- Invitation Status
- Posting Speed
- 1-3 posts per week
- Writing Levels
- Advanced
- Prestige
- Douche
- Preferred Character Gender
- Male
- Genres
- Fantasy, Sci-fi
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[stabs=bcenter|600x800]{slide=A Brief Meeting}"I didn't think you would have actually showed up"
"I don't like missing opportunities to meet up with old friends"
"Funny, I didn't ever recall you thinking of me as your friend"
"In the traditional sense, no. But you and the others are probably the closest friends I've got."
"And none of us really like each other, do we?"
"Not if you are planning on killing two of them. No I wouldn't say so."
"Where did you hear about that!?"
"Did you think I wouldn't know? Or that any of us wouldn't find out quickly? What with your loud and prideful mouth. I ran into Tonken a few months back and he told me what you had in store for Jacque and Boris."
"Are you going to try and stop me, Viktor?"
"No, those two are hardly worth me getting involved. Though I disapprove. I don't want to see my former comrades kill each other."
"Comrades? Those two are no comrades of mine. Both are traitors to everything we believed in! And don't tell me you have moral qualms about Boris dying?"
"Hardly, Boris is a repugnant and greedy man. Always was. But he is also powerful. Even Franco and Papyro are wary of him. If you go off on your little purge, you'll do nothing but make a big mess of things. You'll draw attention back to us again. After decades of relative peace."
"Our peace has been wandering through cities in disguises like beggars! That kind of peace is worth shattering for those two wretches. Jacque's betrayal is even more heinous than Boris's.
"But it is not worth killing him over"
"Don't tell me that you-
"Mind your tongue! I was just as angry as everyone else when I heard what he had done. He did betray our principles I will never deny that. But we have disbanded and Jacque's decision has hurt no one. My life has not been affected by Jacque, and neither has yours. You should leave him be."
"There are some things worth defending that don't affect your life. I feel none of us learned that lesson when we were young. Those two have wound up putting their services to those we sought to eliminate. They do not deserve to call themselves Wandering Warlords."
"..."
"Nothing left to say Viktor?"
"Just one thing. Don't go after Karen"
"Why? I have no reason to-
"Don't lie to me! It's no secret she's been healing the sick over here in the Eastern Vulgo, including a Prince's son recently. I know that would be enough for you to think about targeting her too."
"I wasn't going to. But if I did, would you try to stop me?"
"I would kill you. Assuming Boris or Jacque hadn't already."
"Hahaha, that's a good one. You think either of them can kill me?!"
"Jacque? No probably not. He'll give you a bit of trouble. But he would go down eventually. Boris though: Boris I could see mutilating you while showing off that wicked grin of his. Don't underestimate him, it's bad for your health."
"I can see your point in that regards I suppose. Which is why I'm going after Jacque first. If I die against Boris at least I'll have put one of the bastards into their grave."
"This is foolish and unnecessary. Which road will you take when going through the Wild Lands? The lower one I presume?"
"Aye, I took the middle one last time I was going through. I was getting tired of the Goblin tribes by the end of it. They seem more desperate than usual."
"I hear the lower one is getting bad too. Those massive trade caravans have been getting attacked and massacred. So be careful."
"Thanks for the advice. I have to stop by Segell City anyhow to pick up a...trinket."
"Trinket?.... oh no you don't mean-
"Yup the Ruby ones"
"Damn it, this foolish escapade of yours is not worth bringing those weapons along for the ride!
"Viktor! Listen to me. Over three decades years ago twelve of us came together and we swore an oath that we are all bound to keep til the day we are laid to rest. All of us wanted to make a new world and eliminate this miserable old one. We may have disbanded but we still hold onto our oath. And those two have been spitting on our dream for far too long. Do you remember the oath Viktor?
"Of course I do."
"Say it with me right now Viktor. Just to make you remember why those two must die."
"This is silly..."
