EMPIRE! Pre-history Thread

[zabbarot]

Hmmm... but the problem is, do they fit into the world? If they do, then I can change it back, but I'm not certain fluffwise if they work with all of the other established things.

Eh, they work in the real world, so if anything they're likely less fantastic than a lot of things we've got going.

[Aedilred]

Gnomes might be a less problematic option than Dwarves, depending on how much of a headache you want to give Blade But it's your region!

[BladeofObliviom]

Coincidentally, on the matter of Orcs, I'm having something of a headache trying to figure out their deal. I mean, obviously there are some very large groups in the Koros Mountains, and a high population in Grmanhil. It's not completely implausible for them to travel between the two areas, since much of the distance was water anyway and we had a notable maritime civilization in the area.

But the Pavonian Jaeger Orcs? Damn it all, the best explanation I have is that they're just a very large Goblin subspecies or something.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Coincidentally, on the matter of Orcs, I'm having something of a headache trying to figure out their deal. I mean, obviously there are some very large groups in the Koros Mountains, and a high population in Grmanhil. It's not completely implausible for them to travel between the two areas, since much of the distance was water anyway and we had a notable maritime civilization in the area.

But the Pavonian Jaeger Orcs? Damn it all, the best explanation I have is that they're just a very large Goblin subspecies or something.

What about this:

Orcs migrated from the mountains of the east toward the west, seeking more land or what not. They crossed the ocean, and then their settlements were driven back into the mountains by the settlers, or people they originally pushed out when they expanded west. The Orcs that crossed the ocean expanded from grmanhil further west and south. When the Salterri arrived, they pushed the Orcs in their landing area into Pavonia, and the other Orcs remained in Borlmyn, Grmanhil, and Bracia. Eventually the Salterri and the Orcs got along, and the Orcs were allowed to settle in Requiem.

Not sure about Pavonias orcs...it might contradict their fluff.

[SamBurke]

Eh, they work in the real world, so if anything they're likely less fantastic than a lot of things we've got going.

True; and pygmies are already in conflicting societies, just with appropriate isolation...

Gnomes might be a less problematic option than Dwarves, depending on how much of a headache you want to give Blade But it's your region!

At one point, I wanted them to be gnomes, as they have a very Avayan feel. It could work out, actually... If Rannaran gnomes traveled across the sea on Guilderene Arks, then it's possible they'd have made their own settlement farther away with their own people.

[TheDarkDM]

So, I've been giving some thought to pre-Cataclysm Tzalteclan, beyond my vague notions that they've been around as an idea long before the Cataclysm hit. It's late and I'll go into more detail tomorrow, but my thinking is that prior to the Cataclysm there were a number of powerful city states that vied with Tzalteclan for control of the eastern coast, those being the source of the various ruins that have been discovered in the other coastal regions. I even doubt the Tzaltec were the strongest of these tribes, as their general disdain for other ethnicities probably worked against them. In my thinking, their advantageous position was the only thing that kept them at rough parity before the Cataclysm, and the Cataclysm itself was the cause of their dominance. Tzalteclan the city is located in the crater of an extinct supervolcano, and is pretty securely protected geographically. However, the rest of the mountains that run through the eastern coast are explicitly volcanic, so my thinking is the Cataclysm set of a string of eruptions that decimated the other city states. The Tzaltec, of course, took this as a sign from Tzetultep and enslaved the survivors that were close to them and withdrew from the desolate badlands that remained for centuries, only emerging when signs of life from beyond the (now healed) fallout area were observed.

Any thoughts on that?

