ImmacuNES III: Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

NES is dead. Thanks for taking part.

A Kharkushian Map of Barsaive

courtesy of Vrutchen

Introduction

Welcome to ImmacuNES III: Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy. Our NES takes place in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world of dwarves and elves, sorcerers and warriors. The setting is based on an amalgamation of the Fall From Heaven mod for Civilization 4 and a role-playing game from 1993 called Earthdawn.

For years, the men, dwarves, gnomes, elves, orcs and trolls were forced to live in underground citadels known as kaers, while malevolent creatures from astral space, so terrible they could only be called Horrors, ravaged their world.

The time of hiding has passed. Now, the people of the kaers have returned, and reclaimed their place in the world. The fight is not over. The Horrors still linger in this world -- in the cities and ruins lost during the Scourge. A corrupt Empire seeks to reclaim it's provinces, and leaders and nations with dark ambitions seek to set themselves up as the new power in the absence of the Empire.

Players will sculpt nations from cities and ruralities, trade with one another, do battle with infantry, cavalry, archers, wizards, summoned wyverns and more. Their priests will call the will of the gods and their peasants shall revolt and open the city gates to the enemy. Their soldiers shall fall to arrows and disease. Their castles shall be crumbled by thrown rocks and mighty elementals and finally their leaders will be spitted on great pikes and roasted for an ork’s lunch. Hooray!

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

in alphabetical order

the Achatin: Kyzarc Fotjage
the Baal: Blackbard
the Bicormis Dwarves: NPC minor nation
the Kharkush: Vruchten
the Kraz-ke-Meka: Darksaber
the Nozkam Legon: ?
the Patria: NPC (not available for player adoption)
the Palitanate: Seon
the Pilseta: Charles Li
the Scions of Twilight: hbar
the Sjykalfar: Diamondeye
the Tabba Ghut Clan: Northen Wolf
the Throal kingdom: NPC (not available for player adoption)
the Uld'ar Ekolite
the Utilica: Merciary
the White Elves: NPC minor nation

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

Faction Design
Races

Spoiler :

Each player must choose what race they will play. If you have a mixed population just choose one race and customize it towards the other.

Human
+1 government and culture starting tech level
all leaders gain +1 governance attribute
growth cost is 1 (higher breeds slower, lower breeds faster)
Dwarves
+1 metals and crafts starting tech modifier
metals and crafts aptitude (20% tech discount)
leaders have +1 health and +1 brain attributes
default leaders require higher salaries
growth cost is 1.9 (higher breeds slower, lower breeds faster)
Gnomes
+1 metals and crafts starting tech modifier
+1 scholarly starting tech modifier
metals and crafts aptitude (10% tech discount)
scholarly aptitude (20% tech discount)
martial inaptitude (10% tech penalty)
leaders have +2 brains, -1 trade, -1 martial attributes
growth cost is 1.6 (higher breeds slower, lower breeds faster)
Elves
+1 food and growth starting tech modifier
+1 arcana or religion (player’s choice) starting tech modifier
food and growth aptitude (10% tech discount)
either arcana or religion tech aptitude (players choice) (10% tech discount)
metals and crafts inaptitude (10% tech penalty)
trade and exploration inaptitude (10% tech penalty)
leaders have +1 culture, +1 government, +2 health, +1 brains, -1 trade, +1 arcana or religion
default leaders require higher salaries
growth cost is 2.7 (higher breeds slower, lower breeds faster)
Orcs
+1 martial starting tech modifier
metals and crafts aptitude (10% discount)
martial tech aptitude (10% tech discount)
scholarly tech inaptitude (10% tech penalty)
arcana tech inaptitude (10% tech penalty)
leaders have –1 health, -1 brains, martial +2
growth cost is .7 (higher breeds slower, lower breeds faster)
Trolls
+1 crafts and metals starting tech modifier
+1 trade and exploration starting tech modifier
+1 martial starting tech modifier
crafts and metals aptitude (10% discount)
trade and exploration aptitude (10% discount)
food and growth tech inaptitude (10% penalty)
leaders have +1 trade, +1 martial, +2 naval
growth cost is 2.4 (higher breeds slower, lower breeds faster)

Customization

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You have 10 point with which you can customize your faction. Spend them on:

