Important Threads
The Cast List
The Story Thread
Alright, let's get a game going. Yeah? Yeah.
I am planning a D&D 5E Campaign for Up To 6 Players of 5th Level.
- Use the Standard Point Buy of 27 Points for Stats
- Please use Core Races
- Feats & Multiclassing are allowed
- UA Options are allowed upon review with myself
- Players will begin with Starting Equipment and 1 magical item that we will work out together based around character options, class, and background.
The biggest change is that we will be using the When Armies Clash UA Rules, as the players will be Mercenaries fighting in Massed Battles, alongside normal adventuring faire. The Players will be leaders and officers, starting with small skirmishes but eventually leading massive armies into true battles.
- All Players are Leaders and Officers within the Same Mercenary Company, which the party has either founded or joined and rose up the ranks.
- The players have been members of this Company for One Year
- Players are encouraged to construct at least 2 links between other PCs, tying characters together. It can be as simple as you have fought together before joining the Company, or as complex of a web of intrigue, romance, tragedy, adventure, and drama as you would like.
Setting is Homebrew, very heavily based around the theme of after the death of Alexander The Great in our world (though this is a fantasy setting). Expect plenty of Greek, Egyptian, Persian, Roman, Gallic, Celtic, and even Hunnic and Asian influences, and feel free to use these in designing character names, backgrounds, and concepts. As this setting is not solidified, you are more than welcome to introduce setting details that fit the theme on your own, with approval by myself and the team pending.
[sblock=The Backstory]His name was Kadmos Nikitis. In thirty years, he would turn humanity into the dominant power of The East. He would crush the armies of Elves and Dwarves that came to subdue him, and then turned these opposing forces into allies. He cowed the Orcs and their Draconian supporters at the borders of an Empire he carved from a multitude of competing city-states, counties, and kingdoms, bringing each into his fold. Kadmos Nikitis, the Hero of The East, the Chosen of Enaretos, God of Justice, was more than worthy of the title “The Awesome”, for every other king had no choice but to bow before his power. When his Empire collapsed, it would sound the death knell for the entire world.
Emperor Nikitis was elevated into the realms of power by Enaretos, the Human God of Justice and Righteous Rule. Kadmos's Father had already owned a considerable wealth of land, but the competing tribes and nations around their territory were vicious. Constantly raided and suppressed by the Elves and their Republica Aeternum, these humans were little more than bickering bandits whom happened to control territory through force. Kadmos, however, had other ideas. He had seen the expansionary efforts of The Elves, and knew that, unchecked, they would eventually own the majority of The East, if not all of it. Kadmos would not allow this. Upon hearing of a great host of elves making way towards his father's kingdom, Kadmos made entreaties to the surrounding tribes. He bribed them, appealed to their natures, and extorted or threatened them where necessary, but Kadmos eventually scraped together an army of near-comparable size to fend off these Elven invaders and their Legions.
The armies clashed thrice, each time Kadmos and his forces sent running, but not before using skirmishing and guerilla tactics to inflict massive amounts of damage to their enemies, losses that had never before been suffered by the elves. This made them angry. It made them careless. Kadmos, counting on this, lured what remained of the Elven Legio into a valley by having them chase what appeared to be the battered, last remnants of his army. Thus baited, the humans trapped the Elves in the valley from both ends, slaughtering the host until the remainders surrendered.
This brought about a change to The East. Never before had a Legio in its entirety been defeated, certainly never before by humans. Kadmos's father had passed away during the campaign, with his son now in command of the many tribes and factions he had originally competed against in his teenage years. Overnight, Kadmos's Kingdom had nearly doubled in size, becoming a true Empire. Enaretos took notice.
Humanity, up until this point, had always been divided. Though numerous, their various governments often fell prey to the more ferocious Dwarves of the North, or the more organized Elves to their West. However, the Dwarves were unable to hold territory they took for long, and the Elves moved much too slowly to affect major change upon Human culture. Kadmos was an explosion thrown into this delicate balance, suddenly turning a powerful-yet-disorganized grouping of tribes into a unified war machine. What’s more, the Human God of Justice and Righteous Rule, Enaretos, blessed Kadmos upon his triumph of unity. Enaretos was pleased to see one of his children rise to such a challenge, and yet maintain his benevolence whilst crusading to protect and spread Human culture. Kadmos Nikitis became more than just an Emperor; With Enaretos’s power behind him, Kadmos was a literal Demigod of Human Spirit.
