Calm in the Eye of the Realmstorm

[Llum]

[ooc]Alright, this is a more traditional fantasy setting, that came about from some discussion with a friend of mine. I'll update this post with more info tomorrow most likely, as it is, I'll only post quick race summaries.[/ooc]

Premise

The Lower and Upper Realms were divided by several wards. The Orc Conclave of Realmshifters having somehow gained the knowledge of these wards tried to break them. The spell used didn't work as planned as only damaged the wards cause the Realmstorm. The Realmstorm fused the two Realms and opened the way from the Daemon Holt, now the new Fused Realm sits in the Eye of the Realmstorm. No one is sure what will happen if or when the Realmstorm hits again, it could undo what it did before, it could destroy everything or something else.

In the new Fused Upper Lower Realm all the different races are left to fend for themselves in the new Realm, similar yet different to the two originals. To complicate things even more Daemons now have access to the Fused Realm, entering and leaving at will. Many new conflicts have arisen from the clash of Upper Realm and Lower Realm races, as well as old conflicts being renewed.

[Llum]

Upper Realms Races

Naga

Upper Realm race the Naga have a humanoid torso and a snake tail instead of legs, they are covered in hard scales and flat snake-like heads. Some have multiple sets of arms. Scales come in various shades of azure, turquoise and indigo.

The Naga are an aquatic race dwelling in the Timeless Ocean area of the Upper Realm before the realmstorm. They are the arch enemy the Ophidian, with whom they are at constant war with.

Rarely a Naga egg will be tainted by another element. These eggs will not hatch underwater, only when exposed to the tainting element. These Naga look quite different from norme. Fire tainted Naga are called Salamanders and Air tainted Naga are called Coualt. No Earth tainted Naga have been born.

Building wondrous cities on the ocean floor with stone, living coral and the bones of great sea creatures. The cities are a point of pride with the Naga, with the city in which individual Naga are born and live are quite important in there society. While not forbidden to change cities, it is generally frowned upon by more conservative elements of Naga society.

Politically each city rules itself in there own manner, ranging from elected senate to hereditary oligarchy. However all cities pay tribute to the hereditary monarch of the Naga race. This individual does not concern him or herself with the cities but with the war with the Opidian.

Golems

The Golems are sentient earthly elementals. They have body composition varying but all being composed to earth elements such as sand,stone,soil,gems and metals. They are all made of one single uniform element.

The Golems have a deep hatred for all non-sentient Elementals and Daemons. They view non-sentient Elementals as savage creatures that do not deserve to be able to walk the earth. They are awaiting a time when Elementals of a different element become sentient, until then they are considered a scourge to be contained or eliminated whenever their paths cross.

However the Golems are extremely protective of the Undead. Golems refer to the Undead as the Children of the Meteor, leading some to believe that the meteors are the true cause of the Undead. Golems will do everything in there power to protect Undead, even attacking those who would threaten them.

Ophidian

A race of fish like humanoids. Adult Ophidian are about 3 to 4 feet in height. They have webbed fingers and toes on all four limbs. Covered in small fish scales they are able to breath on both land and underwater, despite there fishlike appearance the Ophidian appear to be more amphibious than actual fish.

They are the Arch Enemy of the Naga launching raids on their cities. A nomadic race they travel in great swarming schools never owning more than can be carried.

Known to follow Giants of the Shark Tribe around the seas of the Timeless Ocean and now the Fused Upper Lower Realm. Occasionally a Giant will acknowledge a school following it and ordering it to do some tasks, usually to great detriment to the school, as a distraction so the Giant can accomplish some goal of its own. Schools still willingly follow these orders for some unknown reason.

Giants

Tribal race of barbaric humanoids of great size. All Giants are at least 8 feet tall larger members topping out at 16 feet in height. The Race is composed of several different tribes who each have a unique totemic animal, save one tribe.
These are the giant tribes. Tribal Alignment is given.

Horse Tribe:Native to Terra the Horse Tribe's custom is when a giant reaches adulthood he bonds with his chosen horse, fusing them into a single creature. The giants torso above its waist is fused onto the horses shoulders replacing the animals neck and head. After fusion they range from 8 to 9 feet in height.

*Shark Tribe: The largest giants ranging from 14 to 16 feet in length from tip to tail when swimming or standing on land. They live completely underwater in the Timeless Ocean. Known to sink ships that they cross. These giants are gray or light blue skinned. They fuse with there totemic animal after only 6 years of life making them wilder and more savage then most giants. They resemble shark-like creatures with humanoid arms and legs with webbed fingers and toes.

*Boar Tribe Neutral: Native to the great forests of Terra the Boar Tribe fuse with there totemic animal at 11 to 12 years of age. After fusion they resemble humanoid boars 10 to 11 feet tall with a great mane and cloven feet. Known to braid giant poisonous thorns into there manes they are immune to most poisons due to there extremely robust constitution. Solitary by nature they are only found in groups when raising young. It has been known for freakishly large bull giants to appear from time to time, topping out at 16 feet in height.

*Hawk Tribe Neutral: A unique case amongst giants, they are born fused with there totemic animal hatching from eggs. With a wingspan of over 40 feet they are 13 to 15 feet tall when standing. Resembling humans with great wings eagle heads and taloned hands feet. Native to the Nadir they make there nests on the rare floating islands.

*Ogre Tribe: The Ogre Tribe are the only tribe without a totemic animal. Resembling exceptionally tall Dwarves being 10 to 11 feet in height and quite broad as well. The most dispersed of all the giants they can be found sailing the Timeless Ocean in ships, sailing the Nadir in airships or living on the Terra in villages. Viewed as more civilized by the other races due to there lack of overt bestial features.[/list]

Elementals

A non-sentient race composed of beings made of a single substance related to a primordial element. An elemental that gains sentience for some reason is cosidered one of the Golems. So far only Elementals related to Earth have become sentient.

Morrow

The Morrow race is composed of different biological castes. Each caste resembles humanoid armored crustaceans. Their size and appearance varies according to caste.

