Introduction
A hundred and twenty years ago the great warlord Hroth united the disparate Haecomus of the central jungles. He built cities, cleared land, ordered that for the time his language be written down, and drove the Fulanti from our homelands.
Hroth gave us a century of peace. Now, that peace is gone. The last of his line has died and Hroth’s peace died with her. Today, we are a people divided. A new Emperor sits on the throne of Varica, but he is a shell, a shadow of the greatness of Hroth. The network of traders and messengers has broken down, our neighbours covet our lands and the Fulanti lie in wait in the darkness, eager to strike at weakness.
Your father was strong. Strong enough to hold our people together in this dark time. But he lacked vision. You, you have the vision to see us through to the light of the future. You have the acumen to fine outlets for our products. You have the charisma to find us friends amongst the other kings and thanes. You have the strength to enforce our will. Our people are strong. The thanes bow to your might. Together, we will weld the tribes together into a new empire.
In this game you will take control of a tribal confederacy in an alien world. The Haecomus are, for all intents and purposes, human, and Valdis is in many ways similar to Earth. You take control of a king commanding a group of 3-6 tribes. There is no such this as victory. You decide what ‘victory’ means. It may mean having the largest richest cities. Perhaps you will be satisified the have the happiest people on the continent. Maybe you will be happy when you dominate Valdian trade. Some might not rest until the last wretched Fulanti has been purged from this world. Maybe, just maybe, your sword won’t be sated until it has tasted the blood of the false Emperor himself….
In the Beginning...
Spoiler :
In the beginning, there were only stars. Each star had a name and each was granted the power to bring about life and happiness. But the stars were jealous of their light, and kept it all to themselves. They built homes in the sky, keeping their light in their hearths. What we see in the night sky are merely tiny specks of light escaping from the chimneys of the cruel homes of the stars.
One star grew cold and alone in his home. This star was called Haeka. Haeka lived in his star-home for untold eons. The light he had been granted kept him alive, brought what he thought was happiness to him. Like all of his star brothers, he spent his time gazing into his light, but it brought him no happiness. He had never known any different, so he assumed that what he did feel was happiness, but he never knew real joy.
That is, until one day, when there came a knocking at his door. Somehow, he could not know how, three star-children lay at his doorstep. Haeka was shocked. If no star ever left the light of their home, then how could two have joined themselves to produce these star children? A new emotion struck Haeka. One he had never known before. He could not abandon the foundlings to their doom, so he brought them into his home, to be warmed by his light.
Haeka gave unto the three children of his light selflessly, giving all that he had. New emotion swelled over him, and for the first time in his life, he felt true happiness. Haeka had discovered the secret of light. The joy that it could bring could not be found by keeping the light to himself, but by using it to nurture others. Haeka adopted the three as his own daughters. He gave them the names of Ptolos, Thea, and Sara. In the language of the Haecomus, these names mean radiance, starlight, and sunshine.
In time Haeka’s daughters grew and became to shine with their own light, a light that grew from within themselves. Haeka was filled with great joy, as were his daughters, and they lived for a long time together in their house.
But eventually the sisters grew restless. Out of the windows of Haeka’s home they had spied a home that had no light. They asked their father what it was, and he said unto them, “That is a land of darkness. There dwell many lesser peoples there, who should be spared from the light. They are not deserving of our love.”
The sisters were horrified at their father’s words, “Aren’t they all creatures of life and death, as we are? How are they less deserving of us, just because we have light and they have only darkness?” cried sweet, little, Thea. “How can you deny them love, father?” demanded the strong-willed Ptolos, “Have you learned nothing since the day we came to you?” Haeka was angry with his children, and scolded Thea and Ptolos.
Sara held her tongue, but not because she disagreed with her sisters.
“Come my sisters,” she urged, “We cannot deny these people the light we love, let us go alone, and breathe life into their home.” So the sisters left alone, while Haeka was asleep. They left for our world, Valdis. The three stood in a circle around Valdis, and with all of their power, gave their light to Valdis. This light gave birth to the races of Valdis. From the radiance of Ptolos was born the Sargothi, who, taking after her, were smart and proud and brave. From Thea were born the Haecomus who were as graceful and creative and kind as their mother. And from Sara came the Thune, who were great builders and scholars and craftsman, which their mother gave unto them specially, to keep them through darkness.