Like wildfire, humanity spread outwards across The East. Previously human lands taken by the Elves were invaded and won back, the populace greeting their liberators as heroes. Kadmos continued to pick up skilled and talented warriors, strategists, and statesmen of all races to serve him, either out of fear of resisting him or awed by this avatar of Enaretos. Each conquest further united the disparate human settlements of The East. Each victory further cowed and humbled the Republica Aeternum and the Dwarven Tribes. The Kadmosian Empire seemed unstoppable. As it grew, it also slowly began to lose its benevolence. Slowly, force became an acceptable measure when faced with any opposition, even peaceful political strife. Kadmos grasped onto his throne with increasing anger and paranoia, but his efforts still kept humanity strong, united, and safe. Enaretos, God of Justice, was blind to the failings of his avatar, still seeing the good that Kadmos was doing for his people and noting that sometimes, sometimes, necessary actions required sacrifices for The Greater Good.
This all changed upon the arrival of The Throng from the West. Composed of Orcs and the strange Dragonborn, these nomadic horsemen and disciplined soldiers crashed into the Republica Aeternum, leaving them floundering. Their mighty, slow Legios collapsed when struck by enemies they could not easily pin down and defeat. Now allies out of necessity with Kadmos and his Empire, they called upon Humanity to defend their ancient enemies. Eager to spread his Empire to the West, Kadmos agreed.
He made entreaties to the Dwarves, securing their peace in exchange for warriors to go on this grand campaign. The Elves, too, sent their own forces to fight under Kadmos’s banner. For the first time in The East, the three major powers were to stand together against a common foe.
The battles were deadly, but not strategically resolved. Kadmos led from the front, his powerful cavalry able to catch the Orcish horsemen. Elven Archers and Mages could finally close the distance to engage their scaly counterparts, and Dwarven warriors in strong mail and wielding terrible longswords fell upon the enemy horde. Even this trio faltered, however, as the enemy was too nimble, too numerous, and too intelligent to allow themselves to be drawn into a decisive battle.
The final blow to all of this came when Kadmos and his cavalry were cut off during what had started as a minor skirmish, but eventually devolved into the largest battle of the campaign. No one can assert what happened on that forsaken field, but even Enaretos was shocked to hear that Kadmos Nikitis, the strongest being in The East, the Chosen of The Gods, was slain.
The repercussions of this are felt to this day. While the Orcs and their Allies were finally halted in their expansion upon that battlefield, the problems in The East were only just beginning. Kadmos Nikitis had died with no heir and no named successor. Even as the allied forces made their way back to their own homes, each thought of what this would mean for them. What it would mean for The Empire. What it meant for Enaretos. For, in the wake of Kadmos’s sudden and unfortunate death, worship of Enaretos, the most important of human deities, suddenly plummeted. It was whispered that Kadmos had earned Enaretos’s ire, and was left to die for it. Others stated that Enaretos was no longer worthy of worship for not protecting The Hero of The East. Finally, the voices that would eventually become the loudest shouted that Enaretos was not all powerful, and could not have protected Kadmos at all.
Compounded with religious strife now surfacing as formerly unpopular gods saw a resurgence, the political strife throughout Kadmos’s Empire came to a breaking point. All of his former closest companions, his best generals, strategists, and statesmen, all began to declare themselves the rightful successor to the Eastern Throne. One by one, these powerful women and men broke away from The Empire to raise their own Kingdoms and armies loyal to them to conquer and suppress anyone who dared to defy them. Almost overnight, Kadmos’s crowning achievement, the uniting of Humanity, was undone.
