DEP's Fantasy Story Stuff

[End Master]

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Harpy- Harpies are creatures that are one-third woman, and two-thirds bird. They are enchantedly beautiful, and their song is even more so. Their claws are deadly sharp, but they are not fast fliers. So, they rely on their songs to numb down the warriors reflexes before attacking.

Basilisk (Cockatrice)- The Basilisk, as it should be, is a giant serpant. One look into its eyes, and the looker is dead. Reasonably, not much is known about the basilisk. On occasion, a cockatrice, another name for the basilisk, is portrayed as a bird with the tail of a lizard. Cockatrice's also have the "look in my eyes and die" power.

Gorgon (Medusa)- Straight out of Greek Mythology, and altered slightly. There were only three gorgons, and two of them were immortal. So...for our purposes, they are half-snake, half-woman creatures with eyes that turn the looker into stone.

Hydra- Again, straight from Greek Mythology. This is the nine-headed creature who regenerates two heads for each head lost. For our needs, there are numerous hydra, and none of its heads are immortal. The only way to kill a hydra is to seal the lopped head with flame before the two heads grow.

Goblin- If I need to explain this, we're in trouble. A little over half the height of a human.

Orc- Again, this should be obvious. Though, for distinction, Orcs are much, much bigger than Goblins, consositent in size with humans.

Dragon- We're looking at the typical four-legged,
damsel-stealing stereotype of almost every fantasy story ever written. This does not mean you cannot write the "rare exception" to the stereo type, but as a general rule; the dragns should follow suite with the fire breathing monsters that they are.

Minotaur- Half-man, half-bull...yadda yadda ya. You should know what this is. And, if you don't...look at the myth of Theseus, you uncultured nitwit. For our purposes, there ar Beholders- are pretty damn powerful and very dangerous; they should be even more rare than dragons.e numerous minotaurs. Minotaurs are large and powerful creatures covered with fur and have the head of a bull. They are massively powerful, but slow of wit.

Beholder- This is a D&D thing. Beholders resemble giant monstrous heads which float in mid-air. They have ultiple eyes and have powerful telekesis abilities.Beholders are pretty damn powerful and very dangerous; they should be even more rare than dragons.

Antlion- Nasty bug things. They're like giant ants. They're usually blue, with giant piercing mandible jaws. They burrow underground to wait and strike. They're really more of a desert-y creature.

Giant- For our purposes, the Giants are more like large, hulking mounds of stupid wandering about, smashing everything in sight. They don't live in the sky, and they can't tell your country of origin by smelling your blood. There are various types of giants; stone, hill, and mountain. Stone Giants are the smallest (9 to 10 ft), but have rock hard skin. Hill giants stand 12 feet on average. Mountain giants are upwards of 15' tall. Frost giant actually refers to stone giants from the north. Their exposure to the colder elements has created a visual distinction from the stone giants, but essentially they are one and the same.

Chimera- Again, there are more than one Chimera, unlike Mythology. These creatures have the heads of a goat and lion, with a snake for a tail. For no apparent reason, it also breathes fire.

Griffin- A griffin has the front half of an eagle, and the back half of a lion. For the most part, griffins won't attack until you piss them off. Once you do, they go for blood. Griffin have been known to be tamed by some of the nomadic elves.

Slime- The standard creature of any RPG, slimes are every color of the rainbow, and are defeated with a simple swoosh of the sword. Duh.

Harpy, Basilisk, Gorgon, Hydra, Minotaurs, Chimeras, Griffins- These are all
initially from the classical Mediterrian/Mesopotainian mythologies so I’d say they’d all be found more in the Empire lands or on the islands and lands south of the Empire.

Goblins, Orcs, Kobolds- Most likely make up a majority of the barbarian types. I’d probably include Ogres in that group as well.

Dragons- Really rare, most likely living in the mountains. \Slime- Sounds like these would be crawling out of the polluted Serpent’s Tail River created from the toxins that the Xolan are constantly dumping in
there.

Ocean/Sea creatures that were mentioned were Sea Serpents, Krakens and
Megalodons.

Oh and of course one of the small furry creatures that the Xolans use as food; Rozloks.

Looks like the other traditional fantasy races that have been included on a limited scale are Dwarves, Elves and Halflings

Golem- Rock beasts. These are found in mountains, and are usually interpreted as being a collection of rocks that is magically alive. Most of them walk
bipedal, and some have intricately carved faces and jaws. I prefer my golems with heads, but I've seen some without. Golems can be made of many substances, clay, skin, cloth, you name it. One thing is consistent, they are magically created.

Mandrake- Plant things. I always saw them as berserk venus flytraps that can issue deafening screeches as well as bite. Gian plants that eat people who wander too near.

Naga- Half-woman, half snake. I've also seen them called Lamias. They tend to be water creatures that flock around rivers and wetlands.

Sea Serpent- Dragons of the sea. Usually with strong jaws and slender muscles that can crush ships with a coil of its body.

Kraken- A vicious sea monster. Since we have sea serpents, Kraken should probably be portrayed as a giant squid, but it wouldn't have to be.

Trolls - Trolls are generally found in swamps, but they have been known to thrive in other areas. Trolls are tall, ugly, and lanky creatures that stand upwards of seven feet tall. They have a distinguished and disgusting odor about them that is easy to pick out. Trolls regenerate severed limbs, and the limbs severed have been known to function fully despite being severed from the body. Depending on how the troll was cut apart, severed limbs have been known to grow into knew trolls in a matter of a few days.

Elves - You know what an elf is, I am sure. But most fantasy books give them very different characteristics, so lets look at our elves: As with all fantasy, they have a close relationship with nature. They tend to stay away from human society. There are also a few "rebel" elf tribes out there. One of which is a group of cannables who eat the "unpure" races such as humans, halflings, and dwarves. They are known as the Green One's. Other rebel elves wage war with humans. And keep in mind that elves are about a foot shorter than humans, and effeminate in build. We;re not talking Keebler elves here.

Dwarves - Short stocky stubborn bastards. They are typicaly the "old man" stereo type. They are excellent miners and craftsmen. If you want a strong weapon, you get a dwarf to make it.They generally live in clans in the montains, but have been known to occassionaly mingle with humans, generally to make money from their smith crafts.

Unicorns - Horses with a horn on thier head. Unicorns are peacful creatures. Their horn will cure any poison. Unicorns are also sentient creatures of nature. They should be very rare.

Nymphs - Let's not forget the sluts of the forrest. A man who sees the nymph goes mad with lust and chases her through the forest. If he catches her, they fuck like crazy and that's the end of it. Nymphs are not evil, but they can certainly destract a man from doing what needs done.

Mermaids - in the oceans, of course.

Zombies, and skeletons - self explanatory.

Lich - A lich is an ancient and powerful wizard who found a way to live eternaly. They are evil necromantic magic users with limited physical power, but immense magic. They tend to keep a low profile so that they are not subject to massive assaults from the mortals.

Vampires - Let's not forget them.

Were-beasts - I'm not gonna say just werewolves, since bears and panthers have been riddled throughout ancient mythologies. But you know how it works. Full moons and all that. Only silver kills them, but beating them senseless with non-silver items will turn them back to their human form.


DEP did most of “general” and Empire related stuff like Magic, Currency, Class System etc.
Chubby did Irysopolis and The Archipelago
Usoki did The City of Drevlin and The Nochima Sect
Jeff did some barbarian tribe in the Pure Hills
I did the Xolan Empire, Grishrak’s Dominion and the Dwarves

Characters

Caden (DEP)
Emperor Timus (DEP)
Morlock (DEP)
Dhomas (DEP)
Usoki of Mirr (Usoki, duh)
Kyramus (Usoki)
Alythia (Usoki)
Lushnir (Jeff)
Varro Esteban (Jeff)
Viktor Kaznov (Mine)
Grishak (Mine)

[apotheosis]

Once again, I think adding a scale to this map would really put things into perspective.

[End Master]

Someone else can do it, because I’m terrible at judging that sort of thing.

I just put this up again since I was reading Usoki’s suggestion in another thread about saving this stuff.

[Usoki]

Yep! ^_^ Mainly, it's the beastiary info that I've yet to snag from online to place in my Word doc. Actually, I think that's all.

As long as this exists in some form, I'm all for wiping the old forums. As always, I mean to get around to starting this piece...

I'm so glad Jeff dropped- everything he added tended to piss me off. Especially when he tried to tell me how to create my damn mountains. Ass. ...I still hate that map...Chubb never took away the Europe-yness, and Jeff had too much influence in the geography layout.

[donteatpoop]

What is Known


Magic

Magic is a rare practice that some people still use. The public has an inherent mistrust for the craft of magic as well as those using it.

In regards to magic, I'm going to lump it into separate categories. Elemental Magic, Healing Magic, Natural Magic, Illusions, and Necromancy.

Elemental Magic refers to magic which uses the elements of the earth; Earth, Fire, Wind, Water... (Heart, GO PLANET!) Also includes hot and cold.

Healing Magic is probably the only magic that is rarely mistrusted by the masses. Generally it is used to treat wounds and cure diseases. This is a form of magic that is used by some of the higher up priests of a few of the deities.

Natural Magic refers to anything dealing directly with nature. Witch craft, and animal control is included. Shape shifting is also considered a natural magic as the caster of such a spell is morphing into another natural creature.

Illusions are spells that only make something appear to be a certain way. Fake fire, fake corpses, fake armies, and invisibility are just some of the practical applications of this type of spell.

Necromancy is the scary stuff. No one in their right mind would trust this shit, even/especially those who have researched magic. These are the guys who raise armies of the undead, conjure demons, and do other such frightening things.

Mages/wizards/witches or whatever, are not confined to just one of these areas, and there is no set “spell list” of what can and cannot be used. The above categories are only intended to help you when deciding on how to write about magic in your story.

There are only two real rules about magic, and they are more or less guidelines:

1. It shouldn’t be common. 1 person in 50 or less should practice magic.
2. No “earth shattering magic”. In other words; don’t throw Gandalf or Dr. Strange into the story. No leveling towns with your magic.



Technology

Gun Powder has been discovered, but is still very unstable. Handheld “guns” tend to blow up in the user’s hand after a few uses. Because of this instability is used very rarely throughout the world.




Currency

1 silver coin = 5 copper coins
1 gold coin = 5 silver coins
1 pearl = 5 gold coins
1 emerald = 10 gold coins
1 ruby = 20 gold coins
1 diamond = 25 gold coins

copper coin = pence
silver coin = crown
gold coin = sovereign
all gems = by their own names



Basic Class System

Aristocracy- which would probably be mostly decadent and/or corrupt at this point. You might have a few that are genuinely trying to hold the Empire together though.

