Question - How independent are the Great Clans under the rule of the High King?
Very, but a high king generally commands enough loyalty that open defiance on an important issue would be something even a powerful jarl would think twice about.
Hello folks. It's been a long time since I wrote anything and I want to get back into doing just that. If there aren't too many people already, and if you'll have me, I'd love to contribute; even though we never really got off the ground, Flagg, your RPs have always been fertile soil for my fantasy so that's good regardless. I had some preliminary thoughts, so if you'll indulge me I'll share them.
So, when about do we get some more info on the Pale-Men exactly? I was thinking about writing a people that's been raided by them so many times now that a significant portion of Pale-Man blood has mixed into their general gene pool. Every so often the gene is particularly prominent in a child and these pale born men and women are held in special regard. I imagined that pale-born would be sensitive to magical things and probably end up as occultists, witches, soothsayers and the like. In particular, I'd like to create a sort of shaman or witch cult around a strange artifact, probably Old One-related, that they both venerate and utilize as a tool for arcane rituals - sometimes successful, sometimes dubious, but always cruel.
What's more, I wanted to settle them in an area where a significant Old One city once stood, but which has since sunken beneath the earth of a soft-earthed bog so that only tall towers stick out of the stagnant waters now. Some of these structures can be entered from the top and explored towards the bottom, beneath the earth, but such expeditions rarely return, and if they do their faces speak volumes of terror - as they must, for their lips are forever sealed.
The artifact I mentioned - found atop the largest ruin by far, which by some estimates is argued to be either a great temple, a palace, or a tomb - is a large, iron tree. Its unearthly metal has the strange quality that it sucks up blood like a sponge, and indeed grows the tree further when watered with blood. Although it is difficult to remove pieces of the tree, its metal can be forged and wounds caused by this material allegedly never truly heal or stop bleeding. The idea is that the cult I talked about would make rich, bloody sacrifices of slaves and prisoners to the tree (or one of its saplings) in order to coax some of the magical power inside of it to the outside - hopefully with a desireable result.
Rough summary of my thoughts so far, figure it's gonna be helpful if there's still room for me and if we're supposed to develop the setting together.
@FlaggGotcha. Regarding the map, how big of an area does it represent? I don't know if there's a concrete pixels per mile ratio, but approximately how big are the Isles?
So work has eaten up most of my day so I'll quickly leave the basics of my god ideas here since it seems people are waiting on them for now.
Yorvengaand (sometimes shortened to Yorven) The blade by the hearth.
Yorven is a warrior and sun god, often depicted as a strong male figure in glorious gleaming armour, often coloured like gold or brass, with fire burning from under his helmet. The only element of darkness about him is a black cape he wears that is said to be made of smoke. Yorvengaand is considered a "Bright God". A more benevolent counterpart of the "Red Gods". His followers often regard worshippers of the Gore Lord as rivals if not outright enemies as Yorven values honour and skill in combat over bloodshed. As a result his followers will try to follow his tenants and ethics to win his favour.
"Remember this, you are a shield before you are a sword. A man is only as great as what he fights for." - A Yorvengaand worshiper to the warriors under his training.
Within his tales Yorvengaand is always looking to slay a cruel monster or rushing to the aid of those in need. He vaules life and is thought of a defender of the weak, showing his blessings to those in dire need or fighting in defense of others. If his devoutees wish to pray to Yorven they must write out their prayer on a piece of parchment or wood and burn it, allowing the smoke to find him. Otherwise they must call on his name in the heat of battle or he may not hear them.
He is the fire of battle. The fire in each warrior's heart. He is the fire of home each should seek to return to and lay their sword down. ______________________________________________________________ Kaviken The fox who runs wild.
A trickster spirit, often depicted as a fox with white or ice blue fur with red eyes. He is often shown wearing the skull of a wolf or larger fox as a mask. Kaviken's mind is unknowable to the sane man. He is neither good, nor evil but wild. His moods may swing him towards acting kindly and aiding travelers one day and send him on a savage hunt another. The one thing he can be relied upon to do is keep his more threatening tricks aimed at adults.
Kaviken is the patron spirit of children, being one himself among the other gods, and will always act kindly to the very young. Children will leave milk out for him at night in the hope the trickster will share his treats with them. Pregnant women will leave offerings out that the fox will bless their unborn babe and their house. Whether Kaviken actually answers these prayers is unknown though most shrug him off as a bed time story.
