lim's ties with noble families of the realm and ensuring their continued control.

    Pastimes when work is done include board games, drinking tea or rice-wine, playing musical instruments, and storytelling. The tales of the Golden Age are particularly popular, rivaled only by horror and adventure stories of horrible monsters and quixotic foreigners. Storytelling has become such an art-form that a language of hand gestures and sound effects, called xihu, is taught and used by professionals.

    Common clothing is a simple two-piece of wrapped cloth, dyed and embroidered for effect. During the winters the Fei will wear thick coats of fur or linen over their garments for extra warmth. The Fei put great stock in the beauty and opulence of their clothing, spending immensely to import the finest fabrics and designs from abroad.

    One trade which receives great regard, and some small suspicion, is the practice of alchemy. Stories say that in the Golden Age alchemists were greater than priests or magicians, able to brew potions that could grant immortality, destroy castle walls, destroy the minds of men and make them willing slaves, or heal any wounds. The practice now is a shadow of its former self, if the stories were ever true. But alchemists continue to be consulted as doctors, and wealthy families often sponsor alchemical labs in the hope of discovering some of the old powers (or failing that, having a skilled doctor on hand).


    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    Dag Yak. The Dag Yak is a hearty breed native to the harsh Taikan mountains. They are exceptionally hardy and resistant to the challenges of elevation and cold weather, intelligent enough to dig up roots and flora buried under the snow. Fei hunters treasure the beasts and avoid hunting them until times of dire need, when the herds can survive weather that kills or drives off other animals.

    Fei Dang has a chronic shortage of textiles of all types: Fine linens, silks and cotton for summer robes, and furs and animal hides to stay warm in the winter. The textiles produced in the region are in short supply and of poor quality, so the people jump at every chance to adorn themselves in quality clothing.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show

    The Cult of the Golden Emperors worships ancient, mythological emperors who, the stories say, once ruled a vast empire which spread across much of the continent. Tales often portray the emperors as wise scholars who lived in a golden age of peace and plenty. The Lim Dynasty, through some rather dubious lineages only vaguely understood by royal scribes, claims descent from the Golden Emperor's lineage, and thus legitimacy for their rule. To reinforce this connection the Dynasty commissions the construction of statues and temples to the Golden Emperors and organizes seasonal sacrifices and festivals in their name.

    For the common people the Golden Emperors are less ancient legends and more vaguely-present spirits who can help or hinder life's troubles. There is no detailed creed or hierarchical priesthood. One might pray to the emperors and leave offerings for good luck or success, and the festivals in their honor double as days of relaxation and celebration for tired laborers. Lineage is a huge obsession for all, as every person of note tries to tie their bloodline back to ancient heroes.

    The center of the Cult of the Golden Emperors is The Tomb of the Sky Emperor. This vast tomb is the size of a great hill, and is said to house the remains of one of the greatest emperors from the golden age. Rumors tell of pools of mercury, halls of gold and chests of exotic goods. The tomb itself is sealed, however, and protected by fell magics beyond the ken of man. Instead, a great temple has been built in front of the tomb, where people come to give offerings to the emperor.
    Zhao Dang (206)
    Spoiler: Geography
    Show

    Zhao Dang represents the transition from the colder highlands region of Fei Dan to the warmer, tropical area of the Sur River Valley. Traveling northeast, one begins in the towering, snow-covered peaks of the Tangtze mountains, before descending through deeply-carved foothills where streams and tributaries carry rich soil towards the Sur. As one descends further the province drops into a wide alluvial swamp of mangroves, tigers and underbrush that feeds into the Sur river.

    The mountain climate is harsh. While it avoids the cold snows of Fei Dan, it is constantly beset by harsh winds and freezing rain. Once one descends from the mountains the region generally has two seasons: cold and rainy, or warm and rainy.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The Fei have set up colonies across Fei Zhao Dang. Most of these villages are small, communal towns of about 50-500 people who work the surrounding farmland. These villages are built on raised, earthern mounds above the swamps, or on hills near streams and plains, to avoid being flooded. Each village holds a collection of family homes built around a set of communal buildings - usually a community and administrative center, a storehouse and a granary.

    The largest town in the region is Gongzhao. This town is built at the headwaters of the Sur river, making it a key point for the Dynasty's commerce. barges sailing up the Sur have an easy point here to unload their goods for sale or shipment further into Lim territory. A large collection of jetties and docks occupy a wide waterfront on the town, while the administrative palace and upper-class homes are built atop a nearby hill overlooking the rest of the city.

    The Zhao family were pioneers of the region and maintain nominal control over it, providing administration and guidance in the name of the Lim. As a cadet family, the Zhao are tied to the Lim by several key marriages and common ancestors. Along with generous Lim financing that has put the Zhao firmly in their debt, this ensures the Lim Dynasty's control over the region.


    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    Rice. The northern reaches of Fei Zhao Dang are a wide, alluvial swamp perfect for rice cultivation. Farmers use raised earth barriers to create hundreds of square paddies, each of which can be planted with rice. The waters flowing down from the mountains carry rich soil that helps to fertilize the paddies.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show

    When the Fei colonized the region they brought the Cult of the Golden Emperors with them. No major religious centers dominate the region. Instead, there are many small shrines dotting the roadways and villages, often maintained by local peasants in the hopes that the Emperors will grant their prayers for a rich harvest or good fortune. Zhao Dang remains a holdout of the cult despite the Lim's conversion to the Children of the Great Mother.
    Sagrimma (241)
    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    The broad plains of Sagrimma stretch eastward from the base of the Taikan Mountains that form the western edge of Kiswa. The are a drearily flat countryside, with few trees and fewer hills to break the horizon. Aside from the great rising peaks to the west, the only landmarks of note are those built by hand, the clustered hamlets and tilled fields of the Sagi, with one exception: a massive boulder at the western edge, halfway up the pass, bearing the inscription in Veramondi logography: "OCĒMIS WAS HERE."
    For large portions of the year, hoarfrost covers much of the ground. The Sagi practice a style of farming based on crops with short growing cycles. Ground is broken as soon as the frost things enough for seeds to be planted, and multiple small harvests occur to reduce the chance that a sudden frost will kill plants before the produce is developed.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The humans that populate Sagrimma are hardy people. Pale of skin and fair of hair, most adults stand between fifteen and seventeen hands tall. They tend toward stocky builds. The necessary labor to survive in the region toughens most even before they are considered full-grown.
    Despite the heavy rigors of living in the region, the Sagi are also enthusiastic folk. Two elements form the core of their society: family and passion. Family units work together in toil, sharing successes and failures together, and it is well known that a family can lift a larger burden than the same number could carry alone. Orphans and others who lack a family of their own are often taken in by smaller families. Those who do not find such welcome rarely survive, except by theft or striking out for milder lands to the north.
    Passion is emphasized as well. They believe that whatever role someone takes on, be it leader, farmer, miner, hunter or warrior, should be pursued with one’s whole heart. To lack passion is to show oneself to be weak or without purpose.

    The current leading family of the Sagi is headed by a woman named Līdamis. She is darker-skinned than most of the others, bearing features reminiscent of the Bannanda people. She and her two sons travel often between the small hamlets of the region to settle disputes, organize labor, and plan improvements to the communities.