[The Blue Guard]

So, I've been giving some thought to pre-Cataclysm Tzalteclan, beyond my vague notions that they've been around as an idea long before the Cataclysm hit. It's late and I'll go into more detail tomorrow, but my thinking is that prior to the Cataclysm there were a number of powerful city states that vied with Tzalteclan for control of the eastern coast, those being the source of the various ruins that have been discovered in the other coastal regions. I even doubt the Tzaltec were the strongest of these tribes, as their general disdain for other ethnicities probably worked against them. In my thinking, their advantageous position was the only thing that kept them at rough parity before the Cataclysm, and the Cataclysm itself was the cause of their dominance. Tzalteclan the city is located in the crater of an extinct supervolcano, and is pretty securely protected geographically. However, the rest of the mountains that run through the eastern coast are explicitly volcanic, so my thinking is the Cataclysm set of a string of eruptions that decimated the other city states. The Tzaltec, of course, took this as a sign from Tzetultep and enslaved the survivors that were close to them and withdrew from the desolate badlands that remained for centuries, only emerging when signs of life from beyond the (now healed) fallout area were observed.

Any thoughts on that?

That makes sense to me, at least. You've got that area under your control, so I don't think there'll be an issue where what somebody else is planning/has made conflicts with that.

Now, as for the Sharix. I think that, for most of their history after the Cataclysm, they were very insular, but not really on purpose. They had a lot going on, after all, and when you've got a lot happening it's only natural to get a little self-involved.

Anyway, here's a provisional timeline of major/important events.

Queen Adrix is meant to be this young idealist who makes some bad political moves while still being a good person. Her actions are what shake up the social order, so, ultimately, whether you like her depends somewhat on whether you're a parliamentarian or a royalist. At least for the Sharix.

History

Spoiler

Show

The Sharix divide their history into three formal eras: the Pre-Cataclysm era, the Anirian era, and the Joxahian era. The Pre-Cataclysm era covers the time from the earliest known record of elven inhabitation in Valasharix, -213 CE, to the Cataclysm, 0 CE. The Anirian era begins with the rise of Anir, 1 CE, and ends with his death, 101 CE. The next and final era, the Joxahian era, begins with the reign of Queen Joxah Angifer, 214 CE, the first Queen of the Sharix, and ends with Queen Cedrua Roxiya’s surrender to General Rovew Maevonta, 324 CE, ending the monarchy. Everything after that is considered part of the informal modern era.

[-213 CE] This marks the earliest known existence of elven inhabitants in Valasharix.

[0 CE] In tune with the Cataclysm the mountain that will one day be called Anirkarva erupts, decimating the land surrounding it.
[1 CE] One year to the day following the eruption Anir, god of death and rebirth, rises from his volcano. Surprised to discover survivors Anir chooses them to be his followers and bestows upon them the Blessing of Anir (later renamed the Curse of Anir). With Anir’s Blessing the ancestors of the Sharix find survival in the decimated landscape easier and begin to rebuild using what remains of their older civilization.
[7 CE] The priesthood of Anir formally take stewardship of the survivors in a ceremony performed at the First Temple of Anir.
[7-101 CE] Anir, through his priesthood, rules, but as a god of death his rule is often cruel, and his aspect as god of rebirth often forgotten in the wake of the tragedies he creates.
[101 CE] Amidst a famine, seven men and women climb the slopes of Anir’s volcano and confront him. The clash sends landslides crashing down, and several of the seven are killed, but in the end Anir’s corpse is sent hurtling into the caldera. The result is explosive and the entire eastern slope of the mountain erupts.

