Flower Born. The terrible trees. Plant dragons are more populous than beast dragons. It is the plant dragons that most land travelers must contend with, and contend with you will. Unlike the elemental types of dragon the plant dragons are most keen on devouring beast flesh. Mans, Dwar, Orcnin, even Elendi are the foods the plant dragon craves. While the elemental dragons occasionally devour beasts, and the beast dragons almost never, it is the plant dragons that are the scourge of Mans and kind. It is generally understood that this is the nature of the dragons over all. Plant dragons devour beasts. Beast dragons devour plants, and the elemental types devour their opposition. As there is no oppositional element to the light dragons that leads to questions regarding its nature, but the preclivities of the plant dragon is not in question.
Plant dragons are common upon the surface of Montoran, Elendi Isle, and were once very common on Dargonia. Mellenia of conflict with Imperial Mans has all but destroyed the plant dragons of Dargonia. Some remain in the lands controlled by the Orcnin hoards, but throughout Imperial Dargonia there are none. Some perhaps remain protected in the Elendi forest, but these are most likely aged and wise dragons that have learned to keep their predation to the dragon kind. Those that understand the place of dragons in the ecology oft wonder how such a feat was possible. Barring some miracle dragons undergoe dragon's rising when one of their number dies. This process was indeed halted by miracle of the Imperial New Gods in order to protect the Mans of dargonia.The consequence of this miracle is most likely an increase of the number of plant dragons somewhere such as the Bottom Lands, or the Sky Lakes.
Like all dragons plant dragons begin their existence as tiny creatures. In the Elendi they are called "Flower Born" because their smallest form is like unto a flower bud. These tiny flutter dragons are a nonetheless a nusance. Their bite leaves stinging welts, and itches for hours afterwords. A large enough swarm of the flutter dragons could easily end the life of a Mans. Beyond their flutter stage they rise to larger forms as do most dragons, and eventually reach the massive size that one dreads to think of. The safety of Dargonia leaves Imperial citizens unprepared for the gargantuan dragons of the Bottom Lands, and even the untamed regions of Dargonia itself. Risen to their mature size these dragons are perhaps the most dangerous creatures in the entire world. Intelligent and powerful, solitary and deadly. They care no more for civilization than to destroy it.
Most plant dragons are capable of flight from the time they are flutter dragons. Despite this they are very territorial, and are rare to leave their rooting ground. Like all plants a plant dragon must "plant" or root itself regularly. Should the dragon go for more than a day or so without planting it will begin to wilt and loose strength. While rooting the dragon is slow to react, almost as if it were sleeping. It is durring its rooting phase that it is best to attack the creature, preferably from a distance. Fire is our greatest ally against them. Fire and miracle. The holy ones of Miria have long weilded the gift of a lance of light that strikes to the very wick of the plant dragons wilting them and weakening them. Hacking them to slivers only transforms the carcase into a seedbed for another generation, and thusly it is best to roast the body to ash even after it has ceased livelyness.
Diplomatic relations with the Terrible Trees is much the same as diplomatic relations with the lesser trees. Long war with Imperial Mans makes it difficult for our kind to deal with these dragons. Rather force, fear, and fire than polite discussion least the creature decide to end your existence on this plane mid-sentence. Technically like all dragons they hold council with one another upon Dragon's Home Isle in High Sky, but unlike their cousins the beast and light dragons the plant dragons seem to have no desire to communicate the decrees of the Grand Dragon Council. Even amongst other plants the Terrible Trees are uncomfortable residents. A scribe once likened the relationship between the Blooms and the Plant Dragons to be like unto the relationship between grass and weeds. The Blooms being the soft and inviting grass, and the Plant Dragons being the weeds. Do not deal with these creatures, the cost will invariably be your life.
True Mans. Dragon Favored Mans. The Sky Lakes are the birthplace of Mans. Ages ago tribes of Mans left the Sky Lakes on the backs of dragons and forged the Empire. The decendants of those that stayed are generally reffered to as the Sky Islanders. For some centuries between the formation of the Empire and the calamity of the Wizard Wars the Sky Islanders were believed a myth. The phenomenal waters of the deluge created weather patterns that prevented travel to the Sky Lakes, and the powers of the ancient mists protected the sacred paths that now lead to the ancient home of Mans. With the fall of Taurn, and the rise of the black mists, the travel to the Sky Lakes became possible again. The peoples of the Sky Lakes were revealed to the Imperial world almost as an antiquity. Many look upon the the Sky Islanders as primitives less worthy than event the Wights. Interestingly Wights are not common amongst them.
The signature marks of the noble houses of Mans are clearly a legacy of the noble Sky Islander Mans that took to the skies on dragon back and tamed the great Isles of Dargonia and Tolen. Sky Islander Mans are all manner of marked. Were it not for their regular shortness they would be easily mistaken for a Noble of the Imperial houses. By and large the Sky Islanders are a full foot or more shorter than Imperial Mans. Their marks are also more complex, or convuluted, perhaps from centuries of open marrige. Unlike the Imperial Mans there is no codified marrige restrictions that prevent Asperian and Ragonian from producing children with each other. There is no such distinction amongst them. The Sky Islanders themselves claim that the marks are the gift of the gods. As they cannot see the stars, the stars were instead etched upon their skin.
If Sky Islander Mans as a whole could be said to have any affinity it is to water. They are born in water as is their ancient custom. One custom we Imperial Mans have long forgotten. Their homes are built partially submerged, and of course the deluge pours rivers of water upon their heads throughout most their life. The affinity for water is strong amongst them, and many of the SKy Islanders have gifts that allow them to live in the water much as the Thalians of the Bottom Lands. Unlike Thalian Mans the Sky Islander Mans have no living crystals on their Lakes. One must wonder what would happen were you to lift a Thalian Crystal City into the Mid Skies and land it in one of the Sky Lakes. There is no record of it being tried, but what is true is that the waters of the endless sea are different than the waters of the Sky Lakes. They say that the waters of the endless sea have in them the taste of blood and cannot slake one's thirst. Perhaps the crystal of the Thalian Cities could not prosper in the pure waters of the Sky Lakes.
