A Non-Magical, Non-Sci-Fi, Classical Era NRP OOC

[Elendra]

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Skeletal OOC? Skeletal OOC.

UPDATE : History in Brief.

Ever since agriculture was a thing, Binkauchibade has been occupied and battled, but never conquered. Multiple empires with large militaries and such have tried, never succeed. Not because of their military, but because of the harshness of the region, and the admirable unity of the people through culture and religion. One empire that occupied them was eventually shoved across nearby mountains, one that nearly owned everything in the north, was themselves conquered by another growing empire. This growing empire was part of a collection of northern city states, and when it began to fall, the city states took enough power from it to make themselves immune to being conquered again, and are now the Chalthreadjin Empire, who both fear themselves getting too powerful, and fear others doing it too.

This is Ainuba, at the cusp of what would be called the Classical Era. That lovely point in time between the Bronze Age and the Dark Ages in Europe as we know it. Ainuba isn't very far off from the same, with currently two sizable empires sitting atop the bones and guts of empires that came from even further back. Want full detail on them? Let me finish typing it up first. But for a rundown, here are the two NPC Empires

Birthed in the lush fertile lands of the Fraikan River Delta, the Binkauchibade Empire has been around relatively unchanged since the stone age. They've lasted a long time, they've waxed and waned for eons, and they're still a right bit powerful, as well as massive, if a bit desert-y at times. Originally a nomadic tribe, the people settled in the lush delta with the advent of agriculture. Throughout the years, they have been hit by plagues, wars, and empires so great that by all rights they should have been defeated, and yet they have prevailed. Unlike the sands they call their homes, the key to their success was the strong foundations they were able to force in the dunes and marshes, that not even the firmly rooted mountains of the north could over turn. Never much of an aggressor in its life, the Binkauchibades have more likely than not been on the defensive. They held off their original rival state when it grew into a lion as the Ochuden Empire, and the equally fierce cub that was the Yhtayhan Empire, even surviving years of occupation and defeat, only to rise like a phoenix from the ashes. While the stone working that abounds with Binkauchibade is legendary, the unity of the people is more so. With a very strong state religion with a diverse pantheon of Gods and Goddesses behind it, any occupying force has eons of legend and beliefs to work with before the people acknowledge their rule as anything but a farce. Given the tendency for foreign rule to cave in and collapse, this has only solidified the beliefs of the people.

Originally a subjugated series of city states, Chalthreadjin was one of the first collectives to be absorbed by the now bygone Yhtayhan Empire. When the Yhtayhan Empire began to collapse, the Chalthredjin City States were quick to strike decisive blows, and due to their efforts, they now rule over a wealthy region, made from the corpse of the last empire. During the Yhtayhan Empire's reign, the City States were reorganized into a single district of imperial territory, and forced to form a conglomerate government. Given the sometimes drastically different methodologies of rule, and even cultures, this was difficult for them under the Yhtayhan Era. Ultimately they decided on a form of Republic as a front, with subdivisions akin to the old days, and a Senate of a combination of Elected and Hereditary rulers in charge of affairs. After the collapse of the Yhtayhans, the Republic was worried to collapse. However, the City States did not want to be again conquered by the next empire, and stuck together for mutual protection. When an opportunity arose for the independent republic to secure power for itself, it was taken, as the lands that were still within Yhtayhan, and not yet lost, fell to the collective.

Also, historical empires!

