Sniiperman456
Warlord
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2016
- Messages
- 253
Hey I am going to leave this nes for reasons I will not state.
Pre-thread: A Fool's Paradise: The Collaborative Fantasy City Building Project
- Thread starter bombshoo
- Start date
Thlayli
Le Pétit Prince
Not much of a NES to leave yet, but thanks for joining, albeit briefly.
Angst
Rambling and inconsistent
Submitting interest.
Shadowbound
Incorrugible
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2007
- Messages
- 4,062
As sniperman withdrew his excellent human race, I decided to repurpose it for my own. I hope this infringes on no copyright claims.
Race Name: Humans (also known as the Mud Folk)
Country of Origin: The earliest human civilizations rose in Azaia, a semi-tropical region near the equator, but there is evidence for the presence of humans in the non-human civilizations of Nri Keraiina and Shuth prior to the emergence of independent human states.
Characteristics: Humans are, well, humanoid creatures standing between 5 and 6 feet on average with extreme specimens drifting outside that range. Skin tone varies from pale to ebony, depending on climate and specific sub-species, with hair color to match (typically in earthen colors like brown or black, but with off-yellow or red in some groups). Humans live in a wide variety of environments outside their savannah habitat, typically dependent on civilization to survive. Much of their own civilization has its origins in scavenging by humans around the Elder Races (though they'll deny it).
Religion: Humans worship a variety of religions. Many of these center on the return of the Wandering God, or the Titans, or the Luminant Church.
Brief History: The origins of humans are hotly debated. Within the City itself most accept the Azer's explanation that they originated with the death of the Wandering God, whose blood when his children tore him apart mixed with mud and tears to give birth to the first men. Historical sources differ, with humans appearing before the Azer's own dating of the event, and some claim that they were deliberately created in a (successful or unsuccessful) attempt by this God or that, or by wizards seeking a slave race to use as workers and warriors.
Their existence and role are supposedly written about extensively in the Wall of Fate, which of course no longer exists except in the minds of the Azer, who make a substantial effort to accommodate them in the City. More than one refugee group of humans has found a safe harbor as a result, and multiple cultures and communities co-exist.
Human dominated kingdoms and nations have begun to supplant those ruled by Elder Races across much of the world, some of which has been natural decline and some of which has been at violent (and often human) hands. This has led to considerable tension between humans and non-humans, sometimes spilling into the city.
Primary Location (within the city): Humans make up the largest single group in the city and dominate multiple districts, and have a presence in nearly all of the others.
Other Notes:
Human Cultures
Human groups within the city that retained a defined culture typically came as a massive migration of refugees.
Asphodelians - Refugees from the Woods of Twilight, the Asphodelians lived in harmony alongside the beastmen and nature-folk for centuries. But other human groups encroached on the woods, desecrating sacred groves along the edges and exploiting the beastmen. A dead god, one of the Titans, was partially resurrected in a ritual perverted with blood magic by some of the beastmen, and this Carrion God set about expelling all traces of modern civilization, including humans. The Asphodelians, no more liked in neighboring nations, largely came to the City, where they crafted a unique urban forest in one of the outlying districts. Many pine for the lost ancient woods and more than once they have attempted to kill the Carrion God again, with no success.
Maevians - The survivors of an unsuccessful slave revolt in a powerful insubri controlled empire, the Maevians were rescued en masse by the trainmen and brought to the City, where they formed a disciplined community that carries on a perpetual struggle under the same hierarchical leadership. Many of them are also members of the Church of the Luminance. As a single unified voting bloc they wield disproportionate political influence. They also provide many of the city guard and militia, as they continue to hone their martial tradition when not serving as foreign mercenaries. They continue to augment their numbers with freed slaves and other refugees, providing security and community.
Rydja - The People of the Open Road, the Rydja worshipped a dead Titan, slain by the Azer in the Titanomachia. Since the fall of their homeland they wander the world in trading caravans, carrying news and goods. They are known for being limited shapeshifters, with many of them able to take the form of crows. There is a perpetual settlement of Rydja in the city due to its importance and the presence of the Rift, making it one of the few centers of their government. While their God is dead, his power still remains, and the Rydja still perform the ancient rituals. This gives them a sinister reputation, however, as their God demanded sacrifice in return for his boons. Towns visited by the Rydja sometimes see individuals go missing, and rumor is that one of those divine bargains calls for a human life in return for the power to shape shift. The Rydja, predictably, deny it.
Race Name: Humans (also known as the Mud Folk)
Country of Origin: The earliest human civilizations rose in Azaia, a semi-tropical region near the equator, but there is evidence for the presence of humans in the non-human civilizations of Nri Keraiina and Shuth prior to the emergence of independent human states.
