FRACTURED STARS (looking for players)

[Katara daughter of Water]

|OOC Thread | Profile Thread|

✷CREATED BY: Kai Merah and Katara daughter of Water
✷GENRE: Fantasy, Sci Fi, Adventure, Supernatural

THREAD GUIDExxxxxxxxxxxxxx
✷The Story
✷The Rules
✷Creation Myth
CHARACTER CREATION:
✷The Gods
✷Saints
✷Clerics
✷The Marked
FACETS OF THE UNIVERSE:
✷Wish Wisps
✷Magic
WORLDS:
✷Tir
✷Agartha
✷Dag
✷Aetheria
✷Nox
APPLICATION:
✷Profile Skeleton

[Katara daughter of Water]

Beginning approximately five years ago, Chaos storms started to ravage the land. They began as relatively short and infrequent affairs, but have become both more frequent, and more violent over the years. They twist unprotected humans and animals into deadly abominations, and the standard protection charms are beginning to fail against the fury of the storms. Even with such charms, people, terrain, and sometimes whole structures, have been randomly translocated miles or worlds away, and the unprotected may be warped not just in body, but in mind.

Strange monsters now roam all the lands, and every Marked hero and chosen Saint have been called upon to solve the mystery of the Chaos storms and end the growing disaster. The Godly Factions contend with one another to halt the catastrophe, knowing that to do so would guarantee fame, glory, and worship for their Faction. Such would ensure their primacy over the other Godly Factions for millennia to come. The deities of Chaos have each denied their culpability in the matter, disclaiming all knowledge of how or why such raw chaos would be flooding the material world.

[Katara daughter of Water]

GENERAL RULESxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


✷No god modding. You may make your case why another player should react a certain way but ultimately it is up to the other player to decide how their character will react.


✷Fighting will occur in this rp and characters will die. Use common sense. If there is no realistic way your character can avoid a hit then they must take it.



✷Although fighting will happen in this rp, the focus here is on character development and narrative. It is not a video game. It is a story.


✷Read all the posts as much as possible or ask for a recap if you are not able to do so due to time constraints or what have you.


✷Profiles of characters must be emailed to me, Katara daughter of Water. Do not take it personally though if we do not see a place for your character in the rp or ask you to tweak the profile slightly.


✷This rp though it may bear some characteristics in common with other rps adheres to its own rules. Do not expect your character’s story from another such rp to carry over completely.


✷If you are going to be taking a leave of absence from the rp or quit you must let everyone know.


POSTS


✷Strive to make your posts at least one paragraph in length.


✷Use correct spelling and grammar as well as you can. I strongly encourage you to type your post out on a word processor program like Microsoft Word before adding it to the thread.


✷Do not use colors I have to highlight with my mouse in order to read


✷Romance is welcomed but it takes time to develop. Love at first sight is not true love. If your romance goes beyond second base, either time skip or take it elsewhere.


✷Profanity is allowed but do not go overboard. Your post should not be just one long string of expletives.


✷When traveling to other towns, keep in mind the distance between the two of them and mode of transportation. The length of time it takes to reach each location will vary but expect at least a few hours or days travel to get to any place. Do not make a post of your character leaving one locale and then in following post have them arrive at the other if it should take you a few weeks journey to get there.


CHARACTERS


✷The races listed below are the dominant ones in each world. You can play other races beyond this as well as other worlds but you must provide a description of that race and worlds and its characteristics as you understand them when you submit your profile to me. If your character is accepted, this will be used as a blue print for others should they seek to play the same race and in that same world as you.


✷Fill out the profile sheet as much as you can particularly the biography as that tells us who your character really is. Your biography is never too long to type out.

[Katara daughter of Water]

In the beginning, there was nothing. Neither wind nor rain, nor sky nor earth or stars above. There was only the four Houses of the Gods: Chaos, Order, Civil and Blood. Weary of the nothingness, the gods decided they would create something special, Life, but none of them could agree on how to do it. The gods of Chaos hummed with many wild and crazy ideas for the creations they could make but Order opposed each and every one of them. Sense and discipline was needed or so the gods of Order asserted. Civil countered that they must be careful, patient and compassionate in their approach while Blood failed to understand just what all the fuss was about nor why they could not just shape the world and let it fend for itself.

At an impasse, the gods went their own separate ways each seeking to prove to the others that their approach was best and would most assuredly create life. The planet that the House of Chaos created was unstable. It revolved around its star in the most eccentric, erratic orbit. The seasons changed without warning and the land would crumble only to reform in a manner of seconds. Nothing had enough time to develop or adapt.Whatever life Chaos formed immediately died. Order’s planet was a monument to structure. Its creations were molded to sharp, perfect, precision but none had even a spark of life nor a conscious volition of their own.Civil fretted incessantly over the planet they created, constantly checking on it and changing the environment in hopes of fostering life only to watch it die from the over nurturing. The Blood gods, in the effort to make their creations tough and hardy, created a planet so inhospitable that nothing could grow.