In the Republica Aeternum, similar upheavals were underway. Two schools of thought began to crop up in the very traditionalist Senate: one continued to advocate for their slow, cautious approach they had taken since the establishment of The Republic, but another clamored for more ambitious, more decisive action. They had learned from Kadmos, had learned from humanity’s vigorous and aggressive approach to life that He Who Dares, Wins. Frustrated at the loss of much territory and prestige to the Kadmosian Empire, these Elves wanted to adopt human methods. The struggle for power between these two groups reached a head in a brief, but ultimately conclusive Civil War where those pushing for reform were defeated and driven from the Republic. These Elves went off to form the Societas Occidens, the Western Society, on the border of Orcish lands. The Republic has derisively termed the new settlement Umbra Terrae – The Shadow Lands, an offensive dig at the fact that many of these exiled Elves were Drow.
In the rest of The East, competition between the various leaders that arose after Kadmos’s death descended into pure upheaval and war. Each of these “new” tribes and Kingdoms (that very much resembled the city-states that Kadmos had unified) held some human Deities above others, leading to gaining those gods’ favor after the pantheon had spent quite some time without heavy worship due to the popularity of Enaretos. Eventually, Enaretos disappeared from the Pantheon entirely, leading behind a host of other Gods cobbled together from previous tribal worships and revered spirits, now given modern forms and rituals.
The last nail in the coffin of the Empire was the growing border tensions: without the unifying force of Kadmos, there was no further alliance between the Republica, the Dwarven Tribes, and the Human Kingdoms. These each began to pursue their own personal interests, and were not above shifting alliances or bribing enemies to turn on their own kind where appropriate. Into this foray came the Orcs and Dragonborn as well, seeing this as the perfect time to renew their continued conquest of these new lands.
In only fifteen years after his death, every last achievement of the Kadmosian Empire was ground into dust. The world had belonged to him; now it belongs only to those with the strength and will to surpass him.[/sblock]
[sblock=The Cultures]
Humanity - Based very heavily on the Empire of Alexander The Great and the Satrapies that formed in his death. Their culture is as varied as they are, based heavily on Hellenistic ideals and coming from lands that are homages to Greece, Persia, Egypt, and the Balkans. The Common language of the world is essentially Greek, all thanks to Kadmos. Humans are currently fractured into a dozen or so Kingdoms all in competition with each other and just about everyone else, fighting to both maintain their identity and claim a new one.
Dwarves & Halflings - These are based upon the Gauls and Celts of Northern Europe: the Averni, Suebi, Iceni, Pictones, and others. They paint themselves in woad, have extremely warlike cultures based around strength in battle, are rather druidic in their worship and religious practices (indeed, Druids are very respected in their lands, even if they're not Dwarves), and are just as disunited as Humanity. These Tribes fight one another and everyone else, though they can call upon their common gods and culture in times of great need. There is a little bit more brotherhood between the Dwarves and Halflings than exists between Human Kingdoms. Dwarvish is very much based upon the Gallic and Celtic languages.
Elves & Gnomes - The Republica Aeternum is, very clearly, the Roman Republic. They've got the Senate and all the fancy titles and political intrigue going on, and are rather unwieldy as a bureaucracy. However, they're probably the 2nd most united faction in The East, and still possess strong arms and cultural pride. Elvish is most definitely Latin, the Legions are a thing, and the Elves have ideals of martial prowess and duty to the State. The exception to this is the Societas Occidens, which is essentially the beginnings of Byzantium, but Drow. Well, Drow and other Elves and others that they hire/assimilate. The Republic and the Society are not the best of friends, and conflict between them is pretty inevitable. The Society is far more progressive and aggressive, moving quickly towards Imperium and giving up the Senatorial trappings of The Republic.
There is no "Undercommon": the Drow also speak Elvish.
Orcs & Dragonborn - The Western Throng is an homage to The Golden Horde of The Mongol Empire, mixed in with Chinese and Korean trappings. Indeed, the Dragonborn are much more influenced by China and Korea, and they are a cultural force of personality, seeking to spread their far-off Empire's teachings and power to the rest of The East. The Orcs are heavily inspired by the Huns and Mongols: They're Steppe Riders, amazing horsemen and warriors, lightning fast raiders but also fair to the peoples that surrender to them and absolutely brutal to those who resist. They're moving ever further East in a bid of conquest and expansion, and it's not really known who else in The West they've already done this to. Are the Dragonborn their masters? Are they just a subjugated people of The Orcs that are being forced to help them? Nobody in The East really knows.
