(http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s98/mattlarkin_01/badges/bronzebig.jpg)
RacesHumansHumans are the most common race in the world, mostly due to their greatly varied diet compared to the other races. Most humans vary in height from 5' to 5'5" for men, 4'7" to 5'1" for women. Some cultures have higher average heights due to greater agriculture and the children of demi-gods are similar in size to modern humans. Skin color starts out a deep reddish tan in western side of the continent and slowly darkens to coal black as you go from west to east. Hair is usually black or sometimes a shade of brown. Sometimes reddish hair will appear in areas where humans and neanderthals have lived close to one another for a long time (a result of inter-breeding).
The main advantage humans have over the other races is their diet. Humans are omnivores who can eat nearly anything allowing them to spread far and wide with little worry about finding a sustainable diet. This has allowed humans to spread from the southern coast up alongside the mountain range that divides the continent from west-east and out along the north-western coast. An age ago humans passed through the mountains and now are the main inhabitants of the marshes and wetlands to the east of the mountains.
Aquatic HumansThis sub-race of humans has slowly been adapting to a more aquatic lifestyle. They all live along the southern coast.
NeanderthalsNeanderthals are very similar to humans though larger and stronger. They have roughly the same average height as humans varying in height from 5' to 5'5" for men, 4'8" to 5' for women.Skin color is predominantly pale but sometimes deepens to a olive-tan, hair is universally a shade of red or reddish-brown. Neanderthals are much wider then humans, they have conical ribs with bigger lungs as well as thicker bones and a more powerful musculature. This makes neanderthals significantly stronger then humans in terms of raw strength and physical endurance. This build has left the neanderthals with some drawbacks mainly being they require double the caloric intake of a similar sized human. This is even more troublesome due to their diet which is strictly carnivorous.
Neanderthals can be found throughout the mountain range that divides the continent in half. In the northern side they live mostly in the large plateau and around the salt flats found in said plateau. A large neanderthal population can be found in both Easthold and Westhold. In the south-eastern and northern coasts there are a large number of neanderthal villages who live mainly off of whaling and fishing of the various massive sea animals that can be found in the oceans.
Neanderthals can interbreed with humans and sea neanderthals.
Aquatic NeanderthalsA sub-race of neanderthals that live along the coasts.
CoparlThe coparl are a race that has limbs all of equal length. This allows them to walk upright on two legs or on all four limbs. Standing on two legs the coparl are the tallest race averaging from 5'7" to 6'2" in height for both men and women. Their hair ranges in color from dark gray to gray-brown while eye color is always green, blue or gray. The coparl are herbivores who eat the same vegetation as the animals they herd as well as dairy gleaned from these animals.
The coparl live only in the western side of the mountains in the great plains, savannahs and foothills that cover the land. They are pastoral or nomadic as a people, depending on which animal their clan sees fit to raise. Most coparl do not like water deeper then they can wade through so they are seldomly seen along the coasts or in the marshlands on the east side of the mountains. The reason for this is because of the low amount of body fat on the coparl (almost none), the coparl do not float like humans and neanderthals; essentially they sink. While the coparl are closer in number to the neanderthals then humans they occupy the largest area of land, larger then that occupied by humans and neanderthals combined.
Do the Copari have a "prefered" set of limbs(right handed)?
Are all four limbs hands or are there limbs that cant grab/wield?
Basically I am wondering if they can swing through trees like an ape/monkey... :)
I like this... this looks good.
Is the height of copari mostly due to the length of their limbs or their torso? That is, do they have short limbs and a long torso, the opposite, or something in between?
>>Sea Neanderthals
A sub-race of neanderthals that live along the coasts.
Do they have gills and breathe underwater?
Or do they just live by the sea??? Which I don't see how that would justify a separate "racial" category. Did you mean "ethnicity/culture" ?
I'm worried about the aquatic sub-races here. Evolution is a sow process, and while there might be cultural adaptations to living near water constantly, physical traits would be contrived, in my opinion. Something else you should look at is the extinction of the Neanderthals in real earth history, as it's less obvious than you might think. I just took a unit on human evolution in my anthropology class, so I'd be glad to lend my expertise in this matter.
The other thing you should really watch, and this applies only if this world is intended for gaming or fiction and not just as a creative exercise, is the potential for conflict and adventuring. I tried very hard to build a setting with a primitive technology level, and there are big problems that aren't always seen coming. A big one is travel, since most early cultures rarely traveled beyond their territories once attaining a level of agricultural self-sufficiency. If you'd like help on this, I can pass on my experiences, but I thought a warning would be appropriate so you can attempt to avoid stumbling blocks later on.
Good luck though, hope this works for you.
Quote from: LathAre all four limbs hands or are there limbs that cant grab/wield?
I like this... this looks good.
[/quote]
>>Sea Neanderthals
A sub-race of neanderthals that live along the coasts.
Do they have gills and breathe underwater?
Or do they just live by the sea??? Which I don't see how that would justify a separate "racial" category. Did you mean "ethnicity/culture" ?
[/quote]
The other thing you should really watch, and this applies only if this world is intended for gaming or fiction and not just as a creative exercise, is the potential for conflict and adventuring. I tried very hard to build a setting with a primitive technology level, and there are big problems that aren't always seen coming. A big one is travel, since most early cultures rarely traveled beyond their territories once attaining a level of agricultural self-sufficiency. If you'd like help on this, I can pass on my experiences, but I thought a warning would be appropriate so you can attempt to avoid stumbling blocks later on.
[/quote]
Good luck though, hope this works for you.
[/quote]
Thank you, much appreciated :D
Can imagine the copari would have trouble reaching tools and such if their arms are short? But i like the mental image of them changing mode of locomotion.
Magic, Gods and Religion
Magic
Magic is a real force in the world. Those who gather enough will and determination to wield this force have shown abilities beyond their mortal ken from flashy destructive powers to more subtle and far reaching techniques. Very little is certain about magic save that it is intrinscally linked to a persons soul.
Mortal magic has its limits, it cannot conjur up great beasts from thin air or animate the dead. Most battle magic is the application of focused energy, rays of light, heat or kinetic energy. Other then these a lot of magic is the direct manipulation of the physical world by growing plants extremely quickly, refining materials and other such applications.
