Empire!7 - Into the Depths: Out-of-Character Thread (CWBG)

[Talis]

Spoiler: Quote

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Quote Originally Posted by Talis View Post
Proposed new Tech:

Megafauna Caravans (Civilian Tech): Reduce distance penalties by 2 for Economy actions. Requires Megafauna Tailoring, Food Resource.
As the volume of trade around Seatide expands exponentially, breeders begin developing new strains of pack animals capable of hauling more goods greater distances. Breeds such as the Hijack and Blackray dwarf their earlier cousins in scale and can carry dozens of tons in a single shipment, vastly reducing transportation costs over long distances. But while these breeds are highly efficient as adults, they require enormous amounts of food during adolescence to reach their full size.
As discussed privately, you’d need to reduce it to -1 distance penalty (instead of -2). Out of curiosity, what species are these pack animals?

Seatide mainly uses whales and giant rays, but I wanted to let people raise their own gigantic freight animals, so I made the tech more generalist than that. As written, it's more a method of raising and breeding creatures to enhance their size and carrying capacity than a specific species.

[Torv]

Long time no sea,

The craving to be submerged once more is starting to get out of control.
Are there any wayward NPC-nations in need of someone at the helm on the current to oblivion?

[MappyPK]

region for review.

Region 152: Wakamarumaru Marama

Spoiler: Geography

Show

While the waters near the surface are fairly uninteresting aside from the occasional vesicle of algae, the crags below provide ample space for highly defensible homes. Most of these caves are fully covered by stone, but have their openings in the side of large boulders and rock formations. Inside, mineral-based stalactites, stalagmites, and full columns are plentiful, creating the illusion of something of a web. Indeed, the inhabitable caves of the region as a whole are maze-like, perfect for anyone who wishes to live in relative solitude.

Anything larger than a Lysimian would be unable to maneuver these enclosed spaces. A variety of underwater vines and fungi attach themselves to these walls as well, which can be harvested for short-term sustenance, or imported back to Aniwana for garden construction.

Spoiler: People

Show

Though sparse, the majority of those living in the area are members of the Mauve Shade, former subjects to the Lux-Glossian regime. Originally, they had volunteered to colonize the new seas to escape their lack of respect among the natives of the Greenwater region from which they had left, but have eventually come to realize that their quality of life has been much higher in Wakamarumaru Marama, as the nearby Taikans call it, thanks to the relative easy access to algae on the cave walls.

Since Tiaki’s prideful yet peaceful parade into the caverns, a small number of Taikans have moved in, taking advantage of the particularly interesting terrain to create more stylistic bubble nests. However, the lack of visitors due to the area’s low level of development makes this an incredibly niche community. With greater investment, however, the caverns could become prime bubble nest real estate.

Spoiler: Resources

Show

Large floating vesicles of luscious green algae can be found floating near the surface. Though easily spotted, they are not large in number and cannot be easily harvested, making it difficult to maintain a constant supply. Nonetheless, they are said to be quite tasty by the members of the Mauve Shade, and clearly undergo photosynthesis rapidly. Some people find their presence unsettling. Where do they come from? Presumably, the caves down below, but the exact spawn point has not been tracked down.

The cave systems below the surface, however, are difficult to light up consistently, even with the usage of the bioluminescent technologies the Taika are known for. Something more powerful and of much larger scope is needed for those who wish to set up shop within the caverns.

Spoiler: Faith

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The vast majority of the colonists are followers of the Lux-Glossian Way, while some of the newer Taikan inhabitants have brought ideals of the Cyphiri Way with them. The two groups tend to get along well, however.

Followers occasionally gather at a particularly spectacular stone formation known as the (HS1) Matao Toka. Truth be told, it doesn’t hold any significant historical or religious value, but the still waters that surround it are said to be quite soothing, allowing for a safe space to meditate.

[Aerin]

Region 159 - Jyorjyuh

Spoiler: Geography

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What can only be described as quite possibly the most aggressively average sea in all the world’s waters, the sandy plains of Jyorjyuh have few if any remarkable qualities. The water is lukewarm; fairly comfortable, but not quite ideal. The water is clear, though the flat expanse offers few features to allow one to fully appreciate the benefit of the high visibility. Small coral reefs are scattered throughout where diverse communities of species from nearby regions gather, forming peaceful societies where minimal strife exists, though decadence and great wealth are nowhere to be found.

Spoiler: People

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The Jyorjyan population is mostly made of the local variety of Mer, as well as some groups of Pertlan and Bertuaga. Jyorjyan Mer are, of course, average size and physical ability for a Mer. Contrary to their southerly relatives in Neralam, no organized clans or groups of Pertlan or Bertuaga exist in Jyorjyuh. A general attitude of relaxation is prevalent throughout the region, with not an ounce of ambition to be found amongst its leaders. Most residents of the region subsist off a trade passed down through their lineage, be they artists and sculptors, farmers and ranchers, smiths and masons, or a whole host of other professions. Those who stray from their familial line of work are generally considered to be strange and rebellious by the greater community, so such divergence is uncommon.

The most common professions in the region are kelp farmers and anemone ranchers; the Jyorjyan Homing Anemone is an uncommon species with several desirable qualities that make it valuable to foreign traders. The Giant Jyorjyan Sea Snail, an ox-sized mollusk unique to the region, has been tamed by the kelp growers to pull their plows and clean the sandy seabed of algae and undesirable plant species that would compete with the growing kelp.

Spoiler: History and Government

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No powerful unified state or government had yet existed in Jyorjyuh prior to its invasion. Since the region was first settled, it has been made up of many small, independent, peacefully coexisting towns and villages ruled by a handful of mayors and city councils. Some small incursions from hostile neighbors would lead to the formation of a Council of Defense that would help plan and organize military affairs for the region’s defense, but this council held no power otherwise and only met in times of crisis.

Such a time would be during the Surunungese invasion of Jyorjyuh, where each town’s garrison was rallied together into a single, formidable army in an attempt to repel the invaders, but to no avail. Within a couple years, the Jyorjyan army had been nearly completely destroyed and the region largely occupied. The remnants of the Jyorjyan army surrendered, giving Surunung control over the region. The Surunungese had little intention of introducing any changes to the Jyorjyan lifestyle, much to their liking. Some of the mayors of the larger towns were given seats in the Peacekeepers’ Assembly and a Kejatara division was added to each town’s garrison, but Surunungese rule did little to make itself known in the public sphere otherwise. This afforded the Jyorjyan general public the luxury of simply not caring about the whole situation, for not much seemed to have really changed and it would take too much effort in their eyes to return to the way things were before.

Spoiler: Resource

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Many Jyorjyans have spent their whole lives as ranchers, herding exclusively just one singular species; the Jyorjyan Homing Anemone. This small, pale pink Anemone is highly mobile, frequently detaching from whatever surface it is clinging to and making a beeline for its prey, swimming at up to 20 meters per second in a short burst before catching and engulfing its target. The Homing Anemone wields some moderately toxic venom that makes it dangerous to handle, though because it only preys upon smaller aquatic animal species, it will generally ignore anything larger than a few centimeters long. While the Homing Anemone is valued for its usage in pest control, it sees far more use as a food. Homing Anemones grow fast, yield nutritious meat that can be easily prepared without risk of poisoning the consumer, and have a distinct and mysterious peachy taste.

Homing Anemones have a propensity to aimlessly wander and explore, much unlike typical anemone, and seek to cling to every hard surface they come across. If anemone ranchers do not provide enough of such surfaces to keep the anemones occupied, they will become bored and wander off their pastures and into towns and communities, causing havoc. As such, these ranchers are in frequent need of more Hard Minerals to serve as surfaces to hold the anemones’ attention.

Spoiler: Faith

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There are three prominent faiths of Jyorjyuh; the Faith of the Old Wardens, Fate Spiral, and the infamous Diverse Opinions. The Faith of the Old Wardens is a pagan belief with its core tenet being that the Giant Sea Snails of the region are the servants of the gods, sent to assist the Jyorjyan people as a blessing and reward for their lack of greed and ambition. While only a minority of Jyorjyans subscribe to the Old Wardens’ faith, it was, at one point, the preeminent faith of the region and its influence can be still observed to this day. Its core principles of generosity, humility, and being satisfied with one’s circumstances still permeate the greater Jyorjyan culture even as its religious teachings recede. It is called the Faith of the Old Wardens because the giant sea snails, which are at the center of the faith, are referred to as the Wardens and so as to distinguish it from its corrupted version to the south; the Faith of the New Wardens.

Fate Spiral is a religious philosophy that professes optimistic nihilism as its core belief. The soothsayers of Fate Spiral preach that the world is spiraling towards its final doom in the near future, and because nothing can be done about it, it is useless to despair or regret this final fate. The followers of Fate Spiral stress the importance of the present over the past or future, the harm and vanity associated with those who prioritize their legacy and reputation over the needs of the day, and that the primary focus of every individual’s life should be the happiness and comfort of themselves and their global community. Fate Spiral originated as the personal philosophy of a group of bargoing farming buddies who one day questioned the purpose of worshiping a bunch of snails.

Diverse Opinions is regarded as a cultist faith in Jyorjyuh. Its followers generally conceal themselves amongst the public to avoid persecution. The followers of Diverse Opinions believe that their creator god gave every rational organism its own soul and values, resulting in its own unique thought and beliefs that do not exactly match that of any other organism. However, the forces of evil have dispatched demons across the seas to possess and corrupt the souls of the people, turning them against their communities. This possession is imperfect, however, for when someone becomes possessed, they lose their values given to them by the creator god. To remedy this, the possessor copies the values from another person, creating an exact match of opinions between two people and inadvertently allowing their possession to be revealed when two people who hold identical beliefs are discovered. When a follower of Diverse Opinions meets and befriends someone who shares nearly all of their beliefs and or has very similar beliefs to someone else they know, that follower will sound the alarm amongst the Faithful. Some time down the line, the two people suspected of having identical opinions will be kidnapped and brought to a secret underground ritual known as the Dehomogenization. There, both will be sacrificed in order to purge the evil, for death is the only way to destroy the demon and determining which of the two is possessed is impossible. Disappearances in Jyorjyuh are commonly attributed to Diverse Opinions cultists, who are widely feared as a result.

Tactical Doctrine: Spears of the Menar
+3 to Battle Roll (3 points)
-30% to Own Casualties (4 points)
-40% to Enemy Casualties (-3 points)
+12 to Enemy Leader Loss (-2 points)

Spoiler: Fluff

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The Kuasa Clan's signature battle strategy, the Spears of the Menar is more about inspiring fear than it is winning a fight to the death. Having thrived in an environment with little resources where every casualty matters, the Bertuga developed these tactics to minimize casualties and prevent their armies from becoming depleted in needless combat after victory is all but certain. Highly stealthy and mobile Bertuagan fighters encircle a larger enemy force and begin applying pressure to the enemy formation from all sides as a heavy frontal assault slowly approaches. While the enemy force could punch through the encirclement, the feeling of defeat incurred by simply having been encircled is often enough to demoralize the opposing army into a quick surrender for fear that the battle is already lost and fighting on would simply result in needless casualties.

Both approved! Please add the region to the Waters of the World thread. I bet a miltech that uses Homing Anemone as a resource would be fun to see.

Carr-Narin (Region 121)

Spoiler: Geography

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As the name suggests (Carr-Narin roughly translates as "the desolate wastes owned by the Carral"), the landscape here is a lonely one - the seafloor itself is quite flat and featureless, particularly after the Trawling Beasts trampled through it, and after the disinfection protocols threw the ecosystem out of balance, there is little life on the surface. Survivable yes, if only barely, but just that. The salvation of the Carral came when they searched the region more closely, and found that the seafloor was not all this place had to offer. There were large cave systems here, and it was there that the Carral established their settlements, taking advantage of the ecosystems there having survived the disinfection a little better than those above, and the resources found down there.

Spoiler: People

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The residents of Carr-Narin are primarily Cyphiri, members of the Carral family who moved here from Kral-Katena in the southwest after attacks by the Shark People did significant damage to their businesses there and the family's leaders secured their claim to this stretch of ocean. There are also a large amount of Katena here, those that established ties to the Carral during the decades the family was focused in Kral-Katena and who came with them as they changed focus, and as always with the Cyphiri there are the Kalan hired to protect the family and its interests, and a mixed bag of other species adopted into the family to serve various roles ill-suited to the Cyphiri - most commonly, miners. The Carral have always been a very mercantile-focused family, one of the first families to really strike out into the waters outside Cyph-Arel and establish themselves, and so a great amount of effort has gone into figuring out how to make their unorthodox settlements work as trading posts. As such, small clusters of buildings have been erected around the main entrances to the below-ground settlements - built in the traditional Cyphiri style - a framework of structural poles with walls made of thick woven mats (and the occasional boarded wall where needed for actual structural support) - to serve as obvious places for visitors to go, and to better conduct business with them.

When it comes to the settlements themselves, the materials the Carral had brought with them were picked with the assumption that they would be used for the kind of buildings they have above ground, so the Carral have found themselves having to use them in unexpected ways as they've adapted the caves to serve as a home. The caves are large enough that the Carral can split them up into separate areas to provide privacy and organisation using their materials, with few actual buildings, using patterns woven, dyed or otherwise attached to the walls to indicate what each area is for and where private spaces are (the fact that one family owns it all has made the matter of allocating space a little easier). Natural light is valuable, and also where newcomers enter the settlement, so the areas that get the most sun are in high demand - as a matter of prestige for the wealthy and powerful, as the best spot below ground for merchants to do business they can't above ground, and by the Carral's retainers for security purposes - while those lower-ranking family members further out have to make do with various artifical light sources.

Spoiler: Resources

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One of the main reasons why the Carral have settled down below is the stone they've found down there - Unworked Serpentine. Dug out to expand the caves, it has an appealing colour to the Carral, and they've found that chunks of it can be fairly easily carved and shaped as they wish, and polishes up well. That, and it's also a lot of raw stone, and that sometimes has a use all of its own. For now, the Carral mainly focus on collecting it up and selling it on to artisans from elsewhere, rather than establishing an industry themselves, although some are arguing that their priorities should lie in using the serpentine themselves.
(OOC note: That last line is referring to the fact I'm strongly considering refining this into a luxury good - high quality statues and the like that they make here and export)

However, their lifestyle does have one major drawback - lack of access to crops. The soil here is not good for agriculture - while some suggest that the disinfection protocols ruined it, or a byproduct of the original microbial infestation, the main theory by Carral agricultural researchers is that it is just the soil itself, a side effect of the large amounts of serpentine in the area - so any soil used for growing is typically brought in, an occasional affectation by the high-ranking Carral family members being a garden in a sunlit area of the caves. As such, most prefer importing their food, leading to a great demand for Crops - the Cyphiri are naturally omnivores, but unlike the Pylet of Pyl-Garat the Carral have never gotten the taste for meat, instead preferring to stick with the vegetables they're used to as their main food, with animal meat from the area sometimes complementing but never replacing vegetable-based meals if they can help it.

