Jarl
2006-08-15, 04:39 AM
I: Upon Creation
IN THE BEGINNING there was an orb in the sky, and the starry speakers called it NAZ. And on Naz lived many strange and unusual and fascinating creatures. Then, the LIGHT OF CREATION descended to Naz and all that stuff was nevermore.
-Opening line of "The Truthful Story", holy book of most Cherry religions
Cherry is an earth-sized world that orbits a yellow star and has a large green moon named Luna (named by the Elves, for reasons later revealed). Cherry's surface is roughly 75% water, in the form of two large oceans. The two main landmasses of Cherry are Aia the Conquered, and Selu of the West. Cherry's planetary core is a form of radioactive alchemical magical plasma. Amongst other things, this means that volcanoes and volcanic islands are magical. Cherry is inhabitted by Humans, Dwarves, Orcs, Elves, and the Giant Races.
Eras of Play
The Dream-Time
This encompasses all prehistory before the Light of Creation (the magical core of Cherry) crashed into Naz (the rocky world with a metal core that Cherry was previously). During this time, Naz was home to various tentacled monstrosities, tripedal preators, large flying reptiles, and many other fantastic creatures. Also during this time, the "Starry Speakers", a race of humanoid aliens with intersts in science and technology, placed a small research outpost on Naz.
The colonists rarely ventured outside their protective walls, electing to instead stay inside and used small automatons to explore the outside world.
Back then the atmosphere of Naz was so large that an aircraft could venture between it and it's moon. It is suggested that this is how Luna came to have so many of the strange animals once found on Naz.
This epoch was ended when the Light Of Creation fell to Naz, eradicating all life and reforming the world into what it is today.
The Dream-Time is ideal for adventures which involve time-travel. Aside from that, there really isn't much that would make it useful, due to the lack of PC races. It is, however, a good origin for many monsters to be summoned from.
The Dream-Time has no set lower-limit, and ended in cataclysm. Therefore, it has an indefinite span.
Notable Characters: Nerus, Overseer of Naz (LN Starry Speaker male, cleric)
Analogue: Pre-Orphean Earth
The Hyperbolic Barbaricks
This encompasses the time between the evolution of intelligent life and the establishment of the Imperium. The Hyperbolic Barbaricks is ideal for adventures featuring nomadic tribes, dinosaurs, or anything which would not fit in with a more civilized era of play. The era is named for a brief society of Orcs which ruled during this time, the Hyperbolic Barbaricks.
The Hyperbolic Barbaricks spans roughly 100 thousand years.
Special Note: The Tollouse Region is generally considered to be in the Hyperbolic Barbaricks until the Unholy War Era.
Notable Characters: Koman the Vegetarian (CN Human male, barbarian); Black Sophia (CN Orc female, barbarian)
Analogue: The Hyborean Age (Conan the Barbarian, Lord of the Rings, etc)
The Imperium
The Imperium was the greatest civilization that ever graced Cherry. It was ruled by the Taa-Mages, who would rule for thousands of years at a time. The Imperium was a civilization of Humans only, run from their island nations (Axl and Kredo). During this time, Elves, Orcs, and Dwarves were barbaric and nomadic, though the Dwarven society of Naazbar began near the end of the reign of the Imperium.
The Imperium valued magic above technology, and had very little contact with the outside world. Being built on volcanic islands, the nation thrived with magical influences. Humans who lived in the Imperium were usually casters.
The Imperium was destroyed by the Gods when it began to threaten the very existence of reality. It's magical power began to tear holes in space, and the Gods responded by siccing the "Secret Keeper", a cloaked demonic figure, on the populace. It stole all the knowledge from every human it encountered while the Gods deconstructed the machines and structures the humans had built. After this holocaust, humans were scattered around the globe, and no life grew on any of the Imperium's islands.
Imperium structures, such as stasis chambers (which can hold a living being in stasis essentialy forever), old broken temples (which the Gods spared so as to leave some semblance of civilization to humans), and the Giant's Steps, a series of massive stone blocks on the main island of Axl which go from the sea to the tip of a barren mountain (the foundation of the Imperial Palace, from which the Taa-Mages ruled), may still be found in remote locations.
The last Taa-Mage was Lord Berel, who challenged the Gods and failed miserably.
The Imperium is an ideal setting for sailors or mages. Other races in this period, aside from the Dwarves at the end, are barbaric.
The Imperium spans 500 thousand years. During the last 20 thousand years, the Dwarves began building their own society.
Notable Characters: Lord Berel, Last Taa-Mage of the Imperium (LN Human male, sorcerer); Ghostari Julian (NG Human female, wizard)
Analogue: Atlantis
The Naazbar
The Great Dwarven Society. The Dwarven Society of the Naazbar was ruled from under the Frozen Mountains. The Naazbar, at their peak, controlled all of Aia, giving it the name "The Conquered", a name which holds for several more eras. The Naazbar were not exclusively Dwarves, as they practiced "Cultural Imperialism", accepting humans, orcs, and elves into the mines as brothers.
The Naazbar functioned on a mix of magic and technology. During their time, they built many of the monumental achievements that would stand for millions of years, including massive temples on mountains, artificial islands, hollow mountains, etc.
The Naazbar collapsed into civil war which lated for fifty years. At the end, the Seven Great Dwarven Halls signed a peace accord.
The Naazbar is ideal for adventures which feature Dwarves heavily. Other races during this period are barbaric, though Sarese Nev, "Surface Friends", are Elves, Orcs, and Humans which are accepted as honorary dwarves. They must abide by Dwarven customs while in the mines.
The Naazbar spans 150 thousand years.
Notable Characters: King Thomas I (LG Dwarf male, paladin); King Julius VIII (LG Dwarf female, cleric); K'huch Narxiz (LE Elf male, monk)
Analogue: Sumeria, Babylon, Egypt, etc.
The Elf Empire
The Elves formed their empire long after the Naazbar was consumed by civil war. During this period, Dwarves were scarce as they dug in and built new worlds around them. Humans were still stricken lame after their empire's utter downfall, and Orcs were content to live peacefully with nature.