Religion
Religion is prevalent in the world, every culture and group of sentients from the simplest group of cave dwellers to the sprawling metropolis of the Rex and Dominii tribes worship. While scripture, doctrine and rituals are diverse and often contradictory a few things are universally agree'd upon. All living things have souls (plants, animals, fungus, etc...); Souls are made of raw magic (not a physical thing); Souls are dull and useless unless mated with intelligence and sentience; When a sentient dies this person has three choices, enter the heaven any God willing to claim them, reincarnate in a new body without memories, disperse into raw magic.
The Gods keep score of how many souls they've amassed into their respective heavens. They play a game with the souls of mortals who's rules are beyond mortal knowledge and often at the expense of the mortal in question.
Because souls are made of magic they cannot be directly manipulated by this medium, this means souls cannot be taken or removed from heaven and placed into objects or creatures, souls cannot be ripped from a body except by death and souls cannot be influenced by magic.
Gods
Gods have existed long before the land cooled from its molten splendor and the oceans ceased boiling. However, it is only in the last few thousand years that the Gods have had anything to do with the mortal races. Originally humans, neanderthals and the coparl were dull and uninteresting to the gods, but then the light of sentience and intelligence began to shine in their souls. This caught the attention of the Gods who started to meddle in mortal affairs.
The nature of Gods is well known fact in the world, they are sentient creatures made from pure magic. They fight and bicker amongst themselves while keeping score of how many sentient souls they have amassed. Very nearly all the Gods who interact with mortals encourage their worshippers to travel, expand and convert others to their worship.
Are the gods anthropomorphic?
Quote from: SteerpikeAre the gods anthropomorphic?
Some, it helps in communication. Probably 40-50% of them do. Not even all the powerful ones ether, one of the stronger Gods takes the form of the Sun.
Although others base themselves off other living things. The more "hands off" Gods do less then that, some don't even take a distinct form instead staying abstract, a tinting of the light with a tinkling of chimes, kinda thing.
The Gods have their own flaws and personalities, so they take a form that they like.
Rex Tribe
The Rex tribe started out as a small fishing tribe along the noth-west coast of the continent just to the west of Wrecker's Bay. Adopted early on by a ibis-headed deity, Suria, the tribe continued to live calmly. Soon after a second settlement, called Sur to honor their deity, was founded to the south in coparl lands to be used for agriculture, knowledge given to them by Suria. Nearly 75% of the population moved to Sur abandoning their traditional livelyhood of fishing.
A hundred years after Sur was founded invaders came from the west. The invaders were physically huge, often wearing large grizzly pelts and worshipped Arcturus, a minor deity of fury and fighting. Sur was captured but not without some of the farmers being able to escape, the refuges spoke of how the invaders had sharp metal weapons unlike anything they had ever seen before. The invaders, called the Bardens used the captured Rex villagers to start mining copper and tin ore, an abundant resource in the grasslands.
Over the next twenty years a guerrilla war was fought between the free Rex people and the Bardish invaders. While the rebels won several small victories over the years, they were slowly losing. In the twenty first year they managed to free a slave who had been taught how to cast bronze. With the help of Suria this free'd slave, known as Ryl, created seven bronze khopesh that aided in the channeling of forces, allowing their wielders to let loose vicious beams of heat or force. The seven wielders became the first Rex magi who killed all Bardish invaders, save for a few who managed to escape.
These seven figures: Ryl, Rast, Yvonne, Zannex, El, Myr and Gelgan became heroes to their people, and their houses became the seven Houses of the Magi. Over the next generation the seven, blessed with longer life by Suria for free'ing their people, oversaw the expansion of their people with the newfound knowledge of smithing and magic. Soon an organized priesthood formed as the population grew too cast for Suria to interact directly with everyone.
Nearly two hundred years after the Bardish were driven from their lands Myr and a group of scouts were ambushed and killed by the returning Bardish. Blessed by Arcturus these warriors were part man and part bear, rampaging across the country-side they killed Rast in the great Battle of Royen Fjord. Finally the bestial invaders arrived at Sur, Zannex was blinded in its defense and Ryl the Smith was crippled but the new head of House Myr, the great grandson of Myr managed to slay the leader of the bear-men forcing them to retreat.
Soon the priesthood started to advocate expansion so they would never be so vulnerable to invaders again, the working populace agreed and a campaign of war and annexing soon followed.
Three hundred years later the Rex rule the nothern coast from the edge of the mountains to Forest's Edge in the west, they've annexed large tracts of coparl herd land and have started a mine in the foothills to the east. The Rex have mastered the use the bronze gladius, bronze tipped spears, and large shields originally used by the Frest Coparl. The seven Houses of the Magi are a force to be feared on the battlefield wielding their powerful khopesh foci and often riding newly domesticated horses or chariots.
Cool. Feels very Egyptian.
The name "Forest's Edge" implies a Forest with a capital F. Is it like a massive uber-forest kinda thing?
Quote from: SteerpikeCool. Feels very Egyptian.
The name "Forest's Edge" implies a Forest with a capital F. Is it like a massive uber-forest kinda thing?
Not sure how Egyptian it is, I guess its the use of the khopesh and the ibis-headed god that did it?
As for the Forest, you are correct. A large section of the west is one massive temperate forest. Also the eastern side of the mountains have a lot of tropical and semi-tropical forests.
Coparl Enclaves
Forestbrothers
The Forestbrother coparl live along Forest's Edge, inside the Forest and around the smaller southern Salt Forest. These coparl differ from others in that they heard a type of giant ground sloth. They are pastoral, travelling from several different semi-permanent camps depending on the season.
Camps inside the forest and near the edge often harvest a type of larva to make silk, they gather fruit from natural groves and dig tubers from the earth. Like most coparl they use some kind of thrown implement, in this case short spears and throwing disks. They are the only coparl to build homes from wood.
Hillfolk
The Hillfolk are the most numerous of the coparl even though they occupy less territory then their plains dwelling cousins. Pastoral like the Forestbrothers the Hillfolk herd a large type of goat. From these goats they gather textiles, horn, glue, milk and cheese.