The gods looked over each other's work and saw that none of their approaches worked on their own. They decided they needed to come together and incorporate each of the other’s ideas into Creation to make life emerge and thrive. They immediately set to work, forming suns and moons and molding high mountains and deep valleys. They filled the lands with many diverse creatures, animals to fly through the air, swim the seas and walk upon the earth. Their union also brought forth the gods of Luck, Nature, Art and Death.

Then the time came to set it all in motion. Order laid down the rules, the principles of gravity, time and space, for how the universe would operate.Though Chaos did not see a need for all these rules and regulations, it yielded to Order for the good of Creation. But with every concession Chaos made, Order seemed to only want to impose more rules until finally Chaos could stand no more. If Order was going to persist on interfering with Life, taking it further and further away from their creative vision, then Chaos would insure there was nothing left of Creation for them to meddle with.The Gods of Chaos turned on Creation, corrupting and maddening the organisms they had labored so hard to create. Life withered and died.Something needed to be done.The Civil gods came up with a compromise. Chaos would stop the carnage and all the Gods would make a solemn vow never to directly impress their will upon the mortal plane ever again.

[Katara daughter of Water]

The gods are omnipotent and for the most part omniscient. They know everything but only when they concentrate on it.They mainly focus themselves on events relating to their embodiment but if they get curious about anything else, they know about it as soon as they think on it. This including thoughts and memories unless another god is using their powers to hide such things from them.

Each of the Gods belong to one of four houses with the exception of the four (Fortune, Nature, Art and Death) who were born when the gods finally decided to come together. The gods within each House see each other as siblings and work together for the good of their respective faction. Despite having signed a pact with each other, the gods continue to compete against each other, this time in the acquisition of the most worthy and devoted followers for even though all the worlds in the universe share the same gods, they are not worshipped equally. Certain gods have more influence than others and in some places, a god or godly House might not be worshipped at all.

To hold true to the agreement they made at the start of Creation, the gods do not exert their powers directly on the mortal plane. If they do make an appearance in the physical realm, they take the form of a small animal who is completely ordinary apart from its capacity to speak. They never appear in their true form and advance their agenda only through their believers, those they have blessed with power and those who serve as clerics and acolytes in their temples. Images of the gods within their temples are depicted according to the artist’s interpretation of that god, and can vary widely from one culture to the next. The only thing that is universal across all civilizations is the sigils by which they are represented.



GOD FACTIONSxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


CHAOS


tab Freedom tab tab tab Change tab tab tab Madness tab tab Subversion


ORDER


tab Dominion tab tab xStability tab tab tab Reason tab tab tab Justice


CIVIL


tab Mercy tab tab tab tab Peace tab tab tab tab Love tab tab tab Patience


BLOOD


tab Wrath tab tab tab tab War tab tab tab tab Lust tab tab tab tab Courage


NEUTRAL GODS


tab Fortune tab tab tab Nature tab tab tab tab Art tab tab tab tab Death

[Katara daughter of Water]

SAINTSxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As champions of the Gods, Saints are the most extraordinary examples of their kind. They are directly and personally chosen by their respective gods, and given a fragment of said deity’s powers to aid them in gaining fame for, and spreading the influence of their god. Saints are the proxies of the gods to compete with each other in gaining fame and influence for their faction, as the gods have agreed not to fight directly lest they destroy the mortal plane.

Saints are generally chosen primarily by how well they embody their god’s concept, and how likely they are to increase the fame and influence by acting in their god’s name. The individual must be extraordinary in some manner, or unusually devoted, before they are even considered to be Blessed by the Gods. In short, the god must believe that the mortal in question will greatly advance the cause of the god if they are Blessed with the god’s power.

Beyond acting as their patron’s champions, saints show their devotion by performing a specific Service for their god. Services may include anything from “Pursue and arrest every criminal you hear of”, to “Plant a seed every hundred paces you walk”. Services are continuous or repeated acts one must perform without fail for one’s god. Services tend to reflect both the nature of the god, and the nature of the Blessing received. A Service to pursue and arrest criminals is most likely to be issued by the God of Justice, and the saint with that Service is most likely to have received a Blessing that aids him in tracking or pursuit in some way. A Service to plant seeds is most likely to be issued by the God of Nature, and the associated Blessing likely involves power over greenery of some sort.

Saints often wear special insignia of their patron deity to denote their status as blessed. They cannot be otherwise identified, unless they openly declare themselves. The Gods do not take kindly to those who declare themselves blessed when they are not, and will always send their champions to hunt down and slay the impersonators, wheresoever said impersonators may run or hide.