The Elves raised a massive citadel at the peak of Medio, the highest mountain in north-eastern Aia. The Citadel was then surrounded by a magnificent city, from which the Elves rarely strayed.
The Elves valued the Elves, and not much else. During this time, the "Taiyev, Taina, Taidou" principle was perfected, "The Right Man, the Right Place, the Right Time." The Elves did not have a military or any armies, but would instead calculate the precise moment and place upon which a conflict's resolution would hinge, then dispatch the proper person to deal with it. This philosophy was embodied by the Elvish Inquisitors, solitary figures noted for their fighting prowess and remarkable resilience and, as many elves would point out, inherent "creepiness".
The Elves rarely had contact with Humans or Dwarves, and were constantly at odds with the Orcs. Inquisitors would enter human and orc villages at night, wait for the inhabitants to awaken, then offer civilization or doom to them. Many villages were felled to solitary inquisitors.
One day, the Starry Speakers returned to Cherry in desperation, seeking refuge and aid in their battle against the vicious "Sky Demons" which pursued them. The Elves refused the offer, but changed their mind when the Starry Speakers demonstrated their weapons by firing a beam through the Great Wall of Medio. Many elves, in response to the sudden "Realization of Fallibility", took their own lives rather than face the challenge of the Sky Demons.
The Elves elected to help the Starry Speakers, but were still caught off guard by the ferocity of their attack. The Sky Demons swept down and destroyed the Elven city, wiping out most of the population and infecting the rest. The Starry Speakers and remaining elves managed to destroy the demons, but the Speakers were then forced to quarantine the city and all its inhabitants. Medio, the Mountain-Top City, crumbled into the sea within 24 hours of the arrival of the Starry Speakers.
Some Elves escaped the utter destruction of their world, and formed the rare elf tribes that persisted for many thousands of years. The Starry Speakers helped them in this effort, and left many relics and artifacts behind in order to help spur the inception of a new civilization.
The Elvish Empire is ideal for any game which features numerous elves, as they become acutely rare in later eras. Humans and Orcs are barbaric in this era, though some are brought into Elven society, much like the Dwarves did before them. Dwarves are rare during this era, as they were busy rebuilding their world.
Special Note: The Elf Empire is the only era which features Impenatron. The Metal is a special alloy that has not and cannot be replicated by any other race, is too heavy for weapons, and cannot be destroyed.
The Elf Empire spanned a period of 100 thousand years.
Notable Characters: Solise Nile, Empress of Medio (LG Elf female, paladin); Captain Varthar, First Class (LG Starry Speaker male, paladin); Red Star (CE Human male, rogue)
Analogue: Rome, China, elements of the destruction of Atlantis.
Krystalis
AKA The Second Great Human Empire.
AKA History Repeats, Part Two.
Krystalis is the second human empire in Cherry's history. It comprised, effectively, all of Aia (with the exception of Tollouse), portions of Selu, Axl, and Kredo. The government was ruled from Azhua, a city built as an outpost by the Elves during their reign, on the shores of the Medio Sea.
What sets Krystalis apart from the previous three super civilizations before it is the interspecies nature of it. Though Elves are scarce, the government is based roughly on the Elf Empire's structure and ideals. Elvish is still a widely used language in Krystalis, especially in the government.
The Krystalis Empire is split into several regions:
The Kharan plains were named after the Dwarven Hall far under them, the Khara-Dun. The Khara-Dun sealed themselves off from the surface world shortly after the fall of the Naazbar, but re-emerged during the Civil War that claimed Krystalis. The Central City of Khara is Lucid, formerly a guard post for the entrance to the Khara-Dun Subterrain which was staffed by humans. When the Khara-Dun went "underground", they severed ties with Lucid, which then grew into a human settlement.
The Gyro-Pontific Valley is named after a peculiar rock formation in the center of a lake. It was named by the Elves, who thought it looked like a Gyropontifica, a "spinning bridge", one of the many low-tech security systems used early in civilization. The region is mostly controlled by the Orcs. The Central City is Terkis, built in a depression near the base of a mountain. Terkis is built mostly on the river that cuts through it.
The Cophi region is named after the Coph River which snakes through it. It is a relatively sparse, flat region. Vegetation grows mainly near the river, as the soil is mostly sand underneath. The Central City of Coph, built on the Coph River, is Ghorzhia. Many villages dot the course of the Coph River, giving the Cophi region the highest population of all the regions. The population is mostly humans and orcs.
The Mev region is the area which formerly comprised the Elf Empire. Its Central City is Azhua, capital of Krystalis. The Mev region is named after the Mev Mountain, a large mountain the Frozen Range famous for the "Steps of Nowhere", an ancient Dwarven structure. Most of Mev's area is water, the Medio Sea where once stood the capital city of the Elf Empire.
Skalis is on the eastern coast of Selu of the West. The Central City of Skalis is the Blazing Land, a city made in a rich diamond field. Skalis is extremely dangerous, due to the number of vicious beasts which roam freely, the thick background magic levels, and the sheer amount of money a person can make there if they decide to turn on their fellow man. The Blazing Land is constantly in turmoil due to frequent power struggles in the city. Skalis is the only civilized portion of Selu in this era, except for the Dwarven Halls in the northwest of the continent.
The Isles of Axl are extremely high in magical content, but completely barren of life until settlers from nearby Khara arrived. The Axl population is mostly humans, and even then mostly wizards. Axl has very little to do with mainland politics, and prefers its relative independence.
Kredo is a small island off the east coast of Gyro, and is completely surrounded by a magical storm. The island itself is volcanic, like Axl, but the aforementioned storm uses up all the background magic, so the population of Kredo is not spectacularly magical. The earth, however, is rich in metals and ores, and is mined heavily. The island is a major mining and production area for metal goods and weapons, a reputation it carries for a good long time after the collapse of Krystalis.
The Azhua government is a parliamentary monarchy, with the Emperor or Empress allowed veto of major changes in law. Krystalis does not have an all encompassing army, instead relying on local Minutemen to preserve martial order. Krystalis does have a navy, the Mariners, but this navy is used mostly for exploration and rarely encountered any combat situations.
The Krystalis Empire collapsed in a bloody civil war, resulting in the creation of the Krystal Union. Each region named above was recognized as a separate nation in the coming age. The Krystal Union Constitution set out rules and laws for secession to prevent another global civil war.