Most Hillfolk live in excavated dens or caves. The Hillfolk use short horn bows to ward off the mountain animals that descend on their flocks, as well as the plains animals who venture into the foothills. Slings are also quite popular as armaments as well.
Plainslanders
The Plainslanders are the only truly nomadic coparl. They wander across the vash plains and savannah of the West. Their chosen animals to herd form a symbiotic relationship, large wooly triceratop-like creatures called Woolies and a large kind of mammilian snake known as wolf-snakes. Woolie fur is sought after around the continent for its softness, durability and resistence to wet and fire.
Most Plainslanders use slings or occasionally throwing spears. Long knives cast from bronze or sharpened obsidian shards are worn by adults. The knives are handy when warding off jaeger-eel swarms. Portable tents are the only type of home ever used by Plainslanders, usually fashioned from textgrass and Woolie fur.
[blockquote=Llum]Adopted early on by a ibis-headed deity, Suria, the tribe continued to live calmly.[/blockquote] This sounds like a great story. Does this happen often? What would it mean to this tribe?
Quote from: Llum... magic ... is intrinsically linked to a persons soul.
So is anybody capable of becoming a mage? or does it require some sort of special soul?
Quote from: LlumAdopted early on by a ibis-headed deity, Suria, the tribe continued to live calmly.[/blockquote]
This sounds like a great story. Does this happen often?
Quote from: Llum... magic ... is intrinsically linked to a persons soul.
Any sentient living being can use magic. Sentience is the only thing required.
Are the gods known universally or are some particular to regions or tribes?
Quote from: TybaltAre the gods known universally or are some particular to regions or tribes?
Gods tend to be known regionally, unless they're worshipped by someone of great reknown or infamy. So a village would know its God, most likely a lot of the local gods that are worshipped by close villages, maybe a God or two from large towns or crossroads nearby.
The most famous god is probably Dominii, due to the huge debacle that was his attempt at conquering the world a few hundred years ago, he also has a tribe and sprawling temple complex named after him.
The main thing to remember is that there are a lot of Gods, they seem to be comming out of the woodwork. They all pick up a local group of sentients and try to get them to conquer the world, this is somewhat successful sometimes, but more often then not it isn't.
Westhold
Westhold is set in the western entrance of the largest mountain pass on the continent. The city is set into the cliffside of a wide gorge with smaller buildings being built up the walls to meet the higher buildings. The most out of place aspect of Westhold is its population, it is the largest, of only three, fully multi-racial cities.
Many humans live in Westhold, it was founded by a small clan of traders as a resting stop in the east-west caravan route. The Rex send missionaries to convert the citizens, the Zwei send young men to seek their manhood and the infamous giant-eaters are sometimes seen passing through.
Exiled Neanderthals from nearly all the clans and groups can be found gathering in Westhold, they offer services as hunters, trackers and guides in the mountains. All that is left of the Frest Coparl keep Westhold as their main base of operation and traders from all the other Coparl groups can be found passing through.
Easthold
Smaller and seedier then its western sister-city, Easthold is the same as Westhold but built into the east end of the mountain pass. Full of marshfolk looking for a better life, crime is rampant in the shanty towns and south-face. Only the north-face, full of merchant houses, inns and constabulary are relatively crime free.
Due to the proximity of the marsh, many aquatic humans and neanderthals can be found nearby, offering to service as guides, shamans, prophets and soothsayers to those entering the marsh.
Sunken Shade
A massive basalt temple, built in a roughly tier pyramid can be found in the darkest heart of the swamps. Over the last 500 years the temple has slowly been sinking into the watery ground, now the only entrance is the former roof dais that formerly towered above the tree tops.
Sparsely inhabited, Sunken Shade is said to be home to the elusive Sanban, forgotten demi-god of black flames and wielder of Somber an ensorceled obsidian great sword. For those willing to risk life and limb the temple is home to great caches of magical items that were created by a forgotten empire. Shatter proof obsidian weapons, cursed fetishes, shadow-bending cloth and much more are hidden away in the temple, under the watchful eye of an aging shadow cult and things that stalk the shadows.
Obsidian weapons are often found in the marsh, scattered all over the eastern half of the continent, some say they are the remains of an impossibly large battle, or many smaller battles. The weapons are all incredibly sharp, shatter proof and ensorceled.
I am definitely enjoying the imagery brought forth by this setting. I think it would be a great place for low-level gaming, and I would expect to see animals and "dire animals" (as in big prehistoric varieties) being the most populous monsters. Something I foresee as a great first adventure would be a party having to kill a large animal to help feed their tribe through the winter.
I would like to know if you intend to use this setting for gaming or for story telling. If you want to use it for gaming, what system are you looking at? Also, if it is going to be for gaming, I think you need more racial options.
Now, that doesn't mean you need to make more races, but I do think each of the tribes could have different statistics to allow for player variety. "Legend of the Five Rings" has different stats for each of the 7 clans, so even though everyone is human there are effectively 7 races. That's just an example.
As for your deities, are they all physical, or are they spiritual?
Quote from: Kapn XeviatI would like to know if you intend to use this setting for gaming or for story telling. If you want to use it for gaming, what system are you looking at? Also, if it is going to be for gaming, I think you need more racial options.
Now, that doesn't mean you need to make more races, but I do think each of the tribes could have different statistics to allow for player variety. "Legend of the Five Rings" has different stats for each of the 7 clans, so even though everyone is human there are effectively 7 races. That's just an example.
As for your deities, are they all physical, or are they spiritual?
[/quote]
The deities are essentually spiritual (being made from magic), but they can take physical form if they want to.
Frest Coparl
The Frest are a sub-race of coparl that are nearly extinct. Physically they are much larger then the average coparl. Thicker musculature, longer arms, longer torso, thicker bones. The Frest are also as a rule more aggressive then normal coparl. As a group they were territorial and violent. However they weren't bloodthirsty, happy to leave once they had proven to be superior in their eyes, they had no need to kill, just win.
Culturally the Frest had three small tribes that migrated near the coast. The first tribe was wiped out by the Rex after several confrontations. The second tribe was reduced to a couple families of survivors. The third tribe was similarly devastated, with roughly a half dozen families surviving. After their destruction most Frest became nomadic wanderers and mercenaries, fighting for food sometimes turning to banditry.
