[OOC] Ashes of Orvell - Setting Construction (Page 2)

[OOC] Ashes of Orvell - Setting Construction Page 2

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GM Inlaa

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Hidden 10 yrs ago → 10 yrs ago Post by Peik

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Peik Peik

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Peik

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Name: Ma Till.

Playable?: Yes.

Appearance: The Ma Till are a lanky people, with gaunt, concave features. They are often very tall, with an average of around seven feet, their length further emphasized by their incredibly skinny physique. Their skin is grayish-white at birth, but exposure to the sun takes their skin tone to a color similar to concrete. By adulthood, they usually earn their stone-like look. Their arms are the same length as their legs, with their hands reaching their knees. The Ma Till do not have much body hair. Only their forearms and lower legs and pubic region have body hair growth. Their hair, bodily or otherwise, is usually a lighter color than their skin. Sexual dimorphism is not very apparent amongst the Ma Till, with the only primary difference being the females’ lack of facial hair. Aside from these features and their lack of eyebrows, they look like usual humans.

Culture: The Ma Till are incredibly individualistic and introverted. ‘’Native’’ Ma Till, living in the Northern Steppes, take this to another extreme, by simply choosing a random area of the steppe as territory and driving off anyone else who shows intent to stay. The Ma Till usually live their life in solitude with only their horse as companion, pairing up only for the mating process and the growth of a child. Once the child reaches ten years old, however, the father leaves the mother and child. For the next five years, the mother will teach the child the way of life in the Steppe, and leave the child behind in a hub once he is of age. Aside from the aforementioned roles in child growth, there aren’t any gender roles in Ma Till ‘society’.

The Ma Till are extremely stoic and serious, rarely showing emotion aside from a constant ‘poker-face’ look that seems to be the racial norm. They have few ties that form communities, with a settlement often being no more than a bunch of tents set up by a group of craftsmen. Outsiders are usually accepted into these hubs, be it for trade or something else. The hubs are rarely permanent and often travel throughout the Steppe, being one of the few things other Ma Till accept in their territory.

The horse and the bow have incredible value in Ma Till society. The bow and arrow is their primary weapon, almost always wielded from atop a horse. The Ma Till have many uses for horses – they are their primary source of clothing, food, trade, transportation, and sometimes even weaponry. Ma Till horses are known for being incredibly reliable and incredibly ugly, bearing no aesthetic qualities. The same could be said for anything else made by Ma Till. Function over Form is a creed that is upheld by every Ma Till individual. Decoration is irrelevant to the Ma Till. They do know the value of it in the eyes of other peoples, however, and thus are likely to gather things they think have aesthetic value to sell at a hub. 

While usually solitary, the Ma Till often group together to fight anything that they think is a threat to their territory as a whole. This could simply be a group of bandit in Ma Till territory that is too strong to be fought off by a single Ma Till, or even entire armies. Once the fight is on, there are no breaks for the Ma Till, often harassing the enemy from afar day and night to coerce them into leaving. It usually works, as more than often, the cause of the invasion isn’t worth it, the Steppe they are living in nothing more than a desolate wasteland barely productive enough to support the Ma Till. This has caused the demise of a few ignorant monarchs in the past. Their connection to the Steppe, not just any Steppe but the Ma Till Steppe in particular, seems to stem from something that’s not cultural but biological.  

Few Ma Till leave the Steppe, but they can make quite a name in other societies. Their traits as a race make them desired workers, and their keen memory can land them in good administrative positions. Their traits, however, more than often also end up being their undoing, as their disregard for others’ opinions can lead to unfortunate ends. When available, they are often hired as mercenaries, assigned specially to cripple the enemy logistics.

Outlook: The Ma Till do not have any strong opinions about anyone else in the realm. Being an isolated and introverted society, the few news they receive from traders and exiles, who live alongside their traveling hubs. They usually look down on anything that would be deemed majestic by others, however. Whether this is caused by their envy about their incapability to appreciate art, or simple disregard because of the inconveniences of such things in life, is unknown, possibly even to themselves. 

Strengths: The Ma Till have very high tolerances against any physical element, thanks to their brutal and uncomfortably led lives. While this alone would be enough to make them ideal soldiers, the Ma Till are also a quite strong and agile people, with their size and strength allowing them to use bows that would require immense draw power with ease. They also have strong memory and an analytical perspective and a work-oriented culture, which helps with their approach on problems. 

Weaknesses: The Ma Till are introverted, asocial, and blunt in nearly every sense of the word. They are not very social people, and often act in a way that would be deemed rude by others. They are unfazed by anything of artistic value and have a hard time adapting to changes. This has had a pronounced effect on their culture, as they adamantly lead a separated, lonely life without any development. They also seem to shy away from complex mechanical devices or processes, opting for simpler solutions in technology. They are better enforcers than they are leaders.

History: The Ma Till have a rather stagnant history. Thanks to the fact they’ve never unified under one banner, their lands have been largely the same throughout history, with the Ma Till Steppe’s borders being more or less the same as it was centuries ago. Having raised no artisans, no innovators, no philosophers, and no explorers, the Ma Till are known for occasionally popping up in footnotes as mercenaries, or officers. They are also known for relentlessly pushing back any attempted invasions led against the Ma Till Steppe, only to disperse again once the threat is gone.

Hidden 10 yrs ago Post by LoneSparrow

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LoneSparrow The Quiet Bird On Your Shoulder

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LoneSparrow

The Quiet Bird On Your Shoulder

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Name: Zvaknaros

Time Frame: Very few have the knowledge of how long ago it was when Zvaknaros took place. Evidence of it happening exists only in stories, or in the memories of the ancient and immortal beings that have survived long enough to have experienced it first-hand.

Description: In the stories passed down from generation to generation, the harrowing tale of Zvaknaros exists to frighten the masses, a narrative of blood and gore, of evil victorious, of death and destruction spread across the entirety of Orvell. 