    Spoiler: Resources
    Show
    Tin - Along the base of the mountains in the west are several deposits of tin, a rare and useful metal. While the Sagi have long made tools of it, with their induction into the Confluence they have learned the process of smelting traces of tin into the more broadly plentiful copper to make superior goods. Tin is still used on its own for basic house goods such as dishware and farming implements, but it is rapidly becoming more beneficial to trade most of the mined metal away for copper and bronze.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show
    Burning Heart - Within the Sagi’s belief in the power of passion, there is a deeper pursuit. While every member of the tribe strives to reach true zeal, only a few are said to have ever unlocked perfection in their fervor. The stories of these heroes are told and repeated among the people, shared around fires, imparted to children by parents, and held as a measure for all. These are known as the Burning Hearts, and it is believed that those who reach this state are proof against the cold, both for themselves and for their people. Among these are such names as Pescal, Slayer of Blightspawn; Volumsek, Who Defeated Winter; Ocēmis and Enengtis, Unbeaten by Mountains; Numvol, Who Uprooted Stone.
    Last edited by Talis; 2021-06-15 at 09:34 PM.

  27. - Top - End - #57
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Aedilred's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    Bristol
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Kingdom of Limdimon

    Faranandūll
    Region 193
    Spoiler: Summary
    Show

    Region No. 193
    Name: Faranandūll
    Ruler: King Oniyellis
    Resource: Avocados
    Required resource: Domesticable animals
    • TP1: Imālca (Limdimon)
    • TP2: Faradonālcūll (Lhungo Saar)
    • TP3: Faribālcā (Bel-Dan Confederation)

    Holy Site: Grove of the Hapēzi (Hozhīsa)
    Technologies:
    • Irrigation
    • Animal Husbandry
    • Writing (Veramondi Script)


    Spoiler: Ruler and Family
    Show

    High Chief Odilon (m) (49)
    D2
    M5
    O2
    F4
    I3

    Family: https://www.familyecho.com/?p=START&...49365770255672

    Spoiler: Language
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    Stone and Water
    Spoiler: Geography
    Show

    faridad ūlcricad el tish izītli - end hedundang tish dhazālushīs

    Faranandūll is a small region, where the lush green rainforest carpets the land from the banks of the great river Erapira in the south to the highlands in the east. In the north and west, any sense of a border is lost in the trackless jungle, but the extent of the region is essentially defined by the areas the tribes can control, and few venture more than a couple of miles westwards beyond Repima.

    Within the forest and particularly in the east are various crags and rocky outcrops with caves where the Bannanda have historically made their homes. Around each of these the land is more cultivated, with crops of fruit grown, but the jungle continues to encroach on these areas and the people are obliged to keep hacking it back. The east and south of the region, near the hills and river, have been tamed to a greater extent than the north and west, and it is in the south-east that the highest proliferation of avocado and banana groves are to be found.

    The banks of the river itself are varied in their foliage. Along most of its length the vegetation crowds the shore, making the forest all but impenetrable. In some places, however, the Bannanda have stripped back the trees entirely to create fields, which through management of the river are periodically flooded to provide ground for cereal crops. Nevertheless the vast majority of the region is jungle, beyond the reasonable control of man.

    In the oldest areas of the forest, the tallest trees - kapoks and palms - keep the ground in shade, with lesser vegetation somewhat stunted. This gives the impression of open spaces and clearings through which one can safely travel, and in some cases this is true. In others, however, these clearings are home to venomous snakes who conceal themselves within the leaf carpet, or favoured hunting grounds of the large cats and bears that still prey on the unwary traveller.


    The Living and the Dead
    Spoiler: People
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    all ergūrē an farūd el ēyon
    all vepehūll azāluyoth
    all bannanda an faradundyūd el cārēyon


    The Bannanda are a tall, strong, dark-skinned people, relatively isolated from the outside world. As a completely non-literate society, their history is traceable only through oral tradition and the paintings of old left behind in the caves that were once their home. At one time, the land was populated by giants - whether the Bannanda themselves or another people with whom they interbred - but at some point, perhaps in response to the fearsome predators which terrorised and devoured the people, they took refuge in grottoes and caves. There they naturally diminished in size, attaining more normal human proportions.

    Most settlements are still located near caves, and most are inhabited by banozhisyi, where they commune with the spirits of the ancestors.

    Advances in Bannanda society are attributed to a series of heroes:
    Alibenon, who led the people out of the caves and built the first artificial dwellings.
    Ibongnon, the beastslayer, who slew the jagupards and aardbears and made the land safe for the people.
    Ontasosis, who taught the people to turn the earth and grow crops.
    Urrunnon, who imparted to the people the secret of metallurgy.

    And others in a similar vein. Some of these heroes are said to have travelled beyond the bounds of the known world and returned, presumably bringing the knowledge with them, but they are exceptions. Apart from the occasional wanderer, the Bannanda have very little contact with other peoples.

    As a people, they value intelligence and prefer to solve problems through cunning rather than brute strength, but when roused they are fierce warriors.

    The largest settlements are no bigger than a small town, with the village being the principal unit of community. While some town chiefs may hold sway over a number of villages, in general each village operates largely independently, with the chief (or onōa) governing in conjunction with advice from the local onozhis. The Bannanda do however recognise a high chief (onēcis banōec) who nominally holds sway over all the chiefs in the area. This authority is exercised rarely and usually only in times of emergency when region-wide coordination is needed.

    The Bannanda do recognise a number of distinct sub-peoples or tribes for want of a better description, of which the most significant are the Hengala, the Hilelmē, the Hūena, the Esāla, the Hapēzi, and the Azipāra.

    The high chiefdom has for several generations been associated with the town of Limdimon, the largest town of the Esāla in the highlands. Some way north, as the foothills give way to the flatter valley floor, is the smaller town of Imdundīs.

    The largest market town is Imālca, in the lands of the Esāla tribe in the foothills at a point where the Eripara can still be crossed without significant danger. Further downstream, in the largest cleared area of woodland along the river’s bank, is Īellimon, the biggest town in the region, where most of the Bannanda’s corn is grown, and the local Hūen tribe supplement their diet with fish.

    Deeper into the jungle north of Īellimon is Repimā, considered the last outpost of Bannanda civilisation.

    Light and Shadow
    Spoiler: Resources and Technology
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    bapi! yomyīg eradonēc tharmalibyūll mecifēn, ū erapeng tizh nemēm ēāt tharapelmyūng dhābesōm

    The Bannanda have cleared areas around their settlements for raising crops and through a combination of carefully managed irrigation, and the frequent rains, ensure that even the thirstiest crops are well-watered. When the Erapira bursts its banks and floods, this helps permit growth of cereal crops in some of the cleared areas along its length, but the people have always relied heavily on fruits from the forest, and these still form major parts of their diet.

    Walnuts, cacao and bananas are all widely grown, but the groves most precious and valued are those of the avocado trees. The importance of it to Bannanda society is reflected in common expressions, for instance the phrase “an ladōnūg gitatē”, meaning “cutting the avocado”, i.e. to put something to the test.

    The largest trading station and market town is Imālca, but there are two significant further trading points. Some way outside the stockade of Īellimon is a smaller waystation, Faradonālcūll, which has become a major market for fruit from the forest. Meanwhile in the forest itself, some way northeast of Repīma, is Faribalcā, a meeting-place for traders from the hills and forest to exchange goods.

    In addition to the popular avocados, another valued resource of the region is rubber, recently discovered and fascinating to the Bannanda. So far the latex bled from the trees is used entirely recreationally for toys and the like or just as a luxury item for barter, but experiments are beginning into what other uses it might possess.

    The region does not lack for fauna, as the forest is replete not only with dangerous predators and the reclusive eriljerra, the men of the forest, but with brightly-coloured birds and frogs, snakes and fish.
    But none of these animals has been successfully tamed. The only animals the Bannanda have brought into their settlements are dogs and a small species of donkey used for hauling loads and ploughs.

    The region therefore requires domesticable animals in order to develop to its full potential.

    Hozhīsa
    Spoiler: Faith
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    The Bannanda are a spiritual people, who believe firmly in the everyday presence of the supernatural in their lives. Their belief system could be named Hozhīsa.