The only thing close to proof of him are stories from the deep forests of the isles where it is said those who have committed acts of violence against children have been found dead, their flesh savaged and looks of horror on their faces!
"The fox! The fox hunts me still! The eyes, the fangs! Every night he hunts me!" - Bergold the witch. Suspected killer of two women, five men and seven children. Took her own life in a fit of madness before the jarl's judgement could be served.
If you worship the fox do not hunt his kind on your lands, it invites bad luck. __________________________________________________________________________________
Zasha. The maiden of the fields.
All lands know at least one goddess of fertility and Zasha is one of the most prolific in The Broken Lands. She is thought to appear as a woman of other worldly beauty, always appearing in the distance, often obscured by summer rains. One thing all these wittnesses claim, she wears a flowing gown of white and sports a crown of curled horns. Whether it's an actual crown or something sprouting from her head is unclear. Many of the male gods have tried to win her favour and take her for their wife but all have failed so far.
"See you put a bit of everything you want her blessing in a stone circle... and then you do a little dance, like this see. No you don't sacrifice it! No blood, she hates that!" - A drunk druid of Zasha. _____________________________________________________________________________________
There's three to start off with! If anyone wants to add more stuff to them like holy sights or rituals I haven't thought of much for that. Pondering the idea of giving Yorven an ice god sibling and making a forge god but this was all I have time for right now.
@FlaggGotcha. Regarding the map, how big of an area does it represent? I don't know if there's a concrete pixels per mile ratio, but approximately how big are the Isles?
TBD. Short answer is big, majority wilderness.
There's three to start off with! If anyone wants to add more stuff to them like holy sights or rituals I haven't thought of much for that. Pondering the idea of giving Yorven an ice god sibling and making a forge god but this was all I have time for right now.
Looks good. Will mention that the red gods would be outside the main pantheon as sort of their own thing, so we have plenty of room for dark or evil gods as well in the main broken lands pantheon. But it does make sense for these gods to be opposed to the demons of the red pantheon.
Looks good. Will mention that the red gods would be outside the main pantheon as sort of their own thing, so we have plenty of room for dark or evil gods as well in the main broken lands pantheon. But it does make sense for these gods to be opposed to the demons of the red pantheon.
How would this complicate pre-dead High King period? As my guys will probably worship the Gore Lord long before his dead. But also part of his kingdom, meaning some status quo is to be expected, no?
How would this complicate pre-dead High King period? As my guys will probably worship the Gore Lord long before his dead. But also part of his kingdom, meaning some status quo is to be expected, no?
Yes, though religious persecution/a holy war in the (recent?) Past against you by more pious clans or even by a previous high king might be cool. Your clan holding the high kings throne at some point in history might also be interesting. The Reign of Gore/the Heresy of Blood or whatever sounds like it might be a cool historical memory. Also of note, the Gore Lord, whatever it is, is like definitely real and interacts with the world, mostly through Oracle's at the Blood Spring.
Yes, though religious persecution/a holy war in the (recent?) Past against you by more pious clans or even by a previous high king might be cool. Your clan holding the high kings throne at some point in history might also be interesting. The Reign of Gore/the Heresy of Blood or whatever sounds like it might be a cool historical memory. Also of note, the Gore Lord, whatever it is, is like definitely real and interacts with the world, mostly through Oracle's at the Blood Spring.
Just out of curiosity, what sort of boons would he grant?
Being raided is no problem. Let them come, we enjoy blood. No matter where it comes from. Furthermore, the Reign of Gore/Heresy of Blood (depending on the viewpoint I assume) sounds absolutely awesome. Would give my clan a good reason to start fighting for the throne. Would also fit with my current king. Who had to fight a bloody civil war first, after which he made his own brother be dragged behind his chariot. Only to end him at Blood Spring as a sacrifice for the Gore Lord.
Things I was currently thinking off was the idea of tattoos to showcase each warrior's skill, while scars on his arms would indicate how many men he killed. So basically, a heavily tattooed guy with lots of scars = big, big trouble.