Long before the Orvelli Empire rose and fell, when the first civilizations of the races began to emerge in Orvell, powerful and enigmatic leaders began to hunger for supreme dominion over the land. But none would simply stand down, too prideful to accept others as their overlords, and so this hunger quickly escalated into all-out war. The land of Orvell was torn asunder, as the vast races fought and conquered and decimated each other, an endless stalemate bringing about mass destruction. 

Cities were levelled, villages pillaged, towns burnt to the ground; civilizations crumbled and collapsed as their society was overrun by famine and death. And yet, war continued to blossom, the hunger for blood and power winning out in the savage hearts of the people. This continued, the land of Orvell on the brink of total and utter annihilation, the battle-worn races clinging to their now brief and weak existence.

Causes: As stated above, the time of Zvaknaros emerged due to the thirst for power and dominion over Orvell. Hungry for recognition and yearning to rule all, great leaders from the larger races such as elves, dwarves, humans, etc. led their people into a great war that threatened, and almost succeeded, to destroy all evidence of civilization.

Significance: As adventurers explore and roam the world, beyond finding the remnants of the once great Orvelli Empire, fleeting glimpses of the ancient times before and during the time of Zvaknaros exist, with ancient powers long since forgotten emerging from the shadows of an age of blood and desolation.

My first idea, thought I'd start with a bit of history! Obviously it's just a start at the moment, and I haven't exactly devised how the people came back from the event (if confused, read); I was waiting for you to finish the details on the Orvelli Empire and the brief history, but I decided it'd be better if I got this up now and let you decide on what needs to be fixed, or even if this just needs to be put aside, I don't mind! x3 Let me know what you think, in any case.

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Hidden 10 yrs ago → 10 yrs ago Post by Pripovednik

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Pripovednik ☞NO HANDS☜

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Pripovednik

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Here we have the infamous Blue Hand. Enjoy :) (and criticise)

 Name:  
The Blue Hand

 Summary  
An ancient and secretive Assassin order .

 Description 

The Blue Hand is one of the most well known groups in Orvell, when it comes to death, they are experts. While the group are infamous, there whereabouts and places of command are known only to their members, though it is spoken in hushed whispers that they move from abandoned houses to dark sewers and from there into a thick forest caves – forever moving to evade detection.

Named after the members during the early years of the order that would stain their hands with the blue pigment of their favoured poison, the order has risen past the gang they once were on the dark streets and alleyways of Orvell's cities, becoming a larger force than ever.

 Hierarchy 

The hierarchy of the order is simple enough:

Phalanx: A phalanx is a new member of the order, yet to receive the Blue Boss and only just beginning training. The phalanx do not make up the majority of the order, as it is in fact rare for any Blue Hand Hold to have more than 3 Phalanx in training at any given time. Named after the sections that form a finger and sometimes referred to as pinkies - as in the smallest finger on a hand.

Unnamed: The unnamed have earned the Blue Boss and received basic training. They are the theoretical spy network of the order and often traffic information, steal from the rich to fund the order and occasionally join their superiors on assignments. At this stage in training the Unnamed is given a number to answer to as well as the option of specialised training in a specialist field known as a shade of (blue) training. E.G. ranged combat, poison, manipulative speech, heavy weaponry or acrobatic movement. They are named after the unnamed finger (ring finger).

Insulters: The insulters of the order make up the majority and are given most of the assassination assignments. At insulter status you are given the glove (armour) and the nails (weapons) of the order as well your own name and your Blue Boss gains a line for each level of training you complete in further training and study. Members can remain at insulter level and choose not to rise further through the ranks, accumulating more lines and continuing to accomplish assignments. 

When 20 lines are reached they are cleared from the Blue Boss and the hand is then filled in with the lines found on the hand, showing the members success in training/study. Insulters are named after the middle finger and are known for cutting the middle finger from their target and placing it in their mouth – giving them the finger.

Pointers: Pointers are elite members of The Blue Hand and are the main recruiting body of the order. Trained to kill efficiently the pointers are those that negotiate assignments and confirm targets. 

There can only be one pointer per hold at any given time, and they conduct the initiations of all members under their hold, as they act the holds leader. Their Blue Boss of the hand is replaced with a Blue Boss of a clenched fist, to show their superiority and power. Pointers are named after the index finger, which is used to point.

The Grip: Grips (not to be mistaken for the Order buildings where members are trained and stay - holds) are the five highest ranking members (aside from the palm) of The Blue Hand. Changing members every 10 years - unless a death occurs in which case another is voted in - the Grips govern over the groups of holds and help in the planning and sometimes execution of assignments. 

Each Grip is in charge of a  group of Pointers. Each member is more often than not a veteran, unless a younger Pointer/Insulter shows great promise. Grips are so named as they represent the thumb, which allows the hand to grip – without the thumb the hand becomes useless.

The Palm: The palm is the centre of the order, the council per say. It consists of 3 members known as The Hand, The Fist and The Wrist.

It is The Hands job to keep the order safe and hidden, they are seen as the ultimate leader of the entire order and are present when a new Grip is appointed. 

The Fist conducts the most difficult assignments as he is the best The Blue Hand has concerning taking another life, he is the one to suspect when kings die unexpectedly. The Fist is the only one that has authority to allow an Insulter to wipe their 20 lines clean and claim the Patterned Hand.

The Wrist connects the hand to the rest of the body, it has connections in every corner of the known world, and is in charge of dealing with anything related to government or marshal law and punishment, keeping the hand off the flame as it were – sometimes through bribery but mostly using blackmail.

Area of Influence

The Hand has a presence in most major cities in holds, but their main bases of operation are scattered among the shadows of the land. The Hands members are diverse, many races and backgrounds complete its structure, thus its its influence is vast.

 Goals 

The Blue Hand wishes to continue the subtle arts of death, one day hoping to establish its own city dedicated to its name, hidden from the world. As well as this they wish to recover their inheritance and perhaps expand into the mercenary/head hunter business. The Hand  reaches for a bright light in the distance.

