Brief Explanation
In this game, you will be playing a hero or anti-hero from legend, folk lore, or world history. You will not be playing a villain for they are meant to be overcome and defeated. They also make handy bad guy NPCs. You will also not be playing gods, goddesses, demigods, or titans.
Setting
This role play takes place in the world of Alta. It is a high-fantasy world full of creatures of myth and legend. The technology varies from the medieval spear to steampunk and magic. As you see below, the map is mostly blank except for the six main nations being mentioned. We will be creating this world together as we go. The map will be updated as each town is mentioned. We will be starting this game in Aiwren, so your main focus should be there.
Geography
1. Dafin (D-aw-f-in) – (sounds almost like Dolphin) the western-most continent separated from the second and third continents by mountains. The mountains can be hiked, which can be a days’ journey depending on the mode of transportation, or one can take a ship or ferry. It is discouraged to fly over the mountains due to the severe ice storms.
Nation Name: Dafin
Ruler: King Charles XII - Carolus Rex (April 5, 1697 - November 30, 1718)
Dominant Religion: -Ism
Language: Dafeen (Whoever creates the language here will have to share it with any of those player who join the game at a later time. It doesn’t have to be a made-up language. It can simply be a distinct dialect or accent)
Trade Goods: Precious Metal Ore, Coal, Diamonds, Seafood, and Glass.
Nation Symbol: A black armored fist amidst a white background. The fist signifies the power of man. The color black represents the coal and ore the country is known for. The white represents purity, which is a process that the ore goes through.
Motto: The Hotter the Fire; The Stronger the Steel. (Can be changed if a player chooses to be the ruler of Dafin)
Characters Residing: To be filled out later in the plot
2. Cremend (Creh-men) – the southwestern most continent. In the north, near the Dafin ridge, is an odd crater where a meteor may have landed once upon a time. The crater has since become a wild life conservation over the years where many mythical creatures have chosen to call the place home. The Cremens are very protective of this crater and have based their culture about its existence.
Nation Name: Cremend
Ruler: TBD (This can be run by a player and if not, it will have a NPC)
Dominant Religion: Church of the World Tree
Language: Cremendian (Whoever creates the language here will have to share it with players who join later. It doesn’t have to be a language. It can simply be a distinct dialect or accent)
Trade Goods: Furs, Wool, Cloth, Meat, Various Beasts, Vegetables, and Fruits.
Nation Symbol: They fly a yellow banner with the symbol of Aenia on it in black.
Motto: (Can be created by the player who controls this nation or if you’re the only character a part of this nation lol)
Characters Residing: To be filled out later in the plot
3. Eidaes (sounds like 'Eighties') – the north midwestern continent protected by swamps and quicksand. The people here are the only ones who know how to navigate the country without succumbing to its natural defenses. The children are taught how to do so at an early age.
Nation Name: Eidaes
Ruler: TBD (This can be run by a player and if not, it will have a NPC)
Dominant Religion: Evolutionists
Language: Eidinese (Whoever creates the language here will have to share it with players who join later. It doesn’t have to be a language. It can simply be a distinct dialect or accent)
Trade Goods: Medicine, Herbs, Spices, Mushrooms, Clay, Wood, Paper, and Ink
Nation Symbol: (can be created by players)
Motto: (Can be created by the player who controls this nation or if you’re the only character a part of this nation lol)
Characters Residing: To be filled out later in the plot
4. Vanor (vah-nor) – A desert country in the mid-west. Vanor becomes the hottest place in Alta in the summer, and many of its people migrate south where the continent is still green and wet with water. Vanor is connected to Cremend and the Eidaes by a narrow bridge. It is on this bridge where a vast amount of trade is conducted. It is a neutral zone between the nations, and laws created by the three nations known as the “Tri-Laws,” govern the area.
Nation Name: Vanor
Ruler: Hannibal Barca (247 BC - 183-181 BC)
Dominant Religion: Church of the World Tree
Language: Vanorian (Whoever creates the language here will have to share it with players who join later. It doesn’t have to be a language. It can simply be a distinct dialect or accent)
Trade Goods: Medicine, Herbs, Spices, Mushrooms, Clay, Wood, Paper, and Ink
Nation Symbol: (can be created by players)
Motto: "We will either find a way or make one."