Jarl: Jarl Evar Varvudda Government Type: Jarldom Location: Askan - One of the long peninsulas jutting off southeastward of the southern landmass. Clan Description: Due to its proximity to the traditional centers of Drathan influence, Askan falls squarely in the middle of the orbits of the High King of the Fanghall and the wizard masters of the Bay of Teeth. The rulers of this land have traditionally used their position at the threshold of the Crooked Island for their own profit, usually by playing off the two civilizations or by serving as intermediaries betwixt such disparate cultures. Clan Varvudda is no exception to this rule. The wizard lords on the northern periphery of the Drathan world have an insatiable appetite for fair-skinned concubines and savage reaver mercenaries for their endless conflicts with rival Dratha; Clan Varvudda has been happy to meet Drathan demand in exchange for plenty of silver teeth.
The wealth of Clan Varvudda has not gone unnoticed, as the High King has always levied substantial taxes upon the Jarls of Askan. For decades, the Varvudda Jarls simply grumbled and paid their dues. But when Vizier Ghozirad and his flotilla of Salished barques landed upon the shores of Askan some forty years ago, the fortunes of the Varvudda Jarls were spent fortifying the Kingsport and Fanghall while the Salished hosts plundered Sentinel unmolested. Aigoth Stone Foot and his own host eventually drove the Rainlanders back across the Chain of Fire, but not until Askan was thoroughly despoiled. The current Jarl, Evar, had not even been born when the Salished attacked, but his father's furious lamentations made the situation abundantly clear. As Evar Varvudda understands, High King does not mean to protect Clan Varvudda but to hold them ransom. With his father's health seriously degraded, Evar Varvudda now serves as the Jarl of Askan, and he will ill tolerate seeing his clan ransomed any longer.
Clan History: Ancient sagas of the local Crooked Islanders attest that the Drathan peoples have long had some presence in the land of Askan. Long ago, a diaspora of lesser wizards left the Drathan homelands in the Ashlands in search of even less hospitable - and less contested - lands to rule. Drathan holdings spread north across the Chain of Fire, and at some point appeared as far north as the Crooked Isles. Zar Maliif, situated on one of the southernmost peninsulas, became a modest Drathan holding whose economy revolved around capturing native peoples and selling them as slaves to other wizard lords. For several centuries, Zar Maliff was likely the most advanced and populous settlement in all of the Crooked Isles but in a single afternoon, Zar Maliff was destroyed. When the nearby volcano Fyrghaalig erupted and a plume of toxic smoke and ash roiled down across the plains to the coast, all living beings in the city were snuffed out.
Native peoples soon settled the ruins of the Drathan city, and powerful warlords arose to dominate the deceased wizard's palace - a small cone volcano carved into a citadel by a century of slave labor. Under the warlords of Clan Varvudda, Zar Maliif rose from the ashes of the eruption to become Sentinel and to this day serves as the seat of power of Clan Varvudda.
Important Holdings/Territory/Possessions: Sentinel is likely the oldest continuously inhabited (excluding the fortnights following the eruption of Fyrghaalig) settlement in all of the Crooked Isles, and is also possibly the wealthiest. It is named for the 100 foot-tall tower of volcanic pumice-stone that serves as the residence of the Jarl. Carved from a dormant cinder volcano centuries ago by Drathan slaves, the Sentinel itself sits upon a fluvial island located at the mouth of a braided, shallow river. Situated in the southernmost reaches of the Crooked Isles, Sentinel is sometimes known to outlanders as the "threshold of the Crooked Isles" or, more pejoratively, "the ass-end of the civilized world". Of those few outlanders that travel to the Crooked Isles, most go no farther than Sentinel. It is an enclave of the outer world, frequented mostly by foreign traders buying furs, walrus ivory, or slaves.
Beyond Sentinel, there are a smattering of unremarkable hamlets and pitiful keeps across the Askan countryside occupied by petty lords owing fealty to the Jarl.
Regional Geography: Askan is, compared to the rest of the Crooked Isles, relatively hospitable. It is a rugged, windswept land with extremely variable topography. Flat coastal plains transition quickly to rolling hills and then to jagged peaks dominated by active volcanoes. Trees are uncommon in this realm, and the land is covered mostly in short, dense grass interrupted by the occasional tuft of brush or copse of scruffy, wind-stunted larches. The soil is rich and black from the ash from the numerous cinder cones scattered across Askan, making the land reasonably suitable for farming hardier crops. The peasants prefer starchy, unpalatable ashroot and graze sheep and cattle in order to maximize the extraction of calories from the land before the onset of the long, brutal winter that is scarcely mitigated by this land's location near the southern edge of the Crooked Isles.