The three castes of the Morrow race are the Paladin caste, the Monk caste and the Servitor caste. The first Paladins were Morrow.

The Paladin Caste has the smallest population of the Morrow castes. Generally the largest in sie, standing up to 8 feet tall while being twelve feet long, with two large combat claws and four smaller manipulator arms. Shell color is white with tints of yellow, orange and blue. Paladins serve as priests and holy warriors. Often a Paladin will serve under Servitor scholars to become more knowledgeable.

Monk caste are roughly twice the population of the Paladin Caste. This caste has four combat claws with only two manipulator arms. Monks generally stand 6 feet tall and roughly 9 in length. Shell color is gray with tints of red or pink. Monks serve as the militant arm of Morrow society, serving as soldiers, leaders and police.

Servitor Caste Morrow have the largest population of all the castes, roughly two thirds of the population. They're the smallest in size of all Morrow standing at 5 feet in height, and only 7 feet in length. Servitor has six manipulator arms and no combat claws. Shell color is black with gray and white tints. Servitors are known to be great craftsmen and artificers. Servitors make up the bulk of Morrow society and handle all manners of tasks, save for those related to combat.

The bulk of Morrow society is found at the bottom of the Skeir sea. From here the Morrow battle aquatic adaptions of The Hive.
[spoiler=Rulers of Morrow Society]
[ic=The Pearl Queen]
The Pearl Queen is the ruler of the Paladins of Morrow society.

She resembles an enormous Paladin with a more curved and rippled shell. The shell is also has the color and luminescence of a jewel pearl, giving her the name the Pearl Queen.
[/ic]
[ic=Ceenobite Mrril]
The Cenobite is a mutant Monk Morrow. The Cenobite has an assortment of spike like growths riddling his shell. Also Mrril has six combat claws, and no manipulator arms.

The reason that Mrril is the leader of the Monks is that he emits pheromones that influence all Monks, he can create a fanatical bloodlust then calm it to a state of inner bliss in seconds.
[/ic]
[ic=High Scholar Flox]
Flox is the leader of the Servitor caste of Morrow. He is distinctive with a bright blue shell, and eight manipulator arms. Flox is actually two separate consciences that inhabit a single body.

As such Flox never sleeps, as one mind can rest while the other is awake. They can communicate with each other at the speed of though, although they do not share memory or a mind. This has made Flox the greatest scholar in Morrow history, earning him the title of High Scholar.
[/ic]
[/spoiler]

The Hive

Insectoid race ruled by a hive mind made up by the higher beings in the hive. Driven to destroy all pure races, they will not harm a member of a hybrid race.

The Hive is formed from many different species all connected by the hivemind. The actual sentient hivemind is said to be made up of the minds of the higher beings belonging to the hive. It has been seen that the higher the species in the hierarchy of The Hive creating a calming effect and form a sense of cohesion around them.

The smallest forms of The Hive are quite tiny, being around 2 feet in lenght, these cricket like creatures, are used as scouts and messengers by the Hive. The largest creatures, the spider-like Hive Imperatrix and the warring Terror Kings have been seen to be 15 feet in height, while sometimes over 30 in length.

Native to the Scorch before the realmstorm where they lived as one cohesive hive, now scattered to all points the fused realm, five distinct hiveminds have formed, leading to a great war between these hiveminds to become the dominant racial mind. This war preoccupies the hiveminds otherwise the other races may be in great danger if the Hive proves to be hostile.

Roughly a dozen different species have been seen and recorded, however it appears that the new hiveminds are adapting old species and creating new breeds.

It is rumored that they gave the knowledge of the realms to the Orcs.

[Llum]

Lower Realm Races

Humans

Humans ruled the greatest empire in the world until they were overthrown by the Surface Elves. They were overthrown a scant three hundred years ago.

Now after centuries of enslavement and slaughter they are a dying breed and quite rare outside of slavery. A scant few settlements can be found underground cohabiting alongside Dungeon Elves.

Humans range from 5 to roughly 6 feet in height, with skin tones varying form very dark to exceedingly pale. Darker skin tones are more common then paler varieties. Hair is usually brown or black, rarely blond haired people are born. Eyes vary in shades of blue, green, gray, brown and black.

Humans are rare in the world, the only places to have significant human populations are Freedom, various Surface Elf cities and Orclave.

[spoiler=Prominent Humans]
[ic=Amble Willowson]
Amble Willowson is the leader of the free Humans of Freedom and by extension all free Humans.

Amble is of moderate height, with coal dark skin. His eyes are a fierce gray color. He is clean shaven to protest his former enslavement, in opposition of Surface Elves having their slaves grow elaborate topknots.

Amble is a vocal supporter of bringing war to the Surface Elves, and has the almost universal support of escaped slaves and the Dungeon Elves.
[/ic]
[ic=Ariel Sovereign]
Ariel Sovereign is the direct descendant of the imperial family who ruled the human empire before it was overthrown.

The Czarina Sovereign is slim and willowy, with deep tanned skin, with hair matching it exactly in color. Her eyes are completely black, she has no whites in her eyes and the iris matches her pupil in color, both being black. This makes it nearly impossible to tell where she is looking at any given moment.

With her physical looks being so uniform, she is said to look like a person carved from wood, with black opals for eyes. Ariel is a prized slave of the Dawn King.
[/ic]
[ic=Mortat]
Mortat is the most powerful Human magus to have ever lived. Born into an indulgent household of Surface Elves, he was prized for his fair skin and blond hair. He also had the build of a Surface Elf and was of a similar height, taller then most Humans. He was said to resemble a Surface Elf to such a degree that he could pass as one to a casual observer.

Mortat used this to his advantage, escaping slavery in adulthood. Once free he escaped to the continent of Skeir. After the Realmstorm Mortat has returned to Otiron.

Following his return to Otiron he established himself as a master of summoning and parlaying with Daemons. Mortat knows more names of Daemons then any other person or group and is on good terms with most Daemons. Due to this and his deft understanding of Daemon politics he has many powerful Daemon allies.

