I bought a spiffy new notebook.

[Mason]

Yep. First notebook I bought in two months. (a personal record for me.)To celebrate have a big ol' wall of text, which is what I filled it up with today. I'm gonna consider working this out for a campaign to come in the fall. (Summers half over already??!?!?! WHAT!)

Torn Lands Carrowynne in the days of The age that has passed was the center of the world. No tower was higher, no castle mightier, and no people more prosperous. The mage-king Hathor ruled benevolently and brought twenty-one sons into the world. He tricked the Djinni Knock <nok'al'ath'Haza> into telling him the secrets of the world , and then trapped him in a prison of water. [note=Djinni] Djinni are remnants of the creation, they come in many different forms, based on elements. They represent chaos, and in the Age that has passed traveled freely throughout the world, causing mischief and mayhem.[/note]

 Hathor ruled for many years. He made peace with elves and with dwarves. (The human kings before Hathor were conquerors and fought with other races for dominance.)
 
 Hathor Worldbreaker Carrowynne (the city,capital} sat on the edge of the world, The Center Sea was in those days the great sea.. But Hathor incurred the wrath of the Old Gods when he divided his kingdom twenty-one ways amongst his sons. Not much else is known for that is the beginning of The age that is lost and the end of The age that has passed.
  Hathor battled the mortal forms of the Old Gods and lost. The Center Sea was formed as the battle split the earth and the waters drained into the earth, unveiling the western lands. Carrowynne was abandoned, Hathor was missing, and all twenty one sons were apparently struck dead.
 
 That is how Hathor broke the world and created the Torn Lands
 (No clue why the gods were so angry @ Hathor.)
 
 [note= Ages/Timeline]For clarity, dates will not be used; instead a simpler form, with the earliest first:
 Age that has passed--->Age that is Lost--->Current Age[/note]



 The Disposition of The Long Ears, a fable.
 It is commonly assumed that during the age that has passed, when Hathor made peace with the Elves, he invited elvish nobles to his court to learn the magics he had mastered, (Arcane, more later).
 The Elves generally were masters of Earth Magic, the lifeblood of the land, channeled through the being, more of a listening/asking sort of power. (This might be why the dwelt in the Calshan Jungles , where the magic was quite awake.)
 The Elven Emperor sent several hundred nobles to Hathors palace, where they greeted the Mage-King, ready to receive lessons on Arcana. Hathor had intended for only a handful of students to be sent to the kingdom, but the Mage-King was infinitely patient and so greeted the elves with an air of amusement. He cast a spell to duplicate himself to match the number of elves and so commenced instruction in basic magics this way.
  This in itself was no easy task. The court room, to an onlooker was an insane sight. Hundreds of Hathors and elves casting spells of various natures. Some failing , some succeeding etc.
 According to the elvish version of this fable, the hundred or so Hathors began quarreling over who the real Hathor was, and Hathor had to dismiss the spell soon after, else mayhem break loose in front of his long-eared guests, and the Mage-king lose face.
  This fable is used to warn young elves of the nature of man. The wisest, most powerful hero in human hero is shown susceptible to quarreling(as each aspect of the spell was in some way a part of his psyche). Hathor represents human kingdoms in the current age, bickering over territories all the while holding a dignified front. etc...

 After the breaking of the world, the races scattered to every corner of the land. No longer isolated from one another, they lived and worked together for many centuries. You will find man, elve, and dwarve, in any major city. But there are still those who isolate themselves from the others. Deep in the Calshan Junglean Elven emperor rules over a vast tribe of elves loyal to the old ways. In the Mountains of Legendthe great dwarven king Thotheadministers a sturdy fortress. And in the far north, a kingdom of Men worship the Djinnand the Old Gods.

 Midire,Gladyre,KaldereThese three cities are the highest population centers in the lands around the Center Sea. All three are semi-monarchy, with a king advised by a handful of ministers who are elected by the people, nominated by the king. Only the kingdom of Nokk(far-north-djinn-worshipping-kindom)is an absolute monarchy.
 
