Summary:
This RP takes place on what remains of the once-great world of Amaroth, an absolutely beautiful utopia featuring gorgeous landscape and a huge variety of inhabitants; from dwarves and elves to merfolk and giant-kin, the races of Amaroth were many. However, one-hundred and fifty years ago, Amaroth was destroyed. The coming of what is only described as the Worldbane brought Amaroth to its very knees, sparing very few, and destroying most of the united populace that tried to stop it. The Worldbane had actually been a prophesied event that was first foretold by the living elemental planes (or Chasms) when the first mages stepped through from our physical world. However, with its coming many mages either fled back into their Chasms, sacrificing their entire bodies, or went to help try and stop the catastrophe, only to be slain along with millions of others. When it was finished destroying what it thought was all of Amaroth, the Worldbane retreated from whence it came, leaving behind a corruption that seeped into much of the lands flora and fauna. If it did not kill them, it changed them, and these hellish beasts now lurk in the ruins of the once-great cities to prey upon the unwary scavenger or adventurer looking to learn more about the "World Before", which is what the denizens of modern times call the time period when Amaroth was great.
Instead of Amaroth, this place is now called the Weeping World, for life is anything but expected. In a place where even the ground you walk upon could kill you, death is wholeheartedly accepted and viewed as a general part of life. Many people are hesitant to form relationships for they fear how long they could possibly last in a land so volatile. In fact, many people look upon races with extremely long lifespans (such as the dwarves and elves) with pity.
But there are some who believe that from despair, hope can be birthed, no matter the circumstances. This demographic is small, but growing, and they are diligent in their mindset of finding hope in an otherwise Weeping World. Some have turned to protecting villages from the vile creatures or bandits that roam between them; others have turned to exploring the now buried ruins of the World Before in search of something, anything that could possibly plant the seed of hope in a quickly dying populace.
Characters are a part of this growing company: will you do everything in your power to help your neighbor, whether friend or foe? Can you bring hope into this Weeping World?
Characters are a part of this growing company: will you do everything in your power to help your neighbor, whether friend or foe? Can you bring hope into this Weeping World?
Backstory:
Amaroth- the Silver World. An absolute utopia, filled with beautiful purple mountains (In which massive silver veins could be found), rolling green hills and plains, white-gold deserts, and a massive, magnificent ocean that surrounded the pangea. The only thing more beautiful than the landscape were it's inhabitants: stout and hairy dwarves, elves of all sizes and colors, faeries with glittering wings, the ever-adaptable humans, the strong half-giants, the mysterious merfolk; the amount of species that inhabited the World Before could not all be written on paper with ease. Sprawling white cities hugged mountains, built upwards in waves; The merfolk had established an underwater empire featuring their odd glass buildings; stout and square huts dotted the landscape of the deserts and the lush foliage of the highlands were filled with farms and livestock. Amaroth was supposed to be perfect.
Sadly, in modern times it isn't widely known what life in the World Before was like- it's been nearly a century and a half since the coming of the Worldbane, and much of the generation that had witnessed the event have passed, save the few races that live to extreme years, such as the elves and dwarves, though such races haven't been seen but a few times since.
Today, one could look out over the bleak and empty wastes and wonder if this place used to be Amaroth at all. Such was the might of the Worldbane- even mountains had crumbled beneath their feet. Much of the vibrant color has been sucked out, replaced with never ending grays, browns, and oranges. Even the sky has paled to a faint white-blue, when you catch glimpses of it between massive, dark clouds.
The former cities have been buried under rock, sand, or dirt, the creatures brought by the Worldbane now inhabiting the dangerous ruins- if they don't kill you, the ruins themselves will. The bodies of the fallen still lay where they were slain, turning these death-traps into practical catacombs.
This is the Weeping World.
