Variously known as Sekkan, Sekeri, Tellan and Sathva, the Sages are the last genetic cast I'll deal with here. They are universally associated with intellectual endveavors and often fill the roles of loremasters or scholars in a given culture. Because of this, they are also quite rare in less 'civilized' cultures - those without at least some literacy and the resources to support professional thinkers.
In those cultures that can support them, however, they are incredibly valuable. Though they do not often lend themselves to the occult or religious arts, their keen minds can be turned to a wide variety of areas of inquiries. They typically drive any innovation in natural philosophy, astrology, and the technical arts such as engineering and metallurgy. They are often strongly associated with powerful groups in a society - large guilds, powerful clans, ruling houses and major religions.
Sages are unusual in that they take slightly longer to gestate than other castes, and they are therefore born with heads that carry a distinctive shape for life - the tops of their skulls are larger and more peaked than other castes, even though their build tends to be lighter. It is a very rare Sekkan who does physical labor on a regular basis. They also tend to be more sensitive than other castes, meaning that they have stronger senses but they also tend to have more allergies and other limitations.
In the Empire of Ashua and nearby cultures they are known as Sekkan and they fall generally into three categories - those employed as historians, heralds and linguists by the Blood; those employed as scholars, historians or translators by the Chosen; and those employed by the military as engineers and quartermasters and logisticians.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Epic Dawn: Genetic Castes - Warriors
Known in many cultures as Tor, Aswagh, Skard, Morduk, Gamba and Doragh, the Warrior caste is both widely relied upon for defense and military prowess and generally distrusted for their violent impulses and physical strength. Tor are physically very imposing, almost always taller and heavier than most Humans, with thicker skin and fine, pervasive body hair. Their hair and skin colors tend toward earth tones rather than flesh tones more familliar to most castes, and they have bony knees, elbows and knuckles which can be utilized as weapons in hand combat. Heavy-jawed and thick-skulled, Warriors are nonetheless cunning when they choose to be.
Psychologically, Warriors tend to be violent and easily provoked. Because of this, there are always special laws for this caste promising severe punishments for violations of the public peace. These laws are most concerned with violence against Humans and other castes - violence between Warriors is often seen as an internal affair, and the main concern is often the property damage that often ensues.
In the Empire of Ashua and surrounding cultures, they are known as Tor. In the Empire, they suffer under a constant social stigma, and are almost exclusively relegated to positions as soldiers, mercenaries and bodyguards. They are not normally called upon to maintain public order because they are so easily provoked and often kill criminals rather than arrest them and take time to find out what actually transpired. Tor grow up quickly and die young more often than not, but there is also the tacit understanding that the defense of the Empire would be impossible without them. They can rise to the standing of heroes, garnering wide respect for their military exploits in wars of expansion and defense.
Some Tor have a strong sense of honor and will fight for what they believe in and otherwise try to control themselves. Others lack these compunctions and their services go to the highest bidder, sometimes without consideration for the legality of the enterprise in question. In the military, elite units are made up of almost exclusively Tor, and for any Human or other caste to enter such unites is a grueling task.
Outside the Empire, the Tor range from freedom fighters to indigenous warriors to cannibalistic raiders attacking outlying settlements and carrying loot and even people off into the wilderness.
Psychologically, Warriors tend to be violent and easily provoked. Because of this, there are always special laws for this caste promising severe punishments for violations of the public peace. These laws are most concerned with violence against Humans and other castes - violence between Warriors is often seen as an internal affair, and the main concern is often the property damage that often ensues.
In the Empire of Ashua and surrounding cultures, they are known as Tor. In the Empire, they suffer under a constant social stigma, and are almost exclusively relegated to positions as soldiers, mercenaries and bodyguards. They are not normally called upon to maintain public order because they are so easily provoked and often kill criminals rather than arrest them and take time to find out what actually transpired. Tor grow up quickly and die young more often than not, but there is also the tacit understanding that the defense of the Empire would be impossible without them. They can rise to the standing of heroes, garnering wide respect for their military exploits in wars of expansion and defense.
Some Tor have a strong sense of honor and will fight for what they believe in and otherwise try to control themselves. Others lack these compunctions and their services go to the highest bidder, sometimes without consideration for the legality of the enterprise in question. In the military, elite units are made up of almost exclusively Tor, and for any Human or other caste to enter such unites is a grueling task.
Outside the Empire, the Tor range from freedom fighters to indigenous warriors to cannibalistic raiders attacking outlying settlements and carrying loot and even people off into the wilderness.
Epic Dawn: Genetic Castes - Tinkers
The third genetic caste in this series are variously known as Tabian, Esdaran, Tabi, Reyas and Farai, all words meaning something like Tinkers. Tinkers are slightly smaller than average Humans but tend to be agile and durable. They are very clever and easily develop mechanical knowledge and skills. They are also highly adaptible - their bodies change quickly depending on what climate and region they live.
The social status of Tinkers depends on the social status of craftspeople in general in a given culture. In some cultures, they are little better than slaves, considered only suitable to unskilled mass labor. In others they are revered masters, held in high esteem for their technical skills and craft. Physically, they have little commonality from one region to another, except that they are usually more highly adapted than the local Humans or members of other castes. They also gravitate toward professions which allow them to work with their hands, whether working in rice fields or working as metallurgists in great foundries.
In the Empire of Ashua, the Tabian as they are called were emancipated from under the authority of the Old Empire where they were treated as little more than property of the ruling class. They have since become well-integrated into society, and have gravitated to agricultural and crafting trades. Generally, guilds are run by Tabian masters who pass down their well-protected craft secrets to apprentices and journeymen and who help organize against competitors in the same trade. Tabian are not generally considered prone to violence but they also understand that protecting trade secrets is crucial to their security in society. The Tabian guilds are relatively open to Humans and members of other castes, though they are all held to the same high standard in terms of technical skill and dedication.