The Frest who live today are usually half-blooded with normal coparl. These inherit the larger frest body plan but do not suffer from the agressive territorial drive of their pureblood relatives, most of the time.
Forge Gods and Forge Demi-gods
Forge Gods are a rare breed, amongst the sentient magics that hold titles of divinity few concern themselves with things other then metaphysical squabbles and the hoarding of souls. A scant few gain an interest in the material world, how it works, what drives it. These usually become Forge Gods, who's knowledge of the material world is immense.
Forge Demi-gods are people of unparalleled genius, determination and focus. They're blessed by the Forge Gods from birth to strive forever to advance their understanding of the cosmos. Technology has no secrets from them; in every leaf caught in the wind they see the laws of gravity, fluid dynamics and so much more.
Kedge's Last Laugh
Kedge was an obscure godling, a barely sentient floatsam of magical. By mortal standards it was mad, it wanted to rid the earth of life not understanding that magic is life. When the first sentient mortals awoke their effect on magic and the gods was too much. They broke what little there was of Kedge's sanity and he began to consume all the life. It was not long before the other gods began to oppose him, but bloated on the life he had absorbed they were only able to slow down his ravenous march across the world.
The Forge God had gathered and tried to create a non-magical way to defeat Kedge. They blessed thirteen mortals with their knowledge. Soon after was an explosion of technology where the newly minted Forge Demi-Gods began to wage war on Kedge. Their weapons were nearly as damaging as Kedge's hunger to the world. Eventually Kedge managed to trap or slay all but three of the demi-gods, but it was too late. Kedge had been mortally wounded, something none of the Gods had forseen and while he was still vital because of his consumed life force he knew he would eventually expire. Dealing lethal blows to two of the surviving Forge Demi-gods he set about his final act.
Bitter with defeat he reshaped the entire earth, creating a continent poor in raw materials so the Forge Gods and their chosen could never achieve their power he then move all the sentient life to this continent. To make his imposed exile last forever he finally sank to the bottom of the worlds ocean's and released all the life energy he had gathered.
Now the oceans are near-impassable due to the raw primal life-forms that hunt the waters, only those of incredible power and luck could escape to more resource rich continents. While not as perfect a prison as Kedge had envisioned, the rare demi-god has escaped it has largely suceeded. Technology is largely left untouched.
Love the Forge Gods, and where they have grown to. The Forge Demi Gods are especially interesting, as your description reeks of an amorality, so I expect to see their brilliance running some interesting cultures.
Dolish Farmers
Deep in the south-west, a weeks journey south from the Forest, are the various holdings of the Dolish people. Essentially human the Dolish have adapted uniquely to their area with its myriad dangers.
Ork'acle and the Bond
Each Dolish community is headed by an Ork'acle, sometimes translated as gods-bond or kings-bond. To further explain this the Dolish Bond has to be explained as well. The Bond is a type of semi-ritual magic invented or given to the Dolish people, what it does is allow them to take on a "bond" wich invigorates certain traits while lessening others. While there are as many as a dozen different bonds, there are some that are more common then others. A final thing to note is not everyone takes on a "bond".
The farm-bond is the most common of the "bonds". This gives a person greater muscle mass, size, strength, stamina and a few other minor benefits. It comes at a cost, farm-bonds must sleep 10 hours a day, they tend to fall into a stupor every 14 or so hours of wakefullness. They think slower, they are no less intelligent, but their thoughts move as if in molassses.
The ranger-bond is the most infamous of the bonds. The most common to be seen by outsiders (i.e the few coparl tribes that wander close enough, and the odd Dominii missionary) the ranger-bond are the hunters, trackers and law enforcement of the Dolish people. The bond gives them enhanced senses, greater agility, speed and removes their need to sleep. The cost however are a shortened life-span, every four score days in bond is like living a year and a half without the bond, as well as reduced resistence to disease and several dietary restrictions.
The Ork'acle, known as the gods-bond or kings-bond, is the leader of any particular Dolish community. The bond allows them to communicate with their Dol, their god, gives them the ability to read emotions and gives them uncanny intuition. The Ork'acle can communicate between themselves by telepathy over great distance.
The greatest danger facing the Dolish people is a small parasite. In part of its life-cycle it must live inside various creatures, and getting this to happen it has the ability to influence their behaviour once infected. Sometimes a large breed of honey-badger that lives on the plains become infected. When they do they enter a berzerk state that can only end on their death, the rampages by these beasts are legendary, so much so that Plainswalker coparl have legends about this area of the world and tend to avoid it. Another aspect is that the parasite can also infect humans, while it does not cause a berzerk state it is a slow poison.
In humans the parasite is very infectious, and if caught unaware can easily wipe out a while community with its wasting toxin.
Dolish horses are a rare breed, the only horses on the continent. Breed to be long of limb, fleet of foot and of great stamina. They are prized all across the west.
I've been meaning to get around to giving you some feedback for some time (as you know). As the bronze age is especially interesting to me, why not start here?
Souls
I like the animism that's at the heart of your "soul system" - everything's got 'em, or at least everything that lives. It goes well with the bronze-age theme, though I do wonder what souls "do" for things like plants and animals if they are useless without sentience (or are plants/fungi/etc. sentient on some basic level?). Can plants and fungi choose where to go when they die? If not, it's hard to see what purpose they serve, since you can't do anything with souls (as you say, they can't be influenced by magic).
In general, I like the framework you've constructed here - gods, the big creatures of magic competing over and gambling for little bits of magic (souls) - but I do question the "immutability of souls." If souls can't be touched by magic (or anything else), can people be raised from the dead? Are there ways to animate dead/golems/whatever, since souls can't be used for this? What I'm getting at is basically utility to the players. Insofar as this setting will actually be used (and I know not all settings are designed for that - my own included), you might want to make the nature of religion and magic more useful to characters. As it stands, knowledge of how souls work and what they are is interesting but useless, because there's nothing you can do with them until you die and get to decide where yours goes.
That's another interesting question - if you don't remember anything when your soul is returned to a new body (assuming you make that choice), how does anyone know that you really can be reincarnated? Have the gods told them? If I were a god in the Bronze Setting, I might tell people that reincarnation is a bunch of lies just so they'd embrace my faith and give their soul to me (and who could contradict me, since nobody actually remembers being reincarnated). Maybe occasionally, someone does return with some or all of their memories? (At least, that's something I've used before to justify why everyone is sure reincarnation is real. But there are lots of other ways to approach the issue, I'm sure).