Technically, the Yhtayhans were once part of the small collective of City States that are known as the Chalthreadjin. However, after the rise of the Ochuden Empire, the Chalthreadjin City States besides Yhtayhans fell and were consumed, leaving Yhtayhan barely able to hold off the larger empire from the south. Fortunately, the Ochuden turned their attentions to their own south in an attempt to conquer the Binkauchibade Empire. During the years of war that wracked their conquering neighbor, the Yhtayhans were delivered a child, born under a flame across the heavens. This child was raised, and groomed, to lead the Yhtayhans to liberate the Chalthreadjin, and the other people conquered by the Ochuden. He was incredibly skillful, handsome, lucky, and most of all, hungry for power. When he rose to the throne, the first thing he did was have any one else who could possibly have a claim while he lived executed. It wasn't long until he rallied his forces and marched unto the neighboring conquered city states, freeing them and enlisting them in his war south. As he spread, and liberated, people began to flock to him and his military genius, crushing the elder Ochuden Empire, weak from its battles with the Binkauchibades. Ultimately the prophecy child stood triumphant over his greatest enemy, and there was rejoicing. But he had not yet had enough, and would push his luck. His armies were told not to return home after things settled, but instead continue marching south, unto the Binkauchibades. He sought to conquer the unconquerable. Ultimately, he failed, slain in a break in the siege of the Binkauchibade capital. The war fell short soon after, and with his heir being less than solid, the empire began a quick tumble unto death. Having grown too large, too fast, it crumbled unto dust itself, replaced with the empire, the Chalthreadjin, whom have learned from his mistakes.

Just opposite the birthplace of the Binkauchibades is another marshy delta, from which what would be known as the Ochuden Empire would arise from. While other rivers, other deltas, and other places certainly had their time, the Ochuden were a powerful and warlike people. Where the Binkauchibades settled down and grew, the Ochudens, at least what can be learned from them, didn't settle down, and instead sacked another tribe that settled down into cities and took over their things to become their own civilization. More barbarian than farmer, their entire history is filled with conquest and slavery. The warriors would defeat neighbors, take their people, and force them to work to feed the new larger army which then set out gathering more slaves. However, there actually is some level of dispute on just how true that actually is. While they were certainly a conquering people, there is much that can be said about the reforms, improvements in life, and technology they left in their wake. Some believe that the nightmarish claims were made up by the Ochuden's neighboring states to incite fear so as to rally the troops against 'the monster'. Others believe that it's demonization of a powerful ancient empire by modern people. Others still think that the facade of them as horrible monstrous conquerors was something they made up themselves so as to demoralize their enemies the times they did expand. Unlike the Yhtayhan Empire, the Ochuden wasn't a flash in the pan; theirs was a long rule over the lands, marked by occasional bursts of expansionism, where as the Yhtayhans did nothing but expand and then collapse in a relatively short span. Whatever the case may be, there is no people who can make the claim, and back it up adequately, to be the heir to the empire of the Ochudens.

It has been roughly a decade since the rise of the Chalthredjin Empire, and the peoples and nations caught in the crossfire of collapse, expansion, and collapse, are able to rebuild again. Which is where you are. You are one of the nations, a kingdom, republic, democracy, chiefdom, tribe, whatever. Whether you sit in the temperate lands between the empires, or nestled in the frosty forests of the north, or perhaps the arid barrens of the south, this is the world laid before you. Things beyond the edge of the map currently too dangerous to cross, even when compared to the inhospitable wastes that are the Great Dusebhreantingsun.

Some nation spots have already been claimed, and as more claims are processed, the map will be updated. For each general area, I'll work out a proto-religion as a guideline for your own, with more solid religions in the two NPC empires. I'd very much like it if you consult the history, make something that kinda fits it so it can be more fleshed out, and work your history so things even work with your, you know, NEIGHBOR NATIONS, made by other players.

As for a ''nation sheet'', I'd rather work out the kinks with the religions first, and I'm not doing that now, so, those who already displayed interest, come in here, formulate your ideas, and what have you. Chop chop.

Will say this, stake your claim by not only saying where you want ( or having a helpful visual pointing it out ) but accompany that with your civilization name, and some shade of color you want to be you on the map. Because otherwise, I'll give you a stupid color, a stupid name, and / or a stupid spot.




EDIT: A COUPLE NOTES

As this RP was originally marketed to those in the Spam subcommunity of the Guild, they will ( with maybe some exceptions ) get priority attention. Why? Because Spam is cool, you should go there.

For those who are seeing this but didn't see the Spam Chk, let me put in one of the rules you then didn't see.

