Overview:
Urd is a world after an apocalyptic war raged between beings from the Outer Spheres and the Gods, with mortals caught in the crossfire. Although the world has begun to rebuild after this war, the world is still irrepably damaged by this conflict - much of the old Empires have been lost, the Gods have been exiled from the Heavens and now walk the world in their newfound madness, the Firmament itself was shattered leaving the sky spider-webbed by cracks like fractured stained glass, and most of civilization huddles in Dominions and Bastions from the monsters of the Wilds. However, rebuilding has begun, and new weapons are forged from the Xhoa as mortals learn to channel the divine power of Ardor. The Age of Reclamation has begun, and mortals are determined to take back their world.
[ic=Tones and Themes]
Grim but Awesome: The Mists of Urd are full of terrifying monsters, deadly landscapes, insane gods, spreading corruption, and all other manner of nastiness. It's a terrible place to live, a shadowy world that was nearly destroyed. However, it's not intended to be depressing. All those horrible things are supposed to serve as challenges, things to overcome to make the heroes seem even more impressive.
Arcanopunk: The idea behind Arcanopunk in the Mists of Urd is to make sure to capture the punk feel of cyberpunk - in addition to Xhaotech mimicking aspects of cybernetics (especially in implants and robotics), one of the goals is to use the gods and their zigguropoli to capture the absolute power of corporations in the Cyberpunk world, with a distinctly fantasy spin to it.
Lovecraftian Gothic Wuxia Weirdness: The overall tone of the Mists of Urd is one that meshes Gothic fantasy and Wuxia action. The setting is dark and creepy but always in a weirdly beautiful way that helps underline the horror. Norms include huge, imposing architecture; most of the Wilds being composed of thick forests filled with mist and mystery; and abandoned cities and towns haunted by monsters, undead, and stranger creatures.
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[ic=Gods] The Gods of Urd are not pleasant beings - at least, not any more. While myth and legends make them out to have once been protectors and shepherds of mankind, that time is long past. Now, after the Eschaton War, the only survivors are insane or tyrants, ruling over chunks of humanity with an iron fist or preying upon them in some fashion or another. In addition to them, some of the Outer Beings that arrived during the Eschaton War remain, conducting strange experiments and pursing their alien goals.
Although the gods of Urd are quite varied, they can be divided into four distinct subclasses:
The Outer Beings: Creatures from beyond the Firmament that shattered it when they invaded, revealing the Inner Spheres and exposing Urd to the monsters that dwell amongst them. The Outer Beings are alien to behold, strange creatures with features not of this world. While their forms are numerous, there are types that can be identified. For example, the Xenohim stand a head above any man, winged, fungal creatures with the the torsos of men, angular heads adored with numerous eyes, six arms like those of insects and ending in delicate hands, and long tendrils that serve as legs. Unlike most Outer Beings, they congregate in groups and are fond of using their strange magics to warp beasts into servitor forms to aid them in pursing their alien goals.
The Outer Beings, in terms of the divine, refer only to the most powerful amongst them, the beings with power to rival the gods directly - powerful enough to be considered gods in their own right. Lesser creatures from the Outer Spheres are simply called Exoterics or Outsiders, and while some serve the Outer Beings, other Exoterics peruse their own goals. Outer Beings rarely rule over Dominions, instead pursing their own goals in isolation in the Wilds, but some do seek mortal followers to impose their will upon. Cults devoted to the Outer Beings are often quite mad, but that madness still takes a methodical form, and they often can answer questions as to their master's motives - though they are rarely willing to betray the dread beings they serve.
However, for their service they are given the tools of the Outer Beings. These devices stand outside of the typical Xhoa / Ardor dichotomy, instead being tools made of flesh and bone and other living matter but given distinctly non-living purposes. If recovered, these tools can be used with some degree of safety by anyone who wishes to use them - although since they are living beings, these tools can be rebellious if they do not like the purposes to which them are being put.