'Far above the mortal sphere
Dreaming without a care
Far above the weeping world
Sleeping amidst the light of stars
Too far away to hear our calls
Too far away to care at all
On the burnished thrones they sit
Might in their blazing eyes
Vault of heaven at their feet
Undying flames inside.'
-Niilo Sevänen
It isn't entirely known exactly what the Worldbane was, many say it was a race of angelic-like beings while others say it was a single, massive, god-like figure, but it is certainly known that it was the coming of the Worldbane that brought the chaos and destruction that led to the Weeping World. Their coming had been prophesied since the first mages set foot into the Chasms and were foretold of the apocalyptic event, though the stubbornness and folly of the mortal races led to them trying to resist fate. What wasn't prophesied, however, was that some would survive.
When the Worldbane came, many fled, but an equal many stood and fought against it, or them. Even the collective might of all the species of Amaroth wasn't near enough to prevent the destruction of it, though some say that it is due to this resistance that the survivors lived.
So the texts say, Amaroth fought valiantly against the Worldbane across various sections of the world for nearly a week, until only small pockets of survivors remained to catalog the event should any survive. It wasn't long until they were found, as well, and the texts that were written during this period are among the most sought after in the Weeping World, for those who don' t know history are doomed to repeat it.
When it/they were finished, the Worldbane retreated from whence it came, leaving behind it a corruption that twisted and deformed the remainder of the land's animals- these very beasts still inhabit the ruins today.
Setting:
Welcome to the Weeping World- where you must will yourself to live another day, and steel yourself against the creatures of the night.
Once called Amaroth, this land is now referred to as the 'Weeping World', for the landscape is an accurate representation of the average outlook on life: gray. Death is a regular thing here, be it from exhaustion, the ruin-dwellers, bandits, rogue mages, suicide, starvation- the list goes on. The peoples are almost accepting of it, and there are many who pity those who must live long lives, such as the Dwarves and Elves.
While the general architecture of the landscape still stands- the mountains are still mountains, the deserts still vast- everything seems to have been dipped in a sorrowful shade of gray. The once golden sands now lay a pale-tan color, the majestic mountains turned brown and gray, and the once lush and green foliage of the rolling highlands has long died out, withering away to time. Only the sea was spared, though it's been a long time since anyone has heard from or seen any of the Merfolk. Like so many other species, it is thought that they may have been wiped out in their entirety when the Worldbane descended.
Small villages have since been created on the ruins of several of the once-great cities, though they do not promise safety. Bandits roam much of the land, taking what they need by force and offering no quarter. Mercy has no place here. Many have resorted to giving into chance and scavenging the vast ruins that are now guarded by the hellish beasts that the Worldbane brought with them, hoping to find something from the World Before that could help them, something that could bring hope. If they return, it is often empty handed. Even powerful mages are given no pardon- many of them carry the burden of exile, scorned and blamed for ruining the world, though many also carry the burden of acting as protector from gods-know-what.
Welcome to the Weeping World, where the hope left with the Worldbane.
Magic:
the Chasms: Studies of the arcane arts had always been a regular thing- in fact, many of the World Before would claim that it was the arcane arts that spawned some of the first technological devices that ran off of arcana. Any mage of the World Before knew of the great elemental planes, or Chasms, that lay before them. These warrens could be accessed by a mage through the use of a Focus, the single item that the mage took with them into the Chasm during their Archtonement. Foci were often small wearable baubles- such as necklaces or braces- but many mages liked to carve out staves and use them as their focus. Some would even go so far as to take a full breastplate or even weapons to use as foci.
Mages use their Focus to "tap into" their attuned Chasm. Tapping could be as simple as rubbing the gemstone on a ring or as flashy as spinning their staff overhead, even speaking an incantation. Once tapped, a mage may manipulate or move things from the Chasm into the physical world, a process called Shifting. Through Shifting a mage may throw a fireball out of their staff, shoot beams of light from their ring, or even summon otherworldly creatures. But before a mage receives his or or focus, he or she must live through Archtonement.