Gods
Let me first say that the idea of gods only recently taking interest in mortals is something I haven't seen very often, and I think it's a really great idea. It makes sense that the fancies of the gods would only be tickled by actual thinking creatures (though presumably, a soul is a soul - were they gathering mortal souls before that point and just didn't care much about the beings those souls came from?).
This raises the tantalizing question of who created mortals, since the gods apparently didn't (at least, the gods we know about). There is a definite evolutionary vibe here, so my assumption is that the gods created the universe but the evolution of man/neanderthal/coparl was an unexpected consequence, like when you notice something odd growing in your petri dish. But presumably, mortals on this world wouldn't remember that far back - do they all know for a fact that the gods didn't create them? What are their own tales and legends of their creation?
Or is this all something you're planning to leave as a mystery? :)
Rex Tribe
A mix of ancient Egypt and Imperial Rome seems to be the flavor here. Personally, I really like the bear-warriors because they are evocative of norse berserkers (who sometimes were described as only wearing bear/wolf skins into battle and acquiring the strength or characteristics of those animals). It does bring up the question of how influential gods can be in the world - they can't change the soul, but they can affect the body to a significant degree.
As a former politics student, I may be alone in this, but I want to hear about how exactly the leadership of the Rex Empire functions. The priesthood leads, but do they lead through an emperor or other ruler (it's sort of implied that the House of Myr fills this post)? "Theocracy" can take a lot of different forms, so I'm interested in seeing how it works here.
Creatures
I don't have a lot to say on this yet, since we only have glimpses of your wilflife, but I would like to hear more about your creatures - domesticated sloths, wolf-snakes (!), and jaeger-eels(!!).
Kedge
So there's an actual explanation for why this is a bronze setting - it's not that they don't have technological knowledge (presumably the forge gods and their chosen provide this), but they lack the resources to implement it fully. One presumes, then, that technology would expand in other ways - do they have things like windmills, clocks, advanced architecture, and other technologies that don't require iron or special resources? In other words, are we to take "bronze age" literally (i.e., they have no iron) or more figuratively (i.e., their level of technology and sophistication is roughly on par with Earth's bronze age societies)? Previously it had seemed more of the latter, but your mention of the Forge demi-gods (and gravity, fluid dynamics, etc.) makes me think more of the former.
Dolish
How do people go about choosing these bonds - is it like a spell they cast, or magic they allow to be done to them by professionals, or something they pray for?
How are horses used? To me, "bronze age" implies chariots, but maybe they know horseback riding by now?
Quote from: Polycarp!Dolish
How do people go about choosing these bonds - is it like a spell they cast, or magic they allow to be done to them by professionals, or something they pray for?
How are horses used? To me, "bronze age" implies chariots, but maybe they know horseback riding by now?
Ork'acle[/i] bond is usually taken in the last decade or so of life by an elder, the Farm bond are usually taken by younger people for a couple years, sometimes people stick to it for their whole lives.
The Ranger bond is different, it is usually hereditary and most don't take it until they've have at least two or three children. Two other common cases occur, people often take on a "tour of duty" as a ranger bond to serve as a form of pennance. Finally, those who've lost their families often take the ranger bond so they can enjoy the solitude and distance that comes with it.
Quote from: Polycarp!In general, I like the framework you've constructed here - gods, the big creatures of magic competing over and gambling for little bits of magic (souls) - but I do question the "immutability of souls." If souls can't be touched by magic (or anything else), can people be raised from the dead? Are there ways to animate dead/golems/whatever, since souls can't be used for this? What I'm getting at is basically utility to the players. Insofar as this setting will actually be used (and I know not all settings are designed for that - my own included), you might want to make the nature of religion and magic more useful to characters. As it stands, knowledge of how souls work and what they are is interesting but useless, because there's nothing you can do with them until you die and get to decide where yours goes.
Let me first say that the idea of gods only recently taking interest in mortals is something I haven't seen very often, and I think it's a really great idea. It makes sense that the fancies of the gods would only be tickled by actual thinking creatures (though presumably, a soul is a soul - were they gathering mortal souls before that point and just didn't care much about the beings those souls came from?).[/quote]
This raises the tantalizing question of who created mortals, since the gods apparently didn't (at least, the gods we know about). There is a definite evolutionary vibe here, so my assumption is that the gods created the universe but the evolution of man/neanderthal/coparl was an unexpected consequence, like when you notice something odd growing in your petri dish. But presumably, mortals on this world wouldn't remember that far back - do they all know for a fact that the gods didn't create them? What are their own tales and legends of their creation?
Or is this all something you're planning to leave as a mystery? [/quote]
Evolutionary vibe indeed ~~
But who says that the gods created the universe? Maybe they evolved from raw magic? Maybe they didn't? Who would know? (because if even the gods don't know... whats left?)
Now, creation legends vary quite a bit. Arcturus tells people they grew from a spike that he planted in the earth. Most coparl creation myths deal with some kind of fixed creature (shrubs usually, but in a couple cases trees and in once case a pond of algae). Neanderthals actually are kinda guessing they've evolved (because they're similarities with humand and the sub-species thing) as well as they're experience with breeding/domesticating animals.
Quote from: Polycarp!As a former politics student, I may be alone in this, but I want to hear about how exactly the leadership of the Rex Empire functions. The priesthood leads, but do they lead through an emperor or other ruler (it's sort of implied that the House of Myr fills this post)? "Theocracy" can take a lot of different forms, so I'm interested in seeing how it works here.
How are horses used? To me, "bronze age" implies chariots, but maybe they know horseback riding by now?
[/quote]
Horses are used to pull chariots by the Rex Empire, and are sometimes ridden bareback. The Dolish use them as pack animals, but mainly trade them. The bonds replace the need for horses most of the time.
Do the Dolish trade horses to the Rex? Or do they trade them to other groups as something to be eaten?
Would it be more likely for a horse to be seen as food among most groups, rather than a beast of burden?
If they were a food item, would it not be a delicacy since horses are so rare?
