Polybius

YOWL: a worldbuild collaboration

@Mokley Hey I've heard of that! It's broken down into events and scenes right? I'm interested in that for sure.

I haven't had any ideas for this particular world lately-but I'm still following along.

-closed-

<Snipped quote by Polybius>

In that case are dragons a thing?

@rush99999

I'm thinking more along the lines of Gorgons, Minotaurs, Harpies, etc. I'm undecided on whether or not these would be playable races or act as antagonists in the narrative. Dragons in the sense of standard medieval-fantasy fare (like St. George's) are decidedly not included in this RP. I suppose if you dressed them appropriately for the setting-even then it's iffy.

-closed-

@Polybius

Is magic a thing in this world?

@rush99999

I've been debating this. While swords and sorcery type magic is not a thing, the gods themselves are very real, but distant. I'm actually planning on introducing some monstrous races as well.

Poly Vault

^{A F A R L I G H T}

From the HAMPSHIRE CHRONICLE, evening edition,
Monday, June 11th, 1875

_{DISASTER !! MIRACLE !!}

_{PREHISTORIC LANDSCAPE APPEARS!}

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<sub>Danburge, Brecha
On the Evening of June 10th, passengers aboard the Airship Bravado were witness to an event of divine magnitude. At 4am, the crew was ordered by Captain Arneld Breschia to rouse the passengers in case abandonment of the ship would become necessary. Navigation of the Frigate Class Airship had become impossible, as an unanticipated heavy fog appeared. The Captain, acting in accordance with aeronaut procedure ordered a drop in altitude.

What happened next is unconfirmed-several passengers claim flashes of 'eerie lights (north) towards the direction of the city of Danburge, and then darkness'. In the morning, dozens of reports claimed that the city had vanished- to be replaced by a landscape that can only be described as 'prehistoric'. Captain Breschia ordered his men to begin a search of the area using the spot lights of the Airship. After 4 hours of searching, and with coal reserves diminishing, the Bravado was forced to make an emergency landing in the nearby town of Great Bridge. The fate of some 250,000 citizens of Danburge is unknown.</sub>

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In the years before the Miracle, an industrial revolution had gripped the world. Advances in technology and medicine were poised to change the face of the world. Great continent traversing airships dotted the skies. Engines were powerful & efficient. Every infantryman in every Great Powers' army carried a gas powered rifle. Advances in art, literature and philosophy made it seem as if another great enlightenment was at hand. It all ended with the Miracle.

Nearly 30 years ago, cities the world over began to vanish overnight. After the swirling mist, fog and glimmering lights vanished, what remained could only be described as a prehistoric landscape. Humid jungles sprang from the earth overnight. Volcanoes sprouted and spewed smoke and ash into the sky. Primordial swamps, teeming with all manner of nightmarish creature oozed and bubbled. The event was a Miracle. It was a Disaster. The 'Wilderness' as it would come to be known, began to spread.

_{WORLD LEADERS HELPLESS!! WILDERNESSE GROWS MONTHLY!}

<sub>Nearly twenty years ago the Disaster that took in an instant countless cities across the globe resonates with the world today. At the Worlds Fair in Hampshire, World Leaders met with top scientists in the newly formed field of PREHISTORIA. Sources confirm that the WILDERNESSE is expanding at an astonishing rate. Reports indicate that several small towns have been enveloped by the WILDS and the civilians forced to flee. An unconfirmed number of casualties have been reported.

Besides the terrible jungle comprises the vast majority of the WILDERNESSE, several sightings of PREHISTORIC-like beasts have been observed. Enormous reptiles and oversized insects of horrific nature. Dr. Simeon Brightweather, of the Royal Academy of Natural History (Overseeing the newly created Department of Wilderness Studies) was summoned By HER MAJESTY QUEEN REBECCA III. The details of that meeting remain unknown at this time.</sub>

Efforts were made to curtail the advance of virulent growth. World Leaders, increasingly alarmed at the spread of the Wildernesse agreed to wage an all out war on the growth. The most devastating weapons in the worlds arsenal would be launched at the encroaching landscape.

Chemicals, designed to wage war on man were instead turned against nature. Fired from artillery, or dropped from enormous Airships, the campaign was carried out with great success.

At first.

As the 'weeding' campaign (as one former Monarch put it) continued, the Wildernesse renewed its advance with a seemingly sentient vengeance. Devastating incendiary bombs were deployed and the atmosphere was choked with ash and smoke from the burning wilds. All would prove to be in vain as one by one the capital cities began to be overrun.

Log

From the Personal Log of Lieutenant Percival Arnherst, HMAS Constitution, June^11th, 1850

Morning- Mission complete. We found the wreckage of the airship Prescott just north of the Yellow Lake. Poor fellows must have flung everything but the engines overboard to gain altitude. It was all in vain as we found her hull smashed against a rocky outcropping. No sign of survivors. I suppose they ran out of coal. We attempted to salvage their silk sails but the balloon had been shredded to bits...

