Primeval - The Advent of Civilization

[Magnus Pym]

Primeval

I have somewhat of a fascination with ancient history, and history in general. I also have a great interest in politics and social behaviours. With Primeval I will attempt to use these interests of mine in a productive and creative way.
The story takes place on an isolated continent, surrounded by the sea and with no coasts or mountains to be seen on the horizon (looking outward, that is). Different actors contribute to this world, for the better or worse. So, here goes!


The Birth of Civilization

If we had to determine a period in which the story takes place, in terms of technology, with a definition known to us, it would have to be the Chalcolithic era. Social behaviour may differ depending on particular communities, but we can find inspiration in the period that ranges from the neolithic to the early chalcolithic. Thus, it is safe to say that the predominant social arrangement is tribal.

That is not to say that great civilizations do not exist, but they are new and frail things. Settlements are far apart and thinly populated compared to our modern world. In a specific region, tribes will often be in conflict with one another, trying to assert their right to rule over others. When different tribes, regardless of the politics at play, share traditions such as spiritual beliefs, ceremonial practices and a language, they may be considered as pertaining to the same culture. If they come to regard a specific city, or perhaps even an individual, as being the centre of the world (their world), we can safely assume that a civilization is born. The fate of civilization lies in the hands of its founders, and whether it lives or dies depends on their capacity to control popular and elite sentiment towards things both spiritual and mundane, and ensure its continuity.


Magic, you say?

In tabletop roleplaying culture, it seems as though three terms are used to define the capacity to do extraordinary things like flying, breathing life into the dead and such miraculous happenings, more commonly called magic. There can be none, it can be low and it can be high. It can also find itself in between low and high. Furthermore, each terms seem to be vague, for, let's say, two settings could be deemed to be high magic because the common people can find many magical items and creatures in each world, but one could actually be higher because the rate at which one interacts with events deemed magical is higher, and the importance of these events is more thoroughly felt by the whole of those inside that world.

Magic does exist, but I decided not to attach a specific term to Primeval. It exists under many forms, thus there is not one way to describe what actually happens. As I go into more details, miraculous or disastrous events will occur and, more often than not, will be considered to be divine acts. Here's a quick example; the ability of a Shekayah monk to go long periods of time without eating or drinking, while remaining strong in mind and body, will be considered miraculous. Such an individual will be thought to be either blessed by the god(s) or be a god himself. Inscriptions bearing his name and amazing feats will pop up, his name will be included in prayers, and that person will become legend. Such personalities are few. The common people are hunters, gatherers, farmers, fishermen, artisans and merchants, oblivious to the workings of magic.


So, what's currently happening, then?

First, let's situate ourselves. The world is vast, with seemingly endless deserts, thick jungles and imposing mountains. Animals and strange creatures make up the majority of the population inhabiting this world. Mankind lives in a rough, often brutal environment and individuals are highly preoccupied by ensuring their own immediate survival.

The story will evolve around two major civilizations; the Jamibians and the Gayanids. Each of them has its own ceremonial traditions, system of communication -oral and/or written- and cultural centre. As of yet, they are mostly unaware of each other, or rather, they are so distanced from each other that interaction between them is limited to trade missions and the occasional travellers. There is no road between the major powers as we have in our own world. Roads, usually cleared paths in forests or beaten paths along the shore between coastal settlements, do exist, but a major road system to move goods and armies through great distances has yet to be built in any of the regions where these civilizations thrive.

Somewhat isolated from each other, power politics between them is currently nonexistent. However, that is about to change. As they go on expanding their empires unimpeded, their borders, or should we say spheres of influence, are just about to crash into one another. The people living in the peripheral settlements will come to play a major role in the interaction between those great powers, perhaps even deciding the fate of these empires as they clash violently or cohabit harmoniously.

Aside from the internecine conflicts that naturally come with empires, and these empires relations with one another, other major events are occurring that might overshadow the clash of civilizations. In the section about magic, I gave an example of a Shekayah monk surviving without even the need to eat or drink, but in other places, too, miraculous deeds are performed. Will these awe-inspiring beings transform the world they live in?