Since becoming re-integrated, there arose a sub-culture among the Tabian motivated by bitterness at generations of enslavement under the Old Empire. Some of these formed underworld guilds and organizations, turning their nimble bodies and minds to illegal pursuits. Here, they come into direct competition with Khaldan crime lords, Umarin pimps and any number of Humans engaged in similar pursuits.
The social status of Tinkers depends on the social status of craftspeople in general in a given culture. In some cultures, they are little better than slaves, considered only suitable to unskilled mass labor. In others they are revered masters, held in high esteem for their technical skills and craft. Physically, they have little commonality from one region to another, except that they are usually more highly adapted than the local Humans or members of other castes. They also gravitate toward professions which allow them to work with their hands, whether working in rice fields or working as metallurgists in great foundries.
In the Empire of Ashua, the Tabian as they are called were emancipated from under the authority of the Old Empire where they were treated as little more than property of the ruling class. They have since become well-integrated into society, and have gravitated to agricultural and crafting trades. Generally, guilds are run by Tabian masters who pass down their well-protected craft secrets to apprentices and journeymen and who help organize against competitors in the same trade. Tabian are not generally considered prone to violence but they also understand that protecting trade secrets is crucial to their security in society. The Tabian guilds are relatively open to Humans and members of other castes, though they are all held to the same high standard in terms of technical skill and dedication.
Since becoming re-integrated, there arose a sub-culture among the Tabian motivated by bitterness at generations of enslavement under the Old Empire. Some of these formed underworld guilds and organizations, turning their nimble bodies and minds to illegal pursuits. Here, they come into direct competition with Khaldan crime lords, Umarin pimps and any number of Humans engaged in similar pursuits.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Epic Dawn: Genetic Castes - Enchanters
The second genetic caste we'll deal with are the Enchanters (I'm not completely wedded to the term but can't seem to find a better one), variously known as Umarin, Zaina, Alfen, Ayanna, Keelie, and Jedaya. Like Nobles, they are physically similar to Humans, but they are much more idealized in appearance than even the handsomest and most beautiful Humans. Generally they are various forms of stunning, and are also often quite otherworldly, with much more variation in coloration and complexion than is found in Humans. They tend to be somewhat slight of build with delicate, fine features and are almost unerringly graceful.
The real beauty of the Enchanters, however, is in their musical ability. Their voices are mellifluous and often extraordinary, and it is their music that grants them their name. They are, in a word, enchanting. Not quite as competitive as the Nobles, they still tend to desire as much attention as possible. If they love, it is to be loved in return. If they create art, it is almost never in solitude.
Enchanters are famous for their capacity for revelry. They have copious appetites of all kinds - for food, drink, games, luxury and sex. They can sometimes be obsessive, focusing on a pursuit or a passion to the exclusion of all else. Whatever they endeavour to do, they endeavour to turn it into art.
In the Empire of Ashua, the Umarin as they are called are associated with artistic and muscial endeavours and also serve as concubines and courtesans (both genders). There are two Lesser Houses which are devoted to philosophy which attract many Umarin whose passion is debate and the search for truth or aesthetics.
Because of the Umarin, it is very difficult for other castes or for Humans to become professional entertainers or artists. The competition is fierce, and it is always difficult to compete with someone who is extraordinarily attractive and also naturally gifted in expression.
The real beauty of the Enchanters, however, is in their musical ability. Their voices are mellifluous and often extraordinary, and it is their music that grants them their name. They are, in a word, enchanting. Not quite as competitive as the Nobles, they still tend to desire as much attention as possible. If they love, it is to be loved in return. If they create art, it is almost never in solitude.
Enchanters are famous for their capacity for revelry. They have copious appetites of all kinds - for food, drink, games, luxury and sex. They can sometimes be obsessive, focusing on a pursuit or a passion to the exclusion of all else. Whatever they endeavour to do, they endeavour to turn it into art.
In the Empire of Ashua, the Umarin as they are called are associated with artistic and muscial endeavours and also serve as concubines and courtesans (both genders). There are two Lesser Houses which are devoted to philosophy which attract many Umarin whose passion is debate and the search for truth or aesthetics.
Because of the Umarin, it is very difficult for other castes or for Humans to become professional entertainers or artists. The competition is fierce, and it is always difficult to compete with someone who is extraordinarily attractive and also naturally gifted in expression.
Epic Dawn: Genetic Castes - Nobles
Throughout all of the cultures in the Epic setting, grand and otherwise, there appear to be consistent sub-groups that often form castes. These are not races because they can only have children with their own kind, and they are in some cases quite clearly distinct from Humans. In other cases, however, there are a great many similarities, and all of the castes share a lot of biological similarities with the Humans they live among. In each description, I will outline how the caste in question functions in the Empire of Ashua, which is the default setting for Epic: Dawn (for now at least).
The first cast is the ruling caste, variously known as Khaldan, Rahim, Khadin, Alfar, Anu, Keegan, Kemali - all words in different languages meaning something like Nobles. They are physically most similar to Humans, and it is possible for a Human with a powerful presence and sculpted appearance to appear very similar indeed. The difference is when you actually meet them. A Noble has a powerful, palpable bearing of command which immediately makes its presence known, often just beneath consciousness. Authoritarian, they are difficult to contradict; angry, they are deeply menacing; displeased and you want to please them; cold, and it is like a wound.
With each other, they are fiercely competitive. It is rare that they can be in a room together without cutting remarks and one-upmanship. They respond to challenges to what authority they have with ferocity and even brutality. In many cultures, this takes the form of ritualized combat of some sort as a way to resolve this competitiveness without straining the culture or destabilizing it too much.
