Ríoltad Brigantí [Celtic themed setting v2][WIP]

[Tzi]

Ríoltad Brigantí

Geography and Locations
Geo-Politics and Brigantia's World - Survey of the Kingdoms Geography

History / Cosmology / languages
Clan Ústúan/Royal Dynasty - Astronomy and Cosmology - Languages

Brigantínag (Brigantian People/Language)
Architecture - Firearms and Riflemen - Current Affairs and Monarchy - Clan, Country, City, Political organizations - Religion

Esochdag (Foreign / Not Brigantian peoples)
Hagenag (Heglanders) - Almanag (Lydian) - Tarmanoi (Other Tarmanic Language peoples) - Sidonag (Sydonesian Empire) - Other far off locations and peoples

Crunch
Classes/Races

Note: All input is welcome!

Concept:
So this is ideally a Celtic- Somewhat renaissance -with a dash of steam punk for zest, type setting. Ríoltad Brigantí or Kingdom of Brigantia is an Island the rough size of Tasmania that has for generations stood as a stony strong beacon to its neighbors. During the previous era's of strife and chaos its strong Kings, traditions and unbreakable warriors have guarded the Island from the darkening world just across the narrow channels. The World over all could be described as "Post Apocalyptic," even somewhat Sci-Fantasy. There is ancient knowledge of a past in which the peoples of the world did not live on this world called "Astyra," in various languages. And incredibly magi-tech civilizations that existed in deep history. At present technology is very Renaissance to some extent but the world is in an era of geo-political instability and chaos following the "Parpossus Event," or a Caldera eruption and subsequent events the crippled the Lydian Empire and global trade, food production and other factors.

Game use: This is created with D&D 5e mechanics in mind, so If I go into crunch and stuff it will be with that game system and rules in mind. This is ideally a low magic, and entirely Humans only setting.*

General Lore:
Enis Briganta, or the Island of Brigantia is populated by people speaking a dialect of the Tarmanoi Languages. Defined as such by the Lydian Empire. The region they live in was called Vesporia, and the Island of Brigantia was defined as Brigantium or Vespor Minora. The Island was populated in Time Immemoria by early Tarmanoi Language speakers akin to the central and eastern Vesporia mainland speakers. However as Lydia declined this Island came under the rule of Maebish Raiders. Maebitic peoples fall under the branch of Tarmanoi speakers but live on a clustered archipelago to the west. Brigantia had always had a mix of of Tarmanoi speakers but the Island was fully conquered in the year 867 of the Old Hyperian Calendar. The new rulers were an ethnic and linguistic minority but they Maebicized the Island forming the current Brigantian people and language.

The line of Ústúan Kings came to rule from 867 HCE and formed a stable dynasty for five generations. Whilst mainland areas were a mess of shifting borders and petty fiefs, the Brigantians enjoyed a somewhat relative stability.

Lydia rebounded from the Heggish invasions in 890's. The Heggish people hailed from some frigid regions unknown in the North East of the world. The Heggish folk formed many tribes and settled across the western Lydian Empire, being absorbed as refugees and migrants. Though Lydia is forever crippled by this as its left its Empire a mere fractured confederation of States and the Lands of Vesporia are virtually abandoned by them. The Eastern coastal cities, once villa's of the Lydian's were overrun by the Western Tarmanoi speaking tribes and the Brigantian Kings demanded Tribute.

Today however the Parpossus Eruption has sent the worlds climate into chaos. Some believe the Parpossus event was caused by a Kemitic Sorcerer whom Destroyed the city of Aten and the Kemitic farmlands are coated in ash and undead. Raiding pirate bands from the newly dubbed "Sea of Seraphs," along with occasional undead lurch out even as far as the Island and Lydian refugees are on the move as the Lydian Empire is all but dead save for its Eastern power bases. Likewise the formally subdued Heggish people have begun forming their own petty States, even attempting to colonize the lands held by Tarmanoi speaking tribes and Kingdoms.

Brigantia itself has emerged from its own turmoil, a protracted dynastic struggle between various tanists (people eligible for the throne) has left the Island in a difficult state as the newest crowned ruler is the 19 year old Sauscí of the Mountains, of the House of Ústúan, descended of the fourth branch of the original High King Conlaoch whom founded the Ústúan dynasty. Now in 1023 HCE the Island is imperiled by internal strife over the Tanistry Wars between the great-great-great grandchildren of Conlaoch, Heggish incursion, Lydian Militia's and disbanded Legion's led by warlords looking for lands to claim, and pirate legions including necromantic warlords from the former Kemet.