The Krystalis Empire is ideal for most medieval games, and allows for varied elements. The opening of the Skalis region, rich in magic and diamonds, allows for vast amount of competitive, chaotic, and evil gameplay. In addition, many areas of Krystalis are completely unexplored even after a decent chunk of a million years of civilization. For the first time, almost all races are available as fully civilized and playable, with the exception of Elves, which are particularly rare.
The Krystalis era spans 2000 years, ending with the creation of the Krystal Union.
Notable Characters: Empress Josiphina III (LN Human female, cleric); Vexxon Underscore, the Borderless Cartographer (CG Elf male, bard)
Analogue: Rome, the British Empire, the Medieval and Colonial eras.
The Global Age
The Krystal Union is formed of the above mentioned regions of the Krystal Empire. The reputations, values, and population densities of these regions are, for the most part, identical in the Global Age. Notable exceptions:
Khara is a single nation that is generally considered to be two, Khara-Dun and Khara Dun Saesi, the second being the surface nation. The subterrain nation is mostly Dwarven, though all species are invited. Khara-Dun Saesi is regarded as a territory of Khara-Dun by most dwarves, and is ruled equally by the Dwarven King of Khara-Dun, though most kings appoint a "Surface Governor" to administrate the surface world.
Coph is a communist nation ruled by the Legionnaire Secretary, a democratically elected position. Children in Coph are raised collectively by the village in which they are born, though they are familiar with their true parents. Coph and Khara are commonly at odds, due to their opposing socio-economic and political philosophies, though both are in constant need of one another's supplies.
Gyro, being between Khara and Coph, serves as a buffer and bridge between the two, befitting of its old name.
Azhua has no power whatsoever over the other nations, nor does it have very many natural resources. Azhua's industry is now largely tourism, being the so-called "Center of Human Civilization".
Kredo is regarded as a corporate entity rather than an actual nation by most people. The Kredan Military Supply Program supplies all sides of most conflicts with enough weapons to ensure continued conflict, and thus continued sales. The KMSP puts out an annual catalogue available to any citizen of a nation that accepts it. Major contracts for powerful weapons can be bought out, including exclusivity clauses, by anyone with enough money and a good track-record. The KMSP supplies everything from cheap swords and daggers to finely crafted shields to heavy cannons, aircraft, missiles, bows, staves, guns, and anything else they can smelt, cast, craft, or assemble and then sell at a discount ("We pass the savings on to YOU!"). Kredo is administered by, basically, a large chamber of commerce.
Axl is regarded as a holy isle, the "True Origin of Humanity". Axl is ruled by mostly human wizards, and has no military and very little civil structure. Most magic users in the world are from Axl.
Skalis is in a constant state of Anarchy, and consists mostly of City-States. Some colonists have spread out into the remainder of Selu, and by the end of this era have established large, mostly lawless nations. The Blazing Land has been renamed the City of Blazing Light, and is ruled by a vile sorcerer who enjoys the constant turmoil that engulfs the region, as it always proves interesting, and allows him to exercise his dark magicks freely and openly.
This is a time of constant civil conflict, and occasional war. The Tewenga Region of Azhua was annexed to Khara in order to calm the conflict between it's rival Vampire and Werewolf populations, which lead to the clans in question uniting against the Kharan army in the "War of Horrors", which nearly lead to the invasion of Lucid.
Shortly after this conflict, Coph entered into the long, drawn out "War of Shade" with Khara by pushing the Cophi army into the small Shade River Valley, where the border between the nations is hard to discern. This long conflict was fought mostly at sea, though land invasions occurred between the two and eventually included Gyro in a three-way struggle for the region. In the end, Khara was pushed back and Gyro took the majority of the region, with Coph losing relatively little land.
Coph and Khara eventually traded atomic blows, by-and-large destroying civilization.
The Global Age ended with the advent of Nuclear War, and the devastation of Eastern Aia. After the war, most survivors flocked to the western coast of Aia, where Coph and Khara stand. The southern regions of Aia were also heavily populated by survivors.
The Global Age is ideal for most adventures. Technologically, it rises sharply from the medieval age to the atomic age in a matter of centuries. The northwestern area of Khara is mostly plains and deserts rich in ore deposits, creating an "old west" atmosphere, while Selu becomes more and more civilized.
The Global Age spans roughly one thousand years.
Notable Characters: King Dodger II (LG Dwarf male, cleric); Charin Billwell (CG Human male, fighter); Jai Tegh (NG Human male, figher)
Analogue: Earth between the American Civil War and the Cold War.
The Lunar War
The Revenge of the Elves!
After the Nuclear War which destroyed most of civilization, people start rebuilding slowly. This all comes to an end with the Invasion.
The Lunara are a variant of Elves. They lack the inhibitions and longevity of Elves which robbed them of Magical talent, thus Lunara tend to be wild, savage, and magically potent. During the height of the Elven Empire, the number of Lunara in the Cities was so great that the elves constructed a vessel to banish the unwanted heathens to the moon.
Thousands of years later, they return.
The Lunara invade endlessly over the course of one hundred years. The initial push (about one hundred and fifty years after the end of the Nuclear War) consisted mostly of Tripods, large tank-like constructs with three legs capable of vaporizing most enemies. These machines move quickly, and explode violently when knocked down so as to prevent their technology from falling into the wrong hands.
The Lunara make the journey to and from Luna in Arks, large vessels equipped with magical stardrives. These vessels can hold numerous Lunara.
Most of civilization is gathered on Selu of the West. The regions there are:
Skalis, the oldest nation and still occasional civil battleground, is still ruled from the City of Blazing Light by a Vile Sorcerer (he earned the capitals after his second century of rule) named Kapricious. Skalis is still rife with magic, still riddled with diamond mines, and still fairly lawless.
The Republic of Nomiri lies in the south. Nomiri is a nation of Dwarves and Steel, which claims Khara and Azhua as its forbearers. The capital city of Dorsetti is built over and down the side of a massive abyss, and is considered the finest city in the world, aside from the City of Blazing Light.
