The nomadic nations, states and dominions of the eastern continent of Karn, the Anthess Kingdom, the peoples within the Palnor Empires; three major forces in the world, at each others' throats for generations, now have to face each other on a different front. Ou'Ten, New Grandol, Jin; all nations born from the larger countries. As they continue to grow, boundaries and borders continue to clash.
Years before, Caliden was born from the villages and towns established outside the general boundaries and at the outskirts of the untamed lands. In an effort to forestall further conflict, the major powers that be have all sent delegates and diplomats to the capital of the unofficial nation of Caliden; Doren.
A fact that some have taken advantage of. Dawn has brought with it cries of outrage and dismay. Delegates have been killed, and familiar faces have been found to be the aggressors. For them, their future holds nothing but Grey Prospects.
-You are allowed up to two flaws (my personal preference is from here: http://www.roleplaynexus.com/flaws.html ). Whether or not both give feats is up to me (some being more heavy than others).
-Starting gold: 6000! Some items might be vetoed due to setting and stuff like that.
-To determine ability score, roll 4d6, take highest 3. You also receive one free 17 to replace your lowest score.
-Starting level is 4. Your most recent level is gestalt, but only with your race's favoured class.
-You get your Home region language and your racial language free (Human's have Hume)
-There are both regional languages and racial ones. While both can prove to be useful, the regional is what the main talk will be in. The rules for them are simple; as stated above, you get home region and the racial free. Calid is the common language in the region we start in, so getting that would useful. The speakers of Yian are pretty much the definition of paranoid, so learning that will cost two slots (reflecting how hard it is the get.) The 'Old' languages are not true spoken ones, but academic ones learned by students of work or magic history mainly.
-Use Invisible Castle for all your rolling needs and Mythweaver for the character sheet.
Karn
Karn's demographics exhibits somewhat more diversity than some of the other regions. It's population is largely of the assorted beast and beast derived folk. Humans and Elves are something of a minority, confined mainly to the western lands, probably descendants or a free who managed to cross the tubulent seas. Gnomes and to a greater extent halflings are common, as are various goblinoids. Karn is one of the Trevonic nations, and Trevon is their mother tongue.
While they do not really have a central governance, their is a loose coalition between the different nomadic tribes and city states. The beastfolk are the main power within this coalition, with several representatives and member states, followed by the haflings and gnomes. At the time of the story, the State of Ou'Ballea is the most prominent.
Atneron's Back
The central landmass is refereed to as Atneron's back. Atneron is seen as the world, the substance of the material plane; an ancient god , born of Father and Mother like the others, but one who loved live so much that he turn himself over to be the support for it. The Spine mountains is a giant mountain range that splits Atneron's Back in two. The common races are the more savage goblinoids, monstrous and repilian races on the left half, and the more humanoid ones on the right.
Palnor
Palnor and Antess share the landmass to the east of Atneron's Spine. Palnor is the southern nation. Somewhat like Karn, it has many city states, but they are organized under the Palna Empire, a central power rooted in the capital of Calvadon. Humans, Elves and Dwarves are the most common races. Raptorians are also found there.
Palnor is the Calid civilization. Unlike it's northern neighbour, the distributed nature of power allows for a more diverse culture rather than the somewhat homogeneous one that is shared by Antess and it's daughter nation.
Antess
Antess is an vast Kingdon overseen by a King and Queen. They tend toward more permanent structures, developing a city and expanding continually. Their cities tends towards more than simple villages, and are often well developed at the core, with a less organized structure surrounding it. Their magic is often of the wizarding type, or other such well studies arcane and divine arts. Unlike the Trevonics who seem to favour the more spontaneous and shamanic magics.
Antess is also home to orders of knights and several great Halls of Magic. There nobles tend to be of four sorts.
Political Power: These noble houses gained their title due to political maneuvering. They tend to influence those in power enough that they gain their own.
Martial: Often granted noble status due to accomplishments in their history, and often keep it due to the continued prowess the family displays.
Economic: Some of these are simply the richest and most influential families in a region. They are said to have simply bought their status, and some don't disagree.
Magic: As with martial prowess, magical prowess in a family is another way some nobles keep their power. This is particularly evident in the areas with the academies and halls.