    They consider the gods to be distant and unapproachable for mortals, and so their principal interaction with the supernatural world is through shūvāchē. These are spiritual beings which inhabit virtually every part of the world. They vary from ancient shūvāchē who were created at the same time as the world, to recently deceased mortals who have retained a spiritual presence in the world. Some travel across the whole world, while others confine themselves to a particular location, object or person.

    Their powers vary significantly and may be called on for a variety of purposes. They may for instance offer advice, answer questions, bestow blessings or curses, change the weather, or grant (or refuse) safe passage across their domain. They may be kindly and protective, or capricious and cruel.

    Although they are aware of the material world, they are supernatural beings and beyond the reach of most people. Laypeople can only try to win the favour of a sūwācha by making offerings or sacrifices and hoping that they notice and take a favourable interest. In order to make specific requests, or to receive advice, they will need to do so via an intermediary, an onozhis.

    Banozhisyi, or shamen, are people who can perceive aspects of the supernatural world and communicate directly with the shūvāchē. This is dangerous, as many shūvāchē are sensitive and unpredictable, and may be easily angered, so banozhisyi must undergo extensive training in order to learn about the shūvāchē and how to control them. They do this by a mixture of quasi-formalised group study in certain locations, and by apprenticeship to senior banozhisyi. Which “school” an onozhis attends and who they apprentice under will have an impact on their later specialisms and practice.

    It is generally considered to take a minimum of ten years before a onozhis is “safe” to practise on their own, although they will say that their education is really lifelong. Because of their extensive education and ability to call on shūvāchē they are valued for their wisdom and experience even for their own sake.

    Most communities will have an onozhis, and sometimes two (especially if that onozhis has an apprentice). Some banozhisyi live alone, and people make pilgrimages of sorts to visit them, and there are also banozhisyi who have no fixed home and wander offering their services to those who they encounter. Most banozhisyi wear or display symbols or colours indicating which shūvāchē they have most facility with and therefore the type of services that they can offer.

    There is an annual gathering of banozhisyi in the sacred grove of the Hapēzi where they meet to discuss events over the last year, changes in the supernatural (or physical) world and any updates necessary to their teachings and philosophy. Any onozhis may attend.


    Elements

    The powers of a sūwācha will depend on which element they are associated with. Some very powerful or old shūvāchē might be associated with more than one, but this is relatively rare.

    In general representation there are six main elements with which a sūwācha might be associated. These are commonly shown on a hexagram, with complementary elements bordering each other and opposing their opposite. They are each represented by a colour and a gemstone, which is often worn or displayed by banozhisyi. Offerings of that colour are considered particularly favoured.

    The Living is bordered by Light and Stone, and opposed by the Dead. It represents impulse, vitality, and progeneration. shūvāchē of the Living are often associated with fertility and are requested to assist with crop planting, animal rearing, or conception. They may also have some healing power, and are sometimes called on to help make decisions of the heart.

    Shūvāchē of the Living are represented by the gemstone peridot, although jade is often substituted. Their colour is green.

    The Dead is bordered by Water and Shadow, and opposed by The Living. It represents permanence, wisdom, and inevitability. The majority of ancestors who have become shūvāchē are associated with the Dead, and they are among the shūvāchē most commonly summoned to guard, advise or bless their surviving family members or descendants.

    Banozhisyi who are proficient in summoning shūvāchē of the Dead wear moonstones, and purple (more usually blue) clothes.

    Light is bordered by Water and the Living, and is opposed by Shadow. It represents hope, truth, and prosperity. shūvāchē associated with Light are called on to help with melancholia or to uncover hidden truths, including both those concealed by others, and unknown ailments such as disease.

    Banozhisyi proficient in summoning Light shūvāchē wear sunstones, or the colour white.

    Shadow is bordered by Stone and the Dead, and opposed by Light. It represents secrecy, calm and critical thought. Shadow shūvāchē are called on to soothe addled minds and help the sleepless, or to assist in concealing that which people would rather were not discovered. Many shadow shūvāchē are intelligent or cunning and can be called on to help solve tricky problems.

    They are represented by the colour grey, and their gemstone is obsidian.

    Stone is bordered by the Living and Shadow, and opposed by Water. It represents safety, creativity and domesticity. Artisans and builders will often call on Stone shūvāchē to assist them in their work. They are also requested to protect houses and settlements, making their walls impenetrable to those who would harm the inhabitants.

    Banozhisyi proficient in summoning Stone shūvāchē wear topaz, or yellow clothes.

    Water is bordered by Light and the Dead, and is opposed by Stone. It represents destruction, renewal, and chaos. It is perhaps the most powerful element but also the most dangerous and difficult to control. Water shūvāchē can bring rain to a parched field, or a flood which will sweep away a village. They may provide a spring to give clean water to a settlement, or pull an unwary person to a death by drowning. They can give life, but if not propitiated the same water may turn to poison. Water shūvāchē are generally treated with reverence but rarely called upon.

    Few banozhisyi are proficient in summoning Water shūvāchē. They are represented by the gemstone lapis lazuli and the colour light blue.


    Most experienced banozhisyi are capable of summoning shūvāchē of two elements; three is rare. It is almost unheard of for banozhisyi to be capable of reliably summoning shūvāchē of opposing elements, so those who can manage four are essentially mythical. Cautionary tales abound of banozhisyi who overreached themselves and were destroyed by the sūwācha they tried to summon.

    Families

    Families are groups of related shūvāchē, which overlap with the elemental classification and are often easier for laypeople to understand. They can include shūvāchē of multiple elements, although only the largest families tend to include shūvāchē from opposing elements.

    The main relevance for banozhisyi is that each family has a “gatekeeper” sūwācha who must be spoken to first, and who may call up other members of their family on request. banozhisyi tend to build relationships with particular gatekeepers to make the summoning process easier, and will display symbols representing these gatekeepers so that those requiring their assistance can tell who that onozhis can call upon..

    Trying to summon shūvāchē directly rather than through a gatekeeper, or by using the wrong gatekeeper, may cause offence, and therefore unpleasant results. Sometimes and where there is no other option, an onozhis might request a known gatekeeper with whom they have an established relationship to call on a sūwācha from a different, but friendly family, It is therefore important for banozhisyi to know which family a sūwācha belongs to, and what the relationship between families is, before they call on them.

    It is rare, but not unheard of, for shūvāchē to change families, if they have a falling-out with their existing one.




    Farilpūll
    Region 192

    Spoiler: Geography
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    Ilcerapirūll, or Farilpūll as it is also (and more commonly) known, is a tract of forested area to the south of the Erapira. In its forested stretch it is almost a mirror image of Faranandūll to the north, but it lacks the highland area in the east, remaining if not flat then at least lowland for its whole stretch. Dense woodland covers its whole area: where it starts to thin in the south and give way to scrub and bush marks the effective border of the region.

    The region’s boundaries are defined by the two small lakes in the south: the Topa Kanoho in the west and the Topa Gnoho in the east. Drawing a line north from the Topa Kanoho to the Erapira forms the western border of the region, while tracing between the two, following the treeline, marks the southern border. The eastern border follows a similar pattern, tracing from the Topa Gnoho up to the headwaters of the Erapira, with a slight spur to the east (known as the Gnoho Betep).

    The forest is even wilder than to the north and more sparsely populated. There are only settlements of any size: is Bete Ozdik, little more than a large village, in the Gnoho Betep, and Topee Tibu, on the Erapira itself, some way upstream from the larger Bannanda port of Īellimon.

    Lacking any knowledge of irrigation, the people of the region have been unable to control water, and this has led to large marshy areas and swampland along the tributaries of the Erapira, while the waters of the river sprawl further on its southern bank than they do on the north. The forest itself is also largely unmanaged and primeval, the habitat of beasts and the mysterious carelijerrē.