Priesthood- Since there isn't too much magic and healing magic is the only type the common people are comfortable with, I'd say they might be holding a lot of power throughout the Empire.

Middle Class- This would be all the government officials and merchant types. Some of the really rich merchants might have their own influence, but of course due to their profession they can't "rise" above their status (Well unless it was that rare marriage arrangement)

Military- This of course includes the soldiers of the Empire. I'd say they're about the same "rank" as Middle Class. With the generals holding a lot of influence, and the officers holding a little more than the average private. Of course there's probably that one general trying to increase his popularity and carve out his own private following.

Commoner- This is the working class slob toiling in the fields, mines, etc. He's everyone's punching bag unless we're also going to have slaves as well.

Slave- self explanatory. Health and condition of slaves depends on the owner/master.

[donteatpoop]

Reasons for the Fall of the Empire

Nearby Kingdom:

The Xolan Kingdom Statistics

Geography and Economy

The Xolan Kingdom is a cold almost barren place. Mountains and rough terrain are the norm, though long stretches of flat plains do exist for farming. Farming is difficult and food is almost always supplemented by hunting. Not learning how to hunt is usually a sure way to face starvation in the harsh winters. Rozloks are always in supply; small furry creatures that live in burrows and breed at a respectable rate. They taste terrible, but the Xolan favor survival over comfort any day.

Forests are present, but becoming increasing smaller as the productive Xolans cut them down in the name of progress.

The Xolan Kingdom is rich in natural resources and its economy is mainly driven by its factories that now dot its landscape though mining is still a major contributor. Its trading is usually with the small Dwarf clans living in the nearby mountains, though it does sometimes trade with the “friendlier” barbarian tribes to the east and there has been contact made with small fiefdoms located on another piece of land across the Sea of Ice to the north east. Trade with the Empire is limited. No major trading is done, though a few traveling merchants here and there may do some minor business.

One thing the Xolans will never trade in to anyone are weapons, particularly their own.

Pollution which is practically an unknown problem in most places is very much a problem here. Even the much larger Empire does not produce as much. This is due to the factories that continue to belch out black smoke through the day and night, making the Xolan Kingdom an even grayer place than it already is. (Though the forges are said to be a relief from the cold) One river, The Serpent’s Tail is completely polluted and discolored from toxins dumped in it, though much to the chagrin of the Empire this river flows downstream, causing more problems for them than it does for the Xolans. The Xolans of course have no intention of stopping their activity let alone for the likes of the Empire.

Another landmark of Xolan landscape are the large craters in parts of the ground. Some of these can range from small, to nearly the size of a village. Weapon testing is a dangerous endeavor.

The Xolan Kingdom is nowhere near as big as the Empire, but it’s a respectable size for its population. Most of its population is human, but is starting to include a number of Dwarves as well. The Kingdom is congruent geographically speaking though there is one small island off the coast of their territory where yet another new factory of the largest size has set up production.

It is unknown what exactly is being built there.

Neighbors

The Dwarf Clans

When nearby Dwarf clans first discovered the Xolans finding one of their long forgotten ancestors’ factories, they were alarmed. If they’d had records of such a place existing they would’ve moved in long before the Xolans could. They thought about launching an attack, but by then it was too late, the Xolans were already using the Dwarf cannons they found on the barbarians and monsters that harassed them and were beginning to make more of their own. The Dwarves were not in the numbers they once were and the humans were abundant and growing more so every day, they could not hope to defeat the Xolans in a victorious war. So they made contact instead, to determine their intentions. As it turned out the Dwarves found they had much in common with the industrious and practical Xolans. They were relieved that the Xolans didn’t seem too interested in conquest (Which surprised the Dwarves given what they knew of humans) so much as they were interested in defending themselves. In time a friendship and was struck up and still exists to this day.

A mutual respect for each other is what keeps the alliance going, the dwarves simply ask that their territory not be encroached on, which the Xolans abide by (The Dwarven territory doesn’t cover much anyway). Other than being a trading partner the Xolans don’t really ask anything in return for the Dwarves. Even when Dwarves offered to help them in their war with the Empire, the Xolans declined and said they’d take care of the problem themselves…and they did. The Dwarves couldn’t ask for a better neighbor that placed a high regard for self-reliance.

Lately though the Dwarves are somewhat restless about the increased weapon testing and all the new invention designs that the Xolans have been engaging in ever since their war with the Empire, particularly the designs that the Dwarves once abandoned because they were thought to be too dangerous. This might be the reason for the recent number of Dwarves migrating to the Kingdom to help as engineers. They can’t stop the Xolans from doing what they want, but they at least want to try to guide the Xolans in a direction that won’t cause THEM trouble in the future.

[donteatpoop]

Barbarian Tribes

In the past these were very much a problem for the Xolan, but nowadays they are merely a nuisance. In fact barbarian raids are becoming rarer against the Xolan Kingdom mainly because of the strong military presence and increasingly bleak landscape. Raiding the Empire to the south is a much more attractive and lucrative option. Still that doesn’t mean the tribes are friendly and they will attack the occasional merchant caravan if they think they have good odds.

Lately one particularly large barbarian tribe called Grishrak’s Horde is attempting to unify ALL the tribes in the area under the rule their Warlord Grishrak. This inevitably involves wiping out half of the tribe and then wiping out the other half if they don’t surrender and swear loyalty to Grishrak.

Grishrak is a half-orc of the largest size and seems to be trying to build a Kingdom of his own. Besides the Empire they see this Horde as the next biggest threat to their security, however despite his brutality Grishrak seems to have a sense of honor and has no love for the Empire either.

Steps have been made to discuss this matter further with him.

Others

There are a few beasts that lurk deep within the mountains, but those are rare. The only monster threat comes from the northern reaches of the Kingdom when the occasional group of ice trolls come wandering down in search of food, on the really rare occasions, a Frost Giant appears. When either of these events occur, no effort is spared to eliminate these threats immediately.

Military

The Xolan Kingdom spends a lot on defense though it can afford to. Training is often harsh, but creates very disciplined soldiers. Swords, axes or maces are standard issue. When recruits master the art of melee only then are they allowed to practice with firearms. The Xolan military wants their soldiers to be able to defend themselves properly not overly rely on a “wonder weapon”. Arquebuses are common, but high powered repeating crossbows are still used, in fact the better the shooters get those instead as it takes some time to reload an arquebus. Whereas a sharp shooter with a repeating crossbow can do a lot more damage within the same amount of time. Regular bows aren’t used at all anymore.

The Xolan military of course also use their cannons whenever possible, but other siege engines like catapults and ballista are still in use, they’ve just been improved upon.

Xolan Calvary is small mainly due to the lack of horses in their land, but the Xolan prefer to rely on foot troops armed with crossbows and arquebuses shooting from afar rather than foolishly charging into the enemy anyway. (A favorite tactic of the Xolan when the enemy charges at them with cavalry, is to aim for the horses) Generals and officers are usually mounted on horses since they need to move quickly to give various orders their troops.

Xolan Navy is also small, but powerful. Experimentation with building ships completely of metal has already begun and their existing wooden ships usually have reinforced hulls with metal plating on the inside. Naturally cannons are mounted in the ships, probably making them most the powerful in the known seas. Only monstrous sea creatures like Krakens and Megalodons usually dare attack such ships. The navy is mainly assigned to defending Xolan shores and the trade ships to the Northeastern fiefdoms.

Other inventions used to serve the military are flying balloons, but these are mainly for lookout purposes, though rumors of other “airborn” designs are being studied and researched. The newest Xolan “weapons” are probably the clockwork golems which have now become a familiar sight in Xolan factories and cities. These metal giants are difficult to manufacture, so for now only a few have been made for important location defense.

[donteatpoop]

Magic and Religion

Even before they embraced technology the Xolan were never a magic loving people, indeed they never really seemed to be particularly inclined to it. Mages in general are becoming a rarer sight in the Xolan Kingdom. However there was one branch that their ancestors embraced once strongly, the art of Necromancy. Records of the time before the founding of Xol are sketchy at best, but tales tell of a Xolan necromancer named Zalin the Black who saved the future of the Xolan from a cult of Elven druids that lived in a nearby forest who were stealing Xolan women and children to sacrifice to their gods and all efforts to send people into the forest to root them out ended in failure. Angered by seeing his people slaughtered, Zalin announced that he would take care of this problem once and for all, and told the Xolan not to come out their homes until daybreak. Xolan traveled to the forest alone and summoned the spirits of the victims back to this world so that they could avenge their own deaths, but that wasn’t enough, he also cast a strong wither spell turning the murderous elves’ beloved forest into dust as the spirits of their victims wrought their terrible revenge. After it was all said and done, nothing was left, but the price Zalin payed for such a powerful spell was high, and he wandered off in the wilderness somewhere to die. His body was never found; presumably he was eaten by a wandering beast. Though obviously the Xolan think of him as a hero

Because of this tale, Necromancy has never been seen as an “evil” branch of magic by the Xolans. It is merely a tool nothing more, though one that they do recognize that it can be abused, as such all Necromancers are required to register their right to practice it and only then in the service of the Kingdom. This mainly includes working in the factories or mines to supervise the workers that have chosen to sign the “death contract”. This agreement involves the worker allowing the necromancer to raise him from the dead so that he may continue to serve the Kingdom and if he has a family to still provide for them. (Family receives half the pay that they normally would get if the worker was still alive) Of course the worker is now a zombie and merely a shell, but many workers will sign such an agreement, though there is a limit, since the necromancers can only hold control over so many dead at a time. (It is a tiring business after all)

Other branches of magic are practically non-existent in the Kingdom though a few Elementalist specializing in Earth or Fire are welcomed due to the large amount of work done in the mountains.

Healing magic has largely been replaced by natural medicine, though the Xolans might benefit a little more from it since the health rate isn’t exactly the best due to the pollution.

Illusions are considered to be a waste of time (Why trick your opponent when you can blow a big hole in him?) and Natural magic is shunned altogether, presumably the memory of murderous elves lurking in forests still lies in the minds of the Xolan.

As for religious practices, most Xolan have even less use for them than magic. This is probably due to their acceptance of necromancy (Which manipulates life after death) and now science and technology (Which operate on natural law rather than some other worldly source).

However there is no law against those that wish to practice their own private worship of whatever god or gods they may believe in, as long as it does not harm the Kingdom in anyway.

