Peoples of the World

[Yakk]

The world is crazy dangerous. The rituals of Road, Wall and Hearth can render settlements less likely to be overrun by a plague of shadows, a tarrasque or other beast of the wilderness.

Alternatively, some people follow the rituals of Soil and Sky. They live without protective barriers, and trust the primal spirits to keep them safe. Which they do, sometimes.

People of Road and Wall:

The rituals that protect cities and roads from the wilderness require ley lines to power them. So these civilizations are usually very geographically limited. Their cities are at intersections of ley lines, their roads follow them. Great powers occur where the density of ley lines is high.

"Empty" wilderness is expensive to hold, usually more expensive than the resources you get from it. Of the above, only 3 have managed to push back the wilderness without the help of ley line magic and gotten geographically large.

On the plus side, ley line magic allows for intense agriculture and the like. So a relatively small land base can maintain a higher population than would be typical.

The Great Powers

Epes (Continent 1) (where the campaign starts)

Albion
* "British Empire"esque trading empire.
* Capital was cut off by the Eternal Storm 12 years ago.
** Significant colonies outside. There is now some ... stress ... as the capital is cut off.
* Has some magi-tech.
* Massive sea fleet. Industrializing to start building airships to bypass the Storm.

Qora
* Fey civilization
* Continent-scale forest
* Disappeared 17 years ago. Land is now haunted forest.
** All diplomats and citizens where summoned home, then it went silent.

Zwerge
* Inland empire, ruled by a Dwarven clan
* Was in conflict with Qora. Now "mining" the haunted forests for the resources (trees) whose need triggered the last war.
* Lost a war against Valadia, Qora and Albion 40 years ago. Qora's disappearance means the balance has shifted.
* Newly producing magi-tech, including some stuff beyond Albion's abilities

Valadia:
* Rotating head of state between the 7 principalities
* Believes itself to be most civilized place in the world
** Center of art, architecture
** Considers Zwerge and Albion to be upstarts, and Qora where barely more than barbarians
** True heirs of Bael Turath
* Land power
* Last war with Zwerge went surprisingly poorly. But this time, this time they are ready.

Paradise
* Huge central city
* Concentric ring-wall defences on insane scale
* Absolute monarchy, seemingly eternal god-queen
* Their civilization is a machine that swallows up wilderness
** Excess population is used as a blunt instrument to clear territory (draft, high fatality rate)

Siltone (Continent 2)

Arkhosia
* Ancient Dragonborn empire.
* Not very cohesive. Considered weak.
* State Religion centers around death and what is beyond the veil.
* Western regions have gone dark

Tolmic
* Lives on flying islands
* Ley-line powered flight of small winged craft
* Land "wilderness" civilization around its "base" is a branch of it
* Builds stepped pyramids on the land (for landing/take off)

Poseidon
* Undersea empire
* Source of the Eternal Storm due to diplomatic disagreement with Albion
* Not very well known by surface dwellers
* Off the coast of Siltone, between it and Epes.

Uzora (Continent 3)

Wadour
* Different continent -- "far away" from campaign start
* Lots of flat, open territory, but HUUUGE so lots of territory
* Uses behemoths (dinosuars)
* Dinosaur riding herders

Kartoka
* Northen penninsula. Cold, inhopitable
* Uses piloted golems to run economy
* Sun-towers that provide warmth for agricultural lands
* Ironclads have recently crossed the ocean

Baryn
* Islands in the ocean between Uzora and Epes.
* Used to be a bunch of small states, recently unified by a warlord
* Has started raiding areas nearby using Wyverns (L size pseudo-dragons), never before seen
* Polynesian Sky Vikings

In addition to the above, many smaller people -- from small-holds to small kingdoms -- exist.

People of Sky and Soil:

These wilderness dwellers control far more of the world than the people of Road and Wall, but they are both less dense and less centralized.

Each group tends to align with the great primal spirits: Storm, Sun, Moon, Ocean, Mountain and Stars. Plus geographical divisions.

Two peoples that align with different primal spirits mean they are enemies, nor is it guaranteed that two people who pay homage to the same great spirit are allies.

---

The only people of Road and Wall that control a large amount of territory (in terms of raw square km) are Wadour, Qora, and Paradise, in that order. And Qora disappeared.