The Collection is a union of small city-states in western Selu, widely regarded as the scum of the planet. The Capital City, if it can be called that, is Viro, built on the site of a destroyed Dwarven mine. Viro is sometimes called "The Bloody City" due to its cataclysmic crime rate.
Khara-Dun is mostly a subterranean nation now, though Lucid still stands. The population is now mostly dwarves, with Orcs being the main minority. It is relatively unchanged otherwise.
Tollouse, the arctic northeastern subcontinent, is at this time far more technomantically advanced than most other civilizations in the world, though it is still regarded to be in the Hyperbolic Barbaricks due to constant warring which assures that neither the Aoian nor Akaian clans gain much of a foothold over one another.
The beginnings of civilization in Gyro were wiped out by the invading Lunara.
The Lunara, after their Tripods proved ineffective, began placing fortified bases on Cherry, along with their deadly Battle Helixes, massive artificial tornadoes that could eliminate a city in a day and could run for months without stopping. A massive push against the Lunara was eventually organized by the Vile Sorcerer Kapricious and the Khara-Dun dwarves, resulting in a very shaky peace treaty between the Lunara and the races of Cherry.
The Lunar War spans, including the rebuilding of civilization and the aftermath of the actual war, roughly 500 years.
The Lunar War is ideal for adventures that border on sci-fi, and include the beginnings of Cyberpunk in the world of Cherry. It also represents the first time that Lunara are really available as a playable race, though the occasional genetic roulette would sometimes throw one up before. Magic is harder to come by in this era, as are swords and such. The KMSP is still active, and Axl is still filled with Magicians, so the status quo remains relatively unchanged there.
Notable Characters: High Priest Leng (CE Lunara male, sorcerer); Kapricious (LE Human male, sorcerer); Keith Nightshade (CG Human male, bard)
Analogue: War of the Worlds, 1980's North America, Road Warrior-esuqe in Tollouse.
The Unholy War
AKA The Big One.
The Unholy War is fought between the Aoi and Akai Clans of Tollouse, which have remained just as savaged and uncivilized over the course of nearly a million years, yet have increased their technology and magick levels exponentially in that time.
The Aoians spread their battle of a million years to the rest of the planet by invading the Collection in order to spread their savage ways. The Akaians responded by flooding down across the wastes into the Gyro-Coph region, bringing the ire of the Khara-Dun Dwarves.
The war is violent, pervasive, and going on everywhere, all the time. During this time, the Axl wizards and the KMSP both are destroyed, Axl by jealous Aoian priests and the KMSP by the Akaian armies. The endless battles rage across every square inch of land, laying waste to much of the world.
The Khara-Dun are wiped out early in the conflict, followed shortly by the Collection, Nomiri, and the Lunara Fortresses along the Equator. The conflict is partially diffused when the Aoian Capital of Zura is wiped out by Dwarves, but the Aoian retaliation is swift and furious, destroying the entire Dwarven Hall of Ifferdrid, the perpetrators.
The war is ended after a full five hundred years of senseless bloodshed, when the Aoians are destroyed by the Akaians, and the Akaians by the Skalis army. The Vile Sorcerer Kapricious himself destroyed the Warlord Akai with his dying breath. After the war, civilization is spread thin and wide once more, and the cycle begins a new with the next age.
The Unholy War is an ideal setting for adventures which feature full-scale barbaric war while also supporting high technology and magic levels. All races are available in this Era, and for the first time so are Aoi and Akai tribesmen, a variant of Valkyrines.
The Unholy War lasts entirely too long, weighing in at a 700 years including pre-war civilization. One can claim that the conflict has in fact been going on in relative secrecy since the beginning of time.
Notable Characters: Warlord Aoi (CN Human male, barbarian); Warlord Akai (CN Valkyrine male, barbarian); Stephen Cogsworth (NG Human male, druid)
Analogue: The Dark Ages, the Apocalypse, etc.
Wylderness
Society rebuilds itself quickly, and gets right back into the war business, this time split between the Oceanic Union and the Selu Empires. The Selu Empires consist of Skalis, the Nomiri Remnant, and Graysh, the Orc empire built on the ruins of the Collection. The Oceanic Union represents the countless nation states of Aia, namely the Axl Magocracy, the Republic of Azhua, and Ur-Gyro.
This time around, the war was sparked by the constant friction between the Axl Magocracy and the Taa-Mages of the City of Blazing Light. This period of vengeful strife ended in relative peace, however, when the Sea Witch, Queen of Axl, was killed in a small skirmish in the Midori Sea. After this, Axl surrendered to Skalis, which demanded nothing in return save an end to the conflict which has plagued Cherry seemingly forever.
There then follows an intermission.
The Wylderness introduces, amongst other things, futuristic elements such as Mobile Suit-esque "Air Knights", high-tech magical aircraft, and peaceful travel between Cherry and Luna. This era is ideal for adventures which would normally be restricted to modern games, such as Cyberpunk or d20 Modern. Magic is still valued, as is technology. Elves are at their highest population levels since the destruction of their empire. Lunara are relatively peaceful. The Dwarves have rebuilt their Subterrains that have been destroyed by wars of the past. By the end of the Era, peace has fully and totally enveloped Cherry.
The Wylderness, like the Dream Time, has an indefinite span, starting with the end of the Unholy War and ending when Cherry eventually is enveloped by its star.
Notable Characters: Ace Thompson (LG Dwarf male, fighter); Korusca, Sea Witch and Queen of All She Surveys (LN Elf female, paladin); Xeru the Konkeror!!! (CN Lunara male, barbarian)
Analogue: Utopian Earth, elements of Modern Earth, Alderaan and Coruscant from Star Wars, many Anime depictions of Earth including select Gundam series, etc.
Special Note: At this point, Cherry begins interaction with the interstellar community. Due to the wild diversity such an environment undoubtedly would produce, pretty much anything goes, hence the name of the Era. Some suggestions include, but are by no means limited to, a massive city world, worlds with small intelligent creatures, galaxy spanning civil war, pretty much anything.
The Cherry setting does not, oddly, produce much in the way of interplanar travel, however. Such events are only possible due to severe magical distortions of reality, which nevertheless can occur quite often and provide many adventure hooks.