Spoiler: Faith

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As with most Cyphiri, the Carral family is primarily made up of followers of the Flowing Way. The Memorial is the largest structure they've built above-ground, and serves as a focal point for those dedicated followers of the Way, trying to draw their attention to the land around them and the role it serves in the Way. After all, few places undergo quite as many changes as this place, and while there are no sentient souls here to tell the Cyphiri of the history of the region, it's still worth investigating - how the disinfection changed things, how the Trawling Beasts changed things, perhaps even how the original algae and mold changed things, and how things were in a distant past when the region was full of life (if such a time ever existed). The Cyphiri dedicated to investigating this have had to change up their methods a little from the normal asking questions and telling stories, but those who take up the challenge find the more scientific approach quite interesting.

Approved! Please add it to the Waters of the World thread. Did you know that (according to Wikipedia) serpentine is a source of asbestos?

Spoiler: Quote

Show

Quote Originally Posted by Talis View Post
Proposed new Tech:

Megafauna Caravans (Civilian Tech): Reduce distance penalties by 2 for Economy actions. Requires Megafauna Tailoring, Food Resource.
As the volume of trade around Seatide expands exponentially, breeders begin developing new strains of pack animals capable of hauling more goods greater distances. Breeds such as the Hijack and Blackray dwarf their earlier cousins in scale and can carry dozens of tons in a single shipment, vastly reducing transportation costs over long distances. But while these breeds are highly efficient as adults, they require enormous amounts of food during adolescence to reach their full size.
As discussed privately, you’d need to reduce it to -1 distance penalty (instead of -2). Out of curiosity, what species are these pack animals?

Seatide mainly uses whales and giant rays, but I wanted to let people raise their own gigantic freight animals, so I made the tech more generalist than that. As written, it's more a method of raising and breeding creatures to enhance their size and carrying capacity than a specific species.

Makes sense. Still nice to know what Seatide prefers, for my own uses.

Long time no sea,

The craving to be submerged once more is starting to get out of control.
Are there any wayward NPC-nations in need of someone at the helm on the current to oblivion?

Hi Torv! You're always welcome around these waters. How fast of a current to oblivion are we talking, here? What's your schedule lookin' like these days?

region for review.

Region 152: Wakamarumaru Marama

Spoiler: Geography

Show

While the waters near the surface are fairly uninteresting aside from the occasional vesicle of algae, the crags below provide ample space for highly defensible homes. Most of these caves are fully covered by stone, but have their openings in the side of large boulders and rock formations. Inside, mineral-based stalactites, stalagmites, and full columns are plentiful, creating the illusion of something of a web. Indeed, the inhabitable caves of the region as a whole are maze-like, perfect for anyone who wishes to live in relative solitude.

Anything larger than a Lysimian would be unable to maneuver these enclosed spaces. A variety of underwater vines and fungi attach themselves to these walls as well, which can be harvested for short-term sustenance, or imported back to Aniwana for garden construction.

Spoiler: People

Show

Though sparse, the majority of those living in the area are members of the Mauve Shade, former subjects to the Lux-Glossian regime. Originally, they had volunteered to colonize the new seas to escape their lack of respect among the natives of the Greenwater region from which they had left, but have eventually come to realize that their quality of life has been much higher in Wakamarumaru Marama, as the nearby Taikans call it, thanks to the relative easy access to algae on the cave walls.

Since Tiaki’s prideful yet peaceful parade into the caverns, a small number of Taikans have moved in, taking advantage of the particularly interesting terrain to create more stylistic bubble nests. However, the lack of visitors due to the area’s low level of development makes this an incredibly niche community. With greater investment, however, the caverns could become prime bubble nest real estate.

Spoiler: Resources

Show

Large floating vesicles of luscious green algae can be found floating near the surface. Though easily spotted, they are not large in number and cannot be easily harvested, making it difficult to maintain a constant supply. Nonetheless, they are said to be quite tasty by the members of the Mauve Shade, and clearly undergo photosynthesis rapidly. Some people find their presence unsettling. Where do they come from? Presumably, the caves down below, but the exact spawn point has not been tracked down.

The cave systems below the surface, however, are difficult to light up consistently, even with the usage of the bioluminescent technologies the Taika are known for. Something more powerful and of much larger scope is needed for those who wish to set up shop within the caverns.

Spoiler: Faith

Show

The vast majority of the colonists are followers of the Lux-Glossian Way, while some of the newer Taikan inhabitants have brought ideals of the Cyphiri Way with them. The two groups tend to get along well, however.

Followers occasionally gather at a particularly spectacular stone formation known as the (HS1) Matao Toka. Truth be told, it doesn’t hold any significant historical or religious value, but the still waters that surround it are said to be quite soothing, allowing for a safe space to meditate.

Approved! Please add it to the Waters of the World thread. I'm sure that the Mauve Shade appreciates that you're using luminescent crystal from their home to light the caves.

[Torv]

Hi Torv! You're always welcome around these waters. How fast of a current to oblivion are we talking, here? What's your schedule lookin' like these days?

Before I need to start duplicating myself to manage life? 5-7 rounds, assuming a start in round 21.

[Grim ranger]

Spoiler: Region 62 - The Wandering Dunes

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Region 62 - The Wandering Dunes

Spoiler: Geography

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Stuck between the Dead Seas and the neighboring wastes, The Wandering Dunes are a desolate environment that seems to actively punish anyone seeking to set up proper settlements within it... and not only thanks to crop-growing being difficult and wild game being scarce. The environment is one of often shifting seafloor thanks to some large currents running through the area, proper cover of any sort being quite scarce and the few areas with rock formations or deeper caves being hotly contested between travelers and many hardy and vicious ambush predators still seeking to carve out a living in one of the most inhospitable environments one can find around the Polar seas.

With deadly temperatures, lack of cover from any harsh shifts in the currents and inhospitable fauna, the settlers of this extreme environment have been forced literally underground. The sole speck of civilization around the Dunes is presently a Nathi camp set up in one of the larger cave complexes, known locally as Shaded Alcove. Outside it, one is best off being well-armed and supplied to make their way through the region with all their fins intact... and apart from some routes through it that are marked down with coral light sources whenever possible, the local waterways are mostly uncharted, with casualties often to be expected among any groups of would-be explorers.

Spoiler: People

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With colonization of the region being barely in its infancy, the only real inhabitants of the region that are not simply passing through are the hardy explorers of Nathi and Gravetenders. with others having so far been rather unwilling to establish any sort of permanent presence in the desolate environment. The local fauna might hide some surprises, but so far the monsters lurking about have not shown signs of any sort to establish a functioning society.

Spoiler: Resource & Requirement

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Resource: Adhesive Urchins

Although the incredibly hostile environment of the Wandering Dunes has left relatively little of value to be gained from the area, the few brave traders willing to go looking did discover a lifeform that could have only been brought about by such pressures. Toxic, hardy and able to fix themselves in place on nearly any surface to withstand both predators and the unpredictable currents, they are certainly a trade good with many potential applications.

Requirement: Spices

While some of their early attempts at colonization were met with brutal response from the local beasts, the Nathi finally figured out a way to keep them away. Particularly pungent or irritating smells were able to drive away the hardy predators thanks to irritating their keen sense of smell, giving the colonists a simple way to guard major settlements and ways of importance... although they must be replenished quite often to keep up the repelling effect.

Spoiler: Faith

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While being best described as a "blasted waste" by most, one part of the Wandering Dunes has attained reputation as being touched by power beyond the understanding of most. The Everbloom (HS 1) is a large rock sticking out of the dunes like a massive spear, always covered in fresh undersea greenery despite the constant pressures of dunes slowly grinding against the surface of the mysterious edifice.

[JBarca]

Writeups for 185 and 186, reporting for duty!

Calvarnsis Superior (Region 185)

Spoiler: Thalassography

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A yet to be discovered cause, a mystery still for obvious reasons, sees within the eastern edge of the desolate waters near Calvarnsis a fast flowing, if intermittent, current. This current carries barren water into Calvarnsis, where its cool temperatures can be felt along the seafloor. Just before the sands of Calvarnsis begin their sharp descent into the Inferior region of the territory, though, is a huge, wave-like wall of stone now called the Praesegia, covered from base to tip in red and green coral. This stone shelf is wide enough to catch the undertow of wastewater and force it back into itself, creating a small strip of ocean that is horridly dangerous for any creature. Those that can survive being dragged along jagged coral growths several times at high speed are sucked below into the Furnace. The high pressure system forged for itself a series of outlets in the form of tunnels carved into the sands and stone at the base of the Praesegia, which disappear from all living awareness. All that is known of what disappears into these holes is that the water comes back above the seafloor in Calvarnsis Inferior, superheated, sterilized, and purified.

Away from the Praesegia, much of Calvarnsis Superior is rolling hills, groves of thick help surrounded by protective rock formations, and, along the northeastern border, a series of caves formed from layers of calcified flesh, accreted from the horrors of nearby waters.

Spoiler: People, Government, History

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When the Pepsin arrived, a mere handful of intelligent natives were present. Each was a religious or philosophical ascetic, living alone or in small hermitage clusters. The astounding beauty of the native fauna has led a number of such communities and hermits to live here. Often, they merely wished to enjoy the peace that comes with natural beauty. Some sought meaning in the patterns of the fish, not knowing that they arrived at entirely the wrong destination for that purpose.

As Confederacy merchants began taking hold of the valuable coral along the Praesegia, they found another pocket of life - the agents of the Nacres had set up shop already, though there was plenty of coral to share.

With the arrival of the Ennead, some level of structure was applied to the region. The hermitages, often located in strategically valuable locations, became the centers of permanent settlements. The wondrous creatures of Calvarnsis are beginning to be herded - the open, unspoiled nature of the region lends itself well to Ennead pastoralism, and the simple, absurd variety of local wildlife is promising in terms of potential grafting projects.

Spoiler: Resources

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Export: Crafter's Coral. The coral of the Praesegia is hard and fast-growing, but easily guided into molds as it grows. It can take nearly any shape, and the chaotic waters nearby keep any one colony from exerting too much influence, so huge varieties of specialized tools can come from one location. Nearly every colony has some distinct characteristic, though most of the Crafter's Coral tends to a bright red or green color.
Import: Exotic Goods. The new settlers of Calvarnsis were lured by the promise of weird fish. Between the hermits, the Glossnians, the Doflein, the Nacres, and the Pepsin, the people here hail from every corner of the ocean. Now, though, they miss the peculiarities of their homes.

Spoiler: Faith

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The only unifying philosophy that has been present in Calvarnsis Superior has been the Eternal Communion. Prior to the Riftborn making themselves known, the scattered merchants, philosophers, and ascetics held beliefs that were as individual as they were.
Wavecrest: The peak of the Praesegia is home to a rustic temple complex, once a tiny commune. The views of, on either side, the maelstrom of the Furnace and the calm depths of Calvarnsis Inferior, are a juxtaposition that can see one lost for hours in contemplation. The twinned abyss was naturally claimed by the Eternal Communion as a site of holy relevance, and the support of the Enneii made this claim irrefutable by those who once called the peak home.

Calvarnsis Inferior (Region 186)

Spoiler: Thalassography

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Calvarnsis Inferior is a region of two dichotomous zones. At the higher levels, one can find an abundance of life. Creatures travel through this narrow corridor between currents antithetical to life to the east and west in order to reach mating, nesting, and feeding grounds to the north or south. The waters here are a resting place for many, as swirls of stone columns reach nearly to the surface from the depths, pocked with caves. They are also replete with drifting bits of decomposing flesh from below, creating a food chain from the smallest of scavengers to the largest predators in a constant dance around the spires.

At the lowest level, the seafloor is death. Bones lie in piles and heaps. They fill depressions, coat rises, and layer on each other in an orgy of off-white angles and curves. Mammoth seal graveyards dot the seascape - stretches where tusks jutting from mer-sized skulls rest in generational mounds. The bases of the spires are carved into long, looping curls which guide the currents into strange, spiraling spouts. Between the pillars, the sands slowly shift beneath the bones, emitting bursts of scalding hot water that form the catalyst for the updrafts which send to the gathering place above the buffet of half-rotted flesh.

Spoiler: People, Government, History

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The few Glossian settlers in Calvarnsis Inferior are under the command of Skipper Lera Celadon when the Enneii arrive. They are not a military power, no matter their fervor and dedication to the cause. The existing structures, mostly in place to exist among the spires and plumb the depths, are coopted by new governors from Danabae. The Shades and Mer from the north are kept as experts; local guides, zoologists, and oceanographers. The Enneii, though, establish their usual pattern of governance, with the Doflein profiting off the labor of everyone else. The Skipper is given a role as an assistant to the regional overseer, trusted with being the liaison between the Enneii and the Glossian remnants. The Cyphiri are treated as being under the Skipper's jurisdiction as well - Lera and her plodding mammoth-mounted patrols are the connective tissue of the region, and the Ennead is not so foolish as to upend that.

Spoiler: Resources

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Export: Mammoth Seals. Mammoth seals are large, furry seals with a set of razor-sharp tusks jutting from their lower jaw. They tend toward brown and grey, though their young are often nearly black. They have thick ridges of muscle along their backs, making them slow swimmers but giving their necks prodigious strength. Mammoth Seals are found all across the chilly waters of the south, though they are rarely found in groups of more than a dozen. Here, though, one can find the focal point of all of their migrations, the site at which every herd eventually can be found - and hunted. Current prevailing theories suggest that the seals have some level of reverence for their dead, a suggestion backed up by the presence of a nearly concerning concentration of mammoth seal corpses in the depths. Some exciteable settlers even claim that they've seen the seal dragging corpses to the region and gathering to see them sink below.
Import: Glass. The constant influx of migrating animals, swirling debris from below, and shifting currents are a feast for the senses. The original colonial shades found difficulty in creating lures for the beasts - nothing stood out amidst this sea of color, sound, and physical sensations. Eventually, though, a technique was developed that hinged on weaving massed webs of netting, coated in fine shards of glass, patterned such that the reflected light mirrored the common refractions the creatures might see when swimming in the right directions.

Spoiler: Faith

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The few colonials of the Lux-Glossnian Shades brought with them a version of the Flowing Way that emphasizes one's unique tie to the threads of reality. Individualism is prized and self-exploration is almost as holy as the thalassographic variety.