He is also rumored to be the consort of Otael the self proclaimed Daemon Queen.
[/ic]
[/spoiler]

Surface Elves

The surface dwelling elves are an evil race that slaughtered humanity 300 years ago, overthrowing there great empire. After enslaving the leftover humans they now control most of the surface world.

Taller than humans and usually slender with wiry muscles and slightly pointed curved ears. The Surface Elves differ from their dungeon cousins in that there skin is a dark golden or tanned color. Hair color is universally blond or occasionally white.

Surface Elves respect Orcs according to there lineage, depending if there sire is a dungeon or surface elf. They are allied with the Dwarves. They are on constant hunt for escaped humans and there underground dwelling cousins the Dungeon Elves

The Ruler of the Surface Elves is the Dawn King.

Dungeon Elves

The Dungeon Elves were banished from the surface of the world 9000 years ago when the Surface Elves displaced them. They found refuge underground in Great Caverns.

Taller than humans, usually slender with wiry muscles and slightly pointed curved ears. The Dungeon Elves differ from their surface cousins in that there skin is a deep shade gray, blue or violet. Hair is usually black, dark purple, pale blue, grey or occasionally pale yellow. These colors help them blend into shadows and underground areas with low light.

In modern times the Dungeon Elves help escaped Humans establish their own settlements underground hoping to incite them to revolt against their Surface Elves masters. They are ready to aid the humans in a revolt.

The Ruler of the Dungeon Elves is the Dusk King.

Dwarves

Short of stature yet sturdily built the dwarves are the main allies of the Surface Elves, helping run their empire. Dwarves are the smallest of all the Lower Realm races standing between 3 and 4 feet in height. Compared to Upper Realm races only bigger then certain members of The Hive and are roughly the same size as the Ophidian. Broad shouldered to the point of being barrel chested and having thick limbs dwarves are incredibly strong, much more than would be thought possible by there small stature.

Male dwarves all have a beard of varying length depending on clan and social hierarchy. Female dwarves do have beards but are more socially restricted to how they can grow them.

Dwarves that serve outside of there homeland tend to be military engineers and architects. Nearly all dwarves are engineers, architects or in a construction related trade. Those that are not tend to be merchants that purchase all of the food and sundry goods that the dwarves do not manufacture. The Dwarves are so accomplished that other races have virtually given up constructing their own buildings and fortifications, preferring to simply hire dwarves to do the work.

Dwarven society sets great store by the accomplishements of a persons lineage, however being practical to extremes, to the point where it baffles the other races, they tend to ruthlessly eliminate incompetent people whenever possible.

Dwarves being born of salt do not sleep or eat, ever. Instead they have to drink roughly a liter and a half of water a day, salt water being prefered by dwarves, though fresh can be consumed. As such Dwarves tend to live near sources of saltwater or near salt deposits. Salt has mild intoxicating effect on Dwarves, similar to alcohol in Humans and Elves.

Orcs

Orcs are the result of the mating of an Elf (Surface or Dungeon) and a Human. The race of the elf is of no importance. Orcs however do not resemble elves or humans. Larger and more robust than humans also they are of a height with elves, perhaps somewhat taller. With skin of pale shades of green as well as enlarged lower or upper, or occasionally, both canine teeth, Orcs cannot be mistaken for ether race.

It is theorized that Orcs are so different from their parent races because they were originally meant to be a sterile warrior offspring, born in times of war and then dying out after the war is done and unable to father/bear orcish children. However it has been proven that Orcs are not infertile with other orcs, just with there parent races.

Hated by some and respected by others, usually depending on there lineage, most Orcs have a hard time fitting into society. Usually forming their own enclaves far from general civilization, they are considered barbarians my most Elves and humans, however they are not shunned and welcomed to society if they choose to integrate themselves withing it. This is most likely due to there natural proficiency at war and the current warlike state of the realm.

The Conclave of Realmshifters that is made up of the Orc priesthood tried to break the wards dividing the Upper Realms from the Lower Realm. This caused the realmstorm that partially destroyed these wards fusing the Upper Realms with the Lower Realm.

How the Conclave acquired this knowledge is unknown, although it is rumored that The Hive is involved.

[spoiler=Conclave of Realmshifters]
The Conclave of Realmshifters forms the Orc priesthood. The conclave studies the interactions of the realms.

Using their knowledge they Conclave decided to perform a ritual to open a way into the Upper Realm by breaking the wards that divide them. The ritual was successful but the result was not what the Conclave had planned. Causing the Realmstorm that fused the different realms, as well as opening doorways into the Daemon Holt.

The Conclave rules the Orcs in a secondary manner, advising the political and military leaders who are in power.

Members of the Conclave has displayed incredible power, being able to manipulate gravity, open limited gateways to different parts of the realm and call forth beams of energy to obliterate their foes.

As such the Conclave is hunted ferociously by their enemies, mainly the Daemons who are angered by the intrusion into their realm.
[/spoiler]

Other Realm Races

These are races that aren't native to ether the Upper Realm or the Lower Realm.

Daemons
Otherworldly creatures that come in countless different forms. They are not from ether the Upper or Lower realms, appearing only after the Orcs conjured the realmstorm.

Despite sometimes bestial appearance all Daemons are highly intelligent. They can be summoned if they are willing to heed the summoners call. It is said that extremely powerful magic users have found a way to bind a Daemon against its will, however this is merely speculation as no such creature has been seen.

While nearly every Daemon seems to have had a humanoid appearance, it is said by some scholars that this is not their true form, and that each Daemons normally when in the Daemon Holt live in a form more bestial or exotic shape than a simple humanoid form.

[ic=Otael]
Otael normally keeps the appearance of a tall stunningly beautilfull woman with slightly orange skin and long wild blue hair. She can control her hair and use it as another limb, it is incredibly strong. She has bloodshot white eyes that constantly weep tears of blood.

Otael has proclaimed herself Queen of the Daemons, although with consultation of another Daemon it is revealed that she is the only one who acknowledges this title. However most Daemons fear her, and will not contradict her in her presence.