"We be the twelve, bloody though we are"
"Shall never be shackled by bloody chains"
"And shall strive to break those chains"
"Off our fellow man"
"The day of the Crown is near its end"
"To all Kings and those styled after Kings"
"We will slaughter you and your kin"
"And free our fellow man." -
The Tale Before the Tale, Part one: The War of Kaldra
This world, simply known as "The Continent" had been a land of peace and order since the beginning of recorded history. When the minor races: Orcs, Humans and Elves rose against the Demons and banished them to another realm and created their own kingdoms and cities. Though there had always been border skirmishes between the three races, no major wars had broken out between themselves within the last 4,000 years of history. But in the present day, the Continent is now a shell of its former self, experiencing horrifying events of cataclysmic proportions within a small historical span of the last five decades.
50 years ago the Royal family of the sole Orcish Kingdom, Baldric, was wiped out by a Necromancer by the name of Kaldra, who assumed control of the Kingdom and its armies shortly after. Kaldra was deranged, paranoid and highly xenophobic. Believing Orcs to be the superior race and that mankind was only worthy of being slaves and with Elves having no worth at all. Seeing the latter as a growing threat and a "pestilence" that needed to be stopped. Kaldra then begun her invasion. Stretching her Kingdom from both sides of the Continent with the brutal tactics of the Orc army and of course her trump card that made the Necromancer seem untouchable: the aptly named Staff of Kaldra. A mysterious artifact that could summon an infinite army of undead.
However, the other Kingdoms of the world refused to unite under one banner and attack the Necromancer's armies. Thousands of years of isolationism and a stubborn sense of superiority made Kings and City-state leaders highly distrust one another. An alliance was simply out of the question. Even as it became clear that the Elves were quickly becoming the victims of ethnic cleansing, the Human Kingdoms and City-States refused to assist them. Only the young King Lysander of Gyrus begged the leaders of the World to help the Elves and was planning a campaign to do so himself. Until the region of Ragabash, formerly under the Gyrus royal throne, rebelled and openly aligned themselves with Kaldra amidst claims of horrific abuse and oppression by Gyrus. Lysander was forced to cancel his campaign to save the Elves and marched his armies into Ragabash. Fighting a two year war until Lysander recognized Ragabashes independence, for Kaldra was coming to his capital now to conquer it and Lysander needed to rush his forces back home.
For Kaldra had won against the elves. They were no more and their once great cities and towns were reduced to smoldering ruins amidst unburied corpses.
Lysander's forces were tired and worn out from their fighting in Ragabash. But Lysander knew that if they fled behind the walls of the Capital, they would only be starved out. He decided to make one final desperate attempt to attack Kaldra's forces with the plan of slaying Kaldra himself. Lysander led his army of 6,000 men against the infinite hordes of undead and the Orcish army of Baldric and against all odds smashed the staff and slew Kaldra single handily. The Undead withered into dust and the now leaderless Orcs descended into chaos as they were pursued back to their homeland and their once great capital sacked and burned to the ground. Lysander claimed all of Baldric's fertile land for his own Kingdom, destroyed the towns and infrastructure of Baldric and separated the remaining Orcs into weak, fragmented tribes. Who with no good land to farm have been reduced to hunting and gathering the paltry food they can in their reduced homeland of stone and ash.
To further isolate and punish the Orcs for their "crimes against nature" Lysander issued a proclamation to the remaining Human Kingdoms and City-States, one that even the newly independent Ragabash was forced to follow amidst international pressure. Called "The Elven Retribution" The proclamation states that no Orc is to leave Baldric and any orc caught outside their homeland would be executed immediately. Mankind had effectively succeeded where Kaldra failed. It took the world entirely for itself.
To this day, 50 years later the Proclamation is still in effect with absolutely no sign of waning. Two generations of men and women have been raised to think of Orcs has foul disgusting creatures whose barbaric and cruel nature resulted in the complete Genocide of the Elves. The Orc population in Baldric has been rapidly in decline within the last five decades due to the meager food that can be found in their barren homeland and the poor nutrition it provides. It has been publicly estimated by scholars that if their situation doesn't improve by another century, they will become extinct as well. Though the public has expressed little care or outright glee in response to these reports.