WARPERS/WARPED

While for the most part individuals with the good fortune to be blessed with power from the gods are revered by the populace, champions of Blood and Chaos are often regarded with suspicion and deemed to be unstable and destructive personalities particularly in realms where their Gods hold less esteem. The term "Warpers" or "Warped" has emerged as a derogatory slur meant to differentiate them from the champions of other gods. It more often refers to Saints of Chaos than of Blood, as Chaos wielders tend to be much more obviously erratic than those of Blood, and many bizarre powers are often attributed to Chaos regardless of their actual origin.

BREAKING BARGAINS WITH THE GODS

To be Blessed is to have a direct, personal relationship to a god, and to fail in the Service associated with your Blessing is to indicate one’s lack of devotion to said god. It is an act of disrespect that cannot go unpunished, lest the authority of all gods be weakened. A failure to carry out one’s Service results in immediate loss of one’s Blessing, as well as crippling spiritual pain caused by the injury to one’s soul due to having one’s Blessing ripped away. The spiritual injury is often expressed in pain, nausea, and severe weakness. This injury and its attendant symptoms may be alleviated upon reaching a shrine or temple of one’s god, at the discretion of said god.

Most deities will heal their Saints of the spiritual injury if their failure in Service was a first offence, but it is up to the individual god how much they want to punish their follower, and if the Blessing should be returned at all. Gods may choose to return the Blessing in full with no further penalty, return the Blessing while imposing an even more arduous Service, or return a limited form of the Blessing until the mortal can make up for his lapse. Or any combination of the above options, including rejecting the mortal entirely and refusing to return any kind of Blessing. Both penalties and restrictions tend to worsen with every subsequent failure of Service. People rarely survive a third offence, though some very beloved few may be tolerated up to a fifth offence. This is assuming that the failures to carry out their Service was accidental. Deliberate refusal to carry out a Service often results in permanent spiritual pain and weakness, or even agonizing death, depending on the vindictiveness of the god in question.

[Katara daughter of Water]

CLERICSxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

While one may become a Saint only by being directly chosen by a god, anyone can become a priest or acolyte of any god by choosing to dedicate their life to said god with diligent service and prayer. Priests and acolytes are responsible for maintaining and defending their deity's shrine, spreading the influence of their god, and assisting their god’s Saints with whatever they need. They are able to bestow blessings and protection charms, but their powers will never be as great as that of a Saint.


HOUSES OF WORSHIP

Temples or shrines are structures dedicated to a specific god. Temples are generally constructed by the State, the nobility, or particularly wealthy and devout merchants. Shrines are usually simpler affairs constructed by a Saint, to celebrate their triumphs, or call upon their gods when there is no ready access to an appropriate temple. Any Saint can create a shrine to their god simply by making a small cairn, sacrificing an offering upon it, and praying to their patron deity. Others may also create small shrines in this manner, however, it is up to the deity in question if they will answer calls from such individuals. Only Saints may expect to always receive a response from their deity. However, that response may not be a pleasant one if the deity believes their Saint is being insolent or wasting their time.

To make a prayer to a god, while before their blessed shrine or within their consecrated temple, is to put oneself in said god’s power. Furthermore, any devout worshippers of a god will be strengthened while within said god’s temple, and worshippers of a god of the same faction as the god in question will also be strengthened to a lesser extent.

Temples not only serve a religious purpose for the community in which they reside but a secular one as well. They provide housing not only for the priestly class but also Saints who happen to be passing through the area and as each god has an interest in a particular human endeavor, facilities for the instruction and practice of those activities. The specialties of each temple are as follows:

CHAOS


FREEDOM
Those dedicated to Freedom often have a large independent streak and enjoy travelling. They also strongly believe in freedom of information. As such, temples of Freedom often act to spread daily news, and also as a fairly secure messenger / postal service. In countries where slavery is practiced, temples of Freedom often try to help slaves escape, or emancipate them, which is why most countries with slaves ban the construction of temples of Freedom and assume their crucial secular functions or outsource them to private individuals.



CHANGE
Those of Change are often occupied with research and development, with a focus on biology, psychology and chemistry, all fields which involve much change. They are not terribly ethical about how they conduct their experiments, but are sometimes tolerated because they contribute original research that others can make use of, to Stability’s library. They are sometimes uncharitably called ‘mad scientists.




MADNESS
Temples of Madness usually double as asylums or rehabilitation centres. Being familiar with the ways of madness, they are often the best suited to treat madness, or at least make those who are mad more comfortable. Occasionally, they simply teach the mad how to hide their madness and be functional in society.





SUBVERSION
Those dedicated to Subversion often discreetly sponsor illegal activities, however, they are also the foremost trainers of spies, thieves, and assassins. They can be hired by anyone with the coin. Change often hires Subversion to steal copies of research from Stability’s libraries.


ORDER



DOMINION
Temples of Dominion often teach leaders and the children of nobility how to effectively rule. Their sermons are often about the need to submit to authority, and they are hence very popular among lands with monarchies. They teach future leaders important skills such as how to carry themselves to project an air of authority, and how to manage things such as logistics and public opinion.