We are...under similar circumstances. We returned in the evening to find the settlement of New Hope completely wiped out. A giant redwood had sprung from the grounds where the docking bay once stood. Captain Baines pointed us further south. I wonder if we can make it to James-Bridge?

Afternoon- I wonder why I continue this chronicle despite the increasing evidence that in all likelihood our airship is doomed. Maybe all of mankind is doomed? This...Miracle has turned out to be a Devastation. I wonder how Annie fairs back in Whitehall? I miss her dearly. Must remember to bring back something nice from the Fringe.

Evening- We can see the towers of James-Bridge just up the gorge, but a trio of those terrible lizards refuse to budge. Captain ordered a broadside just above the ghastly beasts head in an effort to scare them off. They fled, but one found its' way back. He is a nasty brute-supposing it is a he. His head is nearly as big as the maindeck! What those teeth could do to a man...I don't want to think about that. I wish the fellows would quit dropping flares to track his movement. I can't stand the sight of that scaly beast in the phosphorescent glow any longer-

-closed-

City Sheet

CITY: The name of your city-state. Peoples are usually named for the city they belong to. In some rare cases they might be named for a mythic king or hero they claim ancestry with.
RULER: Despotism is common, although some states may have a small council. Democracy is not allowed at the beginning of the roleplay, but may evolve over time.

PATRON: Most cities will have a GOD they are devoted to.
note: Invent a god, give them a domain such as war, hunting, the sea, etc. Part two of creating the city-states will involve the PANTHEON.

MONUMENTS: Any special locations in your city, temples, that other cities may know about.

HEROES: What famous citizens live in your city? What did they do?

---

Ambition: What drives your people? Your ruler? It could be long term or short term. The simpler the better. examples: "Keep the people safe!" , "Conquer the world!"etc.

Economy: What do your people grow/craft? Who do you (or would like to) trade with?

Military: Briefly describe your armed forces. Include a commander or two. Most armies are conscripted and non-professional. Army size should not exceed 5,000.

Territory: Use the map if possible. Note the location of your city and territory it directly influences. Include settlements and outposts. If you don't know how to do that, PM me.

Other: Anything else you might need other players to know about your city-state.

You may adjust/discard any section of the sheet as you see fit as long as the basic idea of your city is conveyed to me, the GM, and other players. DO not write extensive histories that don't really matter.

Fancy Version

_{C I T Y N A M E}

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City description

_{R U L E R}

---

Ruler Info, family, personality, weaknesses, strengths. etc. etc.

_PATRON

---

Describe

_MONUMENTS

---

Describe or list

_HEROES

---

Describe

---

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^Ambition

^Economy

^Military

^Territory

^{Other I}

^{Other II}

Fancy Noparse

[h2][sub]C I T Y N A M E[/sub][/h2]

---

[indent]City description[/indent]
[h3][sub]R U L E R[/sub][/h3]

---

[indent]Ruler Info, family, personality, weaknesses, strengths. etc. etc.[/indent]
[h3][sub]PATRON[/sub][/h3]

---

[indent]Describe[/indent]
[h3][sub]MONUMENTS[/sub][/h3]

---

[indent]Describe or list[/indent]
[h3][sub]HEROES[/sub][/h3]

---

[indent]Describe[/indent]

---

---

[h3][sup]Ambition[/sup][/h3]
[h3][sup]Economy[/sup][/h3]
[h3][sup]Military[/sup][/h3]
[h3][sup]Territory[/sup][/h3]
[h3][sup]Other I[/sup][/h3]
[h3][sup]Other II[/sup][/h3]

-closed-

^{G O D S T H E M S E L V E S}

^{The Colossal Cities}

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_{Art by Nkabuto on Deviant Art}

In the half-forgotten age of a mythic time, the people of Lemuria built great cities, temples and monuments. A Pantheon of Gods visited them often, bestowing gifts of literacy, architecture, writing and warfare. They became a proud, confident people with dreams of exploring the world and even conquering other peoples. While some gods looked on with amusement, some became jealous-even angry. This anger would lead to a great divide among the Pantheon and cause the first Immortal War. But those are just stories...

---

Immortal War

A devastating war eventually erupted between the gods. Mortals found themselves fighting alongside divine beings. The Gods conjured all manor of monstrous race to fight for this side or that-weapons of war were invented, destroyed, discarded, kept secret. As the conflict spun into chaos, and the chaos into apocalyptic proportion, the land was torn into three separate continents. The Gods eventually broke battle with a truce and departed the mortal realm with little regard to the fate of man. The monstrous races created in the war remained and hid themselves away in the wilds, beneath mountains or in ruins.