For the remainder, the great powers control the cities and the area directly around them, and usually the major roads. The wilderness surrounds everywhere else, and the People of Sky and Soil rule.

Traders make deals with the People of Sky and Soil for safe passage, as do Smallholders and the lesser Road and Wall civilizations.

[Yakk]

Albion

Albion is a globe-spanning dominant trading power. Its navy is the world largest fleet, and its merchant marine is second. In the last decade it has fallen on hard times; a Tsunami hit the capital island, and afterwards the Eternal Storm cut it off from its trading networks.

It has partly recovered. The capitals' hold on the empire's colonies and trading fortresses has, however, weakened significantly.

Recently it has started fielding a small number of air ships. They are as yet expensive and unreliable, but if successful they could bypass the eternal storm and return glory to the empire.

Some Major Factions

South Seas Trading Company

The South Seas Trading Company is more a branch of government than a corporation. It has a monopoly on much of the trade that made Albion rich, and has a larger armed navy than any other force on the planet (except the Royal Albion Navy itself). With the Storm, its has been forced to move much of its operations out of the capital, as it is hard to run a trading fleet without access to the world's oceans.

Museum of Archeology

The Museum of Albion researches the ancient empires of the past, and is a source of much arcane knowledge. Gathered artifacts from around the world, extracting arcane secrets, and training mages. The Museum funds expeditions around the world to plunder ruins and find artifacts, brings the knowledge back, and uses that to find yet more places to plunder.

Royal Navy

The Navy still hasn't recovered from the Tsunami and Storm. While it is still the largest most powerful fleet on the planet, it is no longer unrivalled a shadow of its former glory.

Viceroy

The Viceroy rules Fort Vacko, the largest naval base on the far side of the Storm, and a growing settlement there. With the capital cut off, it is growing in importance and independence.

Spiretop University

Separated from the Museum by Royal Decree decades ago, the Spire focuses not on the magic of the past, but on the magic of the future. The Spire is engaged in a partnership with the South Seas Trading Company to develop practical airships, and thus bypass the Storm and return glory to her majesty's Empire.

Dredgers

A sunken civilization existed in the bay shielded by Albion's capital island. Pulling artifacts and materials, such as true water, from the undersea ruins is a source of income, especially important now that the center of trade of Albion has moved away.

The Queen and her Court

The ruler of Albion is a power in her own right. Everyone proclaims loyalty to Her Royal Majesty. Some (very quietly) instead speak ill of the Royal Consort, whose history is unknown, but his capabilities impressive. Their 15 year wedding anniversary is approaching, and there will be a party like no other.

Parliament

Parliament is in charge of the tax purse, but with the damage to the trading networks its tax revenue has fallen. They are obliged to maintain the Royal Navy, which strains their finances, and with little other free money to allocate their political leverage is weak.

Ecclesiastical Order of Justice

The Ecclasiasticals enforce the laws and dole out punishment for them. Capital crimes are bound by ancient tradition; there is a limited number of sentences they can carry out without the consent of the Queen. They are also in charge of some lesser crimes, as dictated by Parliament, which is a continuing resentment.

Fraternity of the Fish

Originally an organization that arranged for insurance for fishing ships, it is now a very powerful bank. Members of the Fraternity at the highest level swear their life, blood and sacred honour to it; lower clerks just bind their life to it. With tax revenue in trouble, the government has turned to the Fraternity to finance its operations.

[Yakk]

Zwerge

The armistice treaty limited Zwerge military buildup, and barred them from harvesting the great trees of Qora.

Zwerge still resents its loss in the last great war. With one of them - Qora - disappeared, and another - Albion - damaged, Zwerge is violating the letter of the armistice by harvesting in Qora, and violating the spirit of the agreement with the Legion.

Some Major Factions

The Royal Council

Zwerge is ruled by the Council, heads of the Dwarven Clans and a few non-Dwarven Clans as well. Every 10 years the Council selects a new Heir for the Thane. It also determines the over-laws, has the right to declare war, and is the body that can welcome new territory into Zwerge. Finally, they act as advisors to the Thane.

New Thane

The Thane rules Zwerge. To be a Thane, you must be a head of a house of the Stormpeak clan. The previous Thane died 1 year ago, 6 months after the Heir was replaced, in a battle in the western marches. The New Thane has started a mass harvest of the forests of Qora, in violation of the Armistice.