-Up next, Player Races.
IN THE BEGINNING there was an orb in the sky, and the starry speakers called it NAZ. And on Naz lived many strange and unusual and fascinating creatures. Then, the LIGHT OF CREATION descended to Naz and all that stuff was nevermore.
-Opening line of "The Truthful Story", holy book of most Cherry religions
Cherry is an earth-sized world that orbits a yellow star and has a large green moon named Luna (named by the Elves, for reasons later revealed). Cherry's surface is roughly 75% water, in the form of two large oceans. The two main landmasses of Cherry are Aia the Conquered, and Selu of the West. Cherry's planetary core is a form of radioactive alchemical magical plasma. Amongst other things, this means that volcanoes and volcanic islands are magical. Cherry is inhabitted by Humans, Dwarves, Orcs, Elves, and the Giant Races.
Eras of Play
The Dream-Time
This encompasses all prehistory before the Light of Creation (the magical core of Cherry) crashed into Naz (the rocky world with a metal core that Cherry was previously). During this time, Naz was home to various tentacled monstrosities, tripedal preators, large flying reptiles, and many other fantastic creatures. Also during this time, the "Starry Speakers", a race of humanoid aliens with intersts in science and technology, placed a small research outpost on Naz.
The colonists rarely ventured outside their protective walls, electing to instead stay inside and used small automatons to explore the outside world.
Back then the atmosphere of Naz was so large that an aircraft could venture between it and it's moon. It is suggested that this is how Luna came to have so many of the strange animals once found on Naz.
This epoch was ended when the Light Of Creation fell to Naz, eradicating all life and reforming the world into what it is today.
The Dream-Time is ideal for adventures which involve time-travel. Aside from that, there really isn't much that would make it useful, due to the lack of PC races. It is, however, a good origin for many monsters to be summoned from.
The Dream-Time has no set lower-limit, and ended in cataclysm. Therefore, it has an indefinite span.
Notable Characters: Nerus, Overseer of Naz (LN Starry Speaker male, cleric)
Analogue: Pre-Orphean Earth
The Hyperbolic Barbaricks
This encompasses the time between the evolution of intelligent life and the establishment of the Imperium. The Hyperbolic Barbaricks is ideal for adventures featuring nomadic tribes, dinosaurs, or anything which would not fit in with a more civilized era of play. The era is named for a brief society of Orcs which ruled during this time, the Hyperbolic Barbaricks.
The Hyperbolic Barbaricks spans roughly 100 thousand years.
Special Note: The Tollouse Region is generally considered to be in the Hyperbolic Barbaricks until the Unholy War Era.
Notable Characters: Koman the Vegetarian (CN Human male, barbarian); Black Sophia (CN Orc female, barbarian)
Analogue: The Hyborean Age (Conan the Barbarian, Lord of the Rings, etc)
The Imperium
The Imperium was the greatest civilization that ever graced Cherry. It was ruled by the Taa-Mages, who would rule for thousands of years at a time. The Imperium was a civilization of Humans only, run from their island nations (Axl and Kredo). During this time, Elves, Orcs, and Dwarves were barbaric and nomadic, though the Dwarven society of Naazbar began near the end of the reign of the Imperium.
The Imperium valued magic above technology, and had very little contact with the outside world. Being built on volcanic islands, the nation thrived with magical influences. Humans who lived in the Imperium were usually casters.
The Imperium was destroyed by the Gods when it began to threaten the very existence of reality. It's magical power began to tear holes in space, and the Gods responded by siccing the "Secret Keeper", a cloaked demonic figure, on the populace. It stole all the knowledge from every human it encountered while the Gods deconstructed the machines and structures the humans had built. After this holocaust, humans were scattered around the globe, and no life grew on any of the Imperium's islands.
Imperium structures, such as stasis chambers (which can hold a living being in stasis essentialy forever), old broken temples (which the Gods spared so as to leave some semblance of civilization to humans), and the Giant's Steps, a series of massive stone blocks on the main island of Axl which go from the sea to the tip of a barren mountain (the foundation of the Imperial Palace, from which the Taa-Mages ruled), may still be found in remote locations.
The last Taa-Mage was Lord Berel, who challenged the Gods and failed miserably.
The Imperium is an ideal setting for sailors or mages. Other races in this period, aside from the Dwarves at the end, are barbaric.
The Imperium spans 500 thousand years. During the last 20 thousand years, the Dwarves began building their own society.
Notable Characters: Lord Berel, Last Taa-Mage of the Imperium (LN Human male, sorcerer); Ghostari Julian (NG Human female, wizard)
Analogue: Atlantis
The Naazbar
The Great Dwarven Society. The Dwarven Society of the Naazbar was ruled from under the Frozen Mountains. The Naazbar, at their peak, controlled all of Aia, giving it the name "The Conquered", a name which holds for several more eras. The Naazbar were not exclusively Dwarves, as they practiced "Cultural Imperialism", accepting humans, orcs, and elves into the mines as brothers.
The Naazbar functioned on a mix of magic and technology. During their time, they built many of the monumental achievements that would stand for millions of years, including massive temples on mountains, artificial islands, hollow mountains, etc.
The Naazbar collapsed into civil war which lated for fifty years. At the end, the Seven Great Dwarven Halls signed a peace accord.
The Naazbar is ideal for adventures which feature Dwarves heavily. Other races during this period are barbaric, though Sarese Nev, "Surface Friends", are Elves, Orcs, and Humans which are accepted as honorary dwarves. They must abide by Dwarven customs while in the mines.
The Naazbar spans 150 thousand years.
Notable Characters: King Thomas I (LG Dwarf male, paladin); King Julius VIII (LG Dwarf female, cleric); K'huch Narxiz (LE Elf male, monk)
Analogue: Sumeria, Babylon, Egypt, etc.
The Elf Empire
The Elves formed their empire long after the Naazbar was consumed by civil war. During this period, Dwarves were scarce as they dug in and built new worlds around them. Humans were still stricken lame after their empire's utter downfall, and Orcs were content to live peacefully with nature.
The Elves raised a massive citadel at the peak of Medio, the highest mountain in north-eastern Aia. The Citadel was then surrounded by a magnificent city, from which the Elves rarely strayed.
