History
1500 years ago (detailed records of the history of this time have been lost, only a few creatures still live from that time). There was a great war between the natives of the planet and alien invaders, little is known about these invaders or why they fought over the planet Ter'Wasrer. Other than they were humanoid and had great magic and technological powers. All seemed lost when the another star faring race showed up, the few historical fragments say these aliens were called the Elfhim, or the Star Elves. Their ships seemed more organic and magical that the technological hulks of the first invader race, the Shuman or Men of the Night. For months the star war went on ships from both invaders crashing into the planet. Natives died by the thousands whole nations where smashed.
Those that could hide in caves and prayed to the gawds to save them, few survived. The natives call this time the Great Falling. Centuries later the first real pieces of history resurfaced as those that survived found a changed land. Most of the land had been flooded by the sea creating thousands of islands ranging from not more than a few dozen feet across to a couple of hundred miles. The weather pattern vastly changed great sheets of ice blanket the poles, huge hurricanes roamed the seas, destroying ships during all seasons deserts vanished almost overnight, entire species have disappeared. Those that where left sought to rebuild and thus began a new age, a age after the fall:
After the Falling (ATF) Year 5
* Yarseer Muself forms the nation of Rurba, naming himself king and founding the capital city of Musel.
* Thurin MastWader forms the Deep Questers, a group of expert divers that sole goal is to explore the new oceans and discover more about the invader races (Elfhim and Shuman).
* The few elves that remain build a grand Galleon named the Golden Dawn and sail beyond the horizon to find an island to rebuild a grove. About 200, loyal to Yarseer stayed behind most being of the clan Silverleaf.
ATF Year 8
* Musel repels the first attack by a orcish pirates calling themselves the Bowcracker clan
* The Deep Questers return with the first pieces of star metal (from Shuman craft) and star wood (Elfhim) although hard to shape the metal and wood shows unclassifiable magical properties making strong and more effective weapons and items. Also they find a strange new liquid they name Aqua Magus. Soon almost everyone with a ship sets sail for the new riches of this reborn world, this Star Rush.
* After several months and much chaos from the 1st Star Rush, Yarseer blockades Musel harbor and passes a law that only ones that are authorized by the Deep Questers are the only ones that will be allowed to go into the open sea to search for star metal and wood. This causes a couple of months of rioting before order is restored.
* Yarseer orders the constuction of the a wall around the harbor heavily fortfided against weather and invasion to be built. (it soon becomes named the Breaking Wall as hulls of ships from inside and out pile up on it) on its top he orders a grand temple to Quarier, god of the sea, built (it is named the Eye of Quarier)
ATF Year 14
* A group of merchants and guild leaders not happy with the way Rurba was being ruled, bribed the current Master of the Wall (ie captain of the Breaking Wall) and flee to the open sea. They settle on a undiscovered island and form the kingdom of Mercui. With Guild Master Loran Beamlayer as its leader. Rurba immediatilty declares war on the new nation.
* Reports of an unknown underwater craft emerge, on one of the encounters with this unknown craft Thurin MastWader is killed by it. Leadership of the Deep Questers goes to his daughter Serera.
ATF 15
* The 1st Kingdom War between Mercui and Rurba is waged mostly on the open seas with neither side gaining an advantage. During this pirate raids by orcs, humans and even some dwarven vessels increase for both kingdoms. The Seafarers Guild catalogs over 100 different pirate bands, clans and groups in the year.
* Arch-Magus Silverpike prefects spells that allow non water breathing creatures to stay underwater and at great depths for days at a time. The money both kingdoms paid him funds his next research project of building a subwater craft.
AFT 18
* A truce in the war between Mercui and Rurba is called due to the pirate attacks and increasing attacks of the unknown underwater craft (now called by sailors Depcar, the underwater slayer). Both nations pour funds into the Deep Questers to locate and destroy this craft
* Serera is contacted by seafolk (merfolk and aquatic elves) during a dive to bring a nonaggression treaty to both the kingdoms of Mercui and Rurba in exchange for weapons to fight the sudden appearance of squidmen. The seafolk also reveal the existance of an underwater kingdom of seafolk and sea elves cause Tanatlis with its main city as Aquis.
* Deep Quester Remas Skycatcher leaves Musel on the war gallon Dawn Breaking in a quest to map the changed world of Ter'Waser.
AFT 20
* The First Squid war begins, squidmen riding kraken and devilfish assult Mercui, in response Tanatlis and Rurba sent aid. Squidmen come onshore wearing armor made of star metal that keeps them bathed in water rise up and attack the fledging city of Gilled, the capital of the Mercui kingdom. During this war Yarseer Muself is killed taking on the lord of the squidmen and his great kraken. Yarseer never married and never had a child, in a token of good will Loran Beamlayer's grandson Marku Beamlayer takes over rulership of Rurba.