Language:
Some will note that Ríoltad Brigantí and many other words and names seem odd. Partly they are from a Celtic ConLang which is being employed to offer this setting a very specific cultural anchor. Linguistically all things will offer translations and yes, theoretically it all could be spoken as an actual language. Language IMHO is key to culture (And a lot of Anthropologists opinions). I didn't want a go the generic route and use Common or other similar language schemes as typical D&D does. So for this world, Languages are as distinct, diverse and different as they are on earth. Since the only PC race is Human I thought I would take that freedom to run wild with culture.

[Tzi]

Geo-Politics of Vespia and Brigantian Influence

Spoiler: WARNING MAP IMAGE! Also might be poor quality. XD

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Ríoltad Brigantí (Kingdom of Brigantia) is a fairly small island compared to its surroundings but its traditions, relative strength and strong Kingship and legal customs have made it a Geo-Political "Dragon." in its corner of the world. Since the Ústúan Dynasty symbol is prominently an Emerald Dragon, Dragon insignia often represent the Island and its people. As does the symbol of fire. The Lydian Empire refers to them as the "iom okcidenta drako" (Little Western Dragon). The map above roughly lays out the general area and the regions of Briganti power. While States and actual Kingdom boundaries are not depicted (Many of the areas in pink, green, blue and Purple are realistically divided between 35+ Separate Kingdoms depending on whose counting). They do roughly show the Ethno-Linguistic and political affiliations of areas. The Areas in Pink are tributary vassals and clients. All Kings, Lords, Potentates and Chieftains within this area pay tribute and some sort of submission to the Brigantí Crown. Though typically not directly ruled, the hand of the Brigantí is evident and their power is pretty strong. In light green are areas of majority Tarmanoi speaking people whose rulers do not offer tribute to Brigantí rule and are neutral or independent. The areas in powder blue are majority Heglandic speaking and are recent arrivals, imported there by the Lydians to occupy the "Marches," between their western most province as the Tarmanoi free peoples of the West of Vespa. Largely these areas are mostly independent now as the Lydian territories are in chaos and often ruled by the Heglandic Kings in the Marches. Furthermore the Lydian areas are a mix of languages and peoples but most are Lydanized Tarmanoi people or Heglanders.

Brigantí power is largely an extension of its relative stability, diplomatic tact and military prowess. Their Island is a perfect staging ground for raids and war efforts and is itself difficult to invade as the Lydians learned in 769 HCE, and again in 912 HCE, 914 HCE and the Great Aleksandro Disaster of 920 HCE in which the 9th Legion was completely swallowed up and not a soul ever returned. After 920 HCE the Lydian Senate voted to be more Diplomatic with the unconquerable Brigantian's. Other Tarmanoi people whom were constantly harassed by the Lydians soon switched allegiances to the Islanders whom became the counter to Lydian power. Today that position mostly remains, however Brigantia's recent Civil Wars made it prone to its client states trying to have greater influence and even client states forming coalitions to back puppet Kings during the temoltous 990-1007 HCE civil war. High Queen Sauscí has reunified the country and once again asserted power solely to the Ústúan Dynasty and Clan, scattering rivals often into the neutral states or to the client states whom are complacent under the long spell of Brigantian rule.

Client Kingdoms are a tad complacent, some fear the Heglandic migrants being imported into the Marches between the world of the Tarmanoi speaking peoples and the Lydian territories. Others deal with the influx of Heglanders and Lydian subjects trickling in from the Eastern Chaos. But still some Kingdoms such as the ones in Cambria and Labrinau jockey for their own power and to make Brigantia THEIR tributary Kingdom.

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Clan Ústúan, The Ústúan Dynasty and Maebitic Invasion of Enis Brigantí

Since 867 of the Hyperian Common Era, the Island and the smaller Islets surrounding Enis Brigantí have been ruled by a single dynasty. The Ústúan conquerors hailed from a cluster of northerly Islands with in Archipelago of Dalriata. The Bardic Songs say they came from the Southern Uisd. Conlaoch was their Chieftain and he secured the Isle from Uireb the Unprepared as he is remembered. Uireb had been a puppet Chief, installed by the Lydians during the height of their power over the region.