Jarl/Chief/King Name & Description: Tigranes the Fourth
Alias: The Steelmarch
Government Type: Petty Kingdom
Non Human Species Descriptions: None.
Location:
Religion: Believers in Yorven and Zazsha.
Clan Description: New Hayastan prides itself on being the most 'civilized' part of the Broken Lands, with its capital, Armavir, being a walled settlement that resembles a Salished township more than it does a Jarl's hill-fort. Hayastan also prides itself in its promotion of literacy and metallurgy, as well as its promotion of the 'Southern' tradition of armored heavy cavalry; Cataphracts. But compared to the actual Salished Empire, Hayastan has lost a lot of knowledge and learning as it picked up the ways of the north, and shares a lot in common with the 'savages' it co-exists with than it admits.
New Hayastan has a high level of social stratification (relative to other kingdoms), with the heirarchy starting with the 'Petty King', then the 'Nahakars', or great nobles, and after that the Azats, Ramiks, and Shinakans; Lesser Nobles, Artisans, and Peasants. Slavery is practiced, but in theory, people are only enslaved if they had broken the 'Code of Honor' promoted by Yorven or are descendants of those who had broken said code up to the third generation. In theory.
Clan History:Long ago, there was a mountainous kingdom called Hayastan, whose people believed themselves secure in the mountains, even against the Salished Empire. This was not the case, as, through sheer weight of numbers and technological superiority, the Salished overcame the Hayastani fortress-cities and forced the people into either vassalage or slavery. All except for one prince, Artazvad, who mustered a fleet of refugees and braved the cold of the north, preferring freedom to subjugation.
Artazvad ended up sailing into the Broken Lands and was granted an audience with the current High King, who granted them a peninsula to the far west, which had been settled only by shepherds and minor tribesmen before. There, the realm of New Hayastan was established, dedicated to the worship of Yorven, who was known as Ahura in the original Hayastani homeland. The ways of Old Hayastan, however, were strange and alien to the other people of the Broken Lands, and the Hayastani had to defend themselves against many threats.
They were up to the task, blending the advanced knowledge of metallurgy and engineering they brought from the South with the fierce spirit of the north and a loyalty to whoever was the current High King at the time. And the current High King, though a boy, is assured of this loyalty...as long as his Regent-Mother remembers her debt of gratitude...
Regional Geography/Resources/Economy Details: New Hayastan is mostly mountains and is rich in Iron, Gold, Silver, Copper, and Tin. Outside the fertile mountain valleys, the land is largely desolate; good only for sheepherding and farming. The coasts, meanwhile, are wealthy with fish and seals, as well as narwhals. However, timber is in very short supply, due to previous generations of New Hayastani stripping away the forests of pine trees that once covered the land. Not merely that, but New Hayastan is a frequent importer of luxuries from the Salished Empire that it still calls foes, but which they still bargains with for silk, spices, and new books from the 'Old Homeland'.
Important Characters:
Tigranes the Fourth - Austere, honorable, and brave, Tiriganes the Fourth is a middle-aged man who plans to step in as protector of the High King.
Important Holdings/Territory/Possessions:
Armavir - A mountain city surrounded by a large stone wall whose gate is decorated by carvings of winged lions.
New Trabzon - A coastal city dedicated to fishing and trading; its harbor is frozen every winter.
Tushpa - A city in the mountains dedicated to the mining of ores and the forging of arms and armor.
Relation to other Factions:
- Enemy of Clan Varvudda (if permitted by @Gorgenmast). - Trading partner of Broken Hammer Clan (if permitted by @The Wyrm).
I'm planning on a clan with a helping of foreign influence, not too dissimilar to @gorgenmast. Maybe that of a culture under Salished rule; who knows?
I guess we ought to decide, as a group, how homogeneous or diverse the culture of the Broken Isles is.
I think as people come up with their NSes, diversity is to be expected, but I would like people to then work together towards building a setting that meshes and makes sense in a shared world/confederation. Strategic retconning to that end is therefore encouraged. You having a clan with foreign influence is more than fine- put together an NS and then we'll work backwards to figure out how to smoosh everything together, make sense? But I'd like everyone to look for ways to integrate others' creations into their histories.
@Letter Bee accepted! with the caveat that I'm still thinking thru the map situation, but will let you know.