[101 CE] With the devestating death of Anir, the surviving heroes return to Shalisha. They rally the survivors and together they lead them.
[101-211 CE] The seven rule with varying degrees of success. Most notably, after a speech by Landia, the people begin calling themselves the Sharix in recognition of the fact they survived a god.
[211 CE] The last of the seven dies of old age, leaving the the question of who will lead the Sharix open.
[213 CE] A hero emurges from Landia’s descendants that is widely believed to be the reincarnation of Landia. She is quickly embraced as the natural choice for the next ruler of the Sharix.
[213-250 CE] Several heroes believed to be reincarnations of the seven heroes emurge from their descendants, cementing a belief that they choose to reincarnate only in their family.
[214 CE] Joxah Angifer, ruler of the Sharix, declares herself Queen of the Sharix, and formalizes the process of selecting a new monarch from amoungst the descendants of the seven heroes, firmly entrenching them as Sharixian nobility.
[214-277 CE] Queen Joxah Angifer rules until her death of old age.
[277-309 CE] Queen Joxah’s daughter, Veniya, is selected by the elector college in the first successful ellective succession. Unfortunately, she dies thiry-two years later during a plauge outbreak. She is survived by her daughter, Adrix.
[309 CE] The elector college of noble matriarchs selects Adrix to rule, but due to her young age a regent is appointed until she reaches full maturity at the age of forty.
[311 CE] A hero emurges that many believe to be the reincarnation of Tierrasha, but rumour spreads she is not related to the seven noble families.
[314 CE] The regency ends and Adrix is crowned Queen Adrix Angifer. One of her first acts as monarch, to the shock of all, is to invite the hero and presumed reincarnation of Tierrasha to court.
[314-316 CE] Discontent forms amoungst the nobility at the invitation of the ‘imposter’ to court. In contrast, Queen Adrix’s support amoung the lower classes grows daily.
[316 CE] After two turbulent years, Queen Adrix formally recognises the hero as the true reincarnation of Tierrasha, and as her closest friend and advisor.
[317 CE] The hero, and officially recognised reincarnation of Tierrasha, is murdered. Queen Adrix, in an act of uncharacteristic cruelty, has the matriarchs of the other six noble families dragged before her. All six deny having any hand in the killing, but despite their pleas of innocence Queen Adrix has them confined. Queen Adrix declares a week of mourning for the loss of a true hero that is faithfully observed by many.
[318 CE] A coalition of the six noble families occupies the capital with military force, deposes Queen Adrix, and releases their imprisoned leaders. Together with a new Angifer matriarch, Cedura Roxiya is chosen as the next Queen of the Sharix.
[318-322 CE] Tension rises due to the popularity of Queen Adrix and the murdered reinarnation of Tierrasha.
[322-324 CE] Mounting tension erupts into war as General Rovew Maevonta, a favourite of Queen Adrix, leads his forces against Queen Cedura.

[324 CE] After a bloody civil war, the victorious General Rovew Maevonta hammers out the surrender of Queen Cedrua Roxiya and the creation of a constitution. The constituion strips the monarch and nobility of all their special powers and invests it within a newly formed parliament. The monarchy retains certain privilages, however, in exchange for the execution of its new duty as the parliament’s ceremonial head of state.
[325 CE] The first general election concludes with Interim Prime Minister Rovew Maevonta becoming the Sharixian Republic’s first Prime Minister.

[Morph Bark]

[...]my thinking is the Cataclysm set of a string of eruptions that decimated the other city states. The Tzaltec, of course, took this as a sign from Tzetultep and enslaved the survivors that were close to them and withdrew from the desolate badlands that remained for centuries, only emerging when signs of life from beyond the (now healed) fallout area were observed.

Any thoughts on that?

The Cataclysm has mainly been mentioned as happening in the Central North (I think the majority of the northern countries that have a developed history mention it), but certainly could have had effects reaching as far as Tzalteclan. Most likely, the Cataclysm wasn't so much a single event as a series of event stretched out over several years, the most destructive of which is the one usually referred to in Tellurian texts. Whether the calendar starts at the conclusion of that event or at the conclusion of the series of events as a whole, is a separate matter.


Tbg, one thing that might be good to cover is why the new form of government was instituted. Real-world examples in which that occurred might be helpful for you in finding an organic way for that to happen.

[lt_murgen]

I've been slowly world-building the idea of a race of giants living in the far south who had access to organic-science beyond what Telluris has today. They died out, but many of their experiments have survived:

Spriggans (maybe)
Some of the features of the Kingdom of the Isles
The giant underground tree somewhere in the Kingdom of the Mularuhm
The giant cities in Conjelado anillo and other areas along the coast.
The Bloomenwald Isles (particularly its volcano)

and so on.

