World of Aspects

Discussion in 'Writing' started by PyreStarite, Nov 11, 2016.

  1. PyreStarite

    PyreStarite Space Kumquat

    Disclaimer, everything here is of my Personal Universe, where just about all of my fictional characters live. All the lore here is essentially in constant development, and always shifting. Nothing here is really ever set in stone and is always open to change. My Universe hasn't been open to the public sense the early Alpha Builds of Stonehearth, but have been developing sense then. Either way...

    This first bit sets the stage as the world's "Creation Story" which plays off/inspired from the biblical creation story.

    Day 1: A Thought
    ...At the Beginning of time, there was nothing. A black void, occupied by emptiness, completely mute and desolate of anything. Then, in the barren, vacant space of the void, a thought appeared. That thought was named Sophia Avi, the wisest and most ancient of all the gods and the mother of the divine children, the Bonum. Sophi'avi took a piece of herself and set it free into the void, which it then split again making two, and the two pieces of herself became bright and shined like two stars in a blank sky. This was the First Day, and Sophi'avi had much work to do...
    [​IMG]

    Day 2: Twin Beacons
    ... The two pieces of Sophi'avi shined like diamonds in the darkness, then Ignis and Lux were born and the two gleaming objects grew to magnificent sizes, filling the hollow emptiness with two massive balls of fire and light. The brighter more luminescent orb of golden amber color was named the sun, and the fiery more passionate orb of hot red and orange color was named the Garden. This was the Second Day, and both Ignis and Lux grew tired and went to rest.
    [​IMG]

    Day 3: Endless Ocean
    ...the Garden and her sister stood quiet and radiant the void, glowing and leaving a warmth in the boundless nothingness, then Undine was born and she wrapped the Spark in rolling waves and oceans, extinguishing the great flames and forced it to hide beneath the rock that formed over it. This was the Third Day, and Undine grew tired and went to rest.
    [​IMG]

    Day 4: Stone Spires
    ...the oceans that covered the Garden cascaded endlessly over an infinite blue sea that never rested, crashing, lapsing, tossing, and turning for eternity, then Terra was born, she rose cliffs out of the sea and formed land. Mountains spired above the water and kissed the fickle clouds in the sky and the valleys embraced and bathed in the vast open void above. This was the Third Day, and Terra grew tired and went to rest...
    [​IMG]

    Day 5: Life Emerges
    ...the Garden laid barren and sterile like the sky above it, accompanied by the jagged Spires that dominated the rocky landscape and gazed upon all there was, then Vita was born and she breathed into the softened soil and life emerged from it and painted the land vibrant shades of green. Trees appeared and bore fruit, grass rolled across the hills like waves, and the animals ate from the feast that was nurtured by the soil. This was the Fourth Day, and Vita grew tired and went to rest...
    [​IMG]

    Day 6: Null Void
    ...the Spark basked in the light of its sister and only companion, the sun, keeping company in the awe of the looming abyss, its appetite ever growing. The black veil covered the land and expanded over the seas, the sky was left desolate and the surface vulnerable to it, but the goddess' greatest accomplishment, the Garden, thrived and flourished in the emptiness. This prosperity would prove finite, however, as the stir that the goddesses had created woke an ancient hunger. Voro'avi, the Great Devourer, had at last awoken, and she looked upon the Garden with an insatiable hunger, and she said to them...

    "I created nothing, and nothing I shall return this world to."

    The Bonum, weary and tired, stood before Voro Avi ready to defend their creation from her powerful appetite. Like them, though, Voro'avi was sluggish as well, having just awoken from her long slumber, so she gazed up on the five goddesses and took pieces of their essence and they collapsed. She fused their essences with her own, and gave birth to five new children, the Malum, and sent them to wreak havoc on the Garden. This was the Sixth Day, and Voro'avi grew tired and went to rest.

    Day 7: Violent Storm
    ..the air ran and chased itself through the garden, knocking over trees and carrying away smaller animals. Light fell from the clouds like rain but crashed into the surface with terrible power. Scylla, the oldest of the Malum, danced and ran through the fields and forests with endless spirit, and where ever she ran, the wind followed her, and when she danced her dance of dynamic vigor, hurricanes formed and shattered all around her. This was the Seventh Day, and Scylla grew tired and went to rest.

    Day 8: Coldest Night
    ...the rain and water in the Garden froze and turned into snow. The lakes and rivers that ran through it became solid and still. The animals inside the Garden became cold and suffered in the sudden winter. Everything that Heima came near turned to ice. Permafrost formed over the soil and hail fell from the clouds. Snowstorms erupted and covered the land in sheets of white and left everything caught in it cold. This was the Eighth Day, and Heima grew tired and went to rest.

    Day 9: Steeled Intent
    ...the soil became hard in the Garden, and in some places, it became even harder. The corrupted soil became harder than the rock that composed the tallest mountains or the bones of the toughest creature. The sharpest mind among all the Bonum and the Malum, Mercura, transformed soil and rock into metal which could not be cut by the mightiest beast or washed away by the most extreme torrent. Having created this perplexing material, she scattered metal talons across the Garden that were sharper than hunter's fangs. This was the Ninth Day, and Mercura grew tired and went to rest.

    Day 10: Mortal Day
    ...the sun grew ever more weary watching over the Garden, and Lux grew too weaker each passing day until she could no longer keep the sun in the sky anymore. Lux succumbed to her fatigue and fell asleep, thus the sun fell out of the sky and the Garden was shrouded in darkness, and then Umbra and Anima were born, the youngest of the Malum.

    Umbra
    was born when the sun set and could no longer wash the Garden in its light, but while nothing could see in the pitch black the world had become, Umbra could see, when she was about to join her sisters in chaos, she stopped and gazed upon the untouched landscape in front of her and she fell in love with the beauty of the world that the Bonum had built, and was so moved by it that the world around her began to glow a little just so she could see it better. As Umbra was admiring the scene before her, wind, snow, and lightning fell upon it and destroyed it, replacing the delight in her heart with sorrow.

    When Anima was born, she walked among the dying animals and shattered trees. She looked upon the devastation created by the Malum and saw only pain. She became sympathetic for the ill around her and she tried to heal them, but could not. She looked upon the plants and the animals who were injured from the ravages of the hurricanes and snow storms and metal talons and she released them from the pain they had endured and peacefully died, their essence released back into the world and their bodies returned to the soil which they came. This was the Tenth Day, and both Anima and Umbra grew tired and went to rest.


    ...When Sophi'avi looked down upon the Garden, shattered by the Malum, and saw Anima and Umbra not acting like the rest, she fashioned a plan that would save the dying world from destruction at the hands of Voro'avi and her children. The Chief Goddess appeared before Anima and Umbra , which filled them both with fear and shock, but to their surprise Sophi'avi simply asked them if they would like to help her and the Divines save the world that they had created. This shocked Umbra and Anima even more as well as confused them, but Sophia Avi said to them that if they helped calm down the other Malum, then they can help make the world beautiful again, and help ease the pain of the life being destroyed. Anima and Umbra turned and stared into each other, thought it over, until they both turned back toward Sophi'avi and agreed to help her.

    Umbra began by throwing an orb into the sky in the likeness of what she believed to be the sun, but she could not make it bright enough to completely illuminate what remained of the Garden, but it was still bright enough that everyone could see better than they could before, so she held the faint orb up in the sky with pride and called it the moon.

    Sophi'avi and Anima appeared before Scylla who was sprinting wild and creating whirl winds in the process. Anima asked Scylla to stop as she was hurting the life around her, but she ignored her and started spinning in circles and which began to create a cyclone. Sophi'avi, however, simply asked her if she could run in bigger circles, which Scylla looked at her confused as she ran, but complied, and the wind grew weaker. Sophi'avi asked her if she could run in even bigger circles, and Scylla made it so, and the torrent of wind became a soft breeze the further out she ran.