Characters Residing: To be filled out later in the plot
5. Vlumia (v-loo-mee-ya) – known for its rolling plains, in the northeast, Vlumia is nearly a completely green continent with the exception of the dry and cracked wasteland in the south. The weather is perfect in the spring and summer, never exceeding 70 degrees (21 degrees Celsius), but its winters are cold. The ice from the north creeps onto the continent as though threatening to encase it.
Nation Name: Vlumia
Ruler: TBD (This can be run by a player and if not, it will have a NPC)
Dominant Religion: 80% Church of the World Tree, 15% Evolutionist, 5% Zealots
Language: Vlumian (Whoever creates the language here will have to share it with whoever also has their character join the game later. It doesn’t have to be a language. It can simply be a distinct dialect or accent)
Trade Goods: Wood, Wine, Beer, Precious Ore, Coal, Seafood, Weapons, Ships (Land/Water Type)
Nation Symbol: (can be created by players)
Motto: (Can be created by the player who controls this nation or if you’re the only character a part of this nation lol)
Characters Residing: To be filled out later in the plot
6. Aiwren (aw-ren) – it is the smallest among the six in the southeast, but it is still not underestimated by its brother and sister continents. Aiwren is isolated and self-sustaining. It holds abundant resources. The people of this nation are known for being xenophobic.
Nation Name: Aiwren
Ruler: Julias Caesar (July 100 BC - March 15, 44 BC)
Dominant Religion: 80% Zealots, 15% Church of the World Tree, 5% Humanists
Language: Arn (or “Yarn”) (Whoever creates the language here will have to share it with whoever also has their character’s fruit wash up. It doesn’t have to be a language. It can simply be a distinct dialect or accent)
Trade Goods: They mostly trade with no one because they’re self-sustaining. Slavery is dominant in this country, thus why they keeps their business to themselves. There also several other shady inventions and experiments happening in this country.
Nation Symbol: (can be created by players)
Motto: (Can be created by the player who controls this nation or if you’re the only character a part of this nation lol)
Characters Residing: To be filled out later in the plot
The Zealots are a very small religion, but they can also be a problem at times. You can actually expect them to be anywhere in Alta.
There are several oceans, seas, gulfs, and rivers that can be named by players. There are also several islands and archipelagos that can be named. The northern and southern frozen regions can be named.
Finally, our most important geographical formation is an island in the center of the world where the World Tree Aenia resides.
The Myth
There are several interpretations about how the people of Alta came to be.
1. The first is that Aenia, the World Tree, was the first lifeform when Alta was first created. The tree grew into maturity and bore fruit that fell into the ocean and drifted about to the various continents. From this fruit were born three entities: man, beasts, and monsters. Those who follow this interpretation fall under the Church of the World Tree. The predominant religion on the planet.
2. The second follows the Church of the World Tree’s belief except these followers do not believe that man came from the tree. They believe that man evolved from the beasts and monsters, and thus gave birth to their love of conflict. This group is called the Evolutionists.
3. The third follows the World Tree belief except it feels that man has lost its way. Over the years as man chose to reproduce with others in its likeness, it has diluted the powers granted by Aenia. These people believe that those who first came from the fruit were gods who had phenomenal power. These believers are called Zealots. The Church of the World Tree finds them to be a greedy people always starving for power. Zealots are criticized to be willing to sell their own soul for a god fruit. They believe that if they consumed the fruit before it spawns life, then they will acquire the godly powers that man once had.
4. The fourth and second predominant religion is the -Ism. These people believe that neither man nor beast come from the tree. They believe that man and beast first came from the sea and evolved over time to be capable of surviving on land. When Aenia came about, her fruit brought the monsters that now plague the land. These people feel that the tree needs to be destroyed in order to save life on the planet.
These interpretations are ancient and some are young, having been created to influence and control the people.
Aenia
Aenia is a tree that was indeed born when Alta first came into natural creation. She is the largest tree in the world and can be seen at any point around Alta. The tree produces a fruit called The God Fruit, which gives birth to various creatures. However, over the centuries, she hasn’t been producing as many fruits as she had at the beginning of the age. Because of this, the -Ism interpretation was created. No one has seen a God Fruit in years. They are mere legends and tales. But then how are these nightmares born?
If a being of Alta or even a human being was to consume a God Fruit, which is taking the life of the being that would be, the most common side-effect is that being will undergo a mutation. The mutation commonly will transform that person into a grotesque and nightmarish creature. Rarer times, the side-effects may not be as horrendous. Even rarer, the being is transformed into an entity of great power, ie. a "god." However, the being's conscience is rendered unstable. Aenia curses those harshly who devour her unborn children.