[BladeofObliviom]

I've been slowly world-building the idea of a race of giants living in the far south who had access to organic-science beyond what Telluris has today. They died out, but many of their experiments have survived:

Spriggans (maybe)
Some of the features of the Kingdom of the Isles
The giant underground tree somewhere in the Kingdom of the Mularuhm
The giant cities in Conjelado anillo and other areas along the coast.
The Bloomenwald Isles (particularly its volcano)

and so on.

So when we say Organic Science, are we speaking of just plants or something broader? I ask because there are a lot of Beastfolk living in and around the Hundred Seas, and we've largely posited an unnatural origin for these people so far.

Additionally, how are these related to the Giants of Errelosse (pending Burch's approval, of course): Did they truly die out, or simply fall from grace?

[Aedilred]

I've been slowly world-building the idea of a race of giants living in the far south who had access to organic-science beyond what Telluris has today. They died out, but many of their experiments have survived:

Spriggans (maybe)
Some of the features of the Kingdom of the Isles
The giant underground tree somewhere in the Kingdom of the Mularuhm
The giant cities in Conjelado anillo and other areas along the coast.
The Bloomenwald Isles (particularly its volcano)

and so on.

I think it's clear that giants did live in the south at some point, yes (and still do, in some areas, albeit in relatively small numbers). Other things that might be worth looking into include the Aryion worms, and possibly some parts of the Nix history.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

I've been slowly world-building the idea of a race of giants living in the far south who had access to organic-science beyond what Telluris has today. They died out, but many of their experiments have survived:

Spriggans (maybe)
Some of the features of the Kingdom of the Isles
The giant underground tree somewhere in the Kingdom of the Mularuhm
The giant cities in Conjelado anillo and other areas along the coast.
The Bloomenwald Isles (particularly its volcano)

and so on.

The Giant tree is actually in Triumph, which is part of Serendel, actually.

[Morph Bark]

So when we say Organic Science, are we speaking of just plants or something broader? I ask because there are a lot of Beastfolk living in and around the Hundred Seas, and we've largely posited an unnatural origin for these people so far.

Additionally, how are these related to the Giants of Errelosse (pending Burch's approval, of course): Did they truly die out, or simply fall from grace?

There's the Dún, Naga and two subspecies of birdfolk living around the Hundred Seas, but all the other ones are far up north (excepting the minotines, but they aren't coastal). I would think they do not share an origin with the aquatic races, at the very least.

There are three peoples of outright giants: those in Errelosse, those of Conjelado Anillo and those of the Thousand Vales. The Tekorvans are also close, but so far seem to be the only giants capable of having children with humans and other non-giants.

[lt_murgen]

So when we say Organic Science, are we speaking of just plants or something broader? I ask because there are a lot of Beastfolk living in and around the Hundred Seas, and we've largely posited an unnatural origin for these people so far.

Additionally, how are these related to the Giants of Errelosse (pending Burch's approval, of course): Did they truly die out, or simply fall from grace?

Well, I wasn't being too specific. I was just sprinkling hints and thoughts throughout some of the regions I developed.

Tepeti has stairs of the Gods, caverns of lamentation, oxygen producing peat bogs hiding some vast underground structure
Triumph has the mother trunk ( a city-sized tree) and the Demon's Cradle.
The Bloomenwald has a 4 sided pyramid / volcano that spews nutrient rich dust over the islands, resulting in the mind-enthralling plants.

and so on. It seems like some ancient race of "giant' beings being capable of localized, if massive, geo-engineering.

As to the beast-folk and giants, perhaps they play into it as well, as experiments. That is up to anyone who wants to develop those ideas. You could include the Shengdi people and the Galomyrii as potential hybrids as well.