The Former Elven Kingdoms, have now become wretched, cursed places that reek of only death and slaughter with the skeletal and charred corpses remaining as Kaldra left them. Now known as The Eastern and Western Wild Lands respectively. These lands are highly dangerous but are almost necessary to travel through due to their geographical locations. The wilderness has taken over the burnt out villages and Goblins have moved into caves and holes they've dug into the ground. Small armies of Goblin tribes now descend upon unprepared travelers and Trade caravans that pass through are small armies of their own. Armed to the teeth with mercenaries to protect their precious cargo from Goblins and all other truly foul things that have taken the Wild Lands as their home. Of course that is not to say of the unnamed horrors that lurk far below. Where none should ever dare go. -
The Tale before the Tale, Part Two: The 12 Wandering Warlords
One would think that what would come after Kaldra's war would be peace and rebuilding. But sadly that only lasted for a time. For twenty years later a new, rogue threat emerged. A band of warriors who called themselves "The Twelve Wandering Warlords" began a rampage throughout the Western Vulgo, targeting the Kings and Leaders of the City-States and murdering them, their families and their entourage of bodyguards, often numbering well over a hundred men. Led by their leader, Abimelech "the 1st Wandering Warlord, Master of Pain" they issued an ultimatum to the entire Continent as they spread their carnage over the entire land: The removal of all Kings and their Kingdoms as they saw all Monarchs, good or ill as tyrants that needed to be stopped. Most thought their philosophy insane and deemed them as nothing more than madmen. However this underestimation was soon proved foolish as Lysander brought an army of 1500 men to face the 12 Warlords when they began attacking his territory. Lysander's forces were completely crushed and he was forced to retreat. It was now that the world began to understand the power of these 12, whom seemed to have the power of Gods.
Lysander soon recovered from his humiliating defeat and undaunted, raised an army of 5000 to challenge the 12 again. This time ending in a draw for the opposing forces. The third and final battle between the two sides would prove to be disastrous. Lysander raised an army of 10,000 men. A size not seen since the days of Kaldra and challenged the Warlords to one final battle.
Both sides fought for hours, with no end in sight. Until Kubla The 9th Wandering Warlord began to lose control of his own powers. Whom many deemed strange and "demonic" hence his alias "Master of Abominations" and his own body summoned up something truly terrifying that seemed almost beyond comprehension.
It was a being of terrifying proportions, larger than any city and with an outstretched hand could touch the clouds. It spoke in a rattling, dead voice in a language that no one could understand. It seemed to be a language of made up gibberish and insanity. With the cold fire in its eye sockets it destroyed half of Lysander's army in an instance and made active attempts to crush the Warlords.
The two sides for a brief moment joined forces and manage to send the malignant deity away after a long struggle. An everlasting seal was placed on the unconscious Kubla, severely weakening his powers but also assuring that he could never summon that being ever again. Scholars who study Demon society would later call this being "The Lord of the Apocalypse" but strangely enough could find no connections to this "Lord" and the Demon realm. For no Demon who was willing to communicate to these scholars ever recognized or recalled something like that in their own world. And when the upper Demon hierarchy got wind of the incident, even they were unsettled. No one has ever been able to figure out what the deity was or where it came from and more importantly, where it is now.
After the battle, the Warlords, realizing that their actions resulted in almost causing the end of the world. Disbanded and scattered across the globe. Wandering in disguises, and constantly moving. -
The Current Tale: Your Story
It has been 50 years since the War of Kaldra and 30 years since the Warlords went their separate ways. But the world is still in chaos and it always seems that disaster can strike at any moment. While there has been peace in Gyrus since the disbanding of the Warlords. It seems some mysterious conflict may erupt again. For the land of Ragabash, a land of small miserable City-States constantly at war with each one may find themselves united under a military Dictator simply known as Khramer. Who through charisma, bribery and threats is slowly bringing the rest of Ragabash under his stern fist to realize his dream, a strong centralized country that can expand outward.
