The viscous hordes of Northmen have come once again, this time they have taken more than just slaves, food, and weapons. They burned the capital, killing the prince upon the walls as he led the valiant defense and slaughtered the Emperor in his palace as he tried to escape the sacking of city. News of this have this terrible defeat has reached many ears and as the search for the crown princess continues as the Oshia Republic prepares it's invasion force.
Along the southern border, dozens of young officers fresh from academy are brought to lead platoons of inexperienced soldiers to battle against well trained foe. The enemy is at the gates, do you have the courage to stand and strike a blow against an enemy who see the very way of life of Empire removed?
Lore and Geography
Long ago, the world was nothing but water and sky. Thus only sky creatures and underwater creatures existed. Yet one day the world bore two children, beings of unmatched power created with the goal of giving the world a beautiful land and dotting it with life. These two back known as the Goddess and the Titan, the Titan lifted up land from the sea and the Goddess rained down seed. The continent of Eori was born.
The Titan brought smaller land masses up creating little islands for him to seed with creatures of his own design. The goddess however watched as her kin who had once lived in the sky moved to roost upon the ground. Lonely, she descended to the ground herself, yet as she did her wings fell away. Alone and unable to reach the Titan her only friend she cried for days.
Born from her tears of loneliness were the first men and women, they embraced her and she was no longer alone. As the years went by, the goddess helped humans grow and learn. From her the Empire of Arfela began to grow and then thrive.
Yet the Titan enraged at her, he'd discovered she'd had children with her creations and made a people that would reap the land and build from the gifts of the earth mother. He crafted his own species to take revenge upon her, the Northmen. Strange aquatic men whose master of magic and understanding of the earth knows no equal.
When war came the goddess led her people while the Titan command his from a grand palace above the water. For centuries war raged, the Goddesses Empire grew more warlike and came up with better ways of killing. Technology advanced at a rapid pace, magic became more common thanks to the many children of Goddess having children of their own.
The Northmen began to dabble in darker magics, tapping into the power of their king who had been twisted by hate of humans. Northmen mages soon found the dead would not return to the sea, the earth mother would not accept the dead anymore. Enraged, they mages would subject wounded to their magic of the Titan, shifting them into twisted foul creatures of with elements from all of creation with the singular purpose of killing children of the Goddess.
Even with their new Demons, they were driven back time and time again yet now. The Goddess's eldest son, known to history as the first Emperor, ordered the destruction of the Titan's palace and his death. The Goddess did not want her brother dead, yet now... It seemed the only path to peace.
The Goddess herself joined all her children at the battle, thousand ships sailed to destroy the Titan and thousands of soldiers fell. Soon the palace of the Titan was in shambles, he walked out himself destroying the half fleet as he raged screaming for his sister to face him.
The Goddess stepped forward, but she was not alone her children of many generations stood at her back and together they unleashed their might upon the Titan. Yet, those who were born together would die together decreed the Titan with all the strength he could muster he drove his spear through the Goddess's heart.
Upon the destruction of the two divine creators, their magic was released upon their children. Magic became more common and without the Goddess and so many new mages. Civil war engulfed the the once unified Empire and centuries of progress lost.
Born in the North under leadership of the of the winged Empress, last child of the Goddess. The Empire of Arfela was founded on the belief that Goddess would want the humans she uplifted to become great. The Empire itself is named for the last name of the Imperial family. Using magic in combination with the old sciences they worked tirelessly to bring back creations of old through careful restoration and mimicry of the old ways. The Empire has entwined magic and science into a blend that could never be undone. Mages act as healers, chargers for air gun packs, and even as mobile artillery.
The Imperial creed announces that humans are the creation of the Goddess and as such they fight in her memory. They must become greater and unite the continent once more to wipe out the children of the Titan. They must ascend to greatness and rebuild what was lost the have inherited Eori all that is left is to take it.