    Sophi'avi and Anima then appeared before Mercura, who had expected their arrival and built a fortress of thorns to protect herself. Anima asked her to come out and remove the thorns from the Garden, but Mercura refused and materialized more thorns around her. Sophi'avi, however, simply called out to Mercura and asked her if she would like to play a puzzle game. Mercura peered over here sharpened battlements with a baffled expression, then reluctantly asking what the conditions of the game were. Sophi'avi stated that if Mercura could solve three riddles, then she would be left be and the metal thorns would remain, but if she got three riddles wrong, then the metal would be allowed to remain but must be returned back to the ground in which it came from. Mercura complies with vigor, feeling confident in her own intellect.

    "I'll start with something simple. What can run but not walk?" asked Sophi'avi.
    "Easy, it's water."
    replied Mercura.

    "Very good, now, what goes around a tree but not through it?"
    Mercura
    stops for a moment, pondering the question.
    "...Um, I don't know. What?"
    "Bark"
    Sophi'avi answered.
    "Ohh, ok. Very well, that one was... ok. Give me my next one."

    "As you desire. Say that a deer runs into a forest, how far does the deer go before it is no longer running into the forest?"
    "What?" Mercura
    asked in a confused tone. Sophi'avi repeated the question back to her.
    "Uhh, you can't answer that question without telling me how big the forest is."
    "I don't have to. The deer runs about half-way into the forest, then it is running out of the forest."
    Mercura
    , dumbfounded for a short while, exclaims "Wha-?! I should have known that one!"

    "He-heh, ready for your next riddle?" She asks.
    "Say that same deer is standing on one side of a river, then it crosses the river without getting wet or using a bridge or a boat. How?"
    "Uh... ummm..."
    Mercura looks away, thinking to herself, her eyes wondering over the white snowscape illuminated by the moonlight cast by Umbra, until she snaps back around exclaiming "The River Is Frozen!"

    "Very good, its two to two now, are you ready for the tie breaker?" asked Sophi'avi.
    Mercura nodes, her eyes intent, focused, and alert on her next question.
    "What belongs to you, but others use more often than you?"
    Her face becomes blank, her voice silent. A few seconds pass, then she turns around, and more seconds pass by. In the background, Scylla is having the time of her life as always.
    Mercura, with gloom in her voice, slowly replies "I... I don't know." She turns around to face Sophi'avi. "Tell me! What Is The Answer?! I Need To Know!" she exclaims, frustration evident.
    "Your name." she answered. "My what?" Mercury returned, and Sophi'avi explained "Your name is what is yours but others use more than you." A sigh of relief escapes from Mercura's mouth, her head hanging with dread.

    "That is two to three, so I win, now will you return the metal to the ground like you promised?" asked Sophi'avi.
    A short pause is present, then Mercura in a long tone replies "...very well..."
    Then the metal talons receded back into the ground which they came from.

    While this occurred, Heima watched from a distance behind a broken tree line. She witnessed that the Bonum and all of her sisters were in the Garden playing games together, and this made Heima grow with great envy that she was being ignored. She believed that all the other goddesses disliked her because whatever she got near turned to ice. Heima grew very upset at this idea and began to cry. After she had wept her pain away, Heima picked herself up and decided that if the other goddesses didn't need her, then she didn't need them.

    When Voro'avi awoke again and realized what had happened, that her daughters had abandoned her and their mission, she was filled with rage. She declared that her daughters, the Malum, were all traitors, and that they would be devoured along side the Bonum and the Garden. The Malum grew fearful for their lives, but Anima quickly wove a net crafted out of thousands of smaller lights and threw it into the sky above the garden so that Voro'avi could not reach the Garden. When Voro'avi was blocked out, she grew furious and swore then that she would never stop trying to return the world to nothing.

    Eventually, Lux awoke from her slumber, and the sun rose back into the sky when she did, and Anima was relieved as she did not need to hold the moon or the stars in the sky anymore. When she looked around, she was surprised to find herself in a world that was not actively being destroyed, let alone the disbelief she found that the Bonum and the Malum had made peace with each other.

    This was the final day of creation, and the goddesses went to rest.
    [​IMG]


    With the Garden safe, Voro'avi banished, and the war between the Bonum and the Malum over, the goddesses grew incredibly weary and jaded. The war they fought destroyed the Heartland of the Garden and left them drained. Maintaining and keeping the Garden in a state of balance in the new found peace was taxing, but each goddess had their own idea of balance and what the world should be like. The goddesses became spiteful toward each other as the desire to create their ideal worlds grew, but Sophi'avi saw the hate that was forming in the goddesses and forbid them from attacking another goddess or their creations. Peace would be secured again.

    The peace would be short lived, however, as Voro'avi had already discovered a new way into the Garden. Voro'avi split off pieces of her insatiable hunger and infinite influence, and then slipped the fragments of herself through the gaps in the net of stars that Anima had woven. The fragments of her apatite fell from the night sky as giant pods of black and purple slime which burst upon impact with the world. The masses of goo and muck that formed from the remains of the pods then rose and took the form of heinous abominations who's only purpose was to consume in the place of their creator, Voro'avi.

    Monsters now roamed the Garden and resumed the battle the Malum had started, only this time there was no playing. The goddesses, exhausted and jaded, longed to rest once more, but the new threat prohibited them from doing so. The goddesses gathered one last time and decided to create their own creature to help them protect the new world they wanted to build. Terra and Undine created clay from the barren rock and sand forged by conflict and war, then the goddesses shaped the clay into their likeness. Vita then breathed life into the shaped clay and this was the birth of Mortality, and the goddesses each gave the mortals gifts for them to keep, the eleven virtues.

    Lux gave them pride so they could find satisfaction in their accomplishments, Ignis gave them passion so they could find love in their work and each other, Undine gave them serenity so they could find peace, Terra gave them confidence so they could stand on their own, and Vita gave them compassion for the things and people around them. Scylla gave them courage to face their hardest challenges, Heima gave them solidarity so they could find unity in each other, Mercura gave them creativity to help them find new roads, Anima gave them gratitude to find solace in dire times, and Umbra gave them luck for when skill can't pull them through. Then Sophi'avi approached and gave them gnawledge... I mean wisdom so they could learn and understand, and taught them how to harness the magical energies found in the Garden.

    When the mortals had received all of their gifts from the goddesses, Voro'avi, using all of her might and willpower, temporarily broke through the barrier of the bright blue sky. When she appeared before the mortals she said to them "In order to truly be like your gods, you must act like them. They are hiding from you what you truly need to be their true image" and before the goddesses could stop her, Voro'avi gave her own gifts to the mortals, the eleven vices. She gave them prejudice, anger, malice, laziness, greed, envy, solitude, doubt, sadness, fear, and ignorance. As soon as Voro'avi had completed the task she had set out to do, she was gone. Despite the goddesses' best effort to undo the damage, the mortals were infected with the seeds of corruption.

    By this time, the goddesses were weak and wasted from their exhaustion and longed to rest once again. The close proximity of all of the goddesses together caused the essence around them to be conflicted, so they all, with their work done, went their separate ways, looking for an unravaged place to rest at last. The care of the Garden was left to the mortals, as is their purpose, but like sheep, they followed the goddesses that sculpted them where they went. Upon realizing this, the goddesses opened holes in space itself and created personal pocket dimensions for them to rest in and escape from the physical world. Now the goddesses could finally rest, watching, with tired eyes, over the mortals tasked with the protection of the world they created. Thus the mortals would wait for the return of their creators and deities, to preserve and reward them for their love and labor. Eons will pass before the goddesses are strong enough to return to the garden and save them, but the mortals, no matter how many generations pass, will wait for them.