That is not to underestimate the importance of the Padassians; these ghostly, but live men who travelled from so far in search of who-knows-what. And the moaners, the decrepit offspring of an enraged god, or the man-sized dolls of some madman, coming in small waves from the Wailing Marshes.

Needless to say, events will unfold in a way no one can foresee.


Travelling in Primeval

Travelling deserves its own little section. Travellers are very few, not because there is no interest in visiting foreign lands, but because there are no routes not strewn with mortal dangers. The threat of death looms large when outnumbered by ferocious beasts, when tempted by poisonous fruits, when starved or soaked by mother nature and when chased by barbarians who did not yet receive the graceful touch of civilization.

Indeed, the many difficulties associated with travelling serve as a great deterrent to adventuring. However, such difficulties are not only found in far and mysterious lands. Some can be found much closer to home. In most cultures, a man is expected to marry, have children and elevate his family's social status. This, for the most part, cannot happen under socially acceptable terms if a man leaves his homeland. Social pressures, personal motives and cultural traditions can also act as great deterrents.

Considering all this, travellers will, more often than not, be exiles, refugees and scouts. The occasional adventurer will travel out of his own free will, leaving his past behind him.


A Short History... of Prehistory

Up to this day, and still, local leaders sought to assert their right to rule by claiming that they are direct descendants of the First Men. Everywhere in the lands ambitious men make such claims, blurring the truth forever. Nobody knows where the First Men landed, thousands of years ago.

However, in reality, thousands of years ago men came from the north and landed on the northwestern beaches of the Primeval world, the wreckage of makeshift boats in hands. But they were denied the honour of soiling a virgin land, for there were already natives settled along the north-eastern coast, in southern Padassos and the centre-west half of the continent.

Since then, settlers from both the northern immigrants, the Shekayah -indigenous to the north-eastern mountains- and Great River natives have established themselves along the northern coast, mingling with each other and mixing cultural elements, creating subcultures and even entirely new cultures.

Great River natives also settled south, when the layer of crust left by the Lever Noir wasn't so important as it is today. They eventually reached deep in the jungles. Shekayans also marched south to settle in new lands. As ever, they were called to the mountains, and thus proceeded to cross the Manugayatru and reach the peaks of the Jijibae.

Some of the peoples indigenous to the centre-western part of the world eventually migrated both east and south. To the east they reached as deep as the maquis of central Jamibia. Their other eastern enterprise was less spectacular, merely occupying new grounds in the thick forests of the Jungle Verde. They had their big moment in their southern venture when they reached the southern ocean, crossing the dark jungles of the south through the Mahija Bayou.

In southern Padassos, social and cultural development came at a snail's pace. While there were settlers who established new settlements north in the Bay of Heat and Turtle Bay, later incursions into this land by Shekayan exiles completely reconfigured cultural realities in northern Padassos and, in time, the natives were completely outnumbered.

[Magnus Pym]

[note]The continent covers an area of about four million and a half (4 500 000) kilometres square. It's diverse in ecology and climate, ranging from arid and barren landscapes to lush rainforests.[/note]

*Map made by Kaptn'Lath

[ic=Jamibia]An infant empire named after its founder, it covers a large area of the desert and some surrounding grasslands. Jamibia is a popular name given to the region under the influence of the god-king. It stretches from Regesh, a coastal walled city to the north, to the Great River and even deep in the desert that follows until the Genge oasis. From there it runs south until it reaches the grasslands bordering the Jungle Verde, an area of Gayanid influence. Jamibian influence also stretches westward into the forests and plains that eventually lead to the Baturapi, but it does not extend to that place of myth and legends. In fact, the tribes that live around the Heaven Stream, which serves as a natural border between the arid lands of the north and the ecologically rich lands of the west, have long repelled incursions from desertfolk into this territory.