Quote from: TheMeanestGuestWould it be more likely for a horse to be seen as food among most groups, rather than a beast of burden?
If they were a food item, would it not be a delicacy since horses are so rare?
[/quote]
Hypothetically yes, but since horses pull chariots and are ridden by what are essentially the Rex nobles, they are rarely eaten. Only if one is hurt beyond hearling. They are infact, too useful and too expensive to be imported just for meat.
The odd exception to his are ships from the eastern side of the continent, they often land to refresh their supplies and hunt wild horses amongst other game. However since the distance is so far, only salted meat has returned to the east.
These easterners sound interesting (if this is a group you've already mentioned.. just not as easterners, forgive my ignorance).
You did say ships, so I'm assuming they're of decent size, and the fact that they're circling a continent regularly is an impressive feat. As well as having enough salt to supply these ships for meat packing.
I'm getting the impression that they are a fair bit more advanced than any of the other societies. Am I incorrect? It'd be cool if you could detail them further.
Edit: I'd also be interested in hearing a bit more about the civilized areas aside from the Rex in general. How are the hold cities governed, are they of significant size?
Quote from: TheMeanestGuestYou did say ships, so I'm assuming they're of decent size, and the fact that they're circling a continent regularly is an impressive feat. As well as having enough salt to supply these ships for meat packing.
Edit: I'd also be interested in hearing a bit more about the civilized areas aside from the Rex in general. How are the hold cities governed, are they of significant size?
[/quote]
Yes, hopefully I can speed up the rate I post stuff. My next post will be about Gods, then after that I'll see if I can do a couple culture posts before I start on the bestiary.
Gods
Most gods have a great interest in mortals, they "collect" the souls of sentients in their afterlife heavens. Gods tend to appear to their chosen people, be it a tribe, single individual or small group and gift them with some things. While their chosen develop they continue to play a major influence in their culture, lives and decisions.
Arcturus is the self-proclaimed god of fury and fighting. When he appeared to his chosen people, the Bardish, he gave them the strength of the large bears that live near their camps. He taught them to fight, to live on the edge of madness and revel in the fury of combat. He sent them east to conquer and they did. Eventually they enslaved the Rex tribe, however due to the intervention of their god Suria and the escape of some slaves they eventually drove off the Bardish conquerers. This drove Arcturus to greater lengths, he started to modify the bodies of some of the Bardish, usually those who won his "tournies".
As Arcturus has done, gods can modify the bodies of their followers. The Dolish have something similar in the form of the bond ritual magic given to them by their god. Changing mortals is simple to a god, however it is not something that they often do. The more a persons body is changed, the more their soul is reinforced by magic. Eventually this makes the changed mortals into demi-gods. After the incident with the Demi-god of Black Flames and the Forge Demi-Gods most gods are loath to make more of them.
Other things that the gods rarely do is lie. Originally the concept was foreign to them, as they do no communicate to each other with words. It is not something they think about, making it possible for mortals to lie to gods. Now most gods tend to hedge their bets when dealing with mortals, too many examples of things not working out.
Some gods however have embraced the concept of deliberate untruths. Some gods make up elaborate creation myths to sway mortals. Swoil a god to several deep-sea tribes of aquatic humans says that he took normal humans after they hatched from the land and molded them to live in the ocean.
Bestiary
Forest's Edge
Kavi Lizard
The Kavi Lizard is one of the most feared predators that can be found in the western continent. They live in large familial packs composed of members from both stages of growth. Physically they are large theropod beasts with large skulls filled with long teeth. Their forlimbs are relatively small compared to the rest of their bodies, but they have powerful legs and a long tail to help with balance while sprinting. The largest Kavi ;izards, in the adult stage of life, can reach to twenty feet in height.
The first stage of life is spent comparatively small compared to the final height a Kavi lizard will reach in its adult form. At birth they are roughly two feet in height and three feet in length, they hatch from large loustrous eggs that resemble pearly leather. In the juvenile stage they grow to six or seven feet withing two years and stay roughly the same height for a further twelve to fifteen. As juveniles they can jump nearly twice their own height, spring long distances and have highly developped eyesight. Juveniles have forearms the same size as the adult form, much more proportional to their body size.
Adult stage begins around fourteen to nineteen years of age. It starts rapidly where the Kavi lizard will grow to its adult size in six to eighteen months. Their forelimbs do not grown leaving them stunted for their new massive size. Their eyesight also detiriorates but their sense of smell is greatly enhanced.
Kavi lizards hunt in packs, the juveniles of the band will drive prey, usually large game such as plains mammoths, gammoths or giant sloths towards the treeline of Forests Edge. When the prey get close to the tree line the adults will storm them in a rush of sudden coordinated attack, and very few things can survive the attack of an adult Kavi lizard. It is unknown if Kavi lizards dwell deep in the Forest or how they hunt their.
A furred species of Kavi lizard, known as the Wooly Kavi inhabit the pine forests of the continental divinding mountain range.
The West Plains
Jaeger Eels
Jaeger Eels are a plague on the Plainswalker coparl. Growing only to one to two feet in length these small, slipper land-based eels are highly venomous. The life cycle of the Jaeger is only mildly understood. Eggs hatch in late winter and the larval stage is spent deep in the grasses hunting insects and small mammals while avoiding larger prey. At the beginning of spring the larva molt into the adult form, long pale blue and somewhat translucent.
The adult Jaeger Eels swarm in massive groups near waterholes and wet patches of grass. They attack prey en masse and strip the poisoned beast to the bone while it spasms from the toxin in their bites.
Wolf Snakes
Wolf Snakes are the largest species of hairy snake, they live in a symbiotic relationship with Woolies, a type of beast raised by Plainswalker Coparl. They are immune to Jaeger Eel venom are are the main predator of Jaeger Eels in both larval and adult forms.
[ooc]The first post in this thread now has the lovely title made by Phoenix.[/ooc]
Salt Tain Clans
The Salt Tain Clans are the nothern neanderthal clans that live in the northern strech of mountains that divide the continent east to west. While there are several different clans they all have a broadly similar lifestyle. Due to the high caloric needs of a neanderthal diet, and their mainly carniverous appetite the clans are small in population.