But the answer is that they're basically mutually beneficial allies: They are separate, but their goals certainly align. Not always, however, meaning there is still friction between these two peoples.
So if you ever wanted to play a Half-Orc named Temujin, here's your chance. Draconic sounds like Chinese, whereas Orcish is a mishmash of Mongolian and Turkish.
Tieflings - They sadly have no culture of their own, but are found throughout the world. People aren't sure what exactly they are: a cursed people? Some type of strange species from the lands of The Orcs? Many are wary of them, a few accepting, but there are others that are outright hostile, thinking them devils and demons sent as horrible omens of death and destruction.[/sblock]
[sblock=The Religions]
HUMAN GODS
Arcane Domain – Monagnos, God of Astronomy, Spellcraft, and Prophecy – Chaotic Neutral
Death Domain – Kora, Goddess of The Dead, Journeys, and Barriers. Wife of Zoitikos – Lawful Neutral
Knowledge Domain – Meleti, Goddess of Education, Writing, Engineering, and Innovation – True Neutral
Life Domain – Zoitikos, God of Harvest, Health, Hearth, and Fertility. Husband of Kora – Neutral Good
Light Domain – Foslo, God of The Sun, The Stars, and Art – Neutral Good
Nature Domain – Dryena, Goddess of Trees, Animals, and Conservation – Lawful Neutral
Tempest Domain – Thalfonas, God of The Sky, The Sea, Weather, and Violence – Chaotic Evil
Trickery Domain – Ayaz, Goddess of Good Fortune, Fate, and Storytellers – Chaotic Good
War Domain – Machidoxia, Goddess of Ambition, Honor, Strength, and Victory – Lawful Neutral
DWARVEN & HALFLING GODS
Death Domain – Taranis, God of Thunder, The Wheel, and Sacrifice – Lawful Evil
Knowledge Domain – Lugus, God of Creation and Learning – Neutral Good
Life Domain – Sucellos, God of The Tribe, Love, and Time. Husband of Nantosuelta – Neutral Good
Light Domain – Sulis, Goddess of The Sun and Curses – True Neutral
Nature Domain – Nantosuelta, Goddess of Animals, Fire, and The Druids. Wife of Sucellos – Lawful Good
Tempest Domain – Ambisagrus, God of Lightning, Wind, and Hail – Chaotic Evil
Trickery Domain – Cernunnos, God of Stags, War Horns, and The Fae – Chaotic Neutral
War Domain – Cicolluis, God of Battle, Glory, and Boars – Lawful Neutral
ELVEN & GNOMISH GODS
Arcane Domain – Trivia, Goddess of Magic, Ghosts, and Crossroads – Chaotic Neutral
Death Domain – Orcus, God of The Underworld and Oaths – Lawful Evil
Knowledge Domain – Minerva, Goddess of Wisdom, Science, and Cities – Lawful Good
Life Domain – Juno, Goddess of Marriage and Fertility. Wife of Jupiter – Neutral Good
Light Domain – Sol Aurora, Goddess of The Dawn, the Winds, and the Stars – Neutral Good
Nature Domain – Cybele, Goddess of The Earth and Mothers – True Neutral
Tempest Domain – Jupiter, God of Lightning, Rain, and The Sky. Husband of Juno – True Neutral
Trickery Domain – Vertumnus, God of Seasons and Change – True Neutral
War Domain – Bellona, Goddess of War, Destruction, and Blood – Lawful Evil
ORCISH & DRAGONBORN GODS
Arcane, Knowledge, and Light Domains – Lama, The First Monk – Lawful Neutral
Death Domain – The Shiwang, The Ten Kings of the Underworld – True Neutral
Life Domain – Guanyin, Goddess of Mercy and Compassion – Neutral Good
Nature and Tempest Domains – Tengri, Sky God of Shamanism and the Eastern Horizon – Chaotic Good
Trickery Domain – Daoji, The Kindly Vagrant, God of Charity and The Unconventional – Chaotic Good
War Domain – Guan Yu, God of Brotherhood, Martial Power, Honor, and War – Lawful Good[/sblock]
The Cast List
The Story Thread
Alright, let's get a game going. Yeah? Yeah.