[note]The dark and light red borders signify areas under Jamibian influence. That which lies within the area surrounded by the dark red contour is the core of the empire; places where it will be difficult to dislodge the god-king's influence. The other areas surrounded by the light red borders are more prone to rebellion or other events that would threaten Jamibian influence.[/note]


The focal point of the empire lays in Maga Jamibia; its centre of culture. Some miles south of this city a monument was built to honour Jamibia, descendant of Sani, the sun-god. It has become the prime ceremonial centre and pilgrims travel there to pray and receive the sun-god's blessings. It was first named the House of the Sun, but the god-king remarked, as he reached the top of the ziggurat, that "this surely is the stairway to heaven". It has since then become popular to call this place the Stairway to Heaven.

Population in this region stretches along the Great River, the northern coast, the southern grasslands and the Magiza heights, where they settle permanently and become farmers. In the Magiza heights, people mix farming with hunting and gathering, because the maquis does not provide enough water to maintain big farms like on the banks of the Great River, nor does it provide enough game to keep feeding the residents. Therefore, those that live in Maga Jamibia and around depend on the import of grains and other foods produced along the Great River. Elsewhere, nomads travel the vast expanses of sand and dunes, from one oasis to the next; hunting when there is game, gathering when fruits are ripe and plundering peripheral settlements when desperate.[/ic]

[ic=Gayani]Ages ago, it's in the Jungle Verde, at the foot of Gaya, a tree so gigantic it seems to touch the starry skies, that men settled; having fought their way through mountains and jungles. Unbeknownst to them was that their descendants would give birth to a great civilization. Gayani eventually came to describe the entire region which falls under the influence of the Gayanids. The region stretches from the forests that lie between the Lever Noir and the Manugayatru mountain range, to the eastern coast of the continent where the Kindashi river meets the sea and west until the westernmost part of the Jijibae mountains.

[note]The dark and light red borders signify areas under Gayanid influence. That which lies within the area surrounded by the dark red contour is the core of the civilization; places where it will be difficult to dislodge their influence. The other areas surrounded by the light red borders are more prone to rebellion or other events that would threaten Gayanid influence.[/note]


Gayanid civilization is comprised of many subcultures, with local ceremonial practices sometime differing from the Gayanids themselves, but everyone that lies within the Gayanids' sphere of influence recognizes Gaya as the spiritual centre and its residents as the elites of the Jungle Verde.

Gayani is not an empire led by a single sovereign. Rather, the most influential families vie for power while also acting in concert to spread Gayanid culture. Internecine conflict inside families and between them is rampant at the core of Gayanid power. To elevate themselves to positions of power and influence, families attempt to reach the top of Gaya while also carving architectural masterpieces. Ancient lineages still have their wonders carved at the foot of the tree.

Population in Gayani is focused around Gaya, but then spreads in small settlements all over Jungle Verde. Here, people are hunters and gatherers mostly. The game is good and fruits abound.[/ic]

[ic=The Shekayans]The Shekayans [Sh-kayans] live in the mountains east of the desert, way past the savannahs. These people are highly religious, devoting their lives to the worship of the sky and earth gods, Shiku and Mahvara. To honour these divinities, the Shekayans have built temples and shrines; arranged their society in religious hierarchy; and carved the achievements of their heroes into these sacred mountains that men and gods may never forget their deeds.

[note]The dark and light red borders signify areas under Shekayan influence. That which lies within the area surrounded by the dark red contour is where their culture thrives; places where it will be difficult to dislodge their influence. The other areas surrounded by the light red borders are more prone to events that would threaten their influence.[/note]


They are a quiet people, unlike their neighbours to the west. Shekayah is the name of a dynasty that has existed for centuries. In times long past, that dynasty ruled over most of the mountainfolks for some time. It was a golden age; some were sent to discover things foreign; others helped those in power to arrange society as they saw fit, with some arrangements still in effect today; others carved monuments on cliff facades, etc.

Currently, Shekayans are usually dispersed in small villages, mostly keeping to themselves, their herds and their gods.[/ic]

[ic=Jungle Verde]A vast verdant jungle, strewn with rivers and ecologically rich and diversified, the region known as the Jungle Verde spans miles and miles. It's surrounded by mountains and other natural obstacles that delimits its frontiers.