[donteatpoop]

Society and Culture

The Xolan are a serious minded people and while they did come to power through the help of old Dwarf inventions since that time they have made improvements and created their own designs in every effort to “make it their own”. As a general rule the Xolan are accepting of most races provide that they aren’t trying to kill or eat them. Though of course they still harbor suspicion in elves (Another reason why Dwarves are fond of the Xolan) Villages and Towns are usually simple and have only what the people need though walls of some sort are always erected around them. Cities resemble small fortresses rather than cities. (Especially the capital) Slavery has never been institutionalized in the Kingdom mainly due to their “do it yourself” outlook on life, plus it seemed much more costly to keep slaves and a risk to security. (And after visiting the Empire, their position on it has only been reinforced)

Things like art, music and other humanities are not actively pursued on a large level; even the King’s palace isn’t very ornate looking. Not that they aren’t creative, the Xolan just see little reason to decorate things with jewels or pave them in gold. Precious gems and metals are meant for trading not to uselessly wallow in one’s own opulence. The closest the Xolan have to “art” are their inventions. Architecture is valued, but only so it functions, not so it looks “nice”. The Xolan would rather have an ugly looking building that never falls than a nice one that will collapse at the slightest touch. Arguing over philosophical things like “If a tree falls down in the woods, what color is it?” is just the height of pointlessness to the Xolan, they’d much rather argue over more important things like “If I put this much gun powder in the cannon will I still kill the enemy without blowing myself up?” History is still important to them though and they try to keep records of ever important event that goes on in the Kingdom. Most books are dedicated to more practical subjects, but some fiction exists. Usually these involve tales of dedication and self-sacrifice for the greater good of the Xolan Kingdom. Learning about one’s enemies and how they think is a worthwhile endeavor, so strategy and tactics always rank highly, because of this, some “games” have been created to fuel this interest. (But mainly for learning rather than entertainment purposes)

The Xolan seem like joyless people to most, but that actually isn’t true, they just experience joy in simpler pleasures. Indeed with the coming of the Empire they’ve seen what overindulgence can do to a civilization, and they vow to never become like them.

Also:

A new religion/cult, gaining power from within. (If anyone wants to take this, we will need details)

Internal Power Struggles (No real details necessary, but this is open to discussion)


Cities/Histories within the empire:

The City of Drevlin

The problem with any city near the Corillum Mountains is that the crests of the mountains are believed to have been cursed long ago. Any village located on the mountains is said to be plagued by evil. The City of Drevlin, like most northern cities, exists solely underground. However, there is only so much room under the Corillum Mountains. Real Estate in Drevlin is highly expensive, and traffic flow was a severe problem. However, traffic flow has been reduced thanks to not an engineer, but a senile counselman.

Drevlin consists of a series of hollow chambers which conect to each other at ground level. One of these chambers is known as a Pyron. Each pyron contains only one type of buildings. There is a Pyron for restaurants, one for stores, one for government offices, and several for residental locations. A pyron contains vast empty space, with entrances to separate buildings all along these walls. A solid pillar stands in the center. This is for support, and also serves as an entrance to the buildings within it. A path snakes along the side of this pillar. At intervals, a bridge leads from the pillar to the walls of the vast chamber. Each building has a bridge to the pillar, and is allowed one sign to be placed along the pillar. Traffic is only allowed to walk up the pillar. In order to go back down, there is a slide within the building. This slide merges with other building's slides, and leads to the ground level, where you can either enter another pyron or climb back up the pillar.

In the words of the senile counselman, "I walked to school and home again uphill both ways." He thought the concept was histerical. The others were less amused. However, no one could think of any reason to veto the proposed layout. Despite its oddity, traffic flow in Drevlin is the least congested of all northern cities.

[donteatpoop]

The Nochima Sect

The Nochima Sect is a small group of people who believe in one of the more controversial theories of magic. The planes of reality and magic are usually thought to be parallel, but separate. The idea of Nochimanism is that, if these separate planes were to be punctured and fused together at one point, it would create a nexus point of unlimited power. Most magical researchers argue that this would alter reality in unpredictable ways, but Nochimanists argue that, since the realities are parallel, they can be conjoined with no harm. In order to attempt to achieve this feat, they cast powerful magics in one spot, in the hope that the repeated presence of magic in one spot would create a nexus point. While the Nochima Sect is not necessarily evil, the magic used must be powerful in nature, meaning that that most of its few members are, in fact, necromancers. Despite their small numbers, the Nochima Sect does not take apprentices.


Irysopolis-by-the-Sea, largest of the Empire’s seaports and third largest city overall.

Located where the Sea of Storms meets the continent in a dramatic upheaval of cliffs and crashing waves, Irysopolis is a thriving metropolis of nearly one million souls, a veritable melting pot of the cultures assimilated by the Empire, and a center of trade for hundreds upon hundreds of miles around. Situated in a large, protected harbor on the southern coast of the continent, it boasts a temperate climate nearly all year round with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.

It is especially known for it’s lax stance on the importation of raw goods, as overseen by the port-master (or customsman), a man by the name of Nargis the Opulent, who is the most powerful man in the city (and perhaps one of the most powerful men in the empire - so powerful, in fact, that even the improvident Prince Karo fears and envies him, though they both maintain an outwardly cordial relationship). In other words, Irysopolis’s black market is the hub for legal and illegal trade on the southern seaboard of the Empire.

Prince Karo, a young man of only 19 years, was recently thrust into a position of power in Irysopolis after the assassination of his father, King Gilder. Gilder was an apt and capable leader, one of the few left in the Empire in these turbulent times, and his death has been seen as an omen of bad tidings. Karo, on the other hand, is a dispassionate leader who is more concerned about the latest fashions than taking on his rightful role.

The ‘monarchy’ in Irysopolis is really a puppet regime of the emperor, of course, kept intact only because of Irysopolis’s long standing alliance with the Empire, even before it became assimilated into it over 500 years ago.

A few hundred miles south of the city, through waters plagued with rogue storms, pirates, and sea serpents, lies the Archipelago, a string of volcanic islands that number into the hundreds and are rich in natural resources. Pearls, spices, gems, rare and exotic birds and animals, etc. all make there way back to the empire via Irysopolis. The islands are a lush, tropical paradise of sorts, but they are also fraught with danger, disease, and intrigue.

There are only a handful of settlements on the islands, and more oft than not the settlements that one does encounter are the domain of brigands and buccaneers.

The indigenous people of the archipelago perished long, long ago. No one knows why, but they left behind some magnificent monuments to their vanished civilization. Huge, monolithic towers can be found on nearly every island, like silent sentinels of a bygone era. How these structures were built is a mystery. Some say that giants lived there, still others say it was done by magic. And there is some validity to the latter argument.

Out of the archipelago have come some of the most powerful magical artifacts ever discovered, and there is a thriving trade bringing them back to the empire - via Irysopolis, of course. Many of these artifacts, in fact most of them, turn out to be hoaxes, others true potential are never discovered.


Before we continue our discussion on Irysopolis, let us first go over the very core of the Empire’s “power structure”, as it stands today.

The Emperor stands at the top of the administrative system. He serves as military commander in chief, high priest, court of appeal, and source of law. All this power is intensely personal: Soldiers swear their oath to the emperor, not to a constitution or a flag. Personal ties of patronage, friendship, and marriage had at one time bound together society, but during the Empire’s domain the emperor has become the Universal Patron.

The emperors have taken over the political and legislative power of countless kingdoms and city-states, but they need the help of some of these Kings and Princelings who have experience in diplomacy, government, and military command. Since the emperor designates candidates for all government positions, these men (and even some women) have no other access to high office except through loyal service. A shrewd emperor can turn “local” pride and loyalty to the advantage of the Empire. By simply allowing the “King of Irysopolis” to wear a broad purple stripe on his robes, for example, the emperor marked him as Ruler of the Sea of Storms and added to his prestige among his own people.

[donteatpoop]

Now back to Irysopolis...

Like any respectable city in the Empire, Irysopolis boasts an enormous Arena which is used to host many a bloody spectacle to keep the lowly common folk appeased and the elite upperclass entertained.

Irsysopolis’s Arena, however, is something special. While not as large as it’s counterpart in the behemoth capital city of the Empire, the Arena in Irysopolis has some unique features that are not to be found anywhere else in the world. One of these, namely, is due to the fact that it was constructed near the waterfront which allowed an elaborate aqueduct to be constructed, which carries water directly from the harbor and into the Arena where it can then be flooded.

Great sea battles are then reenacted. Ships of all shapes and sizes are brought in. Sea serpents, whales, and giant squid are wantonly slaughtered for the amusement of the bloodthirsty masses. Sadly, countless thousands upon thousands of men and women die in the Arena each year as well.

There have been other negative consequences due in large part to the “games”. Griffins, bears, lions, and wolves, which were once abundant in the cypress forests north of the city, are now nearing the verge of extinction because of the high demand placed on their numbers.

In recent years, hunters have been forced to search further and further to find even the most substantial amount of creatures to use in the “games”.

Elves, who once kept to themselves in the hills above the forests, living a life of seclusion in the trees - drinking wine and generally carrying on like that - have now began to put up armed resistance to those they encounter in the forests.

The Emperor, who has long ignored the elves and viewed them as harmless savages who were not worth his time, has sent emissaries to warn them of such insolent actions. None of the emissaries have returned alive.

Another thriving industry in Irysopolis is the slave trade. Small, diminutive humanoids called halflings make up roughly 50% of this workforce, the other 50% are made up of a variety of different races, some human, others not. Most who are human, however, are usually from an invaded territory that offered resistence instead of submitting to the will of the Empire.

The life of a slave is a harsh one, but even among slaves there is a social hierarchy, and some slaves have it better than others.

The harbor of Irysopols, one of the best defended harbors in the world, is cluttered to the brink with merchant and war vessels alike. It is an awe an inspiring site for the uninitiated traveler.

Recently, however, there was a troubling occurrence in these ‘safe waters’, and the entire city is a buzz with rumors. A strange submersible vessel, crafted entirely out of some unknown metal, infiltrated the harbor and emerged from the waters for a brief instant. Then, in a horrific turn of events, it opened fire with a single cannon mounted on it’s frame, sinking the flagship of the Empire’s navy.

Then, just as quickly, it disappeared back into the murky depth of the waters and was never seen again.

Many believe it was the work of the Xolan Kingdom. Others claim it was some sort of strange artifact sent from the Archipelago.

What is certain is this: Irysopolis is not the impenetrable fortress that many once thought she was!







As of yet UnconfirmedAlso, perhaps there is a strange new "cult" that was at one time persecuted but is now gaining in popularity and ferver, especially among some of the higher ups (kind of like christianity - but not. you know what I mean)

This could be another division in the empire, just another element of civil strife. The empire is eroding from without and within, civil war threatens it alongside war from outsiders.