    That would be about all I have for right now. Please, feed back is welcome, if you have a revision idea, I'm always open to suggestions to story or lore, but nothing so drastic or crazy. At this point in time I'm mainly looking for better names and writing help, but by all means, try anything. I would rather something stupid than nothing at all.

    Finally, I've been writing this slowly for years.
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2017
    Pangaea and Ponamis like this.
  2. PyreStarite

    PyreStarite Space Kumquat



    The Bonum are the children of the chief goddess, Sophi'avi, as well as the races born of them. The Bonum races are generally characterized by their beige skin which is easily damaged by extensive exposure to sunlight and their vertically pointed ears. The Malum are the children of the fell goddess, Voro'avi, as well as the races born of them. The Malum races are generally characterized by their unusual skin tone, horns, tail, and horizontally pointed ears, all of which vary by race.

    While the goddesses are forbidden from harming each other or the mortals, they may enlist the services of mortals to their cause so they may carry out their will. This lead the goddesses after their re-awakening to use the mortals as instruments of their wrath and carry out the grudges they had for one another. This instilled a hate for their goddesses enemies in the mortals, which will be passed down through the generations.


    Lux
    Bio: The eldest of the Bonum and the twin sister of Ignis. Portrayed as kind and virtuous, but only really to other Bonum where she is instead callous and cruel to others.
    Goddess of: Sunlight, the Sun, Radiance, and Justice. Patron of Priests.
    Child Race: Angels.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their radiant golden hair and eyes and a fondness for white, the Angels boast over their healing abilities and claim to be the most devout of all races to their deity. They live where the light is most plentiful, such as the rolling grasslands and meadows of Athos, and erect impressive marble monuments and temples dedicated to their goddess. They live and love in Lux's light as each day is spent adoring her, but this vanity of the Angels often leaves them unappreciative of the other races. Angels are considered the most arrogant and vain of all the races with how highly they think of themselves and their goddess, believing that Lux is greatest of all the goddesses, especially the Malum. Angels are generally friendly but a little haughty towards other Bonum races and enjoy good relations and economic ties to them but are openly hostile and cruel to Malum races purely for their heritage, believing the Malum and their children to be evils that walk upon the world. The Angels are rather purist in their beliefs, and practice Theocracy as their form of government where the monarch is also the high priest.


    Ignis
    Bio: The second eldest of the Bonum and the twin sister of Lux. Portrayed as passionate and intense, but fiery and hot-headed.
    Goddess of: Fire, Heat, Warmth, and Battle. Patron of Warriors.
    Child Race: Salamanders.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their burning red hair and eyes and their prowess in battle, the Salamanders are the most fearsome warriors the lands had ever seen. They live in the hottest regions in the world such as deserts, mesas, and volcanic mountainscapes, where they hone their craft in the scorching heat. The Salamanders are extremely passionate about what they love in their life, and the only word that can accurately describe the Salamanders passion is "Intense". The Salamanders are renowned for their martial prowess because their fury fuels their every strike and every wound they sustain only makes them stronger. They are generally daring and proud of their strength and never back down from a fight when challenged.


    Undine
    Bio: The third eldest of the Bonum. Portrayed as Serene and adaptable, but sadistic and malicious to those she catches.
    Goddess of: Water, the Sea, Fish, and Harvest. Patron of Sailors.
    Child Race: Mermaids.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their rich blue hair and eyes and their tranquil nature, the Mermaids are renowned explorers and travelers of the seas. They inhabit tropical islands, archipelagos, and coasts as their lives center around the sea. The Mermaids love being in the water and try to live as close to it as possible, and are considered relaxed and easygoing to those that they meet. Mermaids are, however, very opportunistic creatures and they will attack if they view it as convenient. Because of their Sea Form, which transforms their lower body into the tail of a fish, Mermaids generally do not where pants, but instead elect to wear skirts and the likeness as it is accommodating for their transformation.


    Terra
    Bio: The fourth eldest of the Bonum. Portrayed as sturdy and confident, but stubborn and reluctant.
    Goddess of: Earth, the Land, Stone, and Construction. Patron of Masons.
    Child Race: Gnomes.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their brown hair and eyes, their stoic nature, and their short but beefy stature, the Gnomes are known for their master-craft stoneworks. They inhabit the bottom of cool canyons, cliffs, mountains, and wherever the hard earth is open to them. Gnomes are very stoic and resistant in nature and generally are very difficult to move physically or emotionally. Gnomes are also known for their durability and resilience, otherwise described as tough, and commonly take up professions like miners, builders, and and stone carvers.


    Vita
    Bio: The youngest of the Bonum. Portrayed as kind and compassionate, but but very much so a fan of natural selection. The kind of immortal that looks on a gazelle being eaten by a lion and say "Isn't nature beautiful?"
    Goddess of: Life, Fertility, Birth, and Growth. Patron of Farmers.
    Child Race: Nymphs.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their vibrant green, pink, or peach hair and eyes, and their pacifistic nature, the Nymphs are distinguished by their love of life and their healing ability that is only rivaled by that of Angels. They inhabit places where life is abundant such as dense tropical jungles, forests, and woodlands and protect it as they view life as a precious gift bestowed upon them by the goddesses. Nymphs only see it fit to kill when it is necessary, such as for hunting for food or in self-defense. They live as close to nature as possible, aiming to disturb it as little as possible, so they surround themselves in plant-life and raise more than enough animals.


    Scylla
    Bio: The eldest of the Malum. Portrayed as care-free and energetic, but reckless and irresponsible.
    Goddess of: Gale, Rain, Lightning, and Flight. Patron of Adventurers.
    Child Race: Harpies.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their electrifying aquamarine hair and eyes, pale yellow skin, rigged horns, short tail, and whimsical nature, the Harpies boast over their superiority in the air. They inhabit places where the winds are strong and the falls are long such as mountain roosts and coastal cliffs where they jump off to be caught by the breeze and dance in the wind. Few races or individuals can earn or achieve flight, but it is like second nature to the Harpies because of their Sky Form which transforms their arms into wings and populates their tail with tail feathers. They are very sprightly and energetic by nature and have a lust for adventure but are rather greedy and easily distracted by shiny objects. Harpies adore the feathers of birds and adorn their bodies with them, tying them into their hair or fashioning them into their garments.


    Heima
    Bio: The third eldest of the Malum. Portrayed as callous and distrusting of others.
    Goddess of: Ice, Snow, Cold, and Survival. Patron of those that embrace the cold.
    Child Race: Snowmen.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their pale white-blue skin, icy light blue eyes, ram-like horns, short fluffy tail, copious amounts of hair, and their isolationist demeanor, the Snowmen are the most enduring in the cold of all races. They inhabit places where the snow is deep and the air is cold such as tundras, taigas, and even arctic wastelands where hunting large game is a common practice. The Snowmen are solitary race that is very distrusting of outsiders, but express solidarity in their own kin. During the summers, they partake in raising their own crops, but when winter comes they board their ships and take from their neighbors.


    Mercura
    Bio: The second eldest of the Malum. Portrayed as cunning and insightful, but absorbed and cocksure.
    Goddess of: Metal, the Forge, Ingenuity, and Crafting. Patron of Craftsmen.
    Child Race: Extinct?
    Race Bio: They were characterized by their silver hair and eyes, plated horns, spikey tails, and their creative nature, they were known for their ingenuity and their natural talent for metal working. They once inhabited the iron citadels that towered over the coast of Merces, but now their fortresses are but rubble and ruins. What remains of their people are scattered across the continents, working as smiths, one day dreaming of reclaiming their homes.