Caliden
Caliden is a hodgepodge of culture and traditions. It draws from the other three nations, mainly because it was born from adventurous independents from the three expanding semi-colonial powers. It also serves as the starting nation for our game. As it's name reflects, the major language used in it's environs is Calid, and that is due to the fact that it was under Panla rule before it more or splinted off to become it's own nation.
Aside from the capital of Esojah, most of the towns and villages are simply wooden housed and structures surrounded by a simple stone wall that is periodically tended to and extended as the village grows. There are many 'forgotten' structures in the wilds off the trade routes between villages, some actually so, other deliberately so.
Esojah is a sprawling city build around the former Palna stronghold. After the Palna forces lost the battle to hold it, and the conquering force from Ou'Ten didn't really have any intention to hold it, other moved in and made it into a nation.
Untamed Lands
The untamed lands are somewhat insultingly named, mainly due to its largely unexplored nature.. The majority of the inhabitants are believed to be more or the savage or barbarian that others.
Other
Much of the world is littered with old dungeons and ruins, remnants of times long gone. In many cases, cities have developed over and around them. These cities have prominent statues or landmarks, most often near the main entrance to the dungeon they are built over; the focus of potent spell that is laid over the dungeons after they are cleared out to prevent evil from one more spawning within it. It is a necessary thing because of a nature spirit known as a Node. They inhabit complex cave networks and places like dungeons and ruins, sometimes even deep forests, enslaving or creating creatures to guard it's halls. It feeds on the energy of those within, and lures adventures with the gold and treasure it accumulates.
Galvan- Is the commonly spoken language in Atneros and Grandol. The Galvanic nations are much like the European nations in terms of culture, generally ruled by a King and Queen who claim dominion over large expanses, with lower ranks rulers having governance over the districts.
Old Galvan- The predecessor of Galvan and Calid. It is a mostly dead language that is mostly known only in the high academic circles.
Old Tongue- Old Tongue is a dead language. It is the oldest written and spoken language know. It is theorized to be the original language of the gods. Runes identified as Old Tongue are sometimes found in the oldest ruins and dungeons, but precious few know what the proper pronunciation is. And those that do stumble across it sometimes wind up dead in strange circumstances, as Old Tongue seems to have some control over the very nature of magic.
Calid- the language spoken mostly in Palnor, Caliden, Gei Ali and the Coastal Alliance of Jin. The Calid nations have much in common with the African nations we know, and tend to favor tribal based governance and kingdoms. Each kingdom is on a much smaller scale than that of the Galvanic nations, more akin to city states, and united under the general banner of the Palna Empire.
Trevon- Karn and the smaller nations of Orios, Jer Rain, Lennax, Ou' Ten speak this language. The Misted Caverns found on all three landmasses, also known as the Tunnels of Loss, are believed to have facilitated this. They are the hallmark of Wanderer, and enable somewhat random teleportation between them.
Old Trev'n- The predecessor of Trevon. It is much like the other old languages, mostly dead and known for academic reasons. It, along with Old Galvan and Yiee, the predecessor of Yian, are sometimes found on ruin walls.
Yian- Spoken in Rantii, Tinne and Yil Thors. These nations are the asianics; Rantii and Tinne the Orientals, and Yil Thors much like the Indian. The origin of the similarities between the Rantii tongue and the Yil Thors is unclear, considering that there was little interaction between them prior the Greater Wars. Some suspect one or more of the deites were involved, but unlike the case of the Trevonics, as discussed below, there is no clear connection. These nations are not really involved in the current power struggle, being somewhat (well.. very) xenophobic.
::Karn::
Karn has a tendency to produce more sorcerers than wizards, and tends to have more favoured souls than it's middle eastern counterparts. Centuries before, the population was mainly beastfolk, gnomes, halflings, orcs and goblinoids, with humans, dwarves and elves being somewhat in the minority.
::Antess::
Anthess is a fairly large nation, encompassing the lands north of the Atneron's Flow. It is one of the more developed lands, with numerous cites scattered across it's breath. Humans, elves and dwarves are common in this region, though that isn't to say that others are not.
::Palnor::
Palnor is the nation south of Anthess. Unlike Anthess, which in one large Kingdom, Palnor is comprised of many smaller Kingdoms that work together under that same name. Palnor has a larger population of orcs, half-orcs, halflings and beastfolk than it's sister nation, though aside from that, the populations are somewhat reflective.