Archtonement was a way of attuning oneself to an elemental Chasm, granting access to that plane of power. Once attuned, a mage could not reverse the process, though it was possible to be attuned to several Chasms. Archtonement was a very secretive and ritualistic process that involved invocations spoken in a very strange language that very few knew- however, it was well known that is was a very rigorous process and not all survived.
For one, the individual being attuned had to be completely naked- only one item was allowed to be brought upon first entering a Chasm and it would be that item that acted as the mage's Focus from then on out. Binding someone to a Chasm required the sacrifice of a physical aspect of the mortal, normally a body part.This sacrifice created a pact between the Chasm and the mortal and allowed "rites of passage", as well as the use of a Focus to tap into the Chasm's power.
And secondly, Chasms sometimes could act as a living being and would resist the entrance of an unknown mortal- the mage would then need to overpower the Chasm or have his mind destroyed by it.
However, modern mages are a fairly rare sight. When the Worldbane appeared, many mages either fled into their Chasm (via sacrificing their entire bodies, destroying their physical being but becoming an elemental in another plane) or went to help confront the beings, only to be slaughtered along with millions of others. Those that survived, however, are looked upon either with suspicion or with reverence, depending on where they are.
In some villages they serve as healers, priests, or even entertainers. These mages are often looked to in times of trouble, and the collective mages that act in favour of others (Be it protecting, healing, offering guidance, etc.) are nicknamed Guardians.
On the other hand, however, are the opposites. There are many mages who are rebuked by local villages for being too brash or dangerous with the use of their magic, and there are some who simply prefer not to stay in a single village, preferring to travel alongside the scavengers or even bandits. These mages are collectively known as Wanderers.
It should be noted that whether one is dubbed Guardian or Wanderer is not based on what type of magic is used, it is [/i]how[/i] they use it.
In modern Amaroth there exists a second type of magic, a form which is heavily distrusted and looked upon as hereticism. Technically called Invokers, though many will call them warlocks, witches, hellions, and the like, they are individuals who have versed themselves in the art of Godspeak, an odd-sounding language whose written form is thought to take many different appearances. Invokers claim it to be the language of the Gods, though most followers will rebuke the claim, saying that such is impossible for the words are only synonymous with harm. Their distrust is not without warrant; much of well-known "Godspeak" pertains the powers of hexes and curses, sometimes odd, little things, and other times damning someone to a life of loss and pain. It is this reason that the distrust Godspeak has today is garnered, and very few settlements in the Weeping World welcome any form of it. Artifacts with strange and unknown markings are also distrusted as much as Godspeak itself, for the language has several different written forms, as seen being read by Invokers. Only the Priory of Babelbrook is known for taking Artifacts in this form for study- and they're already looked upon with enough suspicion.
Religion:
In recent days there has been a swift and steady rise in religious practices as citizens thank higher powers for their blessings. While these religions are quite cult-like and not at all like the complex religions of the World Before, they all stem from the same place: the Chasm of Light. Each one seems to be based on the worship of one of the figures on the windows in the Chasm, creating an environment where only a properly attuned mage may lead the church and "communicate" with the gods. The more popular gods among the many being worshiped are as follows:
Ridya, Goddess of the Sea: The deity held in high regard by fishermen and especially coastal villages and sailors, Ridya is said to rule the domain of the great sea that surrounds the Weeping World. The merfolk, interestingly enough, do not consider themselves part of her domain, but as a separate entity within the sea altogether. Her blessings normally come in the form of still and calm waters, an unusually large catch, or an artifact being washed up onto the beach. In the Chasm, her "portrait" is a feminine-like figure standing above two wavy lines.
