The Campaign Builder's Guild

[ooc]Yep, take two on Divergence, been mulling this over for a while. Might not be the last incarnation, but I'm kinda going to go for something more akin to Sigil? or Sliders? More mixing of the divergences, the main focus will be on the world of Loftsphere and the Disk[/ooc]

What is a Divergence?

Divergences are parallel universes created by a Power. The exact number of Divergences is unknown, but at least a dozen have been thouroughly explored.

Shortly after the Divergences were created the original Earth was destroyed, however a pristine copy without any super-natural changes was created. It is in the First Divergence, currently it is off-limits by decree of all the Powers.

Who or What is a Power?

Powers were originally humans who gained omnipotence and quickly changed themselves to become post-human. They created the Divergences and their inhabitants. The Powers of human-origin have split into three distinct factions (with some remaining neutral and or hidden) that are currently at war.

Elder Powers are Powers who have non-human origins. They are all millions of years older then the human Powers, and range in temperment from benign to midly hostile. There are very few Elder Powers, only four are known to the Powers.

What is Loftsphere?

Loftsphere is a melting pot of peoples, magics, Powers and goals. Originally a planet created by the Red Gold and Cream. The first staging points for the Tesseract Combine (known as the Tesseract) and the Pentachoron Compact (known as the Compact). Most of it is considered neutral grounds for these two factions.

What are The Paths?

The Paths are what connect the various Divergences. Access to made through Gates, permanent portals. Inhabited by strange creatures it is currently the battleground for a secondary war, known as The Hidden War.

What is this war? Who are the sides?

The main war is between the forces of The Black on Black, the strongest Power, and the two alliances of other Powers (while, officially allied, there is still a fair amount of conflict between these two). The two other alliances are the Tesseract Combine and the Pentachoron Compact.

The Tesseract and the Compact are divided because of The Regal and Guise. Each of these Powers are opposed, and refuse to side with the other. This has created a divide as their allies stand firm with them. While the mortal followers of the Regal and Guise will fight each other at the slightest provocation, the followers of the other Powers are more restrained.

I must say, much stronger start than the first iteration, which felt (at the beginning) like a fractured picture... there were pieces floating around, I just couldn't see how the fit together very well.

In contrast, this sets us up well, introduces us to the factions/powers etc right away and tells us about the central conflicts.  Good work.

The Black on Black sounds inescapably sexual to me, by the way, but then again I can have a pretty filthy mind sometimes, especially when I'm up at 3 AM reading Transmetropolitan... ah summer...

Yeah, I get that Black on Black thing.  I might have to gfet into the early Omwo~ hedon cults...

Good Start Llum.  I'd add a bit in the first para as to the world that is not aware of all this going on.  And in that last crucual para, maybe a little snippet as to what separates the factions.


EDIT---THANKS FOR ADDING THAT,  LLUMINOUS  

The Powers

Tesseract Combine

The Pink and Violet
The Pink and Violet was the first person to become a post-human Power. She was the example that all the others followed. Each Power has immersed itself in some subject it wishes to master, to perfect. For the First this subject is the human mind. To futher her goals she created Disk, an infinite flat plane accesible only by Powers and those who serve them.

Known simply as First to other Powers and her followers, she has an obsession with the human mind. She wants to find its limits, and push beyond them. She works to mold the perfect mind in one of her followers.

Her first actions after she created Disk were to create humans and a place for them to live. Thus Tapia was greated in a great plain. These plains known as the Plains of Torp are situated roughly forty thousand kilometers from the Ivory Citadel. The intervening distance is mostly temperate forest save for three mountain ranges and two inland seas.

Over the last three generations First has tampered and manipulate the minds of Tapia's human inhabitants. Various side effects have been found in the human subjects including astral projection, the ability to turn off pain, enhanced physical abilities through will and something the people of Tapia call panduma, comprehension of the post-human nature of the Powers. The panduma are a closely guarded secret of The Pink and Violet, they are in essence her champions.

