The world was not always the picture of imperial unity that it is now. Millenia has passed since man first came to be on the Earth. Over the course of this time, wars have been fought, technology has evolved, and kingdoms have risen and fallen in the span of years. The invisible borders that traverse the world have changed nearly every century; now it is the flag of Persia holds dominion over the majority of the world--though it was not always this way.
There are three main world arcs that players will have a chance to explore and learn more about:
Chaos Reigns
War of the Gods
A New World Order
Each world arc will contain: 1) information about the time period and available settings and 2) potential plotlines for player use. It is not required that players seeking to run group rps must use one of the sample plotlines provided; I will accept original concepts as well. Players that would like to use a provided plot line may do so in the Request form thread provided in Codex. Original concepts must also be applied for the same way.
This period predates civilized society as we know it. Before there were empires and kingdoms, or rulers and warlords, the very core of mankind warred over what was then considered Mesopotamia and its outlying territories. To survive was the paramount goal, and in lands fraught with winged giants, meddling pagan gods, and nefarious marauders, life was a candle set in arduous winds. Many turned to the chaotic energy of pagan gods, and the ensuing mayhem that occurred from seeking out forbidden powers divided the land further. With nowhere left to turn, the tribe of Persia turns to one of the sole entities of good: Ahura Mazda. Within this chaotic land, the budding kingdom of Persia begins to emerge.
Lasting peace, as of yet, is an unfathomable concept. The bulk of civilization lay in clusters about Babylon. To the East, Oriental tribes fought for control over the Zhakstan Province (what is now called Woki-Tal), leaving their Middle Eastern neighbors wholly ignorant of their presence. Anatolia dealt with the brunt of attacks from the fearsome Puntlings, driving much of its populace to flee behind walled villages. Towards the middle of this era, the appearance of the mysterious Aspect clans begin, leading some to wonder what other tricks the gods will play upon them next.
Playable Settings: Mesopotamia (babylon and sumer), Anatolia, Punt
SAGAS:
From this forge of chaos spawns an unlikely bastion of Persian strength: the legendary figure of Xšayāršā, later known as Xerxes. Follow the mighty champion Xerxes and his band of warriors on a mythological odyssey across the continent in his quest to become the first king of Persia.
Known only as The Watchers, a mysterious group of vigilantes keep a small town safe from the incursion of Hittites. Unbeknownst to the villagers, the Watchers have a dark purpose of their own.
The first set of Endowed individuals are born amongst the Persians. With no one strong enough to control them, some are corrupted by their power, and the ensuing civil war that occurs between those opposed and unopposed to total control over the kingdom threaten to break its very foundation apart.
Punt emerges as the final test of wills for the strongest warriors. By going there, a tribe leader's daughter is determined to prove her mettle and return as the rightful heir to next lead the tribe. But first, a challenge awaits, and she'll need all the help she can get.
History would later remember Ananias as the greatest puzzlemaker of all times, but it was not always so. His disappearance at the height of the Babylonian War has become one of the world's most enduring mysteries. See where his story began: in a meeting with the trickster god himself, Anansi.
Who is The Peddler? Rumored to be a lone Tuareg, where the woman and her wares go next are a matter of chance. Her typical business is to sell trinkets and baubles, but to six random individuals, she gives something far more powerful than any fabled item…
*Note: AC stands for "After Creation," in accordance with Persian law.
When the dust settled from the chaos, only the strong rose from the ashes. By 1100 AC, nations had been eked out amongst the survivors. The weak had been purged, and those remaining formed the lands now recognized in modern times. Around 1258 AC, the Puntlings decided to withdraw entirely from Anatolia, and the battered natives were then conquered by the Turks, who subsequently renamed the land in their honor. Unbeknownst to their neighbors, Persia had been growing in power. Babylon had since been replaced with Isfahan, the shining beacon of the nation's wealth, and soon other kingdoms followed in their footsteps with their own cities and assets. With a fragile calm about them, trade was created between all nations – including the recently settled Woki-Tal, who set about creating roads that would better facilitate trade between the East and the West.