Colossal Cities

The cities are famous the world over for their high walls, and complex urban sprawl the likes of which have never been seen in the world. Lavish palaces and temples dominate the cityscape, while in the slums, the poor are crammed together in dingy apartments. Paved stone roads run broad avenues over primitive 'sewer' systems that dispose of filth into distant waters. The cities are supported by vast agrarian settlements in the surrounding lands. Distant trading outposts bring gold, spices, gems, and knowledge home.

Wilderness

The World is largely unknown. The trading fleets dare not venture further than coastal waterways or make for known ports. Monsters lurk in the deep. The same can be said for the interior continents-a near prehistoric level of jungle growth has enveloped the wilderness. Brave heroes venture forth into this unknown often-and return less so.

Mortal War

War still plagues mankind. Over minor disputes-land, honor. Foolish things. The weapons and tactics used by mankind are the same used during the Immortal War. Waves of phalanxes, supported by archers and increasingly surprising use of devastating cavalry charges are the order of the day. Infantrymen are generally conscripts, wielding spear and shield. Armor is rare and expensive, usually handed down from father to son. Infantrymen instead wear light tunics, sandals and a bronze helm. Armies are no larger than several thousand men, and war is waged in the spring, just before or after harvest.

---

The World

It is a late bronze/early iron age with heavy emphasis on Hellenistic cultures. You may also draw inspiration from Babylonian or Egyptian culture. IF you have any questions or comments, send me a [@mention].

_{Map by @Polybius}

Large Map

_{(Right+Click & Open Image in a new tab)}

|| M I N E R V A || A R C H I V E || Always Accepting!

@PolybiusHm, for some reason I didn't receive the tag... I'll get to work on some ideas after... uuum... work

@ihinka

Oh no! Sorry about that! We're always open so jump in!

Poly Vault

^{G O D S T H E M S E L V E S}

^{The Colossal Cities}

---

_{Art by Nkabuto on Deviant Art}

In the half-forgotten age of a mythic time, the people of Lemuria built great cities, temples and monuments. A Pantheon of Gods visited them often, bestowing gifts of literacy, architecture, writing and warfare. They became a proud, confident people with dreams of exploring the world and even conquering other peoples. While some gods looked on with amusement, some became jealous-even angry. This anger would lead to a great divide among the Pantheon and cause the first Immortal War. But those are just stories...

---

Immortal War

A devastating war eventually erupted between the gods. Mortals found themselves fighting alongside divine beings. The Gods conjured all manor of monstrous race to fight for this side or that-weapons of war were invented, destroyed, discarded, kept secret. As the conflict spun into chaos, and the chaos into apocalyptic proportion, the land was torn into three separate continents. The Gods eventually broke battle with a truce and departed the mortal realm with little regard to the fate of man. The monstrous races created in the war remained and hid themselves away in the wilds, beneath mountains or in ruins.

Colossal Cities

The cities are famous the world over for their high walls, and complex urban sprawl the likes of which have never been seen in the world. Lavish palaces and temples dominate the cityscape, while in the slums, the poor are crammed together in dingy apartments. Paved stone roads run broad avenues over primitive 'sewer' systems that dispose of filth into distant waters. The cities are supported by vast agrarian settlements in the surrounding lands. Distant trading outposts bring gold, spices, gems, and knowledge home.

Wilderness

The World is largely unknown. The trading fleets dare not venture further than coastal waterways or make for known ports. Monsters lurk in the deep. The same can be said for the interior continents-a near prehistoric level of jungle growth has enveloped the wilderness. Brave heroes venture forth into this unknown often-and return less so.

Mortal War

War still plagues mankind. Over minor disputes-land, honor. Foolish things. The weapons and tactics used by mankind are the same used during the Immortal War. Waves of phalanxes, supported by archers and increasingly surprising use of devastating cavalry charges are the order of the day. Infantrymen are generally conscripts, wielding spear and shield. Armor is rare and expensive, usually handed down from father to son. Infantrymen instead wear light tunics, sandals and a bronze helm. Armies are no larger than several thousand men, and war is waged in the spring, just before or after harvest.

---

The World

It is a late bronze/early iron age with heavy emphasis on Hellenistic cultures. You may also draw inspiration from Babylonian or Egyptian culture. IF you have any questions or comments, send me a [@mention].

_{Map by @Polybius}

Large Map

_{(Right+Click & Open Image in a new tab)}

|| M I N E R V A || A R C H I V E || Always Accepting!

[@@StarInaBox Cool man. Perhaps someone with dubious morals? A double agent? Looking forward to it.

Maybe Tassle is a Minerva Director in an alternate timeline? Something to ponder.

|| M I N E R V A || A R C H I V E || Always Accepting!

@BingTheWingLove it. Super creepy and open ended for others to add/embellish the lore of it.