 History 

The Orders founder was a hunters son, who was intrigued by the alchemy of the hunt. His father used many concoctions of his own design to paralyse his prey and not waste and inch of tender meat. Learning his fathers trade he became an adept hunter and alchemist respectively, and when the old man faded to death, he sought a bigger challenge than the bears he so easily killed.

Travelling further into the forest, he searched for adventure and happened upon a camp, embers rose from the scorched earth and corpses littered the floor. When he drew closer a faint voice called to him, and running over to the body on the floor, the man grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close. His breath was foul with an iron stench, blood was seeping from his eyes as he spoke of an ambush and a precious treasure. Finally falling back down into an eternal sleep, he young man found that his clothing was covered in a blue substance from the man's hand. Just then he noticed that a blue path drove its way through the trees and into the wilderness, following it for many hours he arrived at another encampment, the same as the last, however its flames still danced, through the rough foliage he saw a figure retreating into the shadows.

Following the mysterious stranger, he stumbled across a small vial, golden rim and silver plating. Inside a blue liquid swayed this way and that, as he opened the clasp the vial exploded as if an ocean wave as blue as the sky had crashed upon a rock and flew up to the clouds and through the vials open lid – he closed the clasp with tremendous haste. His hands now covered in the stuff, he dabbed it onto his already dirtied top, taking a liking to the look – he covered his entire attire in the blue hand prints.

Delving deeper into the twisting trees after the dark figure, he found himself on a dirt track and almost jumped for cover,  a large wagon swung around the bend to his right and the screech of wheels and startled horses set his nerves twitching with fright.

A fat merchant sat upon the wagon, hooded and cloaked, but fat none the less. He hopped rather heavily from the steps and landed with a loud thud, followed by many more smaller thuds as he approached the young man.

A bag of gold for the trinket was the other, but the boy refused. Such a magic item was worth many hundreds of bags of many hundreds of gold pieces and this is what he told the lump.

So that is what he offered, as much gold as the young man could imagine. So the boy ran, and ran as fast as he could. If the merchant would so easily offer such wealth, it was worth much much more than he said. The young boy ran and the merchant gave chase, as fast as he was, the merchant  ran as fast as the next man and was beginning to gain.

Screaming foul words mixed in with an incomprehensible language the merchant drew near, the young man pulled the clasp from the vial and sprayed the liquid onto the floor behind him. Slipping and sliding the merchant still ran, picking up speed against all odds, but a small drop of the blue had reached his lips as his shoes threw it up from the ground, and he swallowed it down along with the saliva that had built up in his gluttonous mouth.

A hideous scream of distress and horror crashed over the trees and brush and the young man turned to see the fat merchant on his knees in the blueness, his face bright pink, his cheeks bloated and his nails scratching desperately at his throat. Walking slowly over he watched as the fat of the merchants chins dripped from his body, the gelatinousness ooze of his stomach streamed down and mixing with the ocean of blue, forming a pale island around his dying body. As the young man watched the merchant before him withered away to the nothing, until all but his bones were left, and still his skeletal fingers scraped at his face, his ribcage shook with an attempt to breath and his legs squirmed and darted this way and that, finding no grip in the expanse of his watery self.

Finally to the young man's relief the remains dropped to the floor with a musical clatter, and he walked away into the trees, compared to the merchant, he was fatter.

OR so the story goes, of the poison came to be. From there the young man took on assignments and recruitment,  named his group The Blue and they were a fearsome gang. Soon he died and his poison was never found, the gang lived on however and grew to be The Blue Hand after many generations.

 Plot Hooks 

The vial of the creator has been found, or at least rumours suggest so. Take it for yourself or stop it from falling into the wrong hands.

You are curious of the orders activity and so are further intrigued when you wake in the night to see a shadowy figure at the foot of a nearby house, the door imprinted with a dark blue hand.

The order clashes with the law in a city and a fierce war erupts between the city guard and the Hand.

You wish to become a member.

Hidden 10 yrs ago → 10 yrs ago Post by Capra

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Capra Necromancer Lord

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Capra

Necromancer Lord

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I wouldn't really classify it as a settlement, and many fields in the settlement template don't really apply here, but still.

Enoch
Raise the dagger, Abraham,
And slit the throat ov thy only son.

Names: Enoch, the Wandering City, Stone ov the Offering, Child ov Nod

Location: currently moving towards Orvell from the west.

Summary: a city of ancient ruins, eternally wandering the world.

Type: cursed city.

Description: Enoch is a city kept in motion by the perpetual work of an immense population of slaves, among which are the mourning, hunched Giants of the ancient past, dragging it forward; an horrendous curse looms perpetually over Enoch, and to stave off its end the inhabitants believe that they have to perform human sacrifice in order to feed the only thing, referred to as the Heart, that does not allow Enoch to fall under the wrathful gaze of God. The nature of the Heart is unknown, as it was lost to memory a long time ago: many believe it to be an immensely powerful demon, while some think it as an ancient contraption devised in an ancient past. Yet, all agree that it must be fed blood and souls. Thus, as the city wanders around ceaselessly, cursed by divine fury, its inhabitants ride out from its gates, to enslave the local population either to add it to the Yokes, or to sacrifice one on its decrepit shrines. Enoch is immense, and much of it lies in ruin: in fact, only a small part of it is inhabited and explored, while the deeper parts of it, known as Sitra Achra, are uncharted, and none knows what horrors lurk there. The known region of Enoch hosts some buildings of great importance to the city:

The Hall of Bones: in this large hall, the Council of the Eleven meets, to govern the city and direct its movements. It is ancient custom that dead council members are left to die alone in here, when nearing the end of their life, and once found dead, their bodies are never moved from where they fell: thus, much of the hall is covered in crumbling bones.

The Throne of the Forgotten King: a vast, ancient room, with a great stone throne at its centre. Once, a great king sat here, and it is said that as a king longs for its lost throne, so a throne longs for the lost king.