AFT 23
* 3 years after it began, the 1st Squid War ends just as suddenly as the troops go back beneath the waves, Tanatlis searches the depths for them and can only find a small number of them.
* Rurba revolts against Marku Beamlayer because of people loyal to Yarseer's vision of Rurba incite the masses. Yarseer's head cleric, Father Leland, takes over Rurba. But instead of invading Mercui as many wish he decides to spend time and money to investigate reports of growing numbers of underwater undead and mind flayers.
* Lich Lord Samhien declares to Rurba and Mercui his kindom of the dammed and begins to attack both kingdoms with ships made of bone, maned by undead that have been grafted with star metal and wood.
* The Seafarers Guild produces its first book on sea routes, pirates and dive spots for star metal and wood. They call it the Sea Questers Guide Book (soon know as a SeaBook) and with the money it produces it funds fills the coffers of the Seafarers Guild and the Deep Questers. However some start to resent the power of the these guilds
AFT 25
* After many failures Arch-Magus Silverpike prefects a subwater craft, however on its madien voyage the craft is destoryed by the Depcar, Arch-Magus Silverpike's body was never found. His last message to a fellow mage proves to be fertile grounds for rumors for years to come: "I see lights from one of the Shuman craft, I am going to investigate. I see something in the opening, I am going to...". Both Rurba and Merci press for Tanatlis to assist them in tracking this craft down and destroying it once and for all, despite the most concerted search in history nothing is every found. Even communes with the gods provide no answers other than variations on the same message "The slayer of worlds dwells beneath the surface, to break it is to enter its domain. Its killer will be time". Other Magi search his tower and find prototypes of water torches, pressure saws, gill rings and the spells of water shell and sharkskin
* At the battle of Twin Emblems (a island marked by twin volcanic mountains that bathe the surrounding sea in lava and fire) the might of Lich Samhien is broken. Samhien retreats.
AFT 30
* After 13 years at sea, Remas Skycatcher returns to Musel. His maps prove to be invaluable in aiding Rurba, however Remas cautions that the islands and landmasses are changing and small islands may disappear or appear. Remas marries Serera MastWader and retires from sailing. Sadly Rurba refuses to share the maps with Mercui causing the 2nd Kingdom War.
* Remas also reveals the existence of a surface elven kingdom of Greenshore. And the disturbing increase in dark elves and derro in sailing craft.
* The Depcar is spotted attacking the Bowcracker clan's island fortress and with unknown weapons razes the island clean of all living creatures. This marks the first time it has attacked on land and the first time anyone has had a clear look at the vessel. Rumors spread it actually the Arch-Magus Silverpike that he faked his own death.
AFT 35
* The 2nd Kingdom War ends with a peace treaty and Rurba handing over a copy of the maps that Remas made
* Marku Beamlayer creates the standard ranking of naval and land forces with is quickly adopted by Mercui
* The Golden Dawn returns with a trade treaty for both kingdoms, however while docked in Musel. The Breaking Wall for the only time in history is breached as the Depcar attacks and sinks it with powerful magical beams and projectiles most of the harbor front is also destroyed. Hours later the Depcar attacks and destroys half the fleet of the kingdom of Mercui. Mercui, Rurba and Greenshore send their entire naval forces along with the help of Tanatlis. Again no one is successful but more ships are destroyed by pirates in the process of hunting severely weakening all the surface fleets of the nations
AFT 37
* Anarchy descends on the nations of Mercui and Rurba as people revolt over the seemingly wastefulness of searching after the Depcar. Which led to increased successful pirate raids.
* Marku Beamlayer is assassinated and a new nation arises from the depths. Lord Nicleous rides a huge kraken into the harbors of Mercui, Musel and Greenshore to proclaim the end of light, the comming of the Dark Commonwealth (a loose nation of dark elves, derro, evil sea creatures, undead and squidmen) and the ascendance of Kur the StarDestoryer.
* Kur turns the sun black for the year. As the battles in the heavens and the earth rages
AFT 38
* The light of the sun finally comes back as the might of the Dark Commonwealth is broken, surprising enough by multiple attacks from the Depcar Both Lord Nicleous and Lich Lord Samhien. Are killed, Musel is almost destroyed, same with Mercui. The Rurbian cities of Cadmine and Licfort are partially destroyed. The Breaking Wall is heavily damaged but still standing
* Sea Lord Cronis leads a rebel fleet from Mercui and over times forms the floating city-state of Hammerhead the city floats of a hulk of a Elfhim craft powered by gallons of Aqua Magus, the source of all this is a closely guarded.