Neanderthals have tamed and domesticated large flightless birds called Mauks, called so for their distinctive cry. Mauk eggs are a staple in neanderthal diet, being as large around as a big melon. Other diet staples include the semi-nomadic herds of Tainish Elk, massive beasts twelve feet high.
Salt is a major export of the Salt Tain Clans. A large salt flat can be found in the northern mountains, and this flat supplies three quarters of the eastern continents salt. About one quarter of the western continents salt comes from this salt flat.
QuoteA furred species of Kavi lizard, known as the Wooly Kavi inhabit the pine forests of the continental divinding mountain range.
This was a nice touch- especially given the ancient-theme of the world.
Bestiary II
Terratons
Terratons are the heaviest known land animal and one of the largest as well. Gargantuan shelled reptiles, Terratons have an armored shell, tail and hind legs. Their front legs are more thickly muscled but less well protected with smaller scales the size of a small human child. They have incredibly long necks and massive beaked mouths.
Terratons are omnivorous, they live in continental dividing mountains and are regularly seen by the Salt Tain clan neanderthals. Their diet consists of entire trees, the large mountain fauna and occasionally sentients unfortunate to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Terraton is nearly invulnerable from behind, and can weakly defend itself with its armored tail. The real danger is when a creature gets to close to its head. Their necks are incredibly flexible and quite long giving them a reach of nearly twenty feet and are capable of reaching three quarters the length of its body directly behind it.
A larger oceanic Terraton can be found off the northern and north-west coast. They prey on the deadly celaphopods that inhabit Wreckers Bay.
On Making Deals with Deities...
Dominii
The story of Dominii is a warning to all the gods to be careful in their dealings with mortals. Dominii is a vain god, he takes the form of the sun and craves earthly worship more then any other god. Originally he chose a small community in the south of the continent to be his favored mortals. They quickly expanded west into the plains, gathering coparl worshippers and east into the mountains gaining neanderthal worshippers.
The kingdom took its name from its deity and is known as Dominii. Relations were quite good with the Souther Tain Clans and coparl for a century. Soon after Dominii the god demanded grander tribute from his mortal followers, and they complied. They began enslaving those who would not convert to their worship, and using this slave labor force created massive red sandstone ziggurates. Mortal sacrifices were a common event on these ziggurates, from captured slaves by the dozens to willing worshippers.
This wanton excess and slavery could not last long, soon a coalition of the Salt Tain clans, various smaller groups of mortals and the main Plainslander and Hillfolk coparl stopped the militarily weak Dominii kingdom in its tracks. Seeing his mortal kingdom fall Dominii took one last desparate action.
Roland Asphilt was a pirate warlord of some reknown and it was to him that Dominii made his offer. If Roland could save the kingdom of Dominii, he could have anything that Dominii the god could give him. He terms were this, he only wished that the love of his life, recently slain to be resurrected before he began his conquest. Dominii consentent and infused the corpse with massive amounts of magical energy, in essence the energy of life.
This brought back Rolands love, Kataria the Flame, to life, but it did not work as it was supposed to. Kataria was a powerful sorceress in life and infused with magic beyond mortal comprehension she reached out to the source of the power, and took it for herself. This source was the god Dominii, now reduced to near impotence and Kataria returned to life in a blaze of magical fire, earning her the new moniker of Kataria the Phoenix. Kataria is a new kind of being, a proto-goddess whos powers surpase those of regular Demi-Gods but are not equal to those of a fullfledged god.
God of Shadows
Before the eastern half of the continent became a wet quagmire of marshes, jungle and rivers there were two kingdoms that warred with each other. One of these kingdoms worshipped the God of Shadows, the other refused to worship any god. The God of Shadows coveted the kingdom of unbelievers, and offered to make their king a Demi-god in exchange for their worship, the King refused.
The resulting war destroyed both kingdoms. In the final battle the general of the Unbeliever Kings armies, and his lover about to be killed by the opposing kingdoms forces. The King seeing this reached for the God of Shadows and accepted his bargain, and the Demi-god of Black Flames was born. The newly minted Demi-god was too late to save his love and the resulting obsidian colored firestorm wiped out all the survivers, on both sides of the war.
Brooding and misanthropic, the Demi-god of Black Flames returned to his kingdoms capital, the ziggurate now known as Sunken Shade to brood in solitude while the land around him slowly devours his home.
Races: How related are the races? On Earth, humans and neanderthals are very closely related, and your coparl seems apelike enough. Are humans and neanderthals close enough to interbreed (as far as I recall, scientists are still uncertain whether humans bred neanderthals out; I saw one program that said we didn't and one that said we did)? What about coparl? I would say yes on neanderthals, but no on coparl. I do also like the dietary splits, making it so neanderthals and coparls would be less than likely to compete too strongly.
How are you coming up with names? They have a nice organic feel to them.
I like the story of Kedge and the Forge Gods. Did the Forge Demigods leave behind any teachings or artifacts, or were they all destroyed? Are the gods imprisoned on the continent as well, or could they conceivably leave and take humanoids with them?
The Dolish are very interesting. What are some of the other god-bonds that they do? About the parasite: how long does it take to kill? How smart are they once they infect a host? I'm imagining illithid or goauld type stuff here.
Magic: Why is it that magic, which is made of soul energy, cannot affect souls? A pick is made of earth material and it can hack at stone just fine. Just something I'd like elaborated on.
Is a gods power related to their followers, or are their followers simply for their godly competitions?
Bestiary: I'm going to want your help coming up with animals for my setting; you've got some interesting thing. Are the wolf-snakes reptiles or mammals? I love the mixture of prehistoric-like animals (mammoths, kavi lizards) and future evolution type animals (wolf snakes, jaeger eels, terratons). Definitely makes for a unique feel.
Dominii's story is very interesting. I love how gods can be tricked, how they are not omnipresent. It is definitely very classically mythological, and opens you up to many good story elements.
Quote from: Kapn XeviatHow are you coming up with names? They have a nice organic feel to them.
The Dolish are very interesting. What are some of the other god-bonds that they do? About the parasite: how long does it take to kill? How smart are they once they infect a host? I'm imagining illithid or goauld type stuff here.[/quote]Ork'acle[/i] bond. A kind of sailor bond is up in the air as well, maybe a small group of aquatic dolish have their own bonds.