The Ashen Tower: in this ancient iron tower, those citizens who were found guilty of a crime are locked up, awaiting their sentence. Each year, the tower is set ablaze in a great ritual, and thus the souls of the guilty find redemption. Their screams echo ceaselessly in the nearby corridors.

The Black Sun Gate: the eastern gate of the city, used only during solar eclipses. Such events are foretold with great precision by the Cocytus cabal, and are believed to be a time when the acts of man are hidden from the eye of God. Thus, the warriors of Enoch ride out in huge numbers and commit acts of inhuman atrocity: they also say that in these times the beat of the Heart can be heard distinctly in silence, but the few who tried to listen to it went mad after a few moments.

The Shrine of the Evil Eye: a dark and almost forgotten room, where a bound demon, in the form of a great eye, restlessly searches for those who betrayed him. To this day, it writhes, and writhes...

History:  the early history of Enoch has been, for the most part, lost in the abyss of time, and what remains is shrouded in myth and legend: the earliest tales narrate of a city founded upon the corpse of a bloody sacrifice, and of ancient malediction bestowed upon a fallen king, still haunting the halls of Enoch; half-forgotten legends, obscure and barely deciphered symbols, carved into the deepest parts of the city's wretched temples, tell the tale of a Song, sung by a cursed patriarch to avenge his bloodline. The first records come from an age when the clans and tribes of old were already well estabilished, and the Giants dragging the city forward in its ceaseless motion had long started their restless toil. For endless ages, the hundreds of petty clans and warlords fought over the ruins of the already long fallen Enoch, as it wandered land after land, bringing its curse with it; a dark age, and yet some relics of this forgotten past are said to be still waiting for the moment to return to light. From the bloodshed, eleven cabals emerged victorious, and saved the city from oblivion by creating the Council of the Eleven, thus giving Enoch a semblance of internal peace. Then, the city looked outwards to sustain itself, as many of the Giants dragging it forward had already died or were about to do so, and thus the warriors of Enoch rode out for the first time to give the city what it desperately needed: slaves, and sacrifices. Hundreds of thousands of slaves, taken from the populations of the land where Enoch was roaming, were yoked together with what remained of the Giants, and the city kept moving, as it endlessly shall; and many others were slain on the altars of the ruined temples, to feed the ancient Heart that keeps the city from being destroyed by divine wrath. 

Governance: the society of Enoch is divided between eleven cabals, each ruling over a different aspect of the city's life. They are:

Abaddon: the most numerous and powerful of cabals, and the one counting the most warriors among its ranks. Its insigna are a black banner and a red inverted pentagram. Highly martial in nature, its members are taught that death in battle is the only way to escape the curse of Enoch: their representative in the Council, ruling the clan with the title of Dark Lord, obtains his position by slaying his predecessor in duel.

Gehinnom: the second most numerous cabal, Gehinnom is composed of scouts and riders, who sally forth from the city's gates to neighboring lands, in order to find places ripe with slaves to capture. They also oversee the Yokes, and are entrusted with quelling eventual slave revolts. Their insigna is a red horned skull, and their representative, the Silent Lord, is named after the death of his predecessor: he is never allowed to touch another mount in his life, other than the one he personally created, sewing together the bodies of captured slaves in a twisted shape.

Babalon: composed mostly of females, the Babalon cabal rules over the social aspects of Enoch, and administers the inns, taverns, brothels and whorehouses of the city. Its insigna are a red crescent moon on a white banner. Their representative, the Great Whore, has been ruling over the cabal for longer than recollection, and is said to perform horrendous rites to mantain her facade of eternal beauty and youth.

Sulphur: made up of the city's magicians and alchemists, the Sulphur cabal's mansions are to provide the warriors of Enoch with chemical concotions such as explosives, healing potions, poisons, and the like. Its insigna is a black leviathan cross. The leader of the Sulphur cabal, the Highest Magus, is perenially awake and vigilant, his twisted, mutated body aching and bleeding at every movement: such is the price of meddling with posions and cursed potions for a lifetime.

Ha-Topheth: the smallest of the eleven cabals, Ha-topheth is made up solely of priests and prophets, tending to the city's many temples and shrines, and overseeing the sacrifices. Its insigna is a red inverted cross. Its representative in the Council is the Second Hierophant, gifted with immortal life: yet, there was a first, but few know what happened to him.

Behemoth: a relatively small cabal, Behemoth is another predominantly martial clan: however, its members are rarely seen on the field of battle, and only ride out in full force when Enoch itself is directly threatened. In fact, the warriors of the Behemoth cabal manage the vast gunpowder arsenal of the city, built long ago, and often mounted on great beasts of burden, capable of shaking the Earth with pillars of fire. Its insigna is a red flame in a circle, and its representative in the council is the Lord of the Pit, forever surrounded by an aura of brimstone and flames.

Tzalmavet: the Tzalmavet cabal, the numbers of which are unknown, is made up of assassins and spies operating in the shadows when brute force isn't the only thing needed to achieve Enoch's goals. It is by far the most secretive of the cabals, and its insigna is simply a plain black banner. The Death Shadow, representative of the cabal in the Council, is a very mysterious figure: some theorize that a different Tzalmavet member takes up the mantle of the Death Shadow every time the Council meets.

Tartaros: Tartaros is the cabal which is tasked with the creation and mantainance of all things made of metal in Enoch, from simple tools to weapons, armors, and mechanic contraptions. Sometimes, the Tartaros smiths go to battle to test their own creations, often appearing as warriors clad in towering warmachines, crushing their foes beneath their metallic limbs, saws, claws, and whatever their cruel creativity manages to attach to their children of metal. Its insigna is a black hand coming from a flame, and its leader is the Forged One, who devised arcane means to replace his flesh with iron, achieving immortality.

Hekate: a medium sized cabal, Hekate is composed of the magicians and wizards of the city, often seen in battle with other soldiers. The magicians of Enoch are divided in two cabals: the priests of Ha-Tophet, who worship the Heart and the demonic pantheon, and the wizards of Hekate, who seek to understand and dominate them. This pursuit led to many tensions between the two clans, and to the madness of many Hekate magicians, who tried to dabble with powers far beyond their understanding. The banner of Hekate is an open book, and its representative, the Abyssdweller, is a mysterious figure even to Hekate members.