[mystic1110]

Region 104 - Prismatistan

Spoiler: Geography

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As you descend into the depths of the ocean, the darkness gives way to a kaleidoscope of colors. The water around you is filled with vibrant shades of blue, green, red, orange, and purple, and the sea floor is a tapestry of bright corals, swaying anemones, and exotic plants. Schools of fish swim around you, their scales glinting in the sunlight that filters down from above. Each fish is a different color - some are electric blue, others are emerald green, and still others are a rainbow of hues. Some are so small they could fit in the palm of your hand. As you explore this underwater realm, you see that it is not just the fish that are colorful - even the rocks and sand are covered in a riot of colors. Purple and yellow sea stars cling to the rocks, while giant clams open and close their shells in a rhythmical pattern. The light that filters in from the surface of the ocean sparkles off the colorful landscape, casting shimmering patterns on the sand and the sea creatures. It is a mesmerizing and magical world, full of life and energy.

Spoiler: People

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The merfolk of Prismatistan are a lively and colorful community, known throughout the ocean for their love of bright, bold colors and patterns. These merfolk are well-known for their intricate and vibrant clothing, which they make themselves using a combination of natural materials and magical dyes. The merfolk of Prismatistan take great pride in their appearance, and their clothing is a form of self-expression and identity. They use bright colors and patterns to communicate their mood, their personality, and their place in their community. Every merfolk has their own unique style, and their clothing is often adorned with shells, beads, and other underwater treasures. Despite their love of fashion and style, the merfolk of Prismatistan are also known for their warmth and kindness. They are a close-knit community that values friendship, cooperation, and inclusivity. Living in Prismatistan, the merfolk are surrounded by a world of shimmering colors and patterns. The underwater environment is filled with colorful sea creatures, sparkling corals, and bright plant life, which inspires the merfolk in their fashion choices. The merfolk of Prismatistan are also given to riding giant colorful mantis shrimp - these shrimp are used as mounts in battle, but most often they are just another fashion accessory for the merfolk.

The Government of Prismatistan is run by a Council of One Hundred Queens. These Queens need not be females, it is a ceremonial title given to those that have run for such office. That said the Council of Queens takes the protection of the colorful world of Prismatistan seriously which was why they had resisted and rebelled against Pfith rule. Clearly, they were defeated and had bent their metaphorical knees over and over, but surely they chafe - seemingly what they and the Pfith agree on is a mutual appreciation for Bright colors!

Spoiler: Resources

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Export: Shiv'rchins. What is a Shiv'rchin? Good question, a Shiv'rchin is a type of colorful pearl that only grows in the waters of Prismatistan. Unlike most milky white pearls, a Shiv'rchin bends light like a prism. The pearls are said to be imbued with powerful magical energy, which makes them useful in a variety of applications, from healing to spellcraft. Some legends even suggest that the pearls have the power to grant wishes or bring good luck to those who possess them. However, due to their rarity and value, Shiv'rchin pearls are also the target of many thieves and smugglers, and they are often heavily guarded by those who know their worth.

Import: Textiles. Since the merfolk of Prismatistan love to dress in colorful garment, their need for textiles is almost manic. They need new, better and more colorful textiles.

Spoiler: Faith

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Shimmers of Unseen Bane: The Shimmers of Unseen Bane are a religious group that worships a powerful entity known as the Unseen Bane. They believe that the Unseen Bane is a divine force that exists beyond the visible spectrum, manifesting as a shimmering, otherworldly light that can only be perceived by the most devoted of believers. The Shimmers believe that the Unseen Bane is the embodiment of all that is unknown and unknowable, and that it holds the secrets to the mysteries of the universe. They see it as a guide to enlightenment and transcendence, and believe that by following its teachings, they can achieve a higher state of being. While the Unseen Bane is Unseen, one follows it's teachings by trying to be seen by it - this is why the people of Prismatistan dress in such garish and bold clothing and wear a cavalcade of colorful jewelry.

[Minescratcher]

Very belated writeups for 112 and 115. Apologies if the writer's block is painfully obvious. (Also, two more very dumb history puns).

* * *

Region 112
The Hansea

Spoiler: Geography

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The plains of the Hansea are a relatively flat and shallow stretch of the temperate waters, though as one swims north to south the seafloor does gradually drop to more normal depths. Tangled masses of seaweed and kelp dot the waters, less dense relatives of the kelp forests of the Great Kelpland to the southwest; they are highly resistant to the currents, and landmarks retain a recognizable shape no matter how fiercely the waters rush by. Sponges likewise cover the seafloor, alongside urchins and clams.

Spoiler: People

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The inhabitants of the Hansea, who call themselves the Ineo, are Mer, and fairly average for the temperate waters. Ineo culture is fairly relaxed; they have no real gender- or age-based norms, and most Ineo are not particularly ambitious or fast-paced, though those who are tend to be extremely successful. They are primarily agricultural, and have developed hundreds of unique recipes, relying on the use of Fortified Bonemeal to ensure bumper crops year after year. The process of creating Fortified Bonemeal is a trade secret of the Fortified Bone Meal Guild, but it is known to start with the crushed and ground bones of several fish species believed to be unique to the Hansea and nearby waters, plus various secret nutritional additives.

Spoiler: History and Government

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The Hansea has always been a region with a distant relationship to its nominal rulers. Between Otterians, Gloucesties, the Monehganist Regime, and now the Middish, the region has passed through more governments in a finfull of decades than most places do in centuries. Throughout the constant background of war, the real power in the region is the Fortified Bone Meal Guild (or FBM) and its guildmaster Jo Soo, a beacon of stability in the Hansea. The wealth Jo Soo has accumulated through decades of reliable sales to foreign buyers, especially during the short-lived McTavish merger, has made him the most powerful Mer in the region. However, he is nearing the end of his life, and it remains to be seen how the FBM will weather his death.

Spoiler: Resources

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Jo Soo’s Fortified Bonemeal (Even invertebrates love it!™️) is produced in far more than sufficient quantity for the Hansea itself, and export means profit. The secret Guild additives cause crops fertilized with the substance to be far more productive and nutritious than those without.

Unfortunately Jo Soo has already bought out practically everything of value in the Hansea, and FBM desperately needs more Valuables to spend their profits on.

Spoiler: Faith

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The Ineo do not have a particularly religious history, but shortly after the Otterian conquest, the Hansea became home to a small outpost for Flowing Way pilgrims named Tallrock, though it was never developed beyond a middling travelers’ inn. Recently the Finalist movement found purchase among the disaffected local Mer, who rallied to smash the inn and drive out the weak foreign religion – a move that soon proved that the Flowing Way was not as weak as they had thought. Still, despite the Order’s restoration of Tallrock, the belief in the Final Peace remains strong, and the Finalists are still attempting to rally the Ineo to their cause.

* * *

Region 115
Leksandry, the Library of Lime

Spoiler: Geography

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At the northernmost extremes of the temperate seas, Leksandry is fairly cold and dry by Mer standards, though the water is still oxygen-poor. The seafloor is ridged and cut through with tunnels, home to various small fish, medium-size eels, and large turtles. But it is impossible to swim through the waters of Leksandry without observing the enormous green carpets of Miliari, which stretch for miles on end across the gravelly floor.

Spoiler: People

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The primary intelligent species of Leksandry is the Miliari, a type of large sea urchin. The Miliari have yellow-green spines and plates and move by rolling across the seafloor, though they are extremely social and live in massive colonies that can cover many square miles of seafloor. They raise kelp for food and also consume mollusks and worms if they can be found, though they generally eschew scavenging.

The Miliari are universally hermaphrodites. Children of more than one Miliari are looked down upon, and, during spawning season, colonies will disperse as each Miliari attempts to ensure it reproduces only with itself. They also hold a great respect for historians and loremasters, who are believed to be not only cataloguing the past but also prophesying the future.

Spoiler: History and Government

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Leksandry has been a petty kingdom for as long as the Library’s records show, having passed through several dynasties of self-fertilized kings before accusations of copulation destroyed them and raised up a new king. However, the king has very little real power, and the Miliari generally treat the position with something between disinterest and open defiance. The people’s respect is instead given to the historians, whose prophetic abilities are worth a lot more than the proclamations of a king in a distant colony.

The destruction of the Auxiliary Halls by the Reavers and the accompanying loss of life and lore threw Leksandry into a decade of chaos. In the end, a faction alternately called the Librarians or the Great Recovery openly revolted against the king, aiming to seize power and restore the sacred texts by force. Their leader, War Prophet Mizandir, used populist appeals and spurious claims of foreign document thieves targeting the followers of the Prophetic Histories to win widespread support from the general population, but it was not enough to prevent zir army from being smashed to pieces in the field by the king’s forces. The whole series of events would likely have been a historical footnote if not for the Librarian raid on the Sage’s School of Lombsol in Orope to the south, which drew the attention and ire of the Order of Orders. It was a fatal mistake for the region’s independence, and the few defenders remaining after the uprising were shattered and methodically dismantled in pitched battle with the disciplined and well-trained Knights.

Following her conquest of the region, Dame Commander Caitriona MacAlpein of the Scoshlangue has sponsored efforts to learn more about the region’s tradition of prophecy, noting its kinship to the Flowing Way. The great irony is that, had more efforts to contact the Miliari been made sooner, the war that finally brought them into contact with their southern neighbors may never have happened.

Spoiler: Resources

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The major export of the region is the native Liming Snails, a species of snail which secretes a lime-rich slime around its shell and foot. It only truly thrives in alkaline and brackish waters, but it survives acceptably outside its home region, and aside from the normal uses of snail shells, Costa Sereian chemists have found that the slime is useful both as fertilizer and as an ingredient in certain more malleable cement mixtures.

The study of the Prophetic Histories is plagued by instances of misinterpretation, linguistic error, and generally insufficient imagination. The historians therefore demand access to various Exotic Goods to expand their worldview.

Spoiler: Faith

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The massive colony at Oskt, the Great Library, is the spiritual center of Leksandry, doubly so since the destruction of the Auxiliary Halls by the Reavers. It stores thousands of scrolls and records, which are held by the Prophetic Histories to not only describe the past but also predict the future, as everything in reality is cyclical. The loss of a prophecy is the greatest disaster that the Histories can suffer, as its predictive power is thus lost until the event is eventually fulfilled and a new scroll is created to describe it, which may take centuries or even millennia. The followers of the Histories, especially the Librarians, are thus fiercely militaristic and protective of their lore.

[Czard]

Region 193 - Bertu Kuasalam

Spoiler: Geography

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The brackish waters of Bertu Kuasalam are dominated by expansive kelp forests blanketing gently sloping sandy plains that rise as one approaches the terrestrial wastes to the north and decline as one approaches a sudden drop-off to the south that marks Bertu Kuasalam’s border with the fathomless depths to its south. The whole region is quite shallow and brackish; the hardly noticeable regional currents do little to prevent much of the water from growing stagnant. Despite the overwhelming amount of kelp present in the region, large animal species are almost nonexistent, with the sole exception being the salt tolerant Bertuaga, which have long since controlled the region.

Spoiler: People

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The Bertuaga of Bertu Kuasalam are much like their Neralamese cousins; aptly comparable to porpoises with jet black backs, tan underbellies, and serrated fins. The Bertuaga are highly tolerant of saline conditions, enabling them to survive in the inhospitable conditions of Bertu Kuasalam. Their highly dexterous fins and uniquely shaped jaws and teeth enable them to work with the unique kelp species of the region, creating all sorts of useful garments and structures.

Spoiler: History

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The Bertuagan tribes of the region had long been ruled by the ancient Kingdom of Bertu Turulam, a powerful state whose influence once spanned across much of the continental shelf. The Kingdom found its origins in the region when the preeminent Turu tribe gained enough influence through diplomatic marriages and other means to unite most of the tribes into a single political entity before forcefully subjugating the others. From here, the Kingdom would expand along the continental shelf to the east and west, becoming the dominant power of the seas north of the fathomless southern depths.

However, it was not to last, for the Turu Family’s authority would soon be challenged by a rising star in the south of Bertu Turulam, the upstart Kuasa Clan, who had been swaying the southern tribes to support their attempt to seize the throne. The Kuasa launched a bloody assault on the Turu Palace, killing most of the royal family and several of their allied tribal leaders, beginning a civil war that would last for decades. The Turu called in their troops from seas abroad which proceeded to declare independence from the kingdom after years of being ruled from afar through force. For years, the Turu clinged onto the throne, barely surviving assault after assault from the Kuasa and their allies.

After over 50 years of fighting, the grandson of the king who reigned at the start of the war decided the conflict could only be ended by a swift and decisive attack on Kuasa territory at the southern border. With the last of their strength, the Turu launched a suicidal attack on the Kuasa Clan, headed by the king himself. The king died in the attack, but most of the Kuasa were killed, including the head of the clan. Much of Kuasa’s diplomatic ties through marriage were severed as a result, and with a power vacuum now open due to the king’s death, many of the Kuasa’s allies decided to try to seize the throne for themselves, betraying the Kuasa. The now solitary Kuasa found themselves surrounded by enemies who would rather not let such a threat as the Kuasa remained unchecked, deciding to launch a coordinated effort to destroy the Kuasa once and for all. Sensing an imminent and existential threat, the remaining Kuasa were forced to abandon their territory and go into exile, leaving Bertu Turulam a depleted region of squabbling petty tribes, a far cry from the proud kingdom that they had hoped to make their own one day. The Kuasa disappeared over the southern border, settling in Neralam far to the south, where they plotted to one day return to Bertu Turulam, earn their vengeance on those that had betrayed them, and achieve their goal of conquering the region.

That day would eventually come, for the Kuasa successfully orchestrated a takeover of the Surunungese government and used their now greatly expanded pool of resources and soldiers to launch an overwhelming assault on Bertu Turulam. Some southern tribes and magistrates resisted, but were soundly defeated. Many of the traitorous southern tribal leaders were captured and executed while the last of the Turu family was killed. The region was renamed to Bertu Kuasa in “honor” of its new leaders and Parapasa Kuasa took up the title Queen of Bertu Kuasa, but such a title was insignificant compared to the one she held as head of the Peacekeepers’ Assembly. The Kuasa’s dream spanning generations was finally realized, but they still hungered for yet even more.

Spoiler: Resource

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The most celebrated crafters in all of Bertu Kuasalam are the Bertuaga Kelpweavers. The local variety of kelp, the aptly named Nasty Nasty Kelp, seems to have adapted in every conceivable way to be as useless as a food source as possible. Nasty Nasty Kelp is absurdly fibrous and tough, has an eye wateringly high salt content and basically no nutritional value, smells pretty terrible, and worst of all, tastes like someone pickled lettuce, buried it in sands on the beach for a few months, and then poured a mountain of used road salt on top of it; truly nothing any sane organism would ever consider eating. But the Bertuaga in their ingenuity have yet found use for such a plant, for the high fiber content makes it highly difficult to tear and puts its durability almost on par with spider silk. The kelp stems are fairly thin and can be weaved together into a variety of useful products. The Bertuagan fins and tails are remarkably dexterous and flexible, and with years of training, a Bertuaga can become a proficient weaver of Nasty Nasty Kelp, creating a variety of durable products, from clothes and protective gear as tough as metallic armor to curtains no catfish, no matter how determined, could ever shred. Sadly, nothing can be done about that smell though.