The reason for this fear stems from the fact that Otael must feed on the blood of other Daemons, as such she rarely stays in the new realm for very long.

She is one of the most known Daemons answering virtually all summons unless she is otherwise occupied. The results are however usually not what the summoner wished, as she rarely does as asked or even seem to listen to the summoner.
[/ic]
[ic=Oriziel]
Oriziel is the only known Daemon who spends all of his time in the new realm.

Oriziel has the appearance of a short Surface Elf with great golden feathered wings, and the legs of a lion, as well a having a great mane of golden hair. He has two sets of arms, with all his fingers ending in retractable curved claws.

He says he used to be a powerful Daemon lord who controlled three separate oasis of paradise in the Daemon Holt. He continues to say that he was exiled after he was betrayed by his three children, each claiming one of his oasis.

He spends most of his time in Dwerm the great Dwarven city. Here he learns architecture from the greatest Dwarven engineers and architects. In return he gives the Dwarves some of his Runelore and aids them against the advances of the aquatic Upper Realm races.

It is said he is a companion to the Shark Tribe and that he offers them counsel in exchange for something.
[/ic]

Undead
The first undead were sighted around a meteor that crashed into one of the many mass human graves following the conquest of the Surface Elves

As more and more meteors fall from the heavens the undead grow greatly in numbers now rivaling the major races for power and numbers.

The undead advance as a species by that once a critical mass of Undead gather in an area, new forms of Undead will start appearing. With the Undead having been around for so long, a rough timeline of Undead advancement has been established. However there have been some subtypes of Undead that appear, replacing a species in the timeline.

Whenever sufficient Undead have gathered around a fallen meteor, they carve the meteor into a shape, how they determine the shape is unknown. After the meteor has been carved they will attempt to transport it to a specific destination.

The only creatures who know this destination are called Abbots.
[spoiler=Abbots]
Abbots are a type of powerfull undead. They are always in positions of power in the Undead hierarchy.

Abbots resemble a floating skull and ribcage, attached by a spinal cord that ends where in a human one would find a pelvis. They also have an apparent sternum, although this is grossly oversized, and is embedded with multiple fragments of the meteor. Abbots are also in control of numerous floating skeletal hands. The number of hands varies, but usually the more hands a Abbot commands the more powerful it is.

Abbots are usually charged with making sure that the carved meteor is delivered to a specific destination. How they know where to direct the meteor is a mystery.

The chipped off shards of the meteor are occasionally forged into weapons to be wielded by the stronger Undead. Abbots who fight with weapons, normally have meteor forged weapons.

[ic=Azazel of Three Scythes]
Azazel of Three Scythes is an undead abbot. Controlling six skeletal hands, each set of hands wields a scythe made from black locust wood banded with bands of petrified oak. The blade is made from forged meteor shards, and glow a dark green color.

Azazel is responsible for guiding the third meteor to crash onto the planet to where it now sits, atop a ziggurat in the middle of a tropical forest, on the southern continent of Wilsh
[/ic]
[ic=Leiliel of the Seven Lefts]
Leiliel is an undead abbot who travels with her half of a carved meteor around the continent of Otiron. Even in brought back from the dead their is distinctly feminine about Leiliel.

She controls part of the second meteor to have ever crashed into the earth. The Meteor, which crashed directly on top of thinnest section of earth over a section of the Great Caverns. The meteor punctured the earth falling into the cavern directly onto an encampment of freed human slaves and Dungeon Elves.

After the slain humans rose as undead they carved the meteor and built a huge winch to remove the meteor from underground, as it was too large to transport through the caves linking the cavern to the surface. Unfortunately the Dungeon Elves attacked the undead just as they were bringing the meteor to the surface, and cause the winch to drop the meteor, fracturing it.

The Undead helped repel the Elves then brought one half of the meteor to the surface. The Dungeon Elves however renewed their attack before the Undead could raise the second, and succeeded in wiping them out.

Leiliel was on the surface with roughly half of the undead when their underground counterpart was destroyed. Now searching the lands for a entrance into the Great Caverns in which to go and retrieve the second half of the Meteor.

Leiliel looks like most abbots, however in a somewhat strange case she controls seven skeletal hands, however all of these hands are from the left side of a persons body. Having great difficulty using two handed implements, she normally uses seven rapiers forged from meteor shards.

Although she has found several entrance to the Great Caverns, she is still looking from one where she can bring the meteor into the Caverns, for she does not want to leave it behind only to lose it while she retrieves the other half.
[/ic]
[/spoiler]

[Steerpike]

The Upper Realms races and the Daemons are great, especially the Morrow and the Hive!  Very Lovecraftian, those.  I love Flox in particular.

[LordVreeg]

Indeed.  
Though unfamiliar and twisted (in the best way), Your Undead and giant tribes are instantly mythic.  Your abbots function well, and giving a purpose to things being undead helps.  I don't like settings where thingfs are there just to be there, instead of being there for a reason.

What a simple yet unexpected version of Orcs, as well.  I wonder where the damn canines came from...

[Llum]

Indeed.  
Though unfamiliar and twisted (in the best way), Your Undead and giant tribes are instantly mythic.  Your abbots function well, and giving a purpose to things being undead helps.  I don't like settings where thingfs are there just to be there, instead of being there for a reason.

What a simple yet unexpected version of Orcs, as well.  I wonder where the damn canines came from...

The Upper Realms races and the Daemons are great, especially the Morrow and the Hive!  Very Lovecraftian, those.  I love Flox in particular.

[ooc]Thanks, I'm glad you liked it so far. As for the undead, I have a history and purpose behind the entire race, but have yet to write it out, hopefully you'll also find that interesting. Also Steerpike, calling it Lovecraftian is something of a honor as I was originally going to abandon the setting or rework it a fair amount after reading some Lovecraft and wanting a bit more of an alien wash to it, with there being so many nonhuman races.[/ooc]

[Llum]

The Realms

Existing Realms

Existing Realms are Realms that still exist, they can be accessed, lived in and such.

Fused Upper Lower Realm

The fused realm is a planet that is larger then the previous Lower Realm or Upper Realm.

