Not much is known of the time before the Exodus. What is known is that the forefathers of Man, Fae, and Dwarf were forced to leave by monstrous threat our ancestors called the "Shyr Polaes" or in common "Blood Drinkers". The creatures spread like wildfire, wanting nothing more then to kill and multiply like locusts. Our ancestors were powerless to this enemy and were given no choice but the to leave the lush world they once called home. The fae called these lands “Jhyr Jhal” or in common speech, “The Lost Lands”.
To ensure the survival of not only themselves but future generations, the ancestors pleaded to the Makers for aid, a means to survive the horrors that threatened to consume their servants. The Makers answered in kind, leading those seeking to escape to what the ancestors collectively referred to as “The Conduit”, an ancient structure believed to be constructed by the Makers themselves. With the combined efforts of the old magic, the most powerful of the ancestors shamans and mages awoke The Conduit, opening a portal to new and unfamiliar lands, a place seemingly inhospitable to the threat that followed.
“Aezoli Jhal”, The Exiled Lands. A place of sand and stone, seemingly comprised only of shifting deserts and rocky canyons. A place seemingly inhospitable to any form of life. Little is known of that time. What is known is that our ancestors forced those creatures that followed into the Deep Deserts where they would perish, from there they began spreading out in search of places to call home. The dwarves took to the mountains, digging deep and thriving despite the harsh world. Many fae took to the deserts, becoming nomadic tribes that wandered the shifting sands. Some tribes of man took to the deserts in search of more hospitable lands, others settling on the first sources of water they could find, and others settling on in the ruins of what were once cities of the Makers that were teeming with powerful artifacts.
The deserts are a cruel and unforgiving place. Scorching heat, minimal water, dangerous terrain, sandstorms so powerful they can shred the skin from your bones in minutes, and that's just the elements without mentioning the deadly creatures as well. Despite all these things, there are still those who endure it all and those people more often than not place their faith and hope into the hands of those who are willing to travel through hell and back: Sunrunners. Mercenaries, caravaners, heroes for hire, when someone needs something taken care of in the deserts, they recruit anyone from the Sunrunner's Guild. Were it not for them, many would have suffered or died long ago....
As you likely could have gathered from the story above and from the title itself, I am looking for a small group of people to take on the roles of new recruits within the Sunrunner Guild. I would like to have somewhere between 4 & 5 people to join with one of them taking on the role of both recruit and one of the primary antagonists. This person who doubles will play out a one-on-one scenario with my antagonist character and we'll get insight to what's going on behind the scenes until it's time for them to be introduced to the group publicly.
For our intrepid adventurers, the RP will begin with the group meeting with a veteran rider in the small underground settlement of Sando who will begin by evaluating the group. After the initial evaluation, the group will embark on a journey to aid an excavation team that has uncovered something major in an area known as Crescent Moon Canyon. From there, our story would unfold....
-------Q & A-------
Q: Does magic exist and how does it work?
A:
Magic does indeed exist and is a teachable skill. It's best to think of magic like medicine. Some things can be taught and performed in a few minutes with no prep whatsoever, others require years of knowledge and practice before even being attempted. Magic follows a set of laws but the most basic rule is that magic requires two components always: knowledge and will. Without either, no spell can be performed.
Q: Are artifacts magical or advanced science?
A:
Good question. The answer is both. Artifacts generally consist of pure magic, pure science, or both
Q: What playable races do we have?
A:
Perhaps the most common species found, human beings can be found all across the Aezoli Jhal, ranging from as tall as the fae or as short as the dwarves. Humans vary in terms of magic, some being very powerful while some are completely void of magic ability. Humans have proven quite effective at bridging the gap between both science and magic, relying equally on both respectively. Many humans have settled and made their own cities, some above ground in the heart of the deserts and some deep in the earth where it is far more tolerable. Humans however are often deeply distrusting and superstitious, often believing that things in nature must be one thing or another, black or white, good or evil. When they encounter something they fear or don’t understand, they often react violently, trying to control things that cannot or will not be controlled
One of the oldest of the races, the fae can be recognized by their distinctive sharp ears and tall slender figures. Their bones are naturally hollow like a birds, making them naturally light on their feet and naturally agile. Of all the races, the fae are naturally adept at magic. Fae mages are often able to perform seemingly impossible feats of magic because of their natural attunement and their naturally long age allows them to study longee. Unlike mankind or dwarven kind, the majority of fae prefer to live in nomadic tribes on the surface. A minor number live in the larger cities peacefully, making lives for themselves and preferring the comfort of city living rather than the harsh uncertainty of the desert. The average fae can live 600 years assuming they are in good health and aren’t magically altered. Otherwise, a fae can live perhaps thousands of years before dying
Dwarves are almost as old as the fae but unlike the fae, prefer the power of science and machine then magic. Dwarves can be recognized by their distinctive short features and excessive hair. Unlike the fae, dwarves bones are naturally dense and strong like iron, often keeping them from being light or agile. However, what they lack in general speed or agility, they make up for in both pure strength and durability. Dwarves are also naturally stubborn and are often unaffected by magic that alters the mind. Dwarves have harnessed the power of steam and black powder. Though the dwarves have harnessed amazing sciences, they prefer to keep themselves, helping mankind on occasion but outright ignoring the fae. Dwarves find the fae to be smug and afraid to get their hands dirty, fae finding them equally distasteful and untrustworthy
The Zitan are one of the native inhabitants of the Exiled Lands. Zitan are considered by the general populace to be pests due in large part to their insectoid appearance and their reputation as scavengers (hence the nickname 'Skavvers'). While the bands of scavengers can be a problem, largely the Zitan keep to themselves and stay close to their hives. It isn't unheard of to see a Zitan independent of it's hive, it is rare however. Zitan often times have difficulty speaking the common tongue. When they speak they often keep their sentences short and refer to themselves in the third person. They do however have a form of sign language that can be used to communicate more effectively
The Gleekon are a reptilian race of tribal raiders. Gleekon can range in size, color, and shape from one another similarly to humans but gleekon are always reptilian humanoids and are almost always ill-tempered. Many aren’t very intelligent and those that are intelligent often become tribal chiefs. These tribes can range in size from a few hundred gleekon to several thousand. These tribes often wander the deserts and wage war with the dwarves more often than not. The dwarves and humans particularly hate the gleekon as they often disrupt established trade routes and can cripple cities for weeks if not months. It isn’t known roughly how long gleekon live due in large part to the gleekon often dying from killing one another or from the constant wars they wage
Katjan are the feline natives of the Exiled Lands and have been revered for their strong and capable hunters as well as their tracking abilities. Katjan live in mostly nomadic tribes, following the big game wherever it may be. The Hunt is all that matters to them. Katjan are proud hunters, they respect the laws of the Hunt and want nothing more than to hunt worthy prey. Katjan have had a shaky relationship with the Exiled. The Katjan have a great respect for those who display great strength and conduct themselves with honoe
Q: Will this be pure storytelling or will we be doing this tabletop style?
A:
Good question. Honestly, I am good with either. If we do this tabletop style than I will either do this D&D style or Dungeon World style. Difference between the two? One is a classic DnD system and the other is Powered by the Apocalypse
Q: You seem to have put some thought in this. Is their a map of these "Exiled Lands"?
A:
Yes there is! While it isn't Tolkien level detailed BUT it is fairly detailed and will likely become more detailed as inspiration hits The Exiled Lands