Elethil and Aspid, Gods of the Sun and Protection: Unique in that worship of one coincides with the worship of the other, Elethil and Aspid encompass domains related to the sun, light, protection, and piety. Many of those who worship Elethil and Aspid are protectors of villages, mercenaries, and sometimes priests. In the Chasm, Elethil and Aspid are depicted on the same window: Elethil is on the left, a figure holding what looks like a sun over his head, and Aspid on the right, a figure with a stalwart stance and carrying what looks like a shield. Their blessings normally come in the form of last-second events that save lives, or beautiful sunny days, or even rays of light that "point the way".
Icthus, God of Shadows: Popular among thieves and bandits, Icthus is said to rule the domains of darkness and night. Because of the nature of the God, worship of Icthus is also regularly done in secret or at night. Those who are "blessed by Icthus" tend to be stealthy or mysterious figures. Blessings from Icthus normally come in earlier and longer-lasting nights (Though many would say this is a curse, rather than a blessing). In the Chasm, Icthus is depicted as a cloaked figure, hunched over as if he were sneaking.
Deidros, Goddess of Fire: Said to be the most passionate of the Gods, Deidros controls the domain of fire, though it is regularly mistaken that she also pertains to the sun, as well, when it is Elethil who controls that domain. Worshipers of Deidros tend to be mages who are also attuned to the Chasm of Fire, though she also attracts many fighter-types, as well. Her blessings come in the form of fires that never seem to dim or extinguish, setting weapons ablaze for a few brief moments, or even sending a phoenix to aid her most devout worshipers. She is depicted in the Chasm as a feminine figure with a halo of flames over her head.
Norbr. God of Snow and Ice: Said to rule the domains of snow, ice, and even the cold itself, Norbr is especially popular among churches in the northern areas, where the seasons are significantly cooler than others and where snowfall can happen at any point of the year. His worshipers tend to brave the tough life of the northfolk in service to him. His blessings come in the form of ice that never melts, or someone being highly resistant to the cold and the effects that come with it. In the Chasm, he is depicted as a figure wearing a furry cloak, surrounded by sharp points that are said to be ice.
Faebold, Goddess of the Hunt: One of the most popular Goddesses in the Weeping World, Faebold is said to rule the domains of wild game and hunting. This has resulted in her being very popular almost world-wide, though there are significantly higher concentrations in wooded areas as well as the colder, northern areas as well. Her worshipers tend to be hunters and gatherers first and foremost, though some druids have been known to involve her in their worship, as well. Her blessings come in the form of unusually large game, or someone who is very good at hunting and tracking. In the Chasm, she is depicted as a feminine figure holding a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other.
Thorbr, God of Gold: Thought to be the brother of Norbr, Thorbr is said to rule the domains related to mining, rocks, and especially precious metals including gold and silver. He is very popular among miners and dwarves, with most of his worshipers being located in mountainous regions. He is also popular among traders and merchants. His blessings often come in the form of higher mining yields, finding money in a peculiar place, or turning weapons or armor into gold. In the Chasm, he is depicted similar to Norbr: wearing a furry cloak, though holding a bag thought to be filled with gold or money.
Cynid, Goddess of Life and Death: Though her followers are fewer in number, they make up for it in great devotion and loyalty. Cynid is said to encompass the domains regarding life, birth, death, and the afterlife. She is revered highly by many priests in the land, though her domains attract many warlocks and necromancers, as well. In the Chasm of Light, she is depicted as a feminine figure whose "right half" is skeletal, and pertains a darker background than the "human half". Her blessings come in the form of plants growing (or dying), and for the most devoted and loyal worshipers, she has been said to bring the dead back to life, though there are very few cases of this happening.
Ranthe, God of Battle: The greatest of all gods in many warriors' eyes, Ranthe is said to encompass the domains related to battle, conflict, blood, weaponry, rage, and to a small extent, death. His followers are largely holy warriors or savage barbarians, and his blessings come in the forms of inciting a berserker-like rage, granting temporary immunity from pain (Not invulnerability, you just don't feel pain), and making weapons cut extra deep. In the Chasm of Light, he is depicted as a very tall figure, wearing a helm and holding two swords.