    Spoiler: People
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    The people of the region are called the Banatūla by the Bannanda but they refer to themselves as the Ashihi. They are typical of the native Kiswan population, being dark-skinned humans with dark eyes and hair.

    It seems that although the Banatūlē suffered as a result of the False Dawn the region was never particularly cultivated even previously. While they have knowledge of the plough, they have little in the way of draft livestock to pull them, with no oxen or horses. they had no understanding of principles of irrigation or water management, so even the land which has been cleared of trees is generally poor for farming and prone to flooding. As a result their settlements are - save for the two exceptions noted above - very small, and even the larger two barely qualify as towns.

    As a society they live in small groups under local chiefs, with some allegiance to a wider tribe and an associated tribal chief. There are dozens of such tribes, none of them being more than a few thousand in size. Although there is some recognition of a common identity in opposition to some neighbouring peoples, there is no real sense of unity beyond the tribes themselves, and battles between tribes are frequent. Despite this, the Banatūlē do not seem by nature to be an unusually bellicose people, and some have remarked on their relative timidity compared to some of the more aggressive Kiswan peoples.

    Some of the most prominent tribes include the Apitatri, Otobok, Atabil, Egatopi, Odiduk, Kuatrugal, Papotak, Abikol, Apritel, Keopak, Adrukal, Eplegeo, Udokeap, Otebrek, Akrapel, Egupra, Odiblik, and the Obatook.

    Spoiler: Resources and Technology
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    There are no technologies unique to the region, with the people being both entirely illiterate and ignorant of many of the refinements of more advanced areas. There is no understanding of irrigation, animal husbandry, or advanced building techniques, and pottery is limited in its use. As a result, the resources of the region are underdeveloped.

    The principal resource available is therefore Timber, of which the region has a plentiful supply, being so heavily forested. Besides palms, the most noteworthy - and useful - trees are the Kapok trees for which the people are named, but rubber, bulletwood, teak and ebony are also all found here, as they are further north.

    Spoiler: Religion
    Show
    The Banatūla have historically given tribute to a disparate range of forest spirits, with each tribe having its own. The most prominent site in the region, where the largest collection of spirits is believed to gather, is Embra Kagmuk.

    At the same time as soldiers from Henanda moved into the region, so too did banozhisyī who educated the locals in the ways of the shūvachē and how to identify the local forest spirits with them. Embra Kagmuk has now become the home of an onozhīs who will assist any visitors in making contact with the spirits there.



    Dum-Hong Deng
    Region 191

    Spoiler: Summary
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    Region No. 191
    Holy Site: Hozhisa
    Resource: Pearls (Minor)

    Spoiler: Geography
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    Dum-Hong Deng (known as Farontūll, or the Flat Place, by the Bannanda) is a verdant region stretching from the edges of the rainforest in the west to the eastern coast of the Kiswan continent. By the standards of anywhere else it would be considered a forested region but in comparison to the dense jungle to its west it is relatively open, becoming moreso in the south.

    The southern border is marked by the Am-Mey Xeng, a relatively small river stemming from the So-Xem Bad-Sem (known in the west as the Topa Gnoho) which has nevertheless served over the years as a moderately effective barrier: while people have crossed and settled from the southwest, there has been no long-term political contact across the river.

    The northern border is less well-defined but is generally taken to be the Yas-Eng So, a more heavily forested region which extends most of the way to the cliffs which mark the eastern coast. These cliffs are one of the highest points in the region and south of this the coastline becomes much more hospitable, offering long stretches of beach. Some of the land here may at one time have been reclaimed from the sea, and some areas remain prone to flooding.

    The region itself is strewn with a number of rivers, few of them geographically significant but many of them navigable and which have given life to the region over the years.

    Spoiler: People
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    Although they are known generically as the Banabeyrē (“pearl-fishers”) by the Bannanda, pearl-diving in fact comprises a relatively small part of the life of the region, and is confined to the east coast.

    The people of the region are humans, and recognise three castes. The Yam-Ong-í, the lowest of the three castes, resemble the humans of neighbouring regions, being tall and dark-skinned. The ruling caste, the Wey-Dong-o, are paler of skin and somewhat shorter, while the Hó-Hyey, an intermediate caste, represent interbreeding between the two.

    In truth it is unlikely that even those who call themselves pureblood Wey-Dong-o are, but they are keen to maintain their status over the other two groups and laws have been introduced in a number of towns prohibiting intermarriage (specifically, of Wey-Dong-o women and Yam-ong-í men, although some take the prohibition further).

    While the social structure is not so straightforward as to say that the Yam-Ong-í are always slaves, or that the Wey-Dong-o are always masters - especially in more rural areas where rule is harder to maintain - nor is this entirely inaccurate, and that has certainly been the direction of societal travel of late. Most pearl-divers are Yam-Ong-ī (although the best tend to be Hó-Hyey, being rather more comfortable in the water) but the trade in those jewels is almost entirely conducted by Wey-Dong-o or Hó-Hyey merchants.

    The region is studded with towns, trading with each other up and down the rivers, and which provide political centres for the region. Most of the work in the region remains agricultural, its good soil providing ample harvests and good land for livestock. The long hospitable coastline provides good fishing and seafood is commonly eaten in communities along the shore, while freshwater fish is also popular well inland.

    The Wey-Dong-o pride themselves on their martial ability, although these days a majority of fighting troops are actually comprised of acknowledged Hó-Hyey. Raiding and warfare is something of a way of life and they are often fierce and ruthless warriors. In battle, their warriors will often wear sharkskin for protection, and officers and nobles will also wear armour of whalebone..

    The Yam-ong-í appear to be related to the humans in the neighbouring regions, speaking a variety of Viserik language (in the north) or towards the south, languages related to the Korebita tongue. Both have however been affected by the contact with the É-e language of the Wey-Dong-o); most notably, the Viserik languages of Dum-Hong Deng have lost much of their morphology, and the Korebita languages have lost their click consonants.

    A sympathetic observer might indeed conclude that there are at least two distinct peoples in the region predating the arrival of the Wey-Dong-o, but such distinctions are ignored and all of them classed merely as Yam-Ong-í.

    Spoiler: History
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    The history of the region must be pieced together from folk tales, circumstantial evidence and the braggadocious songs of the Wey-Dong-o. It appears that, before the False Dawn, various peoples migrated into the region and established communities along the rivers. These towns prospered on the land around them and trade with each other.

    At some point after the False Dawn, the Wey-Dong-o appeared, initially as raiders, but soon turning their minds to settlement. The first town to fall was one whose initial name is now forgotten, which was sacked and renamed Xem-Jeng-Xeng. From there, the raids intensified until, with the fall of Bra-a-Dod, the invaders controlled almost all the coast. The rivers, which had been the arterial lifeblood of the region, now became highways for the raiders, who travelled up them to sack and plunder Is-Weno, Do-De-Gro, and Ab-a-Dod. (All names of cities given are in É-e, being mostly corruptions of a native name, although in some cases the native name is wholly lost).

    In each case, they eventually became conquerors rather than mere raiders, and captains established themselves as rulers of the towns they conquered. With the foundation of the new fortress Sa-Ó-Dod in the west, they were finally ensconced as rulers of the region.

    For around two hundred years the Wey-Dong-o ruled largely unchallenged by outside forces (although frequently warring between the various town-states) until the arrival of the Bannanda. In the initial incursion, the invading army passed Sa-Ó-Dod without incident but fell victim to a rash attack by the army of Xem-Jeng-Xeng as it neared the coast.

    The commander of that army, Wey-Bom-Jó, emboldened by his success, marched upriver and claimed suzerainty of Sa-Ó-Dod. When its ruler invited him to negotiate, Wey-Bom-Jó murdered him and took over the city, proclaiming himself Weyrá of all the region.