Bonus Starting Tech Ranks:
For each different knowledge, add 1 rank for 1 customization point, 2 ranks for 2 customization points or 3 ranks for 4 customization points.
Tech Aptitude:
Gain a 10% discount to the tech rate with one knowledge class for 4 points. Gain 20% discount to the tech rate for 8 points. You can’t get a 30% tech discount.
Tech Inaptitude
Gain 2 points by taking a 10% tech penalty with a particular technology. You can only take this once in total. Period.
Bonus Racial Leadership Traits
Add 1 point to any single attribute for all your leaders for 4 points. Cannot be taken more then once for any attribute.
Reduced Racial Leadership Traits
Subtract 1 point from a single attribute for all your leaders to gain 3 points. Cannot be taken more then once. Period.
Cosmopolitan:
You may hire soldiers not only from your own race, but from a second race additionally. So, you might have dwarven heavy infantry and elven archers if you wanted. Cost 1 point to access an additional race’s troops.
Bonus Leader
Gain a second leader with basic racial stats for 2 points. This isn’t really worthwhile in of itself (except it will save you some salary costs) but combined with additional leader traits, can give you a second high-quality starting leader. Note that a second leader requires that you possess a ‘government and culture’ tech rank of 2 or higher so you might need to take a bonus starting tech rank.
Bonus Leader Traits
Add 1 attribute point to any single attribute for 1 point, 2 attribute points for 3 customization points, or 3 for 5 points. If you have a second leader, you can use these points on either of your two leaders. If you want a character with ‘power’ (so if you designed a powerful wizard or something as one of your leaders), this is pretty much the only way to get it (except magic weapons)
Bonus military Division.
Its about 1000 people. You can pick from light infantry, scouts or skirmishing troops. No cavalry bursting out of the kaers. Costs 1 customization point. You do get 2 divisions to start with so you aren’t completely without defense if you fail to use your points on this option.
Bonus Fancy Military Division
Got an idea? Submit it and we’ll see how much it should cost.
Bonus Population
No major diseases, horror break-ins? Great, maybe you got a big population. This is useful in the early game for more gold and research. Increase starting population by 1 for 1 point or by 2 for 3 points.
Bonus Worker
Basically you have a bonus starting rurality ready to settle down and start producing. Normally a worker lets you set up a rurality (once it gets to its destination) only when you spend enough food and hammers alongside it, but this guy comes all ready to work with food and hammers and everything else. Costs 2 customization points.
Bonus Starting Food
Gain 15 food per point spent. This could help you grow your city and ruralities quickly. Spend max of 3 points.
Bonus Starting Gold
Gain 15 gold per point spent. Precious precious gold. Spend max of 3 points.

Have fun. If you have other ideas, feel free to suggest them.

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

History

The following is based largely on an amalgamation of the Fall From Heaven mod for Civilization 4 and a role-playing game from 1993 called Earthdawn.

Angels and Gods

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The Birth of Man

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The Age of Dragons

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The Age of Magic

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Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

The Age of Elements

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Age of Shadow

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As the Scourge draws nearer, the kingdoms and cultures of the world prepare for the mass invasion of the Horrors. Some build small underground villages with protective wards woven from the roots of the plants above. The dwarfs of Throal hollow out most of an entire mountain, the largest in the kingdom, to build their kaer. Other cities, most notably those of the Bannor become fantastic citadels, with handwritten runic phrases carefully inscribed on every bit of masonry in the city. With each new report of a Horror, work becomes more frantic, ever more urgent. Fear and panic result in such a heavy spread of rumors that it becomes difficult to sort out the truth. Contact between cities, and between kingdoms, becomes erratic. Some cities become so fearful that they isolate themselves years before the actual Scourge begins.

Throughout this time, the most reliable communications come from, or through, Patria. The Patrian Empire literally holds together the fabric of civilization until most of their client states are prepared.
Patrias demands for slaves greatly increase during this period. Life is cheap, so the demands are met. Rulers sometimes sell an entire town into slavery in order to obtain the Runes of Warding to protect two or three other towns. Throal and the Malakim balk at the increased demand for slaves and work furiously to pay Patrias dear price with raw elements.

Some nations reject Perpentachs demands outright. Queen Alachia of Wyrm Wood, High Queen of the Elves, despises the Patrians for their use of slavery and for their political opposition to her rule. She commands that no elven nation, and no elf, follow the Patrian ways of protection. She presents an alternative in which elf Elementalists will use wood magics to weave the living plants of a forest into a kaer. The Horrors, she believes, will be unable to pass through living wood.

Elven scholars outside Wyrm Wood, and it is said even some within, are aghast at the proposal. They believe that though the Patrian method is not foolproof, it would provide more effective protection against the Horrors. These magicians and scholars doubt that any wooden kaer could possibly withstand the savage physical punishment the Horrors would inflict upon it. Alachia, however, stands resolute. She vows that any elf who follows the Patrian way will be forever separated from all of elven culture. This threat, far from cowing the other elven nations, shatters the great cultural elven empire Alachia commanded, presumably forever.

Word comes first from the elves of the faraway Northern-Eastern Kingdoms. As the elves most distant from the Court at Wyrm Wood, they feel the least amount of true loyalty to its ways. Though little is known of those Northern Kingdoms in Barsaive, their rejection of Alachia represents a severe blow to her power. Before she can react, Alachia receives word from other elven nations and city-states that they refuse to follow her. They wish the Court well, but they will not follow Alachia to what they believe to be certain death. Queen Alachia, in the end, does not formally declare these nations separate. Their refusal has bereft the Elven Court of much of its power, making any such declaration an empty gesture. Instead Alachia chooses to wait until after the Scourge when her continued existence can prove her wisdom. At her command, the elves of Wyrm Wood begin the construction of the wooden kaer.

Age of the Scourge

Spoiler :

Scholars now place the beginning of the Scourge in the seven hundred and eighth year of the Calendar. The indicator for the beginning of the Scourge: the sealing up of Patria. As a center and focus of magical power, Patria is beset by the Horrors earlier and with greater severity than the rest of the world. Patrias last words to her subject nations are wishes of luck and safety, and an affirmation of her power. Then, the great Dome of True Air and Fire that surrounds the island ignites and seals Patria off from the world.

Though some other groups had previously sealed themselves off, the rest of the world sees the sealing of Patria as the last great sign that the Scourge is beginning. Horrors appear with increasing frequency and are becoming more than a match for local militia, constabulary, and brave adventurers.