    Anima
    Bio: The second youngest of the Malum and the twin sister of Umbra. Portrayed as aloof and impassive, but is actually quite stoic and caring for all life, living or dead. She watches over the departed souls of mortals and guides them to her personal world where they are embraced in the eternal dance.
    Goddess of: Death, After Life, Souls, and Necromancy. Patron of Mediums.
    Child Race: Wights.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their deathly pale white skin, blood red eyes, charcoal black hair, ringed horns, tufted tail, and their quiet disposition, the Wights are well known for their ability to communicate with the departed. During the Angelic Crusades, the Bonum persecuted the Wights and banished them to the peninsula of Labyathan, an arid land dotted by active volcanoes and consists mostly of barrens wastelands, dry savannas, and damp swamps. Because of the dry soil and the commonplace volcanic eruptions, farming is an unappealing idea, so the Wights live a nomadic hunter-gatherer life style. Wights value life highly as they are very in-tune with the souls of others, so when they kill and animal during a hunt, they make sure to use and take everything, and while not limited to, the Wights commonly wear the skins and pelts of the animals they hunt over their normal rags. Wights have the ability to summon the spirits of the dead through a seance by using an object that the departed was tied to.


    Umbra
    Bio: The youngest of the Malum and the twin sister of Anima. Portrayed as generous and hospitable, but is the most hedonistic of all the goddesses.
    Goddess of: Darkness, the Mun, the Stars, and Luck. Patron of Gamblers.
    Child Race: Imps.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their dull blue skin, vibrant purple eyes, night black hair, forked tail, demon-like horns, and their mischievous nature, the Imps are well known for their luck and ability to hide and trick. They inhabit places where there is little sunlight such as dense, dark forests and extensive underground hideaways, where they sleep during the day and play after the sun sets. Imps are sprightly when they are awake and live to enjoy the pleasures of the world. During the Angelic Crusades, the Bonum persecuted the Imps so they hid away in the dark forests and dug in, creating hidden cities in the maze-like forests and expansive underground networks. Imps love the stars and artificial light, so they decorate their hidden cities with colorful lanterns, and eastern Imps invented fireworks to light up the night sky during their numerous celebrations. Western Imps also invented munny to create a medium for their trade and gambling issues. Imps are rather small compared to the other races with the exception of gnomes but they are adept at using illusions, a form of magic that focuses on tricking your opponents.


    Sophi'avi
    Bio: The mother of the Bonum. Portrayed as intelligent and shrewd, but crafty and absorbed. She watches over her children from her personal world, a great library without end, filled with every book that has ever been written and every piece of knowledge that has ever been shared. She now serves as the last bastion that protects the world of mortals from great threats. When the world is in peril, she seeks out a new champion that will serve as the instrument of her will.
    Goddess of: Wisdom, the Known, the Unknown, and the Arcane. Patron of Scholars.


    Voro'avi
    Bio: The mother of the Malum. Portrayed as insatiable, gluttonous, deceiving, and cruel. Her one and only purpose is to return the world back to nothing, no matter the cost. She tempts mortals into her service with promises of endless youth, wealth, and power. The price of patronage is great, however, but the weight of the interest is even greater which is what bonds those foolish enough into her eternal service.
    Goddess of: Nothing, the Void, Emptiness, Ignorance, Stagnation, and Eternity. Patron of the Fell.


    Bio: The Mutts are the individuals whose bloodlines consists of 3 or more races. They are characterized by their mismatched appearance and their round ears. It is considered acceptable in this world to marry from one race to another of good relations at least once, but a child with the blood of 3 or more races will be considered an outcast by most. To be called a mutt is an insult because it is viewed that any child with the blood of 3 or more races is thought of as "impure, dirty, unclean, or talentless" as well as saying that your mother and their mothers were standardless and slept around alot. Families with a mutt child or a potential mutt child we be persecuted to help keep the purity of blood.


    In this world, energy and magic are one in the same. Spell casting is just the manipulation of energy using arcane methods. Three things are needed to cast magic in this world; instructions, energy, and activation.

    The Instructions are written in the form of magic circles which are constructions of arcane runes and energy channels and are mandatory for spell casting. The arcane runes themselves are ancient symbols written in the old language of the gods that describe how the energy will behave. Energy that flows through the channels and into the runes will obtain the traits that the runes describe.

    The spell crafting system of this world is highly comparable to the one found in Ars Magica. The composition and construction of the magic circle is very important. Magic circles themselves in regards to arcane runes are rather modular in design with certain runes being exchangeable for others, but a few key components are mandatory for a complete circle. To begin, A magic circle must include a rune that details what kinds of energy will be used. Then, at least one descriptive rune, or runes that describe how the energy behaves when activated. And finally, the magic circle is crowned with an target rune that details the target of the energy, examples being; self, touch, and projectile. The physical materials used to create and draw the magic circle affect the efficiency of the energy that flows through it. A drawing material that is conductive will lose less energy and allow it to flow more easily, like minerals, metal, and blood. A surface material that is insulated will absorb less energy and hold it more easily, like wood, paper, and soil.

    When casting spells, an energy source is required to feed energy into the magic circle. Energy can be pulled from a number of different sources, those being the caster, the environment, or from magical shards. Certain environments are more abundant with certain energies, like deserts being abundant in fire energy and oceans being abundant in water energy. Shards form naturally in the world when excessive amounts are present in an environment and the energy begins to condense and bond with stone forming geodes, except the shard within must be extracted to be made useful. Shards are similar in appearance to quartz, being mostly transparent and crystalline in structure but the color is representative of the type of energy stored within.

    Shards act as magnets for energy and easily absorb it, with the shard glowing brighter the more energy is stored inside. Shards also give up the energy easily, which makes them ideal for spell casting as they are usually the first source a magic circle will pull from. Shards can also absorb spells, given that enough space is available inside, and the traits of the energy absorbed will be imprinted into the shard meaning that the magic circle is no longer required. Shards are vulnerable to shattering, which will expel the energy stored inside into the environment. However, if the shard had a spell encoded into it when shattered then the it will release the energy according to what was written within, in other words it will go out in a blaze of glory releasing one last spell and the smaller fragments will be devoid of imprints. Shards in addition to glowing more brightly the more energy is stored inside, become stronger and more durable, but a shard that is emptied of its energy becomes dull, white in color, and brittle but can absorb any type of energy that can push its way inside.

    Lastly, when the magic circle is drawn and energy is provided, the caster must be read aloud the runes as the energy flows through them in the old language of the gods. The spell is finished casting when the activation rune that describes the target is read aloud as the energy reaches it. Spells are very critical about their crafting, as miscasts are a very real threat for casters. Miscasts are when a mistake is made in the casting of a spell, causing the energy to become volatile and explode on the caster. Several factors can cause a miscast, ranging from a simple smudge in an arcane circle, failing to read aloud an arcane rune as the energy meets it, incorrect structuring of an arcane circle, absence of required energy, and incorrect pronunciation of arcane words. There is a safety word in the arcane language, however, if the caster wishes to bail out of the incantation mid-channel which will diffuse the energy into the air. Several factors can also make a spell more powerful, but at the same time more energy consuming, examples being larger magic circles, enhancing arcane runes, wider conductive mediums (thicker lines), abundance of energy (percentage), and louder chanting.