 The Guilded Toweris home to an order of knights who follow a code of law based on the life of their founder, Althain Pentir.(pentir-djinn-slayer?) Pentir defended the world from the Djinn set loose after the breaking of the world. When he drove them from a pristine valley to the northeast, he set in place magics that prevented them from entering the valley. Pentir, in old age, grew suspicious of those around him. He accused his followers of consorting with Djinn, and slew or banished many of his knights. Now only a handful of elves,dwarves and men dwell in the tower. They are mortal enemies of The Kingdom of Nokk and any who worship Djinn. (they use portals for travel?)

 

[Mason]

The Old Gods are feared. Except in the Kingdom of Nokk, they are dismissed as myth by the peoples in the larger cities.(Gladyre,Kaldere,Midire). But in the villages and hamlets from Aduwar to Volsung there are those who still worship them.  
  [note=Old Gods] Trying to determine the overall feeling towards the old gods. Can I justify a culture that holds a man (Hathor) in high regard, when he is the one who battled the creators and broke the world? Perhaps the old gods are feared because they showed the peoples what could be done to someone who reaches for power? At any rate the culture would be mixed, I think the kingdom of Nokk, who worship the old gods and djinn are a good balance. Then the other races, elves and dwarves would have there own feelings towards the whole breaking of the world scenario. Maybe just go with the PC's attitudes towards the situation. Plausible setting for an evil PC campaign. Then again it's all kinda grey. I know I don't want the Old Gods to be the stereotypical this is a god of war, this is a god of nature, etc. These were simply powerful beings who decided to use there powers to create this world, never championing any one set cause.[/note]

 Djinn are the remnants of the creation. Tools used by the Old Gods to shape the world. Chaotic elementals that in the Age that has passed roamed the land. In the current age they are legends. People say the haunt the lands, causing floods and destroying crops. In hidden caves and musty basements they are worshiped and even summoned? They say the link between the world and the realm of the Djinn grows stronger.

 The Newer Gods are mostly domestic. These are your localized gods of agriculture and spring etc. All races pray to an enormous amount of these beings. Dwarves generally pray to ancestors,great kings and warriors, for strength and guidance.

 The Ousted The Seven Gods who warred with the Old Gods during the creation. Originally part of the old gods, they were defeated and imprisoned in the land itself as an eternal punishment. (watching the world grow, helplessly) They answered the call of :

The Stricken During Hathors battle with the Old Gods, wild magics transformed the lands. It blackened Carrowynne,(Hathors city) and some of the creatures were affected. These creatures became the stricken, men melded with beasts, beasts with men, some creatures created out of nothing. Incredible perversions of nature that left the center lands.
 They are angry at the races,gods, Hathor and pretty much everything for there ill luck. They terrorize villages on the borderlands in the current age. Nobody knows how they sustain there numbers, and they are feared across the world.
 [note=The Stricken] They called out to the Old Gods to right the injustice done unto them. The Gods refused to help, making a sort of eternal example out of them. They were left to there fates until the Ousted answered there prayers. During the battle with Hathor, the Old Gods took mortal form, and as such were considerably weaker. They let slip some of there defenses on the prisons of the Ousted, and as a consequence the Ousted were able to slip thoughts into the world. The thoughts wandered aimlessly for centuries until they found the mutated creatures known as the Stricken. They use these beasts to search for a way to free them from there earthly prisons.[/note]

 The old gods are:
 Ymir, in a prison of mirrors.
 Levitha, in a sea of fire.
 Elwani, in the .....
 Sebek, in the drops of rain.
 Attar, in the hearts of men.
 Lohothai, in the myths of the elves.
 Sccaddi, in the strength of the dwarves.

 This is the "Lyric of The Ousted". A song well known in the Kingdom of Nokk. It is sung with different attitudes depending on the location. For example, in the Kingdom of Nokk, it is a slow dirge, in mourning for there gods. And in Gladye it is a quick paced "fun" song, a sort of ha-ha, you should have known better tune.

 A note on Magic Items:
 Magic items are rare in this world. Dwarves despise anything magical(or not for that matter) that was created,worn, or touched by anyone other than themselves or there ancestors. Each item has a distinct history, therefore magic shops and random +1 longswords do not exist.
 Examples:
Loame Weave armor. Light Leather Armor. Ability to wield a minor Earth magic spell, etc.
 "In the age that is lost an Elvish Noble named Calathar wielded great earth magics, and when he was killed in battle some of this magic transferred into the armor he wore. His son wore it for many years, and carried it into the Torn Lands exploring, where he disappeared, and the armor was lost."
 