[note]The area that finds itself within the yellow contour is part of the Jungle Verde[/note]


Within the forest one can find wonders and dangers; from the mumushums -fluorescent mushrooms- to black panthers, tigers and raptors. There are so many that it'd be close to impossible to discover them all in a lifetime.

The jungle loses itself into many rivers to the south, in-between mountains and into a much darker, swampier rainforest from which guttural sounds can sometimes be heard. Those that live south of the Jungle Verde speak of that place as forbidden to humans; as a place where evil resides, triumphant.[/ic]

[ic=The Baturapi]Centuries ago the night sky was lit by an unusual crimson dot, and the earth shaken by an otherworldly matter. It was a comet and it came crushing against a mountain, razing this one to the ground and even digging a hole that spanned for miles, describing a near perfect circle.

[note]The area that finds itself within the yellow contour is part of the Baturapi[/note]


At first, life within seemed nonexistent, but quickly the alien minerals from the comet consorted with the rainfall to give birth to vegetation once again. Eventually, the crater was filled with trees so tall and so full of leaves that their canopy hid whatever lies inside. The curious souls who wondered what lived within found lizards and raptors, turtles and frogs, birds and felines living in the darkness, preying on each other, like a battle royale.

This is definitely a place of adventure, where the famous Rexorus roam, where the sun rarely touches ground and where the humming of the earth joins with the buzzing of leaves in a nerve-wracking, eerie symphony.

*Baturapi is the name given to the mountains that were once there.[/ic]

Upcoming
The Crust; a hot, steamy plateau
The Wailing Marshes; the marsh agonizes
Padassos; land of horses, land of ghosts

[Magnus Pym]

Cultures, Stories and Other Informations


[ic=Ranmupradi, temple of Shiku]"He's been standing there for about two weeks. He hasn't even eaten anything since then." said a sobbing woman to the village elder, her tears messing with her priestess tattoos on her face. A crowd had gathered at the temple, but not for the usual worship of Shiku, the sky god, or Endless Blue, as they liked to call him sometimes. One of the priest, known by the townsfolk to make up extraordinary claims about seeing the God's Eyes, had been meditating for days without rest, adopting the Chakrapra position -which induces a sort of trance- on the Umypradi Cliff.

The Chakrapra is a ritual long practised by the monks of Ranmupradi. It is the act of unlocking one's chakras in order to purify oneself. It can be a frightening or pleasurable experience. Chakras are like vortexes of energy in and on the body that, when unlocked, can be used to overcome some limitations, like eating, for example. Unlocking more than one chakra during a Chakrapra is unheard of, and unlocking one usually takes two days at most, but even two days trances seem suspect to the priests of Shiku. They make so many preparations before attempting this sacred ritual that they think Endless Blue is waiting for them on the other side, ready to guide his mortal followers on the path to enlightenment.

When someone enters such a trance, it is impossible to wake him in the real world. His spirit is entirely distracted by the events in whatever spirit world he finds himself in. Tales of the experience were never easy to tell, nor easy to understand. For an outsider, these tales might sometime seem utterly boring, entirely normal -even expected- or too incredible. For the enlightened, these stories are their cherished memories of a time in the presence of an unfathomably higher power.

But beside the ritual itself, the after effects cannot be ignored. Monks returning from the other side have proved time and again that their journey alongside Shiku has given them extraordinary powers. The story of Shejani the Feather talks of a man capable of jumping so high he was banned from participating in the town's annual games. That of Pukda the Hard talks of the man who built the temple in Ranmupradi by breaking huge stones with his hands and then placing them in a fashion "that would please the god". More legends exist; inscribed on some surface or told by the village elders to an attentive crowd of children.[/ic]

[ic=Ranmupradi, the Exalted]That night, the villagers gave in to festivities; dancing to the rhythm of the tablas, the claves and marracas; enjoying the melodies of the flutes and horns; sporting their most beautiful outfits; and reuniting with their families and friends. Many of them praised Odo Vaya. They thanked him for saving their loved ones and paid tribute to him in various ways.