Characteristics: Humans are, well, humanoid creatures standing between 5 and 6 feet on average with extreme specimens drifting outside that range. Skin tone varies from pale to ebony, depending on climate and specific sub-species, with hair color to match (typically in earthen colors like brown or black, but with off-yellow or red in some groups). Humans live in a wide variety of environments outside their savannah habitat, typically dependent on civilization to survive. Much of their own civilization has its origins in scavenging by humans around the Elder Races (though they'll deny it).
Religion: Humans worship a variety of religions. Many of these center on the return of the Wandering God, or the Titans, or the Luminant Church.
Brief History: The origins of humans are hotly debated. Within the City itself most accept the Azer's explanation that they originated with the death of the Wandering God, whose blood when his children tore him apart mixed with mud and tears to give birth to the first men. Historical sources differ, with humans appearing before the Azer's own dating of the event, and some claim that they were deliberately created in a (successful or unsuccessful) attempt by this God or that, or by wizards seeking a slave race to use as workers and warriors.
Their existence and role are supposedly written about extensively in the Wall of Fate, which of course no longer exists except in the minds of the Azer, who make a substantial effort to accommodate them in the City. More than one refugee group of humans has found a safe harbor as a result, and multiple cultures and communities co-exist.
Human dominated kingdoms and nations have begun to supplant those ruled by Elder Races across much of the world, some of which has been natural decline and some of which has been at violent (and often human) hands. This has led to considerable tension between humans and non-humans, sometimes spilling into the city.
Primary Location (within the city): Humans make up the largest single group in the city and dominate multiple districts, and have a presence in nearly all of the others.
Other Notes:
Human Cultures
Human groups within the city that retained a defined culture typically came as a massive migration of refugees.
Asphodelians - Refugees from the Woods of Twilight, the Asphodelians lived in harmony alongside the beastmen and nature-folk for centuries. But other human groups encroached on the woods, desecrating sacred groves along the edges and exploiting the beastmen. A dead god, one of the Titans, was partially resurrected in a ritual perverted with blood magic by some of the beastmen, and this Carrion God set about expelling all traces of modern civilization, including humans. The Asphodelians, no more liked in neighboring nations, largely came to the City, where they crafted a unique urban forest in one of the outlying districts. Many pine for the lost ancient woods and more than once they have attempted to kill the Carrion God again, with no success.
Maevians - The survivors of an unsuccessful slave revolt in a powerful insubri controlled empire, the Maevians were rescued en masse by the trainmen and brought to the City, where they formed a disciplined community that carries on a perpetual struggle under the same hierarchical leadership. Many of them are also members of the Church of the Luminance. As a single unified voting bloc they wield disproportionate political influence. They also provide many of the city guard and militia, as they continue to hone their martial tradition when not serving as foreign mercenaries. They continue to augment their numbers with freed slaves and other refugees, providing security and community.
Rydja - The People of the Open Road, the Rydja worshipped a dead Titan, slain by the Azer in the Titanomachia. Since the fall of their homeland they wander the world in trading caravans, carrying news and goods. They are known for being limited shapeshifters, with many of them able to take the form of crows. There is a perpetual settlement of Rydja in the city due to its importance and the presence of the Rift, making it one of the few centers of their government. While their God is dead, his power still remains, and the Rydja still perform the ancient rituals. This gives them a sinister reputation, however, as their God demanded sacrifice in return for his boons. Towns visited by the Rydja sometimes see individuals go missing, and rumor is that one of those divine bargains calls for a human life in return for the power to shape shift. The Rydja, predictably, deny it.
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Shadowbound
Incorrugible
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2007
- Messages
- 4,062
Persons and Powers
present in the City
Hrafnáss - the ancient god of the Rydja, Hrafnass was a lord of the northern wind. His followers would give him offerings of food, wealth, and corpses, which would be collected by crows. Hrafnass is not physically present, of course, but his largest shrine remains on a desolate mound, where the Rydja leave their dead to be picked clean by crows as one final offering, corpses for a corpse god. While the god is dead, his power and rituals remain, and one who knows them can extract many benefits from the crowfather.
The Tiger that Stalks the Souls of Men - an ancient demon, the Tiger was once propitiated at the dawn of the world with offerings of maidens and captives from war. But time and misfortune has weakened the tribes that paid him homage, and recently when they could no longer sate his hunger he consumed them for good and departed his ancient lair. Some say he has come to the City, to feed on the suffering and death that occurs in the gutter on a daily basis. He takes the form of his recent victims to feed, draining them of their souls and then inhabiting the empty body until he finds a better one, or is compelled to assume his true form of a hideous tiger-man.