Feyslaughter Bow. Longbow. Warns of nearby enemies of the elven race.
 "During the dark years of the age that has passed, before Hathor was king, a bow was created with the aid of a Djinn, that promised man it would aid against the elven-kind. The wielder was slain due to Djinn treachery and the bow was considered cursed , and buried in a long lost vault."
 
 Some ideas on regional bonuses for PC's:
 Kaldere Highlanders[/b] The terrain around Kaldere is hilly, the people raise sheep and goats, scouring the hills for deposits of precious metal. Characters from Kaldere might gain bonuses to climbing,survival,appraise type skills concerning metals,items made of metals etc. Black-smithing would be a plausible profession.

Midire Foresters [/b] The forests surrounding the city are rife with game and potent vegetation,suitable for eating and alchemy. A PC from this region could have bonuses to stealth,tracking,identifying herbs,poisons, or creating consumables.


Gladyre Travelers[/b] Gladyre lies on the shores of the Center Sea, and the people are apt at navigating the shoals and shorelines. Traders,fisherman,sailors etc. PC's could be proficient in sailing,bargaining,survival, and have a bonus language.

 The Gladyre kings have always payed heed to the Oracle who dwells at the golden shrine(god-awful name edit). War cannot be waged nor crops sewn unless the Oracle gives consent. There is a tension between Gladyre and the faction at the Guilded Tower(the djinn haters). If the Oracle does not speak in the best interest of the faction, they often accuse them of consorting with Djinn, and petition for them to be replaced.
 A sort of shanty town of followers has sprung up around the Oracles home. The camp is full of people who follow the Oracle fanatically. There is always some conflict over exactly what the Oracles most recent revelation means in the camp, and as a result is a problem for Gladyre. There is talk of men payed by the Guilded Tower to spread lies and bring discord to the tent village in an effort to discredit the Oracle etc. (more on who the oracle is,why Gladyre pays heed etc.)

 It is said the first oracle was born to an elf noble and a human maiden. The son was born with golden skin, and spoke the language of the earth. Not simply able to wait for signs as the elven earth magic wielders do, but actually carry on conversations with the trees, winds, rivers etc.

 Gypsium Lakes[/u] The drifting people dwell on the lakes near the Torn Lands, in boat cities and platforms.They are called drifters,gypsies,the lost, etc. They trade with Midire and Gladyre and some even live in those cities, but never for very long.They seem to always be on the move, as if running from something. They are generally very good natured.They are one of the few peoples who will go into the Torn Lands to scavenge for treasures. They pay homage to water spirits (Djinn??)

 Midire[/u] Midire is situated at the end of the Elm River where it joins the Far Reach R. (colloquially called the Farrock) The docks are some of the most impressive in the world. There is a strong Gypsy element in the city, as it is they who designed the docks. Three levels of boardwalks, platforms, gangways and elevators stretch across the rivers and harbor. Watchtowers are situated one and two miles down and up river from every end, to warn of impending danger. Chains can be dragged across the channels at these points to deter any water-borne threat. They build mighty ships in Midire using the sturdy wood found in the forests surrounding the city. It is said, long ago a human snuck into the Calshan Forest and stole away a few saprolings. He planted them in the forests of Midire knowing they would grow quickly, and be of the sturdiest wood to be found. Soon the forests were overtaken by these foreign trees and the ship building industry flourished. (They say there is magic in the ships of Midire).

 On Magic:

 I'd like to divide the magics up into three categories: Arcane, Earth, and Element Augmentation(Djinn).

 Arcane is your standard study a dusty tome gain a spell magic. (maybe)

 The Earth Magic would be more primal, listening to the trees etc.
 
 Element Augmentation would require contacting a Djinn through ritual and then taking some of its power.
 

[Mason]

I have not been able to get online recently..Just checking on the forums from a pub. Not much going on here I see. Any comments,suggestions welcome.
 Thanks.

[FREAKIN' AWESOME HORSE]

Perhaps the gods were angry at Hathor for dividing the land between his sons because they favored a specific one? Maybe one was supposed to be part of a major prophecy and Hathor twisted their prophecy with his actions? They could even reanimate him (for revenge) as some sort of hunter/time guardian to hunt those that try to do anything of the sort again.

[Mason]

Just some more stuff I've crammed into this.