Within twenty years of the sealing of Patria, the rising tide of Horrors cuts off virtually all communication between kingdoms. Even astral space becomes too polluted to access. Mindless herds of destructive Horrors roam the land, consuming every scrap of life they can find. Other, more intelligent Horrors probe existing defenses, and batter their way through weaker ones. Still others infiltrate society and slip with the people into their kaers. They wait and reveal themselves, violently or subtly, after the kaer has been sealed.

In Barsaive, the great powers of Throal and Sky Point, the Patrian provincial capital, brace themselves against the Horrors and remain open and accessible for as long as they can. Both provide shelter for refugees until the last possible moment. Throals kaer, though of Patrian design, includes additional mystical dwarf craftsmanship.

In the years just before the Scourge, the dwarfs of Throal do not remain idle. Years of administering Barsaive under Patrian domination have taught them much. They know that during the projected time of the Scourge, four hundred years, much of society and culture will wither within the kaers. The Patrian plan prepared for every aspect of physical survival; they provided for magical plant nurturing, air and waste recirculation, and breeding cycles. However, the Patrians had neglected the less tangible things.

To this end, the dwarfs created The Book of Tomorrow. In this book, they set down the history of Barsaive and Patria, the great tales of the day and others past. They wrote out the dwarf language in its entirety so that children in the kaers could learn to speak, read, and write a common tongue. The book told them how to rebuild their homes and lands once the Horrors had gone. The book told them how to use arts and crafts as a continuing sign that they were free from the influence of a Horror, for the dwarfs had learned that a person Horror-tainted could not create things of art and beauty. And most important, it told the dwarfs how to tell when the dark days of the Scourge were over.

Across the world, cities and towns, villages and city-states lock themselves in underground fortresses in preparation for the worst. Centuries pass as the people within the kaers and citadels huddle in fear and gradually learn to cope, all the while longing for the touch of sunlight and the taste of clean air. The inhabitants of many kaers will not live to see the sun again. Horrors batter or guile their way into more kaers than anyone even in their darkest thoughts believed possible. Whole cities are lost to the Horrors, entire societies and civilizations gone forever.

Four hundred years pass and those kaers that hold copies of the Throal Book of Tomorrow know the magic ritual that will tell them when they may safely re-enter the world. Those lacking this ritual must guess and hope. The magic itself is basic: a simple ball of True Earth is enchanted and placed over a dish of True Water. The magics of the ritual keep the ball suspended over the water. As the effect of Ceridwens heaven wanes, and the Horrors are forced to retreat, the ball of True Earth descends until it finally touches the True Water, and the two mix and neutralize each other.
All across Barsaive, the people in the kaers watch the ball descend. Slowly, ever so slowly, generation after generation it drops toward the water. Finally, after 300 years, the ball stops falling, hanging an inch above the water. Shocked scholars and magicians watch in wonder and dread. It is too soon, by a hundred years, for the Scourge to have abated. And why had the ball stopped? No one knew the answer then, and no one knows to this day.

A few years pass and the people in the kaers begin to believe that the ball will not descend any further. The doors of the kaers begin to open into a bright, sunlit world ravaged by the Horrors.

It is the present.

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

Maps

the world:

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the continent of Barsaive:

the natural look

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the hex look

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Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

Terrain:

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Terrain determines fertility, ore, defense and movement cost. These are the attributes of terrain.

Attributes

Fertility

This attribute feeds into the food production of farms and fisheries and the trade goods of plantations. It is greater in optimal conditions such as lowland grasslands with rivers and worst in high mountains of the arctic.
Ore

This attributes feeds into the hammer production of mines and the trade good production of mines on precious minerals. It is optimal in low and high mountains and lowest in the lowlands. Ore is unaffected by vegetation.
Defense

Only forts or other constructs will actually provide a defense attribute. Mountains, forests, rivers, even grassland may all provide a bonus to your unit’s combat in that hex but this will be based on the player’s orders and their use of the terrain
Movement Cost

Different terrains will cost your armies different amounts of movement points to move through. Some units will be able to ignore part of this movement cost.

Terrain has three descriptors. The first is the altitude. The second is vegetation and the third is special resources. In addition to these descriptors, terrain can be improved (see above, ruralities and cities).

Descriptors

Altitude

A particular hex will only qualify as one type of altitude.
- Lowlands
  
  Lowlands are colored the palest lavender, almost white on the map. They have a base fertility of 3, a base ore productivity of 1 and a base movement cost of 2.
- Hills
  
  Hills are pale purple on the map. They have a base fertility of 2, a base ore production of 2 and a movement cost of 3.
- Low Mountains
  
  Low mountains are darker purple on the map. They have a base fertility of 1, a base ore production of 3 and a movement cost of 4.
- High Mountains
  
  High mountains are the darkest purple on the map. They have no fertility, a base ore production of 3 and a movement cost of 6.
- Coast
  
  Coasts have no associated vegetation. They have a base fertility of 2.5 (up from the original rating of 2), produce zero ore and have a movement cost of 3.
- Sea
  
  Seas also have no associated vegetation. They have a base fertility of 2 (up from the original rating of 1), produce zero ore and a have a movement cost of 5.
Vegetation

A particular hex will only qualify as one type of terrain though it may contain elements of other types.
- Grassland
  
  Grassland has limited forest (though smaller forests may exist within the hex). They have no effect on fertility, ore production or movement cost.
- Forests
  
  Forests can either be the southern deciduous forests or the northern coniferous forests of the northern isles. The differentiation does not affect game stats. Forests increase movement costs increase by 2. There is no effect on ore production or fertility
- Deserts
  
  Deserts reduce fertility by 3 and increase movement costs by 4. There is no effect on ore production.
- Arctic
  
  Arctic reduces fertility by 3 and increase movement costs by 4. There is no effect on ore production.
Special Resources

Unlike vegetation and altitude, a tile can have more then one resource. Most often one is a river.
- Grains, Livestock, and Fish
  
  Grains, Livestock and Fish increase the fertility of the tile by 3.
  