While Nasty Nasty Kelp under normal conditions is very difficult to tear, putting it under some heat will cause a temperature sensitive protein that reinforces the fibrous structure to denature, making cutting the kelp much more manageable, albeit still fairly difficult. As such, the Kelpweavers are always in need of some Heat Sources to make their products.

Spoiler: Faith

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Infinite Connections

Infinite Connectionists believe that all living beings are connected simultaneously via some form of abstract energy. What kind of energy is this? Nobody really knows, not even Infinite Connectionists. Apparently, this energy governs everyone’s moods, with “positive” energy creating, well, positive emotions, while “negative” energy does the opposite. There is a fixed ratio of positive to negative connective energy in the universe; a sort of global emotional balance. Being as selfless as they are, Infinite Connectionists wish for others to feel positive emotions by causing themselves to suffer. How do they bring about their own suffering? By ingesting one of the most foul substances known to fishkind; fermented Nasty Nasty Kelp Juice. This foul concoction is guaranteed to revolt the beholder and cause the drinker to wish that not another grain of salt ever finds its way onto their tongue again. At religious ceremonies, the Connectionists will gather and take turns drinking shots of Nasty Nasty Kelp Juice from a grand cauldron, all for the greater good.

Webweaver’s Bane

Webweaver’s Bane is a cult of nutjobs that believe the Nasty Nasty Kelp is sacred. They refer to the Kelpweavers as Webweavers to paint them as villainous (to little effect at all), and title their own organization as the Webweaver’s Bane, seeking to bring down those who disturb the most holy Nasty Nasty Kelp forests. Despite their best efforts, the Kelpweaving industry is more lucrative than ever. This is likely due to the fact they have hardly any money, resources, or structure; just a single place of meeting in a remote kelp forest nobody visits because frankly, it just smells too horrible for even the most devoted Nasty Nasty Kelp reverers.

[bc56]

Two things
1:

Region 104 - Prismatistan

Spoiler: Geography

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As you descend into the depths of the ocean, the darkness gives way to a kaleidoscope of colors. The water around you is filled with vibrant shades of blue, green, red, orange, and purple, and the sea floor is a tapestry of bright corals, swaying anemones, and exotic plants. Schools of fish swim around you, their scales glinting in the sunlight that filters down from above. Each fish is a different color - some are electric blue, others are emerald green, and still others are a rainbow of hues. Some are so small they could fit in the palm of your hand. As you explore this underwater realm, you see that it is not just the fish that are colorful - even the rocks and sand are covered in a riot of colors. Purple and yellow sea stars cling to the rocks, while giant clams open and close their shells in a rhythmical pattern. The light that filters in from the surface of the ocean sparkles off the colorful landscape, casting shimmering patterns on the sand and the sea creatures. It is a mesmerizing and magical world, full of life and energy.

Spoiler: People

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The merfolk of Prismatistan are a lively and colorful community, known throughout the ocean for their love of bright, bold colors and patterns. These merfolk are well-known for their intricate and vibrant clothing, which they make themselves using a combination of natural materials and magical dyes. The merfolk of Prismatistan take great pride in their appearance, and their clothing is a form of self-expression and identity. They use bright colors and patterns to communicate their mood, their personality, and their place in their community. Every merfolk has their own unique style, and their clothing is often adorned with shells, beads, and other underwater treasures. Despite their love of fashion and style, the merfolk of Prismatistan are also known for their warmth and kindness. They are a close-knit community that values friendship, cooperation, and inclusivity. Living in Prismatistan, the merfolk are surrounded by a world of shimmering colors and patterns. The underwater environment is filled with colorful sea creatures, sparkling corals, and bright plant life, which inspires the merfolk in their fashion choices. The merfolk of Prismatistan are also given to riding giant colorful mantis shrimp - these shrimp are used as mounts in battle, but most often they are just another fashion accessory for the merfolk.

The Government of Prismatistan is run by a Council of One Hundred Queens. These Queens need not be females, it is a ceremonial title given to those that have run for such office. That said the Council of Queens takes the protection of the colorful world of Prismatistan seriously which was why they had resisted and rebelled against Pfith rule. Clearly, they were defeated and had bent their metaphorical knees over and over, but surely they chafe - seemingly what they and the Pfith agree on is a mutual appreciation for Bright colors!

Spoiler: Resources

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Export: Shiv'rchins. What is a Shiv'rchin? Good question, a Shiv'rchin is a type of colorful pearl that only grows in the waters of Prismatistan. Unlike most milky white pearls, a Shiv'rchin bends light like a prism. The pearls are said to be imbued with powerful magical energy, which makes them useful in a variety of applications, from healing to spellcraft. Some legends even suggest that the pearls have the power to grant wishes or bring good luck to those who possess them. However, due to their rarity and value, Shiv'rchin pearls are also the target of many thieves and smugglers, and they are often heavily guarded by those who know their worth.

Import: Textiles. Since the merfolk of Prismatistan love to dress in colorful garment, their need for textiles is almost manic. They need new, better and more colorful textiles.

Spoiler: Faith

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Shimmers of Unseen Bane: The Shimmers of Unseen Bane are a religious group that worships a powerful entity known as the Unseen Bane. They believe that the Unseen Bane is a divine force that exists beyond the visible spectrum, manifesting as a shimmering, otherworldly light that can only be perceived by the most devoted of believers. The Shimmers believe that the Unseen Bane is the embodiment of all that is unknown and unknowable, and that it holds the secrets to the mysteries of the universe. They see it as a guide to enlightenment and transcendence, and believe that by following its teachings, they can achieve a higher state of being. While the Unseen Bane is Unseen, one follows it's teachings by trying to be seen by it - this is why the people of Prismatistan dress in such garish and bold clothing and wear a cavalcade of colorful jewelry.

It mostly sounds good but since you're writing on my behalf I feel like I should clarify a few things. First, the region was confederated by me for trade reasons and later rebelled because of unruly clergy (thanks to a lack of writeup). Second, I've historically used Shiv'rchins to satisfy my exotic creatures requirements, assuming they were sea urchins whose spines could be broken off into shivs. Lastly, Shimmers of Unseen Bane is a player religion created by Torv and spread by the Menagerie I'm pretty sure you knew that but just in case.


2:
I'd like to propose a Miracle:
Stress Hardening
The powers of the Effulgent Witnesses have been in the world some time now, their union of the flames of the depths of the world and the life of seas above has grown tighter and more controlled, and they have learned to deal with the strain of their powers. Theirs is a quiet strength, but it will be all the more necessary in the days to come. The world, more than ever, needs to be protected from those that would despoil it.
Effulgent Witnesses may use their enhanced stats once per turn without penalty

[Torv]

Getting the mechanics side of stuff out early for feedback:

Faith, Great Project: Spires of Dissonance
-1 to any Song Actions in Nanuuq (R82)

Military 5, Recruit General: Crusher of the Masses
Can only be used at depth two or deeper (-x)
+40% enemy casualties (+6)
+30% own casualties (-2)
+12 to enemy leader loss (-2)
+? to allied leader loss (+x)

[Tychris1]

Resource Writeup Submission for Region 12 (Given with permission by Corona as she writes up the rest of the region)

Crystal Chips:
Crystal Chips are an invasive and potentially ecologically devastating naturally occuring substance. A strangely mutated form of Aragonite crystal that grows in the region, it seemingly multiplies itself over and over again, and consumes all that unfortunately cannot get out of its way. Similar in nature to Kudzu this crystalline aberration is a goldmine for harvesting resources so long as you can move your cultivating operation out of the way and or don't care about the safety or livelihood of your miners. This substance is sometimes thought to be sentient by those locals who have observed it over time, as it waxes or wanes and continues its inexorable tide onwards, and yet scholars vehemently disagree after researching it and instead ascribe the locals to simply anthropomorphizing a powerful force of nature that they can curb but not completely erase. Its name derives from the way that it grows, for the substance when not harvested is noticeably brittle, and can easily chip off fresh pieces which when left unattended will spread the Crystals even further. Careful processing after harvesting is required from these crystals or else the processing plant will become overrun by the very substance it wishes to reap benefit from.

[farothel]

Write up of colony region 192:

resource: metal (after ABS prospect)
desired import: Glass

Name: Raninoida

Spoiler: Geography

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An old waste region, the region still has the signs of the cleansing. Great holes into the earth were made to bring forth the cleansing fire and those fires created hills and filled holes. Lava still flows at times, depositing new minerals in the region. The places where there isn't any lava are mostly mud. Some bushes of Eye Weed have been moved to filter the air enough to place villages, but it would take a while for cities to form here.

Spoiler: People

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The settlers are people from the Hymenocera Expanse, from all peoples that make up the Expanse. As this region is also toxic, most come from Lupomata.

Spoiler: History and Government

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There is not much government, although there are some nobles (mostly second and third sons and daughters) who went there, as well as some scribes. The government is set up just as in the rest of the Expanse

Spoiler: Resources

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The lava brings forth many useful metals that are sorely needed all over the expanse.

The towns in the colony aren't wealthy, but they like to display glass. Either as pieces of art or to actually put things in, everybody likes some small things somewhere in their house.

Spoiler: Faith

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The colonists have taken their Uplift Reverence faith with them. So far there is only one site, the starting point of the lava vents to make the region habitable. Although the Abyssal Stewards had done this, some of the techniques they used where so ancient they could have come from the ancestors, so a small shrine has been set up on that site.

[Epinephrine_Syn]

Theoretical faith based 30 Size 4 Bonus

Heir To Plastic
Fluff based on the idea of the holy substance, produced in part by Pollution, and able to be wrapped up in certain devices, and the ability to more easily interact with such things.

Permits actions and troop movement across toxic (red) borders. Once per turn, you may use the Industrialized Investment ability as if you were a Titan Of Industry. (If you are already a Titan Of Industry, you may use Industrialized Investment an additional time in the same action once per turn.)

[MappyPK]

Writeup for Shimmercoral to put into Parikao's waters of the world section.

Spoiler: Shimmercoral

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Found in great quantities near the crystal spikes of Parikao, it almost seems as though many smaller jewels are growing off this branching coral, which comes in pink, light blue, and mint varieties. The colors of these jewels are almost always the same as the color of the branch coral itself -- maybe blending in was its defensive strategy? Regardless, it is, as a result, highly reflective, but does not appear to give off any light of its own. Taikans have taken a shine to the coral upon being pointed to it by the Stewards, quickly incorporating it into traditional gardens among the decorative plants and stones. Additionally, it can be smashed into a fine powder as an edible garnish, providing an appetizing shimmer to any food it is applied to with a subtly sweet-and-salty taste, or can be eaten raw by organisms with stronger jaws.

Intended to satisfy Spices and Luxuries just to be clear.

[Frostwander]

Approval requests for special actions - Costa Sereia
(More fluff to be added, but wanted to get these out there.)

Please feel free to let me know if these are too much/too little when it comes to desired balance. I tried to base effects where possible in line with already approved artifacts/tech.


Artifact: Reliqua of Arete Priestess Earlee
Effect: 1 per round, increase a Sway action by 1


Artifact: Robes of Desderia
Effect: 1 per round, +2 to a Defensive Battle
Blessed artifact of the Goddess of Currents, allowing a leader to influence their motions and patterns to protect allies and disarray foes.


Miracle: Harmonized Currents
Effect: Followers of Brilhinte reduce distance penalties for all non-military actions by 1
Those who align with the tenets of the Seven Divines find themselves in harmony with all the aspects of the seas.


Tech: Multi-pigmented Photospores
Requirements: Photospore Signaling, Dye or Ink resource
Effect: Reduce distance penalty by 1 for Intrigue actions.
Costa scientists have expanded on the function of using dispersed particulate organism to send messages long-distance with stimuli reactions. By infusing colors into a small populace of the microorganisms, more complex messages can be sent with a smaller transmission time.

[Aerin]

Spoiler: Region 62 - The Wandering Dunes

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Region 62 - The Wandering Dunes

Spoiler: Geography

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Stuck between the Dead Seas and the neighboring wastes, The Wandering Dunes are a desolate environment that seems to actively punish anyone seeking to set up proper settlements within it... and not only thanks to crop-growing being difficult and wild game being scarce. The environment is one of often shifting seafloor thanks to some large currents running through the area, proper cover of any sort being quite scarce and the few areas with rock formations or deeper caves being hotly contested between travelers and many hardy and vicious ambush predators still seeking to carve out a living in one of the most inhospitable environments one can find around the Polar seas.

With deadly temperatures, lack of cover from any harsh shifts in the currents and inhospitable fauna, the settlers of this extreme environment have been forced literally underground. The sole speck of civilization around the Dunes is presently a Nathi camp set up in one of the larger cave complexes, known locally as Shaded Alcove. Outside it, one is best off being well-armed and supplied to make their way through the region with all their fins intact... and apart from some routes through it that are marked down with coral light sources whenever possible, the local waterways are mostly uncharted, with casualties often to be expected among any groups of would-be explorers.

Spoiler: People

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With colonization of the region being barely in its infancy, the only real inhabitants of the region that are not simply passing through are the hardy explorers of Nathi and Gravetenders. with others having so far been rather unwilling to establish any sort of permanent presence in the desolate environment. The local fauna might hide some surprises, but so far the monsters lurking about have not shown signs of any sort to establish a functioning society.

Spoiler: Resource & Requirement

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Resource: Adhesive Urchins

Although the incredibly hostile environment of the Wandering Dunes has left relatively little of value to be gained from the area, the few brave traders willing to go looking did discover a lifeform that could have only been brought about by such pressures. Toxic, hardy and able to fix themselves in place on nearly any surface to withstand both predators and the unpredictable currents, they are certainly a trade good with many potential applications.

Requirement: Spices

While some of their early attempts at colonization were met with brutal response from the local beasts, the Nathi finally figured out a way to keep them away. Particularly pungent or irritating smells were able to drive away the hardy predators thanks to irritating their keen sense of smell, giving the colonists a simple way to guard major settlements and ways of importance... although they must be replenished quite often to keep up the repelling effect.

Spoiler: Faith

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While being best described as a "blasted waste" by most, one part of the Wandering Dunes has attained reputation as being touched by power beyond the understanding of most. The Everbloom (HS 1) is a large rock sticking out of the dunes like a massive spear, always covered in fresh undersea greenery despite the constant pressures of dunes slowly grinding against the surface of the mysterious edifice.