STABILITY
Those of Stability offer counseling services, however, they are most widely known for their zealous preservation of knowledge. Although other temples may have their own libraries, the libraries of Stability are the largest, and have the most carefully preserved tomes. All but the rarest tomes are open to the public. Special dispensation is required for any of the older, rarer, more fragile books and scrolls. The librarians of Stability are known to be of stern demeanour and fierce temperament, and to have a longstanding grudge against the agents of Subversion who continuously make off with copies of valuable, unethical research.



REASON
Those of Reason are often occupied with research and development, with a focus on physics, engineering and philosophy, all fields with a heavy focus on laws and theories. They also attempt take the dangerous research that Change comes up with and modify or develop it to be safe and beneficial to the public. They have a longstanding rivalry with Change regarding which of them can produce the most scientific developments over time. They also strongly disapprove of Change’s unethical practices.




JUSTICE
Temples of Justice act as law courts, prisons, and police academies. They seek to uphold the rule of law, and train their devotees to similarly uphold the law. Their members tend to be both disciplined, and well-read. They are encouraged to understand both the letter and the spirit of the law, and in all circumstances uphold the ideals of Justice.


CIVIL


MERCY
Temples of Mercy double as houses of healing.They train healers of all kinds, and Saints of Mercy with the ability to heal often have the same Service; to heal all who require it, regardless of their affiliation. As such, Temples of Mercy are often welcome in all lands, and it is a capital offence to attack or harm any who wear Mercy’s symbol. This is enforced by all temples of all the gods in existence. Similarly harsh consequences are imposed on anyone pretending to be a healer of Mercy when they are not.



PEACE
Those dedicated to Peace are trained in the arts of negotiation and diplomacy. Given their dedication to non-violence and the marked tendency of violence to break out during attempts at negotiating Peace, those of Peace have developed a unique fighting style to turn an attacker’s aggression back on themselves, and to disable said attacker with as little harm as possible.




LOVE
Temples of Love oversee promises of engagement, and conduct marriage ceremonies. They often attempt to foster love in a community by organizing communal events for the whole family, and sometimes discreetly matchmaking.





PATIENCE
Disciples of Patience offer marriage counseling and couple therapy, however, they are mostly known for their social work and ceaseless attempts to help the less fortunate in their community. They also offer classes in anger management, teaching people how to let go of their anger and be patient.


BLOOD



WRATH
Temples of Wrath train berserkers on how to most effectively use their anger in battle. They also strongly support and will assist avengers who feel they have been wronged and wish to work outside the law. Temples of wrath encourage anger as a healthy emotion, a natural response to all that is wrong in the world, and teach people to think and act effectively even in the middle of their rage.




WAR
Temples of War teach all manner of martial arts and weaponscraft. They also offer education in war tactics and strategy, and produce top notch warriors and soldiers.Disciples of war are often hired as mercenaries in conflicts, and most generals in armies will have had at least some training from the temples of War.




LUST
Temples of Lust provide many highly trained companions and bedwarmers. Courtesans of Lust are generally the most highly skilled of their profession, and temples of Lust often act as high class brothels where one makes an offering to the Temple in return for ‘worshipping’ with a priest, priestess, acolyte, or several. Temples of Lust also offer erotic performances, and give lessons in seduction to those seeking to ensnare a spouse, or for any other purpose.




COURAGE
Warriors of Courage provide heart and counselling on the battlefield, and are often the first to lead the charge in any engagement. Those dedicated to Courage often become wandering heroes, knights errant and leaders of citizen militia. They also act as motivational speakers.


NEUTRAL GODS


FORTUNE
Temples of Fortune support many games of chance and luck, however their main draw is in the availability of the temple Oracle. Crowds come often to seek the Oracle’s wisdom, but the advice given is always cryptic and often difficult to interpret.





NATURE
Temples of Nature teach a wide variety of important subjects, such as herbology, agriculture, mining practices and husbandry. Those who work closely with the earth often consult temples of Nature to gain blessings for their endeavours, and ensure they do not accidentally incur Nature’s wrath.




ART
Temples of Art support artists of all kinds, from painters, to sculptors, to writers, to musicians. They are almost universally the most beautiful structures in the land, and often function to not only train and inspire artists of all kinds, but to connect them to art loving patrons, and to encourage a love for art in the populace.




DEATH
Temples of Death often function as great mausoleums for the dead, but its priests primarily interact with the living. Priests of Death officiate over both funerals and executions, as well as conducting the appropriate rites to show respect for the dead.

[Katara daughter of Water]

THE MARKEDxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Marked are those who are born with powers.There is no limit to the strength or variety of the power that may be born to one who is Marked, but every power is known to be accompanied by an inherent flaw or weakness to equal whatever said power is. For example, one born with great physical strength may be extremely simple in mind, and one with the ability to fly may be weaker and slower than other mortals when their feet are on the ground.