Ionicus, God of Alchemy: Considered by many to not be a god at all, tales tell of a great alchemist named Ionicus, who crafted an elixir to make him become a god. He is said to rule the domains regarding alchemy, and this encompasses potions either good or bad. His worshipers are mostly apothecaries and medics who are practitioners of the art, and many experiment to try and create the very same elixir Ionicus made to become a god. He is unique, however, in that he has no known blessings. His picture in the Chasm of Light is smudged, leading to the story and causing many to think he isn't a god at all.
I'll gradually update this list as the party finds more cults, but for now, these are the most well-known ones. If you wish for your character to found a pantheon, feel free to do so, as long as you detail what domain the God/Goddess rules over, what kind of person they generally attract, and what their depiction looks like in the Chasm of Light.
Races:
While the vast array of unique peoples found in the World Before were innumerable, many of them were completely wiped clean when the Worldbane descended. While the very same could be said of the Weeping World, I'll list here some of the more populous:
Men: Long thought the most adaptable race in all of Amaroth, the Race of Man has certainly earned the rights to that title, as they are now one of the major races of the Weeping World. their adaptability hasn't changed either: you can see human bandits, farmers, mages, scavengers, spelunkers, miners; nothing is out of reach for the Race of Man.
Dwarves: The stout and hairy race that were known in the World Before as being great huntsmen, tradesmen, smiths, and warriors, the Dwarven culture is one that is looked upon with some pity in the Weeping World for one reason only: their lifespan. Many live well into the three-hundreds, and many are alive still that remember the Worldbane, in all of its terror. While they have no racial ruler (In fact, no race has a single "ruler"), they hold Dane Lionbeard as the harbinger and speaker of their race, as they have become very secluded from the outside world since the Worldbane, choosing to keep to themselves in their mountain-towns.
Elves: Like the Dwarves, the Elves have become very secluded from all; even the once great Elven League (A council consisting of a representative of each elven sub-culture) has fallen, and even the elves look upon their cousins with suspicion. Regardless of sub-race, Elves have the longest lifespan per individual; some say they can reach the six-hundreds.
Unlike the dwarves, who will, despite such seclusion, interact with the other races, the elves have tended to act in complete isolation. They've become very distrusting of the other races, especially the Race of Men, who had always been pompous in their eyes, and vice versa.
Haliflings: These small folk, about a head shorter than a dwarf and significantly less hairy, have somehow managed to survive quite well in the Weeping World. In the World Before, they were renowned chefs and farmers, and it is through such heritage that they have done alright for themselves, so far. While they may not be very strong or sturdy, they are quick and nimble, and often have an easier time hiding from danger than confronting it head on. Many also have a knack for pointing out shiny things, and Halflings make great scavengers.
Merfolk: Arguable the only "kingdom" to survive the Worldbane, the Merfolk emerged from the event relatively unscathed. Very few merfolk joined the resistance against the aggressor when it descended, and it is thought that it was this reason alone that they were spared. They are now looked down upon because of this- often called cowards and traitors. Their underwater empire still stands today, minus a small portion where the coastline receded and the citizens chose to abandon the facilities rather than live above water. They are amphibious, however, so such wouldn't have been impossible.
Half-Giants: Descendants of the ancient Giant-kin (Believed to be the first mortals to dwell on Amaroth but had long since died out before the Worldbane), these folk stand a few heads taller than the average human, but are relatively similar besides that fact. They are naturally strong to compliment their height, so in these days many choose the laborer or warriors path.
Orcs: Easily the most diverse race in the Weeping World, their role in Amaroth varied. While the majority of them remained tribal, there were some smaller sects that frequented the large cities. This smaller demographic was nicknamed City Orcs, as opposed to normal Orcs, which referred to the more tribal-type. Many of the Orc tribes were peaceful, though some were brooding and warmongers. They normally stayed away from the bigger villages and cities simply because their tribes were smaller, so these more war-inclined tribes often fought with other war-inclined tribes simply for the purpose of fighting.