Usiel: the Usiel cabal is another rather small one, but has a very important task: to patrol the outer borders between the known region of the city and Sitra Achra, the uncharted ruins, and stop whatever might attempt to cross them. Many Usiel veterans have seen things that have caused the death of many, and the madness of many more. Its insigna is a white sword, and its leader, the Solemn Vigilant, is the oldest of the Usiel warriors.

Therion: the Therion cabal, together with Abaddon and Gehinnom, forms the backbone of Enoch's armies, taking the role of heavy cavalry. In fact, it is their task to breed and tame the wild beasts (mainly Hellhounds and Titans, and occasionally Wyverns) which will be later used as mounts in battle: those who fail or show cowardice are usually employed as feed for these animanls. The insigna of the Therion is a black raised talon, and its leader is the Blood Knight: all those who tried to contest his authority were added to the collection of bones hanging from his massive Hellhound.

Sh'ol: the many who die before choosing a cabal are symbolically added to the ranks of the Sh'ol cabal, composed only of dead people. It has no insigna, and its leader is the Effigy: a statue of stone and ash sitting since ancient times at the Council Table, without uttering a word. Yet, sometimes strange scribblings and signs appear on the statue's empty face, almost as if it wanted to speak...

It should be noted that male citizens of Enoch only choose a cabal well into their adulthood, and some even do not pick one for their whole lives. Females, on the other hand, usually either remain without a cabal or join the Babalon, but there are a few exceptions. Joining a cabal is an event usually marked by some kind of initiation ritual or test: for example, new Gehinnom members have to wear the still bloody skull of their first captured prisoner, to keep it as a mask for whenever they ride into battle, while Tartaros members have to sever one finger of their choice to be replaced by a piece of red-hot iron, deeply burrowing into their flesh.

Military: Enoch's military and society tend to overlap perfectly. Every cabal is expected to give a part of their warriors in every battle, although the Abaddon and Gehinnom warriors often tend to make up the main bulk of the city's infantry and light cavalry forces, respectively. Additionally, in ancient times, the city's people domesticated a few species of hellish animals, apart from more common ones like horses and dogs, and the Giants of old. They are Hellhounds, huge canine beasts that easily surpass a man in height and can be used as mounts in battle, Titans, degenerate Giants, often used by the Behemoth as walking platforms for their massive cannons, and Wyverns, ancient dragons currently counting less then a dozen living specimens, ridden only by the greatest of warriors.

Plot Hooks:
Enoch comes, leaving a trail of destruction in its path. Only two choices are left to those who stand before the Cabals: to join them, or to be destroyed. War is coming, and once again the Song of the Sword will be sung.
None knows what the dark ruins of Sitra Achra hide, but few dare to explore them, and none returns.
Perhaps, the ancient age of the warring lords has not been completely washed away by the tide of fate. Exiled kings may always reclaim their lost thrones...

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Hidden 10 yrs ago Post by Inlaa

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Inlaa Yes, that's a dwarf with sunglasses.

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Inlaa

Yes, that's a dwarf with sunglasses.

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Falling asleep, stayed up all night, but I'll check out all these submissions come the time I wake up.

That, or I'll spend an hour or two shouting about Gork and Mork first.

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Hidden 10 yrs ago → 10 yrs ago Post by Pripovednik

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Pripovednik ☞NO HANDS☜

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Pripovednik

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Edited a sign/flag onto my BH post

Hidden 10 yrs ago → 10 yrs ago Post by Capra

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Capra Necromancer Lord

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Capra

Necromancer Lord

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Pripovednik, I'm thinking up some potential interactions between the Knights and the Blue Hand (mainly in the form of rivalry), though I won't post anything remotely detailed until your guys get approved by the GM. Did you have something in mind?

Hidden 10 yrs ago → 10 yrs ago Post by Pripovednik

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Pripovednik ☞NO HANDS☜

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Pripovednik

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@Capra Actually now that you mention it, the Blue Hand love to ambush parties with lavish goods and abundance of gold and weaponry :) maybe something there?

EDIT: PM whenever to discuss such things as this :)

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Capra Necromancer Lord

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Actually I was thinking about something more subtle than that. Y'know, things like intrigue regarding the two organizations clashing behind the scenes of politics through assassinations and the like.

Hidden 10 yrs ago Post by Pripovednik

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@Capra PM me with deets

Hidden 10 yrs ago Post by Inlaa

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Inlaa Yes, that's a dwarf with sunglasses.

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Check out this shiny new map Hansa has made.

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Hidden 10 yrs ago Post by ulsterwarrior

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The second city of the Aelkan City States: Erakan.