The forces of The Black on Black, led by Hunter and the Knights of Immolation, have sacked Tapia leaving the followers of The Pink and Violet to relocate to Loftsphere.

The White Green and Gold
The eternal enemy to The Red Gold and Cream. The White Green and Gold has only one goal, the eradication of all of the Regals followers. Often known as Mask or Guise to his followers, he is the Third.

It grants its champions mask of great magical power at the cost of stripping them of there humanity. The masks grant amazing power to the champions, superior to anything another Power has given one its champions.

The White Green and Gold has no plane or planet of operations, it has a nomadic court that travels the universe. Sending out champions to interfere with the plans of other Powers is the primary activity of this Power. It does however have a small area on Dirge where a permanent Gate is stationed.

Hind, one of The Black on Blacks champions, was formerly a champion of Guise. This is what caused Mask to join the battle against The Black on Black.

Pentachoron Compact

The Red Gold and Cream
The Red Gold and Cream is the creator of Loftsphere. He is known as the Royal on Dirge and as the Regal on Canticle. He is the Second.

The Regal created Loftsphere so he could breed the perfect race of warriors. He also uses it as a proving ground for his immortal champions as well as new weapons, magics and tactics. The most prepared Power for the invasion of The Black on Black, he uses Loftsphere as a staging point to strike at The Black on Blacks forces on Disk.

He gave the mortals of Loftpshere the gift of magic, at the price of war. Seeking the ultimate race of warriors, he encourages the expansion of empires and subjugation of the neighbor. He grants his champions eternal youth and great vitality. To retain this gift, they must constantly innovate new ways to combat enemies and prove themselves in war.

The Blue Gold and Silver
Known as the Design or sometimes the Pattern, he is the Fourth. Concerned only with the gathering and protection of knowledge the Design is uninterested in the arts of war beyond there knowledge. Yet he is forced to use this knowledge to survive the onslaught of The Black on Black

He allows his followers the most technological freedom having given them advanced clockwork technology. The Design holds court in The Azure a massive sapphire castle that travels the inter stellar vacuum. The Ivory Citadel, the Designs outpost on Disk is currently under siege by Ash, Hind, Frost and Hunter.

His champions are known as Solvers, they are granted the Golem Law and arcane knowledge. The leader of the Solvers in a certain realm is called the High Solver.

Other Powers

The Black Gold and Amber

This Power is the controller of the Cult of Black Amber. The Cult is dedicated to controlling inter-Divergence trade and is willing to go to war to protect their interests. One of the main contenders in the Hidden War. The Black Gold and Amber hires out her followers are mercenaries to the other Powers.

Guise in particular dislikes the Cult of Black Amber, often having his champions exterminate them.

The Three Shades of Gray

The Three Shades of Gray is the remnants of a Power, it didn't survive the singularity event that transformed it into a Power. Yet it cannot die, as a Power the being is stuck in a twilight state, nether dead nor alive. Due to its circumstances those who have knowledge of it call it the Netherman, or sometimes the Bereaved. It has very little power left, on the scale of Powers, though it is still a match for the strongest of mortal magic users, Shark Barons and members of the cetacean courts. The Bereaved has only one goal left, to regain life.

The Netherman is paranoid about letting other Powers learn of its existence, so it hides in the Second Divergence. While it can rarely manifest an avatar, when it does the Netherman always has the same looks. Dark gray wool top hat and overcoat, a steel walking stick with storm clouds embossed in silver, a light gray linen suit compose his wardrobe. The avatar never has shoes or gloves and strangely enough only four toes, its skin resembles the waxy gray skin of a corpse.
Agents

The Black on Black

The Black on Black is the most mysterious of the Powers. She is unknown to the other Powers and has never shown herself to her followers, the only people who have seen her are her eleven infamous champions.

Champions on Disk

The champions are known throughout the Origin only by name and rumor. They have a reputation as mercyless crusaders conquering everything they can reach for their dread patron. Only four of the champions have been sighted in on The Disk, the leader Ash, and three others under her command Frost, Hind and Hunter

Other Champions

Other champions of The Black on Black have been seen across the worlds. Bashir Du Gal runs The Rigid Flan in the Fourth Divergence. The Demagogue tries to bring about the apocalypse in the Chasm. Spider and Stalker are participants in the Hidden War.