Quote from: Kapn XeviatIs a gods power related to their followers, or are their followers simply for their godly competitions?
Dominii's story is very interesting. I love how gods can be tricked, how they are not omnipresent. It is definitely very classically mythological, and opens you up to many good story elements.[/quote]
Thank you, glad it interests people other then myself.
On magic and souls
Magic is something that can be found everywhere, it permeates everything in the physical world. It gathers around life to form souls, raw magical force that inhabit living creatures. This raw magic is separate from the normal background magic that permeates the world.
Sentience is something drastic, just as how it changes life to a great degree it changes souls to a great degree as well. Magic mated with sentience, in the form of gods and sentient mortal souls, is like oil to normal magics water. While both mediums can be thrown together, they will never mix.
Wreckers Bay
Situated in the north-west, near where Forest's Edge merges into the coast, Wreckers Bay is considered by some to be the most dangerous place anywhere near the continent. Inhabited by massive, dangerous cephalopods who attack anything that enters the bay, no ship has ever succesfully sailed the bays waters.
The Rex often send out prisoners found guilty of the most heinous crimes (treason, heresy and desertion) on small rafts to be devoured by the cephalopod menace.
Oceanic Terratons are the only known creature to feed on the cephalopods, or to even survive entering the bay.
Proto goddess sounds very, very interesting. very mighty, but without the experience or vision.
That story started like a myth, then trasnformed to a story, and at the end felt like it happenned prettt recently. CAn you help me with the actual timeline?
Quote from: Vreeg's CoachwhipProto goddess sounds very, very interesting. very mighty, but without the experience or vision.
That story started like a myth, then trasnformed to a story, and at the end felt like it happenned prettt recently. CAn you help me with the actual timeline?
The time line is somewhat up in the air. It was after the Demi-god of Black Flames roasted everyone around him, but before the whole Rex tribe thing. I'm thinking something along the lines of 300-500 years ago.
And yes, proto-goddess = very mighty :D
Timeline
~fiften hundred years ago: Gods take interest in sentient mortals.
~one thousand years ago: Demi-god of Black Flame is born, destroys two kingdoms shortly after.
~nine hundred years ago: Eastern half of continent now completely covered in forest.
~eight hundred and fifty years ago: First Ork'acle bond used by the Dolish people.
~seven hundred years ago: Dominii greatly weakened, proto-goddess Kataria the Phoenix is born again.
~six hundred years ago: Rex adopted by Suria
~two hundred and fifty years ago: Shetland Island colonized by neanderthal exiles.
~two hundred years ago: Westhold founded by a group of Frest coparl and exiled neanderthals.
~one hundred years ago: Easthold founded.
Updated the Bronze Setting timeline.
Forge Demi-Gods and the Secrecy of technology
[ooc]Back in the Q&A sparkletwist didn't think that the Forge Demi-Gods could keep technology under wraps, this is to help explain partly why[/ooc]
Manufacturing Technology
Humans need machinery to do most of our manufacturing, from saws to MIG welders to presses to blast furnaces. Forge Demi-Gods have a huge break here, they can weld and cut materials (nearly any material) relatively simply with magic, this lets them ignore making smaller machinery like saws, welders and the ilk.
They still need furnaces to smelt ore and metal however.
Safety
Much of humanities technological progress is slowed by the need to do things safely and viably, Forge Demi-Gods do not have this problem. They can walk in molten metal, and survive electrical shocks that would kill a mammoth. Forge Demi-Gods are extremely resilient, this lets them do away or at least cut corners when it comes to safety. They don't need to build shielding or anything similar.
Mato
Mato are creatures indistinguishable from humans at first glance. They have the same range of skin tones, eye and hair color as well as height. After more prolonged exposure one will begin to notice some differences, faster reflexes, greater stamina and a keener intellect. The only time a major difference becomes apparent is diet, Mato feed on the blood and flesh of humans and neanderthals.
Another trait possessed by the Mato is their ability to go into hibernation, for seemingly indefinite duration. Usually they go into hibernation when they've become to well known in an area. Hibernations last for enough time for the Mato threat to be forgotten, usually somewhere between 60 to 120 years. When the hibernation begins the blood in the body concentrates in the core of the body giving the skin a deathly palor.
Aquatic Sub-races
The Aquatic sub-races diverged from their parent races extremely quickly, in the thousands of years. This is due to the abundant excess of life energy infused into the ocean. Prolonged exposure of succeding generations altered coastal humans and neanderthals to the Aquatic sub-races.
Children of Fire
The Children of Fire, also called the Sunhearted are incredibly rare, they number maybe a dozen in the known world. Graceful and thin, they have the palest skin with black hair. With skin as hard as rock, the ability to run faster than a charging Kavi lizard and without the need to breath or drink they are indestructible by mundane means. They rarely consume some kinds of heavy minerals, but otherwise do not eat.
Magical means of destruction also face great difficulty, as the Sunhearted are immune to all but the greatest heats. They also possess the ability to create a shield that blocks lines of force and reflects rays of light.
They say that inside each child of fire burns a star as a heart.
where do ther children come frolm? where do they inhabit? can they commuhncate normally?
Quote from: LordVreegwhere do they inhabit?
can they communicate normally? [/quote]
Yes, they can speak like a normal human.
The Mato are intriguing. What kind of social structure do they have?
Quote from: SteerpikeThe Mato are intriguing. What kind of social structure do they have?
They mostly live solitary lives, preying on different groups of humans until it gets too dangerous then leaving or going into hibernation. They do help each other out when they meet though.
Quote from: SteerpikeThe Mato are intriguing. What kind of social structure do they have?
what kind of population density? since the look like humans, are they a human variant? How do they reproduce? what kind of intelligence level are they?
Quote from: SteerpikeThe Mato are intriguing. What kind of social structure do they have?
Population density is low, but still too high to be sustainable without the hibernation. Maybe one for every 6-12 humans. In regards to being a human variant, they're about as close to humans as neanderthals are, maybe a bit closer/farther. They just haven't really physically altered a lot, mostly for predatory reasons.
They reporduce just like humans, although slower. However, just like population density they reproduce too fast to be sustainable.