The Elves valued the Elves, and not much else. During this time, the "Taiyev, Taina, Taidou" principle was perfected, "The Right Man, the Right Place, the Right Time." The Elves did not have a military or any armies, but would instead calculate the precise moment and place upon which a conflict's resolution would hinge, then dispatch the proper person to deal with it. This philosophy was embodied by the Elvish Inquisitors, solitary figures noted for their fighting prowess and remarkable resilience and, as many elves would point out, inherent "creepiness".
The Elves rarely had contact with Humans or Dwarves, and were constantly at odds with the Orcs. Inquisitors would enter human and orc villages at night, wait for the inhabitants to awaken, then offer civilization or doom to them. Many villages were felled to solitary inquisitors.
One day, the Starry Speakers returned to Cherry in desperation, seeking refuge and aid in their battle against the vicious "Sky Demons" which pursued them. The Elves refused the offer, but changed their mind when the Starry Speakers demonstrated their weapons by firing a beam through the Great Wall of Medio. Many elves, in response to the sudden "Realization of Fallibility", took their own lives rather than face the challenge of the Sky Demons.
The Elves elected to help the Starry Speakers, but were still caught off guard by the ferocity of their attack. The Sky Demons swept down and destroyed the Elven city, wiping out most of the population and infecting the rest. The Starry Speakers and remaining elves managed to destroy the demons, but the Speakers were then forced to quarantine the city and all its inhabitants. Medio, the Mountain-Top City, crumbled into the sea within 24 hours of the arrival of the Starry Speakers.
Some Elves escaped the utter destruction of their world, and formed the rare elf tribes that persisted for many thousands of years. The Starry Speakers helped them in this effort, and left many relics and artifacts behind in order to help spur the inception of a new civilization.
The Elvish Empire is ideal for any game which features numerous elves, as they become acutely rare in later eras. Humans and Orcs are barbaric in this era, though some are brought into Elven society, much like the Dwarves did before them. Dwarves are rare during this era, as they were busy rebuilding their world.
Special Note: The Elf Empire is the only era which features Impenatron. The Metal is a special alloy that has not and cannot be replicated by any other race, is too heavy for weapons, and cannot be destroyed.
The Elf Empire spanned a period of 100 thousand years.
Notable Characters: Solise Nile, Empress of Medio (LG Elf female, paladin); Captain Varthar, First Class (LG Starry Speaker male, paladin); Red Star (CE Human male, rogue)
Analogue: Rome, China, elements of the destruction of Atlantis.
Krystalis
AKA The Second Great Human Empire.
AKA History Repeats, Part Two.
Krystalis is the second human empire in Cherry's history. It comprised, effectively, all of Aia (with the exception of Tollouse), portions of Selu, Axl, and Kredo. The government was ruled from Azhua, a city built as an outpost by the Elves during their reign, on the shores of the Medio Sea.
What sets Krystalis apart from the previous three super civilizations before it is the interspecies nature of it. Though Elves are scarce, the government is based roughly on the Elf Empire's structure and ideals. Elvish is still a widely used language in Krystalis, especially in the government.
The Krystalis Empire is split into several regions:
The Kharan plains were named after the Dwarven Hall far under them, the Khara-Dun. The Khara-Dun sealed themselves off from the surface world shortly after the fall of the Naazbar, but re-emerged during the Civil War that claimed Krystalis. The Central City of Khara is Lucid, formerly a guard post for the entrance to the Khara-Dun Subterrain which was staffed by humans. When the Khara-Dun went "underground", they severed ties with Lucid, which then grew into a human settlement.
The Gyro-Pontific Valley is named after a peculiar rock formation in the center of a lake. It was named by the Elves, who thought it looked like a Gyropontifica, a "spinning bridge", one of the many low-tech security systems used early in civilization. The region is mostly controlled by the Orcs. The Central City is Terkis, built in a depression near the base of a mountain. Terkis is built mostly on the river that cuts through it.
The Cophi region is named after the Coph River which snakes through it. It is a relatively sparse, flat region. Vegetation grows mainly near the river, as the soil is mostly sand underneath. The Central City of Coph, built on the Coph River, is Ghorzhia. Many villages dot the course of the Coph River, giving the Cophi region the highest population of all the regions. The population is mostly humans and orcs.
The Mev region is the area which formerly comprised the Elf Empire. Its Central City is Azhua, capital of Krystalis. The Mev region is named after the Mev Mountain, a large mountain the Frozen Range famous for the "Steps of Nowhere", an ancient Dwarven structure. Most of Mev's area is water, the Medio Sea where once stood the capital city of the Elf Empire.
Skalis is on the eastern coast of Selu of the West. The Central City of Skalis is the Blazing Land, a city made in a rich diamond field. Skalis is extremely dangerous, due to the number of vicious beasts which roam freely, the thick background magic levels, and the sheer amount of money a person can make there if they decide to turn on their fellow man. The Blazing Land is constantly in turmoil due to frequent power struggles in the city. Skalis is the only civilized portion of Selu in this era, except for the Dwarven Halls in the northwest of the continent.
The Isles of Axl are extremely high in magical content, but completely barren of life until settlers from nearby Khara arrived. The Axl population is mostly humans, and even then mostly wizards. Axl has very little to do with mainland politics, and prefers its relative independence.
Kredo is a small island off the east coast of Gyro, and is completely surrounded by a magical storm. The island itself is volcanic, like Axl, but the aforementioned storm uses up all the background magic, so the population of Kredo is not spectacularly magical. The earth, however, is rich in metals and ores, and is mined heavily. The island is a major mining and production area for metal goods and weapons, a reputation it carries for a good long time after the collapse of Krystalis.
The Azhua government is a parliamentary monarchy, with the Emperor or Empress allowed veto of major changes in law. Krystalis does not have an all encompassing army, instead relying on local Minutemen to preserve martial order. Krystalis does have a navy, the Mariners, but this navy is used mostly for exploration and rarely encountered any combat situations.
The Krystalis Empire collapsed in a bloody civil war, resulting in the creation of the Krystal Union. Each region named above was recognized as a separate nation in the coming age. The Krystal Union Constitution set out rules and laws for secession to prevent another global civil war.