Odo Vaya was thought to be crazy, but after he awoke from a twenty days long meditation, he rid the village of a terrible plague that had afflicted some of its residents, slowly rotting their skin and taking away their breath. A few people had died, and ample sacrifices and offerings were made at the temple on the Umypradi Cliff, but to no effect; the plague continued to contaminate more people weekly. It's only when Odo Vaya, now titled the Exalted by the villagers, awoke that the plague was ended. He had come back from his journey on the other side a new man; looking very healthy, smiling with all his teeth and emanating a soothing aura. The aura was something special, everybody could see it. Though, nobody knew what it was, or what it meant. The Exalted said he had seen the plight of the villagers through the God's Eyes and knew how to solve the problem. In his quest to be one with Shiku and gain the Eyes, he had to unlock all of his chakras and be in the purest of states: Mantra. He seemed dizzy just to think about his spiritual adventure, so those who had unlocked chakras before knew it was something incredible, even more than their own epic experiences. Besides, his aura gave it all away; the man certainly mingled with a divinity.

It was decreed by the village elder that, the next day, inscriptions would be carved on the temple to honour Odo Vaya the Exalted and forever remind their people that Chakrapra is the only way to ultimate purity and communion with Shiku.[/ic]

[ic=Jamibia's Rise To Power: Part I]The king's rise to power was a turbulent one, strewn with obstacles and tragedies. As a young man, he was taken captive by Logosu¹ marauders as he recited the Third Prayer², along with his family and much of his kinsmen who hadn't been killed in the raid. All of the captives were brought to Regesh to work there as slaves, mainly serving in the edification of walls. Ordinarily, any slave who disobeyed was killed on sight, but for some reason³, Jamibia was kept in a cage when they deemed him too rebellious⁴. Daily they pelted him with small stones and deprived him of food to keep him weak, but his resolve was unshakable. They proceeded to inflict atrocities upon his family right before his eyes, but it only served to further fuel his hatred for them. In the end, they ended up killing his parents and crippled some of his closest friends, who were now doomed to die in agony due to lack of care for their injuries⁵. Jamibia was furious, but there was little he could do. So he prayed day and night that he be released.

One night just before dawn, the fateful night when everything began, one of the messengers in Regesh, who was a slave himself, came and unlocked⁶ Jamibia's cage. It was a close call; as he finished untying the last knot, one of the slavers noticed what he was doing and ran quickly toward him to deal a fatal blow, but the cage now laid open, and Jamibia ran amok. With a ferocity worthy of the wildest animal, he ripped the barbarian apart, took his weapon and raised all the slaves in rebellion, slaughtering the masters in Regesh. At dawn, the freedmen were rid of their captors, and every one of them praised Jamibia, swearing their lives to him, offering their condolences, and asking that he lead them against the Logosu to exact their revenge. This was his intent, he told them, but his savior, Ruobingo, had told him they would be greatly outnumbered. Lugo, the man who led the Logosu tribe, was entrenched in Haïka⁷ with a horde of armed men, maybe six thousand in all. They were a mere four hundred men. It was finally decided that they would return home in the Magiza Heights to forge alliances with the neighboring peoples, that they might increase their number.

Forging these alliances should have been a daunting task, but because a number of the freedmen originated from other regions than the Magiza Heights, it was easy for Jamibia to identify his first prospective allies. Since these too were oppressed by the Logosu, they would welcome him as their own and offer their support to end the supremacy of the northern barbarians. However, Jamibia, to secure his leadership role in this affair, devised a plan. To ensure the loyalty of the foreign freedmen, he proceeded to form pacts with them. They were now his brothers, his only family, and he was their savior. As such he thought it was right that they'd pledge their loyalty to him, and him only. In return, he promised to avenge their people and protect them from further oppression. And so it happened. They formed the band known as Sani's Chosen and he proclaimed himself Son of Sani, the Sun God. The foreign freedmen especially were supportive of his claim to be partly, if not wholly, divine; as they saw how the Logosu treated rebellious slaves and thought him to be divinely fortunate, among other things.