  Once you get growth and food tech of 5 or more, you will automatically receive some information on food resources outside your cities' cultural reach.
- Textiles, Spices, and Dye
  
  These special resources allow the construction of plantations. Without them there can be no plantation.
  
  Once you get trade and exploration tech of 5 or more, you will automatically receive some information on these resources outside your cities' cultural reach.
- Industrial Resources
  
  These special resources increase ore production by 3.
  
  Once you get crafts adn metals tech of 5 or more, you will automatically receive some information on these resources outside your cities' cultural reach.
- Precious Metals and Gems
  
  These special resources allow the production of trade goods in mines built here.
  
  Once you get trade and exploration tech of 5 or more, you will automatically receive some information on these resources outside your cities' cultural reach.
- Rivers
  
  Rivers add 1 fertility and 1 ore production

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

The Ruralities:

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Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

Cities:

Spoiler :

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

City Improvements:

Various improvements are available to build in your cities. They require prerequisite knowledge in a variety of technologies and will cost you a set number of hammers to build. Like ruralities and cities, you can substitute gold for hammers if you need to.

You’ll find that there are no buildings that have a prerequisite knowledge rank score above 6; that’s because the high-tech buildings should all be unique to the faction building them. So that’s where your unique buildings come in. I hope you have fun designing them; I know I’ll have a fund time hitting them with ‘random’ (mwah ha ha) events.

The table below lists the requirements for the improvements you can build in the early and mid game.

Spoiler :

Adept’s Study
Arcana +1
Agora
Trade +1, Governance +1
Generates food based on trade city attribute
Almshouses
Health +1, Governance +1
Aqueduct
Health +1
Cities built on a river cannot build aqueducts.
Barracks
Martial +1, Naval +1, Piety +1, Arcana +1
Blacksmith
Martial +1
Produces hammers based on the number of mines associated with the city and the crafts and metals technology.
Caravanserai
Trade +1
Produces trade goods and research based on the trade attribute of the city.
Carnival
Culture +1
Produces gold based on local trade good production and the culture attribute.
City Hall
Governance +1
Coliseum
Culture +1
Produces gold based on culture city attribute
Diviner’s Lodge
Brains +1, Piety +1
Elder Council
Governance +1, Brains +1
Epic Walls
Culture +1, Defense +1
Foundry
Produces hammers based on the number of mines associated with the city and the crafts and metals technology.
Garrison
Defense +1, Martial +1
Grain Exchange
Produces Gold Based on Food Production
Granary
+1 Health
Grand Temple
Culture +1, Piety +1
Infirmary
Health +1
Allows martial (biological) units to heal without spending the entire turn in the cultural radius of the city (so you can heal and move out or you can fight, withdraw and heal)
Library
Brains +1
Produces Research based on total city Brains attribute.
Lighthouse
Produces food based on associated fishery rural improvements
Mage’s Tower
+1 Arcana
Market
+1 Trade
Produces gold based on local trade good production and city trade attribute
Military Academy
+1 Martial
Produces reseach based martial and brains city attributes
Monument
+1 Culture
Naval Academy
+1 Naval
Produces research based on naval and brains city attributes
Palisade
+1 Defense
Port
+1 Trade, +1 Naval
Shipyard
+1 Naval
Allows naval units to heal without spending the entire turn in the cultural radius of the city (so you can heal and move out or you can fight, withdraw and heal)
Stone Walls
+1 Defense
Temple
+1 Piety
University
+1 Brains
Produces research based on brains city attribute
Wizard’s Academy
+1 Arcana
Produces research based on brains and arcana city attribute.
Workshops
Produces Trade goods based on rural plantations and commercial mines improvements

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

Leaders:

Spoiler :

Leaders can be used in two ways. They can serve as governors or they can serve as military leaders.

Default leaders are always available and have basic racial stats. They also rquire payment. Specific leaders are more fun, can be given magic items, have names and can be customized. A major part of what I hope will be a fun experience with them is how they will develop and grow as the game progresses. They usually don’t require payment.

Leaders represent more then just individuals (though they can represent individuals). They also represent organizations or even dynasties that might leadership within the community (and self-perpetuate). The ‘Grand Shaman’ may be a post filled by one individual after another but the post, the perpetuity of the apprentice and master relationship and the respect given to that post by the culture all combine to make the ‘Grand Shaman’, no matter who it actually might be, a character.

Limits

A nation can have no more leaders then it does ranks in the ‘governance and culture’ technology. This does not include default leaders which are always available and are not included against the limit.

