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Post by Ryan - Loki on Apr 7, 2014 18:30:56 GMT
The Continent Of Visterra Leiversa
Capital City: Ethis
Form of Government: Corporatism
Current Leader's Name:
Population: 110 Million
Physical Description: The dark woods of Leiversa hide many secrets. Tall coniferous pines, redwoods, and oak trees conceal the hidden settlements of the hard-working Leiversians. Attempt to enter and you will find yourself on the business end of a poisoned dart.
Historical Description: The original Lavertia had been a place of tranquility and peace. Never wanting for anything, the country had consisted mostly of a farm population that could take care of themselves while never forgetting about their neighbor. All was good, especially with the disappearance of so-called “Legends” that seemed to do nothing but roam their land and get into fights that would destroy whole towns if left unchecked. Their lives were finally as easy as they could be, until that fateful day the celestial missile flew from the night sky and crashed against Dragonian earth.
The whole country was in an uproar about what had happened. Several conspiracy experts theorized that the Legends had returned with a vengeance and had already begun a clash that would destroy the planet, but most of the population kept a cool head and bent industriously to fix their broken water lines. They knew that, if nothing else, water was a precious commodity one never wasted. It was this that probably saved their lives.
The Meteor Fire was a great conflagration that blanketed the world in a blaze so devastating, the very fabric of civilization was collapsing all around the Lavertian people. However, leaders stepped forth amidst the chaos, and rather than let people attempt to protect their homes, they knew there would be nothing if they could not save their food. A person can survive without a hand-made shelter for months, but without food, only a few weeks, and if they wasted their water on attempting to save mere material items of sentimental value, maybe a few days.
It was a hard-fought battle, but the tough farmers weathered out the fires and saved more than half of their livestock and farmlands, leaving them better-off than most. Months passed and word seemed to spread about whole cities in Lavertia, just south of the mountains, having food and water, and that if you worked for it they would share their goods. The first hundred or so were good people, and they kept their promises of labor for food and shelter. However, the inevitability of deviance in terms of strife and hardship brought with it the dregs of society that would rather beg than work. The honest-working, weather-beaten, and fire-hardened farmers took little pity on the people sitting on the side of the roads, and after nearly a year of being ignored, they turned violent.
Raiding parties of dirty, ragged, desperate individuals pillaged the farms that stood away from the main town. They killed and stole livestock, raided pantries and store-houses, and made off with the odd female or two. Finally, the people of Lavertia had had enough. Congregating together, the closed off their boarders and used every possible contrivance as a weapon to keep the unknown away and outsiders where they belong. Without any sort of tools for fighting, they turned to their agricultural backgrounds as well as their foresting abilities to take to the easily defensible woods.
As the centuries passed, spirituality to temper the hot-blooded work eventually washed over most of the people, turning them on to what most would call “magic.” At first, they believed it merely to be the last vestiges of what their grandparents had called “Legendary Powers,” but in the here and now, there were no more legends, only the work that needed to be done. They turned these magics into even more complex tools that allow them to keep their work steady and their homes safe. Soon, all was forgotten about the Meteor Fire except its name and the ghost of a story to teach children to be careful with open flame. As their tongue pulled away from original Dragonian, their country, bathed in bark and leaf, became known as Leiversia to all who cared to learn it.
Brada
Capital City: Utysea
Form of Government: Chiefdom
Current Leader's Name:
Population: 50 Million
Physical Description: A cold, desolate, mountainous region constantly packed in snow and ice. Only the hardy but nimble Rajorans are able to survive within the heart of the mountains.
Historical Description: The Bedoean people had always been proud, their ability to scrape a living out of the frozen tundra of the mountainous continent a source of ever-present strength. The rest of the world was, for the most part, kept at bay by the impassable mountains and constant, driving snow. They needed no assistance from the outside world, and no one believed that they had anything to offer in exchange. Over time, the people of Bedoe became an introverted people. Travelers were mostly ignored, not through spite or feelings of distrust, but simply because they wanted nothing to do with the troubles of outsiders.