As the band was formed and his leadership asserted, Jamibia proceeded to gather the support of all those who were wronged by the Logosu. Not only should it have been a daunting task, but it should have been a slow process. Then again, it was obvious that time wasn't on their side; that Lugo would soon descend upon them with his army to avenge his own loss. This, everyone understood. So, tribal leaders from all over the desert pledged their support to his cause, and before a month had passed, Jamibia commanded a host of five thousand. Some of them were adolescents or women, so they were still at a disadvantage compared to the rumored six thousand armed men under Lugo's command, but there was no more time to waste; a report had come that the Logosu formed an army and were marching south from Regesh. Revenge was nigh for Sani's Chosen.




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

¹The Logosu was an amalgam of tribes settled along the northern coast of the continent that had a reputation for their ferocity and, most importantly, being cannibals.
²Worshippers of the Sun God, Sani, must apparently recite three prayers a day at the appropriate time. the first is at dawn, the second at noon and the third at dusk. The Third Prayer happens at dusk.
³Jamibia and his kinsmen thought it to be a message from Sani, but would later learn that their kin's flesh had regenerative properties and thus were to be kept alive, especially the younger ones.
⁴He constantly protested against their barbaric ways, refusing to work and calling them barbarians, among other things.
⁵So much for keeping them alive. It seems like they prefered to toy with their captives rather than please their lord.
⁶There weren't really any locks, but the cage was tightly tied with some solid material and could only be undone from the outside.
⁷The capital of the small kingdom Lugo ruled.[/ic]

[Magnus Pym]

The Strange That Lives


[ic=Mumushums]In the Kongumoovae (Kon-goo-moo-vay), an area in the Jungle Verde, night gives place to one of the most marvelous sights to be had on the continent. A psychedelic landscape unravels before the eyes, with neon-like colours -ranging the whole spectrum of a painter's palette- vibrating softly or with much excitement. The shades switch, turning from nuclear green to molten yellow to star-blue to moon-white randomly. These lights come from the mumushums, in other words, light mushrooms. Some are big, the size of a male torso, while others are as tiny as the forefinger's nail.

These mushrooms' glow are also perceptible during the day, although in much reduced intensity. They are said to confer boons and curses on those that pick them, or go near them, or look at them. To be sure, the proprieties of all the mushrooms in the Kongumoovae are not well known and seem to depend on their colour, which also changes. So one could pick a tiny pink shroom to impress his lover during a daring night escapade and see himself pay dearly as it switches to a dark grey shade that is said to bring misfortune to those who touch it.

An interesting, yet strange fact about the area in which these things grow is that the weak creatures of the Jungle Verde seem to appreciate the spot, and the more voracious beasts avoid it. The neighbouring tribe of Kongu (light) seem to think that the mushrooms are sent by some higher power to protect the weak against the strong and evil.[/ic]

[ic=Kratas]In Jamibia, the legend of the Kratas is highly popular. Whether it is to remind themselves of the possible consequences of angering the Sun-God, or to scare the children doing bad deeds, any reason is good to tell the legendary story of the Kratas.

The Kratas have appeared on this world millenias ago to torment the Great River natives, their bipedal immensity (About 200 feet in height), rock-solid skin, sharp claws and fangs and empty eye sockets shooting yellow beams striking fear into the hearts of men.

But what are the Kratas beside legend? They are real, they are. But nobody that currently exists has seen one, for they slumber deep beneath the floor of the desert for ages before awakening and wreaking havoc. They are, indeed, enormously tall, have long and sharp claws and hollow eye sockets. The yellow beams is a human invention. Their sockets fill with a bright yellow gas when they are at their most angered state.[/ic]

[ic=Rexorus]This creature is a bipedal lizard with a big skull balanced by a long tail. Its forelimbs are small, but very powerful; its three claws can crush a human skull with ease. This raptor can measure from 34 to 40 ft. in length and 10 to 13 ft. in height. The Rexorus is an opportunistic carnivore, meaning he will be both a predator and a scavenger; whatever meat can fill his stomach. They do, however, have a noticeable preference for fresh meat, discarding remains if game can be found nearby, which is almost always the case.