Since the rise of the black mists, the Dark Sky, travel to the Sky Lakes has been possible. More than any other destination the Sky Lakes are a point of call for those seeking leisure. So long as one does not mind the steady dripping of the Deluge upon their heads the Sky Lakes are most certainly pleasant. Rare quarrels between the Taurn that make their homes on the Sky Lakes and the Sky Islander Mans are perhaps the most dire of occurences. These quarrels are far from the outright war of Dargonia's borderlands, and are most directly revolving around fishing or "hunting" rights. The Otteryn in particular consider it their perogative to protect the fish population from Mans over predation, and interestingly this faith is upheld by the ancient Triunism followed by the majority of Sky Islander Mans.
When important travelers from the Sky Lakes arrive at your court do not expect some strange Merelindi affair with tanks of water, and all manner of bizarreness. Sky Islanders are Mans and travel in much a similar fashion. Their digestion is much like ours, if perhaps somewhat more attuned to fish. They are familiar with their dietary necessities and there is no need to adjust your courts affairs to accomodate them, or to make strange overtures of preparing fish. Should you be interested they will most likely bring their own supply of fish, and will most likely be far more capable of preparing fish plates than any Dargonian chef. The only point of civil diplomacy one should concern themselves with is that as a over all rule Sky Islanders do not appreciate the presence of Elendi or Blooms at their table with them. Imperial Mans have had centuries to become familiar with the Elendi, but the Sky Islanders remind us that once long ago our people were dire enemies of Trees. Elendi, Blooms, and other plant people are all but non-existant on the Sky Lakes.
The Friendly Kraken. The soft sea beast. The Volvocales are a form of Kraken, but unlike the Kraken proper Volvocales are soft and spongy. Kraken look much more like aquatic strangling trees while Volvocales are alike the Shambler. A Volvocales is a floating mass of moss. They are intelligent but like most Kraken they are do not develope kingdoms or civilization in the manner of Mans. There are few creatures in the world that are more alien to Mans than Volvocales. There is no such thing as sex amongst the Volvocales. They are each an independant entity that spawns through a bizarre form of seperation. Over time their mass increases and one day splits in two. Thusly are new Volvocales brought into the world. This manner of reproduction transfers the knowledge of the Volvocales meaning that the friendly krakens that float along the shores of the endless sea are storehouses of knowledge inso much as one is concerned with the history of a particular streatch of beach.
Volvocales are not known to travel. They do not form groups, and they do not trade. Should you find yourself in their domain cout yourself lucky you are amongst the Volvocales and not the Kraken. True Kraken are dire predators of Mans and beast. The Volvocales care little for Mans. In the outlandish occurence of a Volvocales appearing to court the proper thing to do is keep them wet and communicate in the simplest form of plant sign possible. It is highly unlikely that a Volvocales is educated, despite this do remember that they posses the knowledge of their forefathers. It is most proper to treat them with respect regardless of how scant of use their knowledge may be.
OK! Four months and wotc has transformed the face of the website, and I was apparently posting in book4 mode (which I no longer have access to) the last two posts. Ahh the well.
The sblocks stopped. Why did the sblocks stop? I am going to make a todo list and come back in the next 24-48 hours. A, figure out what happened to sblocks.
b, come up with two more entries.
c, figure out whats up with editing (and the mups too).
d, add entries for plant dragon, sky islanders, and Volvocales.
Oh Internert access how you vex me, and with video games as well!
I do not think my last few enteries are "verve" enough - wibes wrong. Instead I am goign to review the project in post form for anyone to whome may be reading. Umm.. "Sty-Rn"
Big world. Started from the image posted in page umm six now. Much different when first drawn. Long ago ...
More races than you can imagine ... Animal Vegetable or Mineral? Old - oft said quotes. I actually got paid to run a game in this setting once. Literal "play me a game in that crazy world of yours - here money" It was great. "Tomb of Heaven" called that campaign, and it will be included (proabably in the Wonderful World Devotional) as the exemplative element. Now in regards to Sty-Rn most of you have no real understanding whatsoever. Sure you have read the waxings of a self rightous scribe ... but what does an oponion tell you? The game mechanics provided will of course be more ... umm... unbiased, however those are going to come last, due to the fact that will come multiple times. Effectively this text (the thread I am building here, and will continue to, so long as Wizards allows it ) is the pre-release of the ... books ... of Wonderful World "in general" :smile: I like it. For other projects I will inspecct other prospects, but Wonderful World will stay here. I do actually have the intention of "using" you people.
Any one wants to throw ideas my way - understanding that I am not working on a collabarotive project (and while I authorize WotC to use my material in publicity; which I cannot see hurting me) I keeps it. Mine. Post here - I take it to wonderful world and you have to make it to port nowhere follow the thread to the pure lands and solve the riddle of the mists to get out of Wonderful World. You could starjam .. I guess .. if you wanna go there .. like Tobias did.
Sty-Rn is about travel. Its about going places and seeing .. what has not been seen. Being where ... you have not been. Were there a "DMs" foreward in any of my books (which there won't be) :" href="http://community.wizards.com/go/post/reply/75882/19919742/Http:www.lulu.com/shea_reinke">smirk: however there will be editions for use with all the "editions" I can get my hads on. First - 4th, then 3rd, then BST. Possibly pushing it farther into Gurps, Hero systems (which it has been used with more than once) or even (gahh) Storyteller. Who knows what else could come out of the conventioning (and this is what is getting me off vibe - I am thinking in marketing terms and it is the same thing as thinking in terms of lighting and special effects) It had to be thought of and now that I have it all ... "schematized" ... I should get back to doing what I am best at and "making character" I need to find Sanjaya (or maybe someone new) and get back into her Journy.