Many, however, specialized in specific crafts- most tribes simply didn't have the population for skilled specialization in several. These would vary from tribe to tribe- some were good at metalworking, others at horse breeding. City Orcs were even known to be quite well-spoken lecturers and scholars, even writers.
The only thing more diverse than the tribes were the Orcs themselves- many were quite humanoid, though some looked feral, while others were hulking beasts. While Orcs all shared one trait (Tusks integrated in the lower teeth), everything else about an Orc seemed to be "randomized", a trait that many scientists and researchers of Amaroth studied intently, but found no real solution for. Their skin and color could range from grey and leathery to purple-hewed and smooth. Sizes varied greatly, as well- some orcs hovered around Human heights, but others were massive, closer to Half-Giants.
Rules/Notes:
-I had not made plans to create a character in this RP. My purpose is to solely act as instigator, narrator, and GM. There is an overarching "goal" (Notice I didn't say story) and I will provide the party with ample tasks to do such, but feel absolutely free to let me know if you wish to have your character head a Story Arch. I love them. I will keep a quest log here in the OOC once we get things rolling to keep things a bit more organized in case we have several archs started.
-Typical RPGuild rules apply here, as with everywhere else. They're probably imprinted on our brains now: no godmoding, no gary/mary sues, no killing a character without both players' consent, etc. etc.
-Players should start with their characters heading towards a place called the 'Underdeep', the remains of what was Amaroth's tallest mountain that jutted awkwardly in the middle of a plains.
-Exploration and discovery is the heart of this RP, as our characters find bits of history in the ruins that can help them understand what life was like in the World Before.
-Player-made races are more than welcome. If you can describe what they were like in the World Before, what they did during the time of the Worldbane, and what they're like now, feel free to go wild.
-Archtonement is an already difficult process made more difficult since only a handful of people know the process to successfully incite the ritual. Keep that in mind if you're making a mage character.
-Blessings can happen at random times if your character worships a god. Constant prayer or showing of devotion will increase this chance.
-Mention breakfast somewhere in your CS so I may confirm to some degree of certainty that you've read some of these notes.
-Have fun. I'm not being cliche here at all- I genuinely want everyone involved with this to have a blast! It was great fun creating this world, I'll do my best to make it more fun exploring it.
-Typical RPGuild rules apply here, as with everywhere else. They're probably imprinted on our brains now: no godmoding, no gary/mary sues, no killing a character without both players' consent, etc. etc.
-Players should start with their characters heading towards a place called the 'Underdeep', the remains of what was Amaroth's tallest mountain that jutted awkwardly in the middle of a plains.
-Exploration and discovery is the heart of this RP, as our characters find bits of history in the ruins that can help them understand what life was like in the World Before.
-Player-made races are more than welcome. If you can describe what they were like in the World Before, what they did during the time of the Worldbane, and what they're like now, feel free to go wild.
-Archtonement is an already difficult process made more difficult since only a handful of people know the process to successfully incite the ritual. Keep that in mind if you're making a mage character.
-Blessings can happen at random times if your character worships a god. Constant prayer or showing of devotion will increase this chance.
-Mention breakfast somewhere in your CS so I may confirm to some degree of certainty that you've read some of these notes.
-Have fun. I'm not being cliche here at all- I genuinely want everyone involved with this to have a blast! It was great fun creating this world, I'll do my best to make it more fun exploring it.
Quest Log:
Liquor is Quicker- Surtus explained a witch has cursed Dain and stolen his tongue through magical means- meaning that the Speaker of the Dwarves cannot speak. She's fled into the Deep Pits to find solace among the criminals; the motley party present at the Dark Tower has been tasked with hunting down the witch and finding a way to reverse her curse.