Attributes

Salary

This is the turn by turn payment the leader requires to remain with the player’s faction. It is a trait shared with units but not with cities. Not all leaders require a salary.
Power

This is the individual power of the unit. It represents the leader’s capacity to fight individual battles (as opposed to commanding units as a general). Dragons would have high power but a little hobbit, no matter how good a general, would most probably have low power. A power value of zero is default. Almost all units will have a power of zero (the exception being some high-end summons or exotic creatures). A unit without power cannot face army units but a unit with power can.
Governance

A leader operating as a governor will add its governance attribute to that of the city its governs. A general’s governance describes his or her capacity to organize non-military matters (logistics, etc).
Health

A leader’s health attribute will add to the city’s when governing. As a military leader it provides very little benefit though it might if the army was struck by disease.
Culture

A leader’s culture attribute represents much of their popularity. A governor with high culture will increase the culture of the city and a military leader with good culture will have more unit loyalty then one with poor culture.
Trade

Good traders will increase the trade income of the city they govern. I can’t think of any obvious way that it would benefit a military commander but as the game progresses, we might find one… who knows?
Brains

A leader’s brains will assist in research production when governing. Brains on a general will help them develop some interesting stratagems, allow more lateral thinking and a capacity to adjust to situations quickly.
Martial

Good generals need good martial. The martial attribute of the general acts to greatly increase the effectiveness of the units under the leader’s command. A unit’s strength is based on its training, its experience and its commander’s ‘martial’ attribute. A governor with good martial will greatly increase the training of troops recruited in the city.
Naval

Good admirals possess good naval. It greatly increases the strength of naval units under the admiral’s command. It functions in a manner similar to the leader’s martial when training and building new naval units.
Piety

The martial attribute for your priests and religious units. Some units are affected by both martial and piety. Leaders with good piety may command divine magics to assist in battle just as priest units themselves might.
Arcana

The martial attribute for your mages. Some units are affected by both martial and arcana. Leaders with good arcana may command arcane magics to assist in battle just as wizard units themselves might.

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

Techs:

There are eight knowledge technologies. They are

Food and Growth
Crafts and Metals
Trade and Exploration
Scholarly
Government and Culture
Military
Religion
Arcana

You cannot trade technology.

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

Military

Spoiler :

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

Units: Martial

Unit Table (unit tech requirements, costs, salary, movement)

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Colonists

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Scouts

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Skirmishers

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Missile Units

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Infantry

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Missile Infantry

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Animals

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Cavalry

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Cavalry Skirmisher

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Missile Cavalry

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Engineers

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Units: Naval

Oar Vessels

One oar-powered vessel can carry 2 units (as a transport).

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Sail Vessels

One sail-powered vessel can carry four units (as a transport).

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Units: Pious

Acolytes

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Priests

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Units: Arcane

Adepts

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Mages

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Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

Faiths and Cults of Barsaive

Church of the Runes

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The single largest organized religion amongst the people of Barsaive, the Church of the Runes is a faith dedicated to the earth goddess Killmorph and can trace its history to times prior to the scourge when much of the population of Barsaive, gnomes and dwarves in particular, followed this faith. Currently, it is very popular amongst the dwarves of Throal and active though certainly not popular amongst the Uld’ar (exported from the dwarves of Throal over the last 20 years), the Achatin (indigenous and surviving the scourge within the Achatin kaers, though in very small numbers) and the Nozkam Legon (having survived as part of their culture during the years of the scourge).

Kilmorph is called Goddess of the Earth, but she is also known as the Goddess of the Harvest. In addition to presiding over the minerals she also presides over the season of autumn, and answers the prayers of farmers by making sure their harvests are plentiful if they have worked hard enough to deserve this bounty. At the heart of the sphere is the idea that hard work is a good thing and should be rewarded, while laziness is a serious vice that cannot be excused.

The work that exemplified Kilmorph is generally skilled labor, crafts that are slowly honed though years of practice. Her faith thus teaches that society itself should develop in a similar manner. The Church of the Runes is a very classically conservative faith and oppose change or challenge to familiar ‘family values’ (such as the adultery of the Throalic King Varulus III).

As Patria, patron nation of Mammon is the feared opposition of the Thoalic dwarves, so too is Kilmoprh’s main opposition is Mammon, God of Greed, and his hell is that most feared by the followers of this faith.

Kilmorph's faith does not condone slavery for forced labor except maybe in payment for debts where the servitude is temporary and can be worked off. They favor apprenticeship, which could be seen as a sort of indentured servitude. It seems that part of the training of a Priest of the Runes to spend time as an apprentice in various other trades and that they may later be expected to fill in for these skilled craftsmen in times of need.

Soldiers of Kilmorph are expected to make all their own weapons, armor, and equipment. Self sufficiency is a big deal.

The principles of Amamulosh

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Tabba Ghut Cult of Aeron

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Baal Cult of Agares

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From the Baal book of Agares.

Despair in me. Those that know that no other God can offer despair as profound and lasting as mine, shall live knowing your afterlife shall be a golden paradise. What can any other promise you that will be beyond this? Turn from me and beware your lasting and lingering reward from me in the afterlife.

A prayer to Agares.

Let me know of no darkness more profound then you. May mine enemies drown in the depths of despair beyond their imagining. I beg that my steps remain in shadow and that their silence ten folds the misery of mine enemies waiting and anticipation. Let me cleave the hope others may hold dear to their heart and replace it with the anguish and despair that only you can bestow upon an unbeliever. May my arm grow stronger as it swings the blade of despair deep into the souls of our enemies. In His name we pray.