All parts of the planet show aspects of the four areas of the Upper Realm. Parts of the ocean sink into bottomless depths of the Timeless Ocean. Great sections of sky rise into the unknown heights of the Nadir, with one of the continents erupting into the sky, now a giant floating landmass. Terra has become a new earthbound continent. The Scorch manifests in the core of the planet which is now inhabited by its fiery creatures. Where it breaks free of this fiery core it manifests itself on the surface of the planet as volcanoes across sea and earth, as well as forming great firestorms and burning tornadoes which scour the surface.

The continents remain the same as in the Lower Realm save the addition of a fourth, the one representing Terra from the Upper Realm. The continent of Skeir no longer rests of the surface of the planet, having erupted into a giant floating landmass.

The continent Otiron still contains most of the known civilizations save for those Upper Realm civilizations scattered across the continents, mainly the new continent of Terra and in the oceans.

The fourth continent of Wilsh is mostly covered in tropical forests, the only civilizations to be found here are two seperate hiveminds of The Hive.

Daemon Holt

The dimension from where Daemons come from, no ways to enter it has been found from the fused realm, yet Daemons seem to be able to travel to the fused realm at will.

The only contact those of the fused realm have with the Holt is when summoning Daemons. It is said to be a bleak and desperate place with small oasis' of paradise. Here Daemons contend with each other for the things that Daemons wish.

Exodus

Exodus is the proposed afterlife from the combined mythologies of the Surface Elves, the Dungeon Elves, the Humans and the Orcs.

The mythology states that all dead creatures end up in Exodus eventually, the journey is shrouded in mystery, and those who have been do not speak of the journey.

The only unbelievers of the races of the Unfused Lower Realm are the Dwarves. Why exactly the Dwarves do not hold belief in Exodus is unknown, mainly due to the taboo of discussing death with non-Dwarves.

Former Realms

Former Realms are Realms that no longer exist, they were changed beyond recognition or forever altered in some way.

Unfused Lower Realm

Before being fused with the Upper Realm the lower realm was a normal planet with three distinct continental landmasses. The known civilizations are all on the continent known as Otiron.

Unfused Upper Realm

Before the Realmstorm the Upper Realm was made of four congruent areas. Each area was adjacent to two others, opposite the final one. Opposing areas were not connected in any manner.

The first area was the Timeless Ocean. A vast ocean in the shape of a wedge. One edge washes onto the shores of Terra and the other edge collides with the flowing lava from the volcanoes of the Scorch. Varying in depth from as little as dozens of meters to seemingly bottomless chasm many thousand fathoms deep. The occasional islands and sea volcanoes permeate it.

The second area is Terra. A wedge shaped piece of land is starts as beaches on the edge the Timeless Ocean and continues over hills, mountains, forests,sandy deserts until ends in a bottomless cliff named Land's End alongside the Nadir. Occasional lakes form in this vast expanse.

The third area is the Nadir. A vast expanse of empty sky vaguely wedge shaped it begins at Land's End and continues until it breaks against the volcanoes of the Scorch. The empty air is sparsely populated by floating islands of land and dangerous firestorms, clouds of burning ash and flame that burn until it can no longer sustain its fires.

The fourth area is the Scorch. A wedge shaped area rimed and riddled with volcanoes, lakes of molten magma, sulfurous hotsprings wracked by tornadoes. One edge is bordered giant volcanoes that reach into the Nadir and the opposite edge bleeds flowing lava into the Timeless Ocean.

[Llum]

The Fused Upper Lower Realm

This is a more in depth look at the Fused realm, currently where all the known races (save the Daemons) live.

Otiron

All the Lower Realm races are to be found in Otiron. It also contains the Great Caverns, home to the subterranean civilizations of the Dungeon Elves.

Of the Upper Realm races only those who have traveled here from other places by sea, can be found along the coasts, except for The Hive

However two hiveminds of The Hive can be found under the continent. One is in the deepest layers of the Great Cavern, and the second while having a found foothold in the caverns is mostly situated in the northern part of the continent, marshaling its forces.

[spoiler=Great Caverns]
The Great Caverns are a set of caves beneath the continent of Otiron.

The Dungeon Elves were exiled beneath the earth 900 years ago, in the Caverns they found room beyond there imaginations. Towering nearly a kilometer in height in some caves the Caverns have immense room for the Dungeon Elves to rebuild their civilization.

Recently several Human encampments have been established by former slaves so that they could use them staging points for the rebellion against the Surface Elves. The Caverns are a great boon for the Humans because the Surface Elves with almost never venture underground to retaliate, fearing to be ambushed by their subterranean cousins.
[/spoiler]

Wilsh

Wilsh is a continental landmass found in the south western hemisphere near the meridian line. It does cross the meridian into the eastern half of the southern hemisphere as well.

Wilsh is completely covered in tropical forests, save for some coastal areas. No known civilizations inhabit this continent, although strange ruins from at least two distinct civilizations can be found here, and at least one of these predates the growth of the great tropical forest.

Many islands can be found off the coast of the eastern half of the continent. These Islands tend to also be covered in tropical forest. Some of these islands have been colonized by Ogre tribe pirates, to serve as a safe haven against the aquatic races.

After the realmstorm two separate parts of The Hive arrived onto Wilsh. However before they could reconnect their hiveminds developed distinct personalities as such, they are at war to dominate the opposing hivemind.

[spoiler=Prominent Features of Wilsh]
Pre Jungle Ruins

The Ruins of Wilsh that predate the growth of the jungle are quite rare, and most are suffer a large amount of damage from the elements.

The architecture favored rounded buildings over geometric exactitude, giving a more organic look to the buildings. All the buildings are built from some form of durable ceramic and metal.

All the ruins are formed around central spires of great height. Radiation from the spires are smaller half spherical buildings and set into the earth.

Many of the ruins are buried and only the upper layers of the spires are visible, even so they tower over nearby treetops.

Post Jungle Ruins
The post Jungle Ruins of Wilsh are all enormous tiered ziggurates and pyramids structures. They can be found all over the continent, though most are found in the central areas.