Name: Erakan
Summary: Powerful City-State
Location: 
Type: City
Description: : Erakan is modeled heavily after Ekrech.  Thus, the buildings that make it up are largely domes.  However, there are many spires throughout the city, tall towers that stretch high into the sky.  It does not have the numerous waterfalls or bridges that Ekrech has, but is still beautiful.  However beautiful Erakan is, it is not the same as Ekrech.  There are numerous slums in the city, making up the majority of the city, beside the city center, where the Eurak branches.  There is much lawlessness and gang fighting that occurs in Erakan, a result of poor leadership and maltreatment of the populace.
History: :  Erakan was the second Aelkan city to be founded, roughly a hundred years after Ekrech was built.  Erakan was meant to be a second Ekrech, a furthering of the great city and its ways.  For a time it was as so.  It was beautiful, it was peaceful, it was Ekrech.  That changed during the Great Orc war, though. 
      Some centuries after Erakan was founded, shortly before the Aelkan cities fell under the control of the Orvellan Empire, a great horde of Orcs descended upon the cities from the East.  This was nothing new, as this had occurred numerous times before.  The Aelkan Guard along with the cities’ militias were raised and began to march towards Erakan, the target of the Orc horde.  Word was sent from Ekrech, the leader of the Aelkan Alliance, to hold in the city until reinforcement could come.  However, the Tarsark of Erakan was young and foolish, believing that he could bring great honor and glory to both his city and himself by defeating the Orc army on his own.
      So he marched east, across the Eurak, to meet the Orc horde in the desert.  The resulting battle was disastrous, with nearly the entire army slaughtered, including the foolish Tarsark.  The Orcs did not halt there, though.  They crossed the Eurak and marched into Erakan, which was left nearly completely unguarded.  They slaughtered the Erakan people and burnt much of the city to the ground.  Some of the citizens were able escape, fleeing to Ekrech or the other cities, but most fell to the Orcish blades. 
      Eventually, the rest of the Aelkan army arrived in Erakan and drove out the Orcs, killing many of them.  Erakan was in ruins, though, as the result of a foolish commander’s mistake.  The city was never the same after that.  It was rebuilt, though it lost much of its beauty.  Not long after the sack, the Aelkan cities became part of the Empire.  Much of Aelkan culture was lost in the fact, as numerous Orvellans flocked to the famous city to aid rebuilding it.  Ever since then, Erakan has chafed under the rule of Ekrech, seeing that it should be a free city.  The Empire always kept it at bay, though.  Now that it has fallen, though, who can say what will happen?
Governance: Erakan, like the other cities, are ruled over by a council comprised of a Aelkan Priest, a Tarsark, a Ealindal, a Karsark, and a Norvali.  The five are meant to balance each other out and restrict each other from one ever gaining too much power.  However, in recent years, the Tarsark Uknar has risen in prominence.  He rules over much of Erakan.  It is whispered that he is the King of Erakan and that the rest of the Council is just a ploy to deceive the other cities.
Culture:Erakan, along with it sister cities, are based on the principles of Aelk.  These principles state that all life is to be cherished, as the Aelk provides life in death.  Death comes hand and hand with life, but life must be preserved.  It should only be taken when absolutely necessary.  One must provide for others, as Aelk provides for them. Nature must be protected, as it is sacred and easily destroyed.  Aelkans believe they must provide life where they can, taking the form mostly in reproduction.  Thus, Aelkan families tend to be extremely large. Ever since the Destruction, a large majority of the city has had to struggle to survive, by any means necessary.  Thus, crimes are an often occurrence, gangs control the streets, and illegal practices are common.
      The only societal distinctions in Erakan are the wealthy and the poor. At least, this is as it used to be.  Now, though, a hidden class system has begun to arise, subtle enough to not anger the other cities but prominent enough to effect the lives of Erakans.  There is much outrage on this fact, resulting in riots and violence in the streets, violence that the Council has desperately attempted to stamp out, to avoid attracting the attention of the other cities.
Populace: Erakan is populated by the Aelkans, a human cultural group.  The Aelkans were once a nomadic people who traveled the desert, like the current desert lords.  Fortunately for them, they came upon the Aelk and discovered the life it provided.  Eventually they founded Ekrech, along with the other Aelkan cities, becoming the Aelkan people. 
      Erakan is also the home of many Orvelli natives, as many of these foreigners came to Erakan to aid in the city’s reconstruction after the Orcs burnt it down. Thus, the city’s culture has slowly but steadily begun to change, resulting in the shift in power currently happening.
Religion: The Aelkan people, both of Erakan and other cities, worship the great river Aelk, which flows from the east to the sea in the west.  They see the river as the great provider of life, since all around them is a desert that provides nothing but death.  They believe the Eurak river, which stems from the Aelk, is Aelk’s spouse and the two are meant to give life to all.  
      The Aelkans see themselves as the chosen, the select few that Aelk chose to provide life to, to allow them to live in comfort and luxury.  Thus, they hold themselves to multiple principles, as can be seen in their Culture.  The Aelkans believe in an enemy of Aelk, Kurshash, who embodies the desert.  The two are locked in an eternal battle of life against death.  Aelkans believe it is their duty to give life where they can, to further the war in Aelk’s favor.  Thus war and fighting is often frowned upon and is only practiced in the most direst of situations.
Economy: Erakan, like Ekrech, does not have many surrounding natural resources to create a booming or even stable economy.  Erakan, however, does not have other cities for it to rely on to create its wealth, as does Ekrech.  As so, the majority of the city’s populace lives in poverty.  However, there are a select few, the rising “noble” class, that do command a vast wealth.  These “nobles” are merchants and other characters who have grown involved in numerous illegal activities or otherwise less desired fields of work.  This ranges from supporting gangs, accepting bribes for voting members of the Council, smuggling illegal substances, selling and purchasing slaves to investing in taverns, brothels, or other businesses of vice to assassinating political opponents, which is seen as a great sin in the Aelkan church.  The Erakan economy reflects how far the city has fallen from its once glorious days.
Diplomacy: Erakan once was well-liked by its neighbors.  It shared a close bond with the other Aelkan cities, united by their heritage.  They were fierce enemies of the desert lords and the Orcs, those that would destroy their city and did.  Yet after the Orcs burnt down the city, relations between Erakan and the other cities have been strained, especially Ekrech.  Some Erakans whisper it was the other cities fault that Erakan fell, saying that they would not offer support until the last minute, rather waiting until the city fell to offer aid.  As such, tensions between Erakan and the other Aelkan cities, specifically Ekrech, are extremely high, especially with the hidden changing of power in the city’s Council.
Military: Erakan, like all of the Aelkan city-states, has a military primarily comprised of the Aelkan Guard, who are devoted to protecting the cities of the Aelk and Eurak.  There is also a local militia, to be called upon when the city is in dire need, such as when it is under attack.  However, the Tasark has begun to secretly raise his own army, a personal unit of bloodthirsty fighters loyal specifically to him.  As of now, he uses them in the pretense of quelling the unrest ravaging the city, but many predict that if a war breaks out, they will fight for the Tarsark rather than Erakan or the other city-states.
Plot Hooks:-The Brink of War: Ekrech and the other Aelkan cities are on the brink of war, if rumors can be believed.  There are whisperings of an Orc army gathering in the East to burn Ekrech to the ground once and for all.  There are rumors told of a desert lord uniting all of the other lords behind his banner to claim the Aelkan lands for their own.  Some even say that the two have join forces to bring down their common enemy.  Whatever the case may be, with the fall of the Empire, war will not be far away.  Warriors will be needed to defend the city, or take it if that is what you desire.
-The End of an Empire: Ekrech, in all but name, rules an empire of city states.  The Aelkan people are united in the beliefs, even if their cities are separate and independent.  But that can all change in an instant.  With the power struggle occurring in Erakan and the personal believes of the Tarsark Ulnar, Erakan may declare war against Ekrech to either declare itself truly free or attempt to replace the elder city as the leader of the Aelkan Alliance.
-A Power Struggle: In the shadows of the political elite, there is a power struggle occurring in Erakan.  The Council is divided, as the Tarsark Ulnar has begun to claim more and more power for himself, all but ruling the city by himself.  The Karsark stands with him, supporting him on the council, yet the Aelkali Priest, Ealindil, and Norvali oppose him.  Despite being outnumbered on the council, Ulnar rules over Erakan with an iron fist, much to the discomfort of many of its citizens.  Not only does this power struggle provide a chance for players to get involved with intrigue, but also support (or oppose) the rising opposition rising against Ulnar in the city.