The Cult of Agares

The cult of Agares is one of darkness and despair. Typically followers accept the despair of their God knowing that it will not only harden them to it, but that it will be but a fraction of what can and will be visited upon non believers and those that turn from Him. The followers of Agares seem to revel in the misery of their enemies and pray for them to be swallowed in the dark maw of despair that is their God. Though they pray for their enemie’s downfall, they will also ask for aid from their God when despair becomes to great a factor in their life. As a follower of Agares, it behooves you to be in communion with your deity in order to continue to function and instill your God’s will upon others.

The cult of Agares, while relatively small, has slowly spread across the land as the Baal exited their Kaer. People of different lands have slowly begun to see the benefits of being what they consider “immune” to the greater power of despair that comes for those that are non believers. It is not unknown during a battle for small groups of warriors to turn on their fellows in the hopes of seeking the favor of Agares. It has become important for generals seeking to oppose the followers of Agares to keep his troops from discussing the possible benefits of this God, or to ensure that their own Gods are forefront in their minds.

The priesthood of Agares is composed of primarily women. While there are men within this organization, women seem to be in greater number and in higher positions in the hierarchy. The women do not take husbands, but it is quite common for them to take lovers and to bear children. These children are most often girl children. Reasons are unknown, other than it being believed that it is divine intervention. The girl children have two paths to them in their future. They can either join the priesthood if they have the magical spark needed to become a priestess, or they can join the black sisterhood. This is a group of women solely dedicated to assassination, poison, and other clandestine forms of combat. However, they are also very skilled fighters and can often be seen in amongst the men of the Baal during times of conflict, administrating their own forms of religiousness by introducing the enemy to their God personally in the afterlife.

The boy children are more often then not accepted into the clan warrior societies. As each clan fights in a slightly different manner, they have many specific skills to master. There is no changing clan after the child has been accepted into the totem clan that is revealed by his mystic experience. Therefore, it is not unheard of for blood siblings to be in different clans, as they have found their totem creatures to be different during their totem quest. Boy children can alternatively, and yet rarely have an aptitude for magic. This leads them to a group known as the magi. The magi are practitioners of magic and are willing to embrace any form of the art so long as it empowers them and consequently the people of the Baal.

The kobolds of the Baal are also followers of Agares. They have found kindred spirits with their humans when worshiping the God of despair. All hatchlings are raised as followers of their God, and at a suitable age, are also put through the spirit totem quest. They will then also become part of a clan and typically take up scouting or skirmisher duties when able.

Utilican Cult of Aeron

Spoiler :

Scath Talamh & Scath Ion

Spoiler :

For over a century the one faith that has eclipsed all others in Achat is the Scath Talamh. Their Holy Trinity of the goddesses Kilmorph and Nantoseulta and the feminine aspect of Lord Esus has been the norm. Their faith has been almost alone in having no scions, no little side cults that would draw the faithful away. This has changed. With the coming of Glamdrin to our land and the massive influx of Blossoms of Mercy their is a massive power shift in the entire faith. The unity has shattered as ten thousand worshippers, almost a third of the church have declared that the Lady of Mercy is watching over us, that she is part of the trinity. Some call for the traditional Trinity to be changed, that Nantoseulta should be removed, while others call for the removal of Kilmorph. There is a very small but vocal minority calling for instead of the traditional trinity that their should be a double dichotomy, Shadow and Light with Esus and Sirona, and Magic and Mundane with Nantoseulta and Kilmorph.

The two main sects of the Scath are the Talahm and the Ion. The Scath Talahm are the old guard and are still the majority, but just barely. They still worship the holy trinity of Esus, Kilmorph, and Nantoseulta. Their meetings, once shrouded in darkness and mystery, have become public affairs. The church’s original doctrine of secrecy and protection has slowly disappeared as years of peace and safety have eroded their meaning. If the church was as decisive and strong as it had been in the years after Emergence then they would likely still be in power by a sizable majority. As it is they’re rapidly losing the faithful to their rival sects, with barely half of the total worshippers.

The Scath Ion is the largest minority, having about a third of the faithful in their ranks. They have removed Nantoseulta from their Trinity, placing Sirona in instead. They also have placed various saintlike figures as prophets for the goddesses. Glamdrin from before the Scourge is the champion of Kilmorph, his tireless efforts to unite the dwarves and gnomes and his sacrifice at the Battle of the Sealing both exemplify the virtues of Kilmorph. Sharad is seen as a saint of Esus, even though he has never shown even the slightest sign of subservience or worship to any of the gods. The Ionites can’t really explain why he’s a prophet, saying it just feels right. The Glamdrin of now is obviously a prophet of Sirona. I shouldn’t need to explain why. It is odd that all three of these so-called saints are male while all three goddesses are, well, female. It seems that the Ionite church has been influenced by the rash of female leaders in recent history.

These two sects are currently in a wary cease-fire, not quite trusting the other but also not wanting to be the first to strike. Hopefully this tension will ease away in the next few years, but the way things are going now the Scath Talahm will likely make its move before the two churches will reconcile. They know how many of their followers are leaving.