    Sophi'avi appears
    The Bonum are born
    The world is created
    Voro'avi re-awakens
    The Malum are born
    The Heartland is destroyed by the War of the Gods and the continent splits
    The Malum defect from Voro'avi and she is banished
    Voro'avi infests the world with monsters
    The goddesses create mortality to help them protect the world
    The goddesses go into slumber
    Mortality is on the back foot in the war with the monsters


    The goddesses reawaken and give salvation to the surviving mortals
    The first champion of Sophi'avi is selected to destroy the Titans
    The goddesses lead the mortals to power and prosperity
    The eastern continent is colonized by the powers of the west
    The goddesses use the mortals to go to war with each other
    The Angelic Crusades force the Imps into hiding and banish the Wights to the peninsula of Labya
    The Red Desert War is fought over infinite deposits found under the ruins of the Heartland
    The second champion of Sophi'avi is selected to defeat...
    The Mortals power declines as in-fighting continues and monster populations increase


    Merces falls to monster invasion
    The Dread King rises to power
    The wild lands are discovered by the Mermaids which keep them a secret
    The Dread King is defeated
    The third champion of Sophi'avi is selected to travel the world in search of fallen


    A powerful international corporation is built on the infinite trade and fell promises
    The monarchy of X is overthrown by the rebellion and replaced with a republic
    The fourth champion of Sophi'avi is selected to protect the Great Library from fallen invaders
    The secret of the wild lands is slipped and a fever explodes across the world
     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2017
  3. PyreStarite

    PyreStarite Space Kumquat

    Characters

    This isn't staying.

    "Drake of the Frostfang Clan"
    "Silvia of the Valley of the Moon"


    lost in translation...


    (Chapter 1)
    Percy Starite - (Imagine Dragons) Warriors
    Riley Starite
    Raven "Mikichiru"
    Elizabeth Greater
    Adrienne Silas
    "Inigo Hansson" (Tots want a much more "English" name, like Elizabeth.)
    "Fredrick Kramer"
    "Cody Ferrara"

    (Chapter 2)
    Percy Starite - (Skillet) Lucy
    Elizabeth Greater
    Riley Starite

    (Chapter 3)
    Percy Starite - (We As Human) Dead Man -then- (Nine Lashes) Love Me Now -then- (Skillet) Hero
    Elizabeth Greater
    Riley Starite
    Raven "Mikichiru"
    "Inigo Hansson"
    "Izu" Starite (Want something that sounds European but very fiery and hotheaded.)
    "Matthew" Starite (Want something that screams more "POWA!" and commander/general/leader-like.)

    (Chapter Uncertain)
    Harold... something... the dark mage.


    Percy Starite
    Elizabeth Greater - (Regina Spektor) The Call (Nightcore, mostly for the image. Song kinda works too.)
    Lindsay, Hope, and Isabelle Starite (Collective) - (SVRCINA) Battlefield (Nightcore for extra squeakiness.)


    Baldy McBaldface (Oops, I mean Spencer) and Joey (A Grill)


    These are random quotes from the story. Very much so incomplete, I will be adding quotes as I have time and remembering them.

    "Stop running, Please! I miss you..."
    "You... Will... Not. Touch. My. DAUGHTER!"
    "It was YOU! I feel it in my very BEING... You killed my BROTHER!"
    "I don't know why, it just... feels as though I owe you a debt... and doing this is helping to repay it."
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2017
  4. Pangaea

    Pangaea Forum Moderator

    I love creation myths so this was right up my alley. Really neat ideas. I can see the influence from the Bible. I don't really have any advice at the moment but I do look forward to reading more of your mythos.
     
  5. PyreStarite

    PyreStarite Space Kumquat

    Thank you. I updated my Exterminus thread just recently and now more content for Aspects is up next when I can secure time.
     
  6. PyreStarite

    PyreStarite Space Kumquat

    I made this as a very rough draft of what the "holy land" looks like after a few ages. This is what the garden becomes after the war and the disappearance of the gods.

    [​IMG]
     
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  7. PyreStarite

    PyreStarite Space Kumquat

    I'm sorry I haven't been updating this thread... at all. I just don't want to force myself to write, and time is already a resource I don't have enough of.
    I turned post #3 into a character log, mainly consisting of names and some (almost all Percy) with songs I feel represent them. Arc 3 is the largest and most developed followed by Arc 4. Arc 3 follows the adventure of Percy Starite and his allies as they charge foolishly into a dangerous world looking for fame and adventure. Arc 4 follows Hope, the child of Percy who somehow defies the laws of everything and survives his adventure only to hand the torch to his daughter.
     
  8. PyreStarite

    PyreStarite Space Kumquat

    I found some old notes manuscripts detailing the laws of magic, mainly the crystalline form, shards.
    Word for word from notes manuscripts.
    • Offensive spells are called curses.
    • Defensive spells are called prayers.
    • For curses, the shard is held high and focused toward the direction the caster is facing.
    • For prayers, the shard is held close to the caster's chest and focused forward.
    • Shards occur naturally in the world, when immense amounts of raw magical energy condense and form in a small crystalline prism.
    • These shards can store and release energy that is compatible with the shard. Recharge rates are dependent on the environment.
    • The type of magical energy a shard can handle is dependent on the environment the shard is formed in.
    • Certain environments tend to be abundant with certain energies.
    • In order to cast a spell, or harness the energies inside of the shard, the energy needs a form of "instructions" to tell the energy how to behave or act, lest it just dump the energy.
    • Destroying a shard will dump the stored energy into the environment.
    • Runes are basic forms of instruction for energy.
    • Magic Circles are complex forms of instruction for energy that utilize runes and flow structures.
    • Energy can be forcefully condensed, but can cause void contamination.
    I can more or less reconfirm everything that was written then, but a few corrections or comments would be...
    • Destroying a shard with a spell encoded into it will expel the magical energy according to what was previously written on the shard. In other words, it will cast one last spell in one big blaze of glory going out.
    • Shards occur naturally, and their element is jurisdicted by their environment, but they form in the ground, not out of thin air.
    • Magical energy comes in like 11 flavors; light, fire, water, ground, life, storm, ice, metallic, spirit, and dark.
    • Certain environments are abundant with certain energies, like hot areas are abundant with lots of fire energy, so many fire shards are formed in hot areas. Even then, shards are uncommon to find or get a hold of.
    • I don't remember the exact effects of "void contamination"
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2017
    Pangaea likes this.
  9. Pangaea

    Pangaea Forum Moderator

    So, can anyone use shards? Are there schools to teach people proper usage of runes and magic circles? Can a shard contain more than one kind of magical energy? What's an example of a curse? A prayer?

    Cool stuff! Keep it up!
     