In the Empire of Ashua, the Khaldan do not carry the Blood, but they can join the ranks of the Chosen, and some certainly do, though their power is usually social and political more than it is spiritual. All of the Lesser Houses, as well, have Khaldan at their head, as do mercantile guilds and many other organizations. It is difficult for other mortals to resist a Khaldan when she has set her eye on a position of authority.
This is not to say that Khaldan invariably hold positions of power - it is simply that this is what they seem well-suited to doing. There are always rebels and iconoclasts, but even these will have unintended effects on those around them, swaying them without perhaps even intending to.
In Ashua, there is a strong and widespread culture of dueling amongst the Khaldan as a way to satisfy matters of personal and family honor. The straightsword has developed as the weapon of choice for such duels, and has strong associations with honor and nobility. The severity of such duels varies - they may be bloodless, ending when one combatant is disarmed or worn down; they may be to first blood, which often ends quickly; and it is not unheard of for there to be duels to the death over matters of deep insult or intractable contention. Often, such duels become local entertainment since even individuals can carry themselves with a great deal of pomp and ceremony. Non-Khaldan will cheer for personal favorites and place bets on the outcome, all of which the Nobles soak up happily. Technically, duels to the death are illegal, but in almost all cases the Khaldan have enough power with the Blood and the Chosen to avoid repercussions beyond perhaps reimbursement to bereaved families.
The first cast is the ruling caste, variously known as Khaldan, Rahim, Khadin, Alfar, Anu, Keegan, Kemali - all words in different languages meaning something like Nobles. They are physically most similar to Humans, and it is possible for a Human with a powerful presence and sculpted appearance to appear very similar indeed. The difference is when you actually meet them. A Noble has a powerful, palpable bearing of command which immediately makes its presence known, often just beneath consciousness. Authoritarian, they are difficult to contradict; angry, they are deeply menacing; displeased and you want to please them; cold, and it is like a wound.
With each other, they are fiercely competitive. It is rare that they can be in a room together without cutting remarks and one-upmanship. They respond to challenges to what authority they have with ferocity and even brutality. In many cultures, this takes the form of ritualized combat of some sort as a way to resolve this competitiveness without straining the culture or destabilizing it too much.
In the Empire of Ashua, the Khaldan do not carry the Blood, but they can join the ranks of the Chosen, and some certainly do, though their power is usually social and political more than it is spiritual. All of the Lesser Houses, as well, have Khaldan at their head, as do mercantile guilds and many other organizations. It is difficult for other mortals to resist a Khaldan when she has set her eye on a position of authority.
This is not to say that Khaldan invariably hold positions of power - it is simply that this is what they seem well-suited to doing. There are always rebels and iconoclasts, but even these will have unintended effects on those around them, swaying them without perhaps even intending to.
In Ashua, there is a strong and widespread culture of dueling amongst the Khaldan as a way to satisfy matters of personal and family honor. The straightsword has developed as the weapon of choice for such duels, and has strong associations with honor and nobility. The severity of such duels varies - they may be bloodless, ending when one combatant is disarmed or worn down; they may be to first blood, which often ends quickly; and it is not unheard of for there to be duels to the death over matters of deep insult or intractable contention. Often, such duels become local entertainment since even individuals can carry themselves with a great deal of pomp and ceremony. Non-Khaldan will cheer for personal favorites and place bets on the outcome, all of which the Nobles soak up happily. Technically, duels to the death are illegal, but in almost all cases the Khaldan have enough power with the Blood and the Chosen to avoid repercussions beyond perhaps reimbursement to bereaved families.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Podcast Addict
I've recently discovered the wide world of gaming podcasts, and have found that my ears have become somewhat sore from the constant presence of iPod earbuds. I've added some links to the list if you are perhaps interested in checking some of these out. I'm up to date with the The Bear's Grove and am currently listening through The Round Table, with others on the sidelines, including Does My Geek Look Big in This and Dragon's Landing.
What all this listening really makes me yearn for is some sort of situation where I can game all the time, and then talk about gaming. I'm sure I'd come up for air now and then, but I definitely have an unhealthy desire for gaming.
I'm still kicking around ideas in my head for a cooperative game-world creation with my gaming group which would serve as a game in itself. In general, I tend to run games where the players have a huge amount of freedom (and they sometimes complain at the lack of overt plot/direction from me) but I also like the idea of the players taking an active part in the creation of the story - I love to see players driving the plot along themselves through their characters' actions and decisions. That's when I really get excited about a game, when I feel like I'm doing my job as a GM/Storyteller/whatever. I love a game where it feels like an emergent thing, like more than the sum of its parts. I mean, if I wanted to just tell a story that I had in my head, I'd write it down. For me, the joy of running a game is the fact that characters will surprise and challenge you - at least good ones will.
What all this listening really makes me yearn for is some sort of situation where I can game all the time, and then talk about gaming. I'm sure I'd come up for air now and then, but I definitely have an unhealthy desire for gaming.
I'm still kicking around ideas in my head for a cooperative game-world creation with my gaming group which would serve as a game in itself. In general, I tend to run games where the players have a huge amount of freedom (and they sometimes complain at the lack of overt plot/direction from me) but I also like the idea of the players taking an active part in the creation of the story - I love to see players driving the plot along themselves through their characters' actions and decisions. That's when I really get excited about a game, when I feel like I'm doing my job as a GM/Storyteller/whatever. I love a game where it feels like an emergent thing, like more than the sum of its parts. I mean, if I wanted to just tell a story that I had in my head, I'd write it down. For me, the joy of running a game is the fact that characters will surprise and challenge you - at least good ones will.
Monday, March 19, 2007
An Idea Occurred to Me
While re-reading Aria: Worlds, I realized that it could be cool to run a game in the way that they suggest - that is, have the player characters involved in creating the setting itself, handling conflicts between groups and societies in the same way you'd handle conflicts between characters in a normal RP session. Then, once you've developed this detailed and probably surprising world that everyone has something invested it, you play a chronicle in the setting.