I'm going to agree with Steerpike here, much better presentation this time around. It's familiar but rolls much more smoothly. I actually see the conflict between the Powers as having the ability to make a very awesome strategy game, too :D

The Paths

The Paths are what, little as it is, connect the different Divergences. Sometimes they appear where a Power has walked, sometimes simply in places said to be points of power or perhaps for no reason at all. The Paths are what some would call the webbing that holds the Divergences together, where they connect to a world occasionally it will open into the Divergence, these openings are called Gates.

To enter the Paths takes no special skills, however it isn't something to be taken lightly, they twist, turn and wind about one another in a web so convoluted its a wonder some people manage to get out at all. Getting out of the Paths is the difficult part, while anyone can stumble upon an exit/entrace by chance to truly navigate the Paths one must ether be a Power, who can make Gates that open directly into each other avoiding entering the Paths themselves, or have the help of or be one of the Walkers of the Paths.

Walkers of the Paths are people who have an intuitive skill for navigating inside the Paths. These people can come from anywhere, the lowest peasant to the mightiest Shark Baron. One a Walker enters the Paths for the first time they become attuned, able to sense Gates and navigate. However there are other side-effects. Once a Walker leaves The Paths they suffer from a severe physical and mental addiction to them, this means very Walkers manage continue they're old lives once they enter the Paths. The other side-effect is that Creatures of the Paths will act violently towards Walkers.

Physically the Paths look like long avenues of wood or stone crisscrossing and interconnecting in hundreds of layers with steps and ladders granting a way up or down. A sickly green light or a shining golden glow permeates the Paths, what one sees depends entirely on the person, people in the same group report seeing different illumination, even the same person have noticed the illumination changing from one journey to the next. Strangely enough the Paths are filled with ones natural element, so an aquatic creature would swim among the paths while others would walk along the paths breathing air.

Creatures of the Paths

The Paths hold certain creatures, some would say as prisoners others as guests. When encountered, they reaction seems to depend largely on how the creature feels at the moment, unless a Walker of the Paths is present. The Walkers all have a deep instinctual hate for the creatures killing them on sight, even going as far as abandoning whoever they're leading through the Paths to kill the beings.

Lensmen

Lensmen look like rather simple creatures. They have a humanoid shape, but their arms and legs are composed of rubbery tubes in varying shades of gray and blue. Their bodies are very narrow, broadest at the shoulder they become slimmer down to the waist. Each limb is made from from two or three tubes, legs ending in flat round enameled structures and arms ending is in four or five smaller tubes. Their heads are four tubes in a helix shape, the ends join then flatten out, creating a box like shape similar to a square-ish flower. The box emits a bright yellow light, and the four sides can constrict to change the shape of its "head".

Lensmen have been known to wield weapon always crafted from some refined metal similar to steel, yet stronger and less flexible. When damaged Lensmen bleed a black viscous ichor that's extemely adhsive. They're vary in height between four and a half to nearly six feet.

Lantern Giants

Lantern Giants resemble colossal Lensmen, the smallest being eighteen feet tall and larger Giants topping twenty-six feet. Another main difference is when damaged their ichor is orange and extremely hot, being able to melt traditional steel on contact.

In combat the Giants are able to emit plasma streams from their facial orifice, these plasma streams can liquefy most materials with extreme heat.

Star Children

The Star Children are named for their strange pentagonal star shape. Their bodies are roughly shaped like a five pointed star, with the upper three points ending in long tentacles. The lower two extremities end is powerful hook shaped muscled legs, who end in clawed feet. The legs resemble those of bipedal lizards covered in small pale sickly yellow scales. The Star Children are digitigrade beasts, walking on the taloned toes. The ends of the tentacles tend to fade to a black color along their length.