    There followed a lengthy period of naked hostility between the newly-titled Weyrá and his western neighbours, with any Bannanda presence in the region being met with nothing but insult, their merchants in particular being treated shabbily. Several years later, a new army, rather larger than the first, arrived, and Wey-Bom-Jó marched out to meet it almost within the shadow of Sa-Ó-Dod. This time he was less fortunate, and his army was swiftly driven off, he himself slain by the hero Ocēmis during the rout.

    With that army defeated, Ocēmis wasted no time in marching on Xem-Jeng-Xeng and overrunning it before it could muster defences for a siege. With the Bannanda's having taken control of these two key strategic points, the remaining cities largely fell in line.

    Spoiler: Faith
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    The natives of the region followed a variety of animistic faiths, of which the most important holy site was upriver at Chigowete (or Gé-Nam in É-e). The focal point of the faith was an exceptionally old holy tree, considered if not a godlike entity in itself then nevertheless a being worthy of veneration and a vital part of the people’s connection to the land.

    During the early raids, a party of Wey-Dong-o felled and burned the tree, and drove out the holy men and faithful who had gathered there. Thereafter there was no particular centre of worship in the region, with each town venerating its own gods, ancestors, or other spirits as it so chose.

    Shortly before Ocēmis’s conquest, banozhīsyi from the west arrived at the site of Chigowete and established practices there. While the tree may be gone, they claim that the site is still rich in shūvachē (including that of the tree itself) and people have begun to return there to commune with them. This has been actively encouraged by the new régime.

    Spoiler: Resource
    Show
    While the region wants for little, its principal or at least most interesting export is pearls, gathered from the seabed off the eastern coast. While previously both Bra-a-Dod and Xem-Jeng-Xeng have been centres for the pearl trade, a war around the time of the Blue Star severely damaged the state of the market at Bra-a-Dod and it has yet to recover, with many of the pearl-divers in its area preferring instead to transport their wares to Xem-Jeng-Xeng.
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    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Faragumūll, or Kledehem
    Region 190

    Spoiler: Geography
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    Kledehem is a region bounded by the Vestaser hills in the west and the ocean in the east. Most of the region is covered in forest, though it is less lush than the tropical rainforest across the western hills.

    The forest is at its densest in the south of the region, where in the east cliffs rise out of the sea, gradually giving way to lower hills and eventually a mangrove swamp in the north. While clear delineation of the forests is difficult, the southern extreme is known as the Skodelat, which forms the effective border between Kledehem and Dum-Hong Deng.

    Those paying attention will identify large areas of new growth within the forest, and may even see the remnants of settlements. These form useful, if grim, landmarks for the natives attempting to navigate the region. Ruins are known for being haunts of blightspawn, too, so while there are riches to be found, many incautious explorers have met their doom there.

    Spoiler: People
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    The native people, known as the Kledefokk, are human. Dark-skinned and wiry, they appear to be of slightly different stock to the native peoples of southern-central Kiswa, and speak an unrelated language, but there is some diversity within the region itself.

    What was once a patchwork of tribes covering the whole region has in the last half-century concentrated into three principal pockets, each of which has developed and become known by a singular tribal identity.

    In the northern swamps are the Skalakleder, perhaps the least successful of the tribes, who live in mostly small communities in the marshes and subsist largely on a diet of fish. The largest town in this area is Sumperen, but this is little more than an unusually large collection of houses with a wooden stockade, home to little more than a thousand people.

    The western highlands are home to the Hoytekleder. There is evidence of interbreeding with the Bannanda to the west, and Sūwenanda loanwords have infiltrated the language here, to a greater extent than with the other tribes. The chief town is Bakkebor, which exhibits some of the same gargantuan architecture that characterises Limdimon and Imdundīs.

    In the south, the Sorkleder occupy the Skodelat. These are the most belligerent and xenophobic of the Kledefokk, tending to be suspicious of outsiders. The Sentinels of the Stone have won their trust but their instinct is to attack on sight when they encounter strangers. Hunting and fighting are a way of life and all adults are expected to be proficient in self-defence. Most of their settlements are fortified, the largest of which, Klippeber, stands on a cliff on the eastern shore, its walls built in stone.

    There are nevertheless cultural factors which unite the peoples of the region. They all speak closely related languages (with varying numbers of loanwords, particularly from Sūwenanda), and they share the Bannanda veneration for spiders, albeit to a greater extent. The spider is universally recognised as a symbol of protection, and warriors will frequently paint spiders on their shields or even, for ceremonial purposes, don costumes with many legs to represent the spider. The etterkoppsjarm, or spider-charm, is often carried as a talisman or placed in the swaddling clothes and cribs of babies.

    So prevalent is this feature of the culture that the name for the natives in Sūwenanda, “Banagumē”, means “spider-people”.

    Spoiler: History
    Show

    It seems that in some point in the distant past the ancestors of the Bannanda travelled through or otherwise visited the region, given the various ruins dotting the area. For centuries, the region was populated by many small tribes, each with their own dialects and cultural traditions. Trade across the hills to the Bannanda towns at Limdimon and Imālca was common, and most likely with northern regions and the towns of Dum-Hong Deng to the south too.

    This changed shortly before the Blue Star. An unexplained upsurge in blightspawn activity in the region overran many villages and hamlets. The survivors of these communities fled to their neighbours seeking safety, but the blightspawn did not relent. As the region rapidly depopulated, the tribes became both more concentrated and more isolated, leading to the tripartite division of peoples now seen. In some ways, these tribes remain loose coalitions, but fifty years of hardship and privation has solidified an identity for each.

    With the assistance of the Sentinels, the blightspawn were eventually beaten back, first in the highlands, then in the swamps (which the blightspawn had never fully penetrated). The longest campaign was in the forests, where they proved most numerous and hardest to eradicate.

    Each of the tribes is led by an individual known as a Besyktte, who might simply be termed a king by foreigners. In each case, the Beskytte is now of the second or third generation following the initial creation, and while the posts are not hereditary per se, in each case they have remained within the same family since creation.

    In 48, when the Bannanda adventurer Ecimōnā led a war-party into the region through the Skodelat, it was the Sorkleder who resisted her. The Beskytte, Iyndrid, led a spirited resistance but was defeated and flung himself from the cliffs near Klippeber.

    With the death of Iyndrid, the Sorkleder acknowledged the conquest of their territory and a new Beskytte, Halfor, was appointed. The Hoytekleder, who had tacitly supported the conquest, with some serving as guides in Ecimōnā’s force, added their acknowledgement, and the Skalakleder, recognising the value of Bannanda troops to defend their settlements (and in any case unable to marshal any meaningful resistance) were also quick to agree.

    Spoiler: Faith
    Show

    The reason for veneration of spiders is largely because they are seen as protection from the people’s deadliest foe, the swamp mosquito. Those spiders who actively hunt and kill mosquitoes are particularly revered.

    During the dark times around and following the Blue Star, however, many Klederfokk despaired of being able to find protection from the blightspawn and turned to their greatest enemy in hope of appeasement. The blood drinker cult proved surprisingly popular, and a large fortified shrine near Sumperen has become a place of pilgrimage for some.

    Traditional shamans deplore the blood drinker cult, seeing it as heretical and dangerous. Many of the cultists, however, consider their faith to be merely a variation on the traditional spider-cults and not contradictory. Open conflict has as yet been averted but both sides have been trying to curry favour from the new rulers of the region.

    Spoiler: Resource
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    The most noteworthy resource in the region is the coca leaves which flourish in the rainforest, valued for their energetic and uplifting effect on the body when chewed. So important was this drug to the region that the name of the people is believed to relate to the leaves themselves.