The Carnal Lords and Ladies: The gods that run the Zigguropoli, powerful beings of flesh and blood that only hold a fraction of the power they once did, bound to the physical with the destruction of the heavens. The Carnal Lords are the most relateable of the various god types, since they are bound to the basest of desires - lust and greed and hunger and dominance. The Carnal Lords are all unique in their appearance, but for the most part they look reasonably human, although with additional features such as wings or extra arms or the head of an animal. Most Carnal Lords either look like physically idealized humans with a single feature that is in some way grotesque - eyes that are empty pits, strange scars or scabs, disturbing coloration to their skin, rotted teeth, open sores - some sign of the corruption that grips them. The truly depraved amongst them, the ones that have given wholly over to the corruption, show clear signs of it - only one or two features hold their former beauty, while otherwise they are horrid monsters.
Not all Carnal Lords rule over Dominions. Some lack the power to hold onto one or have been dethroned, and plot and scheme to gain a dominion of their own. Others wander for their own reasons, occasionally taking residence within a small town or city and imposing their will upon it in return for their protection - although such arrangements with wandering Lords and Ladies are temporary. No one knows exactly how many Carnal Lords walk Urd in this fashion, but most scholars estimate their numbers to be less than one hundred. Carnal lords will also impart some of their Ardor into particularly devout mortals, providing them with what is commonly known as Fervor.
In some areas, Carnal Lords looking to hold down a larger area, or lacking the power to hold onto an area themselves, organize into groups call Pantheons, pooling their individual power to accomplish what no single one could.
The Cryptic Gods: The spectres of dead gods. Appearing most often as massive, faceless, semi-solid beings wearing long robes that fade into nothingness, they still possess immense power. Individually, it's possible the Cryptic gods hold the most individual power of any god-type, but they are also the least scrutable. The Cryptic gods rarely reveal their intentions until their plans are made manifest, and it's difficult to discern why they wanted whatever they were doing. They can be found sometimes floating above an area for days or weeks before taking some action - typically destructive - and then moving elsewhere. Some Ur-priests claim to be able to communicate with the Cryptic Gods, while others maintain such a thing is impossible.
The Cryptic Gods are the gods of the abstract, of ideas and potentials. While they have human servitors, those are rare. Spectral entities, drawn from the Xhao to take shape after their passing, are more commonly found around the areas inhabited by the Cryptic Gods These entities are weak and flock around the Cryptic Gods like flies to rotting meat, hoping to get a chance manifest fully on the world.
Although they are powerful, they rarely conflict directly with Outer Beings or Carnal Lords. Whatever insane plan a particular Cryptic God persues, they typically do so while avoiding the Dominions of others where it can be avoided. They are viewed almost more of a force of nature than anything else - their arrival heralds a catastrophe of some kind, a massive change (not always harmful) to the surrounding area, and then they move on.
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[ic=Magic and Technology]
When seeking to work magic, there are two ways do it. Most mortals tap into the Xhoa - a energy source that connects almost things, be they spiritual or physical. There are numerous ways to tap into Xhoa, the three most common being: Xhoatech, the most recent such way, where rigorous scholarship and study, as well as the laying out of formulae, imbues this power into items and tools - including scrolls and tomes. Conjuring, also called Channelling is the oldest, where one taps into the Xhoa through an innate connection, drawing upon its power directly to accomplish great feats. Also, some call directly upon the spirits of the Xhoa, and these spirits can also lend their power to those who can reach them - this method is known as Invoking. A specific type of Invoking calls upon the souls of men and women who merged with the Xhoa upon death. Another method, has been rediscovered in the wake of the Eschaton War, one long forgotten - called Umbra, it involves drawing upon the ideas and potentials within the Xhoa as opposed to the Xhoa itself, using the shadows of potential it casts upon reality.