The quake that immediately followed the impact of the Meteor rocked the immovable mountains to their very roots, but the Bedoeans stood strong and resolute, rebuilding their homes of stone almost as quickly as they fell. As the world burned around the cold continent, the nation began to experience a warming period that caused the flooding of certain agricultural plateaus, dozens of mudslides, but also plenty of fresh, flowing water that could be stored for future use. The pack-ice melt also revealed geological formations hidden for God-knows how long; ravines longer than any defensive wall ever constructed, and caves that ran deeper and more complex than anyone had believed possible.
Explorers went spelunking, and came back with handfuls of a transparent mineral never before seen by Dragonian eyes. Soon after its discovery, an alien substance began to fall from the sky: ash. It floated down like snow, blanketed the ground and the roofs of buildings, and seemed almost like a God-send. With a good amount of their crops rotted from flooding, the nutrient-rich ash was caught in tarps and set in rooms to dry to be used to help the soil once it dried out. A foolish hope.
After the ash fall, the following winter was unbelievably harsh, the worst any of the elders could remember. The sick, the very young, and very old, simply couldn’t make it through the winter. With failed crops the previous season and a chill so sharp it permeated even thick stone walls, a few settlements were nearly frozen completely. A few even escaped into the nearby cave networks, and managed to eek out a warmer existence than the rest. Though cold travels down, the heat of dozens of bodies managed to counter it. Once the secret was out that this situation could work temporarily, the technique spread until all of Bedoe was now hidden amongst the miles of tunnels. Several settlements even combined in a single network to maximize heat.
Originally believed temporary, the modificiations made to certain chambers made living down below easier than originally believed. With their nutrient-rich ash dry, it made a perfect base to grow limited crops. Shafts would be cut from the surface to allow sunlight in, and though it was nothing like it had been before the warm up, it was still better than trying to live on the surface. From then on, the inhabitants identified themselves as something more than Bedoeans, something that had withstood the freezing cold and come through stronger than before. Theiy were Rajorans, inhabitants of Brada, master carvers of earth, and fierce defenders of their home. |
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Post by Ryan - Loki on Apr 7, 2014 18:35:11 GMT
The VoidCapital City: Anothen
Form of Government: Cyberocracy
Current Leader's Name:
Population: 13 Million
Physical Description: The once dead and lifeless land known as only The Void has slowly begun to flourish around the city over the years thanks to the Pariahim race. Even so there is hardly any plant or animal life present on the country, though the true focus of the land is the Pariahim's only and capital city of Anothen; a living city of technological marvel.
Historical Description: After the disappearance of the original Pariah unit many years ago, the black ops group tasked with its development and implementation was disbanded and the project was nearly scrapped. Thanks to the foresight and dogged determination of Dr. Alkai, however, the project continued. Using laboratory reproductions of the alien life form that powered the original, Alkai created a dozen new, but inferior units based on the original. Unfortunately, the alien reproductions proved to be 'glitchy', and upon Dr. Alkai's death, the government finally scrapped the Pariah project and mothballed the Mk II Units. For years, locked inside a forgotten warehouse, without the hindering influence of outside orders to compete with, the alien presence inside each of the dozen gynoids slowly grew and even thrived, until one day three hundred years later the first reactivated itself. In only a matter of weeks the entire group came to life, each unit powered by the alien substance within. Discovery and attempts to deactivate the gynoids led to a brief struggle, after which the wise governor of Esperanza recognized them as legitimate life forms and freed them to seek their own fortunes. The group migrated to the wilderness of Nasrad, where it was thought that they would live in solitude and eventually die out and fade from history. The assumption couldn't have been more wrong.