The Krystalis Empire is ideal for most medieval games, and allows for varied elements. The opening of the Skalis region, rich in magic and diamonds, allows for vast amount of competitive, chaotic, and evil gameplay. In addition, many areas of Krystalis are completely unexplored even after a decent chunk of a million years of civilization. For the first time, almost all races are available as fully civilized and playable, with the exception of Elves, which are particularly rare.
The Krystalis era spans 2000 years, ending with the creation of the Krystal Union.
Notable Characters: Empress Josiphina III (LN Human female, cleric); Vexxon Underscore, the Borderless Cartographer (CG Elf male, bard)
Analogue: Rome, the British Empire, the Medieval and Colonial eras.
The Global Age
The Krystal Union is formed of the above mentioned regions of the Krystal Empire. The reputations, values, and population densities of these regions are, for the most part, identical in the Global Age. Notable exceptions:
Khara is a single nation that is generally considered to be two, Khara-Dun and Khara Dun Saesi, the second being the surface nation. The subterrain nation is mostly Dwarven, though all species are invited. Khara-Dun Saesi is regarded as a territory of Khara-Dun by most dwarves, and is ruled equally by the Dwarven King of Khara-Dun, though most kings appoint a "Surface Governor" to administrate the surface world.
Coph is a communist nation ruled by the Legionnaire Secretary, a democratically elected position. Children in Coph are raised collectively by the village in which they are born, though they are familiar with their true parents. Coph and Khara are commonly at odds, due to their opposing socio-economic and political philosophies, though both are in constant need of one another's supplies.
Gyro, being between Khara and Coph, serves as a buffer and bridge between the two, befitting of its old name.
Azhua has no power whatsoever over the other nations, nor does it have very many natural resources. Azhua's industry is now largely tourism, being the so-called "Center of Human Civilization".
Kredo is regarded as a corporate entity rather than an actual nation by most people. The Kredan Military Supply Program supplies all sides of most conflicts with enough weapons to ensure continued conflict, and thus continued sales. The KMSP puts out an annual catalogue available to any citizen of a nation that accepts it. Major contracts for powerful weapons can be bought out, including exclusivity clauses, by anyone with enough money and a good track-record. The KMSP supplies everything from cheap swords and daggers to finely crafted shields to heavy cannons, aircraft, missiles, bows, staves, guns, and anything else they can smelt, cast, craft, or assemble and then sell at a discount ("We pass the savings on to YOU!"). Kredo is administered by, basically, a large chamber of commerce.
Axl is regarded as a holy isle, the "True Origin of Humanity". Axl is ruled by mostly human wizards, and has no military and very little civil structure. Most magic users in the world are from Axl.
Skalis is in a constant state of Anarchy, and consists mostly of City-States. Some colonists have spread out into the remainder of Selu, and by the end of this era have established large, mostly lawless nations. The Blazing Land has been renamed the City of Blazing Light, and is ruled by a vile sorcerer who enjoys the constant turmoil that engulfs the region, as it always proves interesting, and allows him to exercise his dark magicks freely and openly.
This is a time of constant civil conflict, and occasional war. The Tewenga Region of Azhua was annexed to Khara in order to calm the conflict between it's rival Vampire and Werewolf populations, which lead to the clans in question uniting against the Kharan army in the "War of Horrors", which nearly lead to the invasion of Lucid.
Shortly after this conflict, Coph entered into the long, drawn out "War of Shade" with Khara by pushing the Cophi army into the small Shade River Valley, where the border between the nations is hard to discern. This long conflict was fought mostly at sea, though land invasions occurred between the two and eventually included Gyro in a three-way struggle for the region. In the end, Khara was pushed back and Gyro took the majority of the region, with Coph losing relatively little land.
Coph and Khara eventually traded atomic blows, by-and-large destroying civilization.
The Global Age ended with the advent of Nuclear War, and the devastation of Eastern Aia. After the war, most survivors flocked to the western coast of Aia, where Coph and Khara stand. The southern regions of Aia were also heavily populated by survivors.
The Global Age is ideal for most adventures. Technologically, it rises sharply from the medieval age to the atomic age in a matter of centuries. The northwestern area of Khara is mostly plains and deserts rich in ore deposits, creating an "old west" atmosphere, while Selu becomes more and more civilized.
The Global Age spans roughly one thousand years.
Notable Characters: King Dodger II (LG Dwarf male, cleric); Charin Billwell (CG Human male, fighter); Jai Tegh (NG Human male, figher)
Analogue: Earth between the American Civil War and the Cold War.
The Lunar War
The Revenge of the Elves!
After the Nuclear War which destroyed most of civilization, people start rebuilding slowly. This all comes to an end with the Invasion.
The Lunara are a variant of Elves. They lack the inhibitions and longevity of Elves which robbed them of Magical talent, thus Lunara tend to be wild, savage, and magically potent. During the height of the Elven Empire, the number of Lunara in the Cities was so great that the elves constructed a vessel to banish the unwanted heathens to the moon.
Thousands of years later, they return.
The Lunara invade endlessly over the course of one hundred years. The initial push (about one hundred and fifty years after the end of the Nuclear War) consisted mostly of Tripods, large tank-like constructs with three legs capable of vaporizing most enemies. These machines move quickly, and explode violently when knocked down so as to prevent their technology from falling into the wrong hands.
The Lunara make the journey to and from Luna in Arks, large vessels equipped with magical stardrives. These vessels can hold numerous Lunara.
Most of civilization is gathered on Selu of the West. The regions there are:
Skalis, the oldest nation and still occasional civil battleground, is still ruled from the City of Blazing Light by a Vile Sorcerer (he earned the capitals after his second century of rule) named Kapricious. Skalis is still rife with magic, still riddled with diamond mines, and still fairly lawless.
The Republic of Nomiri lies in the south. Nomiri is a nation of Dwarves and Steel, which claims Khara and Azhua as its forbearers. The capital city of Dorsetti is built over and down the side of a massive abyss, and is considered the finest city in the world, aside from the City of Blazing Light.