Now, I know what you may be thinking.

Nation RPs? Aren't those all epeen waving douche fests?

... well I wouldn't have worded it that way. Yes, some NRPers can be dicks, and ''play it to win'' forgetting that it's a RP, and therefore a happy fun time story that's written by multiple people... for fun. See, to help deter that, I'm going to make a note here for those interested. If you join, you must be willing to ''lose''. It could be lose a battle, or a war. Lose your favorite crafted diplomat because their assassination makes sense and progresses the story. Lose your granary stocks in a fire. Whatever. This isn't the arena, and losing can, and should, be just as fun as ''winning''. Remember that. Oh, and in case I find you forgetting, not only can I just boot you, but there's going to be a couple large empires that will put the squeeze on you until you behave, and/or be responsible for your IC demise if you are booted.

Okay, so what if everyone agrees to that? Aren't Nation RPs difficult to do?

Not really. If you can imagine the going-ons of a single person, then you just do that a few times for various stations. Wa-la, you now RP'd a royal family, an entourage of diplomats, generals, soldiers, whatever. Can you imagine a setting? How does that setting change over time with regards to outside settings? Wa-la, you now RP'd your changing nation. It's really not that big a problem.

But I don't like the concept of a Nation RP

THEN WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN HERE? GET OUT.

Religion

I'll be adding in religions as I write them up!

The religion of the sands and dunes is characterized by two prominent pantheons, or to say, one pantheon with two factions. Those who sit on stone, and those who wander the sands. Much in the way that the Vanir and Aesir were worshiped by differing people, but mythology holds they were both true pantheons, there is a split between the city dwelling and the nomadic gods, and likewise, a split in how they view things. The city gods have mostly been adopted as the righteous of the two pantheons by the Binkauchibades. Their hider will go further into detail on how they differ from generalistic beliefs.

The City Gods are ruled by a Sun God, and his wife, a Water Goddess. The Sun God is depicted as a great guardian, who stands watch, and in the tides of evil is like a great stone at the top of a hill. Slow to start, but unstoppable when mobile. The Water Goddess is a bit darker. With the arid lands of the south, she embodies the rare rain, and the waxing and waning rivers. She demands enough suitable sacrifices in order to bring her waters to the people, with a particular fondness of male children, making her not the most popular with empires pining for militarism.

There are other minor city gods, that typically value creation, culture, and sacrifice to varying degrees.

In a stark contrast, are the gods of the sands. Ruled by the Goddess of the Dunes, a sister to the Sun God, it is said that in the early days of the pantheon, she bore children with her brother, and all of these became the gods of the sands. The Sun God then laid with his other sister, and from them came the gods of civilization. In such a way, the pantheons are linked, although those who worship the sands typically take a different spin on which faction the Sun God prefers, and whether he is a benevolent or malevolent force.

The Sand Gods typically value freedom and expression, over order and sacrifice. The child god of the sands, God of Luck, is the new husband of the Goddess of the Dunes, and the step father is viewed favorably, for he favors the bold. Regimented systems bore him, and those who strike into the wild are those who gain his favor. There are sects that believe that the God of Luck isn't a child of the Goddess of the Dunes, but rather just another name for the God of the Sun.

Sulmur and his wife, Bayolu are the Binkauchibade names for the Sun and Water God and Goddess. Their children are numerous, and embody various aspects of civilization. A God of the Forge, Tocaro, a Goddess of Pottery, Seyoun, and more. They reward adherence to law and order, and above all, embody the idea of sacrifice that Bayolu so attaches herself to. The eldest son of Sulmur, is Sud. The Binkauchibades hold that he is the God of Death, a Trickster above all, and that he has decieved the nomads that still infuriatingly roam the sands into believing he is a benevolent God of Luck. It is said that Sud, so envious of his father, and madly in love with his mother, disguised himself as Sulmur and raped her before running off into the night as the setting sun. She was so distraught that she hit her hands into the ground with so much might that the mountains on the eastern edge of her sands rose up in a moment with a great shaking. Sud then went to her side, and comforted her, corrupting her to his evil, turning Sulmur's children against him. Sulmur found comfort with his sister, and together made the new pantheon, which looks harshly upon chaos and trickery.