Legion

The army of Zwerge is a part time military. Due to the Armistice, there is a limit to how large the army can be. Each citizen spends 1 month under arms a year, but is only formally a member of the military for 1 week in that month. For 2 weeks, they are an applicant, then for 1 week a member, then for 1 week they are formally being discharged.

The Legion is a non-military organization where people practice their skills. 80% of the part-time military is a member of it, and spends 3-10 days a month practicing. It has increasingly been acting like a military organization since the disappearance of Qora. The full-time Army staff and troops are called "toy soldiers" by the Legion.

Corps of Engineers

A nominally civilian organization whose job it is to build roadways, dams, ships and other construction for the government. Recently it has been producing a new type of Golem, and is consuming vast amounts of Qora wood in its factories to produce "civilian" airships for commercial trade reasons.

Church of the Hammer

A religious institution centered around metallurgy and crafting. They believe that the mortal races where forged out of metals, with different races being made out of different metal. Holy techniques bind the metal of your soul into your flesh, forming living metallic tattoos.

The Guard

The full-time professional military of Zwerge. It lost a lot of prestige from losing the last great war. It is the tip of the spear and the spine of the army. The Generals in the Guard are often invited to Council discussions, but are not formally part of it.

Steam and Whistle

A craft-guide that provides much of Zwerge's wealth. Their steam-powered machines have improved mining efficiency 100 fold, and they sell contraptions (like automated looms, cow milkers, etc) to the entire world. The Golems produced by the Corps are starting to compete with their machines, and the Church of the Hammer has a long standing disagreement over the purity of machine-mined metal as compared to the sacrament of the pick axe.

Hillsfolk

The people who live in the foothills of Zwerge. Considered half way between outsiders and full members of the state. Population wise, they encompass 1/3 of Zwerge, and they export food to the rest of the civilization. Their lands where overrun with battle during the last great war before Zwerge surrendered, and many are bitter at paying that price.

[Yakk]

Qora

The mist haunted lands of Qora are empty. Few who wander in come back out.

Some Major Factions

The Woods

Qora is gone, vanished seemingly overnight. The unending forests of the empire are shrouded in mists. Go in to deep, and you don't return. An entire army disappeared once at the edge of the haunted woods. No bodies where found.

Diaspora

Not everyone returned home when the call was made. None of those who did not return claim to know why everyone was recalled, or what happened. Academics, some diplomats, traders and even explorers and fisherfolk who never made it home form a loose network over the world.

Nova Qora

The largest community of the Qora Diaspora has starting attempting to rebuild their civilization on Siltone. The territory they picked is a relative backwater, but some of the locals are unimpressed and seeking allies to repel them.

The Return

A faction of the Diaspora that is attempting to retake the forest. They have had limited success. To fund their efforts, they are selling what they harvest to whatever buyers they can find - South Seas, Museum, Engineers, Endless.

[Yakk]

Valadia

The principalities of Valadia are the Jewels of the World. None can compare to them. They have the largest army, the most impressive palaces, the most beautiful people, the finest language, the fanciest clothing, the richest food, the shiniest steel, the silkiest silk, the most coifed hair, the most knowledgeable sages, the most honorable warriors, and the most noble lineages.

Some Major Factions

Cathedral

The largest church building in Epes, the Cathedral is the center of worship for Valadia. Lead by the Monsignor, the Church unites the 7 principalities into one state, and is a rival in wealth to the civilian government.

Sun Prince

The beautiful leader of the most powerful Principality of Valadia. Even when he isn't the leader of the country, influences things from behind the scenes. He has fingers and spies everywhere. Everyone who is anyone owes favours to him.

Caballero

A hybrid military-police organization that descended from feudal knights. Forms the backbone of the army during war. It has 4 branches; Fectum, Oplo, Equites and Marina. The generals of each branch are powerful figures, and at least 1 must be present at every Princely Council meeting. Fectum manages war machines and man the supply depots, Oplo are the infantry (armed with spark-guns and polearms), Equites are the cavalry and the Marina are the naval branch.

Court of Leaves

Once a part of Qora, the Court of Leaves left it centuries ago, and forms one of the principalities of Valadia. Some of their people went to Qora and disappeared when the mists came. The rest have been acting strangely. Something is going on in the woods.