But there were many Sargothi and Haecomus and Thune, yet only three sisters. The Haecomus and Thune took gently of their power, taking it only for half of the day. The Sargothi however, craved more and more light. They took and took and took, until the three sisters were exhausted. Still the Sargothi took, until the sisters lay dying in the skies above Valdis.
It was then that Haeka woke from his slumber. He could find no sign of his daughters. He searched, and searched, and searched, but could find no trace. Desperate, he threw himself out of his home, and saw the horrible sight of his dying daughters.
At first Haeka was angry, and blamed all of his daughter’s creations for their doom, and an age of darkness befell the world. In that time the Sargothi fell upon their brother species, and stole their life force from them. Ages went by, for a millennium for us is but a split-second for a star. Haeka was quick to realize his mistake, and blasted the Sargothi from the land, leveling their cities and scouring the countryside of their villages. The world suffered for the sins of the Sargothi.
Then Haeka held each of his daughters, and wept deeply for each one of them. Some days he still weeps, remembering his lost children. On those days his tears rain down upon Valdis, purifying the earth and bringing life to the creatures his daughters made.
Haeka looked upon the world as he wept. At last, too late, he saw the error of his ways. He returned to his home, and took his light from out of his hearth. He set fire to his home, and wandered into the darkness, his light banishing the darkness. He shared his light with the surviving children of our world. Though his children might be dead, their memories would live on in their children. He built three mausoleums in the sky, and put in each a portion of his light, so that, even at night, when Haeka’s wanderings take him far from our sight, we would remember the sacrifices of his children.
The History of Valdis
Spoiler :
The Real History:
(This is out of character knowledge. You don’t know this and neither does anyone else in the game world.)
Four sentient races have existed on the planet of Valdis, but only two of them are natural. Eight thousand years ago, the Sargothi, huge amphibious creatures, dominated the planet. Their great sprawling cities dominated vast tracts of land. Their interstellar empire spread for thousands of light years.
The Sargothi raped worlds and devastated any other cultures they came across. They took slaves from the worlds they conquered and brought them back to Valdis for experimentation. It was from these experiments that the Haecomus and the Fulanti were born. Like a dozen other slave races across the Sargothi Empire, they were created deliberately to serve the Sargothi. Each race was specially created to fulfil certain tasks, but only the Haecomus and Fulanti served in great numbers on Valdis.
The Sargothi were not kind masters. Fulanti and Haecomus killed each other for the entertainment of the Sargothi. Others were forced into sex slavery or the backbreaking labour. As the Sargothi grew lazier and more decadent, they began to raise the cleverest of their slaves to positions of authority. Eventually, most of the day to day running of the Sargothi homeworld was done by slave races.
But the Sargothi could not rule forever. After two thousand years the Sargothi destroyed themselves in a vicious civil war. They may still survive elsewhere in the remnants of their shattered colonies, but none remained alive on Valdis.
Their cities were nothing but empty husks, where anything remained at all. The ruins were quickly overgrown by the rainforests of the south. In the north, and on the continent of Karagarada, the devastation of the war left nothing but vast deserts. Half of all life on the planet died, including most of their slave races.
Those who did survive fell into barbarism as they picked clean the bones of Sargothi civilization. After centuries of death, only two species remained: The Haecomus, based on primitive creatures taken from the Sol system, and the Fulanti, based on animals from the Juliaka system.
Just before the war, a species the Sargothi had ignored had just begun to use tools and develop a rudimentary language. They were the Thune, large rodents who lived in the vast savannah of the Karagaradan continent. The war ravaged their homeland and the newly developing Thune had to adapt to the vast deserts.
Known History:
(This is the history you know)
In the dark times before Haeka brought us light, the world was ruled by the Sargothi. They were giant demons who rode across the world in giant iron steeds and who built towers as high as the mountains.
They were cruel lords who knew only the darkness. In those days, the Haecomus hid. We hid in the jungles and the caves and the mountains. We hid from the darkness and from what the Sargothi would do to us if they caught us. Even the mighty Thune hid for fear of the Sargothi. We were lost and alone, not knowing Haeka’s light. The Sargothi set upon us lesser demons of darkness. The Fulanti. They hunted us and killed us for sport, for fun.