Ardor, on the other hand, is about imposing one's will upon reality, and how the Gods accomplish their deeds. It does not directly manipulate the Xhoa, although it can impact it - instead, it is sheer strength of one's desire being imposed on the natural order. For the Gods, this comes as naturally as breathing, and is the source of much of their power - for while Gods can manipulate the Xhoa, few see a point - save to wrest souls out of it to punish or exalt them depending on their actions in life. Fervor is the most common way in which Ardor is manifested by mortals - divine will granted to particularly devout mortals, so that they might manifest it in furtherance of the god's goals or their own, so long as their goals do not conflict with their gods. Rumors exist of mortals that display Fervor but claim no divine patron, or claim to worship an idea, but such claims are unfounded. Since the Eschaton Wars, some mortals have begun to learn to impose this will directly as well. Called Ki when used by mortals, their feats are not even close to those of the Gods - yet - but they still accomplish things beyond what Xhoa can do by honing their mind and body into instruments of their will.[/ic]
[ic=Zigguropoli, Dominions, and Bastions] [note=How large are the Zigguropoli?]While size can vary, most Zigguropoli are large enough to comfortably house between 2,000 and 10,000 people, as well as administrative buildings and military buildings, plus sizeable markets and other venues of commerce. Living in a Zigguropolis is pretty much exclusive to the upper echelons of society and their slaves/servants as well as anyone that provides a service those people would desire. A Zigguropolis is never self-sufficent and depends heavily on the city below or nearby to support it - although laying seige to one would be extremely difficult, it is still an option.[/note]The massive city-temples from which the Carnal Lords reign over chunks of Urd, Zigguropoli is a catch all term for any number of structures. The most powerful of the Carnal Lords prefer to use their Ardor to physically wrest their Zigguropoli from the clutches of the ground itself and elevate them into air, leaving them as floating, multi-tiered castles that are testaments to their power. However, others - whether because they lack the strength or they prefer a more creative expression of their power - change the formula.
For example, the Zigguropoli of Lethesda, the Queen of the Black River, sits at the head of the Black River and also is that river's head - made entirely from liquid water given shape purely by her Ardor, holding itself firm enough to be easily walked upon. On the other hand, Drakun, the Forgotten King of the Screaming Grove, has a zigguropolis that sits atop five trees more massive than any could grow naturally, and is woven and grown from their branches. His Zigguropoli is constantly growing, new rooms being added as old ones wither into mulch for the forest below. All Carnal Lords that lack the strength to elevate their Zigguropolis make sure to put as many unique twists on it as they can, to hide if their changes are from a unique quirk or a due to a lack of strength.
Zigguropoli sit over areas called Dominions, chunks of land that are directly under Divine rule (often literally). Life in a Dominion is a trade-off. Mortals within are subject to Divine Law, which in addition to standard laws of include Taboos that are imposed by their gods for various reason. Worship of the local Carnal Lord or Lady is, of course, mandatory. In addition, the clergy of the local Carnal Lord often have near absolute authority within the Dominion - with all the corruption that comes with that. Also, there is always a risk within the Dominion of drawing the attention of the Carnal Lord him or herself, and once that attention is drawn there is little that can be done to protect oneself. However, in exchange for this you have protection - Dominions cover much large areas than most mortals can lay claim to, and the Carnal Lords care enough about having their worshippers safe that monsters are dealt with by a well armed and trained military force that also serves to impose the law - which does offer some degree of protection for ordinary folk.
Bastions Another catch-all term, Bastions are independent city states that serve as points of law and order on Urd, but lack a god to enforce that. Bastions are typically much smaller than Dominions: since they lack the might of a Carnal Lord to enforce their safety, they instead rely on Xhoatech, thick walls, and being much more closely organized to provide that same protection. Typically ruled by a group of men and women with similar goals, some Bastions do have actual Kings and Queens that rule though their bloodline or powerful users of Xhoa or Ardor that, while not quite divine, still offer the "single, powerful protector" aspect that is appealing to those free from Zigguropoli. Also, most Bastions allow worship of whatever within their borders, and do not enforce divine Taboos on their citizens, preferring to spend their limited resources enforcing laws that they actually view as important to the stability of society.
However, there are downsides to living in Bastions. Their rulers are mortal, meaning they see changes more often than areas ruled by immortal beings, and mortals are just as prone to corruption as anyone else. Some Bastions are ruled by outright tyrants who, fearful of being deposed, take the laws to levels of cruelty beyond what even Carnal Lords do. Also, they cannot protect the outlying areas as effectively, so farmers and outlying towns are at much greater risk from incursions from the Wilds. Finally, there is a risk that a Carnal Lord will seek to establish a Dominion from a Bastion, or add it to their existing Dominion. Although such things are not common, they are also not unheard of, and wars between a Carnal Lord and a Bastion are a constant fear.