Conlaoch defeated Uireb completely at the Battle of Banaghturn and Conlaoch's son Uillian claimed Uireb's sword and the weapons of his host. Conlaoch then established the dynasty and distributed lands among his kith and kin. Though as Maebitic minority they had difficulty ruling the Isle. After the generations a new synthesized culture emerged that was both Maebitic and Vespite Tamanoi speaking peoples. Conlaoch and his heirs would strengthen the previously weakened Druids, Bards and Vates as a power on the Isle. Though under them these classes adopted writing systems as the somewhat Lydanized inhabitants had done. The Gods of the Maebitic peoples became paramount. Likewise Maebitic law and legal customs as well became more common and somewhat refined by the seeping Lydanized practices.

By 881 Conlaoch was dead and by tanistry inheritance the realm passed by vote to his eldest son Uillian the first Bardic King, and then the Samus the First Witch King in 907, whose nephew Coltan was famous for his raids in Cambria and later founded a small fief of his own in Cambria. Uillian is recalled for his prolific parties, accredited music and art. Samus was said to be a gifted story teller and would leave his great Crannogh to go mingle with the masses, though it is claimed Samus was not much of a fighter himself he did have "Sorcerers powers." Powers he used during the successive Lydian invasions of the island and repulsed them all. Samus was then succedded by Fionna the Grey Queen, his second born child and daughter noted for her wits. Samus' other sons and children had perished in the Lydian wars. Fionna ruled from 938-969 ruled exceptionally long and the Kingdom was in a remarkable state of peace. 969 saw the crowning of Fionna's third son Fin, but Fin succumb to the plague of 973 and the crown passed to Uillian the Second whom reigned until 982 but died hunting under mysterious circumstances. Oaun was installed, Fin's youngest brother, but Oaun was called the Drunkard and bankrupted the treasury. Uillian's three children were spirited away into the southern mountains as Oaun also became paranoid that the Tanistry Council might assemble to vote him from the throne during his wild rule. by 990 he was assassinated by Fin the Stag, who claimed the throne but was contested by Darmet of the Red Mountains whom started a civil war for rule of the isle. Samus the 2nd had birthed Maraed whom had Sauscí in 996. Civil war raged on the Island but likely little Sauscí had a weak claim and was but a child. But she gathered supporters in the high country near Loch Morrigu eventually earning herself the nickname Sauscí the Banshee for her daring military charges and raids.

In 1007 Sauscí had killed Darmet and closed in on Fin the Stag King whom eventually fled to Lusitania, leaving Sauscí the best in line, and all other contenders dead or in hiding.

Maebitic Military Strengths:
The Maebitic peoples of Dalriata have held onto an ancient knowledge of magic and Alchemy that had served them fairly well. Besides using many innovative weapons, the Maebitic people use basic blackpowder weapons they gained from the Kratean traders and merchants but also refined themselves. Many Maebitic warriors also use some crude magic in their combat which made them fairly intense military units.

The Ústúan clan was also quick to absorb some of the Lydian tactics during the reign of Samus the Witch King whom had managed to overcome them, though at great cost.

[Tzi]

Enistai Brigantí (Brigantian Island and Islets

Here is my main map for the Island itself. Scale isn't exactly there, mainly to keep things vague. It could be comparable to maybe 2/3rds or half of Tasmania to give it scale.

Everything is intentionally done in a Celtic-Conlang I am using for this setting, so words like Ríoltad mean Kingdom, or Porth = Port, Bagoch = Marshland, Cél Forest, Enis = Island, Enistai = Islands(Plural), Monath = Mountains ect. The Language aspect IMHO is there mostly because I feel Language is a key part of giving this and settings in general a sense of cultural identity unique unto themselves. The Language defines and gives life to the Brigantian People and Culture so I will frequently try to use words other than English.

Climate and Topography:
Enis Brigantí or the main big Island is mostly hilly, somewhat rocky and even volcanic in the south with occasional tremors and hot springs shooting out of the ground. The North constitutes most of the most verdant and farm-able land. The Island is covered in Oak, Birch, and Pine trees with the mountainous south hosting forests of large tall Fir trees.

Enis Bec (Little Island): Is sparsely populated save for a lighthouse and a few small sheep herding people.
Enis Cittel (Kettle Island): has an odd clay used for reddish pottery that is then exported to the island.
Enis Camri (Island of the Camrach) Is a slightly less Brigantian area, settled mainly by a variation of the Briganti speaking people, it has a large population from across the channel in Cambria. Their dialect and language heavily reflect the mainland and many speak more the Islands older pre-Maebitic influenced language.

Settlements:

While Fincoruna acts as the defacto capital, though Queen Sauscí operates her court principally within the core lands directly controlled by her at Cusilian Már-Dridór near the Mountains and Glen Fion. From there her core forces can get to any part of the country with three days. Likewise all roads lead through the ancient keep her ancestor Samus the Witch King built.