Further more, the Kingdom of Gyrus relies on trade Caravans from the Eastern Vulgo to supply them with the latest steel weapons for their army. However these Caravans have never made it to Gyrus within the last 6 months, always "disappearing" when entering the Eastern Wild Lands. The now elderly King Lysander has decreed that a small group should investigate the cause of the disappearance, with the expedition led by the skilled knight, Sir Benedict, who has recruited a small party of notable skill to aid him in his investigation into the Eastern Wild Lands. The party currently finds themselves in a banquet hosted by Lysander who intends to use the occasion to not only see the group off but publicly announce his plan of action to the most influential nobles in his realm. -
[fieldbox="PART ONE, gold, solid"]
As standard, follow all rules and policies of Iwaku. I don't really want my players getting banned over easily avoidable things.
Please follow standard RP etiquette. Do not use Meta-game knowledge, have Godmode powers, use other players characters without working with that player, etc. Use common sense and if mistakes are made allow me to correct you and ultimately help in making the rp experience here a positive one for everyone.
I really want players to settle and develop one character. So only one CS per player.
As GM and as the only GM, my say on anything is the final say. If you wish to come to me about an idea or question for a character feel free to. But my verdicts on anything regarding this RP is the be all, end all.
Since RP's are a creative collaborative effort, I understand that there can be frustrating aspects of an RP, such as things not going your way or just general disagreements between players. And while I am certainly sympathetic to such feelings. I wish to remind you that this is a internet Roleplaying forum, so there is no reason to actually get angry. So lets all take a chill pill and work through any minor frustrations that might come along.
I ask for legible spelling and grammar, nobody is perfect. Including myself. But I expect to be able to understand what it is you're writing.
Keeping in theme with the rule above, I also ask for at least a Paragraph or two. Under most circumstances, players should be able to write a significant amount down.
Once the RP gets rolling, I'm going to see if we can jumpstart it and go for one post per week. Things might slow down later on, but as for now this is the posting speed I'm aiming for.
With that in mind, if something is going on that prevents you from posting. Let me Know either here in the OOC or just a pm.
This is an RP with dark and mature themes so a content warning tag will be placed in the RP. While sexual themes are allowed at this moment I will ask for a fade to black if something truly explicit is about to happen, such as a sex scene between two player characters, etc. This RP has a tag of 16+ due to sexual imagery being present but not explicit. As such, any sexual imagery that I deem to be vivid will be hidden in a spoiler tag. This RP will not be a constant grim-dark violence simulator but there will be sudden bursts of graphic violence at points. If violent and sexual themes in an RP make you uncomfortable then you should not make a CS here.
Failure to follow the rules of the RP and Iwaku can result in me having to kick you out and possibly reporting you to the Mods. I hope I'll never have to do that.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="PART TWO, gold, solid"]
Since I've always advocated that Post-by-post RP's are vastly different from a table-top game, I try to make my CS templates as simple as possible. Most of the stuff you see below should be self-explanatory. The only thing that needs some minor explaining is Strengths/Weaknesses.
Basically for each of your abilities, whether they be stuff like being good with a weapon, or casting a certain type of magic, a social skill, etc goes in the Strengths. You must also have character weaknesses to balance out your player and prevent them from becoming god-mode. In which case I'll have to decline the CS until changes are made. I don't wish to limit you by automatically telling you what you can and can't do. Just use common sense and if I see any issues we can work through it. Right now I'm asking for the minimum of four strengths and four weaknesses.
Oh and throughout the RP. Your characters will get stronger and there will be times when you can be given the option of a new strength dependent on your character (which may also come with its own weakness) or a possibility of removing a weakness altogether. So if you stick to it and invest, you'll see your character getting more and more powerful over the course of the RP.
Name:
Age:
Sex:
Bio:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Equipment:
[/fieldbox] -
Dislcaimer: I'd like to be the first one to apologize for the looks of the maps as its pretty obvious I did this in MS paint. Truth be told this whole project of mine started years ago when I got bored and drew a map, then added more things to it and made it more complicated. It took me about six months of constant tinkering with it to get a rough draft and I came back to about a year later to make some changes. I designed the RP around this map that I was really excited about and am still proud of despite the crudeness of it.
Over the past couple of years I've tried to replicate it with a few other Map-making programs. Most notably AutoRealm but the program itself is complicated and was too difficult for me to recreate what you see below. Plus I'm fairly certain AutoRealm no longer works on modern operating systems anymore. Combine this with the fact that I'm too stubborn to create a whole new world again using a more legitimate map-making program and you get the results below.