Hidden 10 yrs ago Post by Pripovednik

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@Hansa Nice work, its great :)

Hidden 10 yrs ago Post by ulsterwarrior

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Here's the third city.  I only have two more cities that I want to do, but they are basically the same so I am including them in the same sheet. This is Kareka.


Name: Kareka (The City by the Sea)
Summary: An Ordinary City-State
Location: 
Type: City
Description: Kareka is a generally normal city.  It is built in the same manner as Ekrech and Erakan, with large buildings in the shapes of domes and spires.  There are smaller, less glamorous buildings in the poorer of districts, though.  By most standards, Kareka is a standard city.  It has its mix of criminal activity that concentrates in cities, but it isn’t as chaotic as Erakan is steadily becoming.  Kareka is built upon both banks of the Aelk River, where it opens up and flows into the sea.  Thus, Kareka is a large port city, rich in cultures, colors, and smells.
History: Kareka has a normal history for a city.  It was founded by settlers from Ekrech, not long after Erakan.  It rose as an independent city, as have all the Aelkan cities, however it has always remained fiercely loyal to the mother city of Ekrech.  Only a few events of great importance have occurred in Kareka, the majority of which being great battles defending against the desert lords.  These battles are the source of tales of great heroes and mighty sacrifices, the subject of numerous nationalistic songs.  However, they are all the same, essentially, with Kareka repelling their assailants back in to the desert. 
     Kareka’s greatest claim to fame, though, is its role as a port city.  Like most ports, it is a city of a meeting of cultures and peoples.  Kareka was long like this, home to a great amount of foreigners, from both the north and the south.  Kareka is the only Aelkan city to be like this, even despite there being two other cities with access to the sea.  It was this openness to foreigners that saw the Aelkan people’s first interaction with the Orvalli Empire.  Dignitaries sailed to Kareka and met with the Council, thus exposing the Aelkans to the western Empire and beginning the negotiations that would eventually see the Aelkan Alliance under the Empire.  This is the richest moment in Kareka’s history, as not much else occurs there.  
Governance: Kareka is ruled by the typical Aelkan Elder Council, comprised of an Aelki Priest, Tarsark, Ealindil, Karsark, and Norvali, who head the different aspects of Aelkan life.  The Karekan Council, no matter who has served on it, has always been fiercely loyal to that of the city of Ekrech
Culture: Kareka, along with it sister cities, are based on the principles of Aelk.  These principles state that all life is to be cherished, as the Aelk provides life in death.  Death comes hand and hand with life, but life must be preserved.  It should only be taken when absolutely necessary.  One must provide for others, as Aelk provides for them. Nature must be protected, as it is sacred and easily destroyed.  Aelkans believe they must provide life where they can, taking the form mostly in reproduction.  Thus, Aelkan families tend to be extremely large. Due to the peace brought by the Orvallan Empire, it has evolved into a relaxed, peaceful culture.  They center themselves around learning and amassing knowledge, as well as serving the great river Aelk. 
    Men and women are seen as equals.  There is no nobility, either, as in Kareka, it is seen that everyone are equals.  The only societal distinctions in Ekrech are the wealthy and the poor, and even the poor are fairly wealthy in the standards of other cities.  Though the city is one of peace, the fall of the Empire is like to change that.  The desert lords or the Orcs of the east are like to rise once more and attempt to take the city and its fertile land.  The people of Kareka  must hope that the Aelkan Guard is still the great fighting force it once was. 
Populace:The populace of Kareka is largely comprised of Aelkans, the humans who once roamed the desert as nomads but eventually found the fertile land of the Aelk region and settled it.  However, as it is a prominent port city, it is also home to numerous foreigners.  Either they are sailors staying temporarily while their ship is docked in the city’s port, or they are travelers who found the city attractive enough to settle down and live there.  The city is filled with both Aelkans and foreigners, and occasionally the two intermix and breed a half-breed, a fact that some Aelkans disapprove of.
Religion: The Aelkan people, both of Kareka and other cities, worship the great river Aelk, which flows from the east to the sea in the west.  They see the river as the great provider of life, since all around them is a desert that provides nothing but death.  They believe the Eurak river, which stems from the Aelk, is Aelk’s spouse and the two are meant to give life to all.  The Aelkans see themselves as the chosen, the select few that Aelk chose to provide life to, to allow them to live in comfort and luxury.  Thus, they hold themselves to multiple principles, as can be seen in their Culture.  The Aelkans believe in an enemy of Aelk, Kurshash, who embodies the desert.  The two are locked in an eternal battle of life against death.  Aelkans believe it is their duty to give life where they can, to further the war in Aelk’s favor.  Thus war and fighting is often frowned upon and is only practiced in the most direst of situations.
Economy: Kareka has a substantially powerful economy.  By no means is it as wealthy as Ekrech and there a number of its citizens that live in poverty, yet is not struggling to stay afloat as does Erakan.  It’s main exports are crops and fish, the staple of Aelkan products.  However, it was able to build its economy off of its involvement in trade.  Due to the other two Aelkan ports’ strong dislike of foreigners, Kareka is the greatest Aelkan port.  
    Many foreign nations thus sail to Kareka to trade, where then those products are shipped up the Aelk to Ekrech and beyond to the cities that lay upon the Eurak.  It is this reason, since Kareka is the Aelkan window into the rest of the word, that the cities along the Aelk are so wealthy and prosperous, as the Eurakan cities do not receive as much of the goods.  This is a large reason for the growing animosity between the cities.
Diplomacy: In the internal politics of the Aelkan cities, Kareka is the sidekick of Ekrech.  While the northern cities grow more and more angry towards Ekrech and its rule, Kareka becomes more and more disliked due to its staunch support of the city.  However, Kareka has no major enemies, besides the warlike desert lords and Orc of the east.  It has good relations with many of the foreign nations due to the trade relations between the two.  While Kareka tries to remain in the good graces of those that it interacts with, it fears that the northern cities are not far from taking action, action that will not end will for Ekrech or Kareka.
Military: The military of Ekrech takes the form of the Aelkan Guard.  These are a famed group of warriors, who train from a young age in the way of war.  They devote their lives to the protection of Ekrech and the other Aelkan cities against those that would destroy them.  The Guard tactics typically include forming phalanxes, a wall of flesh and steel.  The military takes a largely defensive role, as Ekrech and the other Aelkan cities have never conquered another people, rather defending their own lands.  The Guard were once a military order of great renown and prowess, yet it often speculated that the years of peace under the old Empire have caused them to grow weak and soft.  
Plot Hooks:-The Brink of War: Ekrech and the other Aelkan cities are on the brink of war, if rumors can be believed.  There are whisperings of an Orc army gathering in the East to burn Ekrech to the ground once and for all.  There are rumors told of a desert lord uniting all of the other lords behind his banner to claim the Aelkan lands for their own.  Some even say that the two have join forces to bring down their common enemy.  Whatever the case may be, with the fall of the Empire, war will not be far away.  Warriors will be needed to defend the city, or take it if that is what you desire.
-The End of an Empire: Ekrech, in all but name, rules an empire of city states.  The Aelkan people are united in the beliefs, even if their cities are separate and independent.  But that can all change in an instant.  Some upstart may belief that he should rule all of the cities as Emperor and make a vie for power.  A city may decide the cast of the “yoke” of Ekrech and declare itself truly free.  The century-old bond between the cities could be destroyed at any minute.