  10. PyreStarite

    PyreStarite Space Kumquat

    Let me try to answer those in order, as it would be beneficial in more than one way.
    1. Yes, technically anyone can use shards, but I don't want it to be as easy as waving a shard in the air and they cast inferno. I need some balance to make spells more difficult to use and to where someone that has never cased a spell before can case a end game spell if handed to them.
    2. Yes, there are schools and colleges for teaching magic, but the two spell-flinging heroes of arc 3 are home taught using tomes that their parents shipped over to them.
    3. I am not in favor of a shard holding two types of energy, but I don't have anything to support or deny this motion yet.
    4. An example of a curse is like Fireball or Torrent. Hexes are a specific type of curse that are more focused on debuffs like sickness or weakness.
    5. An example of a prayer is like Heal or Stone Wall. Blessings are a specific type of prayer that more focus on buffs like healing or toughness.
    In my world, I don't want magic to be something that any peasant can pick up immediately. I want mages to be rare and disciplined in the ways of the magical arts (At least in the earlier periods, before magic rifles constructed during the time of mass production and replaceable parts emerges) and for warrior to be a legitimate trade. I want magic to not only be hard, but dangerous, to both enemies and the caster. Casting a spell requires the training and know-how that needs to be taught and passed on. I also want the threat of mis-casting a spell, such as using the wrong magic word could cause the spell to react violently. Prayers are much less dangerous to use as extreme cases of back firing to be far and few generally among lower level spells, but at the same time I don't want magical mending to replace physical medication entirely, so I would nerf healing spells to have a much more temporary or fleeting effect. I would use healing spells as a temporary or reactionary method of healing wounds but not an intimidate or permanent fix. I want healing spells to be able to close up wounds and heal cuts but continued stress and stretching of the damaged flesh would only cause the wounds to open back up again. Doing this would allow magical mending to be very useful but after battle medication and physical mending to be a necessity for proper healing. I also was reluctant at first to use the term blessings for buffs as I had already reserved blessings for gifts bestowed upon mortals by the goddesses, referring only to those gifts that act more as permissions to use certain forms that certain races are known for using.
    That also brings me to racial forms, and races for that matter. I want there to be races in my world, kind of like the player races in Alfheim featured in swordartonline. The races would be "descendants" or followers of certain goddesses and their teachings, like how the children of Undine would be the "Mermaids" I use quotations because I am looking to morph that word a little to fit in a little more. Mermaids are a race that like to live near lots and lots of water, but are the main majority in the western archipelago, and their racial blessing is the sea form which allows them to transform the lower half of their body via spell to that of a fish and gills, or what we already know of as Mermaids. More advanced or alternate blessings exist such as one for webbed feet, fingers, and gills, or what I call the Nereid form. These racial forms are bestowed upon individuals generally shortly after birth during a "baptism" by a priest or priestess, where they ask the goddess in mind to bless the child with their gift. Racial forms are generally blessings bestowed by the goddesses onto their children that allow them to more easily survive or thrive in extreme environments like underwater or deep underwater for Mermaids. The same also works for the other races like "Snowmen", "Salamanders", "Gnomes", "Angles", "Harpies", etc. Each race is distinguishable based on their physical features like skin tone, hair and eye color, and accessories like long ears and horns. "Blood Elves" or "Death Elves" or whatever I am going to settle on calling them are known for being pale white with hair as dark as coal, eyes red like blood, and horns and quite commonly inhabit the Labyathia region.

    Let me recap at what I just threw out; Spells powerful, but difficult and dangerous. The Goddesses have child races that they give blessings to. Each race has a form that they can transform part of their body into, otherwise they all have the same body shape, but not color.
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2017
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  11. PyreStarite

    PyreStarite Space Kumquat

    Inkarnate, the site I used to make the first map, has stopped working, as well as has changed significantly sense I last used it, but I maybe able to salvage the map I was working on.
    [​IMG]
    It has stopped working in a sense that I can't edit this image any more, and it is not where I would like this. Consider this very much so expected to change. I might need to start over, however.
    EDIT: Scratch that, the site has taken massive steps backwards. I'm using photoshop and painting it myself.
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2017
  12. PyreStarite

    PyreStarite Space Kumquat



    The Bonum are the children of the chief goddess, Sophi'avi, as well as the races born of them. The Bonum races are generally characterized by their beige skin which is easily damaged by extensive exposure to sunlight and their vertically pointed ears. The Malum are the children of the fell goddess, Voro'avi, as well as the races born of them. The Malum races are generally characterized by their unusual skin tone, horns, tail, and horizontally pointed ears, all of which vary by race.

    While the goddesses are forbidden from harming each other or the mortals, they may enlist the services of mortals to their cause so they may carry out their will. This lead the goddesses after their re-awakening to use the mortals as instruments of their wrath and carry out the grudges they had for one another. This instilled a hate for their goddesses enemies in the mortals, which will be passed down through the generations.


    Lux
    Bio: The eldest of the Bonum and the twin sister of Ignis. Portrayed as kind and virtuous, but only really to other Bonum where she is instead callous and cruel.
    Goddess of: Sunlight, the Sun, Radiance, and Justice. Patron of Priests.
    Child Race: Angels.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their radiant golden hair and eyes and a fondness for white, the Angels boast over their healing abilities and claim to be the most devout of all races to their deity. They live where the light is most plentiful, such as the rolling grasslands and meadows of Athos, and erect impressive marble monuments and temples dedicated to their goddess. They live and love in Lux's light as each day is spent adoring her, but this vanity of the Angels often leaves them unappreciative of the other races. Angels are considered the most arrogant and vain of all the races with how highly they think of themselves and their goddess, believing that Lux is greatest of all the goddesses, especially the Malum. Angels are generally friendly but a little haughty towards other Bonum races and enjoy good relations and economic ties to them but are openly hostile and cruel to Malum races purely for their heritage, believing the Malum and their children to be evils that walk upon the world. The Angels are rather purist in their beliefs, and practice Theocracy as their form of government where the monarch is also the high priest.


    Ignis
    Bio: The second eldest of the Bonum and the twin sister of Lux. Portrayed as passionate and intense, but fiery and hot-headed.
    Goddess of: Fire, Heat, Warmth, and Battle. Patron of Warriors.
    Child Race: Salamanders.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their burning red hair and eyes and their prowess in battle, the Salamanders are the most fearsome warriors the lands had ever seen. They live in the hottest regions in the world such as deserts, mesas, and volcanic mountainscapes, where they hone their craft in the scorching heat. The Salamanders are extremely passionate about what they love in their life, and the only word that can accurately describe the Salamanders passion is "Intense". The Salamanders are renowned for their martial prowess because their fury fuels their every strike and every wound they sustain only makes them stronger. They are generally daring and proud of their strength and never back down from a fight when challenged.


    Undine
    Bio: The third eldest of the Bonum. Portrayed as Serene and adaptable, but sadistic and malicious to those she catches.
    Goddess of: Water, the Sea, Fish, and Harvest. Patron of Sailors.
    Child Race: Mermaids.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their rich blue hair and eyes and their tranquil nature, the Mermaids are renowned explorers and travelers of the seas. They inhabit tropical islands, archipelagos, and coasts as their lives center around the sea. The Mermaids love being in the water and try to live as close to it as possible, and are considered relaxed and easygoing to those that they meet. Mermaids are, however, very opportunistic creatures and they will attack if they view it as convenient. Because of their Sea Form, which transforms their lower body into the tail of a fish, Mermaids generally do not where pants, but instead elect to wear skirts and the likeness as it is accommodating for their transformation.


    Terra
    Bio: The fourth eldest of the Bonum. Portrayed as sturdy and confident, but stubborn and reluctant.
    Goddess of: Earth, the Land, Stone, and Construction. Patron of Masons.
    Child Race: Gnomes.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their brown hair and eyes, their stoic nature, and their short but beefy stature, the Gnomes are known for their master-craft stoneworks. They inhabit the bottom of cool canyons, cliffs, mountains, and wherever the hard earth is open to them. Gnomes are very stoic and resistant in nature and generally are very difficult to move physically or emotionally. Gnomes are also known for their durability and resilience, otherwise described as tough, and commonly take up professions like miners, builders, and and stone carvers.


    Vita
    Bio: The youngest of the Bonum. Portrayed as kind and compassionate, but but very much so a fan of natural selection. The kind of immortal that looks on a gazelle being eaten by a lion and say "Isn't nature beautiful?"
    Goddess of: Life, Fertility, Birth, and Growth. Patron of Farmers.
    Child Race: Nymphs.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their vibrant green, pink, or peach hair and eyes, and their pacifistic nature, the Nymphs are distinguished by their love of life and their healing ability that is only rivaled by that of Angels. They inhabit places where life is abundant such as dense tropical jungles, forests, and woodlands and protect it as they view life as a precious gift bestowed upon them by the goddesses. Nymphs only see it fit to kill when it is necessary, such as for hunting for food or in self-defense. They live as close to nature as possible, aiming to disturb it as little as possible, so they surround themselves in plant-life and raise more than enough animals.