I am planning a D&D 5E Campaign for Up To 6 Players of 5th Level.
- Use the Standard Point Buy of 27 Points for Stats
- Please use Core Races
- Feats & Multiclassing are allowed
- UA Options are allowed upon review with myself
- Players will begin with Starting Equipment and 1 magical item that we will work out together based around character options, class, and background.
The biggest change is that we will be using the When Armies Clash UA Rules, as the players will be Mercenaries fighting in Massed Battles, alongside normal adventuring faire. The Players will be leaders and officers, starting with small skirmishes but eventually leading massive armies into true battles.
- All Players are Leaders and Officers within the Same Mercenary Company, which the party has either founded or joined and rose up the ranks.
- The players have been members of this Company for One Year
- Players are encouraged to construct at least 2 links between other PCs, tying characters together. It can be as simple as you have fought together before joining the Company, or as complex of a web of intrigue, romance, tragedy, adventure, and drama as you would like.
Setting is Homebrew, very heavily based around the theme of after the death of Alexander The Great in our world (though this is a fantasy setting). Expect plenty of Greek, Egyptian, Persian, Roman, Gallic, Celtic, and even Hunnic and Asian influences, and feel free to use these in designing character names, backgrounds, and concepts. As this setting is not solidified, you are more than welcome to introduce setting details that fit the theme on your own, with approval by myself and the team pending.
[sblock=The Backstory]His name was Kadmos Nikitis. In thirty years, he would turn humanity into the dominant power of The East. He would crush the armies of Elves and Dwarves that came to subdue him, and then turned these opposing forces into allies. He cowed the Orcs and their Draconian supporters at the borders of an Empire he carved from a multitude of competing city-states, counties, and kingdoms, bringing each into his fold. Kadmos Nikitis, the Hero of The East, the Chosen of Enaretos, God of Justice, was more than worthy of the title “The Awesome”, for every other king had no choice but to bow before his power. When his Empire collapsed, it would sound the death knell for the entire world.
Emperor Nikitis was elevated into the realms of power by Enaretos, the Human God of Justice and Righteous Rule. Kadmos's Father had already owned a considerable wealth of land, but the competing tribes and nations around their territory were vicious. Constantly raided and suppressed by the Elves and their Republica Aeternum, these humans were little more than bickering bandits whom happened to control territory through force. Kadmos, however, had other ideas. He had seen the expansionary efforts of The Elves, and knew that, unchecked, they would eventually own the majority of The East, if not all of it. Kadmos would not allow this. Upon hearing of a great host of elves making way towards his father's kingdom, Kadmos made entreaties to the surrounding tribes. He bribed them, appealed to their natures, and extorted or threatened them where necessary, but Kadmos eventually scraped together an army of near-comparable size to fend off these Elven invaders and their Legions.
The armies clashed thrice, each time Kadmos and his forces sent running, but not before using skirmishing and guerilla tactics to inflict massive amounts of damage to their enemies, losses that had never before been suffered by the elves. This made them angry. It made them careless. Kadmos, counting on this, lured what remained of the Elven Legio into a valley by having them chase what appeared to be the battered, last remnants of his army. Thus baited, the humans trapped the Elves in the valley from both ends, slaughtering the host until the remainders surrendered.
This brought about a change to The East. Never before had a Legio in its entirety been defeated, certainly never before by humans. Kadmos's father had passed away during the campaign, with his son now in command of the many tribes and factions he had originally competed against in his teenage years. Overnight, Kadmos's Kingdom had nearly doubled in size, becoming a true Empire. Enaretos took notice.
Humanity, up until this point, had always been divided. Though numerous, their various governments often fell prey to the more ferocious Dwarves of the North, or the more organized Elves to their West. However, the Dwarves were unable to hold territory they took for long, and the Elves moved much too slowly to affect major change upon Human culture. Kadmos was an explosion thrown into this delicate balance, suddenly turning a powerful-yet-disorganized grouping of tribes into a unified war machine. What’s more, the Human God of Justice and Righteous Rule, Enaretos, blessed Kadmos upon his triumph of unity. Enaretos was pleased to see one of his children rise to such a challenge, and yet maintain his benevolence whilst crusading to protect and spread Human culture. Kadmos Nikitis became more than just an Emperor; With Enaretos’s power behind him, Kadmos was a literal Demigod of Human Spirit.