If you haven't noticed the "Book" is the journeys of One girl, her mentor, and the letters she shares with her mother/sister back in Asper. She is a dargonian noble woman who spends her life documenting the known races - suddenly I remember the character I should use - as his writing is not gotten much appearance in here - he should be an expert on the dwar ... hmmm (revisions will happen go with it reinke) - but there is more - I need another one ... a hidden character - the hidden fifth voice of the narrative ... hmmm .. its supposed to be like a little game - "who wrote this entry" when you have the finished book it should be apparent. No, I need to find a new character, and to do that I need to go "there" and there is only one sure fire way I know how to do that ...
Pawah is a paladin. A warrior of Truth! He carries the purpose stone, a true human from the pure lands. He alone carries the knowledge of the way to the pure lands, Grall lied to Sanjaya when she told him that. Grall lied much. His tales were not those of Krawl. Krawl was a real scribe. Grawl, nothing more than a barkan raised by a pherthan, a Felin at that. Pawah appears and dissapears through no control of his own. Fate takes him from place to place as the purpose stone unravels. He appeared one night in this very cabin. He spoke to me of what had become him, and where he had been. It took me no time at all to determine that he jnew nothing of the world. Nothing of the skies and the isles that we take for granted. He told me of his homeland, and how the sky was so mcu closer and filled with countless light. Such a wonder the pure lands must be to behold. A sky filled with lights - impossible to imagine.
I, being mute, was unable to communicate with him. I could not teach him of the land about, and instead I created this book. Without a voice I cannot give it to mine, but you can give it yours. It is a wonder to have met someone who does not know to knock to stone, whisper to grass. Such things that you take for granted. When you look at your world through new eyes even those things you take for granted become strange and exciting again. Pawah stayed with me for a few short weeks before his stone, the purpose stone, took him away from me. He has this book, and I hope he will remember me always. May it be a guide through the ways of the world for you.
~ Scyra'alanta Elendi Druidess
So ... hmmm ... Pawah ran into Scrya, then Sanjaya met ... Scyra .. and offored to add the book to the scribe annals, and eneded up just putting it into her book ... because the Imperial annals only accept writing from proper scibes.
Things we take for granted. What a difficult consideration to contend with. The skies are blue, the grass is most often green, and the light of the sun is the reflection of the star of Tolen. These things are as common as gold, and however so much we think on them as being strange to someone, it is hard to describe them without speaking as you would to a child. I do not mean any slight against your intelligence, but the way I shall describe these things is as I learned them myself. "As common as gold" I say that every day, most likely. Gold is the yellow rock that floats. Gets in everything, Some silly people get into their head that if you get a big enough chunk of it you can jump off the lands and stop before you hit the Bottom Lands, but as far as I know it just ain't the case.
The bright light in the sky is one of two things, depending on whether your in mid sjky or low. If your in mid sky there will be two lights. The lower one is the star of Tolen, and the higher one is the Sun, the Elendi call it the Moon, and the Orcnin call it Earth. It reflects the ilght of Tolen. If you are in the Bottom Lands or Dolor, as I have heard, you cannot tell if the light you see through the Stom Whale Seas is Tolen or the Sun. When Tolen is Goval and Coval it shines so bright on the Bottom Lands and Low Sky that the Sun cannot be seen, Those who live on the Bottom Lands grow to know the difference of the year by movements of the Sun and Tolen.
Those that live in Mid Sky count the year, at least we do now, by our journey around the Dark Sky, and those that live in the High Skies count theirs by the deluge as far as we know from what the Gnomes have told us. The High Skies are impassible by ship. Only the ArchMagics of the Gmomish gods allow them to transpor their ships to Mid Sky from the Sun. Tolonese ships are now taking to the skies, but Technometric contraptions are a far cry from Gnomish creations. The Dwar that climbed the skies to the Sun are able to create sacred creations as the worshippers of the Gods are able, only without having to sacrifice to the Gods. Supposedly they "follow the Triune" but they say that the Gnomish Dwar hold no ceremonies nor festivals to their Gods.
To say that you "follow the Triune" is to say that you simply don't care. Most who adhere to no curch say such a thing. For an entire people to say it seems suspect at best. The Triune is mentioned in all faiths. The three true Gods that are one, and all of the world simultaniously. The story is simple and the same. There was Elvna and Ogran, elvna the plants and Ogran the beasts. They fought over the world and how it would be made for their creations. When they could not agree as to how to make the world there came Dwar and Dwarin who was to make the descision, and with Dwarin came the Dragons, the children of Dwarin. My island is called Dargonia or "Gift of Dragons" and was once called Ragonia "Home of Dragons" before the Orcnin, the Imperials, and the Elendi settled here.
Trees ruled the land then, since we do not say that dragons rule, and it was the Elendi that came here first. For a season you can leap from Dargonia to Elendira, and long long ago my people did so and began the first civilization on Ragonia. Then the Elendi were fast freinds with Trees, and my people allied with the Trees against Dragon. Then came Mans, and their Empire soon after. The Gnomish had not begun their travels yet. The wizards had not begun their wars. Mans brought a new tactic to the war with Dragon. Mans could speak in the way of Dragon as my people do the way of Tree. They tamed the dragons as so was founded the Empire. With Arconistics stolen from their enemies the Orcnin the Mans wizards brought down a council of Gods and by their power gained Dominion over Dragon. Within the realms of The Empire dragons bow to the power of Mans gods.
Elendi live amongst the Mans, in their Empire, as do Dwar and Taurn. Orcnin even dwell within the Mans Empire, but it is still Mans' Empire. Forged from their will and working attheir pace. The Elendi that live among them are different from them that live, as most do, in the Demes. Elendi Deems are a sigh to behold should be allowed within one. In between the Trees where nobody sees the Deme is a place within and not within the Forest. The shack that you stayed at was place outside of my Deme. I only spend so many seasons a year outside of the Deme, and when I am not within the Deme I stay at the shack and observe the animals and the Dragon. In the Deme only the Trees and the Elendi can stay for long. Others are sent back to the forest no matter how they found entrance to the Deme.