While not always violent, the gods of the plains, woods, and mountains are a very competitive lot. Aggressive, cunning, and known for being relentless towards gaining what they want. Greed and selfishness are saintly among them. Unfortunately, this does not lend itself to a unified pantheon. While these gods are worshiped across the lands, it is acknowledged that they are not keen on getting along, each family of beings working independently of each other.

The creator god was a being of lightning and winds, who came to the bubbling dark waters of the world in its birth, and struck it with bolts of lightning, hooking the realms beneath the dark mass, pulling them up and out. These lands were a beautiful woman, that he fell madly in love with, and came to her, and giving unto her two sets of twins, two boys, and two girls. The two boys had their own names, but are typically known as Might and Wealth. They struck out along their mother, carving the world into rough shapes. Might focused on making mountains, while Wealth made the rivers and new islands.

The two daughters were Cunning and Life. While Life went on to populate the world, Cunning was lazy and did nothing to aid her siblings. Life was jealous of her sister, but still dutiful in her work planing trees and flowers, and animals. She knew it was Cunning's duty to make mankind, but as time passed in their works, Cunning had still done nothing. Life, finished with her works, went to her brothers who were also done. Together, they formed man as best they could.

Cunning was aware of their actions, and watched as each of her siblings did their work in turn to make man. First Wealth brought the materials needed for man, setting them upon the ground near the waters. When his work was done, he moved on where he had come from, doing finishing touches to the rivers and islands, creating marshes in Life's lands. Might processed the materials until they were fine, and strong, good for a man who was to be their greatest creation. Afterwards he left as well to do other works, supplying minerals beneath the world.

When Life was about to begin her work, Cunning went and got her father, pulling him away from his love, and showed him what Life was doing. Cunning claimed that Life had overstepped her bounds, and attempted to steal from her domain, which angered their father. In his wrath, he rebuked Life, as she made man live, taking her power as she used it last, and casting her into the underworld, where she became as death.

Cunning took Life's beloved creation, man, and raised him as her own, laughing at her scheme, and how it worked against her sister. Life, however, filled with wrath, would not be beaten. She knew man very well, and had known that because of the incompleteness that made him, she could corrupt and destroy him, stealing from Cunning what was her 'greatest achievement'. Her own children became plagues, and pains, nightmares and madness, while she became death and rot.

Might, seeing the war between his sisters, took side with Life, raising armies of men who knew the truth to strike against Cunning's men. But Cunning knew she would be defeated if Might, Wealth, and Life worked against her, and she worked her poison on Wealth, turning him to her side at first. Even the staunchest of men would falter for enough gold. However, Cunning knew still that this would not be enough to secure her rule over men, and so she began to work a plot that would turn Might against his siblings completely. Distrust was planted when she tricked Life's children to attacking Might's soldiers, and ultimately the alliance fell apart. Taking a step back from it all, Cunning now rules as the highest child in heaven, while her siblings fight in the lower realms, and underworld.

In the beginning there were two Gods, God of the Light, and Goddess of the Dark. They were brother and sister, born from an elder god, who was the embodiment of Chaos. Originally, they were likened skies, but as time passed, they grew more and more individual. What was light flung chaos, drifted more and more unto the light, and what was dark drifted more and more unto the dark, until all that was light, and all that was dark were in two persons.

Light and Dark, however separate they were, were madly in love. Unfortunately, due to their nature, they could never meet face to face. Dark and Light would instead send birds across the skies, with messages for each other ( an explanation for migratory birds ). One time, Light sent dark a single seed with the bird. When she touched it, it seeped into her, and she became with child. This child would be her first daughter, the world. Finally, Light and Dark had a place they could meet upon. Their Daughter's realm held a palace for her parents, where they finally could lay with each other.