Like wildfire, humanity spread outwards across The East. Previously human lands taken by the Elves were invaded and won back, the populace greeting their liberators as heroes. Kadmos continued to pick up skilled and talented warriors, strategists, and statesmen of all races to serve him, either out of fear of resisting him or awed by this avatar of Enaretos. Each conquest further united the disparate human settlements of The East. Each victory further cowed and humbled the Republica Aeternum and the Dwarven Tribes. The Kadmosian Empire seemed unstoppable. As it grew, it also slowly began to lose its benevolence. Slowly, force became an acceptable measure when faced with any opposition, even peaceful political strife. Kadmos grasped onto his throne with increasing anger and paranoia, but his efforts still kept humanity strong, united, and safe. Enaretos, God of Justice, was blind to the failings of his avatar, still seeing the good that Kadmos was doing for his people and noting that sometimes, sometimes, necessary actions required sacrifices for The Greater Good.
This all changed upon the arrival of The Throng from the West. Composed of Orcs and the strange Dragonborn, these nomadic horsemen and disciplined soldiers crashed into the Republica Aeternum, leaving them floundering. Their mighty, slow Legios collapsed when struck by enemies they could not easily pin down and defeat. Now allies out of necessity with Kadmos and his Empire, they called upon Humanity to defend their ancient enemies. Eager to spread his Empire to the West, Kadmos agreed.
He made entreaties to the Dwarves, securing their peace in exchange for warriors to go on this grand campaign. The Elves, too, sent their own forces to fight under Kadmos’s banner. For the first time in The East, the three major powers were to stand together against a common foe.
The battles were deadly, but not strategically resolved. Kadmos led from the front, his powerful cavalry able to catch the Orcish horsemen. Elven Archers and Mages could finally close the distance to engage their scaly counterparts, and Dwarven warriors in strong mail and wielding terrible longswords fell upon the enemy horde. Even this trio faltered, however, as the enemy was too nimble, too numerous, and too intelligent to allow themselves to be drawn into a decisive battle.
The final blow to all of this came when Kadmos and his cavalry were cut off during what had started as a minor skirmish, but eventually devolved into the largest battle of the campaign. No one can assert what happened on that forsaken field, but even Enaretos was shocked to hear that Kadmos Nikitis, the strongest being in The East, the Chosen of The Gods, was slain.
The repercussions of this are felt to this day. While the Orcs and their Allies were finally halted in their expansion upon that battlefield, the problems in The East were only just beginning. Kadmos Nikitis had died with no heir and no named successor. Even as the allied forces made their way back to their own homes, each thought of what this would mean for them. What it would mean for The Empire. What it meant for Enaretos. For, in the wake of Kadmos’s sudden and unfortunate death, worship of Enaretos, the most important of human deities, suddenly plummeted. It was whispered that Kadmos had earned Enaretos’s ire, and was left to die for it. Others stated that Enaretos was no longer worthy of worship for not protecting The Hero of The East. Finally, the voices that would eventually become the loudest shouted that Enaretos was not all powerful, and could not have protected Kadmos at all.
Compounded with religious strife now surfacing as formerly unpopular gods saw a resurgence, the political strife throughout Kadmos’s Empire came to a breaking point. All of his former closest companions, his best generals, strategists, and statesmen, all began to declare themselves the rightful successor to the Eastern Throne. One by one, these powerful women and men broke away from The Empire to raise their own Kingdoms and armies loyal to them to conquer and suppress anyone who dared to defy them. Almost overnight, Kadmos’s crowning achievement, the uniting of Humanity, was undone.