The Marked are rather rare, and are so named because they tend to be of interest to all supernatural entities. No one not even the Gods know the cause nor the source behind the powers born innately within these individuals and the Marked rarely ever lead peaceful lives.

[Katara daughter of Water]

WISH WISPSxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wish Wisps first appeared approximately five years ago. They appear as glowing blue balls of light with no discernible features, and speak in pleasant, androgynous voices. Wish wisps may be summoned by a widely known little children’s rhyme:


“Wish wisps, wish wisps, come to me, come and let me wish on thee.”


They also are known to appear before people with a particularly strong wish or desire they want to see granted. Far more amiable than the Gods, Wish wisps will grant any and all wishes that a person puts before them, including those the Gods would not grant on principle, such as time manipulation or true resurrection, or those the Gods feel would be a waste of their time such as providing the answers to stupid questions. However, there is always a price, equal to the value of the wish. Wish wisps will also answer to anyone who calls for them, unlike the gods who tend to only respond to calls from the Blessed, or the Marked who wish to be Blessed. The price of the wish often reflects the nature of the wish itself. Prices must be agreed upon before the wisp will grant a wish. Negotiation is possible, but wishes will not be granted unless the wisp agrees that the price offered is equivalent to the wish desired. Not everyone believes in the existence of the wisps and many a tall tale about the wisps have been told. The authorities and religious establishments do not approve of consorting with wish wisps. They see them as minor evil spirits or spirits of temptation as their bargains tend to undermine the power of the Gods.


RULES FOR DEALING WITH WISH WISPS


✷They may be called any time, any place.


✷Talking is not a free action. Time will continue happening during negotiations. External factors can kill characters while they are negotiating with wisps.


✷They will not grant wishes until prices are understood, and agreed to. They will attempt to fulfill the spirit of the wish, not just the wording, though they may ask for clarification if the wording seems unclear.


✷Wisps have no power, except over those they make a deal with. One cannot wish to curse or heal someone else, because that would require the wisp to exert power over another person. One can wish to have the power to curse or heal others.


✷The price of a wish often reflects the nature of the wish itself. Greater wishes will cost more. More specific, limited wishes will cost less. Wish wisps will not grant wishes that the character is unable to pay for.

The above rules are for the benefit of players. They are not necessarily common knowledge to the characters in this RP, though the Wisps have been around long enough that at least rumours of what they can do and what they are like has spread among the populace.

[Katara daughter of Water]

MAGICxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Magic refers to the vital energy that permeates existence. There is a little bit of this energy in everything, including in breezes, in water currents, in stones and in fire. Living creatures are observed to be the greatest generators of this energy; the more complex the creature, the more magic it gives out. Sapient creatures generate the most ambient magic, although non-sapient magical creatures use more magic in the simple function of their bodies. For that reason, non-sapient magical creatures may deteriorate rapidly in a low-magic environment, while sapient magical creatures may yet survive such an environment with only their own inherent magical generation. Deities are known to be uninterested in all animals, no matter how magical, as such animals do not generate as much magic as sapient beings. Most beings require the intervention of a third party, such as a deity or a wisp, in order to access their innate magic.


ICHOR

Ichor is the only known means by which some civilisations have found to travel between worlds. There are those who say it is the blood of the gods, but that is commonly taken as poetic license. In essence, it is pure, solidified magic, that gathers in deposits beneath the earth, and may be harvested similar to coal or gemstones. It is useful as a fuel source or natural enhancer in rituals, alchemic potions, and magitech devices.

[Katara daughter of Water]

THESE ARE THE KNOWN WORLDS IN THE GALAXY.
CLICK ON A PLANET TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT.

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[Katara daughter of Water]

ENVIRONMENTxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The world of Tir is illuminated by a sun, a moon, and the light that reflects off the ring that encircles it. Even in the dark of night, the sky appears as though it is in perpetual twilight and it is difficult to see the stars in certain latitudes where the ring take up much of the sky. Winters for both the northern and southern hemispheres are cold and the equator, where the ring appears as a straight line across the sky, is often plagued by showers of rock from the ring. Tir is inhabited primarily by humans and elves, but is also home to various races and species and as such is filled with a myriad of nations and cultures.

VIEWS FROM TIR: 1 2 3


HUMANS

Humans are some of the shortest living of the existing sapient species, however, they make up for that by being highly adaptable and innovative. The dynamism and diversity of humans have also led them to develop a wide variety of cultures and societies. Although certain beast races can tolerate higher or lower extremes of temperature, humans are able to live comfortably in the widest range of temperature, with better cold resistance than a dragon, and better heat resistance than most furred species. Human have high endurance, and high mental resilience, being able to react to and adapt to changing environments very quickly, where older races have a tendency to panic or react too slowly. Humans also have an above average ability to resist mental compulsion, compared to those of other races.