    Scylla
    Bio: The eldest of the Malum. Portrayed as care-free and energetic, but reckless and irresponsible.
    Goddess of: Gale, Rain, Lightning, and Flight. Patron of Adventurers.
    Child Race: Harpies.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their electrifying aquamarine hair and eyes, pale yellow skin, rigged horns, short tail, and whimsical nature, the Harpies boast over their superiority in the air. They inhabit places where the winds are strong and the falls are long such as mountain roosts and coastal cliffs where they jump off to be caught by the breeze and dance in the wind. Few races or individuals can earn or achieve flight, but it is like second nature to the Harpies because of their Sky Form which transforms their arms into wings and populates their tail with tail feathers. They are very sprightly and energetic by nature and have a lust for adventure but are rather greedy and easily distracted by shiny objects. Harpies adore the feathers of birds and adorn their bodies with them, tying them into their hair or fashioning them into their garments.


    Heima
    Bio: The third eldest of the Malum. Portrayed as callous and distrusting of others.
    Goddess of: Ice, Snow, Cold, and Survival. Patron of those that embrace the cold.
    Child Race: Snowmen.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their pale white-blue skin, icy light blue eyes, ram-like horns, short fluffy tail, copious amounts of hair, and their isolationist demeanor, the Snowmen are the most enduring in the cold of all races. They inhabit places where the snow is deep and the air is cold such as tundras, taigas, and even arctic wastelands where hunting large game is a common practice. The Snowmen are solitary race that is very distrusting of outsiders, but express solidarity in their own kin. During the summers, they partake in raising their own crops, but when winter comes they board their ships and take from their neighbors.


    Mercura
    Bio: The second eldest of the Malum. Portrayed as cunning and insightful, but absorbed and cocksure.
    Goddess of: Metal, the Forge, Ingenuity, and Crafting. Patron of Craftsmen.
    Child Race: Extinct?
    Race Bio: They were characterized by their silver hair and eyes, plated horns, spikey tails, and their creative nature, they were known for their ingenuity and their natural talent for metal working. They once inhabited the iron citadels that towered over the coast of Merces, but now their fortresses are but rubble and ruins. What remains of their people are scattered across the continents, working as smiths, one day dreaming of reclaiming their homes.


    Anima
    Bio: The second youngest of the Malum and the twin sister of Umbra. Portrayed as aloof and impassive, but is actually quite stoic and caring for all life, living or dead. She watches over the departed souls of mortals and guides them to her personal world where they are embraced in the eternal dance.
    Goddess of: Death, After Life, Souls, and Necromancy. Patron of Mediums.
    Child Race: Wights.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their deathly pale white skin, blood red eyes, charcoal black hair, ringed horns, tufted tail, and their quiet disposition, the Wights are well known for their ability to communicate with the departed. During the Angelic Crusades, the Bonum persecuted the Wights and banished them to the peninsula of Labyathan, an arid land dotted by active volcanoes and consists mostly of barrens wastelands, dry savannas, and damp swamps. Because of the dry soil and the commonplace volcanic eruptions, farming is an unappealing idea, so the Wights live a nomadic hunter-gatherer life style. Wights value life highly as they are very in-tune with the souls of others, so when they kill and animal during a hunt, they make sure to use and take everything, and while not limited to, the Wights commonly wear the skins and pelts of the animals they hunt over their normal rags. Wights have the ability to summon the spirits of the dead through a seance by using an object that the departed was tied to.


    Umbra
    Bio: The youngest of the Malum and the twin sister of Anima. Portrayed as generous and hospitable, but is the most hedonistic of all the goddesses.
    Goddess of: Darkness, the Moon, the Stars, and Luck. Patron of Gamblers.
    Child Race: Imps.
    Race Bio: Characterized by their dull blue skin, vibrant purple eyes, night black hair, forked tail, demon-like horns, and their mischievous nature, the Imps are well known for their ability to hide and trick. They inhabit places where there is little sunlight such as dense, dark forests and extensive underground hideaways, where they sleep during the day and play after the sun sets. Imps are sprightly when they are awake and live to enjoy the pleasures of the world. During the Angelic Crusades, the Bonum persecuted the Imps so they hid away in the dark forests and dug in, creating hidden cities in the maze-like forests and expansive underground networks. Imps love the stars and artificial light, so the decorate their hidden cities with colorful lanterns, and eastern Imps invented fireworks to light up the night sky during their numerous celebrations. Imps are rather small compared to the other races with the exception of gnomes but they are adept at using illusions, a form of magic that focuses on tricking your opponents.


    Sophi'avi
    Bio: The mother of the Bonum. Portrayed as intelligent and shrewd, but crafty and absorbed. She watches over her children from her personal world, a great library without end, filled with every book that has ever been written and every piece of knowledge that has ever been shared. She now serves as the last bastion that protects the world of mortals from great threats. When the world is in peril, she seeks out a new champion that will serve as the her instrument of her will.
    Goddess of: Wisdom, the Known, the Unknown, and the Arcane. Patron of Scholars.


    Voro'avi
    Bio: The mother of the Malum. Portrayed as insatiable, gluttonous, deceiving, and cruel. Her one and only purpose is to return the world back to nothing, no matter the cost. She tempts mortals into her service with promises of endless youth, wealth, and power. The price of patronage is great, however, but the weight of the interest is even greater which is what bonds those foolish enough into her eternal service.
    Goddess of: Nothing, the Void, Emptiness, Ignorance, Stagnation, and Eternity. Patron of the Fell.


    Bio: The Mutts are the individuals whose bloodlines consists of 3 or more races. They are characterized by their mismatched appearance and their round ears. It is considered acceptable in this world to marry from one race to another of good relations at least once, but a child with the blood of 3 or more races will be considered an outcast by most. To be called a mutt is an insult because it is viewed that any child with the blood of 3 or more races is thought of as "impure, dirty, unclean, or talentless" as well as saying that your mother and their mothers were standardless and slept around alot. Families with a mutt child or a potential mutt child we be persecuted to help keep the purity of blood.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2017
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  13. Pangaea

    Pangaea Forum Moderator

    Some really good stuff here. I think you've got some great potential in these different races and the things involved with such a variety of creatures. I'd be interested to learn more about the "monster hordes" and how they impact the world. For instance, where did they come from? Why did they attack the Mercanaries? Etc. I also like that you're playing with ideas about "pure blood" and "racism" and "mutts". One of my own series of stories deals with such things (racism between elves and humans/ those of mixed-race being outcasts) and I'll be interested to see how you address them!

    I've noticed that it seems like you're approaching your world building in game-like ideas. For instance, "stats" and using terms like "buff" and "debuff" to describe different magics. Do you find it easier to relate ideas to game-type structures? I wonder if there's a benefit to thinking in game terms or not.
     
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  14. PyreStarite

    PyreStarite Space Kumquat

    I think that the monsters would be better explained when I write... Act 3... carp, I've been using Acts twice. So there are the world origin stories with the goddesses and malum and then there are the stories about the mortals that came after, just that I have been using the term "Act" for both of them unintentionally.

    Getting back on track, the monster hordes attack mortals because that is the purpose of their existence. Pure blood was in my earlier designs, but I have struggled with certain racial traits like pointy ears, horns, tails, and skin tones, like how I haven't found an excuse to include black people (our black people, the chocolate variety). I have white people, white white people, people that look like they have a sunburn for a skin tone, and blue people, so maybe I should just... I don't know, I am just lacking the sense and excuses.

    The way I have it set up now, Angels don't like the children of the malum, Salamanders, Mermaids, and Snowmen hate each other, nothing much left of the Mercanaries, Gnomes don't care too much, Blood Elves got exiled to Labythia, and Dark Elves are in a constant state of hiding.