With an efficiency unknown to the purely organic races of the planet, the Pariah MK IIs built and developed an entire city, far bigger than their limited number would ever require. They were left alone and forgotten for centuries - so long that many even began to regard them as legend - until a group of adventurers rediscovered them fifty years ago. By that time, the gynoids had accomplished their secret goal - a method of reproduction. The basic robotic bodies were assembled and programmed in a factory, while the alien organisms that gave the machines life were grown in an adjacent laboratory. Once an organism was fully developed, it would be taken into the storage area and past the assembled units one by one. Through a process even the Pariahim don't even fully understand, the organisms invariably react to one particular unit, whereupon it would be placed inside the unit's containment cell and the unit activated. When a body and the organism are combined, a Pariah is 'born'. By the time of their rediscovery, the gynoids numbered in the thousands. Since then, their city of Anothen has become a powerful influence in the changing world. MenithCapital City: Agosica
Form of Government:Theocracy
Current Leader's Name: Currently seeking.(must be female)
Population: 4 Million
Physical Description: The land of Menith is nothing more than a damp and murky swampland, which breeds for the perfect environment for uncategorized creatures, that coupled with the isolation of the Nethians means that very few outsiders dare to venture into the sometimes dangerous environment. However, though far from a beautiful land, the country�s true beauty resides deep below the water surrounding the country in the shape of the underwater capital city of Agosica.
Historical Description: According to their legends, the Nenians were once Dragonians, themselves. Unlike their brethren, the early Nenian's had an unquenchable thirst for blood, often traveling the seas pillaging and conquering everything in their path. As far as they were concerned, their people held true dominion over the land and sea, and ruled over it as they seen fit for a time. However, the same opinion wasn't shared by the ancient deities of Dragonia. A series of earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods hammered Nenian settlements; government buildings swallowed by sink holes, whole battalions falling to super naturally powered groups of rebels. That day the wrath of the gods was felt in it's full force, and as quick as the Nenian's had taken over Dragonia, their rule had ended.
Those Nenian's who had miraculously survived were punished for their actions, stripped of their ability to manipulate energy for all but the most minimal of tasks, and exiled to desolate frozen lands of Eliseia, where they'd be under the watchful eye of the water goddess, Leviathan. To the best of their abilities, the Nenian's attempted to cultivate the land by using their abilities to create heated energy fields, but were ultimately unsuccessful, as they couldn't raise enough food for their remaining people; and soon began to die off in large numbers, some to frostbite, others to starvation
It was in their darkest hour that a small Nenian girl, Iliya, thought to do what no other had done since their exile years ago: confronting Leviathan. Being so young Iliya hadn't learned of her peoples sins, nor could she even begin to grasp their weight; all she had to offer the goddess during their meeting was her innocent love of her people and a simple apology for their actions. To her surprise, Leviathan was merciful, though she refused to lift their punishment, in exchange for their servitude she'd grant the Nenian's with the necessary tools to survive. Iliya, on behalf of the Nenians, accepted.
Leviathan then bestowed a fraction of her power upon the Nenian people, choosing the girl and three families to lead their people into the next generation as the "Leviathan tribe". While Iliya would receive the full extent of her being, and rule over the Nenians as priestess; the three families would act as her guardians and advisers. The Ethan's, as her knights, would be her military might. The Yuuta's, as her mages, would be keepers of divine knowledge and spells. The Iyana's, as her alchemists, would be seekers of truth and her inventors. Each family enforcing and protecting the will of Leviathan whenever there is a need. The Nenian's thrived under this new system, creating communities on the Elliseian coastline that extended into the hidden caverns of the Ardat Ocean. Their thirst for power was humbled, their once aggressive attitude changing to one of peace with a love of seclusion. And so things continued on like this for hundreds of years.
Then the meteor fell. It's impact bringing unfathomable destruction to the land of Eliseia, destroying hundreds of years worth of crops, both on land and in the seas; annihilating the community their ancestors had worked so hard to make habitable. With the Nenian settlement beyond repair, the Priestess called for a mass migration to the southern lands of Noria; the entirety of the Nenain race followed her order, retreating into the waters in search of a new land.
There was a religious tribe known as the �Leviathan tribe� within the Nethians. It was of their belief that they are direct descendants of Leviathan, one of the planets legendary beasts, and "mother of the seas". Upon their people creating their new home within he seas, their faith was further fueled, causing a mass conversion of their entire race; thus, in their eyes, they had returned home. It was from the entire race embracing this religion that the name of their people was derived; Nenian became Nethian: a mixture of their original name and Leviathan. "Leviathan Tribe" becoming a title a title used to generally describe the four pillars of the Nethian community: The Priestess, the Ethan, Yuuta, and Iyana families; who still hold a majority of government positions to this very day. While the Priestess' word is ultimately law, as she holds a majority of Leviathan's power; each family's job is important enough that she will hold talks with the Patriarch of each family before deciding on anything.
