101th post for the thread ~! Should we be celebrating ?
It sucks when you've missed out so much just because your internet connection was down for a FEW days...
Lol, yep streamyx just sux in Sabah, even in KK, the capital ! (apa khabar orang di sana?! Xenoflare & Aikuchi)
Catched up on the reading again and pouring my mind out again of ideas to spill....
I really liked the physical manifestation of the spirits through items. This could make a spirit-touched race (for the Garuda) unneccesary since the Selanese would probably pay homage to the items that they 'believed' holds the dead spirits of the Garuda. 'You fear what you cannot see'. It gives an emphasis on the Garuda's warning of respecting their dead.
The lazy man's way of seeing this, is that the weapons and armor possessed by these spirits are just weapons of legacy.
For the Astur, i dunno. I had them in mind as a religion that wants to spread the 'truth' of a 'one god'. I've come up with this bit for your inspection and approval (as always)
When the sea traders arrived and saw that the Selanese had fear for the spirits of the Garuda, they thought it was heresy. They preached their religion to the Selanese saying that their god is the greater one and would protect its worshippers from anyone (the Garuda). As sea traders they could bring prosperity to the Selanese and from this prospertiy, a few major cities begin to sprout out. Many converted to the Astur religion as they have more faith in a deity that gives hope, salvation and wealth rather than bounding themselves in a religion that commands fear, reverence and traditions.
As the worship for the Garuda slowly deteriorate for centuries to this day (current setting timeline) they have almost forgotten who were their saviors from the ancient Naga. The 'modern' Selanese today disregard their old practices as animism, an up-front against the Astur religion (for worshipping another god and all that) and out-dated.
However, the Selanese are beginning to witness the consequences for abandonning the Garuda. Natural disaster like typhoons (which is not much of a laughing matter in real-world SEA), volcanos (you could check out the latest news about the volcano Merapi in Indonesia) and earthquakes (like the one that just hit Indonesia recently, something-karta, damn can't remember the place).
Only those that still maintain the practice the 'animism' religion (Shanmans and Witchdoctors) forsee this as a sign that the Garuda are descending once more to fulfill what they have promised to humanity long ago for their betrayal - destruction. As a warning though to these redeemable souls, the spirit-manifested items are slowly urging heroes to gather them from the lost, sealed, protected and revered to the long lost battleground of the ultimate battle between the Garuda and the Naga to appeace the Garuda once more or all is lost. (okay, that's was just a far-fetched campaign idea so you can just ignore this part
)
Okay for the Deng Hua...here's another one of my ideas about how they come into the picture... (only if you like it of course)
Reflecting them based on China, it is important to mention that SEA has been paying tribute to them and making diplomatic alliances with them for protection and trade. So...
The Deng Hua is a mighty empire and the Selanese nations have been paying tribute to them so that they would no invade their borders. However, a new emperor has risen to the thron of the Deng Hua and like all new emperors, a new tribute must be made. However, the Selanese are unable to meet the demands of this new emperor of a million (i need a more realistic figure, any help Xenoflare ?) jars of rice yearly. This is mostly because of the natural disaster that are slowly happening across the land. Instead of paying tribute to this new demanding emperor, the Selanese nations decided that if they join forces they could withstand the great army of the Deng Hua than face humiliation for all these years, like a vassal state.
War is grdually coming to the land of the Selanese. To the leaders and politicians (nobles), the demands of the Deng Hua empire has gone far enough. While the shanmans and the witchdoctors believe that this is just another manifestation of the wrath of the Garuda.
Together with the great armada of the Deng Hua comes the monks, trained in a form of combat style never seen before only using their body as the ultimate weapon. The usage of full plate armor and large brandish swords that could easily deflect the weapons and attacks of the primitive Selanese armory would be a great advantage to the Deng Hua. Finally, the sea traders may have a proposition about helping the Selanese win the war and come up with their own deals. They could sell their own 'advanced' arsenal to the Selanese to aid the war effort...or perhaps mercenaries ?
When the time comes, all man. Selanese,Deng Hua or sea-trader would fall before the mighty sweeps of the Garuda's blade and many will die. Many will die...
There you have it, a save-the-day scenario and war (some of my personal favorites in any fantasy setting so i guess i'm being kinda biased here lol). So, what do you think ?
Oh, just for the record....
peluru silap mata ! (magic missile, literally).