The strangest feature is the maw of a creature, they come in two general forms. The first form is a gaping circle ringed with rows of sharp teeth. The Second form is a split from the top of their bodies down to the bottom, nearly bisecting their torso in half. In the second form, this split opens itself to reveal a mouth lined with two rows of interlocking teeth, all serrated.

Awesome weirdness there. Love the Star Children especially!

Magic

Magic is manifested in many different ways in Divergence. Magic comes from Powers and Elder Powers, they are it's source, and it is speculated that if a Power was to be slain or disappear all the forms of magic that it created will vanish.

Magic is also linked to the Divergences. And birth. Where a mortal is born is very important to their magical ability. Everyone born in the Second Divergence can wield magic. Everyone has their own magical ability. Those from the Third Divergence are few and far between that can use magic (or paranormal skills as they're known in the Third Divergence). However it is possible to gain multiple kinds of magic, but to "initiate" or "unlock" magic a person must visit it's respective Divergence. This makes great travellers and Walkers of the Paths exceptionally prone to having great magical versatility.

Magical ability is expended differently and has different costs depending on what kind of magic it is. The Paranormal skills of the Third Divergence are a simple matter of focused willpower, a "wizard" could use those skills as long as they're able to concentrate, however doing so is a vigorous mental strain. Differently, magic from the Second Divergence is more physical in nature, with people having their own inner reserve of "magical energy" that  replenishes over time depending on various factors.

Some exceptions are the Designs Golem Law, this is a purely formulaic magic, imbue'ing specially prepared vessels with magical will and life-force. The complexity of this will is dependent on the complexity of the formulaic spell, but these spells have to be spoken in a specific language, wich requires long practice and great physical fortitude to survive speaking. As long as the practicioner is capable of speaking the language, they can use the Golem Law. However if they cannot complete a formulaic spell, their effort is wasted.

Magery and Alchemy, native to Loftsphere, are fundamental forces in the universe, similar to gravity. They can be manipulated by those with the knowledge and talent, but there's only a finite amount in any given space. This can be circumvented by the forces contained within the users own body (at cost), or stored elsewhere, but in the end only so much can be done with it. After it has been bound, it cannot be used again until unbound, and very slowly reaccumulate in an area.

Fleshcraft, also native to Loftsphere, gives its practicioners the ability to manipulate flesh and bone like clay, as well as an intuitive understanding of biological processes. However it cannot create flesh or bone, it can only manipulate it, so a supply must be handy. Rotten flesh cannot be used at all. Also, the maximum and minimum amount of flesh and bone a practicioner can utilise are directly proportional to their own natural mass. Similar to the Paranormal Skills of the it only requires willpower for concsious effort, but the process is quite painful and mentally taxing. There are some exceptions where mindless living creatures (such as bacteria) have used Fleshcraft.

I want more LAntern Giants.  I can see them, vigilant, strong, and proud.

The Hidden War

The Paths are largely benign, even the strange creatures that call The Paths home will often ignore interlopers, unless there's a Walker of the Paths with the group. The Hidden War is not a war in the classical sense, with two opposing sides battling one another until one side gives out. In the Hidden War there are many different sides in the conflict, fragile alliances and vicious betrayals are all too common.

The ongoing conflicts are called the Hidden War due to their largely secret nature, only those participating in the battles know of its existence. The different sides in the Hidden war are those of independent Walkers of the Paths, the creatures of The Paths, the Cult of Black Amber and the forces of The Black on Black.

The Walkers of The Paths fight for survival and to remain independent. The creatures will always attack those Walkers that they find in their chosen home no matter the odds, they care not for their own lives. This has led to the Walkers living a dangerous life in The Paths, few can resist the lure of The Paths for long and yet to venture in them is quite dangerous. The Cult of Black Amber is also a danger to freelance Walkers because they recruit all the Walkers they can find, and a refusal to join is often followed by a swift death.