*Obviously, they are Tyrannosaurus Rex.[/ic]

[Magnus Pym]

Once again I have rethought Primeval, clarifying some things in my mind which will translate into paper. For this reason I thought a new thread would be necessary, for I still want the previous version intact for personal use.

Next step, I wish to release a description of the regions upon which the story will focus. So, within the next seven days, I should be able to post about that in the second thread.

[Magnus Pym]

Hi folks! I've begun to write descriptions of some areas. As of now, I've released the two most important: Jamibia and Gayani. To help those who are more visual, I've included small maps with borders that describe the area of influence of each civilization.

These are short descriptions and may very well be modified in the future to include more information. I've thought about directly including cultures in these descriptions, but instead elected to give them their own section.

[Magnus Pym]

Hello, readers. This evening I added a description for the Shekayans and the first part of a short story that takes place there and that will teach us a little bit about Chakra and, eventually, Mantra.

[Magnus Pym]

Hey people! This morning I worked on some stuff and I am happy to let you know I posted a description of the Jungle Verde and a continuation to yesterday's short story. Finally, the purest of states has been discovered: Mantra!

[Ghostman]

It's surprising to learn that Shekayan tribes were warring against each other more frequently during the time when most of them were being ruled by the same dynasty. Why was that the case?

Are the fluorescent mushrooms found in Jungle Verde edible? Can they be collected and carried away to be used as light sources?

[Magnus Pym]

I thought I might have sentenced that wrong. There was a time when there was a lot more strife, and then a pause when the Shekayah family ruled, and then back to some strife before another era of peace. I'll review that little part and try to craft something so that it might be better understood, but thanks for confirming my suspicions.

Right, the light source is definitely one of its uses. There are many "kinds" of flashy mushrooms, some that loses their glow after some time when rooted out, some that stay alight much longer. Some may be edible, others not. I really have to write a description for those, but don't worry I did plan on having more information about them because they're just too cool.

[Magnus Pym]

Hello buddies! I admit to having some difficulty releasing a steady stream of new content, but I return today with good news. Today, I give you the mumushums and the Kratas. Some of you who have read my previous version of Primeval will maybe remember those earth elemental giants (or whatever creature they might be!) that are the Kratas. I've changed the fluff text about them a little bit, but essentially they remain quite the same as they were. The mumushums addition I thought was interesting, not only because Ghostman sort of asked for it, but because they have more potential than I thought them to have at the beginning.

As usual, if you got any questions, or comments, feel free to speak up. Hopefully I will be inspired. :)

[Ghostman]

I'm liking the mumushums, and the area they grow in looks like a place adventurers exploring the jungle would often end up in, looking for a safe haven.

[Magnus Pym]

Beware though, I've left a lot of grey areas. The point with Primeval is to leave just enough for a potential game master/storyteller to add in his own ideas. So, maybe it could be a safe haven, or maybe, if we consider the fact that no tribe lives within the area as of yet and that it seems to shelter weak animals, it is not so much a safe haven... for humans. :)

My OWN idea is that the mumushums react differently to humans than to animals or other kinds of beasts, which is why no man lives within the area but rather just outside of it. But as I said earlier, I left just enough grey space for others to imagine the rest as they want.

Thank you for reading the stuff.

[Magnus Pym]

'Sup folks. Today, I bring to you one of the most mysterious and savage place in Primeval, the Baturapi, as well as one of its most ferocious inhabitants, the Rexorus!

[Magnus Pym]

Friends of the Guild, salutations. I've written the first part of the tragic story of Jamibia's rise from slave to saviour and commander. I hope this short story will please you, and make you want more. I will also post it in the relevant post in the beginning of this thread.


[ic=Jamibia's Rise To Power Part I]This is the first part to the story of Jamibia's rise to ultimate power. It covers how he saved a relatively large group of slaves that would become his political base on which he will build to acquire yet more power.