ELVES

Elves are a long-lived, nigh-immortal race that bear a very close resemblance to humans, differing mainly in their pointed ears. They have a very close relationship with nature, with most elves dwelling in the Great Forest to the west, although elven enclaves do exist in certain forests in the central region. Elves are immortal unless killed, but as elves grow older, they tend to fall into deeper and deeper reveries as they commune with nature, eventually melding into the earth itself to become an ancestor tree.

Ancestor trees are revered by elves, as becoming an ancestor tree is indicative of achieving enough peace and enlightenment to pass on to the next stage of existence without regrets. That said, ancestor trees do retain some awareness of the environment around them, particularly if one of their descendants, or someone they deeply care for, is speaking to them. Ancestor trees are also able to exert some control over the area around them, and they tend to get irritable if their natural growth is disrupted, such as with axe or fire. Ideally, every elf should live long enough that they may merge peacefully with nature and become an ancestor tree, and it is a tragedy whenever young elves die before they may achieve this state.

Although most elves tend to stay in their forests, there are those who become curious about the outside world, and so venture forth to explore and learn about other places and peoples. Young elves who wish to venture forth from the Great Forest, but do not quite dare to live directly amongst humans, will sometimes group together and form small elf villages near human settlements and engage in trade with their human neighbours. Older, more experienced elves may even be confident enough to choose to live in cities to get a more direct human experience. In the end though, elves generally seek to return to the Great Forest and spend the remainder of their lives bettering themselves and seeking to commune with, and themselves become, an ancestor tree.

Although elves are generally stronger, faster, and more agile than humans, they also have their own weaknesses. Salt burns their skin, and poisons them if consumed. Elves also have a magnetic sense, similar to birds in knowing where the poles are, and pure iron tends to severely disorientate them. This disorienting effect occurs only with pure iron though, and not with any form of iron alloy. Thus, being struck by an iron weapon would hurt more than being struck by wood or steel. Elves may still be killed by any weapon though, just as humans would.

KINGDOMS (more to be added)


VOLODIA

Originally little more than a group of clans fighting to survive in the bitter cold of the northern regions, Volodia has developed into the most technologically advanced of the major world powers of Tir, and is on the verge of becoming its largest nation state through the continued conquest of its neighbors. Volodia and the lands that have become part of its empire is an absolute monarchy ruled by a Saint of Stability. The bond between god and emperor colors nearly every aspect of Volodian society. The God of Stability sits at the head of their pantheon and the worship of Chaos has been entirely outlawed. Temples of Chaos are forbidden from existing within the confines of the empire and as such, the state or private enterprise have taken over the functions these temples normally would provide. In keeping with the emphasis the god of Stability places on the acquisition and preservation of knowledge, the Volodian empire is a melting pot of different cultures and children of both sexes from age six to ten regardless of class are required by law to receive instruction within temples of Stability in reading, writing, history, science, mathematics and martial arts. The Temple Library in Volodia’s capital is said to be the largest in Tir. Scholars from all over the world come to view its extensive collection and exchange ideas with other great minds.

Volodia prides itself on being a nation of strong and cunning innovators who recognize good ideas when they see them and believe that they are, through the expansion of their empire, bringing stability and unity to the world. Military service of 10 years is compulsory for all able bodied men and every family has the duty to provide the State and the goddess with one son to serve as a soldier for life. The families who fail in that duty often substitute a daughter for a son to avoid shame. The training for Volodia’s armed forces is a harsh and extremely brutal regimen that lasts from age eleven to age sixteen when they enter military service. Boys deemed too weak to fulfill their military service can only avoid scorn by becoming acolytes. Girls, by contrast, from age eleven to age fifteen are instructed in home defense and how to survive a siege after which point, they can choose to become acolytes and continue their studies, enter a trade or get married.

Volodia’s expansionist policies have begun bringing them into conflict with both the conservative elven territories, as well as other human powers, such as the Eastern Jade Empire.

JADE EMPIRE

The people of the Jade Empire are generally distrustful of foreigners and prefer to stay isolated. The values they most esteem are honor, humility, perseverance, loyalty and honesty. The Jade Wall that encircles their land has kept them admirably defended from outsiders, however, in recent years, a change in Emperor has led to a gradual opening of the empire’s borders, with more outsiders being allowed in, and more Jade merchants being sent out into the wider world. The Jade Empire appears to be feeling out its neighbours at the moment, though for what purpose has yet to be determined.

CLANNACH

Spared from Volodia's expansionist ambitions by a nigh-impassable mountain range wrapped around her northern border, Clannach is a kingdom at peace. Green forests hug the mountains, with alpine lakes feeding their snowmelt into the Kenna river. For most people, river traversal is easier (and safer) than most overland routes, so you'll almost never fail to see a barge or a sail dotting the water, regardless of time of day. The Kenna snakes its way southward before finally turning west when the foothills deflate to flatlands at Clannach's border with the city-state of Anodyne.