Approved! Please add it to the Waters of the World. I pity the poor scientist that must have spent ages figuring out how to pry an Adhesive Urchin off its rock, only to discover that it was toxic.

Writeups for 185 and 186, reporting for duty!

Calvarnsis Superior (Region 185)

Spoiler: Thalassography

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A yet to be discovered cause, a mystery still for obvious reasons, sees within the eastern edge of the desolate waters near Calvarnsis a fast flowing, if intermittent, current. This current carries barren water into Calvarnsis, where its cool temperatures can be felt along the seafloor. Just before the sands of Calvarnsis begin their sharp descent into the Inferior region of the territory, though, is a huge, wave-like wall of stone now called the Praesegia, covered from base to tip in red and green coral. This stone shelf is wide enough to catch the undertow of wastewater and force it back into itself, creating a small strip of ocean that is horridly dangerous for any creature. Those that can survive being dragged along jagged coral growths several times at high speed are sucked below into the Furnace. The high pressure system forged for itself a series of outlets in the form of tunnels carved into the sands and stone at the base of the Praesegia, which disappear from all living awareness. All that is known of what disappears into these holes is that the water comes back above the seafloor in Calvarnsis Inferior, superheated, sterilized, and purified.

Away from the Praesegia, much of Calvarnsis Superior is rolling hills, groves of thick help surrounded by protective rock formations, and, along the northeastern border, a series of caves formed from layers of calcified flesh, accreted from the horrors of nearby waters.

Spoiler: People, Government, History

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When the Pepsin arrived, a mere handful of intelligent natives were present. Each was a religious or philosophical ascetic, living alone or in small hermitage clusters. The astounding beauty of the native fauna has led a number of such communities and hermits to live here. Often, they merely wished to enjoy the peace that comes with natural beauty. Some sought meaning in the patterns of the fish, not knowing that they arrived at entirely the wrong destination for that purpose.

As Confederacy merchants began taking hold of the valuable coral along the Praesegia, they found another pocket of life - the agents of the Nacres had set up shop already, though there was plenty of coral to share.

With the arrival of the Ennead, some level of structure was applied to the region. The hermitages, often located in strategically valuable locations, became the centers of permanent settlements. The wondrous creatures of Calvarnsis are beginning to be herded - the open, unspoiled nature of the region lends itself well to Ennead pastoralism, and the simple, absurd variety of local wildlife is promising in terms of potential grafting projects.

Spoiler: Resources

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Export: Crafter's Coral. The coral of the Praesegia is hard and fast-growing, but easily guided into molds as it grows. It can take nearly any shape, and the chaotic waters nearby keep any one colony from exerting too much influence, so huge varieties of specialized tools can come from one location. Nearly every colony has some distinct characteristic, though most of the Crafter's Coral tends to a bright red or green color.
Import: Exotic Goods. The new settlers of Calvarnsis were lured by the promise of weird fish. Between the hermits, the Glossnians, the Doflein, the Nacres, and the Pepsin, the people here hail from every corner of the ocean. Now, though, they miss the peculiarities of their homes.

Spoiler: Faith

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The only unifying philosophy that has been present in Calvarnsis Superior has been the Eternal Communion. Prior to the Riftborn making themselves known, the scattered merchants, philosophers, and ascetics held beliefs that were as individual as they were.
Wavecrest: The peak of the Praesegia is home to a rustic temple complex, once a tiny commune. The views of, on either side, the maelstrom of the Furnace and the calm depths of Calvarnsis Inferior, are a juxtaposition that can see one lost for hours in contemplation. The twinned abyss was naturally claimed by the Eternal Communion as a site of holy relevance, and the support of the Enneii made this claim irrefutable by those who once called the peak home.

Calvarnsis Inferior (Region 186)

Spoiler: Thalassography

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Calvarnsis Inferior is a region of two dichotomous zones. At the higher levels, one can find an abundance of life. Creatures travel through this narrow corridor between currents antithetical to life to the east and west in order to reach mating, nesting, and feeding grounds to the north or south. The waters here are a resting place for many, as swirls of stone columns reach nearly to the surface from the depths, pocked with caves. They are also replete with drifting bits of decomposing flesh from below, creating a food chain from the smallest of scavengers to the largest predators in a constant dance around the spires.

At the lowest level, the seafloor is death. Bones lie in piles and heaps. They fill depressions, coat rises, and layer on each other in an orgy of off-white angles and curves. Mammoth seal graveyards dot the seascape - stretches where tusks jutting from mer-sized skulls rest in generational mounds. The bases of the spires are carved into long, looping curls which guide the currents into strange, spiraling spouts. Between the pillars, the sands slowly shift beneath the bones, emitting bursts of scalding hot water that form the catalyst for the updrafts which send to the gathering place above the buffet of half-rotted flesh.

Spoiler: People, Government, History

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The few Glossian settlers in Calvarnsis Inferior are under the command of Skipper Lera Celadon when the Enneii arrive. They are not a military power, no matter their fervor and dedication to the cause. The existing structures, mostly in place to exist among the spires and plumb the depths, are coopted by new governors from Danabae. The Shades and Mer from the north are kept as experts; local guides, zoologists, and oceanographers. The Enneii, though, establish their usual pattern of governance, with the Doflein profiting off the labor of everyone else. The Skipper is given a role as an assistant to the regional overseer, trusted with being the liaison between the Enneii and the Glossian remnants. The Cyphiri are treated as being under the Skipper's jurisdiction as well - Lera and her plodding mammoth-mounted patrols are the connective tissue of the region, and the Ennead is not so foolish as to upend that.

Spoiler: Resources

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Export: Mammoth Seals. Mammoth seals are large, furry seals with a set of razor-sharp tusks jutting from their lower jaw. They tend toward brown and grey, though their young are often nearly black. They have thick ridges of muscle along their backs, making them slow swimmers but giving their necks prodigious strength. Mammoth Seals are found all across the chilly waters of the south, though they are rarely found in groups of more than a dozen. Here, though, one can find the focal point of all of their migrations, the site at which every herd eventually can be found - and hunted. Current prevailing theories suggest that the seals have some level of reverence for their dead, a suggestion backed up by the presence of a nearly concerning concentration of mammoth seal corpses in the depths. Some exciteable settlers even claim that they've seen the seal dragging corpses to the region and gathering to see them sink below.
Import: Glass. The constant influx of migrating animals, swirling debris from below, and shifting currents are a feast for the senses. The original colonial shades found difficulty in creating lures for the beasts - nothing stood out amidst this sea of color, sound, and physical sensations. Eventually, though, a technique was developed that hinged on weaving massed webs of netting, coated in fine shards of glass, patterned such that the reflected light mirrored the common refractions the creatures might see when swimming in the right directions.

Spoiler: Faith

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The few colonials of the Lux-Glossnian Shades brought with them a version of the Flowing Way that emphasizes one's unique tie to the threads of reality. Individualism is prized and self-exploration is almost as holy as the thalassographic variety.

Superior - What a superior writeup! Approved, though would you add a section about the newly discovered Baleen Crocodiles if you plan on keeping them?
Inferior - That native population is really cool, where'd you get them? This is great, and I'd like to see a few sentances describing the local holy site.

Region 104 - Prismatistan

Spoiler: Geography

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As you descend into the depths of the ocean, the darkness gives way to a kaleidoscope of colors. The water around you is filled with vibrant shades of blue, green, red, orange, and purple, and the sea floor is a tapestry of bright corals, swaying anemones, and exotic plants. Schools of fish swim around you, their scales glinting in the sunlight that filters down from above. Each fish is a different color - some are electric blue, others are emerald green, and still others are a rainbow of hues. Some are so small they could fit in the palm of your hand. As you explore this underwater realm, you see that it is not just the fish that are colorful - even the rocks and sand are covered in a riot of colors. Purple and yellow sea stars cling to the rocks, while giant clams open and close their shells in a rhythmical pattern. The light that filters in from the surface of the ocean sparkles off the colorful landscape, casting shimmering patterns on the sand and the sea creatures. It is a mesmerizing and magical world, full of life and energy.

Spoiler: People

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The merfolk of Prismatistan are a lively and colorful community, known throughout the ocean for their love of bright, bold colors and patterns. These merfolk are well-known for their intricate and vibrant clothing, which they make themselves using a combination of natural materials and magical dyes. The merfolk of Prismatistan take great pride in their appearance, and their clothing is a form of self-expression and identity. They use bright colors and patterns to communicate their mood, their personality, and their place in their community. Every merfolk has their own unique style, and their clothing is often adorned with shells, beads, and other underwater treasures. Despite their love of fashion and style, the merfolk of Prismatistan are also known for their warmth and kindness. They are a close-knit community that values friendship, cooperation, and inclusivity. Living in Prismatistan, the merfolk are surrounded by a world of shimmering colors and patterns. The underwater environment is filled with colorful sea creatures, sparkling corals, and bright plant life, which inspires the merfolk in their fashion choices. The merfolk of Prismatistan are also given to riding giant colorful mantis shrimp - these shrimp are used as mounts in battle, but most often they are just another fashion accessory for the merfolk.

The Government of Prismatistan is run by a Council of One Hundred Queens. These Queens need not be females, it is a ceremonial title given to those that have run for such office. That said the Council of Queens takes the protection of the colorful world of Prismatistan seriously which was why they had resisted and rebelled against Pfith rule. Clearly, they were defeated and had bent their metaphorical knees over and over, but surely they chafe - seemingly what they and the Pfith agree on is a mutual appreciation for Bright colors!

Spoiler: Resources

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Export: Shiv'rchins. What is a Shiv'rchin? Good question, a Shiv'rchin is a type of colorful pearl that only grows in the waters of Prismatistan. Unlike most milky white pearls, a Shiv'rchin bends light like a prism. The pearls are said to be imbued with powerful magical energy, which makes them useful in a variety of applications, from healing to spellcraft. Some legends even suggest that the pearls have the power to grant wishes or bring good luck to those who possess them. However, due to their rarity and value, Shiv'rchin pearls are also the target of many thieves and smugglers, and they are often heavily guarded by those who know their worth.

Import: Textiles. Since the merfolk of Prismatistan love to dress in colorful garment, their need for textiles is almost manic. They need new, better and more colorful textiles.

Spoiler: Faith

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Shimmers of Unseen Bane: The Shimmers of Unseen Bane are a religious group that worships a powerful entity known as the Unseen Bane. They believe that the Unseen Bane is a divine force that exists beyond the visible spectrum, manifesting as a shimmering, otherworldly light that can only be perceived by the most devoted of believers. The Shimmers believe that the Unseen Bane is the embodiment of all that is unknown and unknowable, and that it holds the secrets to the mysteries of the universe. They see it as a guide to enlightenment and transcendence, and believe that by following its teachings, they can achieve a higher state of being. While the Unseen Bane is Unseen, one follows it's teachings by trying to be seen by it - this is why the people of Prismatistan dress in such garish and bold clothing and wear a cavalcade of colorful jewelry.

The Geography section references something called a "hand." Could you clarify what that's supposed to be?
From the People section: "They are a close-knit community that values friendship, cooperation, and inclusivity." I cannot think of three descriptors that could possibly be more anti-Pfith, bravo. No wonder they rebelled. If you're going to go this route with the people and their government, I'd really like to see a detailed description of how Pfith rule works (or doesn't work) for this region. Which is, unfortunately, likely something that bc56 would need to write.
Resources: As bc pointed out, Shiv'rchins ought to make shivs. I think someone was using them to fulfil a Military Supplies DI at one point.
Faith: Again, as bc pointed out, Shimmers of Unseen Bane is a player-made faith. Historically, these folks have followed Sakurado. And as of round 21, they've been converted back to Sakurado.

Very belated writeups for 112 and 115. Apologies if the writer's block is painfully obvious. (Also, two more very dumb history puns).

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Region 112
The Hansea

Spoiler: Geography

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The plains of the Hansea are a relatively flat and shallow stretch of the temperate waters, though as one swims north to south the seafloor does gradually drop to more normal depths. Tangled masses of seaweed and kelp dot the waters, less dense relatives of the kelp forests of the Great Kelpland to the southwest; they are highly resistant to the currents, and landmarks retain a recognizable shape no matter how fiercely the waters rush by. Sponges likewise cover the seafloor, alongside urchins and clams.

Spoiler: People

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The inhabitants of the Hansea, who call themselves the Ineo, are Mer, and fairly average for the temperate waters. Ineo culture is fairly relaxed; they have no real gender- or age-based norms, and most Ineo are not particularly ambitious or fast-paced, though those who are tend to be extremely successful. They are primarily agricultural, and have developed hundreds of unique recipes, relying on the use of Fortified Bonemeal to ensure bumper crops year after year. The process of creating Fortified Bonemeal is a trade secret of the Fortified Bone Meal Guild, but it is known to start with the crushed and ground bones of several fish species believed to be unique to the Hansea and nearby waters, plus various secret nutritional additives.

Spoiler: History and Government

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The Hansea has always been a region with a distant relationship to its nominal rulers. Between Otterians, Gloucesties, the Monehganist Regime, and now the Middish, the region has passed through more governments in a finfull of decades than most places do in centuries. Throughout the constant background of war, the real power in the region is the Fortified Bone Meal Guild (or FBM) and its guildmaster Jo Soo, a beacon of stability in the Hansea. The wealth Jo Soo has accumulated through decades of reliable sales to foreign buyers, especially during the short-lived McTavish merger, has made him the most powerful Mer in the region. However, he is nearing the end of his life, and it remains to be seen how the FBM will weather his death.

Spoiler: Resources

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Jo Soo’s Fortified Bonemeal (Even invertebrates love it!™️) is produced in far more than sufficient quantity for the Hansea itself, and export means profit. The secret Guild additives cause crops fertilized with the substance to be far more productive and nutritious than those without.

Unfortunately Jo Soo has already bought out practically everything of value in the Hansea, and FBM desperately needs more Valuables to spend their profits on.

Spoiler: Faith

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The Ineo do not have a particularly religious history, but shortly after the Otterian conquest, the Hansea became home to a small outpost for Flowing Way pilgrims named Tallrock, though it was never developed beyond a middling travelers’ inn. Recently the Finalist movement found purchase among the disaffected local Mer, who rallied to smash the inn and drive out the weak foreign religion – a move that soon proved that the Flowing Way was not as weak as they had thought. Still, despite the Order’s restoration of Tallrock, the belief in the Final Peace remains strong, and the Finalists are still attempting to rally the Ineo to their cause.

* * *

Region 115
Leksandry, the Library of Lime

Spoiler: Geography

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At the northernmost extremes of the temperate seas, Leksandry is fairly cold and dry by Mer standards, though the water is still oxygen-poor. The seafloor is ridged and cut through with tunnels, home to various small fish, medium-size eels, and large turtles. But it is impossible to swim through the waters of Leksandry without observing the enormous green carpets of Miliari, which stretch for miles on end across the gravelly floor.