I'm not in love with the complexity with which Aria: Worlds handles this idea, and so I'm giving some free-time thought to how I would handle it myself. I think this could be fun for something to run after my current Mage game is over and after my friend Aric runs his BESM game.
Anyway, just a thought.
I'm not in love with the complexity with which Aria: Worlds handles this idea, and so I'm giving some free-time thought to how I would handle it myself. I think this could be fun for something to run after my current Mage game is over and after my friend Aric runs his BESM game.
Anyway, just a thought.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Epic Dawn Settings: The Commonwealth
Really a collection of very diverse cultures under a general political structure, the Commonwealth is loosely modeled after east asia and south asia. Clearly, this is a vast diversity of cultures, and the Commonwealth is the most complex setting for Epic Dawn.
In very broad terms, the Old Empire's incursions eastard into the realms now known as the Commonwealth was successfully resisted, and this resistance was based on a rejection of the source of the Old Empire's power - an overt connection to the spirit world. Faced with a seething army of giants and warriors and monsters, fueled by the wrath of a blood god bent on conquest, the response of the various cultures of this region was to band together not with their own opposing deities but through the idea that the denizens of the spirit are very real but that they are not benevolent, that they are in fact demonic, and must be resisted.
Many of the cultures that joined in this loose alliance had independent traditions of seers and mystics who were able to hone their vision and will to achieve supernatural feats. These various wise men and women found that they were able to communicate with each other in a realm where only the consciousness could go. Through this communication they were able to organize widely distant allies in mutual defense against the onrush of bloodthirsty hordes.
Out of this long mutuality grew what is now known as the Temple of Mind. The various seers and mystics, working together, were able to develop a shared culture and system of training and development. Their connections grew, and through them, the connections between the disparate cultures they arose from.
Through this the monks and nuns of the Temple of Mind were able to establish a loose hegemony, working together to influence the various cultures along lines they supported. Primarily for defense, this organization gave rise to a Commander-General who later became the Governor-General, a figurehead for the Commonwealth who was primarily responsible for organizing a united front against foreign incursion.
Since the fall of the Old Empire over 500 years ago, this situation has changed. The organization structure that began as simple mutual defense has been strengthened, with the Governor-General becoming a more powerful individual, sometimes even referred to as an Emperor. The Temple of Mind's hegemony has tightened to the point where it is the source of almost all power across the Commonwealth.
The main resistance to the power of the Commonwealth and the Temple of Mind is an individual named Akko, known as the Demon Prince. He is the son of Kaia, a sorceress who served the Demon Rai (for the Commonwealth, spirit or deity = demon), and he is carving out his own small kingdom in resistance to the Temple of Mind and the Governor-General. A surprising number of people flock to his banner, even after hundreds of years of repression of indiginous beliefs about spirits and the spirit world. Thus far, Akko's power has proven adequate defense against the attacks mounted by the Governor-General and even attempts by the monks and nuns of the Temple to spy on him from a distance.
It is Akko's stated purpose to create a realm where communities are free to connnect to the spirit world without the interference of the servants of the Temple. This is of course entirely counter to the structure of belief that the Temple has worked to create for hundreds of years. During that time there was of course resistance, sometimes massive, but in recent generations only Akko has been able to resist their attacks for an extended period of time. There is also the problem that Akko is in fact the child of a Demon and a Sorceress, meaning he will be around for a long time.
Final Note: The Commonwealth is, obviously, loosely based on various Asian cultures, and is well-suited to a campaign that is interested in these settings. Granted, there are (hopefully) a lot of important differences, but that is the theme and the feel of the setting overall. Other themes involved are the contention between the materialist mindset and the spiritual mindset, how one can demonize the other and what the result is. It also has an edge of paranoia with the monks of the Temple of Mind, able to read your very thoughts and secretly (or at times openly) controlling the political structures of all cultures they touch.
In very broad terms, the Old Empire's incursions eastard into the realms now known as the Commonwealth was successfully resisted, and this resistance was based on a rejection of the source of the Old Empire's power - an overt connection to the spirit world. Faced with a seething army of giants and warriors and monsters, fueled by the wrath of a blood god bent on conquest, the response of the various cultures of this region was to band together not with their own opposing deities but through the idea that the denizens of the spirit are very real but that they are not benevolent, that they are in fact demonic, and must be resisted.
Many of the cultures that joined in this loose alliance had independent traditions of seers and mystics who were able to hone their vision and will to achieve supernatural feats. These various wise men and women found that they were able to communicate with each other in a realm where only the consciousness could go. Through this communication they were able to organize widely distant allies in mutual defense against the onrush of bloodthirsty hordes.
Out of this long mutuality grew what is now known as the Temple of Mind. The various seers and mystics, working together, were able to develop a shared culture and system of training and development. Their connections grew, and through them, the connections between the disparate cultures they arose from.
Through this the monks and nuns of the Temple of Mind were able to establish a loose hegemony, working together to influence the various cultures along lines they supported. Primarily for defense, this organization gave rise to a Commander-General who later became the Governor-General, a figurehead for the Commonwealth who was primarily responsible for organizing a united front against foreign incursion.
Since the fall of the Old Empire over 500 years ago, this situation has changed. The organization structure that began as simple mutual defense has been strengthened, with the Governor-General becoming a more powerful individual, sometimes even referred to as an Emperor. The Temple of Mind's hegemony has tightened to the point where it is the source of almost all power across the Commonwealth.