The Nethians remain a race that love their privacy, preferring to remain in the solitude of their underwater realm rather than venture out into the world above. Though that's not to say that they don't at all, in fact many traverse the great seas of the planet to visit distant countries and old friends, though there are less than a handful of them that have ever permanently stayed away from their city.
Despite their love of solitude, the Nethians are an extremely modern people. Their capitol, Agosica, is a testament to this; as it was built with Noria's surface dwellers in mind. It's multiple crystal buildings floating on walkways and roads, surrounding the outer coasts of Menith, and encasing the island within it's center; the remaining majority of the city below is encased in multiple giant energy bubbles that recycle oxygen, allowing both sea and surface dwellers to live together peacefully.
However, their faith still holds strong. Believing that they are the rightful rulers of the sea, the Nethians are still seen as supremacists, and while they do possess a strong sense of pride and self importance, this couldn't be further from the truth. Though most misinterpret their "right to rule" as a violent rebellion to come, the Nethians are simply attempting to keep the ecosystem within the planets sea in a clean and pleasant way, and believe that by merely teaching people their faith will, one day, reach their goal.
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Post by Ryan - Loki on Apr 7, 2014 18:36:52 GMT
The Continent Of Ellium New CiveaCapital City: Idantine
Form of Government:
Current Leader's Name:
Population: 5 Million
Physical Description: Once unpopulated, the Mekleor landed and made it their home. Still, constant strife with Ithroia over the use of the elements and the Mage Council make them suspicious of magic-users.
Historical Description: Five hundred years ago, the war-torn world of Civea was abandoned by a small section of the population. Hoping to discover a new world to call home where they could live in peace, the group divided onto five ships and launched in five different directions, with a solemn vow that if one of the ships found a suitable world, they would seek out the others and notify them. Over the following decades, the ships traversed vast distances, eventually coming so far from each other that the fulfillment of their vow became impossible. Finally, after almost a century, one of the ships, the NeoGenesis, discovered a planet that was prospering in an extended period of peace. They landed with welcome by the world's diverse inhabitants and built a new home among them. For years, they became collectively obsessed with the fulfillment of the vow of their youth. Immediately they repaired and reprovisioned their ship and launched it again, crewed by those few willing to die among the stars, in the dim hope of finding their fellow refugees. One ship still departs every generation, carrying a small band of those brave and dedicated enough to spend their lives searching for their long-lost kin across the galaxies. However, the most recent generation has begun to view the launching as more of a tradition than an actual expedition, and a debate has grown over whether the next ship will even be manned.
As their colony grew into a bona fide nation, the Mekleor came into a sharp contention that bordered on war with the Arcane University. When the University learned of the Mekleans' Aquai powers, it sought to extend control over them, claiming Aquai was a form of magic and thus illegal to use without University approval and training. The Mekleor argued that thier art was an ability inherent in every member of their race (and incidentally impossible to teach to one outside their race who didn't have some inherent ability to manipulate elements already). Furthermore, the fundamental ability required no spells, no techniques - only practice and discipline, and thus had more in common with a martial art than with magic. Tensions ran high for nearly thirty years, even rising to the ocassional skirmish, before an understanding was finally reached: the University would cease interfering with the Mekleor as long as the Mekleor promised not to teach Aquai to anyone of less than pure Meklean descent.
At present, the Mekleor remain a small, closely knit group. Thanks to their long lifespan and the physiological limits on growth (a woman is never capable of having more than three children), thier population and way of life has remained very much the same since their arrival.
The Mekleor are a crossbreed race, descended from the main Civean race known as the Legis and an ancient race known as the Falkyre (translated the Sages). While most of the physical attributes of the Legis became dominant over time, the ancient culture of the Falkyre came to dominate the Meklean way of life. Utmost of this influence is the recognition of Alagar, Civea's creator. The ancient Falkrye knew Him perhaps more closely than any other race in Civea's history, and it's been speculated that this closeness was the reason for their being gifted with elemental control. Even in their long exile, the Mekleor have retained their belief in and reverence for Alagar, perhaps even more tenaciously because of their distance from home. The elements recognized by Aquai are viewed as each reflecting aspects of Alagar's personality, thus none is seen as better or worse than another. That said, light is recognized as symbolizing absolute good, and is often used to convey general good expressions or feelings about a matter. The common expression among Mekleans in greeting is "Alagar's Light".