@gorgenmast accepted! Note that the High King's palace is no longer called the Fanghall, I'm stealing that for my faction. Feel free to come up with a new name for the High King's palace!
@Flagg Made some major changes, moved to a northern location, and will add in gods later. Doing it from the ole Iphone right now since our power is out.
@Flagg Made some major changes, moved to a northern location, and will add in gods later. Doing it from the ole Iphone right now since our power is out.
Cheers!
great, let me know when the gods are in, will review then!
I'd like to say in advance that I'd prefer to inhabit a warmer region of the Isles. Just for logistics, in case we get to map placement and I'm still writing a sheet.
Clan Name: Duchy of the Necroleste Islands (The Duchy consists of the human Sawtooth Clan, Zimij tribe, and allied harpy tribes) Jarl/Chief/King Name & Description: The Duke of Necroleste, Bozhda, is a tall, blonde man with a serious demeanor. He has been at work trying to quell the behaviors of dangerous harpy tribes like the Maldpas. Bozhda has significant interest in the goings on of the Sawtooth clan in the mainland, and considers Necroleste the ideal state to back their interests. Alias: The Forgotten Isles
Government Type: Grand Duchy with varying control over indigenous tribes. Non Human Species Descriptions: Harpies are the indigenous people of the Necroleste Islands. Presumed to be an autochthonous people, the harpies exist in tribal organizations of varying loyalty to the Duke. For the most part, the rule of thumb is that the farther one goes from the Ducal Island, the less control the Duchy exerts over the tribes.
Notable Tribes:
Vuts- The Vuts, are the largest of the harpy tribes, the first to have come into contact with humans when they finally reached the Necrolestes. Primarily a people interested in trade, they were quick to ally with colonists and help in the conquest of neighboring tribes. Like most of the harpies, the Vuts are a Vutsic speaking people. Their langauge, Vuts, is a lingua franca through out much of the duchy. Bäws- The Bäws are another major tribe that exists in the more eastern Islands of the Duchy. The Bäws were conquered by the Humans of the Duchy, and have since been pressed into an alliance that uses them as military forces. Like the Vuts, the Bäws are speakers of a Vutsic language. Maldpa - The Maldpa are a hostile harpy tribe that causes significant trouble in the Duchy. The Maldpa have resisted control by the Duchy for centuries, and are known for their brutality and hostility. The Maldpa practice ritual cannibalism of their enemies, and practice human and harpy sacrifice. The Maldpa belong to the Lung Language and Cultural complex, however they are also hostile to the Lung tribe, and have few allies, though they hardly need them. Solithi- The Solithi are a tribe that are largely the slaves of the Humans. Conquered sometime in the past, and linguistic and cultural isolates, the Solithi found few allies that could help them, and have since been utilized for labor and other uses by the humans of the Duchy.
Appearance of the Harpies: Do not be fooled by their appearance, there is nothing human about them.
The Harpies are bipedal and stand erect much like humans do. Harpies are mostly covered in skin, with the usual colors ranging from a pale white to a ruddy, almost pinkish color. Harpies have eyes that range in color from blue to green or bright yellow. The Average height of a harpy is 4'7" (140 cm), with an average weight of 50 lbs (23 kg). Harpies have hollow bones due to their avian heritage, and as such are succeptable to broken bones more easily than humans or other races. Harpies have mouths filed with sharp teeth, that they constantly lose and replace throughout their lives. Harpies have wings that portrude out of their backs and are quite large, and fold back flat over the back.
Hair is an important trait for the harpies, as males have very bright colorful hair, with bright greens, reds, blues and other colors naturally growing, while females have brown, black, gray or other such neutral colors.
Harpies show very little sexual dimorphism, all looking feminine by human standards. Their voices are very high pitched and warbily, all sounding almost like young women. Harpy languages are noted for being full of clicks, whistles, ejectives and buccal sounds. As well, most harpy languages are tonal, another hint at their songnbird heritage.
Biology of the Harpies: When the first colonists came to this land, they believe that it was inhabited only by women! Now we know that is not the case, and yet, it is not hard to see why there are so many folktales about colonists trying to pursue a beautiful harpy, only to discover she is actually a man!