The main resistance to the power of the Commonwealth and the Temple of Mind is an individual named Akko, known as the Demon Prince. He is the son of Kaia, a sorceress who served the Demon Rai (for the Commonwealth, spirit or deity = demon), and he is carving out his own small kingdom in resistance to the Temple of Mind and the Governor-General. A surprising number of people flock to his banner, even after hundreds of years of repression of indiginous beliefs about spirits and the spirit world. Thus far, Akko's power has proven adequate defense against the attacks mounted by the Governor-General and even attempts by the monks and nuns of the Temple to spy on him from a distance.
It is Akko's stated purpose to create a realm where communities are free to connnect to the spirit world without the interference of the servants of the Temple. This is of course entirely counter to the structure of belief that the Temple has worked to create for hundreds of years. During that time there was of course resistance, sometimes massive, but in recent generations only Akko has been able to resist their attacks for an extended period of time. There is also the problem that Akko is in fact the child of a Demon and a Sorceress, meaning he will be around for a long time.
Final Note: The Commonwealth is, obviously, loosely based on various Asian cultures, and is well-suited to a campaign that is interested in these settings. Granted, there are (hopefully) a lot of important differences, but that is the theme and the feel of the setting overall. Other themes involved are the contention between the materialist mindset and the spiritual mindset, how one can demonize the other and what the result is. It also has an edge of paranoia with the monks of the Temple of Mind, able to read your very thoughts and secretly (or at times openly) controlling the political structures of all cultures they touch.
Epic Dawn Settings: The Old Empire
Loosely based on ancient Mesopotamia, the Old Empire is the term used to describe what was in fact a succession of empires which first expanded to bring order to the various lands detailed in this setting. In the past the Old Empire was a vast presence, building massive stone monuments and cities which still dwarf most contemporary attempts. The Empire's power was founded on 300 years of rulership under the hero Amaru and his wife Tudhaliya. Amaru was a great hero, born of a virgin and the blood-deity Marak, who crushed opposition and unified the empire for generations. Crucial to this was his wife, who bore Amaru sons who grew to be giants, half-divine through the power of her blood-magic. They were the backbone of the Old Empire, both in the military and in its tremendous capacity to build.
The second reason for the Old Empire's long ascendency was its use of the horse in battle and in trade. The Urian culture, the heart of the Empire, developed in the mountainous interior of their land, raising and breeding superb horses and fighting amongst themselves in tribal skirmishes. With a core of giants bred for war and brutality and waves of superb horsemen, the Empire was unstoppable for hundreds of years.
The final fall began from within. During what became the Mortal Rebellion, the Empire was thrown down and the capital city of Mitan razed, its inhabitants massacred. Amaru was eventually brought down and killed, though his wife, the mother of a vast brood of monsters, was never found.
The new power that arose were the followers of two gods of mortality - a god of life and a god of death, Ishulla and Anu respectively. The priests of these two deities are the only unifying power in the lands once ruled by Amaru and Tudhaliya, and they occupy opposite positions in society. Ishulla is the god of attachment, the god of the pain and pleasures of this life, of the experiences of mortality. Anu is the god of death, the god of transcendence, the god of whatever it is that comes after the time of a mortal is at an end. Though they are always at odds, on some level the understand that each is a necessary counterpoint for the other.
For the most part, the Old Empire is now a realm of ruins, ghosts and monsters, the legacy of the bloody reign of Amaru and Tudhaliya.
Final Note: This setting is well-suited to a horror-themed game where the player-characters go out into the unknown or explore haunted ruins or face terrible things that come out of the darkness to threaten civilization. The setting is built around the crumbling remains of a vast dynasty that fell amidst violence and betrayal, and these facts scar the land wherever the Old Empire held sway.
The second reason for the Old Empire's long ascendency was its use of the horse in battle and in trade. The Urian culture, the heart of the Empire, developed in the mountainous interior of their land, raising and breeding superb horses and fighting amongst themselves in tribal skirmishes. With a core of giants bred for war and brutality and waves of superb horsemen, the Empire was unstoppable for hundreds of years.
The final fall began from within. During what became the Mortal Rebellion, the Empire was thrown down and the capital city of Mitan razed, its inhabitants massacred. Amaru was eventually brought down and killed, though his wife, the mother of a vast brood of monsters, was never found.
The new power that arose were the followers of two gods of mortality - a god of life and a god of death, Ishulla and Anu respectively. The priests of these two deities are the only unifying power in the lands once ruled by Amaru and Tudhaliya, and they occupy opposite positions in society. Ishulla is the god of attachment, the god of the pain and pleasures of this life, of the experiences of mortality. Anu is the god of death, the god of transcendence, the god of whatever it is that comes after the time of a mortal is at an end. Though they are always at odds, on some level the understand that each is a necessary counterpoint for the other.
For the most part, the Old Empire is now a realm of ruins, ghosts and monsters, the legacy of the bloody reign of Amaru and Tudhaliya.
Final Note: This setting is well-suited to a horror-themed game where the player-characters go out into the unknown or explore haunted ruins or face terrible things that come out of the darkness to threaten civilization. The setting is built around the crumbling remains of a vast dynasty that fell amidst violence and betrayal, and these facts scar the land wherever the Old Empire held sway.
Epic Dawn Settings: The North
North of the Empire of Ashua, across a wide sea, there are two major cultures currently in conflict, modeled somewhat after the ancient Celts and Vikings. The first culture is the Dannu, and they are a loose confederation of tribes and chieftains primarily concerned with preserving their culture against incursion from outside. They are centered in the hinterland, far from the southern coast, and are more agrarian than their warlike neighbors and have not left behind the ways of hunter-gatherers entirely. They worship a pantheon of deities who all serve Dannu, the mother deity, in the capacity of patron deities arising form nature or from heroes of the legendary past who have been raised to that status. Their leader is the high priestess of Dannu, which is not a hereditary position but is one that has rise to prominence because of her capacity to preserve the tribes who are allied with her.