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[ic=Firmament]
Once, the sky was protected by a great dome known as the firmament. Separating Urd from the Outer Spheres, the firmament was maintained by Ardor and was an implied promise of protection from the Gods to mortals - they would keep mortals safe beneath it in exchange for their worship and service.
The opening salvo of Eschaton War shattered the firmament. Great cracks appeared in the sky as Outer Beings poured through, finally unseating the Gods from the heavens that maintained the Firmament and breaking into the world. This has left the most visable scars of the Eschaton War - the sky appears to have great cracks in it at all times, and as the Sun and Stars move across it their light will often get refracted and cracked. Sunset and Sunrise in particular give the sky the appearance of stained glass.
As the Firmament continues to degrade, it falls to the ground in shardstorms. Such events are dangerous and difficult to predict, as it essentially rains shards of glass upon the ground. However, once the storm has passed, firmament can be recovered and is incredibly valuable, used to make armor and weapons that surpass even the greatest workings of Xhoatech. Since they are divine Ardor made manifest, firmament weapons are uniquely dangerous to divine beings - some theorise that the Gods may even be more vulnerable to firmament weapons than a mortal of similar power would be. As such, it is prized by those who would hunt the gods - and the gods often seek it to wield against their kin.
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[ic=Crimson Mist]
When the world was healthy, creatures known as the Fey and the Seelie would flit between their world and ours. They were creatures of mischief, yes, but they were kind and, for the most part, any harm they did stemmed from not understanding how fragile mortals can be. Like so many things, that changes in the Eschaton Wars. With the land poisoned and corrupted so heavily, the realm of Faerie died - and unlike Urd, it is not recovering, but it is simply rotting away.
From the places where the Fey once crossed over into our world, the Crimson Mist leaks through. Gasses expelled from Faerie's bloated, foetid corpse, the Crimson Mists are now home to the creatures we once knew as the Fey. These creatures are horribly corrupted by the death of their world, their appearances warped into twisted mockeries of what they once were. They now seek to inflict pain and suffering upon all who dwell on Urd, blaming them for their current state. Such excursions are extremely dangerous, as the most powerful former lords of the Fae have an innate mastery of Xhoa that put them on par with lesser gods.
However, venturing into the mists is not without its rewards. Passing through the dying lands of the Crimson Mists provides ample opportunity to plunder the Fay's treasure holds. In addition, those seeking to access the Outer Spheres can find passages through this sick and twisted land, since the shattering of the firmament has also weakened the barriers that once kept those worlds separate from here as well.
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[ic=Organizations and Faiths]
Reclaimers:
The Reclaimers are a loose-kit organization. In fact, calling them an organization might be a bit generous. The Reclaimers, collectively, are those who seek to beat back the Wilds and reclaim it for civilization. They share information amongst each other and come from all walks of life - and often have very different views on things beyond their shared goal. Many Reclaimers are opposed to the Gods, wanting to drag them down as well, but will grudgingly work with the faithful as they acknowledge that the gods, while a problem, do at least maintain civilization in the face of encroaching wildness.
The Order of the Onyx Blade:
Founded by the Church of Blessed Shadow, the Order of the Onyx Blade is an organization that is dedicated to enforcing order, where ever it can be found. Willing to work with any group that upholds some semblance of law, the Order of the Onyx Blade also has their own very basic laws they will happily go to communities that lack clear law and order and enforce - although they will not do so where they clearly are not welcome. Despite the fact that they would be willing to work with most gods to enforce order, they often are not welcome given their ties to a religion that denies the need for the divine.
The Legion of Incipient Heretics:
A tight knit organization, the Legion has one simple goal: to see every God torn from power or dead. While its members acknowledge that such a goal is likely to never fully be obtained, their overall mission includes forcing gods into less brutal policies against their followers, and focusing their attacks on the gods that will not back down on these aggressive policies. Called mockingly by some "The Heretics without a Cause," the Legion often seems unfocused in how they accomplish their goals, but their hit and run tactics have been effective in times in enacting change.