Hidden 10 yrs ago Post by Inlaa

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Okay. I've done some thinking about what changes I'm going to ask of different things, but won't write them up yet because...

Yesterday: Steam Summer Sale. I have shamelessly been playing Orcs Must Die 2.

Today: Free RPG Day. I'm going to be playing Battletech like a madman.

So, I'll post my thoughts either tonight or tomorrow. Stay cool.

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Hidden 10 yrs ago → 10 yrs ago Post by Capra

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Capra Necromancer Lord

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La Seigneurie des Loups
Plus rien ne sera comme avant
La pluie s’abat comme des larmes de sang 
Sur ce trône-montagne de géant.

La Seigneurie des Loups, during Spring


Name: Seigneurie des Loups, Montagne Noire, Paysage d'Hiver
Summary: a vast, snowy forest in the deep North of Orvell.
Location: in the northwest, just beyond the borders of the known world.
Description: far in the North, stands one of the greatest forests of the world, perenially cloaked in snow. Here, summers are short, and winters are long and icy, and a cold, lonesome death is the reward for those who attempt to climb the great mountains of the Seigneurie des Loups. The forest is thick, dense with towering firs, larches, spruces and pines, suspended in an aura of frozen stillness, covered in a mantle of frost. Moss and lichens grow on the great boulders and rocky slopes of the dark, looming mountains, shrouded in mist and clouds. Days are short and bleak, the Sun barely visible in the grey sky, while nights are long, as the packs of wolves offer their howling prayers to the Moon, enthroned in a starless sky.
Denizens: much of the forest is unexplored, yet untrodden by human foot. The name of the region is derived by those who are the forest's main denizens: wolves. Stalking the woods in great packs, they are the grey and black guardians of the forests: if a traveller is so lucky not to fall to hypothermia first, he will most likely meet his end in the shape of a hungry wolfpack. Many other animals live within: bears, foxes, owls, sparrows are just few of them.

The crude carvings and drawings found in the rocks at the edge of the forest, representing strange figures of spirits and animals, are still a mystery to many, as are the crudely arranged stones, vaguely resembling altars.

This is the first in a series of post describing the northern region of the map. Coming next: the Valley of Bones.

Hidden 10 yrs ago Post by Inlaa

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Inlaa Yes, that's a dwarf with sunglasses.

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Report: Free RPG Day was awesome. I played 13th Age and Battletech and was thoroughly amused (plus a few other games). Tomorrow I will post stuff like crazy.

Do battlemechs dream of electric sheep?

Hidden 10 yrs ago Post by Pripovednik

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@Inlaa Pffft. Hell no, they count them before they go to sleep bro. 

Hidden 10 yrs ago Post by Capra

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Capra Necromancer Lord

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I just found an online library containing all the books of the Cultus Sabbati, including grimoires and books of enchantments. The Enoch lore is about to get a huge expansion.

Hidden 10 yrs ago Post by Hansa

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Can I write up a race, and then draw a picture later. Don't have the energy just yet :-/

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