Polybius

The Chronicles of Irenaea [Always Open] [Historiograhy-Based] [Low-Commital]

@Publius Go ahead and move on without me if you have too.

YOWL: a worldbuild collaboration

Nightmares

...wherein the subconscious manifests internal or latent desires fueled not by sound, waking logic; but rather by primitive emotion. Here lies the danger: Some human beings seek destruction at any cost; for others, for themselves. These sorts of emotions rarely, if ever manifest during waking hours.

_{Dr. Bartholomew Brightener, THE RUSE, THE DREAM
Eidolon Press, Idyll City, XXXX}

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CASE STUDY: Antonina Semonov (deceased)
..subject displayed unhealthy tendencies towards kleptomania, hoarding complex, & various dis-associative disorders.
MANIFESTATION: Plyushkin (low-risk)
_{Analog Recording of the testimony given by Alfred J. Prufrock, conducted by Dr. Brightweather, yr. XXXX, mo. XXX}

"I was on my way home from the pub after work one evening and decided to take the old harbor trail rather than my usual route downtown. It was cold and I was thankful to have remembered to bring along my wool overcoat. I...took a wrong turn. Got lost and doubled back and soon found myself in an alley between a restaurant and tenement apartments. The smell of boiled cabbage and...vodka. Ugh. Excuse me. Sorry the smell was...overwhelming. Anyways...

That's when I saw it. There was just enough light from the security lights to make out the shape of the thing in the dark. The Ruse filled the alley....dark matted hair, stringy and black. Quite disheveled. Grey trousers stained with soot or dirt with an absurd amount of pockets overflowing with various trinkets, trash and...junk. Stuff. Everywhere. The items were seemingly random: Mason-jars with milky liquids. Toiletries: brushes, salves, wipes, pastes, ointments (all of which were no doubt used by half). Newspapers, magazines, paperback novels with the covers torn off. Playing-cards. Tarot cards. Buttons. String. Twine. Wire. Netting. Cloth. Burlap. Jars of nails, filings, screws, pins...I could go on.

It had legs for certain, maybe more than your standard two-how else would it move around? But the hands..dozens of them. At rest. Folded. Clasped together. Grasping. Reaching. A dozen arms of varying lengths extruding from dingy sleeves. Greasy palms...I can still see the yellow fingernails flitting in the dark...

It moved along the alley at a tedious pace, and I struggled not to turn and flee but...this was for science. For learning. I watched as the Ruse picked it's way at a leisurely pace among the urban debris and detritus that so plagues this city. It never landed on any one thing, not caring what it packed away into it's pockets or atop the ever-growing enormous pile upon its back. The mound grew larger and larger until at last it became stuck. At this point I was unsure what to do. I waited. It continued to grab things and add it to the pile upon its back. When there was nothing else within its grasp, the creature-the nightmare paused for a moment. I held my breath and tucked my shaking hands into my coat pockets.

It...may have been but a moment. Or an hour. I can't be sure. A scratching sound filled the alley. A mew or...like a whine of distress. I looked and saw the ruse reach with one of its arms at incredible speed.

The cat, a mangy and pitiful thing never had a chance. It was added to the pile with the other trinkets. I turned and ran, not caring how loud my steps were..."

-_{Recording Ends}

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RE: Yours???
FROM: Jon Polaski
TO: Dr. B. Brightener

Copy of Dead Souls in the break-room. Janine said it was probably yours. How's the book coming? Cheers -Jon

The Chronicles of Irenaea [Always Open] [Historiograhy-Based] [Low-Commital]

@Publius I will when I have a chance!

YOWL: a worldbuild collaboration

So it's not an article on the Null-Towers, (I'll get to it shortly), I'm trying to envision some mid-level baddies for this world. I briefly mention some things about the Null-Empire, hinting at some sort of retro-sci-fi technology that may have existed.

SEMI

tldr; Ruse-hating activists kidnap individuals with particularly powerful imaginations, turn them into cultists? not sure.

Society for the Ethical & Moral Use of the Imagination

Among esoteric and occult tomes and bibliographiques* scavenged from vaults built sometime during the later-middle period of the Null Empire, one may find the core practices and beliefs of the Society for the Ethical & Moral Use of the Imagination. (SEMI). The Society has in recent years come under scrutiny for their antiquated practices of disbelief, essentially refusing any and all things Ruse related. Acolytes may undergo hypnosis,

While the Null Empire itself is the subject of controversy and what meager collected histories scholars have managed to compile are filled with inconsistencies and contradictions, the Society has seized upon certain fundamental beliefs that were apparently prevalent towards the end of the Empire-namely the exclusion, nullification and rebuttal of all things Ruse related.

Although the origins of the Society are as obscure as facts relating to its founder, (a certain Robert J. Edvarde) the Official Society Archive declares that the first society meetings evolved from a book club that met bi-monthly in the basement of Arthur Pellington Primary School in Loris City. The book club consisted of mostly academics, amateur historians and archaeologists and political activists. From the basement meetings, to opening Guild Houses in several major cities, the Society has collected a large archive of Ruse related information, artifacts, hand written and oral accounts of the history and proliferation of Ruse related incidents, reports and entities.

Certain activities by SEMI has garnered the attention of authorities, alleged kidnappings and theft, fraud and anti-government activities although no formal charges have ever been raised.

The Society has in recent years struck up a partnership with the Halfway House on Hoddard Hill although the details of the relationship remain undisclosed. Whether SEMI is releasing malcontents and troublemakers into the custody of the Halfway House or vice versa, it remains unclear. Either way, the ranks of SEMI agents has increased despite public opinion of the Society remaining critical and quite negative.

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bibliographiques* Beveled glass discs of varying sizes, most commonly approx. 1"-3" in diameter (although the cache discovered at XXXX contained discs nearly 4' in diameter) containing a sort of microscopic cuneiform that is parsed and sorted by Empire-Era graphique-readers.

YOWL: a worldbuild collaboration

Oh man, the gears are already turning. My first article will be Null Towers, ancient ruins left by an old civilization that feared The Ruse. Some of the towers are still operational and can hinder or completely negate the ruse.

Edit: just saw you were looking for characters first!

YOWL: a character-centric worldbuilding collab

@Mokley This looks really cool. Quick question about the tone/feel of the setting. I'm thinking of movies like a Howls Moving Castle, Alice in Wonderland, sort of semi-serious in nature but also truly bizarre. AAre those good reference points to use to start writing? I like the ideas of folk lore being an influence as well, how dark can the setting be or are we strictly on the whimsical side of things? Thanks, and this looks awesome as usual!

Children of the Greatfather

@gorgenmast Have to respectfully withdraw interest. Looks like a really cool setting though!

These Dark Stars: A Feudal Space Roleplay - M+18 - Always Open!

Maybe a reboot with more carefully detailed galactic lore? Would either of you guys be up for collaborating on evolving the setting further?@ArenaSnow@Ashgan@Thecrash20

These Dark Stars: A Feudal Space Roleplay - M+18 - Always Open!

@Thecrash20in waiting for people to start writing!

The Chronicles [Low-Commital] [Worldbuilding Exercise] [Historiography Simulator 2017]

After some discussion with @CaptainBritton, I'm thinking of a slightly more technologically advanced and more fuedal version of the aftermath of Alexander's conquest, something like 300 BCE but as I said with more medieval advancements. If anybody has anything to add in, feel free to reply/go to the chat.

@Polybius
@Atroposer
@CaptainBritton

@Publius

Sword & Sandals? Heck yea, I like it. Are we looking at a sort of conquered/absorbed empire with competing successors situation or just the general cultural mash up of western/eastern influences?