The Collection is a union of small city-states in western Selu, widely regarded as the scum of the planet. The Capital City, if it can be called that, is Viro, built on the site of a destroyed Dwarven mine. Viro is sometimes called "The Bloody City" due to its cataclysmic crime rate.
Khara-Dun is mostly a subterranean nation now, though Lucid still stands. The population is now mostly dwarves, with Orcs being the main minority. It is relatively unchanged otherwise.
Tollouse, the arctic northeastern subcontinent, is at this time far more technomantically advanced than most other civilizations in the world, though it is still regarded to be in the Hyperbolic Barbaricks due to constant warring which assures that neither the Aoian nor Akaian clans gain much of a foothold over one another.
The beginnings of civilization in Gyro were wiped out by the invading Lunara.
The Lunara, after their Tripods proved ineffective, began placing fortified bases on Cherry, along with their deadly Battle Helixes, massive artificial tornadoes that could eliminate a city in a day and could run for months without stopping. A massive push against the Lunara was eventually organized by the Vile Sorcerer Kapricious and the Khara-Dun dwarves, resulting in a very shaky peace treaty between the Lunara and the races of Cherry.
The Lunar War spans, including the rebuilding of civilization and the aftermath of the actual war, roughly 500 years.
The Lunar War is ideal for adventures that border on sci-fi, and include the beginnings of Cyberpunk in the world of Cherry. It also represents the first time that Lunara are really available as a playable race, though the occasional genetic roulette would sometimes throw one up before. Magic is harder to come by in this era, as are swords and such. The KMSP is still active, and Axl is still filled with Magicians, so the status quo remains relatively unchanged there.
Notable Characters: High Priest Leng (CE Lunara male, sorcerer); Kapricious (LE Human male, sorcerer); Keith Nightshade (CG Human male, bard)
Analogue: War of the Worlds, 1980's North America, Road Warrior-esuqe in Tollouse.
The Unholy War
AKA The Big One.
The Unholy War is fought between the Aoi and Akai Clans of Tollouse, which have remained just as savaged and uncivilized over the course of nearly a million years, yet have increased their technology and magick levels exponentially in that time.
The Aoians spread their battle of a million years to the rest of the planet by invading the Collection in order to spread their savage ways. The Akaians responded by flooding down across the wastes into the Gyro-Coph region, bringing the ire of the Khara-Dun Dwarves.
The war is violent, pervasive, and going on everywhere, all the time. During this time, the Axl wizards and the KMSP both are destroyed, Axl by jealous Aoian priests and the KMSP by the Akaian armies. The endless battles rage across every square inch of land, laying waste to much of the world.
The Khara-Dun are wiped out early in the conflict, followed shortly by the Collection, Nomiri, and the Lunara Fortresses along the Equator. The conflict is partially diffused when the Aoian Capital of Zura is wiped out by Dwarves, but the Aoian retaliation is swift and furious, destroying the entire Dwarven Hall of Ifferdrid, the perpetrators.
The war is ended after a full five hundred years of senseless bloodshed, when the Aoians are destroyed by the Akaians, and the Akaians by the Skalis army. The Vile Sorcerer Kapricious himself destroyed the Warlord Akai with his dying breath. After the war, civilization is spread thin and wide once more, and the cycle begins a new with the next age.
The Unholy War is an ideal setting for adventures which feature full-scale barbaric war while also supporting high technology and magic levels. All races are available in this Era, and for the first time so are Aoi and Akai tribesmen, a variant of Valkyrines.
The Unholy War lasts entirely too long, weighing in at a 700 years including pre-war civilization. One can claim that the conflict has in fact been going on in relative secrecy since the beginning of time.
Notable Characters: Warlord Aoi (CN Human male, barbarian); Warlord Akai (CN Valkyrine male, barbarian); Stephen Cogsworth (NG Human male, druid)
Analogue: The Dark Ages, the Apocalypse, etc.
Wylderness
Society rebuilds itself quickly, and gets right back into the war business, this time split between the Oceanic Union and the Selu Empires. The Selu Empires consist of Skalis, the Nomiri Remnant, and Graysh, the Orc empire built on the ruins of the Collection. The Oceanic Union represents the countless nation states of Aia, namely the Axl Magocracy, the Republic of Azhua, and Ur-Gyro.
This time around, the war was sparked by the constant friction between the Axl Magocracy and the Taa-Mages of the City of Blazing Light. This period of vengeful strife ended in relative peace, however, when the Sea Witch, Queen of Axl, was killed in a small skirmish in the Midori Sea. After this, Axl surrendered to Skalis, which demanded nothing in return save an end to the conflict which has plagued Cherry seemingly forever.
There then follows an intermission.
The Wylderness introduces, amongst other things, futuristic elements such as Mobile Suit-esque "Air Knights", high-tech magical aircraft, and peaceful travel between Cherry and Luna. This era is ideal for adventures which would normally be restricted to modern games, such as Cyberpunk or d20 Modern. Magic is still valued, as is technology. Elves are at their highest population levels since the destruction of their empire. Lunara are relatively peaceful. The Dwarves have rebuilt their Subterrains that have been destroyed by wars of the past. By the end of the Era, peace has fully and totally enveloped Cherry.
The Wylderness, like the Dream Time, has an indefinite span, starting with the end of the Unholy War and ending when Cherry eventually is enveloped by its star.
Notable Characters: Ace Thompson (LG Dwarf male, fighter); Korusca, Sea Witch and Queen of All She Surveys (LN Elf female, paladin); Xeru the Konkeror!!! (CN Lunara male, barbarian)
Analogue: Utopian Earth, elements of Modern Earth, Alderaan and Coruscant from Star Wars, many Anime depictions of Earth including select Gundam series, etc.
Special Note: At this point, Cherry begins interaction with the interstellar community. Due to the wild diversity such an environment undoubtedly would produce, pretty much anything goes, hence the name of the Era. Some suggestions include, but are by no means limited to, a massive city world, worlds with small intelligent creatures, galaxy spanning civil war, pretty much anything.
The Cherry setting does not, oddly, produce much in the way of interplanar travel, however. Such events are only possible due to severe magical distortions of reality, which nevertheless can occur quite often and provide many adventure hooks.
-Up next, Player Races.