Meklean architecture is a mixture of gentle curves and sharp angles. Buildings are made with a harmony of function and beauty in mind, and if the creator of the structure feels he hasn't accomplished that balance, he will often tear it down and begin all over again. Their cities have what an earthling might call an oriental feel.
Science and technology have actually lost ground since the Mekleor's arrival on the planet, as they are more inclined to rely on Aquai abilities to produce what they need to live comfortably. The most advanced technology they create is the starship built by each generation. They have a deep interest in the stars, basing seasons off the position of key stars rather than temperature changes.
The Meklean art of Aquai has much to do with their culture, though not in the ways one might expect. Every Meklean, with rare exception, has some inherent ability to manipulate one of the seven elements: Light, Shadow, Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, and Nature. Training in the basics of Aquai is a core part of early education, as the ability can be manifested as early as 8-10 years old, and basic control must be learned right away. Also, while the Mekleans refuse to allow a caste system based on the elements, it is helpful to a young one to understand which element he has been gifted with as early as possible. Once the basic level of control over one's element has been learned, mandatory education is finished and it is up to the individual whether he desires to pursue his abilities further. Most are content with the fundamentals, as the physical form of Aquai (commonly called bending) is enough to perform everyday tasks, earn a living, and even fight on a rudimentary level. Relatively few pursue the second tier, musical aquai, and the third level involving the ancient language and scrolls is only chosen by those few who are willing to devote their lives to the art. Beyond having a significant part in the easiest choices in careers (earth and nature benders make excellent artisans, for example), Aquai traits have surprisingly little to do with a Mekleans place in society. Since Aquai is viewed as a gift from Alagar, Who determines an individual's element and ability, it would be presumptuous to presume one gift to be better or worse than another, and the thought of dividing according to ability is appalling to them. They believe Alagar is most pleased when His gifts are used in harmony, not placed in competition. It is also worth noting that every generation finds a few who are born without any Aquai ability whatsoever. Far from being looked down upon, these individuals are accepted and even honored by Meklean society, as they are without exception unusually gifted in other areas, such as leadership ability, intelligence, etc.
Mekleor is ruled by an Archon consisting of eight equally powerful members - a bender of each element and one non-bender - who decide major issues by vote. Since the non-bender is recognized as especially gifted by Alagar for other purposes, he or she is given an extra vote in the event of a tie. Minor issues and the everyday operation of government are divided among the archon as each member's interests dictate.
The Mekleor have a generally unfavorable view of magic that hails back to their land of origin. In Civea, magic was the term for incantations, spells, techniques, or items that gave the user a power that was not naturally his to begin with. It was used only by the enemies of Alagar and viewed as a cheap counterfeit of His gift of Aquai. In fact, some of the most explosive battles to take place during the Great Wars were between Valean's magicians and the Benders of Aerebor. While they recognize the rules may well be different on a new world and nothing inherently wrong with magic here, its use is outlawed in Mekleor and those who practice it are generally regarded with an unspoken hostility. IthroiaCapital City:Warden
Form of Government:Meritocracy
Current Leader's Name:Council of Magi
Population:60 Million
Physical Description: Unlike most lands of Noria, Ithroia is the one country that varies more so than any other.
Set in the eastern-most region of the dense trees known as the Hooke Forest, south of Warden, Albinur is the leading producer of timber in the country and has the unique feel of a logging community.
Found south of Warden, in many ways Coranth is the sister city to Albinur, mostly farming communities that banded together. They trade staple foods with Albinur for raw timber to carve, from which tools and other forms of furniture are created, though nothing unique or fancy.
North-west of Warden lies the Bracken cliff face of Steffson-on-the-Cliffs. Poised to nearly topple of the side, this city is the leading producer of speciality tools and goods that aren't exactly in high demand.