Harpies are a humanoid species with avian traits. It is believed that they derived from native avian life forms on the islands, and it is speculated that they share a common ancestor with the large, bipedal "terror birds" that exist all over the duchy. Harpies show very little sexual dimorphism, and the only immediately observable sign of their sex is their "hair" color, which comes in various bright colors for males, but very drab, neutral tones for females. Harpy hair is not true hair as in mammals, rather it appears to be a further development of avian feathers. The ancestors of the harpies began to transition their feathers into dense, hairlike pycnofibers around the same time the species began to become erect and develop a warmer internal body temperature. The immediate observation is that harpies have very dense "hair" on their head, and members of both sexes have very thick 'body hair' all over. The only remnants of their old feathers are on their wings and some vestigial feathers that grow along their arms and wrists.
Harpies do not have breasts nor do they give birth to live young, with female harpies laying one egg, preferably during the spring. Harpies do not have genitalia like humans or some other mammalian species, instead of having a system called a "duocloaca", in which the excretory and reproductive cloaca have separated, giving genitalia superficially resembling a mammalian vagina for both species. This has further pushed the myth that the harpies were a mono-sexual species when humans first encountered them. Harpy children are born roughly 2 months after the egg is laid, and are dependent entirely on their parent for the first year of their life until they develop into a self-sufficient state. Harpy children are born with teeth.
Location: The Dutchy consists of fairly isolated Islands some distance away from the mainland. They are isolated enough for unique forms of life to have developed before the arrival of humans.
(Awaiting a decision on map before making a definitive claim)
Religion: Sawtooth Gods - The Sawtooth pantheon is a leftover of their Brokenlander heritage. Among their deities, the two most important are Mora, the god of the stormy sea, and Torris, the god of storms. These two are appeased with sacrifices for ever clear skies and calm seas for the Necroleste, and for crushing storms for any looking to invade. As the Sawtooths become more and more Zimij like, Torris and Bozh are beginning to fuse into one deity.
Zimij Religion - The Zimij are ancient, as are their gods. Lost to sands of time, they survived in a foreign land like their chosen. The Zimij worship an exensive pantheon of deities that they imported from their original homeland. Chief among their gods is Bozh, a powerful sun god. Bozh is honored at a shrine erected some ways away from Chornagrad, with a massive wooden idol in his honor,as well as a site for sacrifices to the god. The worship of Bozh is a state religion that the duke wishes to impose on all of his subjects. Other minor deities worshipped by the Zimij include the fox goddess Liš, the dragon god Zel, the sky god Sviet, and the thunder god Kverk.
Vutsic Gods The Gods of these lands are alien to us. They worship strange entities, and yet there are some familiar faces. The primary god of the Vuts and related tribes is the sun god Itlé. Itlé is said to have grown the harpies out of his blood, which he spilled by slashing open his wrists and bleeding onto the islands, and where his blood spilled, the Harpies grew from the ground. Inté is thus worshiped by the spilling of one's own blood, with daily worship at the family shrine involving the cutting of ones own flesh with a knife, soaking of dry reeds in blood, and burning the blood for the smoke to rise and meet with Inté. Zimij gods such as Bozh and Liš are becoming popular, under nativized names of Votś and Rīś.
Maldpa Religion Those things can hardly be called sapient. I am offended you would even call them animals. The Maldpa are in service to various spirits they call the Tsaldedch. The Tsaldedch are divided into an individual Ldedch that is patron of each band. The Tsaldedch demand blood and war as their offerings. They feed in the misery and suffering of infidels, and thus the Maldpa are required to go out and wage war on unbelievers. Maldpa tradition dictates that the Maldpa consume their prisoners alive, creating specialized utensils for tearing living flesh off of prisoners of war. This practice comes from a legend of their chief Ldedch, Nyetsetch, who is said to have eaten his fallen enemies alive. The Maldpa religion calls for the sacrifice of other Maldpa, the consumption of the fallen as part of the ritual. The Tsaldedch are described by the Maldpa as being reptilian, almost serpant like in their appearance.
Clan Description: The people of the Necrolestes are the remnants of a now extinct mainlander tribe that migrated across the sea to the Islands of Necroleste after hopping from island to island looking for a new homeland. Added to their heritage are nobles of brokenlander extraction, the sawtooth clan. They are masterful sailors and have a reputation for being dangerous pirates, as well as traders and fishermen. Much of the human population lives in the wilderness as farmers, and etch out an existence in communal farming with their neighbors. Much of the clan is broken down into "bands", which are small familial groups that tend to live together in farming communities in the countryside. Allied harpies are also considered to be part of the clan, while those who are enslaved are considered outsiders under clan authority. A major goal of the clan is the subjugation or integration of all harpy tribes into the Necroleste Clan.