But Haeka’s judgement came. He came to free his grandchildren from the darkness. The towers of the Sargothi were destroyed by great balls of light. Soon, days would dawn and the Haecomus would stumble into the light.
The Fulanti were leaderless and the Sargothi destroyed. The time had come for the Haecomus to claim their birthright and purge the jungles.
It was also in this time that the Thune empires rose. They claim to come from the far east, from a land no Haecomus has set foot on. They built great cities on the coast and spread westward. Villages grew in the north as the Thune continued to migrate. But as the jungles and forests of the south grow northwards, the Thune begin to return to their homes. The days of the old empires are numbered. The grasslands to the north will be ours, just as the jungles are, and just as the whole world is meant to be.
Recent History:
The Haecomus were little more than barbarian tribes, warring with each other and living off the land. Some developed agriculture, but farms are difficult to carve out of the rainforests. Some went north to the grasslands to live amongst the Thune villages where farmland was good. South went south across the great mountains. Most remained in their homelands.
A hundred years ago a man rose who would change all of that. His name was Hroth. Hroth united the Varican tribes and drove the Fulanti once and for all from our lands. With peace established, he held onto power and set his great army to work on clearing land. He founded a mighty city at the confluence of the two greatest rivers: Varica. From Varica, he built more cities and cleared more land. He granted this land to his veterans whose ancestors still farm it today.
His most loyal supporters were put in charge of the lesser tribes. They would rule provinces in his empire for him, and bow only to he, the mighty Varican Emperor, and his heirs. These provincial lords were known as Kings. The lesser tribal chiefs would be known as Thanes.
Mines were built, trade routes established, and trade encouraged. The Haecomus had finally begun to produce at a level slightly higher than subsistence. An agricultural revolution was at hand. Along with it came the beginnings of a cultural transformation, from migratory to sedentary life.
Hroth’s children ruled for three generations until Hrothiya, pregnant with the last heir in Hroth’s line, died in childbed and took the children with her.
Twenty years of chaos resulted. Hroth’s empire fractured. A dozen-sided civil war ensued that broke apart much that Hroth had done. In the end, one man stood victorious, a wily politician who had renamed himself Hroth, the fourth by that name to rule. But the Empire he ruled was a shadow of its former self.
During the twenty years of war, some of Hroth’s provincial kings joined in the civil war, but none could seize the capital. Whether they fought or not, all began to consolidate power within their provinces. Soon, provincial cities grew to rival Varica.
Meanwhile, other powerful tribes began to weld together their own confederations on par with the provincial Kings. These wild kings made attacks on their provincial neighbours and eventually, forced each king to build his own armies to protect their homelands.
Today, most kings acknowledge Hroth IV as the Varican emperor. They pay lipservice to being his vassals. In truth, few would come to his aid if he needed it, and many more would prefer to see him dead, or to take great city of Varica for themselves…
The Races of Valdis
Spoiler :
The Haecomus
The Haecomus are the dominant species of Valdis, so far as they know. There is great variation between Haecomus depending on how they have adapted to their homelands. Varicans are known for their size, usually standing between 5’2” and 6’, several inches taller than most other Haecomus. Varicans have a wide range of hair colours, mostly commonly a shade of brown or brown-red, but also blacks, blondes, and reds of all shades. Eye colours tend to be brown, but also blue, green, grey, and even the rare black or yellow are possible. Varican skin tone is usually a lighter shade of brown, though in some tribes a lighter skin tone is dominant.
Haecomus are in appearance very similar to humans, leading some future scholars to guess that the Haecomus were modelled off of captured humans. The most notable differences are found on the female of the species. The female Haecomus has a special organ known as the ‘lover’s pouch’ similar to what some reptiles on Earth and mammals on Valdis possess. It allows the female to store sperm for several months, only allowing it to escape the pouch and fertilize her egg when she chooes. It gives the female Haecomus complete control over reproduction, which has created some interested gender dynamics in Haecomus society. Also notable, Haecomus children are born in litters of 2-4. Single births are uncommon but not unknown, as are births of 5, 6, or even 7 children.
Haecomus in general, and Varicans especially, are known for their passion. They are passionate warriors, lovers, and explorers. They often do not think before they act and are quick to rise to something they see as a challenge.