Along the coasts are the Torbeorn, who also call themselves the Second Men. They serve the storm-God Mir among a pantheon of deities, many of which are openly hostile to mortals. They are fishers and seafarers of great skill and are supported by light cultivation and raiding. They have been united under the banner of the strongest warlord in generations, Arren Skyhelm, whose heirs have set their sights on founding a kingdom of their own. The so-called Second Men are known across the sea in the Empire of Ashua as raiders and traders and ironworkers of great skill, depending on the generation. This volatile relationship has prevented alliances in the past, something Arren's ambitious heirs wish to rectify.
Final Note: This is the setting which, because it is loosely based on Europe, is the most similar to a 'standard' fantasy setting. It is best suited to what might be called the 'standard' fantasy game which revolves around small groups of heroes going on quests and heroically facing great evil. It is also a setting that lends itself to a seasonal rythm - the winters are fierce and long and result in five months where there is very little travel or work of any kind. Later on, I will talk about genetic castes in Epic, and it is very possible to interpret them in terms of more standard fantasy races in a lot of ways.
Along the coasts are the Torbeorn, who also call themselves the Second Men. They serve the storm-God Mir among a pantheon of deities, many of which are openly hostile to mortals. They are fishers and seafarers of great skill and are supported by light cultivation and raiding. They have been united under the banner of the strongest warlord in generations, Arren Skyhelm, whose heirs have set their sights on founding a kingdom of their own. The so-called Second Men are known across the sea in the Empire of Ashua as raiders and traders and ironworkers of great skill, depending on the generation. This volatile relationship has prevented alliances in the past, something Arren's ambitious heirs wish to rectify.
Final Note: This is the setting which, because it is loosely based on Europe, is the most similar to a 'standard' fantasy setting. It is best suited to what might be called the 'standard' fantasy game which revolves around small groups of heroes going on quests and heroically facing great evil. It is also a setting that lends itself to a seasonal rythm - the winters are fierce and long and result in five months where there is very little travel or work of any kind. Later on, I will talk about genetic castes in Epic, and it is very possible to interpret them in terms of more standard fantasy races in a lot of ways.
Epic Dawn Settings: The Empire of Ashua
There are four major settings in Epic Dawn, each styled somewhat after historical Earth cultures (what else could they be styled after?) and each having what I hope is a distinct feel. Theoretically, games run in each region will have a distinct set of challenges and environments that are still connected to the overall concept for the world.
The first and default setting is the Empire of Ashua, modeled somewhat after Bronze Age Egypt. It is an empire centered around the rich floodplain of a great river flowing from mountains in the south to the coast in the north. To the east are wide rolling plains and hills and to the west is teeming rainforest. The empire, named after the river that flows through it, is ruled by an Emperor who was its founder over five hundred years before. He is the heir of the river-god who is also the patron deity of the empire, its mythological founder. He and his descendents are known as the Blood, and they are the Halfling ruling class of the Empire.
The Emperor has had various consorts over his long life, through which come the various lines of the Blood in the Empire. Each consort, when she dies, is honored by being raised to the status of a Saint, and each one has a Great House dedicated to her worship and service. Some Great Houses are very much in line with the Emperor and some are not. Each Great House exercises influence in an area associated with the particular Saint - diplomacy, philosophy, war, and information gathering for example.
The Empire is also served by an order of priests (the term is used generally - there are male and female priests, though more are male) who are known as the Chosen. Their connection to the deities does not come directly from their linneage but through revelation and most of the Chosen are mortal. Some, however, exhibit the same kinds of otherworldly powers associated with the Blood.
As the Empire expanded and absorbed more and more different cultures surrounding it, some of these cultures have sought to maintain some distinctness and integrity. For this purpose, they formed Lesser Houses, modeled after the Great Houses, as a way of organizing themselves and maintaining some autonomy in the Empire. These Lesser Houses tend to be regional and ethnically unified.
(There is a huge amount of information aside from this that just won't fit on this blog - which is true of all of the settings and background information that I'll be posting about. I'm just posting a few very basic things that give a feel for a given idea, location, etc.)
Final Note: This setting is well-suited to games that center on intrigue and political games of influence and which have a wide, sweeping scope. Ashua is the default setting of the Epic system and it is geared toward epic games with very high stakes, in a situation where the PCs will always have to maneuver in relation to more powerful forces in the world represented by the Blood and the Chosen.
The first and default setting is the Empire of Ashua, modeled somewhat after Bronze Age Egypt. It is an empire centered around the rich floodplain of a great river flowing from mountains in the south to the coast in the north. To the east are wide rolling plains and hills and to the west is teeming rainforest. The empire, named after the river that flows through it, is ruled by an Emperor who was its founder over five hundred years before. He is the heir of the river-god who is also the patron deity of the empire, its mythological founder. He and his descendents are known as the Blood, and they are the Halfling ruling class of the Empire.
The Emperor has had various consorts over his long life, through which come the various lines of the Blood in the Empire. Each consort, when she dies, is honored by being raised to the status of a Saint, and each one has a Great House dedicated to her worship and service. Some Great Houses are very much in line with the Emperor and some are not. Each Great House exercises influence in an area associated with the particular Saint - diplomacy, philosophy, war, and information gathering for example.
The Empire is also served by an order of priests (the term is used generally - there are male and female priests, though more are male) who are known as the Chosen. Their connection to the deities does not come directly from their linneage but through revelation and most of the Chosen are mortal. Some, however, exhibit the same kinds of otherworldly powers associated with the Blood.
As the Empire expanded and absorbed more and more different cultures surrounding it, some of these cultures have sought to maintain some distinctness and integrity. For this purpose, they formed Lesser Houses, modeled after the Great Houses, as a way of organizing themselves and maintaining some autonomy in the Empire. These Lesser Houses tend to be regional and ethnically unified.