The Deme is built with the power of the Trees. Mans cities are with the power of Stone, and Orcnin hoards are built with the power of Bone. To say the power of Bone is to mean the power of those Gods that the Empire's Gods oppose. There are also the Pride Gods of the Taurn, and though it should go without saying Gods are those ancestors that have exhalted themselves in the realms beyond this one. WHat goes on beyond this world is said to be outside of comprehension. Arconistic masters and the Gods themselves perhaps, but I have heard tell of Gods themselves being lost in the ways beyond the world. The Star Gnomes of Dwar legend and Gnomish tale are supposidly from that other place. Some say they are from the future, some say they are from another world called Aziera.
In the Dark Sky, the Dark Sky. The Dark Sky is the darkness in the sky. Were I standing beside you I could point at it. Dark Sky is larger than any island, and is said to be the Oort cloud or two islands that collided via the power of the wizards Arconistics. The Orcnin wizards took control of Arconia and were intent to guide it to Dargonia and lay waste to the Empire and Imperial City from above. In order to prevent that the Empire's wizards took control of the island Taurna and drove it into Arconia and thusly creating the great cloud that is Dark Sky. Dark Sky streatches from High Sky to Low Sky but always stays Cobal of Bottom Lands. The great Deluge, the source of the Storm Whale Seas is said to fall from True Ragonia - the highest island in the skies.
Once, when Dargonia was called Ragonia, the Sun was thought to be the highest island in the sky. The star had been found and Mans believed itself the wisest of the peoples of the world for its wandering. With Elendi's aid the Mans concoured the surface of Ragonia and when they had the Elder Dragon Lords appeared to Mans and told them that their island was not the "The Home of Dragons" but that there was a "True Ragonia" above even the Sun. Why such a thing would have happened escapes me and most, but who can speak the mind of the Elder Dragon Lords. Those beings are alike unto the Gods, but they have not passed beyond the gate of death. It is said that dragons do not persist past their lives, and that their spirit evaporates, becoming one with the mists.The truth to these tales is for the Gods to know and the vile Arconistic master to speak of. It is not the place of a mortal to speak of the nature of the immortal. You should never speak of the eternal, or of souls, nor death.
There are many amongst the Empire and the Elendi that believe it is speaking of them that draws those that have passed beyond into our lives. The Gods are different than the restless souls. The Gods have somehow seen beyond the desire for life and are content to remain as they are. The restless seek nothing more prfoundly than to return to the life of flesh and bone. There are Orcnin hoards that have been lead by the same soul for centuries. Some say mellinia. Some say longer. There are houses of Mans that follow this priciple as well, strangely tied as Mans history is with Orcnin. The Elendi know better than to truck with such Demon. The Gods and the angels of their hosts guard the cities of Mans and the Demes of the Elendi. They can slip through time with nothing more than a little bit of rhyme. Demons and angels are powerful enemies should you find yourself outside the protection of Deme, Empire, or Hoard, but you know this better than most Pawah.
The body and soul can be seperated and animated. Such are the angels that protect the walls of Mans city, and Elendi Deme. The souls, wherever they have gone are beyond the reach of the our healing for whatever reason. Perhaps the soul was summoned by vile Arconistics, or warped into a weapon by Orcnin artifice as the Elendi seal Allip into their creations. The body is available to be animated as the walls of Mans' cities. Just so much dirt, only in a convienient shape. It is an honor amongst Mans for their moral shell to be chosen to join the forms of their ancestors along the walls of their cities. Countless angels guardian the tiers of Imperial City, and most Mans cities are also protected by the remains of their long dead. Elendi prefer to devour their fallen dead, a practice that Mans find as equally offensive as Elendi do the reanimation of their ancestors. Only the darkest of Elendi disgrace the memory of who once lived in the body by using Allip, Golem, or Spirit.
It is amazing to think what is common amongst one people is considered atrocious amongst another. Planting Trees is a horrible taboo amongst the Empire. Even planting flowers is something that most Mans frown upon. The presence of Bloom and Elendi amongst the Mans brings with them flowers and grass, but most Mans consider the fruit of pomegranate and pear to be the only thing of value from plants. To an Elendi Mans' cities are barren of life, but full of bustle. The Deme is still and serene. The city is full of noise and shouting children. Unlike the the Mans the Elendi take greater care in buying their children from the Gods. Mans who perform the ancient rituals of appeasement to the Gods in order to be given a strong and healthy child are mocked. Yet more than most of Mans young are dead before they come of age. In the Deme there are perhaps twice the number of young as there are old, but among the Mans that proportion is far closer to ten times the number of young compared to adults.
In the Deme a child knows their father and mother. They are raised with attention and care, not released to the world to find their way. Succored by priesthoods like Tanxia's Mans children are nearly wild beasts. Elendi children will sit quetly for days or even years depending on their temperment. As they learn to dream, which Elendi do concious, Elendi children learn to hold themselves still as they travel in their mind. Mans can only dream when they sleep, but unless some extraordinary circumstances occure Elendi do not sleep, and when we are young we amble around with our sight lost in dream safe in the protection of the Deme. In the Deme there is nothing to fear save walking into a Tree. Elendi children that grow up outside of the Deme must be kept safe inside as they learn to be still.
Mans' cities are fed with countless beasts. Most cites keep their livestock outside of the walls of the city itself. The lives of the creatures that Mans make their food are also easy sacrifice to those things that live beyond the bounds of civilization. The great beasts of the land and the wild Dragon will feast on the bones of either Mans or their beasts equally. The priests of the Imperial Gods are able to summon beasts from the outer realms to replace the heards that are lost, and in the end a city of Mans would soon fall without the divine grace of their Gods. The Elendi way is far different. Save for the most important of circumstances Elendi do not call upon the Gods for their aid. The creation of the Deme is one of those rare circumstances. With the aid of our Gods the Elendi bind the many places between throughout the forest into one and create the safety that is the Deme. The Elendi ask their Gods to intercede on greater affairs and on matters of survival and crops. Mans Gods are employed daily, while Elendi's are called upon yearly if at all.