The White Hand

Spoiler :

From the Book of Winter-
The Void collapsed into a thought, and that thought was the All Father, who awoke before all else was awoken. The All Father felt alone, and for an age of this world, the he whispered and sang to the earth and the stars and slowly drew them from their slumber and into being. And for Another Long Age, he wandered the earth, exploring by the light of the stars, teaching them to speak and listening to their song and conversation. And the All Father spoke to the earth. With time, the Earth grew lonely, and spoke to the All Father “Lord who created all, why must I be lonely. The stars above have countless companions, while I travel through the dark alone.” And the All Father saw that this was just, and wrought from the ice that covered the land all manner of Animals and plants, and the earth thanked him heartily. But, in time, the Earth grew discontent and asked again of the all father “These creatures and plants you have created are very well, but they are not truly my equals. I cannot converse with them, nor they with me.” And the All Father recognized the truth in this, and with great care, wrought from the ice and the snow a creature in his image, and, to make them truly the equals of the earth, he took a bit of the earth and a bit of his warmth and blew it into his creations.
His creations awoke, and looked around, and gazed in askance at the All Father, and he spoke to them “Welcome, my children.”
And they answered him, “Who are we? Why are we here?”
The All father smiled, and knew that he had truly created the equals of the earth, for only a thinking creature is able to ask of itself. And he answered “You are Humankind, and your purpose is to discover why you exist.” For the All Father knew that he had not only created mankind for Earth’s companionship, but rather for a higher purpose.
He pondered this for a year and a half, and in that Time Earth taught Mankind farming and how to use fire and how to build cities, but never was the All Father’s statement Forgotten.
Yet, in that Age, mankind learned to use the heat and light from within the earth, and tamed it, building glorious cities and writing epics of all kinds and creating works of art which were as beautiful as the stars themselves. Indeed, some spoke that the stars had offered some of their light in the creation of these jewels. The Greatest of these were a pair of jewels, A globe of the brightest fire, which would keep all heated and lit, and a globe of the softest light, under which no evil could be perpetrated.
Yet, Earth grew jealous and spiteful, believing that all it had wrought was it’s own, to do what it wished with. As the Ages passed, the Earth grew corrupted and twisted, seeking revenge on that which it had asked for. And, finally, in a great upheaval, the Earth declared war on Mankind. The Armies of Mankind were powerful and it’s weapons were of great magical strength, but in the end, they were all cast down, and, while they cast great scars in the Earth, it was far too powerful. Mankind was reduced to but a hundred survivors, and, in desperation, they pleaded the all father for help.
And the All father came to their aid, but knew that the cost would be great. He Fashioned a score of Angelic Generals, Each more wise and beautiful than the last. The Greatest of These was named Agares, and it was he who fashioned the master plan with which to defeat Earth. And so, in a glorious final battle, the Angels led the hosts of the Stars to battle. And, so Earth was cast down and destroyed.
And so Earth fell, to be eternally bound in silence. But as it fell, it spoke to the Angles, Cursing them. Yet they scoffed, believing themselves more powerful than any power they had cast down, and so, in this arrogance, the curse of Earth began to take hold, for the earth had lived as long as the All Father, and had learned some of the great secrets of existence, and no means could truly completely bind the greatest of Evils.
Yet, Earth was reduced to nothing but a silent shadow of itself, on which mankind was able to live in safety and prosperity.
Gratefully, mankind offered the Angels their greatest of treasures, which they named the Sun and the Moon, and offered to the angels dominion over each of the precepts which Earth had previously governed. In Return, the Angels swore to always protect mankind. And while they split the dominion of the earth between themselves, The All Father kept for himself that which was the most as the old time, before. As his own, he kept the ice and the snow and the eternal night when the stars may be heard to sing.
And for another Age, All the Races of Mankind lived in peace with the Angels. Yet, in their arrogance, the curse of the earth was slowly working.
And, one day, Agares, greatest of the Angels, sought the All Father, and asked of him why the power of creation was kept from the Angels. And the All Father spoke sadly, for he could foresee the strife that would happen. “You are not ready for it, my children.”
But Agares only smiled coldly and answered “Very Well,” and went back to his companions, and led them in rebellion against the All Father. Yet they soon fell to bickering among themselves and war broke out amongst them.

…And so the All Father appeared to Signud Raskarson and spoke to him “Why do you seek knowledge of that which is unsafe to you?” But Raskarson was a troll of the lineage of heroes, proud and fierce, and refused to accept the wisdom offered by The Old Man, and so he set out on a quest for answers. He left his land far behind, seeking, searching, until eventually he came across an old crone pulling a sled with four or five blocks of ice on it, which she would use to keep her meat fresh. Being a Noble soul, Raskarson spoke to the old woman “Grandmother let me carry that for you” and he did, lugging the ice to her home.
The Old woman’s home was but a cave carved in the stone wall, but it was furnished richly, with curtains and a fire roaring in a hearth. She spoke to Raskarson “Stay here tonight, and tomorrow you will find what you seek.” Hearing wisdom in her words, Raskarson sat on the palet she had designated. She fed him richly, and he fell asleep in the warm glow of the fire.
He was awoken the next morning by a bitingly cold wind, and looked around in shock. The furnishing of the cave had disappeared. There was no trace of the old woman, not even burn marks in the hallow that had served as a hearth. As he looked around the cave, he saw that the cave went much deeper than he had expected. He walked into the depths of the cave, through winding tunnels and over sharp precipices, until he came upon a room which shone with it’s own brilliance. Within this room a number of men and woman stood, each more beautiful than the last. Raskarson looked upon them in wonder, for he realized that he looked upon the lesser gods, the Children of the All Father, of the Winter, who had sprung forth from the Winter as all life does.
He Gazed on them, and for a moment thought of the All Father in hatred and anger, anger that he had hidden these from Mankind. He walked towards the closest figure and looked more closely at it, peering down at it’s quickly moving hands, and saw with horror that this figure held the souls of many dead in it’s hands, counting them over and over, greedily eyeing the souls the others held. Horrified, he backed away, into another figure which paid him no mind, busy as it was building and tinkering, using the souls it had captured as fuel for it’s machines. And Raskarson realized that each and every figure in the room held souls, which it was using for it’s pleasure: One in the distance was torturing them, another watched in apathy as it’s souls drowned, another had lined up it’s souls in a line, and was beheading them one by one, reciting a list of crimes, another’s souls were burning with a deep and cruel flame. All around, similar scenes of Depravity and Sin were being repeated. Until Raskarson noticed, in the back, a last figure, which was doing nothing but watching it’s fellows with a smile. Then it turned, and spoke to Raskarson in s voice redolent with sadness “Despair, mortal, for this is what awaits you in death.”
Raskaron’s courage failed him, and he ran from the chamber, into the arms of the All Father, who looked sadly into the room. “Sad, isn’t it? I created them to be perfect, but perfection does not last. Do you now understand why I didn’t want you to know?”
“So it is true, then? That is what happens to the dead?”
“To those who do not know the truth, death is a terror, for I cannot save those who do not save themselves first. Those I Save sit with me for eternity, unchanging, undying, uncorrupted, pure….”