Typically settlements are small clan villages and holdings with most of the island being rural and parts often are pastoral. The north housing most of the agriculture and farming lands and the south being more into mining, quarries, timber, and pastoral ranches and herdsmen. Population wise 2/3rds of the people live in the North or on the coastline and the mountains are very sparsely populated.

Architectually the square shaped buildings of the Lydanized Tarmani are far more common then the round shapes of Maebitic style and old Tarmani folk.

Spoiler: Scenery Images of Settlements

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Village in Glen Fion


Mountain village near Loch Aur


Crannogh style settlement on Loch Morrigu


Cusilian, [COOSH-lawn] or Walled settlement, in Gorth Fion.


Mining and Metalworks community near Crag Már

Ruins and Wonders:

Not far from Porthcamri is said to be an extensive catacomb of the Hyperians themselves, later re-purposed into a catacomb for the old Brigantian Kings and the Lydian fort near that area. The ancient Catacomb predates any Tarmanoi peoples on the Isle, and many parts are unreachable. Alchemists have at times taken residence in the winding catacombs and used the strange alchemical substances for their works. Including famous Alchemists have all at one time taken up residence. Largely the Catacombs remain sealed since the Civil War and its ending and have yet to be opened. Further south near the Bai Alma, there sits a great Aqueduct ruin also of Hyperian construction. Rumors also abound of some structure in a canyon in the mountains and of many other ruins predating any of recorded history buried deep below the tangled roots of the great island.

Spoiler: Ruins Images

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The great Aqueduct of the Hyperians.

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Cosmology and Astronomy as the Brigantian's Know it

Astronomy:
Before the Lydian conquests, Lydian retreats, Maebitic conquest, heck even from the earliest days of the Tarmanoi speaking peoples in this area, there has been people looking to the stars. Be it for divination, time keeping, astrology charts, and navigation. Astronomies importance fell away for a time as the Lydians saw little use to Astrology and Star based divination. The Hyperians its believed had very accurate understandings of the Heavens and to some extent some Druidic scholars will study their ruins for clues.

Though considered backward by the Lydians for a time, the Maebitic Astronomy and specifically the Brigantian scholars have a fairly good understanding of the stars via their star charts and more recently crude telescopes imported from lands afar. King Samus the First, the Witch King even had a study with ample material on astronomy and astrology in his Keep. Set off to one area he had a small stone circle in a nearby grove surrounded by a brick enclosure. Later an actual telescope was built. King Samus burial mound has a stone (placed 30 years after his death but with a quote credited to him) Inscribed in Ogham reading "a anós mar anís." Meaning "As Above So Below." reflecting his star focused outlook. Indeed reading the stars, divination and time keeping by the Solstice, Equinox ect is key to the cycle of the year to the Brigantian people.

Spoiler: Known Solar System in Briganag (Brigantian Language)

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*Planets not to Scale.

Time:
Brigantian Calender's are based mostly on a synthesizing of the old Maebitic Calendar as well as some Lydian astronomy and alleged revelations from astrologers.

Time is divided into 8 parts, specifically eight parts of the year with a "fire festival," marking the passage of each bit of the year. The Winter Solstice, Vernal Equinox, Summer Solstice, and Autumnal Equinox form core markers of time for religious observances and the four core holidays are Sauin (Harvests End), Imolc (beginning of spring), Beltain (Between spring equinox and the summer solstice) and Launístain (beginning of the harvest season). The actual names of the holidays shifted towards their more Maebitic names reflecting the linguistics of the conquering Ústúan clan's customs. Many of the festivities had been somewhat suppressed during Lydian occupation and then forgotten when the Lydians left and before the Ústúan conquest and Religious Restorations.

The concept of minutes or hours would be alien to this culture, indeed no words exist for such minute measurements of time. The year is divided into a 11 months and the calendar follows lunar patterns rather than the Hyperian or Lydian Solar count. Though they still mark the destruction of the last Hyperian city as year O.

Cosmology as Brigantian's See it:
This topic also crosses over into religious attitudes. But the knowledge of other planes is limited. They know of a Material plane, an Otherworld and other areas. The Otherworld sometimes consist of a multi-layered caked world reflecting a lower Otherworld and upper Otherworld. Seen as reflected in the stars and deep places. Fairy's, Gods, Demons, ect live between the two worlds. Some more scholastic Brigantian's have ordered the Otherworld into distilled areas and locations. Even arguing for elemental planes and other such things, but largely the world of the Brigantian is "This World," and "The Otherworld," though sometimes plural for the latter one.