Imperial City is lit with a thousand lamps. They call them the lamps of Miria. Every child of the Empire hears of these lamps when they are young, and the Lamps of Miria are seen as the ultimate example of the oppulance of Imperial City. The lamps are of carved stone and are held aloft by statue carved in Mans image of Elvna. Their light allows the city to function in the lee of Tolon Island. This light is powered by the same worship that other Imperial lands use to keep the city clean, and maintain the domonion of Empire over the wilds. So grand and magnificent is Imperial City, so wealthy and powerful, that it is able to expend that energy to illuminate Imperial Dargonia.
Dargonia is covered in darkness save for the light of Imperial City. Tolon is techered to the underside of Dargonia by a gargantuan tether that is believed to have been made by the ancient Imperial wizards. The thether can be used to travel between the two islands, and keeps Tolon below the ridge of Dargonia. The star of Tolon is below Tolon and as such the light that illuminates most of the world does not shine on Imperial City or Dargonia. Tolon itself see the light of the Sun all year long, as the islands of Dargonia and Tolon and the Sun follow each outher in orbit around Dark Sky. As such the darkest island in the skies is Dargonia, and Elendira as it passes through the lee of Dargonia.
Plauges wander live throughout the world. Their influence driving all that share the beasts blood to insanity and death. Much of my purpose is to ward the forest from their presence. They say that amongst the Orcnin plauges are fostered and encouraged to work upon the enemies of the hoard, but I have never seen Imperial City let alone an Orcnin hoard. Though there be dozens upon the Cobal side of Dargonia I have never seen them. The hoards do not prey upon this Forest for the sake of Impire City Goval of the Deme and Old Ragonia upon the Goblin. I have never seen an Orcnin in my life, but expect that in the time I have upon this world I will one day see Imperial City, and I know that you will find Orcnin loyal to the Empire there. My knowledge of the Empire is small, but my knowledge of the Empire is great.
Elendi met Mans first in the skies. On dragon back and sail. Falling to the Bottom Lands from Mid Sky, finding no Doloria in their travels. Doloria was formed from the Scattared Isles. Elendi found the Bottom Lands first so the legends say. It was the ELendi that found the Dar and the Dwar. It was Mans howevver that tamed the Trees. The Dwar and the Dar live beneath the surface of the Bottom Lands but above the Endless Sea. The Elendi that first found the bottom of the world found their refuge beneath the waves of the Endles Sea, but when Mans came they brought fire and burned away the Trees of Coval Bottom Lands. With the aid of the Dar. That aid was betrayed by the Doomsayer. A God of the Dar she nearly eradicated the Empire before it began.
That was the First Mans Tree wars. The second was the what brought about the formation of the Empire. Mans Empire despite Dwar and Elendi merely honoring their dominion over Dragon. Dragons of sky and flame were brought from what is now Old Ragonia. Knighthoods called the Dragoons were formed to defend the Arconistic masters of the Mans armies. From the Elendria had come Elendi, and the Sky Lakes had come Mans. On Ragonia they fought Orcnin and Dragons hand in hand. Together they found Dwar fighting Trees, and together the three built the Empire from the wood of Trees.
There are said to have been Orcnin upon the Bottom Lands, and mellenia later their are Mans, Orcnin, and Taurn all strong upon the Bottom Lands. Ronians have no true home, but the Bottom Lands belongs to the Dwar. They have long lived beneath the surface, but since the Fell of Montar and the Dwarin migration to Montaria the cities of the Dwar have begun to open upon the tops of the Goval Mountains of Bottom Lands. The loss of Arconistic was a blow to the Orcnin people. Though plentiful times a thousand compared to Mans they, as a people and by the the will of their Gods, refuse alliegences. Their is Master of the hoard and the rest. There may be many masters in the hoard, but all bow to the one Master. As it was so it shall always be amongst them, so they say. The Empire works by council as appossed to pure strength. It was the Council of Imperial Senators that made Arconistics illegal throughout the Empire.
Elendi were neve much, as a people, for Arconistics. They did not stand in the way of the Dwar when they petitioned for the ban, and the Mans were sore from the loss of the Wizard Wars. There were no winners of the Wizard Wars. The Empire felt the flush of the victory of the last Mans Tree wars a mellenia too early, and had turned their eye to the Orcnin. Between the two people there was a massive Arconistic might and the was was fought less between dragoon and hoard than between the might of wizards. The hidden towers upon Arconitstic and Taurna were all cast from the skies for their hubris against the Gods. Worse still to think that the wizards of the Empire knew what was to happen, and did so anyhow. Either way it is a good thing that Arconistics is forbidden in the lands of the Empire.
Mans' Empire is governed over by a Divane Senate. The representatives to the Divine Senate are divided evenly between Mans, Elendi, and Dwar. Strange as it may seem Mans has granted Dwar and Elendi a signifigant influence in their Empire. Neither Dwar and Elendi have developed such a unified government between their peoples. While, most relations between opposing Elendi nations are corgial, there have been many disputes broached in Imperial chambers of the disputes between rival nations of Dwar. Not the least of which was the problem of Gnomes. The mightiest of Dwar nations of old are violently opposed to those they call Gnome. Arconistics, be they Orcnin, Elendi, Mans, or Dwar has always been taboo within the lands of the Bottom Lands kingdoms of the Dwar. Even before the Wizard Wars those Dwar that were branded "Gnome" were cast out of Imperial lands.
These many centuries later the Gnome have found a home on the Sun. The Gnome Dwar have made their own nation far from the lands of their ancestors. When once, in the ancient times when the Empire began, the Dwar of Goval were the strongest voice in the Divine Council. Now, man mellinia later, the Gnomes and the Rouge Dwar nations of Montara have become the most represented. The ancient Dwar nations of Goval Bottom Lands keep only one Embassy when once they held all nine of the Dwar seats in the Divine Council. Even as the Wizard Wars ended the ancient Goval Dwar were in the lead of the Dwar people that were represented, and it was their voice that outlawed Arconistics, but the migration of the Gnome to the Sun and the formation of the Rouge Dwar nations on Montara over the last three melennia has shattered their influence in Mans' Empire.