-Extract from the Book of Winter

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

Piety and Arcana

Spoiler :

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

Bonobo

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

reserved okay?

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

Let me know about any omissions, broken links, misspelling, etc.

Story Index

Last Flight of the Immaculate

Mystery Lifeguard:

Extract from the Book of Winter

more book of winter

Vruchten:

An Unbroken Legacy

Precious Teeth!

The Tale of Chubba: Chapter One

The tale of Chubba Chapter two: The staff

The tale of Chubba Chapter three: The tent

Blessed too much

The second daughter

The kharkusian faith

Diamondeye:

Speech of Alastaïr The Healer

Throal Entry on the Araïlumni

The Enlightened Warrior

Succellan Elegy/Martyr-ode

Ode to Pilsetan Courage:

A Time for Telling Tales

Ekolite:

In such little time

The Sin of Ill Health

A God in Chains

Governor

Kyzarc Fotjage:

Despair, Decisions, and Dark Deeds

Querious Questions, Tongue Tied Tyrant, and Mutual Memories

From Lack-witted Laymen to Silent Soldiers

Past and Present

Monuments

Surly Sergeant, Dramatic Dream, and Malcontent Maiden

Bothersome Brothers

Proscient visions

Big Band Brown

A Decidedly Dark and Deadly Day

Northen Wolf:

Quotes from ”Your First steps in faith” - Religious book dedicated to educate youth

Gormag's Choice

Interesting events take place in this world

The cure for infected

Official threat evaluation and analysis - Tabba Ghut Clan part 2

Merciary:

Armanis and the Emperor

Palvius and Trolls

thomas.berubeg

The Kaer's Inscription

hbar

An Edda for the Dead

Sjörá and the horr'r

Tinker'rs Faire

The Queen and the Jester, Part 1

Tyrs

A Tale of Silence and Thunder

Seon

Law making in Palitnate.

Isador

Cult of Mammon?

Victory Candescence

Fourth Wall

Darksaber1

New Managment

Tourists guide to Krazian Culture

Legend of the Machine

Managing

The Serpent's Coils

Awaking

Initialization

Commencing

Tenants and philosophy of Airdriash'Mechzius, as clarified and elaborated by “Grand-Envoy of the Machine” Kheizra [No clan or lineage name given]

Words One

Blackbard

Rebirth of Baal

Worship of Agares

Wandyr

Currencies:
Achatin
Kharkusian
Pilsetan
Kraz-ke-Mekan
Nozkam Legon
Thabba Ghut
Palitnate
Scions of Twilight

Thanks to Hbar and Northen Wolf for their assistance in tracking the stories.

Immaculate · Mar 24, 2010

Update List

Update 0: Years 1013-1045: The Journey of the Immaculate

Update 1: Years 1045- 1075: The Horrors do Not go Quietly into the Night

Update 2: Years 1075- 1100: What lies beneath the earth, hides behind high walls, wings over high mountains, lies dead, rotting, in the dark?

Update 3: Years 1100- 1110: Horrors Surrender, Throal Army Decimated, Undead Horsemen Continue Raids, Survivor Returns from the Watery Depths, Girl ‘smushes’ Horror with Mother’s Cudgel

Update 4: Years 1110-1120: Rise of the Wilds

Update 5: Years 1120-1130: Death of a Horror part 2

Update 6: Years 1130-1140: Betrayals and Battle-Lines part 2

Update 7: Years 1140-1150: War, New Tribes, Development part 2

Update 8: Years 1150-1155: Apologies for a Late Update Part 2

Update 9: Years 1155- 1160: Superpowers Awaken, Trade Flourishes, Magic Changes Daily Lives part 2

Update 10: Years 1160- 1165: Superpowers Clash, Merchants Guild Prospers, Rats Strike Again, Kaers Uncovered, a New Threat? part 2

Update 11: Years 1165- 1170: Ripples part 2

Thanks Northen Wolf

ImmacuNES III: Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy

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