The Inverted Tower - a famous school of magicians and sorcerers, the Inverted Tower appears as a tall structure hanging from a cloud in the center of a thunderstorm. This is, of course, fairly inaccessible, so many portals exist in major cities throughout the world that allow the magicians to come and go as they please. Of course, the Inverted Tower is famous for its illusions, so these portals are carefully hidden. The first test of any aspiring magician who wishes to learn at the Tower is to find a portal, or trick a magician into revealing where it is. This is easier said than done for the magicians have their own games they like to play with aspiring students, using the portals as bait. More than one nobleman has given their fortune away hoping to gain access, only for the magician to abscond without a portal to the Tower (a portal somewhere less pleasant, perhaps?)
The Baccanoi - a demigod of indulgence and whimsy, Baccon holds his court in the City (when he feels like it). Less of a religious organization than a traveling circus, the Baccanoi is a popular destination for tourists and party-seekers, with a wide variety of animals, wonders, and gimmicks that Baccon has collected from across the world. His priesthood/entertainers indulge their god's whims and profit off his fickle favor, and there is a seedy underside to the Baccanoi where less legal or moral delights are catered to, with a wink from Baccon himself and his implicit protection.
The Sublime - also known as Saints, the Sublime are mortals that have transcended some degree of the cycle of life and death and retain significant aspects of their past lives into their new ones. Often attributed to great spiritual enlightenment, this is not universally true. The Sublime possess significant magical power, more so than any other mortal, and potentially hundreds of years of experience if they are able to recall their past lives. The City is host to a large Sublime community (that is to say, double digits) and newly awoken Sublime often journey there to connect with others of their kind and work on recalling their past selves. Sublime attract a large community of worshipers and hangers-on, hoping to recreate some of the Sublime's success and power: the Sublime themselves often dole out teachings and wisdom in return for support. The truth is, though, that the Sublime are no more aware of how they entered their current state than any others are.
present in the City
Hrafnáss - the ancient god of the Rydja, Hrafnass was a lord of the northern wind. His followers would give him offerings of food, wealth, and corpses, which would be collected by crows. Hrafnass is not physically present, of course, but his largest shrine remains on a desolate mound, where the Rydja leave their dead to be picked clean by crows as one final offering, corpses for a corpse god. While the god is dead, his power and rituals remain, and one who knows them can extract many benefits from the crowfather.
The Tiger that Stalks the Souls of Men - an ancient demon, the Tiger was once propitiated at the dawn of the world with offerings of maidens and captives from war. But time and misfortune has weakened the tribes that paid him homage, and recently when they could no longer sate his hunger he consumed them for good and departed his ancient lair. Some say he has come to the City, to feed on the suffering and death that occurs in the gutter on a daily basis. He takes the form of his recent victims to feed, draining them of their souls and then inhabiting the empty body until he finds a better one, or is compelled to assume his true form of a hideous tiger-man.
The Inverted Tower - a famous school of magicians and sorcerers, the Inverted Tower appears as a tall structure hanging from a cloud in the center of a thunderstorm. This is, of course, fairly inaccessible, so many portals exist in major cities throughout the world that allow the magicians to come and go as they please. Of course, the Inverted Tower is famous for its illusions, so these portals are carefully hidden. The first test of any aspiring magician who wishes to learn at the Tower is to find a portal, or trick a magician into revealing where it is. This is easier said than done for the magicians have their own games they like to play with aspiring students, using the portals as bait. More than one nobleman has given their fortune away hoping to gain access, only for the magician to abscond without a portal to the Tower (a portal somewhere less pleasant, perhaps?)
The Baccanoi - a demigod of indulgence and whimsy, Baccon holds his court in the City (when he feels like it). Less of a religious organization than a traveling circus, the Baccanoi is a popular destination for tourists and party-seekers, with a wide variety of animals, wonders, and gimmicks that Baccon has collected from across the world. His priesthood/entertainers indulge their god's whims and profit off his fickle favor, and there is a seedy underside to the Baccanoi where less legal or moral delights are catered to, with a wink from Baccon himself and his implicit protection.
The Sublime - also known as Saints, the Sublime are mortals that have transcended some degree of the cycle of life and death and retain significant aspects of their past lives into their new ones. Often attributed to great spiritual enlightenment, this is not universally true. The Sublime possess significant magical power, more so than any other mortal, and potentially hundreds of years of experience if they are able to recall their past lives. The City is host to a large Sublime community (that is to say, double digits) and newly awoken Sublime often journey there to connect with others of their kind and work on recalling their past selves. Sublime attract a large community of worshipers and hangers-on, hoping to recreate some of the Sublime's success and power: the Sublime themselves often dole out teachings and wisdom in return for support. The truth is, though, that the Sublime are no more aware of how they entered their current state than any others are.
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