Thre of the nine Dwar embassies are Gnomish, and the Gnome ships are the backbone of the Empire's trading fleet at this time. Gnome ships are powered by Arconistics no matter what they say. There are many who see the ban on Arconistics to change before another century passes. The idea of a new Tower of Arconistics being erected upon Dargonia is hard to concieve. For thousands of years Emperials have not only cast out those who practiced Arconistics, but literally hunted them and brought them to death. That has changed on Dragonia, but is still common upon the Bottom Lands where teh Goval Dwar watch with a closer eye. Nonetheless those who practice Arconistics have survived and passed their knowledge from one to the next. Once the wizards were as important to the Empire as the dragoons. It was Emperial wizards that formed Imperial City with their Arconistics.
The holy orders that follow the Imperial Gods are the true power in the Empire. Once the nine great orders of dragoons controlled the empire. The knight orders that tame the great dragons to their will were the strength of the Empire. In ancient times those orders had been founded by the Mans wizards from the sky lakes. In the turns of fate the knighthoods that had forsaken their ancient charges in favor of serving the Empire have all but lost their voice in that Empire. The holy orders that rule the Empire in these days take adherents of all peoples and thus gain stronger voice. They grant their members the gift of miracles wrought by thier God. The peoples of Mans still identify themselves by their house and land of origin, but their choice of embassy to the Divine Council has turned to the holy orders that follow the members of the Divine Council.
The twenty seven Gods that hold seat in the Divine Council are not absent Gods, but as the Pride Gods they are manifest. Tanzia is seen throughout the Empire, and often in Imperial City. Ft'rod is a Ronian God and yet holds the seat of Summer's Breeze. The embassies to the council are divided between Dwar, Elendi, and Mans but the exhalted beings that hold the seats of the Divine Council and maintain the dominion of Empire via the allegience of all who acknowledge Imperial Dominion are decided amongst themselves. In accordance with the ancient Arconistic principles that founded the Divine Council every century one seat in the council is made vacant and any God that attempts to claim it, and is able to defend it, may. Each of the twenty seven seats of the Divine Council is dedicatedto a different grand principle, and by Arconistic principles it is this concordance that grants Empire dominion over Dragon.
The seats of the Divine Council are three fold seven. The seven brilliant seats are the seat of the Summer's Breeze, the seat of Storm's Blood, the seat of Burning Stone, the seat of Flashing Flame, the seat of Talon, the seat of Vine, and are ruled by the seat of Eternal Light. The seven hidden seats are the seat of Winter's Breath, the seat of Sea's Fury. the seat of Liquid Stone, the seat of Scroching Flame, the seat of Fang, the seat of Tooth, and the seat of Seed, and are ruled by the seat of Eternal Darkness. The seven solid seats are the seat of Wind, the seat of Deluge, the seat of Metal, the seat of Lightning, and the seat of Beast's Heart, and the seat of Tree's Root, and is ruled by the seat of the Final Judge. The senator of the seat of the Final Judge on;y votes upon the matters of the Divine Council save there is a thirteen thirteen split amongst the council.
Tanzia, the seat of Flashing Flame, is perhaps the most well known of the Imperial Gods. Tanzia gained her seat when it was opened and she has held since. Miria, the seat of Eternal Light, is the the only remaining of the original twenty seven Gods of the Divine Council, and holds significant sway over the council. In most things regarding the people of the Empire Miria is the first and final say. Tanzia and Miria have long been allies and have kept the brilliant seats in accord since the dawn of the Empire. The hidden seats have not held strong ties between them, and the hidden seats have shifted far more often. Fara, the seat of the Beast's Heart, is the longest sitting member of the solid seats. It was Fara, a Taurn God, that first brought the forbiddance of Arconistics to the Divine Council. Another God of note is Jakanar. He was the first and the third seat of Eternal Darkness. Some say he has seeks to return to the Divine Council again.
The Empire's territories cover half of Dargonia, many of the Sky Lakes, Elenaria, Tolen, and near a third of the Bottom Lands. There is no nation that holds the combined power of the Empire. The Dar control a third of the Bottomlands, and the remainder of that massive island is contested between Orcnin and Taurn. The Endless Sea that the Bottom Lands rests in is inhabited with the Elentsi and a strange breed of Mans called Thalian.The Elentsi and the Thalian are the descendants of the first Mans and Elendi that found their way to the Bottom Lands and found only the Endless Sea to be safe from the terrors of the Bottom Lands. The Dwar live, as they always have, beneath the surface of the Bottom Lands, and like the Thalian and the Elentsi have no interests in the lands of the Empire.
Should the strength of the Pride Landers grow much they may one day come to threaten the Cross Lands or the Imperial cities of the Goval region. The remnants of the Taurn are scattered. The Pride Land Gods claim that they have always called their people to the Bottom Lands, but Imperial scribes say that there are perhaps more Taurn on the island of Wild's Home. Travel to Wild's Home is perioulous and reports of what live upon the island's surface are scare, but according to the tales there are still entire nations of Taurn living on Wild's Home. Legions have been seen through the forest canopy. At least two nations of Pherthan have been in contact with Imperial traders.
The Ronians go where they please, and the Orcnin loose territory to the Empire everyday. The Great Trees that opposed Mans in ancient times have been felled, and only the Great Trees that were in alliance with Elendi still stand. Perhaps should the Dwar unify they could stand against the Empire, but many of the Dwar nations owe alligence to the Empire over each other. The Elendi nations stand with each other, but have no need to quarrel with the Empire. The Elendi people are slower to move than Mans and Dwar. The Demes of today are much the same as the Demes of ancient times. Some Demes such as Padon have been formed in the Goval region since the end of the Mans Tree wars, but there have been no new Demes upon Elendria since the Wizard Wars.