Spoiler: People

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The primary intelligent species of Leksandry is the Miliari, a type of large sea urchin. The Miliari have yellow-green spines and plates and move by rolling across the seafloor, though they are extremely social and live in massive colonies that can cover many square miles of seafloor. They raise kelp for food and also consume mollusks and worms if they can be found, though they generally eschew scavenging.

The Miliari are universally hermaphrodites. Children of more than one Miliari are looked down upon, and, during spawning season, colonies will disperse as each Miliari attempts to ensure it reproduces only with itself. They also hold a great respect for historians and loremasters, who are believed to be not only cataloguing the past but also prophesying the future.

Spoiler: History and Government

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Leksandry has been a petty kingdom for as long as the Library’s records show, having passed through several dynasties of self-fertilized kings before accusations of copulation destroyed them and raised up a new king. However, the king has very little real power, and the Miliari generally treat the position with something between disinterest and open defiance. The people’s respect is instead given to the historians, whose prophetic abilities are worth a lot more than the proclamations of a king in a distant colony.

The destruction of the Auxiliary Halls by the Reavers and the accompanying loss of life and lore threw Leksandry into a decade of chaos. In the end, a faction alternately called the Librarians or the Great Recovery openly revolted against the king, aiming to seize power and restore the sacred texts by force. Their leader, War Prophet Mizandir, used populist appeals and spurious claims of foreign document thieves targeting the followers of the Prophetic Histories to win widespread support from the general population, but it was not enough to prevent zir army from being smashed to pieces in the field by the king’s forces. The whole series of events would likely have been a historical footnote if not for the Librarian raid on the Sage’s School of Lombsol in Orope to the south, which drew the attention and ire of the Order of Orders. It was a fatal mistake for the region’s independence, and the few defenders remaining after the uprising were shattered and methodically dismantled in pitched battle with the disciplined and well-trained Knights.

Following her conquest of the region, Dame Commander Caitriona MacAlpein of the Scoshlangue has sponsored efforts to learn more about the region’s tradition of prophecy, noting its kinship to the Flowing Way. The great irony is that, had more efforts to contact the Miliari been made sooner, the war that finally brought them into contact with their southern neighbors may never have happened.

Spoiler: Resources

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The major export of the region is the native Liming Snails, a species of snail which secretes a lime-rich slime around its shell and foot. It only truly thrives in alkaline and brackish waters, but it survives acceptably outside its home region, and aside from the normal uses of snail shells, Costa Sereian chemists have found that the slime is useful both as fertilizer and as an ingredient in certain more malleable cement mixtures.

The study of the Prophetic Histories is plagued by instances of misinterpretation, linguistic error, and generally insufficient imagination. The historians therefore demand access to various Exotic Goods to expand their worldview.

Spoiler: Faith

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The massive colony at Oskt, the Great Library, is the spiritual center of Leksandry, doubly so since the destruction of the Auxiliary Halls by the Reavers. It stores thousands of scrolls and records, which are held by the Prophetic Histories to not only describe the past but also predict the future, as everything in reality is cyclical. The loss of a prophecy is the greatest disaster that the Histories can suffer, as its predictive power is thus lost until the event is eventually fulfilled and a new scroll is created to describe it, which may take centuries or even millennia. The followers of the Histories, especially the Librarians, are thus fiercely militaristic and protective of their lore.

Hansea - Approved! Please add it to the Waters of the World. I'm glad to see the FBM finally getting a little love.
Leksandry - Approved! Please add it to the Waters of the World. Fantastic to see what you've done with my silly little over-zealous librarians.

Region 193 - Bertu Kuasalam

Spoiler: Geography

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The brackish waters of Bertu Kuasalam are dominated by expansive kelp forests blanketing gently sloping sandy plains that rise as one approaches the terrestrial wastes to the north and decline as one approaches a sudden drop-off to the south that marks Bertu Kuasalam’s border with the fathomless depths to its south. The whole region is quite shallow and brackish; the hardly noticeable regional currents do little to prevent much of the water from growing stagnant. Despite the overwhelming amount of kelp present in the region, large animal species are almost nonexistent, with the sole exception being the salt tolerant Bertuaga, which have long since controlled the region.

Spoiler: People

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The Bertuaga of Bertu Kuasalam are much like their Neralamese cousins; aptly comparable to porpoises with jet black backs, tan underbellies, and serrated fins. The Bertuaga are highly tolerant of saline conditions, enabling them to survive in the inhospitable conditions of Bertu Kuasalam. Their highly dexterous fins and uniquely shaped jaws and teeth enable them to work with the unique kelp species of the region, creating all sorts of useful garments and structures.

Spoiler: History

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The Bertuagan tribes of the region had long been ruled by the ancient Kingdom of Bertu Turulam, a powerful state whose influence once spanned across much of the continental shelf. The Kingdom found its origins in the region when the preeminent Turu tribe gained enough influence through diplomatic marriages and other means to unite most of the tribes into a single political entity before forcefully subjugating the others. From here, the Kingdom would expand along the continental shelf to the east and west, becoming the dominant power of the seas north of the fathomless southern depths.

However, it was not to last, for the Turu Family’s authority would soon be challenged by a rising star in the south of Bertu Turulam, the upstart Kuasa Clan, who had been swaying the southern tribes to support their attempt to seize the throne. The Kuasa launched a bloody assault on the Turu Palace, killing most of the royal family and several of their allied tribal leaders, beginning a civil war that would last for decades. The Turu called in their troops from seas abroad which proceeded to declare independence from the kingdom after years of being ruled from afar through force. For years, the Turu clinged onto the throne, barely surviving assault after assault from the Kuasa and their allies.

After over 50 years of fighting, the grandson of the king who reigned at the start of the war decided the conflict could only be ended by a swift and decisive attack on Kuasa territory at the southern border. With the last of their strength, the Turu launched a suicidal attack on the Kuasa Clan, headed by the king himself. The king died in the attack, but most of the Kuasa were killed, including the head of the clan. Much of Kuasa’s diplomatic ties through marriage were severed as a result, and with a power vacuum now open due to the king’s death, many of the Kuasa’s allies decided to try to seize the throne for themselves, betraying the Kuasa. The now solitary Kuasa found themselves surrounded by enemies who would rather not let such a threat as the Kuasa remained unchecked, deciding to launch a coordinated effort to destroy the Kuasa once and for all. Sensing an imminent and existential threat, the remaining Kuasa were forced to abandon their territory and go into exile, leaving Bertu Turulam a depleted region of squabbling petty tribes, a far cry from the proud kingdom that they had hoped to make their own one day. The Kuasa disappeared over the southern border, settling in Neralam far to the south, where they plotted to one day return to Bertu Turulam, earn their vengeance on those that had betrayed them, and achieve their goal of conquering the region.

That day would eventually come, for the Kuasa successfully orchestrated a takeover of the Surunungese government and used their now greatly expanded pool of resources and soldiers to launch an overwhelming assault on Bertu Turulam. Some southern tribes and magistrates resisted, but were soundly defeated. Many of the traitorous southern tribal leaders were captured and executed while the last of the Turu family was killed. The region was renamed to Bertu Kuasa in “honor” of its new leaders and Parapasa Kuasa took up the title Queen of Bertu Kuasa, but such a title was insignificant compared to the one she held as head of the Peacekeepers’ Assembly. The Kuasa’s dream spanning generations was finally realized, but they still hungered for yet even more.

Spoiler: Resource

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The most celebrated crafters in all of Bertu Kuasalam are the Bertuaga Kelpweavers. The local variety of kelp, the aptly named Nasty Nasty Kelp, seems to have adapted in every conceivable way to be as useless as a food source as possible. Nasty Nasty Kelp is absurdly fibrous and tough, has an eye wateringly high salt content and basically no nutritional value, smells pretty terrible, and worst of all, tastes like someone pickled lettuce, buried it in sands on the beach for a few months, and then poured a mountain of used road salt on top of it; truly nothing any sane organism would ever consider eating. But the Bertuaga in their ingenuity have yet found use for such a plant, for the high fiber content makes it highly difficult to tear and puts its durability almost on par with spider silk. The kelp stems are fairly thin and can be weaved together into a variety of useful products. The Bertuagan fins and tails are remarkably dexterous and flexible, and with years of training, a Bertuaga can become a proficient weaver of Nasty Nasty Kelp, creating a variety of durable products, from clothes and protective gear as tough as metallic armor to curtains no catfish, no matter how determined, could ever shred. Sadly, nothing can be done about that smell though.

While Nasty Nasty Kelp under normal conditions is very difficult to tear, putting it under some heat will cause a temperature sensitive protein that reinforces the fibrous structure to denature, making cutting the kelp much more manageable, albeit still fairly difficult. As such, the Kelpweavers are always in need of some Heat Sources to make their products.

Spoiler: Faith

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Infinite Connections

Infinite Connectionists believe that all living beings are connected simultaneously via some form of abstract energy. What kind of energy is this? Nobody really knows, not even Infinite Connectionists. Apparently, this energy governs everyone’s moods, with “positive” energy creating, well, positive emotions, while “negative” energy does the opposite. There is a fixed ratio of positive to negative connective energy in the universe; a sort of global emotional balance. Being as selfless as they are, Infinite Connectionists wish for others to feel positive emotions by causing themselves to suffer. How do they bring about their own suffering? By ingesting one of the most foul substances known to fishkind; fermented Nasty Nasty Kelp Juice. This foul concoction is guaranteed to revolt the beholder and cause the drinker to wish that not another grain of salt ever finds its way onto their tongue again. At religious ceremonies, the Connectionists will gather and take turns drinking shots of Nasty Nasty Kelp Juice from a grand cauldron, all for the greater good.

Webweaver’s Bane

Webweaver’s Bane is a cult of nutjobs that believe the Nasty Nasty Kelp is sacred. They refer to the Kelpweavers as Webweavers to paint them as villainous (to little effect at all), and title their own organization as the Webweaver’s Bane, seeking to bring down those who disturb the most holy Nasty Nasty Kelp forests. Despite their best efforts, the Kelpweaving industry is more lucrative than ever. This is likely due to the fact they have hardly any money, resources, or structure; just a single place of meeting in a remote kelp forest nobody visits because frankly, it just smells too horrible for even the most devoted Nasty Nasty Kelp reverers.

Approved! Please add it to the Waters of the World. Also, please explain the functionality of underwater road salt to me next time we chat.

Two things
1:


It mostly sounds good but since you're writing on my behalf I feel like I should clarify a few things. First, the region was confederated by me for trade reasons and later rebelled because of unruly clergy (thanks to a lack of writeup). Second, I've historically used Shiv'rchins to satisfy my exotic creatures requirements, assuming they were sea urchins whose spines could be broken off into shivs. Lastly, Shimmers of Unseen Bane is a player religion created by Torv and spread by the Menagerie I'm pretty sure you knew that but just in case.


2:
I'd like to propose a Miracle:
Stress Hardening
The powers of the Effulgent Witnesses have been in the world some time now, their union of the flames of the depths of the world and the life of seas above has grown tighter and more controlled, and they have learned to deal with the strain of their powers. Theirs is a quiet strength, but it will be all the more necessary in the days to come. The world, more than ever, needs to be protected from those that would despoil it.
Effulgent Witnesses may use their enhanced stats once per turn without penalty

This would be acceptable as a Miracle targeting Pfilgol's Core Fragment and its holder, but not as a Miracle targeting all Effulgent Witnesses. Miracles targeting all title holders are unlikely to be approved unless they focus primarily on making it easier for the title holders to reach out and collaborate with each other. The main mechanism for improving your title-related abilities remains refining your Core Fragment.

Getting the mechanics side of stuff out early for feedback:

Faith, Great Project: Destructive Interference
-1 to any Song Actions in Nanuuq (R82)

Military 5, Recruit General: Crusher of the Masses
Can only be used at depth two or deeper (-x)
+40% enemy casualties (+6)
+30% own casualties (-2)
+12 to enemy leader loss (-2)
+? to allied leader loss (+x)

That works as a Great Project!
For the tactical doctrine X = 2, yielding:
Can only be used at depth two or deeper (-2)
+40% enemy casualties (+6)
+30% own casualties (-2)
+12 to enemy leader loss (-2)
+4 to allied leader loss (+2)

Resource Writeup Submission for Region 12 (Given with permission by Corona as she writes up the rest of the region)

Crystal Chips:
Crystal Chips are an invasive and potentially ecologically devastating naturally occuring substance. A strangely mutated form of Aragonite crystal that grows in the region, it seemingly multiplies itself over and over again, and consumes all that unfortunately cannot get out of its way. Similar in nature to Kudzu this crystalline aberration is a goldmine for harvesting resources so long as you can move your cultivating operation out of the way and or don't care about the safety or livelihood of your miners. This substance is sometimes thought to be sentient by those locals who have observed it over time, as it waxes or wanes and continues its inexorable tide onwards, and yet scholars vehemently disagree after researching it and instead ascribe the locals to simply anthropomorphizing a powerful force of nature that they can curb but not completely erase. Its name derives from the way that it grows, for the substance when not harvested is noticeably brittle, and can easily chip off fresh pieces which when left unattended will spread the Crystals even further. Careful processing after harvesting is required from these crystals or else the processing plant will become overrun by the very substance it wishes to reap benefit from.

I like it! And it definitely satisfies Indah's Embrace, although it won't satisfy farothel's glass requirement.

Write up of colony region 192:

resource: metal (after ABS prospect)
desired import: Glass

Name: Raninoida

Spoiler: Geography

Show

An old waste region, the region still has the signs of the cleansing. Great holes into the earth were made to bring forth the cleansing fire and those fires created hills and filled holes. Lava still flows at times, depositing new minerals in the region. The places where there isn't any lava are mostly mud. Some bushes of Eye Weed have been moved to filter the air enough to place villages, but it would take a while for cities to form here.

Spoiler: People

Show

The settlers are people from the Hymenocera Expanse, from all peoples that make up the Expanse. As this region is also toxic, most come from Lupomata.

Spoiler: History and Government

Show

There is not much government, although there are some nobles (mostly second and third sons and daughters) who went there, as well as some scribes. The government is set up just as in the rest of the Expanse

Spoiler: Resources

Show

The lava brings forth many useful metals that are sorely needed all over the expanse.

The towns in the colony aren't wealthy, but they like to display glass. Either as pieces of art or to actually put things in, everybody likes some small things somewhere in their house.

Spoiler: Faith

Show

The colonists have taken their Uplift Reverence faith with them. So far there is only one site, the starting point of the lava vents to make the region habitable. Although the Abyssal Stewards had done this, some of the techniques they used where so ancient they could have come from the ancestors, so a small shrine has been set up on that site.