* Hammerhead announces the formation of the Privateer guild and the posting of bounties on pirates from any nation. And that Hammerhead only goal is to make the seas a safer place.
AFT 50 (Present Day)
Rurba, and Mercui are strong powerful nations still wary of one another and growing more wary of the increasing power of Hammerhead. Greenshores has become more and more isolationist. The Dark Commonwealth is slowly regaining its former power and Depcar is still the phantom master of the depths of Ter'Waser
Races
- Humans
- Dwarves - some dwarves go beardless as a symbol of their lost homelands
- Elves - Greenshore elven clans usually dislike members from clan Silverleaf
- Gnomes
- Half-Elves - all Half-Elves will be members of clan Silverleaf since one of the edicts of Elves from Greenshore is not interbreeding (not saying the rare non Silverleaf half elf has not been born, they would be relentlessly hunted if their were found out)
- Half-Orcs
- Halfing
- Sea Elves/Mer-Folk
Nations
Rurba - most tend to think being the first nation in the new age they should be the ones to lead. The nation is led by a sovereign lord, if this lord dies before picking another then the leaders of the guilds select another. The position is for life. Rurba's current leader is Toora Skycatch daugther of Remas Skycatcher. Rurbians tend to have a dim view of those from Hammerhead labeling them not must better than pirates or common mercs
Rurba tends to create most of the star metal/wood items that Ter'Waser has. Also they have ample mineral and lumber deposits
Mercui - of utmost concern to a Mercuian is the value of his gold, this makes them shrew hagglers and businessmen. The nation is ruled by a group of powerful merchants although Mercui has a leader, their choices are dictated by the group. The group can elect at any time to dismiss their leader (although it must be a majority vote) or elect another one. The current leader of Mercui is Serera MastWader, however she is growing old and does not have the presence her father did. There is talk of replacing her soon.
Mercuian tend to put personal grudges aside in the pursuit of profit, however Rurbians tend to have to pay more. Most of Mercui profit comes from the sale or rental of ships that they make and of foodstuffs.
Hammerhead - Life is harsh, it's a life of fending off pirates, fixing leaks, protecting the floating fortress from the elements. Most people of hammerhead or warriors or clerics their is little time for the study of the arcane arts or little tolerance for those that live by stealing from others. People from hammerhead take a dim view of thieves and pirates. Hammerhead is divided in the 3 tiers, in order for a native to live on a higher tier and enjoy more protection from pirate raids/elements they have to fight a person from the higher tier in 1 on 1 combat that is overseen by a cleric of Caron.
The combat is usually not fatal and stops once one party or the other calls a halt or can no longer stand. During this combat only normal armor and weapons are used, magic of any kind is forbidden on penalty of death. Hammerhead choses its leader every 5 years in a grand melee (30 people all at once), combat is usually not fatal and its fought with normal weapons and armor. One of the greatest achievements for a person from Hammerhead is to win one of these coveted spots. 20 are given to those that win their way thru the lesser melee's held, 5 are given to any person of Hammerhead that can come up with a 50,000gp entrance fee. The last 5 are chosen at random from a pot that every adult in Hammerhead can submit their name for. If the person dies before the 5 years are up, another grand melee is held. The current leader is Father Drachorn. The next grand melee will be in ATF 55
Gods
Quarier - god of the sea - water aspect
Symbol - man riding 2 sharks
Alignment - good
Nidu - goddess of wind - air aspect
Symbol - Blue Triangle with gust of wind in middle
Alignment - good
Lemo - god of flames - fire aspect
Symbol - Iron Claw with a ball of flame in the palm
Alignment- evil
Tilicky - god of luck - luck aspect
Symbol - pair of six-sided dice
Alignment- neutral
Caron - god of war - war aspect
Symbol - Gleaming Battleaxe on top a skull
Alignment- netural
Braw - orc god - destruction aspect
Symbol - Hammer sticking out of a pile of ruble
Aligment - Evil
Peaceleaf - elven goddess - good aspect
Symbol - Pair of golden leafs
Alignment - Good
Stormbri - god of storms - weather aspect
Symbol - Bolt of Lighting
Aligment - Neutral
Kur the StarDestoryer - god of the void - chaos aspect
Symbol - Red eyes in a black field
Alignment - Evil
Gulfire - goddess of healing - healing aspect
Symbol - white cross on blue field
Alignment - good
Kanotes - god of death - death aspect
Symbol - black reaper
Aligment - evil
Sanotes (twin of Kanotes) - goddess of eternal sleep - repose aspect
Symbol - white reaper
Alignment - good
Evardale - elven god of plants - plant aspect
Symbol - Trees
Alignment - good
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