The Continent [spoili]
The truth behind the origins of the Continent have been almost completely lost, even by the Demons. And no God-like entities have stepped forward to take credit for the creation of the Continent. Though that hasn't stopped Humans from worshiping Demons throughout hundreds of cults that exist, with some even claiming that their masters they kowtow to were the ones who created the known world. Though actual, respected scholars balk at such nonsense. The earliest records of history began just before the rise of the "Minor races" the Elves, Orcs and Humans witnessed the end of the War between Demons and Dragons, the "Major races", that according to myth and legends lasted for tens of thousands of years, ending with the Dragons being completely wiped out and brought to extinction. Soon after, the trio of the minor races organized and fielded armies to challenge the Demons and banished them from the Continent and forced them into another world altogether, separated by a barrier that keeps the majority of Demons from breaking back through to their former homeland.
Since then, the Continent enjoyed over 4000 years of peace between the three races and their respective Kingdoms and City-States. It has only been recently with the Wars of Kaldra that the peace was smashed and harmony destroyed with no way to bring things back to the way they used to be. The Humans find themselves dominating the Continent, and also utterly alone.[/spoili]
Gyrus [spoili]Governed by the legendary, but elderly, King Lysander. The Kingdom of Gyrus geography is comprised mostly of flat plains with the occasional swamp, making wheat it's preferred crop. Gyrus through the chaos of the last five decades has become a truly dominant power in the Continent. This is mostly due to Lysander's acquisition of all Orcish farmlands after the war of Kaldra, tripling grain production within the Kingdom. As such all the villages enjoy higher standards of living than most- higher standards for a peasant that is. The majority of the Citizens are little more than serfs bound to the land they were born in and whose lives belong to the various nobles who govern the Kingdom. Though each village is still accommodating for travelers, with inns and poor merchants littering each village for weary adventurers with pockets filled with gold.
Its military is well maintained and organized. Arguably having one of the best trained armies on the Continent. It's Capital, Voima is well defended and could easily be described as a besieger's nightmare. Divided into seven levels, each level with its own wall for defensive purposes. The King, his immediate family and servants reside on the highest level. With the 6th level being where Nobles and other government officials live. The other five levels are where the rest of the City's populace dwell. With the wealthiest living on the 5th level and the urban poor living on the very first level. [/spoili]
The Eastern Wild Lands[spoili]
The former lands of three Elvish Kingdoms. The Eastern Wild Lands is now a dangerous and dreadful place. It's terrain is a combination of hills and thick forests. Making traversing beyond the crumbling roads treacherous and highly stupid. For the various Goblin tribes have settled into the Eastern Wild lands and live behind the protection of the woods or in Caves. Though Goblins aren't the only things that dwell in the Eastern Wild Lands, various other "Beast Tribes" such as Minotaurs have been reported to live in the Wild lands though are far rarer than the Goblins. Roving gangs of desperate Bandits also inhabit the Wild Lands seeking to loot and plunder any trade caravan that they think they can take take.
Though capturing these Caravans and their goods are easier said than done. Rich Merchants looking to sell their Wares to Either Gyrus or the Lands beyond it almost always have to traverse the Eastern Wild Lands and have resorted to hiring small armies of mercenaries to protect these Caravans from raids by Goblins, Bandits or any other threat presented to them. Anyone that needs to travel through the Eastern Wild Lands will almost always take the lower road as it is arguably the safest of the three. The middle road is firmly in the hands of the Goblin Tribes and the Northern road is a land that has become so corrupted since the end of Kaldra's war that not even the Goblin Tribes will go near it, and the few Travelers who take the Northern road are never heard from again. There are rumors of something "Unnatural" slowing gaining influence over the land. Tales of "disfigured creatures" wandering the Northern road have been popping up more frequently alongside reports of the otherwise fierce Goblin Tribes growing restless and afraid of this influence spreading into their own lands as well.