For a long time, Clannach's history was one of violence and infighting. Each tribe zealously guarded what was theirs, and periodically sought to take what wasn't. It had to stop, and so a Saint of Peace was given to the land.,He (or she; the old records are unclear on this point) traveled their homeland, proving their worth to friends and allies, and all the while suing for peace. Eventually, the clan leaders heeded the call and agreed to meet at the specified place. They found the Saint in a clearing alongside a large table made of solid stone, with seats enough for all. As grievances were aired and negotiations began, those seated at the Table found they could see their neighbor's reflections in the polished surface. But the reflections didn't always match their owners. The Saint had enchanted the stone so that those seated at the Table had their true intentions reflected upon its surface. Silver tongues failed their owners, stoic faces could not hide injured hearts, and all began to understand one another for who they really were. Once the truly duplicitous were swiftly dealt with, peace was negotiated in shockingly short order.

Clannach now stands as a conglomerate, with chosen representatives from each clan sent to the Table (which now has a temple of Peace and settlement built around it) to lobby for policies, air grievances, and advise the Clanarch. The Clanarch is chosen from among the worthy that each tribe deems to set forth. They rule for 13 years(one year for each tribe), at which point their rule is reaffirmed or another Clanarch is chosen. The current Clanarch is in his 12th year.

[Katara daughter of Water]

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The surface of Agartha is a barren, inhospitable wasteland, plagued frequently by deadly dust storms that make it impossible for people to live above ground. Instead, life flourishes in enormous, subterranean caverns beneath the earth, linked by tunnels both natural and man-made. Dwarves and Myrmidons are the only two sapient races in this world, and they have been locked in a perpetual conflict ever since they discovered each other.

VIEWS FROM AGARTHA: 1 2 3


DWARVES

Dwarves are short, brawny humanoids of an eminently practical nature. Dwarven settlements tend to be based around underground reservoirs of water for the sake of their crops, which they cultivate using specially-treated Ichor that emits both heat and light. Dwarves also breed aphids in order to milk them for their nourishing honey dew, though said aphids are often stolen from them in Myrmidon raids. The majority of dwarves are farmers, craftsmen and miners, with only a relatively small percentage acting as a dwarven Militia to defend against Myrmidon raids. Dwarf society is ruled by a Council of Senior Engineers, and dwarven life tends to be rather practical and regimented, with a heavy focus on safety, efficiency, and well-ordered work schedules. Only a handful of dwarves will become artisans and create masterpiece artistic works, while all other dwarven structures are made by design and architect teams. A century ago, a team of dwarven explorers ventured into the far regions of space. It is said they landed on a ringed planet known as Tir but no contact has been made with them since.


MYRMIDONS


Myrmidons are human-sized sapient ants. They are raiders and scavengers with a strong focus on achieving honour and glory for their colony. They enjoy demonstrating their personal strength in feats of combative prowess, and are addicted to the honeydew produced by aphids. They have a culture of raiding dwarven settlements to show the superiority and cleverness of their people, and it is considered a sign of weakness and cowardice to own anything one has not bled or sweated for. Myrmidon society is divided into distinct Castes, with the Queen and her loyal Raiders being at the top of this society. Untouchables are those Myrmidons that cannot fight, and are fit for only menial labour, while male Myrmidons are the lowest caste of all.
Male Myrmidons are far frailer and more delicate than their female counterparts, and their only hopes of advancing in Myrmidon society is to catch the attention of a female Myrmidon and be accepted as her property. The pinnacle of male achievement is to be chosen by the Queen herself as one of her Concubines. If a male is not accepted by a female by the time he starts to age out of prime desirability, he is made to leave the nest. Such nest-less males often perish quickly without females to protect and defend them.

[Katara daughter of Water]

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Dag is the land of eternal day. It is a cold planet, that rotates extremely slowly, and life flourishes only on the sunward side of the planet. Upon the shaded side, it is cold enough for the oceans to freeze, and to the inhabitants of this land, darkness means death. Flora and fauna alike follow the sun to survive, living as nomads that slowly migrate around the planet over the course of an approximately two month cycle. The period of Ocean-Crossing is an especially perilous time for them, as they must pick exactly the right time to cross, lest they freeze to death or have the ice give way beneath their weight.

VIEWS FROM DAG: 1 2


THE CAILEAN

The Cailean are the dominant life form on Dag. They appear as humanoid canids and exist as a hunter-gatherer society split into various clans. Currently, the most powerful clan is that of the Dogs. They style themselves as protectors of the Cailean as a whole, and are as varied in forms as there are species of dog. They are the most self-sufficient clan, as their clan members have bred themselves into specialising in many tasks. As such, they have become more successful and prosperous than many of the other clans, and thus have the resources to look outwards and aid or interfere in the matters of other clans. In the past, Dogs have defended many of their smaller, weaker brethren, helped in organizing safe Ocean-Crossings, and occasionally provided aid to starving clans. However, in recent times, Dogs have grown more and more arrogant and overbearing, believing their lofty status enables them to boss other clans around, or receive preferential treatment merely because they are Dogs.