This looks lovely so far! I'm excited to see how you expand it.
Geography: Hydrothermal vents were what the Stewards used to cleanse this region. The called forth the Ventroots from the Core of the planet, then used the expulsions to create the Ashan Nachal (Smouldering River). You can also use lava in addition to the vents if you want! But I would like to see some mention of the hydrothermal vents and the river of scalding water that runs through the region.
People: Could you perhaps describe what the biggest settlement in the region looks like? Where is it located? Why did these people want to move here? What jobs or opportunities are available for them?
Resources: The Stewards have the unique ability to grow hard metals from the excretions of their hydrothermal vents. It would not be brought by lava.

Theoretical faith based 30 Size 4 Bonus

Heir To Plastic
Fluff based on the idea of the holy substance, produced in part by Pollution, and able to be wrapped up in certain devices, and the ability to more easily interact with such things.

Permits actions and troop movement across toxic (red) borders. Once per turn, you may use the Industrialized Investment ability as if you were a Titan Of Industry. (If you are already a Titan Of Industry, you may use Industrialized Investment an additional time in the same action once per turn.)

A size 4 bonus is intended to be equivalent to a tier 2 tech effect. Here, you're trying to combine a tier 1 tech effect (Toxic traversal) with something that I wouldn't allow even as a tier 2 tech.
I would urge you to keep exploring more Mantlecracker techs if you're looking for something to improve Industrialized Investment. Titan of Industry mechanics are likely to be improved by the Titan of Industry upgrade path.

[Aerin]

Writeup for Shimmercoral to put into Parikao's waters of the world section.

Spoiler: Shimmercoral

Show

Found in great quantities near the crystal spikes of Parikao, it almost seems as though many smaller jewels are growing off this branching coral, which comes in pink, light blue, and mint varieties. The colors of these jewels are almost always the same as the color of the branch coral itself -- maybe blending in was its defensive strategy? Regardless, it is, as a result, highly reflective, but does not appear to give off any light of its own. Taikans have taken a shine to the coral upon being pointed to it by the Stewards, quickly incorporating it into traditional gardens among the decorative plants and stones. Additionally, it can be smashed into a fine powder as an edible garnish, providing an appetizing shimmer to any food it is applied to with a subtly sweet-and-salty taste, or can be eaten raw by organisms with stronger jaws.

Intended to satisfy Spices and Luxuries just to be clear.

Approved! I have a feeling that "pink, light blue, and mint" are soon to be the official colors of the Splendid Miru Miru.

Approval requests for special actions - Costa Sereia
(More fluff to be added, but wanted to get these out there.)

Please feel free to let me know if these are too much/too little when it comes to desired balance. I tried to base effects where possible in line with already approved artifacts/tech.


Artifact: Reliqua of Arete Priestess Earlee
Effect: 1 per round, increase a Sway action by 1


Artifact: Robes of Desderia
Effect: 1 per round, +2 to a Defensive Battle
Blessed artifact of the Goddess of Currents, allowing a leader to influence their motions and patterns to protect allies and disarray foes.


Miracle: Harmonized Currents
Effect: Followers of Brilhinte reduce distance penalties for all non-military actions by 1
Those who align with the tenets of the Seven Divines find themselves in harmony with all the aspects of the seas.


Tech: Multi-pigmented Photospores
Requirements: Photospore Signaling, Dye or Ink resource
Effect: Reduce distance penalty by 1 for Intrigue actions.
Costa scientists have expanded on the function of using dispersed particulate organism to send messages long-distance with stimuli reactions. By infusing colors into a small populace of the microorganisms, more complex messages can be sent with a smaller transmission time.

Reliqua - Approved!
Robes - Approved! This is basically a more flexible Fortress, but doesn't include the bonus to retaining Aristocratic supports and can be stolen like normal for Artifacts ... so it's probably fine.
Tech - Approved! Lux-Glossia would have given you an arm and a leg for this.

Miracle - This is effectively 4 T1 tech effects (one per stat), which is too much. Here are two alternate suggestions. Feel free to suggest revisions or new ideas if neither of these suit you.
1. Followers of Brilhinte reduce distance penalties by 1 for a single action of each non-Military attribute each turn.
2. The Brilhinte Faith Head reduces distance penalties by 2 for a single action of a different non-Military attribute each turn per 7 Brilhinte Holy Sites, up to a maximum of a single action of each non-Military attribute at 28 Brilhinte Holy Sites.

[Epinephrine_Syn]

A size 4 bonus is intended to be equivalent to a tier 2 tech effect. Here, you're trying to combine a tier 1 tech effect (Toxic traversal) with something that I wouldn't allow even as a tier 2 tech.
I would urge you to keep exploring more Mantlecracker techs if you're looking for something to improve Industrialized Investment. Titan of Industry mechanics are likely to be improved by the Titan of Industry upgrade path.

That makes sense, and I figured it'd be worth asking what "once per turn, get 1 GP advanced 1 bit further, for a monetary price" would cost. I understand there's probably very specific reasons with how ToI is balanced that it can't be played around with in that specific way, but my guess was that it was a similar effect to Imperfect Titanic Mimickery, which is currently valued at a Size 3 bonus.

Would this be a "I'd suggest not" on anything at all that interacts with Great Projects? Or just stuff that interacts with them in terms of Cost Reduction? IE, if I wanted to suggest something like "On Project Completion, do X".

Also, could I suggest something like either as a tier 1 or tier 2 thing "You may ignore the tier 1 and 2 penalties of low org reputation", or some part thereof?


(Also, also, looking at org bonuses and ABS, when making something like a Cultural Identity or tech to resist Sacks and Coercions, can I package those together? Could I package together Sacks and Sack Resistance? Get a +2 to Resist Sacks for a tier 1 tech? I'm not sure how all of that works.)


Edit from March 4th: A general wholesale pitch for Heir To Plastic (I like how that sounds close to Heir Of Phaeron, and I hope I spelled that right), though I may alter the name slightly, and given the probable addition of an Additional Member, I'm thinking about an alternate path.

Permits actions and troop movement across toxic (red) borders + "If you have taken at least 1 Military action during a round and have not taken the Recruit A Unit action, you may Recruit A Unit as a non-action once during that round."

For example, if somebody wants to Military - Make a trail of crippled Magaramachi in region 6 (fluff, unrolled) or a Military "Impress" the aristocracy of the Bloodripper Lands action, they could acquire a unit all the same. I figure this is about the same mechanical power as Imperfect Titanic Mimicry while not being an out-and-out clone. Meet a condition, get a unit. Slightly easier condition than Imperfect Titanic Mimicry, but also notably cannot be Min-Maxed and combined with Raise Units to blot out the sun.

[JBarca]

Superior - What a superior writeup! Approved, though would you add a section about the newly discovered Baleen Crocodiles if you plan on keeping them?
Inferior - That native population is really cool, where'd you get them? This is great, and I'd like to see a few sentances describing the local holy site.

I'll be sticking with the Crafter's Coral. Very weird that I forgot to include a Holy Site... Added below.

Calvarnsis Inferior (Region 186)

Spoiler: Faith

Show

The few colonials of the Lux-Glossnian Shades brought with them a version of the Flowing Way that emphasizes one's unique tie to the threads of reality. Individualism is prized and self-exploration is almost as holy as the thalassographic variety.
The Osseum: Deep in the crevices of Calvarnsis, a particular valley holds the Osseum. This structure is a long, tall triangle of massive rib bones interwoven with a variety of smaller, finer bones to create the illusions of a web. Within, a large vent keeps the waters warm and the ceiling charred black. It is considered a blessing if one leaves the Osseum with minor burns. As it currently stands, the Eternal Communion adherents often find that meditation within a structure built of death that is fed with the very lifeblood of the planet can be a profound experience, and many a Kiwa or Mer proudly bears the burns of the Osseum when they return home from a pilgrimage here.

[Aerin]

That makes sense, and I figured it'd be worth asking what "once per turn, get 1 GP advanced 1 bit further, for a monetary price" would cost. I understand there's probably very specific reasons with how ToI is balanced that it can't be played around with in that specific way, but my guess was that it was a similar effect to Imperfect Titanic Mimickery, which is currently valued at a Size 3 bonus.

Would this be a "I'd suggest not" on anything at all that interacts with Great Projects? Or just stuff that interacts with them in terms of Cost Reduction? IE, if I wanted to suggest something like "On Project Completion, do X".

Also, could I suggest something like either as a tier 1 or tier 2 thing "You may ignore the tier 1 and 2 penalties of low org reputation", or some part thereof?


(Also, also, looking at org bonuses and ABS, when making something like a Cultural Identity or tech to resist Sacks and Coercions, can I package those together? Could I package together Sacks and Sack Resistance? Get a +2 to Resist Sacks for a tier 1 tech? I'm not sure how all of that works.)


Edit from March 4th: A general wholesale pitch for Heir To Plastic (I like how that sounds close to Heir Of Phaeron, and I hope I spelled that right), though I may alter the name slightly, and given the probable addition of an Additional Member, I'm thinking about an alternate path.

Permits actions and troop movement across toxic (red) borders + "If you have taken at least 1 Military action during a round and have not taken the Recruit A Unit action, you may Recruit A Unit as a non-action once during that round."

For example, if somebody wants to Military - Make a trail of crippled Magaramachi in region 6 (fluff, unrolled) or a Military "Impress" the aristocracy of the Bloodripper Lands action, they could acquire a unit all the same. I figure this is about the same mechanical power as Imperfect Titanic Mimicry while not being an out-and-out clone. Meet a condition, get a unit. Slightly easier condition than Imperfect Titanic Mimicry, but also notably cannot be Min-Maxed and combined with Raise Units to blot out the sun.

Probably not on cost reduction. "On completion of X-action Great Projects " may work, depending on what the effect you want is.
Definitely not on ignoring Org penalties, sorry.
No, you can't generally lump together different actions, nor an action and its resistance. Exceptions apply if you add restrictions to the action. Example: Mutually Beneficial Arrangements (STC CI) allows 2d8 on Impressing and resisting Impressing, but it's limited to Merchants only. EDIT: Sacks + Coercions would be fine together, as those are both relatively rare actions.
Toxic access on its own would be enough for that faith bonus. This size bonus is intended to be equivalent to a T2 tech. Typically, T2 techs don't stack with their T1 pre-requisites. So while T2 techs have effects that are roughly equal to two T1 techs, the net gain is still roughly a single T1 tech. (I think. I'm still rather new to this. Empire oldies please correct me if this sounds horribly wrong.) I would suggest replacing Echo Chamber with Toxic traversal if you really want to build a T2 related to Toxic things. I was wrong! Toxic traversal + something else is acceptable as a size 4 faith bonus.
As for the Recruit effect, I think that is a decent bit stronger than Imperfect Titanic Mimicry (which is already perhaps a bit too powerful) and thus I won't accept it.

I'll be sticking with the Crafter's Coral. Very weird that I forgot to include a Holy Site... Added below.

Calvarnsis Inferior (Region 186)

Spoiler: Faith

Show

The few colonials of the Lux-Glossnian Shades brought with them a version of the Flowing Way that emphasizes one's unique tie to the threads of reality. Individualism is prized and self-exploration is almost as holy as the thalassographic variety.
The Osseum: Deep in the crevices of Calvarnsis, a particular valley holds the Osseum. This structure is a long, tall triangle of massive rib bones interwoven with a variety of smaller, finer bones to create the illusions of a web. Within, a large vent keeps the waters warm and the ceiling charred black. It is considered a blessing if one leaves the Osseum with minor burns. As it currently stands, the Eternal Communion adherents often find that meditation within a structure built of death that is fed with the very lifeblood of the planet can be a profound experience, and many a Kiwa or Mer proudly bears the burns of the Osseum when they return home from a pilgrimage here.

A bone necromancer's dream home, with free heating! Please add this (and the rest of the region) to the Waters of the World.

[farothel]

Write up of colony region 192 (updated after comments):

resource: metal (after ABS prospect)
desired import: Glass

Name: Raninoida

Spoiler: Geography

Show

An old waste region, the region still has the signs of the cleansing. Great holes into the earth were made to bring forth the cleansing steam and some lava that went with it. Lava still flows at times, changing the landscape constantly. The places where there isn't any lava are mostly mud. Around the ventroots the water is still scalding hot and will stay so for quite some time. The currents take the hot water away from the ventroots and mix it with colder water. Where the currents stop, minerals are also deposited.

Some bushes of Eye Weed have been moved to filter the air enough to place villages, but it would take a while for cities to form here.

Spoiler: People

Show

The settlers are people from the Hymenocera Expanse, from all peoples that make up the Expanse. As this region is also toxic, most come from Lupomata.

The main town in the region is at a spot where four of those currents meet each other. While conditions can be rough depending on the currents and other circumstances, this is the place where most minerals and metals are deposited, so here is where the biggest mining takes place. Most people here are miners working for and with the Abyssal Stewards, as well as supporting functions. A small garrison is also set up here, mostly for the engineers helping to set up the colony and the town, but later for regular troops.

Spoiler: History and Government

Show

There is not much government, although there are some nobles (mostly second and third sons and daughters) who went there, as well as some scribes. The government is set up just as in the rest of the Expanse

Spoiler: Resources

Show

The hydrothermal vents bring forth many useful metals that are sorely needed all over the expanse.

The towns in the colony aren't wealthy, but they like to display glass. Either as pieces of art or to actually put things in, everybody likes some small things somewhere in their house.

Spoiler: Faith

Show

The colonists have taken their Uplift Reverence faith with them. So far there is only one site, the starting point of the lava vents to make the region habitable. Although the Abyssal Stewards had done this, some of the techniques they used where so ancient they could have come from the ancestors, so a small shrine has been set up on that site.

[Epinephrine_Syn]

<Bigger> Is Better

[Size 4 Faith Bonus]
Fluff: “This turn I’ll summon a larger and larger man, which will allow me later on to summon an even larger man.”

Through the power of Industry, creations of steel can beget more creations of steel. For example, Mawbel builds two Cranes, she can then use those two Cranes to construct a Sky Scraper. Further, the holy vestment of plastic makes one able to breathe the substance, and all other similar toxic fumes in, as if they were your average seawater. Through the creations of others this can manifest as small mechanical duplicates or grafts, but for Mawbel herself it makes her armies entirely inhuman when they aren’t out and out mercenary, and who cares if those die a turn later.

Mechanics: You can use a Military action to recruit one military unit. You may take actions and troop movement across toxic (red) borders. If you recruit two or more units in a turn, you receive one extra unit.

