The Broken World: Nations of Azoth

[Vahir]

Could you guys elaborate on the map? Because as is I have no godly idea what I'm looking at right now. A description of each area, and which areas are already encompassed by the Empire.

I was thinking of having a bubble kingdom in the mountains, isolationist and inward-looking, with the only passes into it blocked off by massive walls, which keep out the worst terrors of the outside. Preferably somewhere otherwise hostile, away from civilization, so that it's a little island of stability in the chaos. Does that fit in anywhere in the setting?

[TheSovereignGrave]

I'm going to show my tentative interest in this. I do have one question though: what are the Nyr'kiin hives like exactly? Like, an actual city or something more akin to, like, a giant beehive? Because I kinda want to make a nation of them.

[Slamurai]

I was thinking of setting up shop here, but I'm still undecided. I might just throw myself into the Rift.

[Flagg]

hey team,

If I can't get the OOC up tonight, will do tomorrow. Included will be: region descriptions, more info on the Salished and other GM factions and NPCs, and a chatzy.

[Vahir]

region descriptions

@Flagg

Praise be!

If I might make a suggestion, a Piratepad would be better than a Chatzy. You can at least see the entire log there.

[Pepperm1nts]

Could you guys elaborate on the map? Because as is I have no godly idea what I'm looking at right now. A description of each area, and which areas are already encompassed by the Empire.

I was thinking of having a bubble kingdom in the mountains, isolationist and inward-looking, with the only passes into it blocked off by massive walls, which keep out the worst terrors of the outside. Preferably somewhere otherwise hostile, away from civilization, so that it's a little island of stability in the chaos. Does that fit in anywhere in the setting?

@Vahir

Probably the west part of The Rift. The Sea of Glass would attract a lot of nasty mutants looking for that sweet, sweet ichor. A city west of the lake, set up against those mountains would probably have to deal with lots of mutants in the wilds around it. Anyone heading south would have to venture through or around the Sea of Glass, which would be dangerous. On the other hand, crystallized ichor does have its uses and you'd have a large supply nearby. That said, you'd also be very isolated. Meaning, if an army of mutants and/or barbarians decides to form, you would be alone. Very alone.

EDIT: West of the Rift, I mean. Not east. Fixed now.

[gorgenmast]

I've added the Salished cities and castles in with Aristo's map. Bear in mind these claims are tentative and I can move them around to accommodate others.

[Vahir]

<Snipped quote by Vahir>

Probably the west part of The Rift. The Sea of Glass would attract a lot of nasty mutants looking for that sweet, sweet ichor. A city west of the lake, set up against those mountains would probably have to deal with lots of mutants in the wilds around it. Anyone heading south would have to venture through or around the Sea of Glass, which would be dangerous. On the other hand, crystallized ichor does have its uses and you'd have a large supply nearby. That said, you'd also be very isolated. Meaning, if an army of mutants and/or barbarians decides to form, you would be alone. Very alone.

EDIT: West of the Rift, I mean. Not east. Fixed now.

@Pepperm1nts

That sounds good, but puts me out of the bounds of the RP. I'll see when more RP info is released I guess.

[Milkman]

Hi, I see you are more or less "rebooting" your empire of sands roleplay. Is there room for one more?

[Southern Sun]

I was hoping to take the angle of an city-state, vassal to the Salished empire, in the midst of revolution. A faction of the populace--perhaps backed by a foreign power*--has become dissatisfied with the vassalage and feel that the dwindling empire can no longer protect them properly from beastly threats. As far as location: the eastern side of the mountains that frame the ashlands, perhaps as far south as the mountainous peninsula but possibly tucked into one of the large valleys where the ranged splits.

The leader of the incipient revolution is a certainly unstable and sometimes self-destructively stubborn man, known to most as the Crimson Reaver. Seeking the power to change his country, he journeyed to the Blood Spring to strike a deal with the Gorelord. In exchange for his left arm, his sword was enchanted to drink the blood of those it cut, elevating both it and its wielder to ever greater power. Its corrupting influence incites a craving for bloodshed, an addictive, ever present urge to shed more blood. It was once his passion for a better world that drove the Crimson Reaver. Now, it is a lust for blood.

*This could be a plot of a lesser noble in the Salished empire, another player or no one at all. Just making an effort to tie existing politics together.

[Keksalot]

And obviously Reaver won't ever ever wage war for such inconsequetial things ad payments of water, gold or ichor instead of his ideals?

[Polybius]

Here is my claim. I've used purple/green because the city of Lugal is a tribute paying vassal to the Salished Empire, with no real standing army of its own (outside of the myriad mercenary companies/guilds). Pretty much going to concentrate on the story of this one city-state at the edge of civilization for my posts.
Salished Map

[Southern Sun]

And obviously Reaver won't ever ever wage war for such inconsequetial things ad payments of water, gold or ichor instead of his ideals?

@Keksalot

If I'm reading your meaning right, I think the similarly thinly-veiled answer you're looking for is: Of course not! That said, I'm curious as to where this merchant state might find itself on the map, as travel takes time and time is money...

By the way, @Polybius, did you just copy paste letters from other city names to mark yours on the map? ... Genius.

[Polybius]

By the way, @Polybius, did you just copy paste letters from other city names to mark yours on the map? ... Genius.

@Southern Sun

Yea, just keeping it pretty and using names and spellings etc. from Sumerian/Mesopotamian Culture/History.