Character Classes

Historian: "searching endlessly for long lost tomes,you scour the musty pages for ancient power."
 Akin to standard wizards.Use verbal incantations to bring forth magics that are everywhere,unseen by common folk, Spells are aquired at the whim of the DM (be nice!). Quick Writ? Read/write/learn much faster than normal. (1/2?)

Consorter: Ok it's a summoner class. Except if you mess up the Djinn will kill you. They learn the names of Djinn, and how to bind them to a focus. Like a staff or wand or anything really. The more names they learn the more powerful they become.

Channeler(restricted to elves?): Meditation and patience brings power from the natural surroundings. This is called becoming attuned. Earthquakes,mist,lightning,rain etc.

History Sketch

Creation*Civil War of the gods*Old Gods/Ousted Split*Creation Ends while war continues*Ousted defeated and imprisoned in the world*World births the races*Calshan Forest sprouts elves*Mountains bring dwarves*Thousand years pass*Elven society*first Elven Attuned*Dwarves build cities in the earth*Human nomads*Humans settle,agriculture animal husbandry etc.*Elven Civil War*The elven self-banished leave the Calshan to live among the other races(Adulb'et'Hatha)*Humans trade with Dwarves*Hathor born*Trials of Hathor which culminates with him forming an alliance with Falkiri(Dwarven name for Djinn)*Hathor convinces the Djinn Nokk(Nok'al'Ath'Haza) to help build Carrowyn*Carrowyn completed Hathor traps Nokk*Hathor breaks the world*

[Mason]

So yeah, I think I'm going to give this some room to breath, and fully flesh it out. I've got a map all done up. Just need to scan it. Although it looks like I might have to change some locations. The three magic types are related somehow , I just do not know at this point. Arcane is giving me some trouble.(The Historian Class) Of the three (Arcane,Element,Earth) that one is more akin to a science type, while the other two are just there, and weilded.
 
 Changing some things about racial motives. Elves(true elves in the Calshan forest that surrounds the entire world) will most likely despise humans. Dwarves are giving me some trouble as well, because well, there so cliche. Thinking of taking them out and putting in another race called the Tetra.
 Tetra The Tetra are humanoid, appearing to have skin like tree sap, or dark dirty crystal, but smooth. They are unique in that , if they are slain, there hearts, which look like fist sized orbs of amber with a tiny flame inside can be taken to there homeland, (Fires of Mon Ulder?) and be "re-forged". The reborn Tetra is a different person, yet they retain memories,knowledge and power they may have aquired.

[Mason]

[ic]
 The air is thin here. Ice coats the old mans thick black beard and hair. His black cloak affords no shelter from the arctic air. Yet he feels nothing. He walks. Ice crackles beneath his bare feet. His staff steadies him against the wind and shifting ground.
 He finds what he is looking for.

 "Oh , Haza. You fool." His voice is no where and everywhere. He peers up at the icy mountain. Twisting runes swirl and dive through the ice mountain. With a humanly sigh the man croutches and taps the side of the mountain with his black-as-night staff. A creature emerges in the mountain. It's face is a smirk through the cloudy ice.

  The old man smiles. "Still a spark left in you old friend. Hathor tricked you as I foretold. Now look at you." The old mans face saddened. Then flashed with anger. "Fool! Where is your rage? The fire you wielded so well against our traitorous brethren? Now caged like this, at a mortal's hand no less!" The anger left the old mans face and he stood. "Eleven hundred years Nokk. I will return. One hundred years for each bastard you sired. And Hathor will pay for his arrogance. He will destroy all that you helped him build. And we will take the sons he claims for himself. Your mortal children Nokk-That is your punishment. Sleep well."
 With that the old man dissapates into a thousand ravens that caw and flap into the heavens.

[/ic]

[spoiler=Guise of a god]

[/spoiler]

[Superfluous Crow]

I like where this is going and would be interested to see more. I'm not normally much for overly "godly" campaigns, but this seems to at least present in a way that i can enjoy :)

[Mason]

Thanks for stopping by CC.
 
 I think the more human qualities I can give my gods , the easier it will be to make them real. Nokk is a critical character in this setting , as he is one of the catalysts for the 'breaking of the world' and the way the world turns out.
More to come tonight hopefully.