    Alas, during the dark years, many of the coca groves were abandoned as the people fled to safer ground, and the level of cultivation is much reduced. Only one significant trading post remains, at Bladlajer in the hills.

    The change in circumstances has also prompted some changes in use of the leaves. Previously used as a recreational drug or to assist with cognition and labour, warriors and hunters of the Sorkleder in particular have begun using it as a combat drug. Warriors who do are known as Raserikrijer and are renowned for their ferocity.



    Farazhēla
    (Tzakrsikj Vqgitj)
    Region 212

    Spoiler: Geography
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    Bounded by the Adzbark Lake to the west, the foothills of Korebita to the south-east, and the Yatrhajidaat Gitj to the north, Farazhēla is dominated by a large central plain stretching between these natural frontiers.

    The plain is largely devoid of major landmarks. Though there are in places stone ruins suggestive of an older civilisation, none of these are at all remarkable, least of all by the inhabitants of the region, who (aside from a couple of instances where they have established permanent settlements within or around them) generally ignore them.

    Spoiler: People
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    The native people of the region, known derisively as the Kdopsy by the Sirrvadut, and the Banazhēla by the Bannanda, are human, and bear a physical resemblance to the other native humans of eastern Kiswa. It is unclear whether it is they who raised the buildings that now lie in ruins and subsequently abandoned them or whether they displaced an older people who are now utterly lost.

    The population is now largely pastoral and at least semi-nomadic, although around the fringes of the region there are farming communities, especially along the shores of the Adzbark.

    The humans of the region were wholly dominated by an elven elite, which in the sixty or so years following their arrival in the region entirely supplanted the native chiefs and systems of rule. The humans were reduced to a state of servitude, hence the elven name for them, which roughly means “servants”. The elves have if anything encouraged the tendency towards nomadism, with the farming communities being neglected.

    The elven population itself has however collapsed, and few remain in the region now.

    Spoiler: History
    Show

    The region has long been unhappy. In the years following the Blue Star, visiting heroes seeking opportunities to slay blightspawn rampaged across the region, disrupting the fragile balance of society and leaving chaos in their wake. One of the southern chiefs opened up diplomatic relations with the Veramondi, but this was not in time to prevent an invasion by the Sirrvadut from the north.

    A few hundred warriors of the Banazhēla formed a coalition to resist the Sirrvadut but were hopelessly overwhelmed. This loss of life (and so many tribal leaders) together with the depredations of the elves as they brought the region to heel, reduced it to its knees. Only a large-scale relief effort from the Anbroch and Bannanda prevented total collapse.

    The elves’ interest in the region appeared to be principally strategic. They erected a fortress (known as Gevgutadagiti, although this appears to have been a description rather than a name) in one of the passes out of the Korebita foothills to the south in order to control ingress to the region, and established a system of what amounted to military rule.

    A few decades later, Sirrvadut authority itself disintegrated. Many of the elves returned to the Yatrhajidaat Gitj to rejoin their kin, and those that remained exerted an ever-higher toll on their human subjects.

    In 72, the Bannanda sent an army of their own into the region, intent on taking control of Gevgutadagiti. Unable to cajole their weary subjects into resisting the advance, the remaining Sirrvadut attempted a daring attack on the invaders, but lost the element of surprise and found themselves facing a foe with superior morale and numbers. Fighting ferociously, they nevertheless gave a good account of themselves before retreating back to their fortress. When their leader was slain in single combat by the Bannanda hero Ecimōnā, however, the last of their courage failed them, and Gevgutadagiti was taken by storm.

    Spoiler: Resource
    Show

    The plains are roamed by wild asses, the main economic asset of the region. The erazhēla are similar in size to a wild horse, with a noble bearing, especially around the head and neck, and have beautiful glossy coats ranging from a rich golden chestnut to a copperish red-brown, fading to a cream or white on their legs and belly.

    In temperament they are perhaps a little more intelligent than horses, and a little more curious and stubborn. They have a habit of observing novelties from a distance; a traveller who approaches one may find that it runs off, but not too far, and they will often creep back up to get a closer look when they think that the traveller is not looking.

    Those who establish some familiarity with the wild asses of the region find them easy to tame, and stocks of domestic donkeys can be easily refreshed by interbreeding with the wild herds of the plain. They make good draught animals, and can even be ridden - although fully grown adults may find the donkeys a little too small to ride for long or at speed.

    There are three principal posts where the asses are gathered for trade: one on the shores of Lake Adzbark, and the other two near to Ukumbibawet and Gevgutadagiti. These three locations are the only settlements in the region of more than a few dozen. Each of the three prizes itself on the quality of its donkeys and the bloodstock it has developed, and there is a rivalry between the three as to which breeds the best animals.

    Spoiler: Faith
    Show


    The Banazhēla had a broadly animistic native religion which was not in any way organised and seemed to vary from tribe to tribe, with no central holy sites or religious authorities.

    Soon after the elven conquest, Abiherists from Korebita occupied an abandoned site which they claimed had once been a temple, and rebuilt it. This location, known as Ukumbibawet (a butchered Sirrvadut attempt to pronounce the Blemmyae name), is now the centre of religious life in the region, dedicated to what is now known as the Oracles of Elder Memories.




    Meyzee Tshilleh
    Region 189

    Spoiler: Geography
    Show

    Meyzee Tshilleh is a warm, heavily forested region on the eastern slopes of the Spine of Kiswa.

    The eastern coast, known as the Yattashey, stretches from the swamps of the south north through golden-sanded reaches and the town of Oohnesh-wáh, the capital of the Kingdom of Hashey, to the island of Koosra and the rockier areas in the north. Though the people are wary of the Bo-shishkha, as they call the eastern ocean, they are content to make use of the resources of the coast for sustenance and trade.

    Further inland, one finds the Soozee, a sharp ridge protruding from the foothills of the Spine. It is in the shadow of the Soozee that Dshamey, the principal holy site of the region, is found. It is little more than a village in international terms, but many people in the region make pilgrimages here to offer at the shrines.

    Also near the Soozee is Attasheelday, de facto capital of the Kingdom of Taghez, located on the confluence of two rivers. From here, tracks lead west into the hills, and south through the foothills to connect with the headwaters of other rivers and, ultimately, Kledehem.

    Spoiler: People
    Show

    The earliest known people of the region called themselves the Dashey Tseyfa. They were a beautiful people, clean-limbed and smooth-skinned, with a skin the colour of burnished copper, and lived peacefully in the forests along the coast of the region.

    There are few Dashey Tseyfa left, and their language is all but extinct save in the placenames of the region. Those who remain are generally an insular and cautious people, living in small communities.

    The majority of the population are the Shereuli, and are of uncertain origin. They are entirely typical of eastern Kiswan humans in appearance, being generally fairly tall, dark-skinned and dark-eyed.

    Before the arrival of the Bannanda there were two petty kingdoms in the region, Hashey, which dominated most of the south, and Taghez further north and inland. Both are now subject to the greater kingdom of the Bannanda.

    The Dashey Tseyfa recognise their own ruler, the Atta-Shiz. It is not clear who this person is, or even if they actually exist.

    Spoiler: History
    Show

    Around three hundred years ago, the region was invaded by a warlike people, the Ostatebi. The Dashey Tseyfa fought bravely, but their numbers were too few and their weapons too primitive. Whether the stubbornness of their resistance awakened a particular fury in their conquerors, or whether they simply wished to ensure there was no competition for the land, the invaders resolved to destroy the Dashey Tseyfa utterly. Any men or boys who fell into the hands of the invaders were slaughtered, together with any pregnant women. Women and girls were taken as concubines and slaves.

