Short version: they are vampire/flesh mages who worship a lovecraftian monstrosity known as the Conqueror Worm and they were allied with Daigon back in the day, using their unique magical expertise to help create slave races like orcs and beastkin.
My nation uses some flesh magic. Could I say the Cult of the Seven was started by these guys or some human acolytes who survived the fall of Daigon and preserved some partial knowledge of the art?
Still WIP, but I figured I should let you guys see if there's anything wrong with what I wrote so far
Faction Name: The Confederation of Nuraen Alias: Nuraen. Southlands Government Type: Elective Monarchy. The Monzhir Shah is elected by the high ranking members of the Cult of the Seven.
-Humans
The men of Nuraen are a tall and dark skinned folk with black hair and eyes. They prefer bright, colorful clothing and the nobles are known to be a ostentatious and vain lot, covering themselves in make up and jewelry even when going to war. Wealth, after all, is supposed to be shown off.
-Orcs and Beastkin. Living in the northern edges of the Confederation, the Orc tribes roam the deserts. Raiding their neighbors for loot and slaves to sell in the great markets of Nuraen or to sacrifice during the holy festivals of the Septet.
Beastkin also dwell in the Confederation, but unlike the Orcs most haven't accepted the Cult of the Seven. As a result they are being steadily hunted down.
In the coast, they live in cities and small fishing villages. The ports of Mistrahr, Logathur and Tarufang are the Confederation's links with the world outside Nagath. And the gateway that allows the valued incense, myrrh and dyes that move the coastal economy to reach the markets of the wider world.
In the interior the land is dry and hot. The territory of nomad tribes and oasis towns. Qanats dot the land where aquifers can be found, watering vast farms and mines worked endlessly by slaves that toil to feed the Confederation and care for the select trees and plants that are able to thrive under the unforgiving sun of Nagath.
The Cult of the Seven is the major (and sole allowed) religion of Nuraen. The Priests of the Septet were the main driving force behind the unification of Nuraen and ever since then, the Cult is the single most powerful organization within the Confederation.
The basis of Septet doctrine is the existence of seven powerful spirits (Devas) created by the cosmos itself to rule over it. Each one ruling over a particular aspect of existence. With the mightiest of them being Baal Nereth, the Deva of glory and rulership. This Deva is represented by the sun, peacock and the lion.
The other six Devas are:
-Baal Marmuleth, Deva of Knowledge and Mysteries. Whose sacred animals are the cat and the serpent. Baal Marmuleth also takes the All Seeing Eye as a symbol. -Baal Sorath, Deva of Life and Death. Whose sacred animals are the panther and the cow. Children, dead bodies, food and the sexual act are also representatives of Baal Sorath. -Baal Cefer, Deva of War. Whose sacred animals are the bull and the boar. Armor and weapons are also used to represent Baal Cefer -Baal Hadad, Deva of Crafts. This Deva has no sacred animal and its symbols are instead the tools of the artisan. -Baal Arshan, Deva of Domination and Subjugation. This Deva is represented by chains, slaves and the whip. -Baal Lopesh. Deva of the Waters. Represented by water, fishes and sirens.
Below the Devas, there are a multitude of lesser spirits. Dryads, fairies, genies, ascended heroes, revered ancestors and the like who inhabit the world. Either serving one of the Seven or simply causing mischief.
The Seven are worshiped through the entire Confederation, from small family altars dedicated to a particular one to massive festivals held in the temple complexes of the great coastal cities, during which hundreds of slaves are sacrificed to fuel the blood magic of the Cult. The Cult demands total loyalty from the masses, collecting tithes from both peasant and noble alike. Either in goods, coin or children.
Besides owning vast properties and political power within Nuraen, the Cult also fields its own army; the Spagh-i-Nisg (The Glittering Army) an elite force of soldiers trained since childhood to fight for the Septet and empowered by their alchemy and magic (OOC: Something akin to magical steroids). Priests and Priestesses of the Seven are usually accompanied by squads of the Glittering Host as they scour the countryside hunting for heretics.
The Cult is also the only organization that is authorized to deal with magic inside the Confederation. Anyone with even the minor magical or alchemical talent is either under the employ of the Septet or being hunted down as a dangerous heretic and outlaw. The wizards and alchemists of Nuraen are known for their skill in reshaping the flesh, making stronger or fairer. And the multitude of concoctions developed in the secretive laboratories
An union of (dozens?hundreds?what's the scale of the map?) of different polities, the Confederation is kept united by their shared faith in the Seven and the threat posed by their neighbors.