These ziggurates are made from stone, and have an architecture that favors geometric exactitude over terrain, as large sections of hills have been dug out or lakes drained to accommodate the construction of perfectly square foundations.

It's atop one of these ziggurates that Azazel of Three Scythes has moved his meteor, now it sits there waiting for something to happen.

Pirate Isle

The Pirate Isle are a group of islands in a archipelago off the coast of Wilsh. These Islands serve as a pirate haven for the varied sea faring Ogre Tribe clans.

Five islands have been colonized, with defensive keeps and break waters under construction. The main danger to the islands are the various aquatic races that now inhabit the oceans.

Unknown to the Ogre Tribe are the two hiveminds warring across Wilsh. If one of these entities would discover the Ogres, the least of their worries would be the aquatic races.
[/spoiler]

Terra

Terra is a new continent that appeared during the Realmstorm. It is the physical manifestation of the Terra from the Upper Realm.

The continent is shaped in the likeness of a broad wedge with a rounded curved on the far end. It is mostly forest, fields and mountainous foothills, however their are deserts, true mountains and most other types of terrain present. Their are few lakes present, and one edge of the wedge is a shear cliff, rising over a thousand feet into the air.

The inhabitants of Terra are most different tribes of Giants and the occasional member of the Golems or the rare earth elementals.

Skeir

Skeir was the third continent in the Lower Realm before the realmstorm. After the storm it was lifted from the ground and now floats above where it once rested as a giant floating continent.

The stress of this shattered off several large portions of land along the outside of Skeir, these smaller landmasses float even higher into the Nadir fused atmosphere.

The remainder of Skeir is shaped like a giant vase, with a hollowed out interior using half of its volume, filled completely with water. The water is inhabited by a single Naga city as well as most of the Morrow civilization.

The rest of the volume of Skeir is made of tunnels and caverns that are occupied by a rogue hivemind of The Hive, who cannot find an exit to the labyrinthine maze.

Along the outer edge several Hawk Tribe nest cities can be found, similarly some Ogre Tribe giants have constructed Airship ports along the side of Skeir.

[Llum]

Miscellaneous Notes on Races

Salamanders

Salamanders are Naga tainted by Fire. They resemble normal Naga save that their scales come in differing shades of red and oranges. Salamanders also tend to have small spikes down their backs along their spine from shoulder to tail tip.

Much like the Coualt they are immortal, however their magical prowess is not as pronounced. Instead the Salamanders have incredible physical strength and resilience. Also Salamanders form communities, and are capable of breeding true. As a result the Salamander population grows constantly, if quite slowly.

Like the Naga, Salamander eggs can be tainted. Water tainted eggs result in true Naga and Air tainted eggs result in Coualt.

Coualt

The Coualt are Naga who were touched by the Nadir, taiting them with the element Air before they were born. Coualt resemble Naga only slightly, they have feathered wings instead of arms. As they age Coualt grow larger and larger and eventually sprout secondary sets of wings to help them steer and stay aloft. Coualt are the most magically attuned of all the Naga variants, all possessing great magical powers, which aid them in flight.

Coualt never stop growing, and due to their enhanced magical nature do not die of old age. Ancient Coualt are known to be colossal creatures who keep sprouting wings when they become to large to manage with their current number.

Solitary in nature, the Coualt rarely gather together. Most do not even come together to mate, instead relying on the mutation of conventional Naga to supply them with replacements for Coualt who die due to disease or violence.

Followers of the Flux

Followers of the Flux is the name of the Morrow priesthood. Their teachings dictate that the Timeless Ocean is the heart of all creation.

Followers are said to be able to commune directly with the Timeless Ocean. It is unknown if they mean a specific entity that resides in the Timeless or a sentient manifestation of the Ocean. No matter who they commune with, they control powerful magic related to the depths and are capable of summoning water Elementals.

There is a theory what the Followers commune with is actually a sentient water Elemental, being perhaps the first and only of its kind.

Undead Advancement

Once a critical mass of Undead have appeared around a meteor, new types of Undead will start to emerge.

These creatures will start appearing as soon as a meteor crashes to the earth.

   

Zombies: Creatures that are simple animated corpses. They are the largest population of Undead, they have a roughly 5:1 ratio to the next tier of Undead.

    *Skeletons: Animated skeletons, occasionally have small meteor shards embedded into their skulls.
         
*Skeletal Lords: These creatures are skeletons made from the amalgamation of multiple creatures skeletons. Common features are multiple arms or skulls.

These Creatures will not appear until the meteor is nearly done, or finished being carved.

   

Ghouls/Ghast: These creatures are similar to zombies, being animated corpses. Ghouls and Ghasts however are warped by the meteors, having monstrous characteristics, higher intelligence and being quite fast.

    *Abbots: Abbots are the first true leaders of the Undead. They resemble a floating torso that controls multiple floating hands. They lead the meteors to there final resting place.

    *Abominations: These creatures are made from the bones of dozens of creatures, both human and animal, fused together to created undead war engines.

There are rumors of special Undead, unique variations that appear once a meteor has reached its final resting place. As only a handful of meteors have reached this stage so the existence of these creatures is still a mystery.

[ooc]If there are any specific things people are interested about, just ask and I'll try to fit it into my next post, Also my next post will be on major cities of the Fused Realm.
[/ooc]

[Llum]

Cities of the Fused Realm

Dwerm

The capitol city of the dwarven kingdoms, Dwerm is carved out of the summit of Greymane mountain. The entire summit has been converted into the royal palace.

Dwerm can be found on the northwestern shore of the continent of Otiron. Greymane mountain is part of a cliffside mountain chain that meets the ocean directly. With a chasm of the Timeless Ocean less then a dozen leagues from shore the Dwarves have had to contend with problems from many of the aquatic Upper Realm races

Orclave

Orclave is the largest Orc village , founded seventy years ago in the heart of the Blackwell forest, it is now part of the eastern Blackwell Forest.