In the Republica Aeternum, similar upheavals were underway. Two schools of thought began to crop up in the very traditionalist Senate: one continued to advocate for their slow, cautious approach they had taken since the establishment of The Republic, but another clamored for more ambitious, more decisive action. They had learned from Kadmos, had learned from humanity’s vigorous and aggressive approach to life that He Who Dares, Wins. Frustrated at the loss of much territory and prestige to the Kadmosian Empire, these Elves wanted to adopt human methods. The struggle for power between these two groups reached a head in a brief, but ultimately conclusive Civil War where those pushing for reform were defeated and driven from the Republic. These Elves went off to form the Societas Occidens, the Western Society, on the border of Orcish lands. The Republic has derisively termed the new settlement Umbra Terrae – The Shadow Lands, an offensive dig at the fact that many of these exiled Elves were Drow.
In the rest of The East, competition between the various leaders that arose after Kadmos’s death descended into pure upheaval and war. Each of these “new” tribes and Kingdoms (that very much resembled the city-states that Kadmos had unified) held some human Deities above others, leading to gaining those gods’ favor after the pantheon had spent quite some time without heavy worship due to the popularity of Enaretos. Eventually, Enaretos disappeared from the Pantheon entirely, leading behind a host of other Gods cobbled together from previous tribal worships and revered spirits, now given modern forms and rituals.
The last nail in the coffin of the Empire was the growing border tensions: without the unifying force of Kadmos, there was no further alliance between the Republica, the Dwarven Tribes, and the Human Kingdoms. These each began to pursue their own personal interests, and were not above shifting alliances or bribing enemies to turn on their own kind where appropriate. Into this foray came the Orcs and Dragonborn as well, seeing this as the perfect time to renew their continued conquest of these new lands.
In only fifteen years after his death, every last achievement of the Kadmosian Empire was ground into dust. The world had belonged to him; now it belongs only to those with the strength and will to surpass him.[/sblock]
[sblock=The Cultures]
Humanity - Based very heavily on the Empire of Alexander The Great and the Satrapies that formed in his death. Their culture is as varied as they are, based heavily on Hellenistic ideals and coming from lands that are homages to Greece, Persia, Egypt, and the Balkans. The Common language of the world is essentially Greek, all thanks to Kadmos. Humans are currently fractured into a dozen or so Kingdoms all in competition with each other and just about everyone else, fighting to both maintain their identity and claim a new one.
Dwarves & Halflings - These are based upon the Gauls and Celts of Northern Europe: the Averni, Suebi, Iceni, Pictones, and others. They paint themselves in woad, have extremely warlike cultures based around strength in battle, are rather druidic in their worship and religious practices (indeed, Druids are very respected in their lands, even if they're not Dwarves), and are just as disunited as Humanity. These Tribes fight one another and everyone else, though they can call upon their common gods and culture in times of great need. There is a little bit more brotherhood between the Dwarves and Halflings than exists between Human Kingdoms. Dwarvish is very much based upon the Gallic and Celtic languages.
Elves & Gnomes - The Republica Aeternum is, very clearly, the Roman Republic. They've got the Senate and all the fancy titles and political intrigue going on, and are rather unwieldy as a bureaucracy. However, they're probably the 2nd most united faction in The East, and still possess strong arms and cultural pride. Elvish is most definitely Latin, the Legions are a thing, and the Elves have ideals of martial prowess and duty to the State. The exception to this is the Societas Occidens, which is essentially the beginnings of Byzantium, but Drow. Well, Drow and other Elves and others that they hire/assimilate. The Republic and the Society are not the best of friends, and conflict between them is pretty inevitable. The Society is far more progressive and aggressive, moving quickly towards Imperium and giving up the Senatorial trappings of The Republic.
There is no "Undercommon": the Drow also speak Elvish.
Orcs & Dragonborn - The Western Throng is an homage to The Golden Horde of The Mongol Empire, mixed in with Chinese and Korean trappings. Indeed, the Dragonborn are much more influenced by China and Korea, and they are a cultural force of personality, seeking to spread their far-off Empire's teachings and power to the rest of The East. The Orcs are heavily inspired by the Huns and Mongols: They're Steppe Riders, amazing horsemen and warriors, lightning fast raiders but also fair to the peoples that surrender to them and absolutely brutal to those who resist. They're moving ever further East in a bid of conquest and expansion, and it's not really known who else in The West they've already done this to. Are the Dragonborn their masters? Are they just a subjugated people of The Orcs that are being forced to help them? Nobody in The East really knows.