Each of the Shahs, Sultans, Satraps, Emirs and Chieftains of Nuraen rules their own fief with autonomy and very little oversight from the capital. As long as they pay their taxes to the Crown and the Cult, and provide soldiers for the Spah-i-Favr (The Royal Army), they are left mostly alone by the Crown. And that suits everyone just fine. As the Cult has no wish to be challenged by a strong monarchy, nor the nobles want their power even more curtailed by a strong central authority.
-Azlak Jamshidzhade Keknu. Shahanshah of Nuraen. Satrap of Tar-Bayfals. -Quraj Jamshidzhade Keknu. Satrap of Tar-Mehreen. Nuraen-i-Spahbod (Equivalent to Marshal). -Itani Doaid. High Priestess of Baal-Nereth. Head of the Septet High Conclave. -Tamrish il-Benid. Emir of Al-Harish. Nuraen-i-Spahbod -Nerose Lodi. High Alchemist of the Mistranir College.
Constant conflicts with the Brass Republic. Intense raiding and counter-raiding punctuated by major campaigns once in a couple of decades.
@Drunken Conquistador Mhh, how about having the two nation of ours be at a constant state of On/off war, struggling over the land that they border each other at? Every 20-50 years a war breaks out, and both sides try to claim as much clay from the other side as possible! The land at the border would be a war-torn wasteland, swarmed with deserters from both sides, as well as slave-hunters.
@Goldeagle1221 I think, the main problem is the whole "Tech" debate itself! We having a fantasy world, so worldly standards should be off the window! With a reasonable and fitting explanation you might even smuggle a laser gun into an rp...but reasonable explanation. My republic will have a few experimental steam-powered ships, but the crew will still be armed with swords and flintlocks, and the majority of the fleet will made up of galleys with slaves as rowers! Playing a Technological advanced nation (and like you, if anyone has any form of problem with that, PLEASE TELL! Its our rp after all, and like gold eagle i have no problem with changing or scraping my original idea for another ^^) as well, i think you need to counterbalance, and leave things a bit more in the darkness.
Naming could help as well! Tank comes from the fact that the Brits covered their first armored vehicles as Water transporters, and as such the name remained. Also the term "project" leave a bit of a Sci-fi taste in my mouth, so you might want to consider renaming it to fit the mood of a fantasy world! Rather then have "Artifical Life" as a big topic, you could hint in your history, that your nation is meddling with the secrets of life itself, trying to get eye to eye with the gods, to create their own life! Then, maybe adding a clear weakness will help! My republic for example might use steam power, and start to look more into gunpowder, but at the same time is completely depended on slaves, its leadership and economy addicted to a rare magic and highly dangerous crystal Vesaniazium which extends life and mind, but also turns people into crystals themself after a while. But the biggest weakness would be their hate of gods and magic! They will not get any advances from either, and actively fight both, which will be quite tough in the long run!
But all this is just my own humble opinion, and you can disagree with all of them, without giving me headaches ^^ Just a few things i think could help easing it up a bit! But all in all, i like the base concept you have for your nation, and would be sad to see it gone!
That could work wonderfully.
As for the tech debate, if you don't mind me interfering, I guess the biggest complaint would be balance. With magic being of the rare variety, I guess some people could have trouble finding ways to counter the steampunkish stuff without resorting to developing their counter tech.
Myself, will stick with the focus on religion and magic. Even if I don't get wizards throwing fireballs from behind my blocs of pike and shot. Maybe I could get something like the flesh weaving and alchemy I used on the Brimstone RP?
@Drunken Conquistador Should be! Dry land, that takes quite an effort in ingenuity (or brutality if you have slaves) to make livable! Btw, since we are neighbor's, how would your nation react to a gods and mages-hating republic, run by a bunch of arrogant megalomaniac coke-heads that slowly turn into crystals? Oh, and your nations opinion on slavery!
We will have slaves of course. You can't have orientalist caricatures without slaves. Though I figure I could copy RL Persians and build a lot of qanats to irrigate the region.
As for religion and magic, we are very fond of both actually. So have at thee!
With Christmas chaos out of the way, I like to say I am still around and after much thinking I have come up with an idea for a nation, so I shall begin working on that, I do not know if it be made/completed in time of the conference as I have not yet been able to read up on all of the IC posts to see where everyone is at.
Well, the conference hasn't started yet. And the other plots are still starting too
So this is where everyone are? BTW, any info on map locations and such? If possible I would either join as the Solarian Federation or the Morte Imperium. Oldies that RP'd with me probably know these guys well.
Which faction seems fresher in this setting? Deathkorps of Krieg on steroids or Star Trek Federation with hypercapitalist assholes?
NRP, Star Wars, Dragon Age and Warhammer (Fantasy and 40k) enthusiast. Feel free to PM me about any related RPs
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">NRP, Star Wars, Dragon Age and Warhammer (Fantasy and 40k) enthusiast. Feel free to PM me about any related RPs</div>