The Champions of the Games

Blood for the blood god; well, valor for the god of war. The Coliseum is a huge complex where the people go to watch gladiators battle, sometimes to the death, for the glory of the god of war. Every village has the Games, where masked warriors battle for standing. The winners of the local games then go to the 7 princely championships, and the champions of each prince fight at world championship at the Coliseum. The Champions are the graduates of the Games, and form the military arm of the State Church.

Shzerezet

The machinery of state. A powerful bureaucracy with seemingly a mind of its own, it collects taxes, funds capital projects, expands settlements, and controls trade. It has its own police force separate from Caballero, and there is much rivalry between them.

House of Coin

The House of Coin is a Council that was formed by the most powerful merchants of Valadia. Ever year a seat is up for bidding in an auction, which funds the council operations. The council itself is often divided, and many of its members consider it overly short-sighted in its plans. Its members are both allies and rivals.

Princely Council

Most of the Principalities government is run by recursive councils, each sending a representative to the next higher council. The highest council is the Princely Council; for a small meeting, the Sun King, leaders of at least 5 of the 7 Principalities (and 2 in particular) and at least one General must be present. The Church, Shzerezet, and the House of Coin all have non-statutory membership in the Council, granted by courtesy. Royal Decisions require 7 votes, at least 5 of which must come from statutory members, but lesser ones a simple majority. The Sun King has 3 votes (one as the King, one as Price, and one for the People).

[Yakk]

Paradise

The "city" of paradise exists at the center of massive concentric fortifications. Their expedition forces clear the land, new fortresses pop up, walls are connected between them, the land within is pacified, and yet more land ends up within the God-Empresses domain.

This is process is slow and requires herculean effort, but it has been going on for 100s of years.

"We will remake the world".

Major Factions

The God-Empress

Immortal and rarely seen. Rules from her palace, which is as large as most other cities.

Swords

Mystically bound to serve the God-Empress, the Swords are her hands in the world. It is said they are physically unable to disobey an order given to them from the Queen, and are capable of superhuman feats in her name.

Court

If the Swords are the Empress's hands, the Court is her voice. Membership in the Court is by invitation, and once invited refusal is nearly unheard of. The size of the Court varies; there are currently 17 members of the High Court and 106 members of the Low Court. The Court passes laws and regulations and makes decisions, which are reported to the Queen, and sometimes overruled.

Knights

When a Sword lives to be too old to serve, they are Knighted. Knights are given positions of varying importance; sometimes, not enough to get by on. Some Knights become ambassadors, advisors, or are appointed to the Court.

Scribes

The Scribes are the eyes of the Empress. The Empire runs on paper, and the Scribes run the paper. Information flows up the chain, and decisions flow down. Apprentices learn to read and write, do most of the labor. If and when they are promoted to Scribe, one eye is replaced with a gemstone, with a letter in an unknown language written on it. Some say that the Queen-Empress can literally see through these gems.

Expedition

The land within Paradise is contained in layers of walls. The Expedition's job is to extend that land. Drafted by lottery (different classes get different numbers of tickets), they are trained and sent out to clear creatures in areas outside the outermost wall. 1 in 10 make it through their term of service, and can receive a hefty prize if they help clear territory of value.

Sentinels

The Sentinels are a large standing army who maintain, guard and build the walls of Paradise and kill any monsters that get in. Once an area is pacified by the Expedition, they also go in and start building castles and extending the curtain walls. They spend far more time building and repairing walls and castles than they do guarding, patrolling or fighting.

Henge

The Henge are Druids who maintain the ecology of Paradise. They also leave the lands of the Empire and wander the wilderness. The population of the Empire would starve without the bountiful harvests produced by the Druids, and its people would have to scatter.

[Yakk]

Arkhosia

Arkhosia endures.

It has endured through famine, war, plague and drought. It has outlived its enemies, allies, and rivals. It has existed since the beginning of the world, and will last until the end.

Arkhosia endures.

Some Major Factions

Caravanasi

The Caravanasi are traders who carry goods from one side of the continent to the other. They constantly avoid paying the taxes due, which causes friction, but the taxes they do pay are an important revenue source. The Caravanasi form alliances with the people in the wilderness in order to secure their shipments against raiding.