Perhaps the cult is a radical new belief that holds that the blood-thirsty, corrupt, bickering gods of the old order are false and instead is a more earth-centered, naturalistic, philosophical worldview that worships nature.

List of creatures/races nearby: I gotta work on this. Usoki, you submitted a brief list, right? I’d be glad to use some/most of those if only I know what they are. If you can provide brief one or two sentence descriptions of them, or at least the one’s you want to use, I’d appreciate it. Otherwise, I’ll work something out, but it’s going to take some time to compile this list.

[donteatpoop]

The Archipelago

Once again, we’re going to stray away from the complexities of Irysopolis and again discuss the Archipelago, as the two are vitally interconnected in more ways than one.

The largest island of the archipelago, and incidentally the one most extensively ‘colonized’ by the Empire, is Aquatonia. This fertile island is dominated by a large though dormant volcano called Mt. Valatha, which rises an astonishing 14,000 feet into the heavens. The largest (and practically only) city is Helaulavar, which lies on the north end of the island and boasts a respectable port, a military barracks, fortifications, a university, a governor’s palace, and even it’s own Arena (which isn’t anything to get too excited over, admittedly).

The island’s demographics are lopsided, with the population being roughly that of 80% slaves and only 20% freedmen.

Aquatonia has an extensive agriculture system, with huge, sprawling plantations covering nearly every acre of available farmland. Using slave labor, sugar, tobacco, spices, and other commodities that are in high demand back in the north are grown on these plantations.

Wildlife on the island is very exotic. A mischievous and astonishingly intelligent breed of winged monkeys called Mongbats live in the island’s upland forests. The animals are a thorn in the side of many a plantation owner, as they are witty and crafty with tools, and organized when in large numbers. They will often raid plantation under the cover of night, wreaking havoc and stealing food or just causing general mischief for the hell of it.

Recently, back in the north, the popularity of keeping Mongbats as pets among the upperclass has exploded. They are something of a novelty item, and their adorable (though admittedly devious) antics are what endear them to many a spoiled rotten child.

Within Mt. Valatha the azure-scaled drake Katazar slumbers. This dragon is not a lingwyrm (lesser drake), but one of a more ancient variety. It is rumored that the hoard he has amassed is worth more than the entire treasure trove of the Emperor himself.

Only once has Katazar arose from his fitful slumber, some fifty years ago. He descended upon Helaulavar in the dead of night and stole for himself a single virgin, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, consumed her, and then proceeded to fly back to his mountain lair - his appetite satiated. It is a mystery as to why he does not eat more often or make more appearances, but no one on the island is complaining.

Another mystery is the way his dreams affect those living under the shadow of the mountain. Those who dare dwell anywhere near it’s vicinity report having horrific nightmares on an almost nightly basis. Indeed, it has driven more than a few people mad. Luckily, the sphere of the sleeping wyrm’s influence is a relatively small area directly below the volcano, and nowhere else.

A more sinister product of not just Aquatonia but the entire Archipelago is a powdered substance called Oberon’s Ambrosia, which is derived from a flowering plant that grows in the jungles and swamps. This powerful narcotic has taken on a new popularity over the last fifty years, and is now reaching epidemic proportions in the Empire. It is highly addictive and can also be fatal if partaken in large doses.

The powder is usually snorted. The user then feels a profound sense of euphoria that lasts anywhere from 10-20 minutes. The problem is, once the high dissipates they’re left wanting more.

It is estimated at this time that roughly 10% of the Empire’s population is hooked on this potent substance. These are alarming figures. There are some who say it is more like 50-60% among the lower classes and slave populations in certain areas.

[donteatpoop]

All that being said, nothing is being done to address this rising problem. Irysopolis-by-the-Sea is the main port of entry for this drug, and incidentally has one of the highest rates of drug use in the Empire at this time.


1) City of Luray, #2 in size of the Empire (only slightly larger than Irysopolis, still dwarfed by the capital city which we should probably name).

Luray is located between Drevlin and the capital, about equidistant from both cities. However, by no means is Luray simply a "suburb" of the capital. It is entirely self-sufficient as it controls the trade routes from the Endless Plains (more on that later).

Luray is a center for learning and progressive thoughts. While it is true very few members of the Nochima Sect reside in Luray, if any are present at all, many merchants and artists make a living in the city and carry a middle-class attitude. For this Luray is quite unique in its government stylings. Locally, as Luray still has to answer to the Emperor (much to the displeasure of its citizens), Luray has taken the opportunity to establish a republican government. Elected officials make decisions for the city. Most decisions made, however, are simple economic squabbles. Much of the city would like either more control over Luray's military or perhaps even total separation from the Empire, though that belief is a radical one. Many democratic thinkers in the city would also like to see Timus surrender all his power to a Senatorial body.

Currently, the Prime Minister of Luray is Lord Duchay. He rules justly from his executive position and has never tried to take too much power from the Senate. He is much adored by the populace.

2) The Endless Plains-

The Endless Plains are on the east side of the Empire, thus placing them as far away from Xolan as possible (I'm making Xolan to the West). The plains are interminable, hence their name. The soil is quite fertile, producing a bounty of food that the Empire reaps for itself through the middlemen of merchants.

The people of the Endless Plains are not at all organized. Their villages are not even villages; the whole society is built upon family. Everything is for family and nothing else matters. This has caused the people of the Plains to be exploited by merchants of the Empire many times, giving them enormous amounts of food and goods for a few technologies. One can only think of what the Plains people would give to have something from the Xolan lands.

The main goods exported from the Endless Plains are grains, rice, and cloth.

3) Tribe of the Pure Hills

Another barbarian tribe. Near Drevlin, right near the Corillum Mountains (they are why the mountains are thought to be cursed). The main thing with these guys are that they hate how some barbarian tribes are part-Orcish. They're 100% human. Currently led by Lushnir (he'll be one of my characters). They are fighting Grishrak's tribe and will probably lose unless something special happens.







(that's everything I could find. I e-mailed a copy of the characters to everyone, if you need one just message me. this is still an open invite to all, if anyone wants in just post in here)

[donteatpoop]

[i]characters[/bi]


Caden

A former military man, now retired and in his early 50's. He is
generally located in the capital city, chilling out and telling bawdy
jokes at one of several taverns. Though a very laid back man, he is
not one to be trifled with.

To the public he is a man deserving of much respect, quick to laugh at
a joke, but slow to turn complex things over in his mind. "Thick of
arm, thick of head" they say of him in jest, much to his deep laughter
and amusement. He doesn't mind being the butt of a joke or two, so
long as the puns are passed around and not completely focused on him.
He is even tempered and will generally give a warning before he flips
out and starts kicking ass; such as "Alright, you're really starting
to piss me off."

To the empire he is undercover seeking out conspiracies against the
empire and squelching them before they begin. He is sometimes sent on
missions to other cities as an emissary and is one of the key
negotiators/ambassadors with Xolan. His sharp mind, masked by his
pleasant and seemingly unintelligent demeanor, makes him an excellent
spy.

He stands a few inches over six feet and is a barrel chested warrior.
His age leads others to assume that his reflexes are slow, but this is
not the case. His battle instincts are just as sharp now as they were
in his prime.

Emperor Timus

Emperor Timus was born in the year of the moon and his nearing his
52nd day of birth. His once black hair has turned to grey and is kept
cropped close to his head. He is of average hieght and weight, not
quite muscular, not quite fat.

His uncle Deosis, the previous Emperor who bestowed rights to rule
onto him, was nothing short of insane. The twelve years that Deosis
ruled were a dozen years of chaos and disorder.

It was Timus who stopped the war with the kingdom of Xolan upon the
death of his uncle. There is still speculation as to whether he played
a hand in the death of Deosis, but everyone agrees that whether he did
or not is irrelevant; it needed to happen and the empire is better off
for it.

Timus started his rule nearly twenty years ago. He is burdened by the
stress of the falling empire and often feels helpless in his attempts
to restore it to it's former glory. He is often melancholy and it is
apparent that he is a dark and sorrow filled man, thus is the burden
of trying to hold a crumbling empire together.

He has become less and less commonly present in the eye of the public,
all but confirming speculation that his mind is suffering from the
same instability as his late uncle. It is said that he no longer makes
decisions for himself, but trusts a secret council of men to make
decisions for the empire. It is said that he is just a figure head
now.

The question, really, is who are these members of the secret council,
and what are their intentions?



Morlock

Little is truly known about Morlock. The following is a list of what is known;

Morlock is an extremely slender man with black hair. He is said to be
well over 500 years of age, and is human. He is a known wizard,
thought to be a necromancer.

The public is not aware of him, but many in the circles of magic are
familiar. He is considered by many the greatest expert on necromancy
who has ever lived. It is also agreed among the mages that he is a
lich, someone who has extended their lives through use of the dark
magic. He is also considered a major threat to public.

Morlock is a minor character, but his presence should often play an
important role. He is engineering events from behind the scenes and
considers himself a puppet master, pulling at the strings of the
entire empire.

He is one of the members of the Emperor's secret council, and has
influence on many other important people within the empire.



Dhomas (AKA: Lady Death)

Dhomas is a high profile assassin for the empire, or so the empire
would believe. Truth be told, the empire just so happens to be paying
her the best price. Her loyalty sways with the promises of wealth.

She is a short and slender woman aged in her mid twenties. She is a
most deadly assassin, moving silently from place to place and
appearing from shadows as though they are a portal through which she
steps. She hold no magical abilities, but is of the utmost physical
fitness and is nothing less than deadly in battle.

There is a bit of a legend about her, and many a bard has told tales
of terror about her. It is said that she is a demon. She has died
countless times, but always returns to life.

- Feel free to kill this character off, just make sure she comes
across as badass before doing so. She will only come back to life
after all. Exactly how she returns from the dead is a mystery and is
intended to remain as such.


The Bard

Name: Usoki of Mirr (Yes, it does sound conceited, but I created
this character long before I chose Usoki as my favorite username.)

Race: Elven

Gender: Male

Age: The elven equivolent of his mid-twenties. (137, perhaps?)

Appearance: Usoki is rather tall for an elf, meaning he can look
shorter humans straight in the eye. This is one of many reasons Usoki
is generally seen as an outcast among elves. He has blonde hair, and
blue eyes. He dresses himself in silk tunics, all of which are
varying shades of blue or green.