The creatures of The Paths; Lensmen, Star Children and Lantern Giants are an enigma to all who contact them, they do not appear to speak yet are undeniably intelligent. Packs of Lensmen without any other creatures present tend to form small communities. They've been documented farming lichen, having camp fires and preforming elaborate rituals. When the monstrous Star Children are present packs of Lensmen employ cunning tactics in battle, are devious in stalking their prey and are utterly ruthless. The Lantern Giants have different effects on their smaller brethren, Lensmen become fearless and never retreat, they have patience and will wait for prey to ambush them and even start to wield rudimentary or stolen weapons.

Causing even more havoc then usual is a Star Child Warlord that those in the know have named Pseudon. Half as big again as its normal brethren it has bright teal scales and skin instead of the usual dirty yellow color. Pseudon is usually found around the Direct Line, where nearly 90% of tavel between Loftsphere and the Third Divergence is conducted. The Line is a major conduit for supplies, soldiers, diplomats and smugglers creating a tempting target for anyone in the War.

While The Cult of Black Amber is rarely present in The Paths they seek to control all Walkers of The Paths. They enforce membership on threat of death. Usually members are simply used to escort caravans of exotic and magical goods between Divergences, and fend off the various creatures of The Paths. Occasionally the Cult will send in teams of mercenaries with a few Walkers to hunt and kill any creatures they encounter. As of yet they have been unable to deter or stop Pseudon's attacks on the Line.

War Fronts

There are untold places that have witnessed the clash of arms in the Divergences. However there are some that see it far more often then most.

Ivory Citadel

The Ivory Citadel is the bastion of the Design on Disk. An immensed walled structure it is built on top of an artificial hill. The citadel is under siege by the forces of The Black on Black. The siegers are led by Ash leader of the champions; Frost a mysterious youth; Hind a former champion of Guise and Hunter the feared leader of the Knights of Immolation.

An untold number of troops completely sorround the city. New soldiers arrive daily as the death toll is high.

The Citadel itself has many armaments to protect itself, clockwork ballistae, imported steam artillery, golems as well as many of the Royals champions manning the walls.

The Direct Line

An important trade route in The Paths, it is shadowed by a Star Child warlord called Pseudon and his host of creatures of the Paths.

The Crevasse

Situated at the bottom of the The Chasm in Loftsphere, the Crevasse is a semingly bottomless pit. However creatures from the Paths, in particular Lantern Giants, often climb out of it.

The situation is so dire that a permanent outpost of Steam Dragoons is stationed around the Crevasse at all times.

The Second Divergence

Not all is right in The Second Divergence. The dead rise as zombies not long after they die, the mortal races are caught up in supplying the war against the Black on Black and the Shark Barons have resorted to trying to flood the world.

How long has the siege of the Ivory Citadel gone on?  I'm getting this trojan feeling, and I don't mean 'ribbed for her comfort'.

How intelligent do the Lantern Giant's seem?  

Quote from: Vreeg's CoachwhipHow intelligent do the Lantern Giant's seem?  

Those who've fought them would say at least as smart as a human. Those who haven't would say on par with a dolphin or something.

Dirge

Originally Dirge was divided into thirteen kingdoms, four outer, four inner and a floating island of basalt stone. Since the war effort, the two western outer kingdoms have been confiscated to serve as a staging area for the various foreign populations.

This has greatly angered the Sociopath Kings, the traditional rulers of Dirge, as they've lost two major kingdoms. They often refer to the former kingdoms the Sundered kingdoms.

Major cities

Ur-min is the largest city open to foreigners. Built in a flat area far from any landmarks it sprawls across the vast plains of grass. At the center of the city stands the Cathedral of Power, also known as Liu-min's Cathedral or just Liu-mins. A massive structure of blood red marble, it stand as large as a castle some twelve stories tall. A large dome in the center serves as a interdimensional gateway where various Gates all open up to. A gate to the Direct Line opens up into these halls.

Other important places in Ur-min are Garrock's House of Chance, which contrary to the name is not a gambling den, but the barracks for Fortunes Favored, the mercenary force that patrols The Paths to help travellers and keep the Hidden War out of the city. The hammer wail district, named for the sound of stricking hammers is where arms and armor, both magical and mundane, are crafted by the hundreds of blacksmiths, artisans and magic users.