It is advised to all those traveling through the Eastern (or Western) Wild Lands to completely avoid and pass by the towns on their travels. For anything of value was plundered by either Kaldra or the Goblins decades ago. All that remains are unburied corpses and the resulting smell of death along with any other filth and disease the towns might bring. It is not uncommon to find decades old Elvish corpses strewn on ditches adjacent to the road. It is considered taboo to touch them as many of the superstitious believe that the bodies are cursed and will damn anyone who places a hand on them.
Finally, passing by the cities on your travels is to be done with caution. Rumors state of malignant entities that dwell in those Cities that scare away the majority of Goblins, with only the bravest daring to enter. Some have said that a few tribes that are arguably insane have taken residence in the cities. Engaging in unholy rituals and activities.[/spoili]
Ragabash[spoili]
A rough terrain that produces a hardy people; with its stone hills and rocky beaches Ragabash was once a vassal state of Gyrus for most of the region's recorded history. Each City having its own Prince that answered to the King of Gyrus. However, Ragabash with the last century had its citizens horrifically abused primarily under the rule of Lysander's Father, King Lidas III, who raised taxes in order to keep up with the extravagance of Gyrus Nobles, enacted the the impressment of young Ragabash boys into the military, violated rights of the Princes by circumventing their rule through threats. Then there was the most notorious affront: the imprisonment and resulting torture of any denizen of Ragabash who spoke out against the crown. Accounts of the torture often included burning of limbs, removal of eyes, mutilation of hands and feet, castration and of course, rape.
Lysander was a young man of 20 when his father died and he inherited the throne and allegedly knew nothing of the abuses his Father had put into practice. By this time though, the Ragabash Princes had had enough. They declared themselves independent and revolted from Gyrus, openly aligning themselves with Kaldra in order to protect themselves from Lysander's expected wrath. The plan worked, Lysander brought his forces and fought a bloody two year war with the Princes. Ragabash was clearly out classed as Gyrus had the superior numbers and commanders. But Kaldra made sure to take advantage of Gyrus's vulnerability and began advancing on the Capital. Lysander was forced to recognize Ragabash as an independent sovereignty and rushed back home where he would make his famous last stand.
With Kaldra eliminated, it was said that Lysander was considering retracting his agreement with Ragabash and would conquer it as payment for their treachery. However, the Princes had been making lucrative trade deals with the two Vulgos. Which turned out to be so profitable that the Merchant elite of the Eastern Vulgo privately told Lysander that there would be severe repercussions for Gyrus if he did anything "regrettable". Combined with a populace frustrated and scarred by all the war Lysander finally admitted defeat and gave up on taking back Ragabash.
What would unfold later on is considered one of the greatest tragedies in the history of the Continent, second only to the Genocide of the Elves. What started as a group of revolutionary Princes working together to solve the region's problems and bringing in wealth never before seen in Ragabash would soon devolve into greed, wars and betrayal that would suck all of the wealth from the country and leave it in its current status. Impoverished and in a chaotic state of constant petty warfare between each of the City-States.
Though things seem to be changing in the past few years. Two years ago the royal family of the City-State, Ditador, was killed in a coup orchestrated by their top general; a man simply known as Khramer. Intelligent, charismatic and brutally effective, Khramer has been slowly expanding his iron grip influence over the rest of Ragabash. Currently resulting in Khramer controlling everything North of Ditador, giving him access to the Borders where trade caravans come a go, where he has placed tolls and taxes on incoming merchants. Resulting in an unprecedented amount of wealth that he is currently using to expand his realm until all of Ragabash is under his thumb.[/spoili]
The Eastern Vulgo[spoili]
One of the two Vulgos, The Eastern Vulgo is without a doubt the richest region in the Continent. With a number of City-States having access to Gold mines, Silver mines, and Iron mines just to name a few of its many riches. The Eastern Vulgo is also politically stable for the most part. Wars are fought, but it is treated as more of a private business matter between competing merchants and the public is rarely involved in such disputes other than the grumbling about the increase in prices. Each City has its own set of rules and government infrastructure. While many are ruled by Kings, others are ruled by an elite class of Merchants and Bankers. Either way, leaders are business oriented and their primary concerns are making a profit off of trade with each other and the rest of the Continent. This is the primary reason why large scale wars are a rarity; wars do not create wealth, they consume it. In the eyes of a Vulgo King, even the victor has lost.
