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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lorthanoth" data-source="post: 3916898" data-attributes="member: 3023">World infoThe settingMuch of civilization on this world is founded on chains and archipelagos of islands; even the largest land masses would struggle to be called continents on our planet. The largest land mass is probably the size of Australia, which is still pretty damn big!) Now many different cultures vie with one another to win treasures and knowledge from the ruins of older civilizations, whether it be ancient Imarran cities, decayed god-priest kingdoms or the unknown ruins of the southlands.The adventure begins in Coral Bay, a trading post established by the Minros Guilds (see below) on a largely unexplored land of jungles, at the mouth of a great river. Some realms of interestBelcadiz - a kingdom reknowned for its sword-fighters, and hot-blooded politics. She has sent many an explorer to chart the islands of the south and search for gold and magic. Her sailors and traders are amongst the best in the world. (human, some halfling) [Golden Age Spain]Imarr - once the ruler of the known world through demon pacts and sorcery, now a shadow of her former self. An insular and self-serving folk inhabit this group of islands of which the largest is Imarr itself. Many of this realm's younger aristocracy have made their way in the wider world as swords for hire, although they are not met with much trust. ('tiefling' but with substantial changes, some human) [Pop-culture ancient decayed empire people with magic-users; think Melnibone or just about any evil wizard culture in Howard's work]The Merchant League of Minros - a small island chain run by a guild of merchant-princes. Often to be found as privateers and traders. (human, halfling) [Italy, Greece]Bellayne - a realm of cat-folk whose culture is a mixture of nomadic riders and settled towns-dwellers; the have a rich oral literature and a fierce code of honour. Matriarchal monarchy. (rakasta)PowersThere are many different gods, goddesses, spirits, demon princes, dukes of hell, elemental beings, and other things that have worshippers or at least beings that acknowledge them. Many beings even go under different aliases to different races or countries.Major deities are:The Great Pantheon - the most common form of worship in Minros and surrounding areas. This religion is syncretic and tends to assimilate local deities into existing ones. Thus its gods and goddesses are commonly referred by titles in a general sense; locally, people may have their own names for gods that are important to them. e.g. the Lady of the Forest may be known to a small village in northern Minros Island as Ehlonna, but further south on Dacia she may be called Deana. Most well-travelled people who follow this faith use the deieties titles as their names. Some gods (with rough PHB/FR equivalents) are: Lord of Beasts (Obad-Hai/Silvanus); Lady of the Forest (Ehlonna/Mielikki), The Thunder King (Hieroneous/Torm), Lord of the Dead (Nerull/Myrkul), The Sun Lord (Pelor/Amaunator), Queen of the Moon (no real Greyhawk equivalent/Selune).The rakasta have a variant on this pantheon but it is a more unified, smaller one and the the cat people depcit the gods as divine rakasta. The pantheon is led by Tarastia Pax Bellanica, a sort of embodiment of the spirit of Bellayne.Nimea - goddess of the sea; most countries venerate her under some sort of alias or just by one of her titles. Some even see her as male! Sol Invictus - the Sun Lord is the state religion of Belcadiz, and his worship has forced out that of all other deific beings, who are regarded as at best lesser servitors of the All-Conquering Sun, and at worst demons. He is known elsewhere as Ixion, amongst other names.Demon Princes/Dukes of Hell - There are many such beings who pander to the baser side of mortals. The people of this world tend not to make distinctions between evil (and some neutral) outsiders referring to them generally as 'demons'.Narul - Lord of Death and Disease; acknowledged more than worshipped. He is seen as a necessary part of the cycle of life in some religions.Lords of Chaos - powerful, amoral beings not so much given worship as respected as beings of power by the nearhuman people of Imarr. Very few humans even know of their existence, and the few who would worship such beings are often insane. They have names  such as Ariok, Lord of the Seven Darks, Slortaer the Beautiful, and Zeombarch, Queen of Swords.Planar cosmologyMost people don't pay much mind to how the different planes of reality interact, indeed many don't know such things exist. For those who do know however, the cosmology of this world is slightly different to standard.The Astral Plane is replaced by the Spirit World, a plane with the same traits that appears as a version of the real world where everything is magnified in splendour or depravity e.g. a dark cemetary where cultists are known to perform vile rites will appear horrific and twisted in the Spirit World, a forest will be more verdant, the mountains higher etc. Other planes can be reached via the Spirit World through portals, gates or even through 'normal' travel. In between the Material and the Spirit is the Ethereal which functions as per normal, except that it also reaches into the Spirit World.Surrounding all of these (or branching into them depending on your viewpoint) is the Shadowland, the Plane of Shadow which is as per normal.There are no Inner Planes, or rather parts of the Spirit World may be like Inner Planes, but there is no such thing as the Elemental Plane of Water etc. Elementals may be summoned normally.'Outer Planes' do exist but they are varied in their location and dimensions; some resemble the Material Plane, others are comparable to demi-planes.</blockquote>

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