After fifty-two years of tentative peace, Persia decided to, in their own affectionate sentiments, "share their prosperity." They did so by invading their sister nation Arabia in August of 1300 AC, an event that historians refer to as The Great Incursion. Men and gods clashed together as the Empire fought to bring the nations to heel. With overwhelming resources and military tactics on their side, Persia conquered with great ferocity the entirety of the Middle East – though it cannot be said that it came without resistance.
Playable Settings: All kingdoms within the lore (excluding Woki-Tal)
SAGAS:
Those guilty of the highest crimes against the Empire are exiled to the frigid land of Ɖein. When a wrongfully accused group of individuals are sentenced for treason, they must race against the clock to prove their innocence before they succumb to the elements.
With war being a battle of both power and resources, the Persians discreetly pay pirate ships to harangue enemy supply lines. None are as efficient nor quite so ruthless as the crew of the White Scourge.
The Pig Lord holds the last independent city of Persia, Jask, in an iron-clad grip. Unwilling to batter their own people, the shah agrees to send a diplomatic party to negotiate. They must acquire peace by any means necessary…including catering to his increasingly ridiculous demands.
When a mysterious woman falls from the sky, a local village lauds her as a goddess. But scholars that hear of her tale are drawn to what they believe is the missing key to a mythical location: the Hanging Isles.
Magic is as nonsensical an idea as a child's fairytale. When a man goes around claiming to be a great sorcerer in Agrabah, Arabian investigators are hired to probe his story. What they discover is a rabbit's hole far deeper than they could have ever conceived.
Against the backdrop of continental war, a group of philanthropic individuals form Sigil, a secret order dedicated to transnational goodwill and the preservation of history. When a plot to burn down the Mouiseon is discovered, Sigil springs into action.
Inevitably, all who opposed the Persian empire succumbed to its might. Dubbed "The Golden Age," peace settles into the fabric of Persia as the life of its Empire goes from years to decades to more than a century. War is a term mentioned only to refer to the past. With the seemingly eternal presence of the Empire hanging over it, progress and technological advancement is at the forefront of the era. Scholars with impunity can now properly map out the world and its many unknown reaches, and many fancy themselves new age explorers and expeditioners. The gods left behind many treasures from their ancient adventures, and many merchants would pay a pretty coin to acquire one of them. At long last, Woki-Tal joins its western neighbors through the Silk Road, and so, too, does Ɖein endeavor to rise as a kingdom on equal standing with its southern allies. Peace has been obtained; all that's left to do is maintain it.
Playable settings: All kingdoms
SAGAS:
Strange things lie near the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. One by one, the men from the Greek village of Apiranthos begin to disappear, and the townspeople call upon the aid of famed investigator Shirin and her fellow associates to discover what is happening.
All that glitters is not gold. While peace is the order of the day, dissention grows in the shadows. The nameless Headmen are appointed to root out rebellion wherever it may lie, and they happen upon a treasonous movement burgeoning in Tehran.
With the Empire's forces stretched across so wide a territory, criminals are bound to slip through the cracks. A popular new career choice for capable warriors is bounty hunting. When a bounty for Snake Suna is posted for 10,000 gold, it becomes a bounty hunter free-for-all.
The Shah's Order is called to action when an assassination plot rises against Aysel the Effervescent, the current leader of Turkey. When their spies plant themselves among her inner government, they discover a nest of corruption and the start of vigilante justice in the poorer Aspect clan underground.
House of Asha, a public bathhouse, serves as a front for the academy of Endowed children in Isfahan. Their training involves honing their respective abilities and discreetly demonstrating its use in the general populace. When a child disappears from campus, the instructors and children worry that something is afoot.
The wedding between the Shahzadeh (Prince) of Persia and Nubian Princess Winji is set to be the biggest event of the year. An elite force is assigned to deliver the princess safely to her husband-to-be. Little do they know, the blushing bride has plans of her own.