With that being said, it is unfortunate to note that a current war has just started but it has been isolated in the North East. With only four City-States affected by the current calamity: Rubino, Argento, Affari and Rame. The war being over succession claims that due to a series of deaths by the patriarchs of each royal family. The current heads of state have a claim over the other three Cities and are thus fighting over dominion of each other.
The rest of the City States acted quickly and in unison. Embargoing the four Cities and blocking the roads to the respective countries in an attempt to stop the war from spreading. These attempts so far have been successful and business goes on as usual. With the other leaders of the Vulgo hoping that that this silly war will come to an end soon.[/spoili]
Dunheim[spoili]
Dunheim is a land where only the super rich or the super desperate go. A large landmass comprised of nothing but a desert wasteland. Due to the huge landmass of the entire Continent, as well as its neighboring Islands, naval technology is severely underdeveloped to the point that even having a armed navel fleet is unheard of for countries. Dunheim is the exception. The City-States of Dunheim exist on the fringes of civilization. For even calling these Cities "City States" is an exaggeration as they are simply chaotic pirate havens that border on anarchy in which order is kept by whoever is the strongest and richest pirate in town currently. And the hand changes frequently, either from the pirate going off to raid another ship or more likely, getting killed by a rival. These Cities are comprised of blood thirsty knaves and greedy, unscrupulous merchants who deal in Black market products such as Demonic artifacts and slaves. Slavery is banned everywhere else on the Continent, only in Dunheim is there a local market for slaves that are usually captured via a pirate raid against either a merchant ship or on the shores of the Eastern Vulgo if they're brazen enough.
Though there is one City in Dunheim that is not a pirate infested whore house. It's name is Zla Krew, and rumors state that it is something else entirely. Something far worse. Those unlucky ships who wander too close to the city are quickly captured by mysterious patrols of masked men and are never seen again. No one gets out of Zla Krew.[/spoili]
Baldric[spoili]
A Land of sharp jagged rocks and scorching heat. Baldric is also known as "The Black Land". It is the home of the remaining Orcs. With all their villages burnt to the ground and their once large Capital sacked and destroyed by Lysander they have subsequently been force to live as nomadic tribes who hunt and gather the meek food that can be found in their land. This is due to the lack of fertile soil in Baldric and their farm lands further south being claimed by Lysander after the war. It is a truly unremarkable, dull and horrid place.[/spoili]
The Western Wild Lands[spoili]
Technically, Demon worship is not Illegal throughout the Continent, with the exception of the theocratic Xabsiga. Throughout the Millenniums there have been a number of prominent people, from scholars, philosophers, influential merchants and even a small handful of Kings who have been prone to Demon worship, at least the more benign kind of worship and occult followings that don't advocate for bloodshed, sacrifices and sexual depravity. Still, demon worship is extremely taboo throughout the continent due to the populace generally associating it with aforementioned bloodshed, sacrifices and perversions. More than once throughout history have a group of people been accused of Demon worship by the masses and lynched by a mob, only for the authorities to either turn a blind eye or take part in it. Even in more tolerant city-states within the Vulgos it is still not safe for those who wish to serve the occult.