The Church of a Thousand Saints:
Before the gods went mad, thee saints were mortals who who were venerated for upholding the ideals the Gods stood for. Now that the Gods are mad, these men and women are venerated as representatives of the ideals that we should not abandon just becuase the Gods have. Often tolerated by the Gods, since they still in a way worship them (if you don't look too close), members of the Saints are often healers or protectors, striving towards peace in the face of greater dangers - and hoping to be able to one day guide the gods from their madness and back to sanity.
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[ic=Xhoatech] Xhoatech is a particular manifestation of the Xhoa, devices wrought from it. Samples below:
Xhoatech Tools
For the common person, Xhoatech is most often seen in the various tools that it creates. Most of these are quality of life additions, that make routine tasks easier or quicker or safer. The examples below are just a small amount of the wide variety of tools made from Xhoa
Crawlstars One of the simplest and yet most important tools Xhoatech has spawned are Crawlstars. They are small globes of light that, as their name suggest, crawl constantly to provide the best lighting possible. Virtually useless outdoors, where they will just move away from each other constantly, Crawlstars are massively important in the homes of the upper classes and the halls of Zigguropoli and within the walls of the Bastions, where they have removed the tyranny of the day/night cycle. A recent improvement to Crawlstars allows them to recognize if someone is sleeping or attempting to do so and dimming their light, ending the tedious task of collecting them every night.
Mass Scribe Another device that completely revolutionized life on Urd, the Mass Scribe is a huge, false eye attached to an apparatus made of hundreds of tiny mechanical hands holding pens. It can look at written documents and the hands can reproduce it with near perfect accuracy, although the writing is always strangely imprecise, and a strange flaw in the process causes them to occasionally insert random words into the text from time to time. Nevertheless, it has allowed the written word to reach the masses, and this change has been so drastic no one minds that texts will occasionally contain such utterances as "The End is Nigh", "They Burn," "Dusk Will Fall," or other such nonsense that are clearly artefacts from other documents.
Clawbow While nowhere near as revolutionary as the above, the clawbow nonetheless is a common tool among theives and adventurers. A simple design externally, a clawbow looks like an egg attached to a cylinder with a handle. When squeezed, the egg unfurls into a five spaced claw and is launched from the cylinder at phenomenal speeds, attached to the base cylinder by a rope or chain. Once it impacts something, the claw attempts to grab on, and then quickly reels in - pulling either target to user or visa versa. Used most frequently to reach higher places or across chasms, clawbows are also are also used to grab items through open windows and even by some as a weapon to draw an important target out of a protective position.
Xhoatech Vehicles
Xhoatech Vehicles have not yet completely replaced animals as the primary means of transportation on Urd, although some suggest that is coming one day soon.
Skittering Carriage: The most commonly used vehicle on Urd, the Skittering Carriage is designed with personal use in mind. It sits on its eight spindly legs – spread wide from the center for greater stability. The body of the most common models are a simple flattended cylinder with tapered ends and a depression in the middle for passengers (it can house two). The driver and passengers are almost completely exposed, with only a simple canvas dome that can be stretched overhead on rainy days. While the poor cannot afford a Skittering Carriage, relegated to still rely upon beasts, their use is becoming more and more common. A simpler model, Skittering Chariots, only have four legs in the front with wheels in the back. Slower and less stable, the drastic reduction in costs by halving the complexity does make this particular vehicle more accessable to the common person.
Hawkskiffs: The simplest flying vehicles, a hawkskiff is a simple glider held aloft by kinetic energy put off by its core. Lean and able to carry only a small pay lode, hawkskiffs still are revolutionizing travel and warfare. Smaller models actually flit within the larger halls of some Zigguropoli, while larger ones are used to travel the spaces between isles. A common tactic has been mounting a shardbow (see below) to the frost of a hawkskiff as a crude military vehicle, while others are equipped with massive clawbows (see above) to hunt aerial creatures.