Personality: Usoki is a dreamer, and his eyes are almost always
unfocused. Even when he's singing and playing his trusty mahogany
madolin, people get the sense that he doesn't have any idea what's
going on. However, he is rather intelligent, and will often slip
vital information to adventurers. He could just go out and tell
them...but that's not as fun. He prefers to see whether or not they
are paying attention.

Biography: Usoki is the second child in a family of long lineage. As
such, severe amounts of cultural training was given to him at an early
age. Although his fancies turned more toward adventuring, these dreams
were squashed by his parents. He was taught proper things, like
ballroom dancing. His only relief from his noble upbringing was his
self-taught skills in archery and druid magic, limited as these skills
are. To this day, Usoki deeply resents being of noble blood, and will
fiercely deny this fact.
As Usoki began to adjust to life outside of his sheltered upbringing,
he quickly found out his pampered childhood left him worthless in the
arts of combat. Unable to go adventuring, Usoki became a bard. He sits
under trees, singing songs of the heroic adventures he cannot
complete.

The Druid

Name: Kyramus, nicknamed "Kyr"

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Age: 26

Appearance: Kyr is a lanky young man with brown hair, brown eyes, and
a goatee. His mouth is almost always grinning, which is set off by
his deep-set dimples. He has a rather large nose, which looks even
more pig-like because his nostrils are wide, and the tip of his nose
faces upward. When you consider his nose along with his squinty eyes
and pale skin, he gives off the appearance of having just ran into a
wall.

Personality: Kyr is the epitomy of the know-it-all. Unfortunately,
he seldom does. Nevertheless, he feels obligated to inform people of
his opinions. In addition, he informs them of what he thinks about
their ideas, what he thinks of them, just how he is feeling...and just
about any other thought that enters his mind. It's a good thing he's
outgoing and jovial, or he'd be really annoying. Oh, wait. He is
annoying. Nevermind.

The Illusionist

Name: Alythia

Race: Human

Gender: Female

Age: 18

Appearance: Alythia has long black hair, and blue eyes. She has a
sleek and slender build, over which she drapes brightly dyed robes.
She seldom bothers with her appearance, simply because she doesn't
have to. In particular, her loose robes, which are scaresly draped
over her, make you want to reach over and pull them into place. Or,
perhaps, pull them off entirely...

Personality: Alythia is excellent at faking emotions, particularly
seduction. Her illusion magics accent her abilities of deception.
Whenever a plan calls for a distraction, she's usually it. However,
she is also a spoiled brat, and insists on being pampered. She
insists that someone else carries her pack (which is overflowing with
luxuries most adventurers don't even bother to pack), and she refuses
to travel to Xol, which she insists is the dirtiest place in the whole
kingdom.

[donteatpoop]

Lushnir, Barbarian of the Pure Hills.

The Pure Hills tribe lives on the small rises leading up to the
Corillum Mountains, rather near the city of Drevlin. Because of the
mountains, the tribe has had extremely limited contact with any other
cultures besides that of the Empire and other nomadic tribes. Allies
of the Pure Hills are hard to come by; other tribes never stay put for
long and the Drevliners believe their hills to be cursed and thus
avoid the area at all costs (in truth, the legends of mass murder and
suchlike are simple recounts of survivors telling the bloodthirsty
ways of the tribe).

The tribe gets its name from its most notable practice: the Pure Hills
does not have a single ounce of Orc-blood in its people, preferring to
remain 100% human. This forms the main ethic which guides the ways of
the Hills, which is to exterminate all barbarian tribes that have a
good deal of Orc in them. Tribal shamans have taught the children the
importance of remaining human. Mating with an Orc can hinder the mind
and body, producing a half-orc child will bring bad luck upon your
family forever! Any members of the tribe that establish good
relations with tribes that are a bit Orcish are immediately exiled.

As a strong majority of tribes have a good deal of Orc-blood in them,
this has caused slight inbreeding in the tribe, hampering its
development. Thus, the Pure Hills are less advanced than even some of
their barbarian counterparts in many ways, although keeping their
people all-human helps. The Hills have successfully defended their
homeland from all barbarian invaders, and folklore says that they once
defeated the people of Drevlin in a short war. Hostilities no longer
exist between Drevlin and the Hills, however. As previously stated
they maintain minimal contact.

Recently, Chief Baruk Fadka died, leaving control of the tribe to his
older son, Valdifor Sonn Fadka. Lima led a good decade of prosperity
in the tribe and was very well-liked. He declared war against the
newest enemy of the Hills as well: Grishrak's Horde. Only recently
have the tribes been aware of each other's existence, and as soon as
one heard of the other war began. Grishrak is currently trying to
unite all barbarian tribes, and the Pure Hills are trying to eliminate
his people through ethnic cleansing. Currently it is clearly Grishrak
who is winning the war, he has already conquered three out of the
seven hills villages. Next on his list is the "capital" town of
Arguh.

Valdifor died two years after the war with Grishrak began, leaving
control in the hands of his younger brother Lushnir Red Fadka.
Lushnir is twenty-five years old, very well educated when compared to
his barbarian cousins. He wants to bring the Pure Hills, along with
other tribes, into a new Golden Age and perhaps eventually challenge
the Empire. But he knows that before he can do that he must defeat
Grishrak, and perhaps to do that he has to become allies with the city
of Drevlin. Drevlin has for years been wary of Grishrak's wars and is
fearful that one day he might attack them.

Lushnir has tried numerous times to make his people less "barbarian"
by insituting reforms like agriculture and Empire-like clothing. This
has made him rather unpopular with his people, but it is working to
his advantage. Last year the Hills produced a surplus of food despite
the fact they were at war with Grishrak. They sold this excess food
to Drevlin, trading it for weapons and a new partner.

Lushnir's long-term goals are to make his tribe more like the Empire,
defeat Grishrak, and perhaps even the Empire itself.

Varro Esteban, Commoner of the Empire

Varro is a citizen of Luray, the second largest city in the Empire.
He works for Herno Leulik, a wealthy merchant who is a self-made man.
Herno sells various artistic works, mosly pottery, and Varro sells
them on the streets of Luray. When Herno leaves to collect works from
other cities (he most frequently travels to the capital city with his
caravan of armored guards) Varro is left to tend to the shop.

Varro's parents died only three years ago, leaving the then-fourteen
year old youth on his own in Luray. He knew he needed to quickly find
a job and so he was employed by Herno.

One thing that Varro's parents did instill in him was a sense of
confidence. They told him that just because they were common peasants
was no reason for them to be trampled on. They were some of the more
idealistic Lurays. They firmly believed in the power of a republic
over an empire and secretly wished ill upon the Empire.

Varro never lost this hatred toward the imperialistic ways. He
resents everything to do with Timus, and has recently joined the
Underground Resistance. The UR is a covert group of those dedicated
to overthrow the Empire, centered in Luray with an arm in every major
city of the Empire. They are set in their stance, but have not yet
taken up open arms. Plans to do so in the near future are assured.

[donteatpoop]

Viktor Kaznov

Viktor was born in the town of Orminsk, not the most prosperous town,
but better than some in the Kingdom, still Victor's father Ivar wanted
better for his wife Natalia and Viktor and farming wasn't going to cut
it. When news that a new factory was going to be built nearby, Ivar
saw his opportunity to improve his family's life, or at least earn
enough to send Viktor to a proper school in Xol as he saw that his son
was a bright boy even at a young age. Ivar believed such talent should
not be wasted; his son deserved a chance for a better life, perhaps
with Viktor's intelligence he would grow up to become an inventor for
the Kingdom.

So it came to pass Ivar went to work at the factory and Viktor was
sent to a school in Xol. Sadly after a few years of working in the
factory an accident occurred as they normally do in such places and
Ivar was killed. It would've been the end of Viktor's higher education
had his father not signed a "Death contract" which permitted Xolan
Necromancers to raise him as a zombie so that he may continue to work
to support his family (And the Kingdom) in death. Viktor came home
after hearing the news and said he would quit school, as the Death
pension wouldn't be enough to support his education and his mother,
but Natalia would not hear of him quitting school she knew how
important to her husband that Viktor make something of himself and it
was important to her too, so she took a job as a barmaid. Viktor's
mother told him one thing before he left for school again.

"Remember your father's sacrifice. Remember mine. Succeed."

Viktor vowed that he would and redoubled his efforts in school.

Viktor excelled in his classes, and even in the martial training
requirement. He had a fascination with places outside the Kingdom and
made every attempt to read more about them, especially about the Great
Empire to the south. The war with the Empire occurred long before he
was born, but he'd heard nothing but bad things about the place, so
unsurprisingly what little he read about it, was also negative, still
he wondered what it was like to actually be there. To this end he
sought out one of his professors who had actually traveled to the
Empire and asked him all he could hoping to get a more balanced
perception.

He did…to an extent. The Professor Petrovich explained that there were
wondrous things about the Empire such as their art, music, philosophy
and things of that nature. Most things that were considered frivolous
in the Kingdom. However, the professor felt the need to reinforce the
idea that all the things that Viktor heard about the Empire were also
true. The Empire was a dangerous threat to the Kingdom. Viktor wonder
about this remark; he couldn't see how the Empire could harm the
Kingdom especially when he always heard how badly they lost in the war
against them. Petrovich became even more serious…

"Viktor, I have traveled to many places of The Empire and while I saw
wonders I saw much more unnecessary hedonism and tyranny. The Empire
is a plague on this land, indeed its influence can be felt almost
everywhere. Its decadence and oppression spreads wherever it plants
its flag. It is worse than barbarians or monsters; at least they
merely attack and kill. The Empire chooses to not just attack, but to
suck the very life from people and continue to use them until it has
no more need of them. What it cannot assimilate, it conquers, what it
cannot conquer it destroys completely. It couldn't do the first two to
us, so what does that leave?"
"But, aren't we at peace?"
"Hah, a mere set back for them. Make no mistake, the Empire IS
powerful, we should never underestimate it and we must be ever
vigilant to maintain our way of life and our identity. A way of life
and identity that the Empire hates because it is not their own…but I
believe my words cannot truly do justice to the place. You have to
know evil before you can spit in its eye. Would you like to travel to
the Empire and see it first hand?"

Viktor didn't need to be asked twice, he jumped at the chance.
Petrovich still had government friends to set up such a trip and also
spoke highly of Viktor's academic achievements to them. Of course the
agreement was that Petrovich had to attend the trip.