The Western Wild Lands doesn't suffer to the extent its Eastern half does by virtue of it being less populated before the war of Kaldra. It is still a dangerous and unsettling land, with unburied corpses of decades long elvish corpses still strewn about, and the towns and cities give a look of unspoken atrocities that once dwelled within. However, this land isn't "cursed" like its Eastern counterpart is. Goblin tribes still roam their territories but they are far more docile and less numerous and there are no unsettling rumors to the extent that is prevalent in the Eastern Wild Lands. While far from civilized, this has led to small farming communities sprouting up in the southern and Northern parts of the Western Wild Lands. But what is far more prominent are the various communities of Demonic cults that have sprung up in the swamplands, located in between the northern and southern roads. Far away from any civilization that would harass them. While this means that people who just wish to worship certain deities can do so peacefully, it has also allowed the harmful kind to carry out their twisted practices free from restraint or suppression. Some have even gone out of their way to bring Demons into this world and as such it is possible to see various demons from non-sentient demonic animals wandering the land to powerful, chaotic entities. Whether or not they are friendly is never usually known and is best not to be tested.[/spoili]
The Western Vulgo[spoili]
Significantly poorer and less developed than its Eastern Counter part. The Western Vulgo is still a place of commerce and relative stability. Though it has been set back significantly due to it being the first major target of the 12 Wandering Warlords. Who were successful in completely uprooting the Governments of the various City-States and killing off the majority of the main royal families. Forcing the Cities to turn to unlikely members of the extended families and a multitude of Princes scheming to kill each other and take the thrones. What resulted was a decade of civil wars after the end of the Warlords rampage in which thousands were killed. However, peace was eventually made and the surviving Princes went to govern the various City-States. Resulting in the current status quo that has been prevalent for the last 20 years.
But not all is well. Despite the appearance of stable functioning Governments there is still conflicts constantly shaking things up. The only difference is that instead of armies to do their dirty work. The current generation of Princes and Kings are now resorting to Assassins and hired thugs to kill their enemies behind closed doors and in dark alleyways. It is not odd to see a King reign for less than half a decade, only to be killed by a rival. In conclusion, The Western Vulgo is a dangerous place, full of back door dealings, sly manipulations and a system of quiet murder that has produced some of the best Assassins on the Continent.[/spoili]
The Kingdoms of Xabsiga and Ardit[spoili]
The Kingdom of Xabsiga is a fanatical theocracy to put it lightly. They worship their kings as descendants of Dragons, a species extinct long before recorded time. To speak out against the King is seen as speaking against a living, breathing God and therefore heresy. Which is punished by a swift execution. The Government demands that all its citizens, from the highest to the lowest follow their King's orders without question whether it be the building of a new irrigation system, plotting of new farmland or the construction of merchant ships. All without pay of course as working under the Dragon God is more than enough to justify the workloads. Xabsiga has a complex system of a bureaucratic hierarchy of priests who are responsible for all aspects of the Kingdom; from overseeing religious ceremonies to rewriting the tax code to managing the up-keeps of their armies. The Kingdom also has a secret police, the Draco Cauda, that in accordance with tradition is absolved of any "crimes" and is answerable only to the King and is otherwise completely independent. Responsible with primarily rooting out heresy in the Kingdom, members of the Draco Cauda are extremely diverse ranging from decorated knights, powerful mages, veteran soldiers and of course, assassins who lurk in the shadows.
Once, Xabsiga controlled the entire Island without question and it wasn't until the War of Kaldra that fractures started to appear. Pitting their entire military might against Kaldra's wasn't an easy task and required massive tax hikes on the population to keep up with war costs. The Northern half of the Island began to resent the burden and when the King got word of it, sent out the Draco Cauda to "purge heresy". The results were disastrous, with peasant rebellions popping up all over the Northern half of the Island and the Draco Cauda struggling to put them down effectively. Within six months, sympathetic noble families, looking to take advantage of the chaos began organizing and funding a highly trained rebel army whose hatred of their former king was as fanatical as their initial worship. Led by minor noble turned rebel King, Bar Kokhba. They pillaged the south, looted towns, killed live stock and burned granaries filled with wheat. They pushed back the forces of Xabsiga and began a siege of the capital, Numinus. Only a last, desperate counter attack by the Draco Cauda resulted in a humiliating defeat of the Rebel Army and the death of Bar Kokhba. The rebels retreated behind the safety of their new borders, crowned Bar Kokhba's son as King and restyled themselves as the Kingdom of Ardit, named after an mythical Demonic dragon slayer from forgotten times to signify their full break with the "Dragon King".
What followed was decades of border Skirmishes, hostile diplomatic relations and a build up of forces for another potentially devastating war. Ardit has the superior numbers but the Xabsiga has the elite and diverse skill of the Draco Cauda along with the populaces still fervent militant devotion to their King.[/spoili] - [tab=Cast of Heroes][/tab][tab=Cast of Heroes][/tab]
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Name: Coby