Clan History: Arrival of the Zimij on Necroleste
In prehistory, the people of what would become the Necroleste Islands, were a fairly small tribe of people called the Zimij. Though war, the Zimij were nearly driven to extinction, with some members of the tribe taking to the seas and seeking refuge in various islands, though never staying in one. That was until they came across a very inhabitable island chain that they came to call Necroleste. These islands were pristine in a sort of splendid isolation, having not been touched by Humans ever before. The Humans came to colonize the islands, eventually running into the indigenous harpy population. The Harpies at first waged war on the humans, but were subsequently defeated and subjugated by the colonists.
The War with the Maldpa: It was around this time that the humans came into contact with the Maldpa.
The Maldpa inhabited some of the northernmost islands in the chain and were brutally hostile even towards other harpies. Human encounters with them ended with the death and consumption of several Zimij farmers by the hands of the Maldpa harpies. The Duke waged war on the Maldpa, and the battles have been ongoing since. The Harpies show little interest in ceasing their aggression towards the invaders, and likewise the Zimij and allies are unwilling to simply allow them to exist.
The Arrival of Hrorik and the establishment of the Petty Kingdom of the Far West Hrorik was a distingushed warrior of a Brokenlander clan called the Sawtooth Clan. Hrorik had made a few voyages to the far west before, eventually he had come across the lands of the Necoleste islands. Hrorik was enchanted by the pristine condition of the Islands, and accepted a proposition by local Zimij warlords to ally with them as their king if he would destroy their enemies. Hrorik returned the next year with an army seeking glory. Hrorik and his Sawtooth Clan set about conquering the largest island, Gard, with Hrorik establishing his clan as the ruling nobility of the newly established clan. Thus the Sawtooths became the ruling class over the Zimij, at this time significantly different than their subjects, and maintaining connections to their Sawtooth kinsmen in the mainland.
Valdemarr the Great and the Establishment of the Jarldom of Necroleste Among Hrorik's successors was the king known as Valdemarr, called Vladimir by the Zimij. Valdemar began the extensive centralization of the Kingdom, waging nearly 2 decades of bloody warfare on rebellious and unsubgigated harpy tribes, being the only Sawtooth king to conquer the Maldpa. Valdemarr also followed the decision of the mainland Sawtooths, pledging the fealty of the Necroleste Nobility to the High King, feeling that this would secure the Islands in the face of potential danger. Valdemarr thus began an extesive economic opening of the islands to outsiders, establishing trade routes too keep the islands relevant in the confederation. Valdemarr/Vladimir would be considered first true ruler of Necroleste, as well ad the last Brokenlander to be King/Jarl, as soon the nobility would become increasingly Zimij in their ways and culture.
The Grand Duchy and the decay of Necrolest As time went on, the final Jarl would come to power, Oleg Vladimirasyn. Oleg came to view the Necroleste Islands as a Zimij enclave in a brokenlander union, but an integral part none the less. Oleg ceased to call himself a jarl, but a duke.
Oleg II marked the begining of the gradual loss of ducal authority over the more rogue harpy tribes. While the Vuts amd Bäws remained strongly loyal, and have been integral in maintaining the territorial integrity of the Duchy, however the duchy has lost much of its reputation in the confederation, and the future remains uncertain with the ascention of Duke Bozhda, who is keen to solidify the ties between the mainland Sawtooths and back their interests in the new high king.
Regional Geography/Resources/Economy Details: Necroleste is a chain of large temperate islands, dominated by a mixture of dry forests and grassy lands.
Wildlife The animals of these islands are unlike any in the world, owing to the millenia of splendid isolation.
The endemic fauna and flora of the Necroleste Islands have had millions of years to diverge from the creatures of the main continent. Animals representing ancient forms, as well as completely new innovations have developed in the islands, with their separation from the nearest land being massive, and even separation from each other on the islands being significant. Necroleste had few large carnivorous mammals until the arrival of the Zimij and their domesticates, leading to unique creatures to fill the ecological niches of the islands.
Ungulates: The first of the major mammals to arrive on the islands, ungulates have come to fill several niches in the island's ecology, and many were domesticated by the harpies for use as work animals, mounts, and food sources.