River Gods

The Rivers are important to the people of Arkhosia -- it is road both road, and the floods provide the fertile ground on which food is grown. The River Gods spirits seduced out of the river, treated with every luxury, and kept happy in order to continue the bounty. The handlers of the River Gods are responsible for distracting them and keeping them happy; but as everyone knows how important it is, their requests are often strange and extreme, and always treated as important.

Throne of Bone

When a new King is needed, the heir is crowed on the Throne of Bone. They become imbued with the spirit of every past king. Some of the heirs are killed by this, but some survive. And thus the line of Kings is maintained.

Cryptkeepers

Citizens of Arkhosia swear unending service to the motherland. After death, the Cryptkeepers turn your body and soul into use, animating them in service of the country. Individuals can hire the corpses -- called plods -- for manual labor.

Bloodsworn

Arkhosia's mercenaries are legendary. The Bloodsworn sign their contracts in blood, and contain a termination clause that in the event of war, the company can leave and return to Arkhosia.

The mercenary companies of Arkhosia are called the Bloodsworn. In times of peace, they serve other kingdoms. In the event of war, there are terms in their contract that free them to return to Arkhosia and serve.

Endless

Not everyone wants to become care of the Cryptkeepers. The Endless are nobles who have embalmed themselves at the line between life and death. They are covered in tattoos and, over time, their flesh becomes cracked and weeps.

The West

The western end of Arkhrosia has been suffering from drought and the rivers that bring trade have been too low to navigate. Trade and travel has been dropping off.

Last year nobody came over the trade routes. It has fallen silent. People who went to investigate did not come back.

Dragoons

The standing army of Arkhosia, the Dragoons are a relatively small force. They move on horseback, but fight as infantry. Officers are given wings, which give them amazing leaping ability, and are armed with spears. The Bloodsworn companies where once Dragoons more than a century ago, who left service due to lack of pay. The Dragoons treat the Bloodsworn as amateurs, and the Bloodsworn treat the Dragoons as puffed up idiots.

[Yakk]

Tolmic

Some Major Factions

Pizzock

Under the shadows of the islands live the Pizok, a people of the Sky and Soil. Pizok and Tolmic are one people, united under the sky, and important rights of passage involve living in the other culture, and sometimes returning.

Krilpi

The one walled settlement of the Tolmic/Pizzock on the ground is Krilpi. It exists above a huge fortified dam on the river that leads into the lands of the Tomic and Pizzock, and is a bottleneck for trade into and out of the region. While the Pizzock tend to ally with the spirit of mountain, storm and stars, in Krilpi there is a significant allegiance to the Ocean.

Gallam

Traditionally, trade between the islands and the ground-ports relies on ley-line boosted gliders. The Gallam are the pilots and crew of the gliders, key to trade, and important when Tolmic must go to war.

The motto of the air force is: We are the high ground.

Isoati

The ley lines are anchored on the ground and on the islands by a series of pyramids. The Isoati run the pyramids, which are also a centre of religious worship.

Maalob

The nobility of the islands. In recent generations, have only been playing lip-service to the right of passage among the Pizzock.

Wakax

The Herders and Farmers of the sky, they extend the sky islands with lift-wood supported nets. A new breed of sky-beast that is 5x larger has been massively increasing yields, and using them for cargo has disrupted some Gallam monopolies.

[Yakk]

Poseidon

Some Major Factions

King Triton

The Ruler of Poseidon. Furious at Albion for taking his son and heir away from him; he discovered the theft, and used his formidable magic to flood the surface world and summon the Eternal Storm. This siege has caused great harm to Poseidon, and his dynasty may not last much longer.

Augustus

Sent to recover Triton's Son. As they aren't very well suited for covert infiltration (they are huge), has built up a force of allies and servants in order to infiltrate Albion. Living in a sea-cave off crater bay.

Bedlam

Elder sister of Triton, in exile. As part of exile, renounced her claim to the throne. Has sent envoys to offer help to Triton with his wayward son problem.

Skin Walkers

The arid environment of the surface is not friendly to most of the dwellers of Poseidon. Skin Walkers get around this by transforming into hardy surface beasts. Skin Walkers engaged in trade with the surface world prior to Triton declaring them an enemy of the people; this has weakened their wealth and power significantly. Some are working with Augustus to return the wayward heir, others have other plans.