Home of the Conclave of Realmshifters most of the political might of the Orcish race have winter homes in Orclave, comming to spend the winter in the village incase the Conclace calls court.

The city is also home to a significant population of humans. Most of these are parents or siblings to Orcs who helped them escape, or occasionally a escaped slave will make his or her way to Orclave before entering the Great Cavers. Usually these slaves have orcish relatives they wish to see before they escape underground.

Orion Keep

A huge keep that formerly belonged to Humans, it is now controlled by the Surface Elves. The Keep was originally created as a trade outpost between the Humans and the Dungeon Elves as well as an blockade should the subterranean elves decide to attack the Humans.

Now it serves its military purpose guarding the largest entrance to the Great Caverns preventing the Dungeon Elves from using it to mount raids or field an army. It is considered to be constantly under siege from underground.

Crafted from massive yellow marble blocks mined from a local quarry. However the wall blocking the entrance to the Caverns is made from a black and gold flecked yellow granite.

Skeirport

Skeirport is a city made by the Giants. It is partially a Hawk Tribe nest-city but also serves as an aerodock for Ogre Tribe Aeroships.

Built into the shelf of Skeir, Skeirport consists of several different layers. The bottom layer forms the Aerodock. The middle layers serve as commercial, housing, noble, and military districts. The top two layers serve as nest towns for the Hawk Tribe.

Several tunnels into the catacombs that hive the interior of Skeir exit close to Skeirport, their have been several reported sightings of The Hive.

Omyard

Omyard is the main Horse Tribe settlement on the plains of Terra. The city is actually quite large for its number of inhabitants, sprawling across the plains.

The entire city is made of almost entirely of single story buildings, crafted mostly from wood with the occasional stone building. The reason for the lack of upper levels is that once a new giant reaches adulthood and bonds with his chosen, stairs pose a serious problem. There are the occasional two story buildings, main to give those just reaching adulthood some privacy before they fuse with their chosen.

Omyard is relatively close to the coast, as such they receive sea goods in trade from coastal settlements, mainly trading in leather, meat, goods crafted from bone, such as buttons and needles. Omyard also serves as a trading hub for all the scattered Horse Tribe settlements, so metal goods, salt and wood pass through on a regular basis. Occasionally Ogre Tribe merchants will bring goods from other sections of the Upper Realm, and more recently from the parts of the Lower Realm.

Freedom

Freedom is the first city built by Humans that escaped slavery. Freedom is built in the Great Caverns, close to several Dungeon Elves settlements.

While Freedom is a city in name, in structure it is closer to a refugee camp. The city is made from tents built from a thick fabric made from woven moss. Sometimes for larget structures wooden frames are used, with moss fabric stretched across. However a few buildings of importance are made from carved stone.

The stone carved buildings were standing when the humans arrived, and are of a strange style. Originally there were five stone buildings, one at each cardinal point, and one in the center.

The outer stone buildings were converted into a Townhall(north), Armory(east), Academy(south) and Workshop(west). The center stone building was converted into a temple/hospital.

[Llum]

Elves

Birth of the Elves

Both Surface and Dungeon Elves were born complete. They have not changed physically as a race since their beginnings, though cultures rise and fall, the Elves who build them are no different from their for fathers.

Surface Elves were born from the dawns first rays, they emerged at the dawning of the first day. Proud as only the firstborn can be they ruled different sections of the world from time immemorial. Dungeon Elves were born from the last shadows made by the setting sun. They were aloof from their brother race preferring to stay in the shadows of the first born.

It is said that the Dwarves were born from salt with the same spark of sentience as the Elves, and their treatment by the Elves seems to collaborate this.

Surface Elf Racial Relations

The Surface Elves believe that they were created from light, the Dungeon Elves froms shadow and the Dwarves from salt. This had led to several beliefs that define the Surface Elves culture.

The first idea that shaped their culture is that the Elves and Dwarves are ancient races, with recorded history of millions of years. As a race they watched Humans evolve from animals. This had left them with the belief that Humans are no more then intelligent animals that adapted to mimic sentience.

This means that the Surface Elves treat humans like animals, while they are protected under laws, they are not seen as sentient people. They are trained like animals to do certain functions, household chores or other such tasks. Humans are never educated because from a Surface Elf point of view, there is no reason to educate an animal.

Surface Elves believe Orcs are sentient because they received part of the spark of sentience from the Elven parent. Orcs descending from Surface Elves are respected, and treated like Elves, if in a somewhat condescending manner from older elves. Orcs descended from Dungeon Elves are treated like Dungeon Elves if they share the Dungeon Elves belief. However if they would give up their foolish notions they would be treated like Orcs of Surface Elf lineage. The opposite is true, for Orcs of Surface Elf descent believing Dungeon Elf philosophy.

Surface Elves are on good terms with most Dwarves, seeing as they see them as having the spark of sentience from the salt they were created from. Most Surface Elf architecture is actually Dwarven architecture built by Dwarves.

The Refreshing

Elves have eternal youth, they can only be killed by violence or disease. Being a race millions of years old with few enemies, this leads to there being Surface Elves millions of years old. Somewhere.

The Refreshing is a believed to be a symptom of this eternal youth, once a Surface Elf reaches a certain age, anywhere from ten thousand to a hundred thousand years old, they suffer from some form of madness. The effects are always the same the elf will try to kill as many elder Elves as it can, and being a being of such great age they most assuredly have gained some ways to do so, then destroy as much of the current Elven civilization as possible, but more importantly destroying all the knowledge associated with it. The knowledge lost, from the wisdom and minds of other Elder Elves to sometimes all of recorded history, destroys the Elven civilizations and cultures every time.

After all this destruction of information has been achieved, these elves disappear. No knowledge of where they go has ever been uncovered, they simply seem to cease to exist, though few believe that such powerful beings truly die.

This has led to there being dozens of Surface Elf civilizations during the worlds history however they are all, save for the current ruled by the Dawn King, lost. Perhaps the worst side effect of the Refreshing is that the knowledge of the disaster itself is erased, so surviving elves don't know what awaits them down the corridor of ages.