Their first child from such love was the Sun, their first son. He went to live with his father, and became the embodiment of light in the sky in the world. Their second child, was another son, who became the Moon. He went to live with his mother, a light in the darkness, and they were all happy. However, as things settled on the world, their daughter would become pregnant each time her parents lay upon her. She birthed the waters, and the plants, and the animals. Tired of dealing with this, she closed herself to her parents, refusing them to walk upon her, lest she have another child.

Light was so angry, that he scorched the heavens with rage, this rage itself was given its own life from the wrath that went into it, and became the embodiment of Fire. Dark was so saddened, she reached out across the heavens, attempting to reach her love, her arm blocking the sun from the sky ( a solar eclipse ), but she was unable to reach him. Her son, the Moon who lived with her, comforted her. The light of the moon reminded her of her love, and she found herself overcome with frustrated lust for him, and seduced him. Their children are the stars.

When Light found out what Moon had done, he began to rage a war against him, reaching as far as he could. He sent flames from his son and general, Fire, as comets across the sky, and struck a great blow against Moon, turning him red with blood. To this day, he still screams wrathfully at the night sky, and strikes it red when he can. He then turned his eyes towards his daughter, the world, and took her by force, killing her, so that the world lay quiet, while her children still lived atop her corpse. Her life sunk below, and became the underworld, a realm of ice walls and endless emptiness, to slow, and confuse her wrathful father if he ever try to harm her again.

Their favored deity is Keali, the God of the Moon. He is seen as a protector against the wrath that flame brings, a much more cool and benevolent force than his father, Zarol God of Light, and Zarel God of the Sun, protecting Daeki, Goddess of Darkness, from them both. While their warrior neighbor and brother, Yhtayhan preferred Zarol, with their prophecy that with his next attack against the darkness, a great ruler would be born unto them, culminating in the Yhtayhan Empire of recent history. However, now they view Zarol and Zarel as wicked beings consumed with rage, and feel a great pity for the underworld Goddess Durecha. In her honor and memory, they gather flowers in the warm months, and preserve them for when winter comes, leaving them around as an offering to her, for when she is her closest to the surface again.

Nation Sheet

Flag image
Name- ( Nation name )
Demonym- ( What are your people called? )
Government- ( Describe your government type. Usually one or two words )
Government Details- ( More details on how your government works )
People of Importance- ( rulers, diplomats, generals, great merchants, philosophers, prophets, etc )
Population- ( Be reasonable )
Climate- ( Also reasonable. If you aren't sure what you should be looking at where you are on the map, ask )
Topography- ( Look at the map, look at climate, make the rest up so long as it fits )
Major Cities- ( Name, population, architecture, etc )
Major Landmarks- ( Describe them! )
Primary Exports- ( What does your nation produce and ship out the most? )
Primary Imports- ( What does your nation need the most brought in? )
Military- ( Describe land forces )
Navy- ( Describe naval forces, if any )
Culture- ( Describe your particular brand of culture )
Religion- ( Describe either your take on the religion present in your area, or your own religion if you're an outlier )
History- ( Describe your history )

[CommunistZed]

I claim the isolated island in the lower-right corner.
Name: Svalkstead
Map Color: Orange

[Jorick]

I'll edit my sheet for Naketho into this post whenever I make it.

[Butter]

If I do decide to join, which I am on the fence about, I will edit sheet here also.

[Rtron]

I claim the part of the island above Sloseyn bay.Directly above it. Excluding the part that looks like a high heel shoe.
Name:Vorinthia

Color: Light blue

[CommunistZed]

I claim the lower right island.

Name:Vorinthia

Color: Light blue

Already claimed it bro.

[Sora]

Stake: Spot East of Binkauchibade.
Civ name: Lomakeng



This general area. Change/limit it as you want to.

[Herzinth]

Look at me with my mountains. So proud.

Also, when sheets become a thing, I'll edit in the one for Trysaijin (with a second 'i' apparently) here.

[Butter]

Already claimed it bro.

You can share!

[Rtron]

Already claimed it bro.

My bad, for some reason I read top left.