::Gei Ali::
Gei Ali is an apparently underdeveloped region, in comparison. It tends more towards the less obtrusive constructions, with little in terms of large sprawling cities. Many gnomes and other creative souls congregate there, and they have some of the best ports on that side of the world. It's culture is a mix of the magic training from Antess and the free spirit of Palnor.
::Rantii::
Rantii is an oddity in the eastern world. It had little connection to the nations of the western continent, aside from a few raids, and has a completely different culture and language than it's neighbors. The currents between the west and east make sailing that way tricking, and ships often drift back, having been count up in currents, turned around, and the crew dying from depleted stores.
::Coastal Alliance of Jin::
For centuries, the natural magic affecting effects of the World Spine and the extreme weather of the the southern coast keep the Palnor from venturing into those lands. The tales of caravans traveling into the Forbading Lands and not returning save for a few terrified horses did not help. But, eventually, and in response to the Antess sailing east, they did. Jin is not a nation mostly of merchants and traders, handling land and sea passage west.
::Caliden::
Caliden is recently born from those brave souls exploring the regions formally known as untamed and those independents. After the large major campaign, the Palna empire established a strong hold, which changed hands a few times in the last two or so decades, and now serves as the capitol of the budding nation.
::Ou'Ten::
Much like Jin, Ou'Ten was born from a mix of the local Trevonic cultures in the region. Settlers and explorers from Karn and the other Trevonic nations have formed it. Alone with the Island chain, it forms something of a loop, with small city states dotting the coast.
::New Gandol::
Because of the difficulties in reaching the western landmass by sailing east, the current often turning ships all the way around or they becoming lost enroute, and the fact that traveling through Jin meant travel through Palna lands, they took the northerly route; sailing west from Warnyl, tracing the coastline to avoid the stormy waters further north, and established New Grandol, named after the Duke who funded the expedition.
::Lennax::
Lennax is the southernmost Trevonic nation. Like it's neighbor Yil Thor, it is a largely beastfolk nation, and it has substantial relations with the Thors.
::Yil Thor::
An oddity. They speak Yian, there culture has some similarities with the Rantii, but there is little evidence of relations between the nations. They have relatively good relations with Lennax.
::Orius::
A small Island Continent, the smallest in fact. Due to the severe currents and weather conditions caused by the World Spine, their is a near perpetual fog between it and the southern continent, and it's first contact with the Galvanic and Calid nations was through it's contact with Karn. Even now, their is not reliable why through the shortest route.
::Jer Rain::
The fourth Trevonic continent. It had some contact with Rantii, but the currents and weather make landing on it's western shore somewhat tricky, and most ships are driving southwards below it.
Deities, world, map and such
The Greater Deities are divines created by the Firsts as a side effect of them adding life to the world. They define the major characteristics of the world, and are found at the abstract basis of alignment. They don't have a definite gender, though some prefer one over the other.
The Yellow Hound
The Hound (or wolf, fox, any canine in general) is the Spirit of law. He (or she) embodies the concept of order and accountability, with or without concern for good or evil.
The White Mystery
The Mystery is those named because that is what it is. Aside from the fact that it is the aspect of neutrality, not much else is know. More often manifests as a cloaked and hooded figure, rarely seen directly.
The Grey Cat
The Cat is pure chaos, and motivated only by self interest and desire. He can be the most difficult to get along with, as well as the easiest. He is also known as the
The Red Lady
As the embodiment of evil, the Red Lady is more often seen as battlegrounds and places of conflict.
The Blue Bound
The Bound is the aspect of Goodness. His chains are the links to all those around him.
The Hound - Law, healing, protection, animal, Sun, strength, plant, nobility
The Mystery - knowledge, magic, Nobility, Rune, Creation, Good, Evil, Earth
The Cat - Chaos, Trickery, Madness, Darkness, Animal, Charm, Luck, Air
The Lady - Destruction, Death, Fire, Evil, War, Glory, Darkness, Healing
The Bound - Good, Knowledge, Protection, Community, Repose, Creation, Healing, Water
The Lesser Spirits are the children of the Greater, and are the gods more commonly worshiped among mortals. Some are mortals who were ascended into divinity at some point in their life by the actions of the Greaters. The lessers are the deities generally worshiped by the populace and the
Si'ako, the objective judge
The bird of fate, he is seen either as an eagle or a raven depending on the fate of the judged. His symbol is a scale. He is worshiped by judges and those who seek to be objective in all matters. He is more aligned with neutral good, to true neutral, and views all matters equally.