Most inhabitants of Ur-min are transients, ether going to or comming from the war front, or travelling merchants. Also, the local "magistrate", one minor Sociopath Noble by the name of don Jemriel O'cozzinostrata, uses his constabulary only for personal gain and leveraging "donations" from anyone they can corner. Due to these two major factors crime is a major problem.

Quositas is another major city; set between two mountains and on the ocean it is called the Gateway to Dirge. All travel from the Empyreal Corona, the Chasm and from Canticle all pass through Quositas. Though the presence of foreigners is much dimished compared to Ur-min, it is where the more aquatic and arial races from other Divergences gather. The Cetacean Courts and Shark Barons hold a bitter truce in the waters around Quositas and nagenti diplomates live under the harbor.

A recent addition is the city of is the Airborn city-state of Mu that has anchored a mile in-land from Quositas. How the vampiri coven that pilots Mu managed to get the city through to Loftsphere is a mystery. The timing cannot be better though since a rebellion in the Empyreal Corona has been started by a new champion of The Black on Black, known only as Pemupriel.

The Black on Black's champions

There are eleven champions in all, however not all of them are active in the Divergences.

Ash is the leader of The Black on Black's champions, she marks her black banners with white bordering. She received her name after the only battle she lost, where the whole battlefield and all the combatants were burnt to ash by the opposing commander. Ash is a strikingly tall woman of amazonian stature. She wears thick black plate in combat and wields an axe.

The only other knowledge of her is that when she walks the battlefield the skeletons of the fallen rip themselves from their flesh to serve her. She has a mysterious relationship with Frost, it is intensely private and nether speak of it.

Frost is the youngest known champion of The Black on Black. He marks his standards with a pale blue bordering. It is said that where ever he walks he leaves behind footprints of frost. He also has a special connection to Ash, the leader of the champions. The nature of this relationship is a closely guarded secret. Frost is said to look like a slight teenage boy with hair and eyes of the palest blue. He rarely wears armor but on occasion dons blue tinted chain and leather armor.

Stalker is a Walker of The Paths, yet he is never attacked by the creatures. They give him a kind of fearful respect. In physical appearance Stalker is quite unique if difficult to see. He resembles nothing more then a moving shadow, vaguely human in shape with finned hood and spaulders. He has the strange capability to open Gates at will, to any particular location. He guides troops and the other champions through The Paths when they have need to travel.

Spider is the second champion of The Black on Black that lives in The Paths. Spider is currently trying to negotiate with the creatures of The Paths, with little success. She has had a small fort constructed as a base of operations, due to the nature of The Paths the fort is constructed of layers of reinforced silk strung between the various levels and walkways, resembling a spider's web earning her, the name Spider. While she has a small band of soldiers at her command they are largely useless, none are Walkers of the Paths so as to not aggravate the creatures they're trying to negotiate with.

Hunter is the most feared of The Black on Blacks champions. The sight of an orange border on a black standard is enough to cause panic in enemy soldiers. Hunter is the tracker, he hunts down traitors to his liege. Hunter hates his fellow champion Hind more then anything because he is susceptible to her radiance.

The leader of the Knights of Immolation, a company of huge knights in black armor, riding steel horses of black iron. When these knights join battle their mounts and armor ignite with lurid orange flames, turning their charge into something as unstoppable as the flow of lava.

Bashir Du Gal was the first champion, and is perhaps the most powerful. Currently he runs The Rigid Flan, an inn and tavern at the center of the earth in the Fourth Divergence. He has no favorites, the Flan is neutral territory. He has an active distaste for many of his fellow champions and none of them are welcome in the Flan.

The Demagogue is a madman who spouts doomsday prophecy to the masses. He works in the Chasm, trying to bring about an apocalypse he calls The Deluge. Said to be invulnerable he has resisted dozens of attempted assassinations by the Steam Emperors agents, rallying more people to his cause after every attempt.

Pemupriel is the newest of the champions. Pemupriel leads the rebellion in the Empyreal corona, the commander of a host of winged wolves and lions.