[Frostwander]

Reliqua - Approved!
Robes - Approved! This is basically a more flexible Fortress, but doesn't include the bonus to retaining Aristocratic supports and can be stolen like normal for Artifacts ... so it's probably fine.
Tech - Approved! Lux-Glossia would have given you an arm and a leg for this.

Miracle - This is effectively 4 T1 tech effects (one per stat), which is too much. Here are two alternate suggestions. Feel free to suggest revisions or new ideas if neither of these suit you.
1. Followers of Brilhinte reduce distance penalties by 1 for a single action of each non-Military attribute each turn.
2. The Brilhinte Faith Head reduces distance penalties by 2 for a single action of a different non-Military attribute each turn per 7 Brilhinte Holy Sites, up to a maximum of a single action of each non-Military attribute at 28 Brilhinte Holy Sites.

I would be happy with the #1 effect for the miracle. I'll write that into my IC post. Thank you.

[Grim ranger]

Spoiler: Region 53 - Soliana

Show

Region 53 - Soliana

Spoiler: Geography

Show

A region where great ice flats dominate the landscape while giving way to more pleasant and fertile seafloor spreading out around them, Soliana is a place of contrasts. As the ice periodically breaks from the mass of the flats to float upwards, it is gradually replaced by new layers while the now loose icebergs create gradually ascending, ever-shifting terrain. The currents and environmental pressures creating this peculiar sight are quite unique to the region, giving enough warmth for radiant greenery to still exist between the areas of permafrost. Having long been isolated from most outside waters, Soliana is almost its own self-contained world...but there will always be those capable of breaching the barriers of arctic cold.

While many smaller settlements are spread evenly across the length of the verdant areas of the region, the Living Fortress Besopus is the undisputed center of local politics and greatest focus of Unin colonies. While the temptation to join into the massive network of living fortification is strong, many Unin colonies still act independently, forming the ruling caste of the area while demanding tribute from any other inhabitants.

Spoiler: People

Show

While the Lacertis make up a large portion of the local population, the lizard-like people are generally the inhabitants of village communities rather than lords of entire areas... For the true rules of Soliana are colonies of Unin. There small creatures are individually little but odd mixture of worm and eel, but they rarely ever remain individual: Unin can link their vital functions and minds together by biting each other's tails, often creating colonies of increasing power and intelligence. These colonies use the combined forms of their members as muscles for locomotion and combat both, often weaving themselves through porous rocks and ice to create solid foundations for limbs and to protect themselves from environmental threats. These colonies can grow to be truly cunning and powerful in combat, with one of their number even credited to vanquishing General Kreel during the conquest of Soliana.

Of course, with the conquest of the area by Kar-Nath Hegemony, the combined military might of the Nathi has brought the native inhabitants to heel, although the Nathi are mostly present so far in military capacity.

Spoiler: Resource & Requirement

Show

Resource: Maltreed

A spicy type of reed cultivated by the local population, it makes for excellent spice that goes well with many sorts of food, an easy way to add excitement to even a boring diet.

Requirement: Light Sources

As sources of light are both a religious requirement and useful for growing larger harvests of Maltreed in Soliana, the acquisition of such is seen as an important matter by the locals.

Spoiler: Faith

Show

The local faith of Soliana is one of Veiled Mysteries, playing on the concepts of light, shadow and separation of the two with veils. Their ceremonies often include use of bright light sources and silken veils, the adherents seeking mystical truths that might help to manifest their will upon the world around them. The other prevalent faith of the area is that of the Shroud, hailing from lands of Kenaqua.

These two each hold one of the great spiritual attractions of Soliana. The Shroud has claimed the Ice Stair (HS 1), a slowly shifting continuous route of ice that seems to reach all the way to the surface itself. The Veiled Mysteries are based out of the Tower of Veils (HS 2), the structure generally safe atop one of the massive ice flats. Some say it is actually much taller than one can see, and extends deep into the ice to reveal some grand secret underneath the ice flats.

[Corona]

Tactical doctrine for GM approval:
Punish and Pacify: +4 to battle roll when fighting rebellions

For battles in general, you could get +2 to battle roll, so I'm thinking fighting rebellions is a special case that could be easily rated at half value per point or less.

Also, I'd like to define the unnamed Economy tech introduced in round 17 as giving +1 to buyout attempts, with a resource requirement of precious stones or metals - with the logic that you are simply paying more for the goods or backing your currency with the resource requirement, making it more valuable.

[Aerin]

Write up of colony region 192 (updated after comments):

resource: metal (after ABS prospect)
desired import: Glass

Name: Raninoida

Spoiler: Geography

Show

An old waste region, the region still has the signs of the cleansing. Great holes into the earth were made to bring forth the cleansing steam and some lava that went with it. Lava still flows at times, changing the landscape constantly. The places where there isn't any lava are mostly mud. Around the ventroots the water is still scalding hot and will stay so for quite some time. The currents take the hot water away from the ventroots and mix it with colder water. Where the currents stop, minerals are also deposited.

Some bushes of Eye Weed have been moved to filter the air enough to place villages, but it would take a while for cities to form here.

Spoiler: People

Show

The settlers are people from the Hymenocera Expanse, from all peoples that make up the Expanse. As this region is also toxic, most come from Lupomata.

The main town in the region is at a spot where four of those currents meet each other. While conditions can be rough depending on the currents and other circumstances, this is the place where most minerals and metals are deposited, so here is where the biggest mining takes place. Most people here are miners working for and with the Abyssal Stewards, as well as supporting functions. A small garrison is also set up here, mostly for the engineers helping to set up the colony and the town, but later for regular troops.

Spoiler: History and Government

Show

There is not much government, although there are some nobles (mostly second and third sons and daughters) who went there, as well as some scribes. The government is set up just as in the rest of the Expanse

Spoiler: Resources

Show

The hydrothermal vents bring forth many useful metals that are sorely needed all over the expanse.

The towns in the colony aren't wealthy, but they like to display glass. Either as pieces of art or to actually put things in, everybody likes some small things somewhere in their house.

Spoiler: Faith

Show

The colonists have taken their Uplift Reverence faith with them. So far there is only one site, the starting point of the lava vents to make the region habitable. Although the Abyssal Stewards had done this, some of the techniques they used where so ancient they could have come from the ancestors, so a small shrine has been set up on that site.

Approved! Please add it to the Waters of the World. I love the additions that you've made!

<Bigger> Is Better

[Size 4 Faith Bonus]
Fluff: “This turn I’ll summon a larger and larger man, which will allow me later on to summon an even larger man.”

Through the power of Industry, creations of steel can beget more creations of steel. For example, Mawbel builds two Cranes, she can then use those two Cranes to construct a Sky Scraper. Further, the holy vestment of plastic makes one able to breathe the substance, and all other similar toxic fumes in, as if they were your average seawater. Through the creations of others this can manifest as small mechanical duplicates or grafts, but for Mawbel herself it makes her armies entirely inhuman when they aren’t out and out mercenary, and who cares if those die a turn later.

Mechanics: You can use a Military action to recruit one military unit. You may take actions and troop movement across toxic (red) borders. If you recruit two or more units in a turn, you receive one extra unit.

The fluff here is a little confusing, mostly because you're trying to mesh together two different concepts (toxin filtering and unit production). I would suggest perhaps renaming this as "Assembly Lines" or "Replaceable Parts," and specify that you're using the Eternal Spring's massive industrial potential to mass-produce plastic pieces for filters or military gear. Followers of the Eternal Communion are all about those single-use plastics! Why bother making something durable when you could just make another one when it breaks?

Small note: Skyscrapers would probably be called something surface-related in this setting. Surfacebreakers, maybe?

The mechanics are good, except for "You can use a Military action to recruit one military unit." I understand that this is you allowing yourself to break the policy that you've had so far of not recruiting units. That's admirable! But that's not a game mechanic, that's a personal rule. The inclusion of this phrase in the official mechanics may be confusing to other players. Please exclude it.

Spoiler: Region 53 - Soliana

Show

Region 53 - Soliana

Spoiler: Geography

Show

A region where great ice flats dominate the landscape while giving way to more pleasant and fertile seafloor spreading out around them, Soliana is a place of contrasts. As the ice periodically breaks from the mass of the flats to float upwards, it is gradually replaced by new layers while the now loose icebergs create gradually ascending, ever-shifting terrain. The currents and environmental pressures creating this peculiar sight are quite unique to the region, giving enough warmth for radiant greenery to still exist between the areas of permafrost. Having long been isolated from most outside waters, Soliana is almost its own self-contained world...but there will always be those capable of breaching the barriers of arctic cold.

While many smaller settlements are spread evenly across the length of the verdant areas of the region, the Living Fortress Besopus is the undisputed center of local politics and greatest focus of Unin colonies. While the temptation to join into the massive network of living fortification is strong, many Unin colonies still act independently, forming the ruling caste of the area while demanding tribute from any other inhabitants.

Spoiler: People

Show

While the Lacertis make up a large portion of the local population, the lizard-like people are generally the inhabitants of village communities rather than lords of entire areas... For the true rules of Soliana are colonies of Unin. There small creatures are individually little but odd mixture of worm and eel, but they rarely ever remain individual: Unin can link their vital functions and minds together by biting each other's tails, often creating colonies of increasing power and intelligence. These colonies use the combined forms of their members as muscles for locomotion and combat both, often weaving themselves through porous rocks and ice to create solid foundations for limbs and to protect themselves from environmental threats. These colonies can grow to be truly cunning and powerful in combat, with one of their number even credited to vanquishing General Kreel during the conquest of Soliana.

Of course, with the conquest of the area by Kar-Nath Hegemony, the combined military might of the Nathi has brought the native inhabitants to heel, although the Nathi are mostly present so far in military capacity.

Spoiler: Resource & Requirement

Show

Resource: Maltreed

A spicy crop cultivated by the local population and originally used mostly to instill a feeling of religious euphoria when used as incense or drug.

Requirement: Light Sources

As sources of light are both a religious requirement and useful for growing larger harvests of Maltreed in Soliana, the acquisition of such is seen as an important matter by the locals.

Spoiler: Faith

Show

The local faith of Soliana is one of Veiled Mysteries, playing on the concepts of light, shadow and separation of the two with veils. Their ceremonies often include use of bright light sources and silken veils, the adherents seeking mystical truths that might help to manifest their will upon the world around them. The other prevalent faith of the area is that of the Shroud, hailing from lands of Kenaqua.

These two each hold one of the great spiritual attractions of Soliana. The Shroud has claimed the Ice Stair (HS 1), a slowly shifting continuous route of ice that seems to reach all the way to the surface itself. The Veiled Mysteries are based out of the Tower of Veils (HS 2), the structure generally safe atop one of the massive ice flats. Some say it is actually much taller than one can see, and extends deep into the ice to reveal some grand secret underneath the ice flats.

Approved! Please add it to the Waters of the World. But I do have one small question about Maltreed. You mention that it's both a crop and a drug. Is there some sort of special preparation or cooking process that needs to be done to change it from a dietary staple to a euphoriant? I'm thinking of how barley can be eaten as a food or allowed to germinate and roasted to make malt (which makes beer).

Tactical doctrine for GM approval:
Punish and Pacify: +4 to battle roll when fighting rebellions

For battles in general, you could get +2 to battle roll, so I'm thinking fighting rebellions is a special case that could be easily rated at half value per point or less.

Also, I'd like to define the unnamed Economy tech introduced in round 17 as giving +1 to buyout attempts, with a resource requirement of precious stones or metals - with the logic that you are simply paying more for the goods or backing your currency with the resource requirement, making it more valuable.

Tacdoc: Approved!
Tech: Approved! Do you have a name in mind for this tech? Perhaps Bejewelled Buyouts? Precious Purchasing? Artful Acquisitions?

[Epinephrine_Syn]

The fluff here is a little confusing, mostly because you're trying to mesh together two different concepts (toxin filtering and unit production). I would suggest perhaps renaming this as "Assembly Lines" or "Replaceable Parts," and specify that you're using the Eternal Spring's massive industrial potential to mass-produce plastic pieces for filters or military gear. Followers of the Eternal Communion are all about those single-use plastics! Why bother making something durable when you could just make another one when it breaks?

First, the name is a specific nod to a fluff piece written this turn between me and a faith member, and makes much more sense within the context of that. If it's a sticking point I can change it, but I'd probably want it to be a less generic sounding name.

Second, I may need to figure out a better way to convey this idea, I concede I might be unclear. But the general idea is to build machines that can both fight, and build more machines, allowing for high efficiency in the process. And, further, to use the materials of the machines to help even the mundane creatures (which even Mawbel makes use of, through mercenaries) to survive and even thrive within the Toxic Environments. Can be as large as a Beacon Truck, can be as small as a Paperclip in the hand of a general. All of which resonating with and transmitting to the filter devices on the bodies of all the soldiers to imbue the filter devices with power and help them survive the short term toxic environments they need to to get through the areas.

(I'm still workshopping the fluff, but I absolutely want some justification to use my construction constructs in battle. I dig the general idea of the one-use plastic filter devices though and that helps me guide the fluff some, though see below.)

Also, especially for Mawbel, the Axiom Of Industry, she builds things to last. If something made of plastic breaks down, smelt it down, build it into a new one. Or use it as fodder for some large construct. Or use it as some kind of barricade. She is unceasing perseverance. Even if it takes a thousand years, even if she has to swim ten million miles, even if she has to endure an endless rolling neural collapse, she will devour this existence and win in the end.

Small note: Skyscrapers would probably be called something surface-related in this setting. Surfacebreakers, maybe?

Honestly, I personally feel like the term is more fitting because it's now potentially literal. "Surface breaker" seems like it's only a term we would as humans apply to it because we see the water as below the surface, but to people within the Waters Of The World, everything above the surface of the water is frankly probably as high up in consideration as the Ozone Layer is to us. I kinda do like the term Surfacebreaker though, it is a viable alternative. I can go either, depends what other people think more than me, this is a minor detail.

The mechanics are good, except for "You can use a Military action to recruit one military unit." I understand that this is you allowing yourself to break the policy that you've had so far of not recruiting units. That's admirable! But that's not a game mechanic, that's a personal rule. The inclusion of this phrase in the official mechanics may be confusing to other players. Please exclude it.

Sure, it's there in spirit, and just noted here, there'll be no need to include it in the version I post in my next turn orders.

[Grim ranger]

Approved! Please add it to the Waters of the World. But I do have one small question about Maltreed. You mention that it's both a crop and a drug. Is there some sort of special preparation or cooking process that needs to be done to change it from a dietary staple to a euphoriant? I'm thinking of how barley can be eaten as a food or allowed to germinate and roasted to make malt (which makes beer).

Well, as it is underwater crop, I figured it couldn't exactly be roasted. The description might have been a bit vague, I was just going for spices/drugs angle here, and failed to take into account crop could give different impression.