    The Dashey Tseyfa realised that their slaughter would be entire, and despaired of the future of their people. In their desperation, they cried out to Feathered Serpent to save them. The king, the queen, and all their children died beneath the knives of the weeping priests, as they besought the help of their god.

    And Feathered Serpent answered.

    It came first in the form of a great light from the east, which seared the eyes and flesh of the Ostatebi and stained the sky red with their blood. The Ostatebi fled into the forest, seeking shelter, but there was no relief from Feathered Serpent’s wrath. In the wake of its coming came the great plague. The Ostatebi were struck down by fever, vomiting and blood gushing forth from every orifice.

    The war-chief of the Ostatebi, in the final stages of the plague himself, crawled to the altar of Feathered Serpent to plead for mercy. He slew himself on the altar as a substitute for his people, and gradually the plague abated. But the destruction that had been unleashed upon the region could not be undone. The Ostatebi and the Dashey Tseyfa endured, two shattered peoples bereft of most of their strength.

    The years that followed saw more migration to the region, but the depredations of blightspawn were such that no new settlers were able to maintain a lasting presence for long before their villages and towns were overrun and destroyed. Only with a concerted campaign by the Sentinels following the Blue Star were real states of any kind able to emerge.

    Spoiler: Faith
    Show

    The ancient religion of the people, which predates the False Dawn, is that of Feathered Serpent, and is centred at Dshamey, the holiest place in the region. Perhaps originally only one of a larger pantheon, Feathered Serpent (or Toghuzubzoo, to give its proper name) became known as the patron of the Dashey Tseyfa and eventually assumed paramount importance during the near-extermination of the population, with many myths associated with Feathered Serpent's deeds, and its eventual departure from the world sometime in prehistory - before its return at the request of its people.

    Offerings to Feathered Serpent generally take the form of gathered produce, but in exceptional circumstances, live sacrifices may be offered. On two known occasions, the sacrifices offered have been human, on each occasion when the victims’ people were believed to be in mortal peril, and on both occasions the victims were volunteers.

    The devasatation wrought on the Ostatebi caused them to abandon their own gods and adopt Feathered Serpent as their own, and this has perhaps helped the cult survive where so many other elements of the culture of the pre-invasion era have been lost. The royal family of the Dashey Tseyfa are still venerated as saints and heroes. Some suspect that the Atta-Shiz is in fact not a living person, but a recognition of the queen who sacrificed herself long ago to save her people.

    Perhaps it was this veneration of ancestors which allowed Oracles of Elder Memories to attain a foothold in the region. The Abiherists now have a significant voice in the region.

    Spoiler: Resources
    Show

    The principal resource of the region is Purple Sea-Snails. Like the Yam-ong-í to the south, the people of the region make their living from the molluscs they catch aalong the coast, although there are nascent efforts to breed the snails in captivity.

    Although the snails are edible (and considered tasty) they are too expensive to see much use as food, for their real value is in the dye they produce, which is a blue (sometimes purple). Producing the dye is a lengthy and labour-intensive process, and requires thousands of snails. They are most plentiful in the area around Koosra and the people of this area are particularly renowned for their expertise in dye-making.
    Last edited by Aedilred; 2021-06-17 at 06:50 PM.
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  29. - Top - End - #59
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2020

    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Lands of the Ilduri
    Region 164: Storvuur

    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    The civilization somewhat centers around a mountain that crosses into the region from the bordering mountain range. The entrance to the cave that houses the Eternal Flame isn’t especially evident from a distance, but all Ilduri can find it. The settlements then stretch to the river, which has an orange tint due to the presence of large amounts of clay. On the side of the river opposite the ocean, a deciduous forest naturally grows, although some of this land has been cleared. The climate is temperate enough to provide an ample growing season and to grow enough to last the mild winter. Very little attention is given to the ocean nearby. The settlements themselves are primarily constructed out of wood, but they tend not to burn because of the presence of insulating sod providing enough moisture. Plus, the Ilduri have learned to sleep away from the walls. Some rudimentary paths span from the river to the mountain, and farming settlements for corn and canola are present by the river.


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The Ilduri people are quite unique among life forms in the world as they can take on a limitless number of forms. When they are first created from the Eternal Flame, they appear similar to freshly lit match that holds its shape and heat independently of mother conflagration. They are then placed in a body befitting their size by another Ilduri which they can then control. This body will serve them for the coming years as they learn and grow until they eventually outgrow it. At this point, they build their own body as a rite of passage. While their first body is usually humanoid due to the versatility of this form, their second body can take any form imaginable. It is while in this body an Ilduri is most powerful, able to occupy a form up to 10 ft. in height or another form of comparable size. As they age from this point, their internal fire begins to fade, and they will continue to build smaller and smaller bodies throughout their life to be more manageable until they are eventually extinguished from this world. Although they are mortal, able to be killed both by old age and other means, Ilduri live long lives and can accomplish much within them.
    The Ilduri society works as a sort of meritocracy, with each individual performing jobs they are best suited to, but since they are able to choose their form, they control their own merits to some extent. Because of their fire-based nature, they do not consume the same resources as organic races. Instead of food, they consume fuel, which slightly changes how they approach agriculture. Their general aversion to water also means that agriculture is one of the more dangerous jobs left to the youngest and most qualified individuals. In a typical day, their society functions much as any other, with each individual filling a set role which contributes to the function of the society as a whole. This can range from agriculture (which mostly consists of growing corn for alcohol production and canola for oil), industry (harvesting and working with clay mostly), lumber and forestry (used for construction and fuel as a last resort), and administration and diplomacy.
    When interacting with others, they are generally friendly, and the young Ilduri may occasionally forget how their fiery nature affects non-Ilduri. However, since they do not reproduce themselves, they do not engage in romantic relationships. They are generally extremely hot to the touch, singeing grass and blackening wood they come in contact with. Although, one could probably stand near them without much discomfort much as one would stand next to a fireplace. This effect lessens over time as they age, with the oldest individuals inhabiting bodies similar to a beetle or butterfly and outputting heat similar to that of a lit match.


    Spoiler: Resource
    Show

    • Their most readily traded resource is lumber
    • Note: although they do have access to large amounts of clay, they tend to avoid trading it since, as of now, it is the best material for Ilduri to construct their bodies from.
    • Their most desired resource is energy-dense fuels, such as coal or petroleum



    Spoiler: Faith
    Show

    • The Ilduri worship the Eternal Flame, the fire that gives life to all Ilduri. Besides respect and reverence, there isn’t much to the faith other than the flame requires feeding. The responsibility of feeding the fire shifts occasionally between individuals at irregular intervals.
    • The holy site is within a mountain and appears as a chamber within the mountain in which a large fire blazes from a pit in the center.



    Spoiler: Starting Technology
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    Pottery: +1 Buyouts


    Spoiler: Named Characters
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    Last edited by cactiguy3; 2021-06-26 at 09:43 AM.