The Empire is ruled by the known descendants of the Goddess, this is apparent through feathery wings upon the backs of those related to her. Sometimes they are beautiful and large enough to grant flight, other times they are small and hidden. Yet they are also the most powerful known mages, yet there existence attracts the Demons of the Northmen as such each member of the royal family is assigned a blackguard and often protected within cities or by dozens of companies of soldiers.
Soldiers of the Empire are all volunteers trained in academies to become disciplined and battle ready warriors, yet they are assigned a certain task for their platoon. These defined clearly and often unchanged as most officers older officers believe that the old ways are best. Even recently discovered new weapons are usually left barely utilized as though they offer distinct advantage officers from noble families believe they are dishonorable.
Lastly officers are pooled from all candidates not just nobles, though more nobles gain entry than commoners is true. The school tends to look for those with traits that befit an officer, however clever thinkers and well read students of history often are taken eagerly as most noble officers should see how these aspects can affect an officers choices. With the recent war, many young officers were graduated early to lead platoons that were awaiting officers.
A brutal race of tribal, generations of raiding and intermingling with humans have changed them based off tribe location. The tribe along the north-eastern islands are skilled warriors but have lost their aquatic traits instead tattooing themselves to resemble their kin, they are the most resourceful with less mages than their kin they have become experts and building machines for raiding and sailing to Eori. They live hidden deep within the forests, they once claimed more slaves than any other. Now they no longer take slaves taking pride in creating for themselves what the rest of their kin cannot. They are only tolerated by the Northmen clans because of their ability to create.
The islands to the off the north coast between the east and west of the Empire is host to the to another tribe that bred with it's slaves. As such they not only possess their kin's underwater ability's but now an increased resistance to cold weather and altitude. As such these they have small ports hidden in the cliffs under the mountains and often try raid ships with simple oar powered boats. They are very proud living on the island that housed all the Northmen, the are led by shaman who in turn select war chiefs to lead raiding parties.
Lastly to the north-west is the final large tribe threatening the Empire. These Northmen are purebred, they never take slaves and leave no human alive when they attack. Though because of this they cannot stray far into land as such have never been able to threaten the capital or major inland towns. However, they have a high amount demons among their number thus allowing them giving them power to rival the other clans. Yet, when the tribes unite to raid it always this North-west tribe who attacks first clearing the area for the landing party. Sending it's demon along with the tribes to assault deeper in, their only goal is to end the line of goddess as for them the war does not end until her kin are no more.
Other smaller clans exist on other islands and along the coast yet they vary heavily and are too small to be of any threat. They raid occasionally but mostly keep to themselves, some believe these smaller clans could be convinced to aid humans, however that remains to be scene. Though rumors of Northmen secretly living in the Empire and Republic have become more common since many now look much more human.
Born from the remnants of the Southern Empire at the end of the civil war. They refused to bow to the new Emperor and instead employ a council of noblemen from each region. In South magic is illegal and science is highly regarded, they seek to recreate the weapons once used during the time of the great war.
In South it is a commonly held belief that the Goddess and Titan are a myth, that the Northmen are just humans who became obsessed with magic. This belief forms the backbone of the fact they must destroy the Empire before magic makes them into creatures like the Northmen and their Demons. They believe they are going to save humanity through the death of mages that have become common in the Empire of Arfela.
Often using the same tactics as their enemy due to the shared history of warfare, the Oshia soldiers are renown for they sheer devotion. When spotting mage platoons they sometimes make sudden charges that surprise even their own allies. Though raw strength and desire to see the Empire defeated they have won many pyrrhic battles in thee last war which lead to them accepting a cease fire agreement.
So I'm putting out their my idea for a world and the role's we would play within it. The idea is for this to be the story to be about six or seven officers and their platoons who manage to change the course of the war through clever tactics, use of new technology, and change warfare across the known world.
I haven't finished character sheets or for that matter set all the lore in place just quite yet. I'd love hear some interest and hear a few other ideas on how things could be changed or worked. I do however plan of setting up a system for magic in future but for now I just thoughts and interest the RP!