:omg: its been almost six months since I updated :roll:
Since last I posted I have become the VP of Marketing for eyeofthevortexonline.com I have become the co-host on a weekly geek cast ~ redphonezone.com ~
I remain dedicated to completing this project - as I have been for almost two decades now. Wonderful World is one of my first campaign settings and has transfered through Hero System to Storyteller and then into D&D ~ for those of you that are following the development of Wonderful World, or those of you interested in collector's items ~ there are new signing copies of the Wonderful World campaign setting available for purchase at my bookstore :wink:
In case your wonderin' a "signin' copy" is a "pod" unfinished draft of a book. When I sell one (or more) I end the sale and republish with another version - there by creating "collector's items" !!
Just in Case, If anyone has used wonderful world, I would love to hear about it. While I am away would be a great time to leave some comments regarding what you think so far, what you have questions about (that would be great), or what you want to see from wonderful world. Keep in mind that the "world theme" (if you need it summed up in one word) is "travel" or "exploration"
The honey killer. The Vegitaurn. The stinging flower. A rather rare breed of Vegitaurn. Unlike the three fronded nightmares of the Mans Tree Wars these flowers are a sappy Tree. The Pottaurn are deemed such as they have a bell pot topped with two thick liplick petals, and filled with a scent as intoxicating to Mans and Dragon alike. Orcin, Taurn, and Dwar as well find the scent of the Pottaurn's stinging honey sweet. Elendi alone of the Peoples of the world are immune to its persuasive toxin. The Elendi pallat is severe. As they grow they twine with the land in accordance with the powers of the seasons. Most devoure sticks and leaves along with fruits, berries and in some cases small amounts of bone and meat. Most Elendi have faound the smell of the Pottaurn's honey to be that of rancid meat. The petals of the charging flower were once called simply a Vegitaurn alike to the Flynntaurn and Venutaurn. Seratuarn and Ozzentaurn more common, some many others lost to the burning times, all these bounding blooms once called Vegitaurn are today named and defined in the archives of the scribes. Though they once were counted only as combatants the details of their consumption and structure are cataloged and recorded in the halls of the Imperial Scribes. Pottaurn, perhaps more so than any extant breed of Vegitaurn, are savage and aggressive. Pottaurn are found almost exclusively in the lands called by many Troll Country. Troll Country is a region of the vast Goblin and Cobal forest of the Bottom Lands. The entire region stretching from the spiney rang of mountains Goblin Bottom Lands to the sandy marshes of the Darian Empires Cobal is beyond the control of the Empire and the Darian Empires alike. Troll are said to rove in packs. Vegitaurn of all kinds garden and hunt the Trolls. Pottaurn and Trolls alike hunt the Dwar and Orcin that live in the grounds and caves of this dire forest. The Goblin Mts are ruled by dread Dragon Lords, and the forests Coblin of them are ruled in truth by Revalin Empirals. Most likely meeting a Pottaurn will be in battle. Unlike Flynntaurn Pottaurn's historic allegiance with the Standing Trees is not more than the terretorial vegitables' insticts to defeate and devour Mans' armies with equal fervor as they do their primary prey; the Troll. With sword sharp petals the Pottaurn disarms limbs, and stews the flesh off of bone in its stinging honey pot. As with the Flynntaurn, the spongey soupish remnant of a Pottaurn meal is rich fertilizer for most planting Trees. Unlike many of the extant Vegitaurn the seeding cycle of this viscious flower is unknown.
Deadly Clover. The Vegitaurn. The slashing bloom. This Vegitaurn is rather common, but unlike the Flynntaurn they are not a meat eating plant. Flynntaurn rarely plant, while Serataurn spend a good deal of time planted. Like most blooms Serataurn need little more than dirt and rain to survive. Blood and the sap of Flynntaurn being the best of fertilizers for their dirt, and the the blue rain of storm whales is their fondest water. Dry dirt and sand and the green waters of the deluge are sufficient for any bloom, and sufficient for this Vegitaurn. Instead of a Flynntaurn's three snapping fronds, the Serataurn is feathered with broad bladded petals. More a vine than most blooms the Serataurn is a fruit bearing plant. Due to their long vines and broad petals the Serataurn are often confused with Flynntaurn at a distance. Upon close examination they are clearly a rope of twines more like a mass of root, buds, berries, and bladded petals. Flynntaurn have long stalks holding their snapping fronds high. It is the assertion of some scribes that the Serataurn is most similar to a Kraken. The power of the Empire holds the Sky Lakes, GemRon Isle, Half of Dargonia and Tolen alike, most of the Bottom Lands in alliance with the Elendi, and in alliance with the Elendi and Dwar Councils rules more of the world than any Darien Empire or Orcnin'Sa. Nonetheless the tales told of the Aquan Elendi and the countless kingdoms of the endless ocian have rare entry into the Imperial records. The Krakens that have been studied upon the shore are only rare examples, but their twiney vines that mix spindley roots and sharp flower petals are strangely reminicent of the Serataurn. Perhaps the most common of all Vegitaurn, at least in Imperial Dominion, there are many Serataurn gardens that turned leaf to side with the Empire and peace durring the Mans Tree Wars. Many Mans houses first learnt the Plant Signal language from Serataurn. Before the grand seeding of Blooms that heralded the final peace between the gods of Tree and Mans alike, it was the Serataurn that most Mans might have spoken with regarding the accords of Mans and Tree. Like a Bloom the Serataurn needs naught but dirt, water, and starlight. The gardens of Serataurn that guard Imperial walls grow in number with every turn of Tolen. To this day only Blooms are allowed Imperial Citizenship. The terms of war between the grand Trees shall stand till the Trees themselves fall, but the Serataurn have long been the diplomats between Mans and Tree.