Varicans have a strong oral culture. Only recently has a written form of language been developed, and fewer than 1% of the population can read or write it. Their history is passed down orally through stories and song. Some are simple folktales passed down from grandparents to grandchildren, some are epics that take months to tell and are sung by the songweavers and are never the same twice. It is through these stories that social rules, tribal law, religion, history, current events, and more are passed on. This is slowly changing as writing, both the written Varican form and imported Thune writing systems and texts, becomes more widespread.
In most tribes, Varican society is relatively egalitarian. Unlike the Thune, gender roles are not absolute. Women are considered equal but different and have a strong voice in politics. It is not uncommon to see some female Haecomus march with their menfolk to war. This number is however, still small. Men are still the dominant force in most tribes, though the odd tribe is matriarchal and some tribes have allowed a powerful female leader to rule. Hrothiya, the last ruler before the fall of the Varican Empire ruled for six months before dying in childbed.
All players are Haecomus.
The Thune
In reality, the Thune are the most powerful species on Valdis. Almost as numerous as the Haecomus, they come from the arid plains to the north of the Varican rainforests and the Pythian mountains. They migrated to the smaller continent due to population pressures and the effects of drastic climate change as the world cooled as a result of healing from the Sargothi’s destruction. The majority of the Thune now live either in the smaller continent, or in the equatorial grasslands on the eastern coast.
It is the Thune of this east coast that have the most contact with the Haecomus. The Thune city-states are constantly vying with each other for power. Many cities dwarf even mighty Varica. Karski, traditionally the most powerful city, is said to have a population of over 150,000, making it the largest city outside of the fabled Karagarada, a legend of the Thune continent. Some Thune continue to live in small communities to the north, though they now face pressures from migrating Haecomus and refugee Fulanti.
The Thune are descended from rodents and have a hunched posture. They can travel on all fours, but prefer their hind paws for upright walking. They average 4’ tall, though they would stand taller if not hunched. Their fur varies in colour but is often sparse and a light brown or grey colour for those living in the equatorial zone. Northern Thune have much thicker fur that tends to be a dark brown or black.
Thune are matrinlineal society, with children taking the given name of their mother as their surname. They are also strictly patriarchal. Women have their place, and they are expected to stay out of men’s work. However, the chief female of the household has complete authority over the home and family matters.
Thune have a strong sense of community and a great appreciation for education. They are often great traders, scholars, and innovators. Thune are not averse to warfare, but try to avoid it if they can gain a diplomatic victory.
Players cannot play Thune.
The Fulanti
The Fulanti vary greatly if their appearance. They are usually large creatures, growing up to seven feet tall but averaging six feet. They have fur all over their bodies usually in some sort of pattern or colour blend. They are bestial in appearance, sometimes with long snouts and sometimes with shorter ones. They usually have an upright posture but some run on all fours. They almost always have sharp teeth and powerful jaws and long, rending claws. Unlike the omnivorous Haecomus and Thune, the Fulanti are dedicated carnivores.
Fulanti organize themselves into bands and tribes, much as the Haecomus used to and to an extent still do. Their culture is in most cases very basic. The only clothing they wear are trophies and religious artefacts made from the skins and bones of their defeated prey or enemies. In most Fulanti bands, strength alone determines who leads.
A rare few Fulanti bands have begun to organize in the way the Haecomus have. Some have developed very complex rituals and societies, but they are very rare.
It is generally believed, even among the Fulanti, that their days are numbered. It is estimated that the Fulanti are outnumbered more than 10:1 by the Haecomus in their own homeland. It is not known whether Fulanti still survive outside of the rainforests.
Players cannot be Fulanti.
Geography
Spoiler :
Known Valdis can be divided into five major regions. Each of these regions has a wide range of physical features, but as a general rule, they tend to conform to similar patterns. In addition to the main continent, there are many legendary lands across the seas.
The Homelands
The Homeland region of Valdis is dominated by vast rainforests. Criss-crossing these rainforests are hundreds of rivers. Almost all of them eventually drain into the mighty Dhun River that leads to the Great Eastern Sea. The rainforests eventually give way to mountains in the north and south. Along the coast between these mountains lies great hilly grasslands which are home to many pastoral Haecomus. The rainforests eventually give way to drier forests when the hit the mountains to the north and south. These forests thin out the further north one travels. The Varican Empire is centred in this region.