Affectionately called "the Fringe," the Caldin Wall is the eastern border between Ithroia and New Civea. Residents within the wall are militaristic, and don't take kindly to strangers.
South of Hooke Forest, Jerrick sits on the grasslands just north of the Zelio border. Dealing in potions, antidotes, and chemicals of all kinds, this merchant town can be rough if you push too hard.
It's climate, seemingly a perfect mixture of everything any Norian needs to live peacefully; made it the ideal planetary mecca.
The architecture of the city is unlike another on Noria, unbelievable buildings magically enhanced to support the weight. The entire city is the campus for the Arcane Academy, where the magically gifted come to learn. The Arcane Academy, located in Ithroia, is the seat of power for all magicians upon Noria and houses the Council of Magi, the governing body for the Arcane Order. Being the only legal school for magicians and mages on the planet, the arcane academy houses several hundred students at any one given time, all a wide variety of race and gender.
Interestingly enough, Ithroia is the only Norian nation that has no native race.
Historical Description: Records from before the great catastrophe are few and far apart, incomplete fragments of an age long since past and all but forgotten. However, what is known is that some time before the meteor shower that devastated the planet things greatly changed. Something happened across the planet that caused every last individual to feel weaker, though at the time no explanation could be obtained or theory proved true. It was much later theorized by the Arcane Order that this “drop in power” was a direct result of the Warriors of Times sudden disappearance from the planet, and time itself. In this period of “weakness” it is believed that many strove to fill the shows of the missing Warriors and to gain their lost strength in other ways, and thus over years of extensive studying magic was born; or so it is believed.
Shortly after the meteor shower the planet was in chaos and it was in this time that the magic wielders took their hold on the planet and dug their claws into the ash covered land. A civil war broke between those who believed their powers gave them the right to govern the new world, shaping it in their image, and those who believed that their powers were to better serve the people of the planet, to help them. Blood was split on both sides and many innocents were caught in the crossfire; this was the beginning of the distrust between the citizens of the planet and the mages. It was a battle that lasted roughly twenty years before both sides came to a compromise that suited all their needs, and from this compromise the country of Ithroia was born.
Several small settlements were already in place across the lands that were once known as Western Parmecia, but none had staked their claim to the former country as their own. The land was large, mostly flat and had a good history of rich soil that was perfect for farmland, which was only further improved by the ash that followed on from the great catastrophe. In the years following what would one day become known as the capital city of Ithroia, the city of Warden was built, its design and construction unlike anything else on the planet.
The circular city was split up into six distinct sections. The inner most centre was the Arcane Academy itself, the school, central hub of all things magic related and for all mages across the planet. Surrounding that in a circle resided houses specifically built for the mages who graduate from the academy and wish to stay. Surrounding the “living circle”, as it was named, is an even larger circle that is split into five large fifths. Each fifth of the city specifically dedicated to one of the five branches of magic; Alleviator (healing), Alchemy (the study of altering base materials and substances), Knights (offensive and defensive magic fused with weapons), Summoning (to summon a lesser familiar or entity) or Elementists (to control elements and other substances at will).
It is widely said that a person does not find magic, but magic finds them. Mages can be found all across Noria, having branched out to different places after graduating from the academy, and as such are always on the look out for potential young mage. Though because a child with magic potential is found doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll become a mage, they must first study and then eventually graduate within the arcane academy, for practising magic without doing so is against the law and punishable by imprisonment, and even on severe cases, by death.
In some cases babies are tested at birth for magic potential, though only ones with abnormally high powers are noticeable at such a young age – those that are noticed however are taken from their parents and brought up from birth at the academy, for the safety reasons. Though usually those with magical potential are found in the early years of their childhood, roughly between the ages of five and nine.
Within the academy there are several different ranking levels of the magic order. When a child is born, or found later in his/her life, who has the ability to harness the ancient and mystical forces of magic they are known, within the magic world, as potentials , and are known as such until the time that they enroll within the Arcane Academy and take on the title of an Apprentice Student. Apprentice students wear grey robes.