The Vegitaurn. The snapping flower. The leaping bloom. The most powerful and quick of all the vegitables. The leaping blooms have several springy root legs and three snapping flower buds. The average Flynntaur looks remarkably similar to a Felataur and from such their common title. Durring the Mans Tree Wars the Flynntaurn were amongst the number of Vegitaurn that served as the primary bastion of the Tree armies. To this day the Flynntaurn are the nightmare dipicted most often in the images of the Mans Tree Wars. Most likely the Flynntaurn are the most common of all the Vegitaurn, and while there are numerous kinds of Bloom and Vegitaurn flowers, the particularly terrifying triple snapping fronds of the Flynntaurn have haunted the tales of Mans since before the empire. Trees that run and jump and eat like a wolf. Truly in the Imperial annals of the Mans Tree Wars the lists of Vegitaurn put to fire are most likely the list of beast eating Blooms. Differing Strangling Tree and Standing Tree from Leaping Bloom. Unlike a Bloom or Shroom the Vegitaurn need the flesh of beasts and dragon to survive. They only plant to seed and have historically held little society amongst themselves save for the rites of providing for a seeding Vegitaurn and their traditional servitude to the Standing Trees. Beyond this Vegitaurn, such as the Flynntaurn, are rare for the mechantilism of Blooms. By nature Vegitaurn are Bloom, but something of their ecology makes them grow taller and stronger than the viney and spongey flowers. These rending and eating flowers spend little time planted and dreaming. They are universally killers of Mans and Orcnin alike. When not found in an Army of Tree they are in a garden of terror. Hunting Troll in the Cobal forest of Bottom Lands. Racing Emuron in the deserts of the Pride Lands. Stalking Sa and Mans alike in the borders between Ronian, Orcnin, and Imperial Dargonia. Vegitaurn have been burnt out of the Sky Lakes as of ancient times, but as the Mans Tree Wars fade further and further into legend Tree of all kind have become more welcome in the paradise lakes that are the ancestral home of Mans. Flynntaurn are regularly the general, captains, and domos of Tree armies or households. Flynntaurn serve as guards to Tree convoys. Entertaining these Vegitaurn is as such to entertain an Orcnin'Sa or Dragon High Lord. The only caveat of protocol that need be remembered beyond that of their Lord's is that Vegitaurn of all kinds need their meat served raw. Their strange mawlike flowers digest meat in plain sight and is expeled into the pots or planting grounds of their Standing Masters. In a divine correspondance this remnant provides the planted Tree with the most nutricious fertilizer.
Aras the realm of Man. Not a true realm as they say, but a mist realm. Found first legend says by Mans that sought the Bottom of the World. Before Mans found the Bottom Lands and the Endless Ocian legends tell of a land called Aras. The land is strange, they sky is said to be empty of isles, and a single brilliant sun shines like Tolen seeminly no higher off the Bottom than Dolor. There are those that claim to have sailed through storm whale trails to find Aras, and those that seek the lost Isle of Arcanos say that it has drifted to the realm of Aras. The star of Aras may seem low to the bottom, but those who have found themselves in Aras and found their way back have followed the same path of return. They sail to the star. Like sailing to Dragon's Home only your flight is through a vast and empty sky. Uncluttered by particle, rover, dragon, isle, or silt. Naught but storm whales cloud the way to great round light that is your way back home. There is said by some that there is one rover sized isle that drifts low to the bottom round Aras, and like the true Bottom Lands Aras floats upon the waters of an vast ocian. There is a Karnian legend that tells of a mighty Vampire Slayer called the Karn'ah'Karn who traveled to Aras and sailed to the very edge of the Ocian of Aras. There he found a waterfall the breadth of which only gods can imagine. The stories of the Karn'ah'Karn are many and legend at best, but a diety claimant to the title held seat in the Light Council of the Imperial Gods. The Brilliant Lord of Fire called Girin of Karn, the Karn'ah'Karn, COnquorer of Taladas, Hated of Doom, and Bringer of Justice entered into the record of Imperial Cosmogoney a dissimilar account of the land of Aras. His account shared the element of sailing ship toward the star, called "The Sun" by the natives of Aras, and thusly returning to the skies above the Bottom Lands. The "Conquoroer" as he was mostly called durring his brief reign as Brilliant Lord of Fire was a renowened traveler of many realms. His accounts were all alike in that they were each as outlandish as the next and as unbelievable as an ancient Legend. Doomsayer tales and Centaur. "Horses" and Dragons made of varnished metal. Lasers and machines. Travel to and from stars to lands such as Aras and even stranger. The most outright and irregular thing regarding Aras is in the end, according to his Brilliance, is not that the sky is vacant of all but a single isle. Rather the Elendi are not, and Taurn are rarer still. Mans are all Karnina tan. Like the Orcnin, Dwar, and Elendi there are creatures that are far more Mans than Dwarn. Elendi share the peach and tan skins of the Karn. Dwar somewhat darker, and Orcnin somewhat red. Dragons of this realm Aras came of five type red, blue, green, black, white. These beast ruled the Land of Aras without contest. The Conquorer's Brilliance was, to tell the tale, of such affront to the Great Dragon Lords of Aras that Lord Girin was driven from the land without pause or delay. Others have said to travel to Aras and traveled amongst cities of Darian and the Elendi, not Elendi. Named Havaline, the sole skyborn land of this other worldf and supposedly no larger than a rover, this isle is the heart's deme of these strange Elendi not Elendi. Havaline Elendi are said to look like the Karn, and not only Girin claims such. The Dwar look like Karn. In fact the entire world is Karn skinned. It is hard to imagine a world without red skin and blue, faces without stars upon them, and hair of auburn and straw alone. If you were raised to it perhaps you would find a normal rainbow skinned Mans and green skinned Elendi exotic, or even shocking! What little is known of this land for certain is that it is ruled by Dragons. Mighty wyrms greater than the beasts of this world. Perhaps the greatest of Dragon High Lords compares to these beasts, but to the last the dragons of Aras are terrible dragons. They only come in five metalic colors, and they lay eggs to have their children. Dragons can get large, but these beasts are born large. Beasts they do seem to be, and perhaps are not dragons as such. Dragons in the real world are the hybrid of beast and plant. Neither and both combined - while the dragons of Aras are clearly beasts, and quite concerned with their progeny.
) is the pre-release of the ... books ... of Wonderful World "in general" :smile: I like it. For other projects I will inspecct other prospects, but Wonderful World will stay here. I do actually have the intention of "using" you people.