The king's rise to power was a turbulent one, strewn with obstacles and tragedies. As a young man, he was taken captive by Logosu¹ marauders as he recited the Third Prayer², along with his family and much of his kinsmen who hadn't been killed in the raid. All of the captives were brought to Regesh to work there as slaves, mainly serving in the edification of walls. Ordinarily, any slave who disobeyed was killed on sight, but for some reason³, Jamibia was kept in a cage when they deemed him too rebellious⁴. Daily they pelted him with small stones and deprived him of food to keep him weak, but his resolve was unshakable. They proceeded to inflict atrocities upon his family right before his eyes, but it only served to further fuel his hatred for them. In the end, they ended up killing his parents and crippled some of his closest friends, who were now doomed to die in agony due to lack of care for their injuries⁵. Jamibia was furious, but there was little he could do. So he prayed day and night that he be released.

One night just before dawn, the fateful night when everything began, one of the messengers in Regesh, who was a slave himself, came and unlocked⁶ Jamibia's cage. It was a close call; as he finished untying the last knot, one of the slavers noticed what he was doing and ran quickly toward him to deal a fatal blow, but the cage now laid open, and Jamibia ran amok. With a ferocity worthy of the wildest animal, he ripped the barbarian apart, took his weapon and raised all the slaves in rebellion, slaughtering the masters in Regesh. At dawn, the freedmen were rid of their captors, and every one of them praised Jamibia, swearing their lives to him, offering their condolences, and asking that he lead them against the Logosu to exact their revenge. This was his intent, he told them, but his savior, Ruobingo, had told him they would be greatly outnumbered. Lugo, the man who led the Logosu tribe, was entrenched in Haïka⁷ with a horde of armed men, maybe six thousand in all. They were a mere four hundred men. It was finally decided that they would return home in the Magiza Heights to forge alliances with the neighboring peoples, that they might increase their number.

Forging these alliances should have been a daunting task, but because a number of the freedmen originated from other regions than the Magiza Heights, it was easy for Jamibia to identify his first prospective allies. Since these too were oppressed by the Logosu, they would welcome him as their own and offer their support to end the supremacy of the northern barbarians. However, Jamibia, to secure his leadership role in this affair, devised a plan. To ensure the loyalty of the foreign freedmen, he proceeded to form pacts with them. They were now his brothers, his only family, and he was their savior. As such he thought it was right that they'd pledge their loyalty to him, and him only. In return, he promised to avenge their people and protect them from further oppression. And so it happened. They formed the band known as Sani's Chosen and he proclaimed himself Son of Sani, the Sun God. The foreign freedmen especially were supportive of his claim to be partly, if not wholly, divine; as they saw how the Logosu treated rebellious slaves and thought him to be divinely fortunate, among other things.

As the band was formed and his leadership asserted, Jamibia proceeded to gather the support of all those who were wronged by the Logosu. Not only should it have been a daunting task, but it should have been a slow process. Then again, it was obvious that time wasn't on their side; that Lugo would soon descend upon them with his army to avenge his own loss. This, everyone understood. So, tribal leaders from all over the desert pledged their support to his cause, and before a month had passed, Jamibia commanded a host of five thousand. Some of them were adolescents or women, so they were still at a disadvantage compared to the rumored six thousand armed men under Lugo's command, but there was no more time to waste; a report had come that the Logosu formed an army and were marching south from Regesh. Revenge was nigh for Sani's Chosen. To hell with the preparations, they thought, "let's ride and end Lugo!"




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

¹The Logosu was an amalgam of tribes settled along the northern coast of the continent that had a reputation for their ferocity and, most importantly, being cannibals.
²Worshippers of the Sun God, Sani, must apparently recite three prayers a day at the appropriate time. the first is at dawn, the second at noon and the third at dusk. The Third Prayer happens at dusk.
³Jamibia and his kinsmen thought it to be a message from Sani, but would later learn that their kin's flesh had regenerative properties and thus were to be kept alive, especially the younger ones.
⁴He constantly protested against their barbaric ways, refusing to work and calling them barbarians, among other things.
⁵So much for keeping them alive. It seems like they prefered to toy with their captives rather than please their lord.
⁶There weren't really any locks, but the cage was tightly tied with some solid material and could only be undone from the outside.
⁷The capital of the small kingdom Lugo ruled.[/ic]