[LordVreeg]

You know, maybe starting a thread about your dwarves might help.
You don't need to keep tham, but sometimes it is even more powerful to change a prototypical racial character to make it your own.

My Klaxiks are dwarves, but their susceptability to Plague, their former existence as a slave race, their female tendency to sexual liason, and their closeness to the Orcash peoples mark them as different from the typical dwarf.

Maybe your dwarves, due to their xenophobic tendency, might see the ods very differently, which makes them more distrustful of the other races and their beliefs. Making them religeous artists might also fit in.  

Just some random thoughts based onj your solid intial ideas.

[Mason]

Thanks for the thoughts vreeg . It's so hard to break that stereotype once you've had the idea of a typical dwarf pounded into your skull your whole life. What do you mean by religious artists?

[Mason]

[ic]

"Do you know who I am?" An old man leans lightly on a black-as-night staff. The boy before him has Hathors eyes, yet he is not the Worldbreaker. The moonlight reveals the makings of strong features in the boys face. An unruly crop of yellow hair crowds his forehead.

The old man sighs. "Your father has been dealt with. You know nothing of what has transpired. I agree it is not fair. But there are promises to be kept. Even now time as you know it is slipping by. All of those you knew and loved have long turned to ash and dust. But that is just one part of it boy. You will die, yes. But not in the sense that you think I mean."

 The old man paused. He thinks a moment.
 
"Yes. You will carry the memories of the past. Through ten thousand peoples. You will be the creator as I have created you and your kind. You will die, as I have said. But you will die for eternity boy. As punishment for your clans arrogance."

 The old man lifts his staff. The boy is calm. The old man hesitates and then brings the staff down, at the last moment a cloud of light engulfs the old man and boy.

  The boy is no more. He sees through a thousand sets of eyes. He looks at the land and thinks he will build a city. He moves his ten thousand hands to lift the stones. He looks at the city and thinks he will build a palace. He moves his one hundred thousand hands to raise the pillars. He dies, and lives with the memories of all of his hundred thousand minds. They call him the Tetra now. The others are scared of him. He becomes reclusive as the years pass. This is his punishment for the Worldbreakers arrogance.

[/ic]

[ooc]Just a thought on how the Tetra might come into existance. The race can die, true. But if there heart is taken to there homeland it can be 'reforged' to bring two? new Tetra to life. Not entirely sure though. I think it's a pretty interesting concept-
Some questions I'm asking myself though: Is the race literally the boy-Hathors son? Or are they individual sentient creatures that the boy simply observes and feels? I'm not sure it matters to detail it out that much. We will see.[/ooc]

[Mason]

[ic]

The palace is empty.

 "Song, you don't have to do this." The woman speaks the words even though she knows they will reach deft ears.

 The son is dressed in warrior garb. "I know mother. But he is my father."

 He checks his sword and pulls on his gauntlets. His armor is ceremonial. He will not return from this battle.

 "He cannot win, and neither can you, Song. We are lost. All of us." She speaks the words through sobs. She gasps for air through the body-shaking anguish.

 The son turns on her in anger. "You abandon him and our family now at the hour of greatest need!" His words are venom. The old woman is stung.

 "He is not your father Song!" Her words-she wishes she could un-say them. They hang lifeless and absolute in the air.
 
 Her son teeters in his magnificent armor. His hand fumbles for his sword. His eyes are lifeless.

 He turns and leaves her, and the mother knows she will never see him again.
[/ic]

[Mason]

Some quick stuff:

 Hathor had eleven sons, who were actually the Falkiri(djinn) Nokks mortal sons. (I'm not going into details there)
 The gods punish them individually both for Hathors trapping Nokk (which might be because he found out) and Nokks hand in the whole situation.

 1: One son becomes the Oracle
 2: Althain Pentir
 3: Un-named warlord (Kingdom of Nokk)
 4: the son who becomes the race of Tetra
 5: Song, who is killed along with his honor guard and become ghosts (Songhenneti) They are bound to the place of there last battle where they were all slain-The Torn Lands , the site of the destroyed city of Carrowyn. They attack any who come near. More to come.
 

 [note]This setting is going somewhere I promise, trying to rationalize all of the elements/races etc. for the time that the setting actually takes place. Granted all of the above will be overhauled/punched in the face/put in a breadmaker and broiled at 375 for 20-25 minutes. [/note]