This has naturally led to growing dissatisfaction among the other Cailean. Around the time of the Chaos storms, newcomers called the Hyena clan made themselves known, and swiftly rose to prominence. Led by the Aardwolf, the Hyenas have made pacts and agreements with the Jackal, and Coyote clans to form the Scavenger Alliance and oppose Dog dominance. Although each are individually less powerful than a Dog warrior, together they outnumber the Dog clan, and they are stronger than the non-combative members of the Dog clan. The most numerous clan, that of the Fox, are too wily to openly side with one clan or another, and neither the Dogs nor the Scavenger Alliance are choosing to press them, as the Fox clan is well known as being the clan of knowledge and secret bargains. Foxes are small and weak, but they are everywhere and they hear everything.

All clans mark their members with clan-tattoos, and those of the Fox-clan are among the most intricate and detailed. In general though, clan-tattoos of the Major Clans are more detailed than that of lesser clans such as the Dingoes, the Dholes, and the Raccoon-Dogs (no relation to the Dog clan). As the Major Clans war and posture over the best hunting grounds and water sources, the lesser clans stay quiet and simply do their best to survive both clan disputes, and encroaching Night.

[Katara daughter of Water]

ENVIRONMENTxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Long ago, in Chaos’ fury, worlds were destroyed rather than allowing them to bow to the dictates of Order. Many worlds perished, however, in one world, though the surface was made unlivable, enormous chunks for earth were thrown high into the sky, and many floating islands coalesced around the unpredictable, residual chaos magic. Thus was born Aetheria.

Given millennia to recover, the floating islands of Aetheria are now host to a myriad of flying races. Avians of all kinds are the most common race in Aetheria, however Dragons, Griffins, Bat-folk, and many more flying species, also make their home in this world. The natives of Aetheria tend to be strongly individualistic, and Explorers are a celebrated profession in Aetheria, as there are a multitude of flying islands to discover and win for one city-state or another. Merchant trade-caravans also often require top-notch Navigators to make the fastest, most profitable flights possible.

Although there is no open war between the various Sky-Cities, there remains a fierce competition, sometimes even rivalry, between all of Aetheria’s city-states to excel politically and economically. Intrigue is rife between various Merchant conglomerates, and Merchants often rise to great prominence, if not outright rulership of a Sky-City. Explorers are the wild cards that can make or break a city, shooting them to prominence, or beggaring them with expedition funds. Merchant conglomerates will often fund hundreds of Explorers, but only ten percent or so will bring significant prestige and resources to their city-state. Explorers will drop signal beacons on any profitable islands they find, or even build thrusters into particularly resource-rich islands so they may be steered towards one Sky-City or another. The beacons also tend to be personalised, and keyed to particular cities, to help establish claims regarding which Explorer group has discovered the island for which Sky-City.

Prominent Sky-Cities of Aetheria include Cloudshaven, Cyclonis, Arcus and Aurora. All Sky-Cities possess at least some degree of maneuverability, and the City-Navigators pay very close attention to state-of-the-art weather reports to ensure the cities do not accidentally drift into a volatile air current. Sky-Cities are often accompanied by a bevy of the most profitable islands discovered by Explorers so as to more easily have access to their resources. Chaos storms have been wreaking havoc in Aetheria due to their lack of warning when they strike, and tendency to dramatically agitate all wind currents and weather systems.

VIEWS FROM AETHERIA: 1 2


DRAGONS

Dragons are a large, intelligent reptilian race that can fly and breathe fire. They are approximately the size of two horses in their adult reptilian forms, though some can grow as large as three. All Dragons, however, have bodies elastic enough that they can contract themselves to only slightly larger than human size. Those who most frequently interact with the smaller races have also learned to walk upon their hind legs, keep theirs wings and tail from knocking into anyone, and speak the Common Tongue without lisping through their fangs. All Dragons hate the cold, as it makes them slower and more sluggish. Dragons have a special set of organs that allow them to breathe fire and mimic a warm blooded animals ability to make their own body heat. Because of this they are able to survive greater extremes of cold than an ordinary reptile. A dragon loses its ability to breathe fire though when the temperatures dip to low because their body diverts all its energy to keeping the dragon active and moving albeit sluggishly.


AVIANS


Avians are bird-like humanoids that come in a variety of body-types and plumages, depending on the type of bird they are based on. Eagle-based Avians are one of the tallest breeds, being approximately the size of a very tall human, while sparrow-based Avians are much slighter, almost half the size of an eagle-based Avian. Avians possess hand-like talons at the end of their wings, but their rear talons are also precise and flexible enough to function as a second set of hands. Avian talons are not designed for ground travel, and Avians in general tend not to do well in enclosed spaces. Adult Avians are good at focusing for long periods of time, but their young tend to be rather flighty and mercurial. Avians also have a pronounced tendency to panic at the unexpected.