(There is a huge amount of information aside from this that just won't fit on this blog - which is true of all of the settings and background information that I'll be posting about. I'm just posting a few very basic things that give a feel for a given idea, location, etc.)
Final Note: This setting is well-suited to games that center on intrigue and political games of influence and which have a wide, sweeping scope. Ashua is the default setting of the Epic system and it is geared toward epic games with very high stakes, in a situation where the PCs will always have to maneuver in relation to more powerful forces in the world represented by the Blood and the Chosen.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Epic Introduction, Setting and Assumptions
(Throughout this, I'll be speaking as if all the ideas were mine. This isn't true, but the ideas have changed a bit since I and my two friends first came up with them, and a lot of work has taken place since then. Rather than parse out who came up with what, I basically look at this as my idea at this point - not in where it came from, but in where it is now.)
Epic has three main settings, and perhaps four, though the forth one is the least-defined. The one on which I've done the most work, by far, is the fantasy setting called Epic Dawn. The concept for the setting is for an entire world with multiple centers of civilization, each with their own feel. The setting is in the mythical past, but rather than the usual medieval setting, we chose something closer to the Bronze and Iron Ages. Except for a few games like Agon, I don't think there are many Bronze Age roleplaying games. Its an interesting setting, for me, because there is even more legendary material than a normal medieval-era setting. It is a time that is associated with the burgeoning of new ideas like geometry and democracy, side by side with intense mysticism and stories of monsters and heroes. It is also, in some ways, less defined, giving more leeway in presenting the time period than something set closer to the present day.
The overall world for Epic Dawn is in many ways similar to Earth. In the standard setting, the world is just coming out of a long Ice Age which followed some cataclysm that is barely remembered. There are strange ruins scattered around the world which hint at a strange civilization that preceded the current inhabitants, but all meaningful traces of them appear to be gone. Any useful materials in these ruins have long since been scavenged and put to other uses, and whatever symbols are found cannot be interpreted. Of course, every civilization has its own version of this past apocalypse explaining why and how it came about, but the few students of that ancient civilization know that it is mostly conjecture.
For all of my main civilizations, I took cues from historical civilizations on Earth and then did whatever I wanted with them. First, though, a few assumptions that they all basically share.
For this system and setting, I wanted a more interesting system of magic than I had encountered in other games up to this point. Magic is almost always arbitrary in how it is constructed - basically, you say some weird words and make some odd gestures and a fireball results. The other option is that magic is very loosely defined, categorized into general forces in the world or categories of influence, leading to a free-form system that loses a lot of its mystery and interest because it doesn't come from somewhere.
This is very distinct from magical and occult systems from our own history and even the modern day. Usually, magic had two general sources - the first is essentially the established religion. That might be a cult dedicated to a particular deity, or a larger pantheon, etc. The second is the spirits of nature, often outside of the influence of the established faith and therefore contrary to it. These may be lesser, local spirits, or simply symbols of the forces of nature. The first assumption comes out of this:
1. Magic comes from the interaction of the material world and the spirit world.
Since I wanted a game that had an epic feel, I had to figure out where these heroes, who will presumably have special powers, come from. I started thinking about legendary stories and fantasy fiction, especially things like the Lord of the Rings. In these stories, lineage plays a large part in who you are and what makes you a hero (or villain). Sometimes this lineage is mundane - you are simply the child of an exceptional family (for example: Harry Potter, Frodo Baggins). Other times, this lineage is supernatural. Somewhere in the past, there was a union between a spiritual being and one of your ancestors (for example: Heracles, Elrond). In this case, the term I use for the spiritual being in your lineage is Immortal, because it may be a deity or a spirit, an angel or a demon, etc.
This also fit into the Bronze Age idea of rulers being children of the gods, or children of heaven, in a literal sense. It was a short step to decide that these Halflings, half-immortals, would be the rulers of many of the major civilizations in the setting. The ruling class would be, in essence, part-divine. Hence, two more assumptions:
2. Your identity comes in large part from your lineage, and the great (or evil) deeds of your ancestors can alter the course of your own life.
3. The greatest rulers and heroes are those who have an Immortal in their bloodline, called Halflings (among other things). They are always more powerful than human beings and live a very long time, if not indefinitely.
For a game to be epic, and often for it to be fantasy, there has to be something significant at stake, both for the wider world and for the character in particular. I wanted a moral aspect built into the game, but one that was more interesting than the usual sense that Good and Evil (or perhaps Law and Chaos) were opposed to each other, evenly balanced in a sort of Zoroastrian dichotomy, and that you adhered to one or the other in the cosmic battle.
The image I had in mind was from the Star Wars original trilogy, when Luke and Vader meet and though Vader is undoubtedly evil, Luke can sense the good that was in him that is still there, buried. This is more than Luke being Good and Vader being Evil. Luke also had to undergo a struggle to resist the lure of the Dark Side for himself. I liked that sense that "evil" was a universal lure that many fell to some of the time, but that redemption was always theoretically possible. I also liked the idea that evil, while selfish and harmful, was also advantageous.
The idea I came up with was to have every character have an Ideal that they follow, but to also have a Shadow. Every villain thinks they are doing the right thing - they are following their Ideal - but the means are important. How you follow your idea is what makes you and what you do good or evil (in my view at least). If you pursue your Ideal by any means, you fall to your Shadow, which makes you powerful but also corrupts you and what you accomplish. If you pursue your Idea while resisting your Shadow, it is much more difficult and slow going, but the fruits of your labors are more...well, idea. This results in a final assumption of the setting:
4. Heroes follow their Ideal while also resisting their Shadow, whereas villains follow their Ideal but fall to their Shadow and become corrupted.