The trip to the Empire was uneventful, but Viktor was overwhelmed just
to be outside of the Kingdom, he noticed how much nicer the land
looked, much greener too. Soon they arrived in the Empire port city of
Veno. Petrovich was familiar with the city and noticed it hadn't
changed much, so he had little difficulties in getting around to show
it to Viktor. The first thing Viktor noticed was how much bigger the
city was than the average Xolan City and he saw things that would've
never held a place in the Kingdom. Magnificent structures and statues
made with ornate material, merchants going about their business
wearing heaps of jewelry, an open stage like area where people were
speaking to each other and the audience while another played some sort
of instrument. Petrovich saw the wonder in the Viktor's eyes, he and
many others that had also visited also felt that wonder for a fleeting
moment, but only for a moment.

"Yes, this is the nice area of the city, but there are other parts of
it to see." Petrovich said.

Petrovich took Viktor to the slave docks where Empire troops were
bullying their latest captures which consisted mainly of a group short
people in chains.

"Hey those aren't Dwarves are they?"
"Dwarves? No my boy, I'd wager any Dwarf worth his mettle wouldn't
allow such a fate befall him. Those are Halflings."
"Oh yes, I remember reading about them now! Were they at war with the Empire?"
"Not at all, they were minding their own business, much like we were
and the Empire just attacked them for their own gain. Except unlike
us, these poor creatures were unable to defend themselves. Look upon
this and know that thanks to our way of life, we were strong enough to
repel the Empire to avoid such a tragedy. You remember those wonderful
monuments you saw earlier? Who do you think built them? These slaves.
Most of this Empire is built upon the backs of slaves."
"Why don't they revolt or something?"
"The Empire is quite adept at breaking the will of people, oh sure
there have been a few minor revolts here and there, but those are
usually a small group of slaves that have planned for their own
escapes, nothing on such a grand scale that would damage the Empire on
a permanent basis. And more often than not those escaped slaves are
caught and made an example of, to discourage further disobedience. It
gets to the point that the slaves accept their fates and are content
to live as mere chattel. Madness I know, though you'll see that even
its own citizens do not fare so well, let's look at where the regular
commoners live, I suggest you keep alert; the law isn't too enforced
in such places."

The second part of this tour involved walking around in the poor area
of Veno. The first thing Viktor noticed was the crowdedness. It was
almost like all these people were being stuffed and forced to live in
this area. Another thing that stuck out was how much dirtier it was
here than the other parts of the city he visited. Granted the Xolan
Kingdom struggled with its own pollution problems, but the reasons for
them were due to the very practical need to produce defenses and other
things for the Kingdom. This uncleanliness was more due to lack of
care and apathy; there wasn't a reason for it.

[donteatpoop]

"I don't understand why they're all crammed together like a family of
Rozloks, this city is huge, and there's plenty of room to support the
entire population and there really isn't a good reason for these
filthy conditions, it's a breeding ground for disease." Viktor said as
a rat scuttled past his feet.
"Because the upper class wouldn't allow that. They don't want these
commoners living next door to them, yet they don't want to spend the
money on public works to make life easier for them either, they'd
rather spend it on foolish things like a gold hat or something."
"I understand there is always going to be people with more than
others, but the government can only function like a well oiled machine
if everyone is doing their part. Don't they realize that this isn't
good for morale if their own poorer citizens are blatantly disregarded
and treated this way?"
"Oh they have ways to appease the masses, see that large circle like
structure that everyone is going to? That's an arena where the
government holds bloody games and slaves, prisoners and captured
monsters all fight to the death. Its sole purpose is to keep the
population occupied for awhile so they don't dwell on how miserable
their life is, not to mention rob them of what little money they earn.
I suppose the commoners get some sort of satisfaction that it isn't
THEM getting their guts stabbed and pulled out in the arena"
"But that doesn't even make sense! They're paying to escape reality!"
"In my experience, the citizens of the Empire wallow in escapism. The
reasons vary, but none of them are good ones. Look around, you notice
how many drunks you see passed out in the streets? How about the
number of harlots? You see that man sniffing the contents of that
small bag over there? Yet another new form of escape. I recently heard
about a new addictive drug spreading in the Empire. Looks like its
spread here. Heard that it's highly addictive and deadly."

Prostitution wasn't unknown or exactly illegal in the Xolan Kingdom,
but like other things that could cause potential problems, it was
regulated by the government. Kingdom
sanctioned prostitutes mainly serviced miners and workers from the
factories and considered to be working for the good of the Kingdom.
Here Viktor saw no such regulation. Spirits and ale existed in the
Kingdom, but rarely overindulged in to the extent Viktor was seeing
here. Such drunken revelry on a mass scale would be unheard of before
Xolan Guards would come to break it up. As for the drug, there wasn't
anything like that in the Xolan Kingdom and most likely never would
be. It would be considered a dangerous threat, though it would be
highly unlikely any right thinking Xolan would take such a drug,
Viktor certainly wouldn't want to when he saw the wild yet empty like
state on the face of the addict after inhaling the drug. He looked
away and shook his head.

Petrovich noticed that Viktor was now starting to see how truly
poisonous the Empire was.

"And just think Viktor, you have just seen a taste of how the Empire
functions, it is like this all over and in some places even worse."
"It seems like something should be done, I mean all the Empire seems
to be is a large parasite draining the world."
"Hmm, you're talking about a war, and you wouldn't be the first to
suggest it, however even in its current state, the Empire is much too
big and powerful for us to handle by ourselves, though the day will
come Viktor. The day will come when this bloated pig gets carved up.
With all of its problems, it is inevitable that it will fall and when
it does, we shall be there to pick up the pieces and properly avenge
those that died in the village of Nosovalik so many years ago. That
act of destruction will never EVER be forgotten. Come, you've seen
enough of this decadent place; let us return back to the Kingdom."

Soon they were back in the "nice" area of the city of Veno again,
accept now the things that Viktor saw looked less wondrous to him. Now
he saw them as most Xolan would, symbols of arrogance and oppression.
Viktor saw another merchant; a very fat one probably wearing as much
jewelry as he weighed being carried by four very tired and abused
slaves.

"You lazy slaves, move faster! Watch it! Hey! You two, get outta my
way, I got important business to attend to!"
"Alright, calm down." Viktor replied which caused the fat merchant's
eyes to narrow as if he'd never been spoken to in such a manner.
Petrovich watched closely to see how Viktor would handle this
situation.
"How DARE you speak to me in such a manner…you…you…you're a Xolan aren't you?"
"Of course!" Viktor said proudly and getting more annoyed.
"Hmph. Figures you don't know your place. Don't know why they even let
your type in Empire lands, you barely even trade with us."
"Maybe that's because you don't have anything worthwhile to trade."
"Hah! I'd say it's the other way around boy. You lot don't produce
anything, but smoke up in that little kingdom of yours."
"And all you're doing is producing is hot air, you could be one of our
balloons with how fat you are and how you're being held up, the only
difference is our balloons are much more useful and serve a purpose!"

Somehow this last remark made one of the slaves laugh even though he
tried hard not to, this in turn caused him to lose his grip and the
fat merchant's own weight caused the now unbalanced palanquin to fall
over and now he was sprawled out on the ground along side his slaves.
While Petrovich pushed Viktor towards the City gates before anymore
trouble was caused, the fat merchant cursed everyone around him,
Viktor, his slaves, and the gawking onlookers.

There was something very symbolic about this to Viktor. His mere words
caused the slaves to falter from their subservience for just a moment
which caused the fall of the fat Empire merchant. It's possible
something like this could be applied on a grander scale. He remembered
back to the earlier words of his professor saying how the Empire is
built upon the backs of slaves, if mass slave revolts occurred it
would surely cripple the Empire, but why stop at just slaves? If
enough of the citizens weren't so distracted and spoke out against
their own corrupt government, anarchy wouldn't be far behind.

Yes words could be weapons as well and it was at that point that
Viktor decided he would fight the Empire with words. Get inside its
bloated belly, explore it all, pin pointing where it was at it
weakest, strengthen where the dissension already exists, and create
dissension where it doesn't, all to create a domino effect of total
collapse and destruction of the Empire.

His mother told him to "succeed" and he would.

[donteatpoop]

More information on Viktor

Viktor is a man of average height and build, though he is skilled in
combat, he prefers to use his intelligence to get out of problems if
necessary. He carries a sword and a pair of custom pistols for
protection. (Flintlocks) His pistols are currently the few in
existence as one-handed firearms are still not available on a wide
scale, usually only reserved for high ranking officials. Viktor tends
to dress in dark colors as is the custom of most Xolans who have lots
of contact with things like soot, gunpowder and smoke.

Viktor tends to be serious minded, but having contact with the Empire,
Dwarves, and barbarians has allowed him to "fit in" when the need
arises and as necessary for an Emissary from Xol, though in cases of
the Empire he still seems a bit standoffish with the ruling class and
some of the richer merchants. He of course gets along much better with
the common Empirites when he's dealt with them.

After he completed his education and recommendations from his
professors, he proved himself to be a skilled diplomat to Xol when
dealing with various barbarian tribes. The Xolan can come off as
"scary" to less developed places, and typically when tribes are
scared, they attack. This would result in a waste of time and
resources for the Xolan and a waste of life for the barbarians. Thanks
to Viktor though, many of the tribes were dealt with in a peaceful
manner and some joined the Xolan Kingdom, or at the very least they
could be traded with.

Other accomplishments was Viktor's trip to the Najord Fiefdoms which
reinforced trade routes there, and an ongoing good relationship with
the Dwarves after he fought along side them during a small surprise
goblin invasion when he was currently there to just discuss
strengthening their mutual protection pact. Of course this deed caused
the Dwarves to agree to it.

After these deeds, it was then decided that he would be best employed
to deal with the Empire. Past Xolan ambassadors only just barely kept
the peace, indeed many hated being there in the middle of the
decadence, and that was mainly due to the fact that they still
maintained a "Xolan mindset" Viktor however had proven to be versatile
when he needed to be, so he was dispatched and he gladly accepted the
assignment.

Other than dealing with the arrogant Empire ruling class, he quickly
began his plan he always thought about since his first visit. He began
to find out through bribery, listening, and exploration where the
"rebellious" folks of the Empire were. The Underground as it were. It
was his goal to help, encourage or fund these small but growing
factions whenever possible. He was reminded of how one Rozlok doesn't
do any damage, but if thousands can lay waste to a farm. Eventually
that's what would happen to the Empire.

He is very careful about these dealings, most often only dealing with
a single "rep" from such underground resistance movements when
necessary. While the Empire government doesn't trust him, there is no
evidence so far that he's been doing anything wrong or damaging.
Fortunately the Empire is also lazy and corrupt, if it was still half
as vigilant as it once was, Viktor's activities might be discovered.
This is one of the few times Viktor appreciates the decadence of the
Empire.