The Northern Reaches
Several tribes headed north, out of the rainforests. They found thin woods and expansive prairies between them and the frigid north. This excellent farmland is also home to Thune freeholds, smaller independent settlements that lack the population or technology of their brothers to the East. It is said the further north you go, the colder it gets, but the better the farmland. It is also said that if you go far enough north, another mountain range exists, populated by fell beasts and degenerate tribes of monsters.
The Land of Fish and Wheat
It is said that some Haecomus have braved the southern mountains. Those few that manage to survive a return crossing tell stories of Haecomus city states to rival those of the Thune. They speak of expansive plains of golden grains, fish so thick they jump into your boat, and animals twice the size of regular animals that have no fear of Haecomus.
Dracmoor
Dracmoor means ‘beyond the mountains’. In this case, beyond the northern mountains. The journey through the mountain passes are treacherous, largely due to the presence of the fierce Gamar tribe, but also due to the weather and the monsters that dwell beyond, eager to repel any who would invade their territory. The most frightening legend is that the Fulanti there have built their own city, a mirror image of Varica, and are building their own empire.
The Thune Cities
The Thune control the savannah between the rainforests, the northern reaches, and the Straits of Karano. Here the Thune struggle over each other’s riches. It is said that the savannah continues on the other side of the Straits, but no Haecomus has been allowed passage.
The Endless Desert
Beyond the Straits of Karano is said to be a vast, endless desert bordered by mountains. It is rumoured that beyond these mountains lies the edge of the world and that to climb these mountains will mean an infinite fall. Somehow, this desert supports the great Thune Empires with their fabled capitals. Most notbale is the legendary city of Karagarada, the city of knowledge. Here Thune have learned to tame the elements of wind, water, fire, and earth and record every word said throughout the world.
The Lost Continent
The lost continent is the name for the last Sargothi holdout on Valdis. When Haeka destroyed the Sargothi, his light failed to find this island, as the Sargothi dwelt in deep pits beneath the ground there, working their slaves to death in the depths working on unfathomable projects. Some say this island lies to the north, as only the Sargothi could live in the frozen pole. Other say the island moves and can appear anywhere with Sargothi loaded in ships ready to take entire villages captive.
Bahmal
The Fortress-island of Bahmal is scarcely believed to exist even by most Haecomus. It is said that the noble races of Thune and Haecomus were reduced to this one mighty but beleaguered fortress during the endless dark. It was during the last siege on Bahmal that the Sargothi and Fulanti were driven back by Haeka’s light. It is said the Haecomus and Thune spread out from this island. Only a few Haecomus stayed behind, vowing to keep the eternal flame at the centre of the keep burning for all time in remembrance.
Castles
Every Emperor, King, and Thane has a home. This home contains, at the very least, a great drinking hall where the lord and his people gather. These halls can be located in towns, villages, or even on their own. Ditches, hills, walls, and even gates often protect them. In rich kingdoms, even powerful local Aikings and high ranking Raeka may be given control of small border posts of village halls from which the local defence may be co-ordinated. As the game progresses, advances in castles will allow you to build larger and more advanced castles.
You should not where your king’s own hall is located. While you technically have a ‘capital’, in reality, this was merely the provincial capital of the former Varican province. Your ‘capital’ is wherever your king decides to hold court.
Ruins
Sargothi ruins overgrown, battered shells. They are dangerous and ill-omened, but they are also the bases for many provincial cities. They are well positioned, often in good harbours or at river forks or in areas with strategic value. They also provide a good base to build from as some have surviving canals, roads, or foundations. They are also a valuable source of metal. There are legends of what evils lurk in some of these cities, from enormous monsters to Sargothi remnants to Fulanti and degenerate Haecomus.
You may find Sargothi ruins as you explore Valdis. At your option, your starting city may be built on a Sargothi ruin. Otherwise, you may have one ruin somewhere in your starting territory.
A note on Valdis’ lack of metals
The Sargothi’s rape of Valdis left little in the way of natural resources. Trees grew back, ecosystems changed and recovered, and animals multiplied, but non-renewable resources like metals and fossil fuels were severely depleted. Mines are rare, as it is hard to fine useful deposits of metals. It is even more rare that the Haecomus, or even the Thune, have the technology to be able to access these deposits. As a result, the only major source of metals are Sargothi ruins or bog iron. Owning metal objects, especially metal weapons or armor, is a common way of displaying your status on Valdis.