After passing the several written and practical tests of their first year they then become novice Students, following the tests of their second year they become known as advanced Students, and with the successful passing of their final third year they graduate and become fully fledged Mages, known as “Lords”. It is at this stage that the young mage finally decides what discipline they wish to study from now on; Alleviator, Alchemy, Knights, or Elementists.
However, this is not the highest rank a magic wielder can reach within the Magic Order. Although the student period within the academy only lasts three years, where a young aspirating mage learns everything they need to know to survive, many stay on within the university to become something much more advanced. Those with a true thirst for knowledge throw themselves deeper into their chosen discipline, to better themselves and the world around them. At this stage a handful of mages become professors at the academy.
After reaching this greatly honoured rank there are few positions that are higher. There is a head of each discipline who runs it, all of whom serve as a council, as well as an academy administrator and his assistant, but it as the High Lord who runs the academy as headmaster.
Within the magic order there are five different disciplines that a mage can choose to become once he or she has graduated from the academy, each completely different and holding their own advantages and disadvantages. Though every mage within the academy are taught the basics of each discipline no mage has ever been able to take on two different disciplines, as it is said that it would take far more than a single lifetime to ever truly unlock all the mystical secrets that each holds. ZelioCapital City: Xanarctium
Form of Government: Tribalism
Current Leader's Name: None.
Population: 12 Million
Physical Description: The desert nation keeps mostly to itself, but it will not turn away the visitor if they can brave the sands and sun. The various semi-nomadic tribes of the Zellios survive using massive solar stills and wells for water and finding whatever food they can. Only come if you can stand the heat.
Historical Description: The Zolon lands have always been harsh and unforgiving, often looked upon as the perfect opposite for the high, frozen tundra of Bedoe. Those who manage to eek out an existence from this desert wasteland quickly became the toughest kind of person, or sustenance for carrion feeders. Relief from the heat was little and far apart, shade and water both at a premium, but it was still inhabitable along the fringes of the country.
With ever-present climate change, sandstorms eventually became commonplace, and the areas capable of sustaining life shrunk even further. Wells became lost in the sands, leaving the only livable places along the coast or north into the Paramecias. Water was drawn from the ocean and placed into mass solar stills where water evaporated, condensed, then dropped into awaiting buckets. Yielding only a few liters a day, every clan had at least one nearby, four if they were of a moderate population. With huts specifically designed to maximize heat dispersal, the twenty degree difference made life tolerable, so long as game held steady.
Then came the falling star that impacted the molten continent south of Zolon, and it spewed forth a heat wave unlike any ever experienced in recorded history. What little plant or animal life left after the sandstorms was roasted alive, even beneath the sands. Whole tribes were forced to pack up and flee north, though few could make the journey and live. Yet despite all of the trials and immeasurable hardships, two clans made it through.
Living on the southern-most island off of Zolon’s coast shielded them from the worst of the sandstorms, and their little coast was riddled with caves that remained cooler throughout the year, which gave one of the tribes an idea. They bartered with their remaining neighbor for a special fungus that had been brought through trade routes from the north, then poured what water they could spare onto the floors of specific chambers. With a little sacrifice from their food stocks, they created a nutritious soil in a warm, moist, dark environment in which to grow mushrooms.
These Delgatti mushrooms had many uses: their caps were dome-shaped and, if properly dried, could be used as bowls or cups; the flesh within the caps was hearty, and could often be used in place of meat; pulp from the stems could be used to pull poisons out of wounds; and other uses made the fungi seem like a miracle. With solar stills for water and the Delgatti to supplement their food supply, the Abroga and Hamir clans survived what became known in their history as the Cataclysm
In the decades following the Cataclysm, the annual purging summer heat-wave was greatly diminished in potency from previous seasons, and as such much more lichen, vegetation, insect, and reptilian life survived to repopulate the barren desert of the mainland. With each passing decade, the heat-wave diminished until all that was left was a barely-registering rise in temperature. Granted, the winter sandstorms were still as vicious as ever, but nearly two centuries after they were forced to abandon, the Zolon land was once again habitable.
After so long, many had forgotten the name of the country, the original clans had already been through three or four generations, and the most recent simply couldn’t remember the name of their grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ homeland, which was now once again in their hands. Several years passed before the returning tribes realized, with some chagrin, that a general consensus could not be reached, and a compromise must be struck.