@gorgenmast I'm being pretty liberal with my use of Salished Empire history. My time to write is so sporadic and infrequent I'm not going to wait for more info posted about the Empire. Here's a summary of where I'm going with Lugal, or Zuag-Si as it was known in ancient times, I'm up for changing anything but I think a collaboration would be appropriate:

History

Faction History:

Founding of Zuag-Si, The Cairn of Mad Kings

It is said that Chella, the mad King of the ancient Salished Empire, upon crossing the Godsfang mountains with his army ordered scouts into the desolate wasteland known as the Erg. None returned and Chella ordered the army to camp in the low hills of the Godsfang. Legend tells of an Old One beckoning Chella into treacherous caverns beneath the Godsfang, where his lieutenants discovered their King whispering in the dark. At sunrise, Chella ordered every other soldier in his army to slay the man next to him. A handful of men fled, and swore that the whisperings of an Old One were carried on the wind blowing off the Erg that day. For those that remained, the murderous work took all of that day and as twilight descended, an army of beastkin descended upon the remaining soldiers. In a fit of bloodlust, Chella's own bodyguard, severed the Mad-Kings head from his neck. This he carried into the caverns below the Godsfang and was never seen again. The next few Kings of the Salished Empire began (and eventually finished) Zuag-Si or Lugal as it is known today.

Middle Period: Fortification of The Cairn Tower

...in which Beastkin Hordes are continuously broken upon the Cities back.

Recent History: Rise of the Skinless Ones

...With the Drathan slave revolt bloodily put down, the Salished Empire regained control of the city once more, but failed to rebuild Lugal to its former glory, due largely to economic depression within the Empire. Lugal would remain a tributary, but not under direct control of the Empire.

Question for setting Verisimilitude: Would it make more sense for a Red God to whisper the madness into Chella's Ear, or an Old One? Thanks!

[Vahir]

Alright, here's my idea in summary: A walled principality in the northern mountains, with an east-asian flair.

The three passes into it are blocked off by massive, nigh unbreakable gates built by a previous, more advanced civilization, though reputed by the people to have been placed there by the god of earth and sky, ancestor to the princes. Withing the land is mostly untouched by the awfulness of the world. As a result, the people see their little island of civilization as the center of the world.

When its boys reach the age of maturity, tradition holds that they be exiled from the walls, so that they might appreciate the peace within once they know the horrors without. They are only allowed to return ten years, day to day, after their exile. Despite being groomed and prepared in advance for their journeys, too many died off to starvation, exposure, and the depredations of the crazed mutants.

As a result, the Brotherhood was formed, an association of those on their journeys that seeks to teach new exiles how to survive in the outside world. Over the years, it has morphed into a mercenary company, in the nominal employ of the Empire. Lead by a relative of the Prince, the Brotherhood has as its goals, in addition to gaining riches and experience by fighting for the highest bidder, the protection of trade caravans to the principality and the formation of ties with foreign powers, lesser as they might be.

I wouldn't be playing as the Principality itself (mostly), but rather as the Brotherhood. @Flagg Sounds good?

[TheRedViper]

I'm still coming up with names for those sites at the moment, but the large dots are cities and the small ones are other significant landmarks. Interested to see how a horde of Red God worshippers will deal with that Hive though.

[Slamurai]

@TheRedViper
What are your people like, ethnically and culturally? I'm heavily considering moving up north, past the Sea of Glass, eastward of you. If I do that, I want to make sure we have some continuity and not totally alien concepts plopped next to each other.

[TheRedViper]

@TheRedViper
What are your people like, ethnically and culturally? I'm heavily considering moving up north, past the Sea of Glass, eastward of you.

@Aristo

For the most part they're secretive and keep to themselves, or at least have done so far. They're pretty much all Beastkin or Human, and they worship the Red Gods. It's a Theocratic Dictatorship, in which the previous leader chooses his successor, and their leader is regarded as a Prophet of the Red Gods. Currently their leader is Amarith the Pure, and it wouldn't be harsh to say he's had a big ol' smack with the madness stick, yet believes his cause is completely righteous. So I suppose in summary its a primitive group of demon-worshipping religious fanatics, who sacrifice each other on a regular basis and want to destroy anyone and anything that doesn't hold their beliefs... if you move up next to me, good luck

Obviously all of this is subject to change, dependent on new information or anything that the players want to change.

[Slamurai]

@TheRedViper
Sounds like a good time!

I had a similar idea, in that I'd play a tribe, made up of smaller ones assmiliated over the ages. They'd be primitive, compared to the Empire, but resilient and militarially strong, having defended themselves from mutant incursions, rival tribes and other dangers for centuries.
Don't know if they'd be Red God worshippers for certain, but I wanted the Ghul to feature in their cosmology.

Ethnically, they'd be based on the Celts or Cimmerians of Conan - dark hair, light eyes; probably a bit of variation due to the many people incorporated under their leadership.

[TheRedViper]

@TheRedViper
Sounds like a good time!

I had a similar idea, in that I'd play a tribe, made up of smaller ones assmiliated over the ages. They'd be primitive, compared to the Empire, but resilient and militarially strong, having defended themselves from mutant incursions, rival tribes and other dangers for centuries.
Don't know if they'd be Red God worshippers for certain, but I wanted the Ghul to feature in their cosmology.

Ethnically, they'd be based on the Celts or Cimmerians of Conan - dark hair, light eyes; probably a bit of variation due to the many people incorporated under their leadership.

@Aristo

If they were Red God worshippers, Amarith would seek out some form of holy alliance. If not... best start praying to your false gods