Xhoship: Much larger than hawkskiffs, Xhoships more closely resemble sailing ships with wide domes over their tops and the sails set to the side. Used to travel between isles, to the Mists of Urd, and even among the Inner Spheres, Xhoships are impressively large, some surpassing even the largest sailing vessels. One of the few pieces of Xhoatech that the gods have adopted, some are even small Zigguropoli in their own right. Most famously is Khyndriel, the Mother of Nomads, who's Xhoship The Lost Path can darken the sky above some of the smaller isles.
Xhoatech Weapons
Weapons forged with Xhoatech far surpass anything possible by their more mundane counterparts, and while they can always trace their origin to a particular mundane weapon, their function often goes far beyond what one could imagine by looking upon it. As before, this is just a small sample of what's possible. Note that, in addition to the below, virtually any weapon can be found with a simple "Xhoaforged" version that just adds the power of Xhoa directly to a weapon's power.
Melee
Bilash: The bilash uses technology borrowed from the Clawbow to create swords with incredible reach. Worn more as gauntlets than held as weapons, bilash respond to their wearers thoughts to a degree - they are short swords on the end of long chains that expand and retract as their wielder needs in a fight. A skilled bilash wielder will dance to keep her enemies at a distance, out of reach of their weapons, which both plays to their inherent strength and the fact that bilash are poor weapons to have when defending yourself.
Keldmohr: The keldmohr is a terrifying weapon to behold, a sword that is often as large as its wielder. The Xhoatech engine within manipulates the density of the sword during a fight, making it light when being manoeuvred but bringing its full force to bear when striking. It is a difficult weapon to master given the constant adjustments that must be made to its weight, but the immense damage it can do makes it worth the effort of learning.
Spunclub: A brutal weapon, the Spunclub is composed of a series of interlocking gears that grow smaller towards the handle. In addition to the immense weight of the gears, as they spin they make every strike pinch, grab, and rend what the blow. Bladed Spunclubs exist, but break far to often to be a practical weapon.
Arcstaff: A large metal rod ending in two forked poles, lightning dances between the blades of the arcstaff, making it shock as it strikes. Skilled users will trap their foes between the forks, holding them in place with paralyzing bolts of electricity.
Ranged
Autobow: The autobow is a fairly simple creation of Xhoatech. Xhoatech limbs reach into a back placed magazine of darts and hurl them with a force similar to a crossbow's bolts, able to launch between 20-50 a minute. Depending on the model, the autobow can outpace the rate of fire possessed by entire squads of archers manned with traditional bows. Too heavy to be wielded by hand, Autobows are often attached to Skittering Chariots or physically placed to be part of seige.
Diskbow: The diskbow, instead of firing arrows, launches bladed metal disks at its targets. What makes it so threatening is that each disk is guided by the xhoa in the bow, actively seeking out targets to bite into.
Cho-ni: One of the most impressive weapons of war, a Cho-ni doesn't launch bolts or arrows, but busts of energy that vary depending on the exact make of the weapon. Although their effective range is much shorter than a bow or gun, most being able to shoot with a maximum range between 60 and 250 feet, the Cho-ni is still a deadly weapon in the correct hands.
Shredder: This cruel device fires glass shards at incredible speeds, slicing into anyone in their way. Although less effective against armored targets, they can completely shred a crowd of unarmored or lightly armored individuals. A more sadistic version instead fires a cloud of glass ground into dust, shredding eyes and lungs.
Xhoatech Armor:
Of course, the creation of Xhoatech weapons mandates the creation of armor to defend against it. Xhoatech armor is intended to boost the abilities of its wearer significantly in addition to protecting. Xhoatech armor responds to the thoughts and insticts of its wearer.
Living Carapace: Living carapace armor is closer to plate mail in apperance, but moves with its wearer. In addition to providing superb protection, anyone wearing living carapace is faster and stronger than they were before, augmented by the armor's strength. It does come at a cost to mobility, however, as fine movements are delayed as the armor catches up to its wearer.