After months of negotiations, threats, and a skirmish or two, the mainland tribes were visited by wise men from the Selisa tribe, as the surviving two clans had merged and come to call themselves. They shared with them their mushrooms, their techniques for water, but most importantly, the name of their new desert nation: Zelio.
Reaching far back into their roots, from the times of Exodus after the Cataclysm, the strong and intelligent brought their people out of the hell that had become Zolon. Revered for their wisdom, they became the Chieftains of their respective tribes. When they became too old to lead their people, they would retire and gain a seat of respect as a Wise One, along with the other elders.
Though the responsibility of raising children ultimately falls on the whole tribe, it is the responsibility of the parents to ensure their offspring is fed, healthy, and is fulfilling his or her responsibility to the tribe. If they are found to be shirking their duties, then they are punished according to their tribe’s rules. As a general rule though, children are fairly obedient and are allowed much freedom, so long as their chores are done.
Adults, too, are no exception to the rules and laws of the tribe. Each adult is given specific duties to fulfill before the sun sets each evening, and every effort is made for the good of the tribe. Everyone knows that if even one person falls short, then it is the tribe that suffers in the end. As Chief, it is also his or her responsibility to act as Arbiter in all times of strife, with careful consideration for the words of the Wise One. The Chief is also the mediator for trade between tribes, which often lie within a day’s travel of one another.
Most tribes, out of necessity, have become a specialist in certain kinds of materials or services. Usually, the tribes of the north have ore deposits within their territory that allow them to create tools to sell southward. Tribes along the coast, usually, become masters at fishing, stilling water, or growing Delgatti mushrooms. One tribe, however, is well known amongst all others: the Rek’na, literally meaning, “Snake-skin.” The Rek’na have a series of caves on their territory, and inside reside thousands upon thousands of snakes of all sizes, colors, canbalistic tendency, and venomous potency. It has fallen to them to become masters of hunting, killing, and making use of the snake, lest they breed beyond control and over-run the nation. Poisons, skins, meat, bones, everything has a use, and much of their merchandise is in high demand among other tribes.
The Zelios, as a whole, are a fairly spiritual people. Each tribe will usually have a shaman among them, but it takes specific qualities to become one who speaks to the spirits of the dead and earth. For one, rust-colored eyes are the first indication that one has the ability to open their soul and mind to the ether. The next is that they must have, at one point, been a warrior and taken a life. Only after having experienced the soul of another becoming one with the rest of the world are they believed to be prepared for life as a spiritual guide to the rest of their people. They are taken as apprentices, or shinsei, to the current shaman, who teaches them all they need to know. At any point, the shaman may declare that the shinsei does not have the ability to hear and to see, at which point they become a servant to the Cheiftain.
Though the number varies amongst the tribes, it is believed that the Zelios have anywhere from ten to twenty spirits, gods, and demons that they pray to for protection and a good life, all of which is done in the presence of the shaman and shinsei. |
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Post by Ryan - Loki on Apr 7, 2014 18:40:16 GMT
Konsorhaven[/u] Capital City: Shadowglen
Form of Government: Combination democratic and Parliamentary
Current Leader's Name: Prime Minister Hatsu Saxon
Population: 189 million
Physical Description: Konsorhaven (pronounced Kon-sore-haven) is a land balanced by technology and nature. The cities, especially Shadowglen, are filled with tall skyscrapers and residential areas, with factories on the outskirts. While the land between cities are lush and fertile, enabling farms and beautiful conservation areas.
Historical Description: People of this land like to generally refer to themselves as ‘Havenites’, but are more commonly known as ‘Konsorvers’. The country is best known for its “home-grown” global company Icarus Unlimited, a ‘green’ company that develops and creates technology to better help and serve the environment. Icarus Unlimited also has the largest non-government controlled, and most well-known military force on the planet; a feat that has brought them a status liking to a country of their own. The konsorhaven government are in constant fear that the seemingly peaceful company, Icarus Unlimited, will forcibly take control of the country, but they allow their continued existence for the immense sum of money they bring in for the country.
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