A fifth assumption centers around a source of conflict that shows itself in all of the Epic settings - in Epic Dawn it is shifted in one direction; in Epic Dusk it is at a crucial turning-point and the consequences play out; and in Epic Night it has turned entirely in the other direction. The assumption has to do with the interaction of the material and the spiritual world:
5. Spirit arises from the natural world, and is impinged by the encroachment of development and technology.
The relationship is more complex than this, really, but the fundamental assumption is there. Another way to say this might be that spirit is an emergent order in the world, and the order that mortals impose on the world is in conflict with it.
Epic has three main settings, and perhaps four, though the forth one is the least-defined. The one on which I've done the most work, by far, is the fantasy setting called Epic Dawn. The concept for the setting is for an entire world with multiple centers of civilization, each with their own feel. The setting is in the mythical past, but rather than the usual medieval setting, we chose something closer to the Bronze and Iron Ages. Except for a few games like Agon, I don't think there are many Bronze Age roleplaying games. Its an interesting setting, for me, because there is even more legendary material than a normal medieval-era setting. It is a time that is associated with the burgeoning of new ideas like geometry and democracy, side by side with intense mysticism and stories of monsters and heroes. It is also, in some ways, less defined, giving more leeway in presenting the time period than something set closer to the present day.
The overall world for Epic Dawn is in many ways similar to Earth. In the standard setting, the world is just coming out of a long Ice Age which followed some cataclysm that is barely remembered. There are strange ruins scattered around the world which hint at a strange civilization that preceded the current inhabitants, but all meaningful traces of them appear to be gone. Any useful materials in these ruins have long since been scavenged and put to other uses, and whatever symbols are found cannot be interpreted. Of course, every civilization has its own version of this past apocalypse explaining why and how it came about, but the few students of that ancient civilization know that it is mostly conjecture.
For all of my main civilizations, I took cues from historical civilizations on Earth and then did whatever I wanted with them. First, though, a few assumptions that they all basically share.
For this system and setting, I wanted a more interesting system of magic than I had encountered in other games up to this point. Magic is almost always arbitrary in how it is constructed - basically, you say some weird words and make some odd gestures and a fireball results. The other option is that magic is very loosely defined, categorized into general forces in the world or categories of influence, leading to a free-form system that loses a lot of its mystery and interest because it doesn't come from somewhere.
This is very distinct from magical and occult systems from our own history and even the modern day. Usually, magic had two general sources - the first is essentially the established religion. That might be a cult dedicated to a particular deity, or a larger pantheon, etc. The second is the spirits of nature, often outside of the influence of the established faith and therefore contrary to it. These may be lesser, local spirits, or simply symbols of the forces of nature. The first assumption comes out of this:
1. Magic comes from the interaction of the material world and the spirit world.
Since I wanted a game that had an epic feel, I had to figure out where these heroes, who will presumably have special powers, come from. I started thinking about legendary stories and fantasy fiction, especially things like the Lord of the Rings. In these stories, lineage plays a large part in who you are and what makes you a hero (or villain). Sometimes this lineage is mundane - you are simply the child of an exceptional family (for example: Harry Potter, Frodo Baggins). Other times, this lineage is supernatural. Somewhere in the past, there was a union between a spiritual being and one of your ancestors (for example: Heracles, Elrond). In this case, the term I use for the spiritual being in your lineage is Immortal, because it may be a deity or a spirit, an angel or a demon, etc.
This also fit into the Bronze Age idea of rulers being children of the gods, or children of heaven, in a literal sense. It was a short step to decide that these Halflings, half-immortals, would be the rulers of many of the major civilizations in the setting. The ruling class would be, in essence, part-divine. Hence, two more assumptions:
2. Your identity comes in large part from your lineage, and the great (or evil) deeds of your ancestors can alter the course of your own life.
3. The greatest rulers and heroes are those who have an Immortal in their bloodline, called Halflings (among other things). They are always more powerful than human beings and live a very long time, if not indefinitely.
For a game to be epic, and often for it to be fantasy, there has to be something significant at stake, both for the wider world and for the character in particular. I wanted a moral aspect built into the game, but one that was more interesting than the usual sense that Good and Evil (or perhaps Law and Chaos) were opposed to each other, evenly balanced in a sort of Zoroastrian dichotomy, and that you adhered to one or the other in the cosmic battle.
The image I had in mind was from the Star Wars original trilogy, when Luke and Vader meet and though Vader is undoubtedly evil, Luke can sense the good that was in him that is still there, buried. This is more than Luke being Good and Vader being Evil. Luke also had to undergo a struggle to resist the lure of the Dark Side for himself. I liked that sense that "evil" was a universal lure that many fell to some of the time, but that redemption was always theoretically possible. I also liked the idea that evil, while selfish and harmful, was also advantageous.
The idea I came up with was to have every character have an Ideal that they follow, but to also have a Shadow. Every villain thinks they are doing the right thing - they are following their Ideal - but the means are important. How you follow your idea is what makes you and what you do good or evil (in my view at least). If you pursue your Ideal by any means, you fall to your Shadow, which makes you powerful but also corrupts you and what you accomplish. If you pursue your Idea while resisting your Shadow, it is much more difficult and slow going, but the fruits of your labors are more...well, idea. This results in a final assumption of the setting:
4. Heroes follow their Ideal while also resisting their Shadow, whereas villains follow their Ideal but fall to their Shadow and become corrupted.
A fifth assumption centers around a source of conflict that shows itself in all of the Epic settings - in Epic Dawn it is shifted in one direction; in Epic Dusk it is at a crucial turning-point and the consequences play out; and in Epic Night it has turned entirely in the other direction. The assumption has to do with the interaction of the material and the spiritual world:
5. Spirit arises from the natural world, and is impinged by the encroachment of development and technology.
The relationship is more complex than this, really, but the fundamental assumption is there. Another way to say this might be that spirit is an emergent order in the world, and the order that mortals impose on the world is in conflict with it.
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