Khaan, the impartial crafter
A large spider being who weaves and oversees the threads of destiny for all matters. He is a true neutral deity, and rarely takes undue interest in mortals unless their path takes them to some extraordinary event involving several souls and threads.
Cait, the capricious alterer
A feline who determines fortune. He is The Grey Cat's child, and a master of going against fate and destiny and predetermination. A true chaotic deity, he, like his Sire, is self-motivated and can be swayed to ones cause with the appropriate appeals and offerings, or if it pleases his whim.
Barbelo, the Maiden of War and Grevan, the Face of Vengeance
Children of the Red Lady and the Blue Bound, they are the gods of war, combat and honor/vengeance. Barbelo is a lawful good deity while her brother is Chaotic evil. However, they do not always hold fast to the Lawful/Chaotic markers, and their adherents come from all alignments.
Sage, the knowing
Sage is one of the Mystery's offspring or followers (it is always unclear when it come to him). He is the god of knowledge, secrets and magic (arcane).
Sis Aman, the Forceful
A deity of power, force and determination, he was the first of the dragons, and one of the foremost reptilian gods.
Neeis, the Deceiver
The god of deception, lies, seduction, inebreity and fertility. It was with his influence that the magic schools of polymorph, illusion and enchantments were developed. His followers are known for either having little restrain, or being schemes and deceivers. A popular saying is 'The Neeist is either the guy pulling the strings, or the guy passed out in front of the tavern."
Helein, the Enchantress or the Seducer
Helein is Neeis' daughter, born from just one of his many liaisons with mortal women. She is much like her father, and holds all but lies and deception. She is known as the enchantress and the seducer.
Wanderer, the Curious
The Wanderer is well known as the deity of discovery and travel, but also is one of the weather deities as well. He sometimes called the earthborn wind do to his itinerant nature. He commonly appears as a cat, and was spawned through the Mystery and the Grey Cat.
Fen, the Dusk
Fen is the child of The Hound and The Cat, appearing in a form somewhat like a black fox, cousin to Wanderer and Cait. He is the god of the night, shadows and hope. His symbol is a shadowy fox, often in black, dark red, or dark blue.
Fidelas, the Nurturing
Fidelas is the spirit of nature. She is something like the spirit of earth, and has dominion over many lesser animal spirits, some of which are referred to as gods by other races (eg. the god wolf, Hunter god, etc). She herself is one of the Mystery's offspring, and is a neutral deity, commonly worshiped by Druids.
Marvan, the Crafter
Marvan is the greater dwarven god of invention, crafting, precious metals and fire. He is believed to have been one of the dwarven folk heroes who unlocked the secrets of the forge and ascended to godhod. His symbol is a golden circle or a hammer.
Nemue, the Crow, Jovis the Heron, Kari the Falcon
Nemue is one of the death gods, concerned with those who die on the battle field or in combat situations, also called the choser of the slain. She escorts their souls to their determined fate. Jovis escorts souls of those who die peacefully, and is called the Divined Wings. Kari escorts the souls of people who fall in traumatic situations and is referred to as the Hunter. They are more commonly viewed collectively the death god Lois.
The Meddler
The Meddler was once a powerful mortal, ascended to godhood by Cait and his father the Cat, his habit of interjecting and meddling amusing them. However, the other gods eventually turned upon him and banished him, so he is something of a fallen deity. The Meddler is both one and many, as Cait often tips a hint of The Meddler's or his own power into other mortals, making them more or less Meddler Favored Souls. Some consider it a curse.
The Reaper
The reaper is/are an ascended mortal who works with the Lois. It is unsure how many they are, but they are associate with each aspect of Lois.
The Builders/Muses
The Builders or Muses are god of creativity, design, progress and inspiration. Another ascended mortal collective, they are they who left great marks in their life. Often worshiped by Bards.
'Though a candle burns in my house, there is nobody home'
'Please remain calm…as we attempt to rectify this most unfortunate circumstance.'
'Well, let me see; we have slow death, quick death, painful death, cold lonely death...'
'Holy crap, we dialed Pittsburgh.'
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