The Xolan Kingdom doesn't exactly want to know all the gruesome
details of what Viktor is doing, just whether it's making some sort of
headway as far as the big picture is concerned.

As of late The Xolan Empire has also been opening up talks to
Grishrak's Horde. Discussions have been non-violent, but not really
making an impact. Viktor may be called away from the Empire to talk to
Grishrak. In fact its very likely, but if this can in anyway harm the
Empire, Viktor will do everything in his power to make sure these
talks go successfully.

[donteatpoop]

Grishrak

Grishrak is the current Warlord of the largest unified barbarian horde
North-East of the Empire, though its unification is only due in thanks
to Grishrak's leadership and ruthlessness.

Grishrak is a half-orc, but his birth was an unusual one from an
unlikely pairing. His mother was an orc outcast and his father was
human soldier of the Empire.

Grishrak's father Dominicus was part of a legion during one of the
Empire's forays into barbarian lands. The battle was one of the
bloodiest, and Dominicus in particular was in the thick of it. Having
had his own family killed in a barbarian raid, he cared nothing for
his own life and fought with reckless abandon and paid no attention to
his surroundings other than where the next attacker was coming from.
Eventually Dominicus became embroiled in a small battle of his own
with two ogres. He prevailed, but was heavily wounded and his battle
with the ogres had placed him far from the original battlefield; he
soon heard the sounds of orcish grunting nearby. Finally having a
sense of self-preservation, Dominicus staggered into a nearby wood and
eventually collapsed. He was found by the female orc, Traga, who was
living alone as an outcast from the Blood Rock tribe who nursed him
back to health over the course of several months.

One can only speculate what happen in those months, while Traga was
skilled in natural herbal medicine, she did not have any magical
powers of any kind, so whatever feelings that developed, occurred
naturally. Perhaps they were both lonely, who can guess the matters of
the heart in cases like these? What was certain is that Dominicus
never returned to the Empire and stayed with his new family after
Grishrak was born and for awhile they were happy in their secluded
part of the woods for awhile. He learned various skills from the both
of them as the years went by.

Of course as with most things, this was not to last. One day an Empire
advance squad lead by a recruited renegade scout from the Pure Hills
tribe discovered them. Traga was gathering herbs and attacked
instantly by the blood thirsty scout before the Empire troops could
even react. Being an orc of course she wasn't entirely defenseless,
but the scout killed her before he and Grishrak arrived after hearing
her cries.

Upon seeing Traga's body, Dominicus reverted back to his once quelled
rage except this time it was towards the Empire and their lackeys. He
slew the scout, but the Empire troops subdued him, they would've flat
out killed him had one of the soldiers not vaguely recognized him.
Going AWOL was a serious offense, it was decided that he was a
criminal and as such would be taken back to be tried properly, which
in essence meant that he'd be executed at worst, or sold into the
gladiator pits at best.

As for Grishrak, who was kneeling by his mother's body the whole time,
the Empire troops decided that he would be sold into slavery, but this
was not to be either. before Before being walloped on the head
unconscious, Dominicus shouted to his son to run, to live free and
never a slave to anyone. Grishrak, always one to obey his father, he
complied, by biting off the fingers of one the Empire soldiers that
tried to grab him and disappearing deeper into the woods. There was a
chase, but Grishrak knew the woods better than the Empire troops and
soon lost them. Only when he knew he was safe, did he allow himself to
weep for his parents.

He survived in the woods for a long period of time, but eventually
again more interlopers stumbled upon him, this time it was a pack of
goblins. Thinking they had found easy prey they attacked, but Grishrak
had been living out in the woods for a long time at this point,
fighting dangerous wild animals for food, not to mention he knew it
probably as well as an elf might have. One by one he dispatched the
goblins save one, who begged for his life and came up with proposal,
that his own tribe could use a great fighter such as himself. As it
turned out the tribe that the Goblin was speaking of was the Blood
Rock tribe. He'd heard about them from his mother, he was curious, and
had enough of the solitary life in the woods, so he took the goblin up
on his offer and headed north.

His acceptance into Blood Rock tribe wasn't easy; the fat Orc
Chieftain Klag wasn't as impressed as the goblin was especially given
that Grishrak was obviously half human. Klag insisted that if Grishrak
was truly a warrior, he'd have to fight as many orcs as he had goblins
to the death. Grishrak barely won, but he'd managed to earn a place in
the Blood Rock tribe.

It was during this time that Grishrak participated in countless raids
and battles with other tribes. It was fun at first, it made Grishrak
come to appreciate the comradery of others. However, it wasn't enough.
The battles seemed pointless especially since the other tribes never
had much more than they did. Up until that time Grishrak had only
fought for survival, he was tired of just fighting for mere survival
and scraps, he wanted something bigger. Something more for himself. He
began to think about some of the stories that his father told him
about the Empire. To him it sounded like a magical place filled with
riches.

[donteatpoop]

Of course it was also the place that took away his father and mother;
he hadn't forgotten that, he hadn't forgotten a lot of things. The
more he dwelled on things that angered him, he also remembered that it
was THIS very tribe that exiled his mother, probably by that barely
competent fat fool Klag too no doubt. He also remembered how his
father told him not to be anyone's slave. And while he wasn't actually
a slave here, he was following someone else's orders; he wasn't living
as "free" as he might've liked. Grishrak picked up his axe…

Grishrak became the new chieftain of the Blood Rock tribe and Klag's
head was put on a spike.

Grishrak being brighter than his predecessor (and the rest of the
tribe for that matter) began to think of the bigger treasures that lay
within the Empire, but he knew in order to gain those he'd have to
gather a larger group than the tribe he was in control of now. So he
waged war on the neighboring tribes like what was done in the past,
except this time, they were wars of conquest. The time of simply
raiding other tribes was finished; it was time to play for keeps. One
by one surrounding tribes were conquered and united under Grishrak's
banner. Eventually the Blood Rock tribe was renamed Grishrak's Horde
and it began to push back to the south towards the Empire where he
began to organize raids again, but this time on Empire caravans and
border towns.

It still wasn't enough for Grishrak though; the "meat" of the Empire
lay further within and in order to get to that, he'd need an even
bigger army, so he began conquering more minor tribes, (Most of which
had heard of him already and gave little resistance in exchange for
mercy) and it was at this time he'd come across the tribe of the Pure
Hills.

Remembering that the retched scout that hacked down his mother had a
similar tattooing as this tribe, he wasted no time in declaring war on
them, especially when it was obvious that they consorted with the
Empire. In this case, Grishrak seemed less interested in their
submission (Even if they'd given it) as he was in total annihilation
of the tribe. A genocidal war he's currently winning. After they're
finally gone the next step is most likely the city of Drevlin.


More info on Grishrak and his horde

Grishrak takes after his father somewhat, in that he actually stands
erect rather than the "hunched" appearance that most orcs seem to
favor. Though his muscular build and skin tone are more in line with
his mother. He is tall, and gives off an air of leadership that most
orcs want to follow despite him only being of half-blood. He's lead
them in victory after victory, so they've already looked past that.
Victory in battle and gaining loot are more important to them. He
favors a large battle axe rather than a sword.

Grishrak is a grim individual, though not without a sense a humor
(albeit a violent one) he tends to take great joy in victory in
battle. His horde consists of orcs, goblins, ogres and even humans.
(There are also a few other odd creatures in the mix) Orcs and goblins
make up the majority, but that doesn't mean he particularly has an
affinity for either of them. He respects orcs in that they're great
warriors, but he wishes most of them thought more about the "bigger
picture". If it wasn't for him holding everything together, they'd
most likely all be still fighting each other. As it stands now,
in-fighting is kept on a smaller scale and localized (Grishrak
wouldn't want to eliminate ALL of it anyway, as it does weed out the
weak)

Goblins he finds annoying, (Always has ever since his first encounter
with them in the woods) but they're a little brighter than his orcish
followers and they do most of the jobs nobody else wants to, so they
serve a vital purpose.

Pure humans he flat out distrusts as in his experience, (as well as
tales he's heard of the Empire) they're certainly the most treacherous
race he's ever dealt with, in fact it was usually the human tribes
that gave him the most trouble in subduing. Subduing orcs and goblins
is easy; a show of superior strength usually ensures loyalty. Not so
with humans, they're more than likely to say they're loyal and then
try to assassinate you in your sleep. (As with what happened a few
times in the past, though Grishrak obviously taught the would be
assassins a severe and fatal lesson) Of course it is this human
deviousness that probably has allowed him to get as far as he did (A
fact he's aware of which is why he distrusts humans!)

Other "mixed bloods" he finds no more affinity to other than the
superficial fact that they also have a mixed heritage, mainly because
they were raised like barbarians so they act accordingly. Nobody born
in the barbarian lands had a childhood quite like his, so he wouldn't
find anything in common with them. He truly is unique and alone in
this way.

Oddly he tends to like ogres. Despite them being simpler than orcs,
they tend to be very loyal which he greatly appreciates; in fact he
personally has four elite ogre guards.

Most of his army consists of foot troops, but has a sizable "Calvary"
as well, if you count goblins riding giant wolves as cavalry. Most of
these goblins are also skilled in the bow and can be devastating as
they ride and shoot at the enemy. (Another reason for their
usefulness)

[donteatpoop]

Grishrak has never turned down the usefulness of magic in combat, but
he doesn't particularly like to rely on it. The few "wizards" under
his control are untrained "Hedge wizards" who have some natural
ability, but nothing formal. Most of them are able to cast a few
combative Elementalist type spells, and of course Nature magic.
Healing magic is minor as being a bunch of barbarians, they use a lot
of natural herbal medicines, though after a big battle with lots of
wounded it's used more extensively.

Illusions are not used (Too wimpy) and Necromancy is right out. (Too creepy)

Religions amongst the individual tribes can vary, but most of them
believe in burning their dead. (To prevent necromancy no doubt!) A
simple form of ancestor worship exists to an extent, and a few warrior
type gods exist in the pantheon. Grishrak himself isn't particularly
religious, and that's probably due to his childhood. Though he does
acknowledge that they do exist. He leaves such matters to Shaman and
others who place more faith in their favor.

Grishrak also has many wives and offspring (And probably more
offspring since he's also taken many mistresses in the past) and just
like his horde they range from human to ogre.