Great Cetaceans

The living cities of the deep, the Great Cetaceans are ancient intelligences whose slow thoughts are interpreted by priests, who enter drug-induced hazes to communicate at their speed. This is incredibly dangerous, and few survive more than one union; each union brings you further in communion with the great beasts. Legends speak of a time when priests could spend their lives communing with the beasts, but for whatever reason that no longer seems possible.

Still, they are the foundation of the Poseidon society, both literally and spiritually. Their great minds seem to have a limited ability to see the future, and in ages past their prophesies have guided Poseidon to safety from horrible fates.

Trident

The military arm of Poseidon. Has been stealing Skin Walker secrets and developing technology to bring the war against Albion to the surface.

[Yakk]

Wadour

A land of monsters. Plus their creations, the behemoths and chimeric creatures.

Some Major Factions

Plainswalkers

The behemoth (dinosaur) herders of the great plains. Monsters are as common in Wadour as elsewhere, but the raw size of the Behemoths protect them and the drake-riding herders. The Behemoths need a lot of land to feed themselves on, and are constantly on the move.

Crater City

Wadour's largest city, Crater City located in a large crater; the rim of the crater forms natural walls, reinforced and pierced with gates. The city is built above the mine. Mineral rights are tied to the ownership and residence of the land above the resource, so the poor population is forced towards the rim where there are less mineral resources under the ground.

Senate

Wadour is run by the Senate. Each of the 13 regions of the country has 2 Senators, which is a post that ends when the bearer turns 60, and is passed down to the Senator's heir. Houses in disgrace can lose their Senate seat, with the head of each region selecting the new dynasty.

Sculptors

The Sculptors are responsible for the wealth of Wadour, having bred the Behemoths. Medicine in Wadour is also done via scupting of the injuries. Someone missing a limb might have their arm replaced with a sculpted animal arm, or one from a human donor.

Sculptors have created lesser accomplishments than the Behemoths. Many Sculptors don't ask if they should create a new creature, they don't even ask if they can. They just do it.

Chimeric domesticated animals are common, and feral creatures in the wild. These feral creatures mutate and crossbreed further, diverging from any sane plan.

Bogglewumps

The great swamp is populated by the Bogglewump people. They maintain their own militia and defend their own coasts and waters and send representatives to the Senate. The Bogglewumps border the Kartoka peninsula.

Admirality

Wadour is mostly a land power. Their small fleet is run by the Admirality, which uses Scupted beasts for its navy, which is mainly a brown and green water navy. Piracy on the coasts has been increasing, and a sea monster migration is disrupting trade to one of Wadour's off-shore islands, so the Admirality has been requesting more support from the Senate.

[Yakk]

Kartoka

Some Major Factions

Kisa

Armored warriors riding mechanical mounts. Overthrew the last dynasty, and now form a democratic government (in the Athenian sense; only Kisa have the right to vote). To be a Kisa, you must have the sworn loyalty of a certain number of citizens, and must fund a certain number of troops. Stealing loyals from your rivals is a large part of politics, and having a sufficient buffer of your own.

Gobba Academy

The premier school of the mechanical arts.

Sang-ad

Government Body elected by the Kisa, runs the country.

Daesce

Kisa who has built the the ironclad fleet. The first ironclads have crossed the ocean, and are reporting back.

[Yakk]

Baryn

Some Major Factions

Ragnar

Leader of the first of the people's to tame Wyverns, has unified the islands and enriched them with raids. No longer leads raids himself.

Sigfrid

Eldest daughter of Ragnar and heir presumptive. Leader of the Raiders.

Tupou

Largest island of the Baryn islands, and first to join Ragnar's unification drive. Part of agreement was that it would not be subservient, but a partner, and has been chafing under the rule of Ragnar.

Captain Hook

Last of the opposition to Ragnar, she has been driven from the Baryn islands and is a refugee. But before she retreated, she raided the hatchery, and got away with wyvern eggs, and has been breeding them away from the islands. She is called Captain Hook for the huge bone hook talisman she wields; people say she is the daughter of the Spirit of the Ocean.

[Yakk]

People of Sky and Soil:

Epes

Siltone

Uzora