Half Carapace: Favored by those who desire agility, Half Carapace armor provides some of the strength benefits of Living Carapace but less protection for the arms and legs, allowing them to move more freely at the cost of protection.
Scorpion Carapace: Similar to living carapace, scorpion carapace adds a long tail that will strike at the target of its wearer with every attack. The power to control these attacks means it offers almost no increase to brute strength or speed, however. It is available in a half carapace version, as well.
Thoughtfield: For those who desire mobility above else, the thoughtfield armor is the best option. Composed of a simple vest, bracelets, anklets, and a headband, the thoughtfield armor generates a kinetic field that protects the wearer's entire body. While not as strong as most armors, it provides zero hindrance to movement. Of course, it has a cost - powerful blows against the barrier hit the wearer with psychic feedback.
Archangel Pack: Appearing as a half-oval attached to the wearer's back, Archangel packs can be activated to spread wings that contain Xhoa powered gliders similar to a hawkskitter, allowing the user to fly short distances. More complex versions allow the wearer full control of the wings and include bladed feathers, making it a weapon as well as a mobility tool. Archangel packs offer little to no protection, so are often combined with another armor.
Spider Mail: A suit of mail that also includes gloves and boots, spider mail allows the wearer to climb any surface as if it were level ground, while offering decent protection in the form of a heightened awareness to danger.
Not There: A not there armor provides absolutely no protection, covering them in head to foot with cloth, but instead makes the user incredibly hard to focus upon, fooling even advanced Xhoatech sensors. While it doesn't make the user invisible, eyes want to slide off it and look somewhere else. Fighting someone in a not there suit is nausea inducing, and the fact that it provides no protection against your blows is little comfort when you cannot focus well enough to strike.
Dozeneye Helm: While offering little protection, a Dozeneye helm allows the wearer to see in all directions at once. For those not used to it, it's a sickening experience, but once adjusted to it gives you unparalleled ability to avoid attacks from all directions.
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This looks like a fine setting in the making. Why do you call it the Mists of Urd instead of simply Urd? There's the Crimson Mist leaking through from the faerie world but that one seems to be a minor element and far from the focus of the setting.
Quote from: Ghostman
This looks like a fine setting in the making. Why do you call it the Mists of Urd instead of simply Urd? There's the Crimson Mist leaking through from the faerie world but that one seems to be a minor element and far from the focus of the setting.
Thank! I'm hoping it shapes up nicely over time.
And the reason is really because just calling it "Urd" felt weird. The mists part of the name is meant to evoke the overall Gothic aesthetic - other names that I considered were "The Gods of Urd" and the "The Wilds of Urd," but neither quite got the feel I was looking for. Always open to suggestions though!
Maybe "Urd under Broken Sky"? That would refer to the cracked Firmament, which BTW is an awesome concept.
Quote from: Ghostman
Maybe "Urd under Broken Sky"? That would refer to the cracked Firmament, which BTW is an awesome concept.
I love it, done. :)
And thanks. I really believe that if a setting can have something that makes it immediately apparent you're in another world, it should. The cracked firmament came from a dream - the full details faded, but the mental image of a sky that's cracked like glass stuck pretty vividly with me when I woke up, so I pretty much had to put it in.
Quote from: Xathan
Quote from: Ghostman
Maybe "Urd under Broken Sky"? That would refer to the cracked Firmament, which BTW is an awesome concept.
I love it, done. :)
Or maybe just "Under a Broken Sky"? When my eyes see Urd Under a Broken Sky my brain reads it as Udder a Broken Sky. Probably just me.
Urd: Beneath the Broken Sky?
Quote from: HippopotamusDundee
Urd: Beneath the Broken Sky?
Beneath the Broken Sky? some good alliteration there.
I couldn't stop seeing "Udder" after you pointed it out, and I do love alliteration, so Beneath the Broken Sky it is. :)
I can't do a good job of summing up how I feel about this setting because it's so dense, but I am really loving all of the high weirdness that suffuses it.
Xathan! I'm loving this setting, I need more! Tell me about the creatures in the mist, the people and the possible adventures contained therein. Who are the mortal power brokers? Contrast that with the average joe. What is a day in his life like?