He definitely has aspirations for something greater, but he sometimes
wonders about the desire for a kingdom of his own. From what
"civilized" contact he's had with the Empire he's not too impressed
with them as warriors and considers them soft, weak and spoiled from
civilized city living. He'd hate to turn into one those fat Warlords
who allowed themselves to let their skills deteriorate (Sort of like
what happened to Klag)

Still, part of him (the human part no doubt) does like some of the
things that civilization has to offer. He wouldn't mind a little
stability and relaxation every once in awhile as while he'd never
admit it to anyone, even he gets tired of ongoing violence all the
time. The other attraction is a few of the more cerebral things that
come with civilization, most under his banner have no interest in
books and such, but Grishrak has a curiosity about them probably from
his father teaching him the Empire alphabet by drawing symbols in the
dirt and some of the stories he told him. Currently one of his human
wives (who was an escaped Empire slave) is teaching him how to read
with a few of the books he's managed to stop his overzealous from
destroying when they raid merchant caravans.

There are no challenges for his leadership of the horde yet and
probably won't be for a long time, but he knows there probably will be
a day when one of his sons will challenge him (perhaps even daughter,
as a few females have been known to fight alongside the males) While
Grishrak doesn't exactly have a problem with this, he just doesn't
think it'll last after he dies. He sees the horde splintering into
several factions and dissipating soon after his death. This is another
reason why he would prefer to establish a proper kingdom.
Organization, succession, and legacies are a few more of the things
civilization got right. After all he's accomplished he'd also hate to
die only to be forgotten soon after his death like so many other
"barbarian warlords".


Grishrak's Dominion

At this point his holdings are greater than any other barbarian tribe
and the territory stretches from a great distance with several
villages dotting its landscape, it is also home of several nomadic
tribes as well. Landscape varies greatly, ranging from hills,
mountains, forests, woods and plains. At one time it was called the
"barbarian lands" but in recent years it's been called "Grishrak's
Dominion".

For the most part, Grishrak allows everyone to go about their
business, with just a few rules.

No major warring between the tribes under his control
If he needs them to fight or extra supplies for a battle they must comply

Other than that, it's relatively the same life they all lived before.
If anything the land has become more peaceful under Grishrak's rule as
he's managed to direct all that fighting to outsiders like the Pure
Hills tribe and the Empire.

Besides the obvious enemies, Grishrak's also had skirmishes with
Dwarves, but this has lessened somewhat due to the Xolan Kingdom
intervening and helping their allies. The Xolan Kingdom is one enemy
that Grishrak doesn't take lightly. In fact he finds them to be quite
unusual for humans as they don't seem to have let civilization allow
them to grow lazy and corrupt. They even seem to have a code of honor
of sort. (Unlike the Empire) He hopes in some ways to emulate their
success in this regard.

However, he finds the strange machines that they build to be in the
realm of insanity and completely unsporting. While he doesn't doubt
that one his would be worth ten of theirs in a straight up fight, he
also knows one of theirs has the power to kill ten of his with one
shot of their cannon things. Not to mention that they seem obsessed
with defense and from what he's heard their land is poisoned from all
their industry. (And their practices in Necromancy don't sound too
good either) It certainly doesn't appear like its worth attempting to
conquer for such a little prize. No, the Empire is much more
attractive. As it stands there are no formal hostilities between
Grishrak and the Xolan and given that the Xolan aren't exactly friends
with the Empire either, this has resulted in some Xolan ambassadors to
be sent to talk with Grishrak about a more formal "peace treaty" with
hints of a possible alliance. Grishrak is VERY skeptical about such
matters, though he has been willing to listen rather than having their
heads lopped off, after all, stranger pairing have occurred.

His own existence is proof of that.

[donteatpoop]

There. Found that in my e-mail. That's all I got.

Now go write a story based on all of this.

[apotheosis]

Do the posts have size limits?

Hmmm... seems they do, 10000 character max. That's lame, but I suppose it gives reason for shameless post whoring.

[End Master]

Bumped for Great Justice.

(Or rather for fleeting interest in it once again)

[apotheosis]

Do you have any need for artifacts? I like writing back stories for them and specifying their powers and location.

[donteatpoop]

Do you have any need for artifacts? I like writing back stories for them and specifying their powers and location.

There's nothing wrong with additional tools for the writers to use... You know, assuming anyone uses any of this.

[ChubbyTeletubby]

Okay, it's late.

I have a lot to read over. As far as scale and doing maps and stuff I got you covered there. I could even do a side by side comparison with Europe or North America.

This continent is pretty massive by my original reckonings. I might scale it down a bit. Weather patterns come into play, as far as where one would put deserts, plains, forests, ect.

For me, having a solid geographical foundation has been first and foremost in creating a solid, believable world. Give me a little time here.

I mean, I haven't even gone beyond reading End's first post yet.

EDIT: Usoki et. all

I can totally revamp the map and I'm quite sure you'll like it or at least tolerate it. Just give me some time to read over what you guys put forward.

I agree it's a little too Europy.

Actually that's what I was going for at the time. Just give me a couple days. I'll read over your stuff tonight, and start on my new map tomorrow. I'm quite certain you'll like it.

EDIT 2: Wow. I forgot how much thought I put into this. I was really pleased with everything I read.

And how much thought you guys put into it as well. I view this still as a rough draft, though. It can still be refined. It is my firm belief, however, that if you take the time to create a realistic world - tedious and boring at times thought it may be - you position yourself for success. Once a rich, complex backdrop has been set the players in this breathing world can bring everything into it's fullness. Comedy, drama, adventure, ect.

Fun fun. At least for me. No need to hurry. If this is just a side project for all of us, but I'd still think it was fun. I like having creative outlets like this. Of course I'm sure you all know I'm stealing from real world history here, but it's fun giving it a little twist.

I love your idea for the layout of Drevlin, Usoki. Hilarious. Ha! Oh man. I remember seeing in Shaun of the Dead the kind of thing End put forward as far as putting zombies to use. But I still love the idea. Very practical.



I dunno. Thanks for saving this stuff, DEP. I had all but forgotten some of this stuff.

EDIT 3: Also, I think it's great I can tell from simple writing style who wrote what. I like how End has kept everything, especially language, interconnected. The peoples of the Northwest have very harsh, almost slavic sounding names. I think we're all kind of on the same page here. Maybe the only weakness I see is over complicating things. While I believe in a rich backdrop, I think it's more important to keep everything valid and consistent.

I'm pretty happy with everything I've read, though. Probably...it's just late...and I...ZzzzZZzzzZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Oh, and Apoth: Feel free to contribute as you want!!!!! Give us some artifacts!!!! Give us anything!! This is an open forum!

EDIT 3: As far as fleeting interest goes, I understand. But um, as I said, this is but a rough draft. I like a lot of the ideas put forth here though.

They need refining and simplification. I have a few tricks up my sleeves here, folks. Give me some time. Let me rework all of this.

I really like some of the ideas here. They just need a little tweaking.

Thanks for giving me a new project. It's been a long time for me. Okay I'm seriously going to bed now.

EDIT 4: I, um, don't expect anyone to be as enthusiastic as I am, though.

Because it's really just a pain in the ass. I really do have a couple tricks up my sleeve though. Give me a couple weeks. You MIGHT like it.

[End Master]

Other than a few minor changes, the only thing I'd probably majorly change/add with some of my writing is the Xolan government system. Doesn't seem like the Xolans would have a proper hereditary king/leader anymore given their way of life, so I'd change the "Kingdom" bit. I still don't really see it as a democratic society though, but whoever is the Xolan leader would've gotten there on merit rather than bloodline.

Plus this would be a another difference between them and the big ass Empire south of them, since that place is completely ruled through a class system and bloodlines.

[End Master]

Despite it being in perpetual development hell, I still think this attempt at collaboration had some neat ideas.

[ChubbyTeletubby]

Thanks for reminding me, End!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had completely forgotten. I did LOVE what you did with Xol, End. The corpses working in the factories, ect.

Very funny. I'm going to re-read this whole thread. I had COMPLETELY forgotten.

Can you believe I'd forget something?

Wonders never cease.

EDIT: Hey guys, I got this REALLY cool map making software now, too! Just so you know. When I make my finished map you're gonna be like "damn."

[ChubbyTeletubby]

Prince Karo Zestani Zessimo

Age: 19
Born: Irysopolis-by-the-Sea
Nicknames: “The Improvident”, “The Spoiled”, “His Excessiveness”
Lineage: The Zessimo Dynasty
Siblings: None

Prince Karo was born into an age of excess. His mother, Queen Ismela, died during childbirth.

As the firstborn son of the Emperor’s Puppet-King, Gilder Zessimo, one in a long and undisturbed line of ruling Zessimos, Karo learned quickly the subtle ways of the court - of political maneuvering and intrigue. Of POWER. While the ruling House of Zessimo might be an Imperial puppet regime, it was arguably one of the most (if not THE most) powerful of such regimes in the known world.

The power the King of wave-washed Irysopolis wielded was formidable in many ways. He might only be “Ruler of the Sea of Storms” in name alone, but the warm and friendly history between the city-state of Irysopolis and Pex Nectus meant that in truth, the King got away with more than your average “local ruler” and DID in fact wield considerable power over the Empire’s sea trade. Not just in name. And not only did the people of Irysopolis and Pex Nectus share a common blood, language, and culture - they also shared a trading partnership that had been in place for almost a millennia, even before the coastal city-state had been assimilated completely.

It wasn’t the Emperor that the Irysian Kings envied or feared….it was the Portmaster they feared. More on that later.

Moving on,

From a very young age the prince showed signs of emotional instability and cruelty, often throwing violent fits and temper tantrums or crying for hours on end if he didn’t get his way. At the tender age of five he killed and gutted a pregnant mongbat that he found wandering around the palace (house pets were very popular during this era). He then proceeded to torture and kill the eight minglings within her stomach. His father stumbled upon this savage scene and quickly ushered Karo away.

However, instead of addressing the problem, Gilder ignored it. Until….well….it was too late.

Karo’s childhood was a charmed one, even with his father’s constant absence and not having a mother. He received the finest education from the finest tutors gold and influence could buy. He developed a taste for the ‘finer things’ early on, and was always garbed in the finest and trendiest of fashions. Indeed, he started several fashion trends of his own, which quickly spread like wildfire across the Empire.

Karo was excessive in his spending, excessive in his speech, excessive in his sex, excessive in his drug use, excessive in his violence, excessive in every way imaginable. As he came into his teen years, he began to build up his OWN influence. Often he and his father clashed heads. His father, who had been in a state of depression for the last fourteen years (after the death of Queen Ismela), hardly had the energy to fight with the prince. By the age of sixteen, Karo wielded as much if not MORE power than his moping father.

But, knowing Karo as we do, it shouldn’t come to the reader as a surprise that THAT wasn’t enough for him.

To be continued….