Only once has the Refreshing been able to be halted once it has commenced, when a one of a pair of twin Surface Elves went mad before her brother. The brother with the aid of the other Elder Elves managed to nail his sister to a granite statue with obsidian nails in the darkest depths of a temple. The victory was short lived as the brother went mad soon after, sadly the Elders were unable to stop him being weakened from their fight with the sister. As such much of the civilization was destroyed, but parts of it were hidden by the Elders and the brother before he went mad.

[Llum]

Dwarves

Creation of the Dwarves

Like the Elves, Dwarves were born complete, they have changed very little in the time since they were first created. Dwarves however were born from something tangible, salt. This has led them to be very different from their immortal counterparts, the Elves.

Biology

Dwarves are unique in that they do not sleep or eat, no other Lower Realm races are like this. The only requirements a dwarf body has is about a liter and a half of water a day.

Dwarves can drink both fresh and salt, pure or tainted water, as long as it is water, it doesn't matter. Their metabolism will filter out all impurities and they won't harm the Dwarves. However salt water is an intoxicant to Dwarves, it is similar in potency as ale is to Humans and Elves.

Dwarves reproduce extremely slowly, the slowest of all known races, Upper and Lower. If a dwarven couple has a child in their first century of marriage they are considered blessed. Twins and Triples (multiple births of greater number have never been reported) are considered blessed, and usually go on toa ccomplish great things, if this is from an actual blessing or simply due to societies reaction to being twins is hard to tell.

Culture

Facial Hair

Both Dwarf men and women grow bears, yet this is strictly regulated by society.  Dwarven men are aloud a mustache after 50 years of age and having worked on a completed architectural project. Sideburns can be grown after achieving success in ones field, becoming a foreman, head trader of a region, designing an important structure are examples. Short bears can be grown after a ones 200th birthday. Long beards are reserved for those who accomplish great deeds, victorious generals, heads of merchant houses and famous architects. Long braided beards are only used by the greatest dwarves alive, the King and Queen, Lord Admiral of the Navy and High General, master of the merchant guild and a few select others.

Women are even more socially constrained in how they can grow their facial hair. Mustache are never permitted, a clean upper lip is a sign of dwarven beauty. Sideburns are grown at marriage, and braided after the birth of ones first child. Bells or chimes can be brained into sideburns after the birth of a second child (twins and triplets count as multiple children), this is normally a great honor. Short goatees are grown if a woman accomplishes a great deed, similar to those of men. Full beards are rare, only the oldest of dwarven women, those part of Council of Elders. Long braided beards follow the same rules for men and women.

Incompetence and Ancestral Honor

Dwarves put great store in the accomplishments of their ancestors. Those who come from a family with many great dwarves have higher social standing then those who come from lesser bloodlines.

Incompetence is the greatest horror a dwarf will ever face. Those who do not perform themselves to the utmost, are looked down upon, in effect made pariah by all other Dwarves. This however doesn't mean that failure isn't tolerated, in some cases nothing can be done but fail, such as a battle against overwhelming odds. In failure Dwarves aren't considered incompetent unless they display severe lack of judgement.

While not officially condone, the murder of incompetent people is rarely if ever brought to justice.

Dwarven Homeland and Colonies

Two thirds of all Dwarves live in Dwerm, the Dwarven capitol city. Outside their mountain these Dwarves claim no territory save that of the lower mountain and certain access roads. Two other distinct groups of Dwarves live around the world.

The first of these are called the Pugilists, a sort of Dwarven monastic order. Pugilists use no technology, they live outdoors forsaking all man made shelter save the odd cave or forest canopy. They refuse to touch metal, considering it the foulest of materials. They do not associate with other Dwarves, considering them delusional for using machines and science, claiming that they weren't born with the knowledge therefor the knowledge is tainted. For other Dwarves a member of their bloodline joining the Pugilists is considered a great shame.

The second of group of Dwarves are simply called known as Dwermic Nomads. The nomads aren't content to live inside Dwern and so venture across the world. Most Dwarves who work with other races are nomads. They travel in merchant caravans, live on salt plains, around desert oasis' and sail the sea of ships.

Magic

Up until the Realmstorm Dwarves rarely used magic, they could accomplish nearly all they needed with they know how and liberal applications of salt and drinking salt water will cure most ills known to Dwarfkind.

However after the Realmstorm the Dwarves seen what could be done by the miss use of magic, as such they enlisted Otael, a former Daemon Lord to teach them his Runelore. Runelore is a type of magic that harnesses sigils and runes to manipulate magic. Most of this is used to protect Dwarven creations from outsider magic or enhance some capabilities.

Some Dwarves take this to extreme, scarring sigils and runes into their skin to be able to use the magic. Scarskins as they're known are something of an enigma in Dwarven society, they are regarded with incredulity and confusion by their kin. Most use their powers to hunt down magic users and Pugilists or defend against aquatic Upper Realm races.

Dwarves and Evil

While most humans think Dwarves evil for allying themselves with the Surface Elves, their are other reasons that humans are made uncomfortable by Dwarves. The strictness of dwarven society is alien to humans, as well their sheer practicality is often found horrible, such as when a Dwarf simply kill those who prove themselves incompetent.

[Llum]

[ooc]Alright, like in Divergence, I have a fair amount of material, however I would like to post stuff that would garner me some more responses :P So, if there is a specific thing you want me to elaborate on, post about it and I'll get to it.

Since I noticed their are so many races, it could possibly get a little confusing, so I was thinking of making a chart that shows how all the races interconnect and such, think its a good idea? Or is it easy enough to follow now?

Finally, any comments on this setting? Perhaps how it relates to my other setting Divergence? Or just anything really[/ooc]

[Nomadic]

Is the healing ability (and intoxicating effects) of salt for dwarves due to the fact that they were born from it?

[Llum]

Is the healing ability (and intoxicating effects) of salt for dwarves due to the fact that they were born from it?

Yes, it effects them strangely. Only salt water is intoxicating, raw salt has only curative effects on Dwarves.