  30. - Top - End - #60
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2020

    Default Re: Empire 6 - The Lands of the Embers

    Lands of the Ilduri
    Region 165: Roddhavar

    Spoiler: Geography
    Show
    In the land of Roddhavar, the ocean is never far from the mountains, and thanks to these mountains, it rains almost every day. This has given rise to a thick forest in the land out of reach of the salt water. In the estuaries leading out to the ocean, mangroves twist around the water’s edge. This dense woody vegetation makes passing through the region difficult to most outsiders. However, all inhabitants of the region are connected through a system of paths that wind through the forest and allow passage to those who can find them. The people themselves live in multi-tiered settlements hewn of wood harvested from the forest to take advantage of the vertical space. Each settlement is surrounded by a high wooden wall studded with gates evenly distributed around it. There are usually about 4 gates, but there may be more or less depending on the size of the settlement. The settlements are connected by the roads and the merchants that travel them, supplying each settlement with commodities produced by others.
    Separate from all other settlements is the Circle of the Forest’s Voice. Although few have ever seen it, it is one of the few stone structures found in Roddhavar. The vast stone tower rises to the treetops such that one could see both the ocean and the mountains from the top.
    The main threat to the people of Roddhavar comes in the form of the native fauna. The people call them the demons of the night, and they are the main reason the walls around each settlement are constructed and guard posted. As their name implies, they appear only at night. Based on the rare observations of survivors, their form is quadrupedal, and they appear to have highly developed senses of smell and hearing based on their large ears and noses. Their eyes appear to be very small if they’re present at all, suggesting they’re blind or only able to perceive light and dark. On account of their large stature, they don’t have the ability to climb the walls or the trees surrounding each settlement. Their large claws would also make short work of the walls if there weren’t guards posted. However, they rarely encounter settlements, preferring to capture easier prey, but their vocalizations are still omnipresent as sounds of the night. Their chorus is omnipresent at night and has been known to drive those who watch the walls mad.

    Approximations of the calls of the demons of the night: Call sounds
    Approximations of the echolocation of the demons of the night: Echolocation sounds


    Spoiler: People
    Show
    The people of Roddhavar are humans, and their dress indicates their role in society. Although the traditional dress varies between settlements, the standing of an individual is usually fairly obvious based on their dress. The individuals of lower standing wear garments made of patchwork leather from the animals captured for food from the forest. Individuals of higher standing wear more complete garments of exotic pelts, cloth, or imported goods from other regions.
    The multi-tiered nature of their settlements has led to some innate divisions among its people. The lowest class, the lemure, live on the forest floor. This class contains the artisans, nonbelievers, and the crazed of each settlement. They are responsible for building and maintaining the walls that protect each settlement and guarding the gates of those walls. Because of the vicious predators that wind their way amongst the trees gnarled trunks, this lifestyle presents the most danger. As a result, the lemure are viewed as the most expendable of the population, and there are few aged masters of craft in Roddhavar.
    The long nights spent guarding the gates have been known to change a person. Each shift starts just before the sun sets and ends just before the sun rises. In order to ensure the safety of those inside, the gates are also locked each night, and no matter the pleas of those outside, are not opened until the sunrise. The time when the gates are opened are a both literal and figurative “changing of the guard” as the ghastly survivors of the previous night reappear. Most are driven mad listening to the haunting sounds of the forest at night and watching the glowing eyes just beyond the weak glow of the torches, knowing that there is no escape for them. It is also not uncommon for the torches to be extinguished at some point during the watch during a particularly wet or windy night or if there is just an insufficient number to last the night. Those that have experienced the total darkness of the forest know that the one thing worse than watching the glowing eyes move through the trees is to have them suddenly snuffed from view, knowing they are still watching. It is at this point that many are broken. However, the crazed amongst the lemure are not granted reprieve from their duties, so they usually lose their life shortly after their mental fortitude.
    Of course, there are the few that do not break and instead are hardened by their experiences outside the walls. It is on these few that the continued safety of each settlement depends. After listening to the sounds of the night, they lose a part of themselves. After their “changing”, they seem to lose touch with all aspects of their previous self, becoming a blank and emotionless being. This allows them to continue to face the forest without fear and kill without remorse.
    Finally, there are the even fewer that come to understand the voices in the night. After a time spent in the darkness, they listen and become one with the sounds of the forest. Their “changing” isn’t immediately obvious, but it is generally marked by an unwaveringly calm demeanor and a propensity to spend their watch free of the torchlight that distracts from their listening. When this change is recognized, the individual is sent to journey to the Circle of the Forest’s Voice, whose location is unknown to all save those who know how to listen.
    Those who are exempt from this rite of guarding are those that live amongst the branches of the forests, the lampure. These people construct massive wooden platforms amongst the trees to build their lives upon. They make up the ruling class, guards, and those deemed worthy to live among them. These other individuals are often merchants and artisans that allow the ruling class to live as they please, and they are well-respected because of that. Members of the ruling class will often never leave the treetops, devoting their lives to the administration of the settlement and extraneous pursuits such as philosophy, art, architecture, and alchemy. The theories, works, and findings of every member born to this class are recorded and compiled into a great library, making these suspended villages great repositories of knowledge. The guards of this layer are viewed as distinct from those below. Unlike those that guard the gates, they are well-trained and well-equipped. They are usually found patrolling the walls or the platforms to ensure that nothing passes that could harm the lampure, and they are known for their prowess in moving and defending in the trees. They serve as the intermediary between the layers, carrying messages and orders to the ground. They also serve as the primary law enforcement, making sure that the lemure carry out their duties and don’t mobilize in large groups that could potentially threaten those above.
    The highest of those platforms in the trees are responsible for the agriculture and gathering of supplies from the forest itself. These people are known as the layuga. For all the renown of the lampure guards for defending in the trees, the layuga are unmatched in their mobility in the treetops. From a young age, they gather the edible plants and small animals that dwell in the forest and tend to the plots that only at this height can get enough sunlight to yield crops. The agricultural efforts here are only made possible by the designs developed by lampure scholars to gather groundwater from below and pump it to the plots above.
    The Circle of the Forest’s Voice is the only settlement that doesn’t follow this structure. It serves as a monastery, and it is largely disconnected from other settlements. The roads that lead to it are so lightly worn that few would even recognize them, and even fewer ever find the dark stone tower that rises suddenly to the treetops. From historical accounts, there used to be more structures like it that dotted the landscape where those that worshipped the Great Mother would gather. However, their locations have been lost to most as faith began to center in the settlements themselves. Accounts compiled from those who have seen the Circle of the Forest’s Voice report the tower in a variety of locations throughout Roddhavar, but no one knows if it is the members moving between towers or if the tower itself is moving. Based on these accounts, the members of the Circle of the Forest’s Voice are only encountered between dusk and dawn, gathering the natural bounty of the forest and honing their skills. The tower stands silent during the day. The members of the Circle will occasionally communicate with outsiders and may even come to the aid of those that seek their help.
    Spoiler: The following is known only to the members of the Circle
    Show
    The Circle of the Forest’s Voice is known only by name to outsiders and is only truly understood by its members and those that are destined to join it. They study the sound and the nature of the voice by listening to the forest. At first, they only listen, using the sound to hunt for their food in the forest during the night and never speaking. By day, they train in martial arts to hone their physical abilities to move through the forest and rest to prepare for the next night. Over time, they lose their ability to see as they focus their body on the sound, the color draining from their eyes to eventually leave them a hazy white. After they have mastered listening to the sound, they then learn to speak. They learn to speak in the sounds of the forest, mimicking what they hear and using the sound to see. Members of the Forest’s Voice will sometimes project their voice from a parabolic dish located near the top of the tower to reflect off the mountains and upwards towards the heavens as a form of prayer.


    Spoiler: Resources
    Show

    All denizens of Roddhavar have an affinity for spices. Unfortunately, the lemure infrequently have access to spices since they are grown in the canopy, but they are used throughout all levels of the settlements to some degree. After enough time spent in the forest, people will tire of the smell of wet leaves, so spices are grown and collected from the surrounding forest to be used in teas and incense to alleviate the aroma of arboreal decomposition. The spices are also used in more traditional capacities as their smell is thought to protect the people from the demons of the night.


    Spoiler: Faith
    Show

    The people of Roddhavar follow the Way of Eauden. As such, they believe their main protector deity, the Great Mother, is a partial manifestation of the World Soul. Keeping with tradition, most rituals and prayer are directed toward her, but prayers also recognize Eauden and the World Soul.


    Spoiler: Named Characters
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    Last edited by cactiguy3; 2021-06-26 at 09:43 AM.

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