Trunked Horse - The Trunked horse (Vutsian: Tsāsụ, Maldpa: Dchal) is an endemic ungulate found dispersed throughout the islands. Early on, the harpies domesticated the animals for use like horses, and they continue to serve the function of work animals and mounts, even replacing the use of the horse by the humans.
Savage Pig The Savage Pig (Vutsian: Qxov, Maldpa: Mbaras) is a large, pig-like creature noted for its agressive, predatory behavior. They remain a major threat for their agressive actions towards even harpies and humans.
Rabbit Deer The rabbit deer (Vutsian: Mara, Maldpa: Malnd) is a small ungulate domesticated by the harpies for use as a food source. They behave much like rabbits, and serve largely the same function as them, though humans have imported rabbits that compete with them for food.
Tchach Known as the Ţénu by the Vuts, and the Tchach by the Maldpa, the hoofed wolf, is a carnivorous ungulate and has taken the position of mainland wolves. They are considred dangerous by the majority of people on Necroleste.
Marsupials and Non-Therians - Marsupials are a subset of mammal that birth essentially fetal young that develop externally in a pouch on the mother. Non-Therians are mammals that give birth to their young through the use of an egg.
Opossum - These animals are largely considered pests and game animals to hunt for food (Vutsian: K'āvo, Maldpa: Nytchar)
Great Wolf These animals are not true wolves, rather a carnivorous marsupial that has largely taken the ecological role of bears. They are solitary and timid, but are considered a danger by harpies and humans when they are encountered. Some harpy tribes have rites of passage that invole hunting the creatures. (Vutsian: Uli; Maldpa: Gedchtchach)
Sītl The Sītl (Maldpa: Ngul) is a small burrowing animal, notable for being a source of eggs and meat for the harpies, though largely replaced by the chicken for humans.
Birds
Terror Bird The Terror Bird, called the Detal by the indigenous, is a large carnivorous bird that wanders around the islands. They are believed to be closely related to the harpies, possibly sharing a common ancestor with them.
Giant Eagle The Giant Eagle, or Rok, is a massive eagle spawned from island gigantism. They are known to hunt harpies and humans occasionally.
Abominations: In a place like this, is it any surprise entities like this would exist?
These creatures do not exist naturally, and are unfortunate mutants who exist by way of the Old One's influence.
Bauk - The Bauk is a mysterious entity found in areas of the islands. These shadowy monstrosities are said to flow like black liquid in the grasslands and forests, before rising and solidifying to attack and feed upon a victim. Beda - The Beda are faceless, pale ape-like entities that wander the grasslands at night, caputuring travellers to drag them into caves and torture them for their amusement until they die. Buvac - reptilian creatures that inhabit swamp lands, are said to screech loud before they drag their prey into the swamps to drown and eat them. The Maldpa have a rite of passage that involves hunting and torturing Buvac before they are permitted to marry. Vilenjak - These plant like abominations plant their spores in human or harpy hosts. The spores then begin to mature in the hosts body, eating them from the inside out, until the plant grows bursts out of its hosts body to anchor itself into soil and begin its own lifecycle. A host completely overtaken by the plant Drekevats - small goblin like creatures that howl and hut in swarms.
Important Characters: Duke Bozhda of Necroleste Chief Tụś of Vuts Chieftess Ara of Baws
Important Holdings/Territory/Possessions: Chornagrad - The Ducal City and the capital of the Duchy. This is the home of Duke Bozhda and his family, and a city primarily inhabited by humans, though some Vutsians live here as well. The City was called Līgàvéqxe by the Vuts prior to the arrival of the Zimij. The Sawtooths called the city Svartgardr, which now refers to areas where the Sawtooths proper live. Relation to other Factions: TBD
@Nerevarine: Glad you're joining us! I dont have time to review your sheet atm- an impressive level of detail!- but I'm going to have to nix the anime-looking harpies. If you can come up with a new pic, or just use a verbal description, that'd be better. Could you also give us a size guesstimate on these harpies? Are they human sized? Hobbit sized? Fairy sized? Even smaller?
@Dogematix That's more like it! Why not have those sorts of montrosities, just dont call them harpies since Nerevarine here has the market cornered on that particular item. Hargraven or w/e might work. They might even hunt Nerevar's harpies :)