But the answer is that they're basically mutually beneficial allies: They are separate, but their goals certainly align. Not always, however, meaning there is still friction between these two peoples.
So if you ever wanted to play a Half-Orc named Temujin, here's your chance. Draconic sounds like Chinese, whereas Orcish is a mishmash of Mongolian and Turkish.
Tieflings - They sadly have no culture of their own, but are found throughout the world. People aren't sure what exactly they are: a cursed people? Some type of strange species from the lands of The Orcs? Many are wary of them, a few accepting, but there are others that are outright hostile, thinking them devils and demons sent as horrible omens of death and destruction.[/sblock]
[sblock=The Religions]
HUMAN GODS
Arcane Domain – Monagnos, God of Astronomy, Spellcraft, and Prophecy – Chaotic Neutral
Death Domain – Kora, Goddess of The Dead, Journeys, and Barriers. Wife of Zoitikos – Lawful Neutral
Knowledge Domain – Meleti, Goddess of Education, Writing, Engineering, and Innovation – True Neutral
Life Domain – Zoitikos, God of Harvest, Health, Hearth, and Fertility. Husband of Kora – Neutral Good
Light Domain – Foslo, God of The Sun, The Stars, and Art – Neutral Good
Nature Domain – Dryena, Goddess of Trees, Animals, and Conservation – Lawful Neutral
Tempest Domain – Thalfonas, God of The Sky, The Sea, Weather, and Violence – Chaotic Evil
Trickery Domain – Ayaz, Goddess of Good Fortune, Fate, and Storytellers – Chaotic Good
War Domain – Machidoxia, Goddess of Ambition, Honor, Strength, and Victory – Lawful Neutral
DWARVEN & HALFLING GODS
Death Domain – Taranis, God of Thunder, The Wheel, and Sacrifice – Lawful Evil
Knowledge Domain – Lugus, God of Creation and Learning – Neutral Good
Life Domain – Sucellos, God of The Tribe, Love, and Time. Husband of Nantosuelta – Neutral Good
Light Domain – Sulis, Goddess of The Sun and Curses – True Neutral
Nature Domain – Nantosuelta, Goddess of Animals, Fire, and The Druids. Wife of Sucellos – Lawful Good
Tempest Domain – Ambisagrus, God of Lightning, Wind, and Hail – Chaotic Evil
Trickery Domain – Cernunnos, God of Stags, War Horns, and The Fae – Chaotic Neutral
War Domain – Cicolluis, God of Battle, Glory, and Boars – Lawful Neutral
ELVEN & GNOMISH GODS
Arcane Domain – Trivia, Goddess of Magic, Ghosts, and Crossroads – Chaotic Neutral
Death Domain – Orcus, God of The Underworld and Oaths – Lawful Evil
Knowledge Domain – Minerva, Goddess of Wisdom, Science, and Cities – Lawful Good
Life Domain – Juno, Goddess of Marriage and Fertility. Wife of Jupiter – Neutral Good
Light Domain – Sol Aurora, Goddess of The Dawn, the Winds, and the Stars – Neutral Good
Nature Domain – Cybele, Goddess of The Earth and Mothers – True Neutral
Tempest Domain – Jupiter, God of Lightning, Rain, and The Sky. Husband of Juno – True Neutral
Trickery Domain – Vertumnus, God of Seasons and Change – True Neutral
War Domain – Bellona, Goddess of War, Destruction, and Blood – Lawful Evil
ORCISH & DRAGONBORN GODS
Arcane, Knowledge, and Light Domains – Lama, The First Monk – Lawful Neutral
Death Domain – The Shiwang, The Ten Kings of the Underworld – True Neutral
Life Domain – Guanyin, Goddess of Mercy and Compassion – Neutral Good
Nature and Tempest Domains – Tengri, Sky God of Shamanism and the Eastern Horizon – Chaotic Good
Trickery Domain – Daoji, The Kindly Vagrant, God of Charity and The Unconventional – Chaotic Good
War Domain – Guan Yu, God of Brotherhood, Martial Power, Honor, and War – Lawful Good[/sblock]
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