    Yes, I do find it easier to explain things like as if it were a game, even though that is not how I would want the story to be told.

    Also, do you see those two continents on the notfinalversion map? I want the races to span between both of those worlds, but the cultures to be significantly different. Mainly I want the west "Holy Land/Place of Beginnings" to be more our world western culture while I want the east to be more our world eastern culture, where they for some reason build houses and clothes out of paper. Paper!
     
  15. Pangaea

    Pangaea Forum Moderator

    Bolded for emphasis.

    First, you shouldn't have to come up with an excuse. If your world logically includes "black people" then it includes them. If it doesn't then it doesn't. Coming up with an excuse to include them would be forcing them where they don't belong and is obviously undesirable. I understand the desire to include them might come from a desire to have things more realistic or relatable but remember this: you are god. This universe is completely made by you, including the rules for everything. The physics of our reality don't apply to your world. Or they do, but only in the capacity that you want them to (hence the existence of magic there but not here). So, if you want to include "black people" then include them if it makes sense. It's literally up to you if their existence is logical or not. If you want to include them solely for some kind of politically correct/diversity reason then don't do it. You'd be including them just for the sake of including them. You'd be forcing them in and they would always be second-class characters with no actual purpose to your stories regardless of what roles you might give them.

    Secondly, what's to stop them from existing for the same reason they exist in our world? People who live in very sunny areas will (over many generations) be darker-skinned. Those who live where there is less sunlight will develop lighter skin tones. At some point you could have variance in your races to include lighter and darker tones dependent on where in the world they live. This, of course, goes back to what I said in my first point. The whole "sunny = dark" doesn't have to be true for your world. But it would be a logical reason to include "black people" in your world that anyone could understand without much exposition on your part. In fact, you could play with it and have only certain races be susceptible to developing darker skin tones over the generations. Again, you're god. It's up to you.

    I was wondering about the map, actually. Does each race live exclusively in their preferred areas or do some spread out and live amongst those of other races? Kind of like how we have different ethnic groups living together in our world, especially in large cities. Would this also be true there?

    And one other thing. It doesn't make sense to build houses out of paper. There's a lot of processing and expenditure to make paper. It would be faster, cheaper, and easiest to just use the wood directly from a tree. Unless you have some in-universe reason for using paper that makes sense.
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2017
  16. PyreStarite

    PyreStarite Space Kumquat

    I just wanted to be inclusive... but I will stick to logic. I want the skin tones to more reflect the race's adaptations to certain aspects... elements. Maybe I could so something like alternate tones for races like salamander or gnome but I know for certain it isn't going to be angel or dark elf. I understand that sunny = dark but for what I have set up right now and am pretty set on it doesn't work with what I have, like how angels worship the sun all day every day but stay pale and blood elves live in a hot area that almost rivals salamander territory. Maybe I can have more sun exposure leads to slightly darker tones just for variety, but sub-races are an idea I play with. With dark elves and blood elves I tossed around the dull blue and pale white between them for a while because they both reminded me of corpses and then decided that the dull blue suited the dark race more. Fun note, Ignis and Lux are twins and Umbra and Anima are twins, making their races sister races to each other as well.
    Some do, but most prefer to live in their comfortable environment, like how you won't find a snowman in a desert as that kind of environment is hostile to them, but how the cold never bothered them anyway. Some races can live in other areas like a gnome and an angel, but others are at a total disadvantage in areas that are hostile to them, like a mermaid without access to large quantities of water, or a salamander caught out in the middle of the water. Another fun note, Percy and Riley are perpetually terrified of large bodies of water.
    [​IMG]
    Welcome to japan. I want the west to reflect our west and the east to reflect our east, but in a different manner that will allow events to transpire differently as in this world humanity... elfanity? Whatever, began in the heart of western "Holy Land" only to expand eastward and settle in places they were best suited to. The west will be as culturally diverse as the east and the way one race would do things would be different on the other continent, like how the same job of maintaining a temple or place of worship is called a priestess in one land and a shrine maiden in another. When I make the new map I will try to include a migration mode to reflect the movement of people from areas and times, which could help explain why dark elves in the west are so different in the east and why snowmen in the east are so much more different from other eastern cultures. On another note, chuck it on top of the pile of things I need to write, proper magic usage and how magic shards aren't everything and where mortals get their magical power.
     
  17. Pangaea

    Pangaea Forum Moderator

    Well, yeah I know about Japan. For some reason I was thinking of houses made entirely out of paper. Silly me. (;

    Being able to see the migration of peoples would be really neat!
     
  18. PyreStarite

    PyreStarite Space Kumquat

    Nations

    Aspect, Location, Environment, Name, Government, Inspired Culture.
    Light, Area 1, Rolling Plains and Meadows, Kingdom of Athonia, Theocracy? British.
    Fire, Area 2, Desert Flood Plains, N/A, N/A. Spanish.
    Water, Area 3, Coast and Archipelago, N/A, N/A, Polynesian.
    Rock, Area 4, Cliffs and Mountains, N/A, N/A, Mild Dwarv-ish.
    Life, Area 5, Dense Tropical Forest, N/A, N/A, N/A.
    Gale, Area 6, Coast and Cliffs, N/A, N/A, N/A.
    Ice, Area 7, Tundra and Ice Plains, N/A, N/A, Nordic.
    Metal, Area 8, Coast and Plains, N/A, N/A, N/A.
    Blood, Labythia, Wasteland and Swamp, Federation of Labya/Labythain Federation, N/A.
    Dark, Area 10, Dark Woods and Extensive Cave Networks, N/A, N/A, Think Night Life.
    I am toying with the idea of giving French to the Wood Elves and German to the Gnomes, but am not confident with it yet. I haven't found an existing culture to compare the Harpies or Mercanaries to yet.


    Aspect, Location, Environment, Name, Government, Inspired Culture.
    Light, Area 11, Wide Open Meadows and Plains, Empire of the Sun, Empire, China.
    Fire, Metal, and Blood, Area 12, Desert and Plains, N/A, Confederation, India and Arabian.
    Water, Area 13, Coast and Islands, N/A, N/A, Indonesia and Caribbean.
    Rock, Area 14, Mountains and Valleys, N/A, N/A, N/A.
    Life, Area 15, Dense Tropical Jungle, N/A, N/A, N/A.
    Gale, Area 16, Prolly Cliffs, N/A, N/A, N/A.
    Ice, Area 17, Tundra and Cold Plains, N/A, Republic, Russia.
    Dark, Area 18, Coastal Forests and Islands, N/A, N/A, Japan.
    I have Fire, Metal, and Blood living in the same area as I have lost the distinction in their territory, especially with this very unfinished and unsatisfactory map. They live in a similar climate, and they don't hate each other, so maybe it could work out.


    Hoo boy, this idea started out so well, now it looks like abstract art.
    http://imgur.com/twpNkDH
     
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2017
  19. PyreStarite

    PyreStarite Space Kumquat

    Ok, so I have a new map design drawn out and now I just need to actually draw and fill it out with shape and color. I am actually quite satisfied with where the map blueprint is right now, but knowing my experience with everything I make, it is going to end up looking like abstract art. I am going to be continuing to work on the prologue, the rules of magic, and the map. What I need is a proper name for the Wood Elves and the Blood Elves because I want to throw out the word elf entirely. Dark Elf doesn't need it anymore because I found them Imps, which I am semi-satisfied with.
     
  20. Pangaea

    Pangaea Forum Moderator

    Maybe you could base their name off their mother goddess? I can't think of anything at the moment but you could play around with it, see what you come up with.
     

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