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ar Dúnai Brigantínag/ The Towns of the Brigantí

Architecture and settlements shift with what part of the Island one lives in. Compared to other Tarmanoi Peoples the Brigantian building is somewhat sophisticated. Often resembling that of their Lydanized kin in the east, or on the mainland. Life is still however relatively rural throughout the Island, but it is host to some of the most populated cities in the region. Carúi for example has a population of 10,000 or about. Though admittedly its a city split between four hills and has access to old Hyperian sewers. Midland and Northern settlements like Cusilian Már-Dridór and Fincoruna tend to be walled, and built of stone and mud brick with thatched and occasionally tiled roofing. Further south and in the high mountains people follow more old styles and even more old Maebitic styles of round buildings and Crannogs, Though Crannogs can be found in the bogs and marshlands as well.

Spoiler: Architecture inspiration Images. Warning for lots of images

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More Northern and Midlands:





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More Southern and Mountain:

While general architecture is nothing to write back about, and the Brigantian's are not known for grand structural engineering. Buildings are more often built with practicality in mind. Decoration usually coming in the form of paint, or tapestries with died and embroidered knotted patterns draped over city walls or hanging from rooftops.

One much more historic structure that had previous history but was suppressed during the Lydian Puppet rulers days before the Ústúan conquest is the Sacred Stone's, Stone Circles and Standing stone monoliths built across the Island. Before King Conlaoch, the practice and much of the older religious cults were being intermittently suppressed. King Conlaoch and his successors oversaw a period of Religious restoration and building of new sacred sites and alters. Though unlike other peoples most religious sites are open air thus few big temples exist or vast religious complexes. Though increasingly those Vate's (Brigantian religious Acolytes and Priests/Priestesses) live close to sacred sites. Likewise, Vate Dridór, and Bards and generally any of the educational or scholastic vocation form something resembling College or Monastery as they often serve duel scholastic and religious roles.

Spoiler: Images of Religious sites ect.

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College


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Notes:
First, Yes, I play and enjoy the Guild Wars games and their art and concept art. Over all the idea is to present a dynamic and shifting culture. Architecture varies by region, by time, by urbanization and by available materials.

[Tzi]

Firearms, and Brigantian Black Powder

Notes: While the Dark Age feel is interesting too me, this isn't strictly a setting mirroring the late Roman Empire / "Dark Ages," Europe. Firearms are actually for the purposes of this setting working under slightly different principles. Primarily a technical achievement of Alchemy and Engineering they are more intricate weapons that can require greater care and skill to use. In this sense blackpowder is used simply because everyone knows what it is. Realistically in game world context it would have other names.

Lore:
Brigantian Peoples have had blackpowder weapons for some time. A result of the Ústúan conquest was the importing of the technology for crude blackpowder bombs and canon as well as fireworks from the Maebitic peoples of Dalriata. Their alchemists had exceptional skills and were well known well before the Ústúan conquest. Even the Lydians feared "The Sea People with their Boom Sticks." But the Lydian use of magic could match the Maebitic army thus the two forces often stalemated. The Ústúan used more refined mechanisms however as their clan adopted styles of the Mizorene, Serica and other peoples of the South West across the Garond Ocean. Their alchemy and craftsmanship produced the earliest hand canons. Which the Dalriatan's imported to some extend.

High Queen Sauscí also made use of more refined Musket technology imported and reverse engineered from the lands of Serica. Key to Brigantian power indeed is its technical achievements in Alchemy and the art of its Alchemists, and Eldritch Knights whom make the country very formidable.

A man in some regalia, with his rifle.

Riflemen: Brigantian Riflemen often were black cloaks, black garb. Some even wear masks with skull designs on them. Weapons are intricately decorated with knots and patterns to resemble totemic animals. While rifles are somewhat easy to train to use, the alchemy involved in securing black powder cartridges and rifles can make them slightly more expensive. Thus typically the firearm is the weapon of more elite units that have the technical skill and alchemical knowledge to properly care and maintain the somewhat expensive device to craft. Typically riflemen come from the nobility and or occupy a rank AKIN to that of a Knight in other cultures. Someone with the wealth, education and skill to use one and own one is desired.

Firearms Crunch:
Incoming *

[Tzi]

Sidonag (Sydonesian Empire)

"Shu lusha gire mau shu xefu thumai..." They say in Sydonian Cities. The meaning roughly means "The sun rises, and the birds still fly," reflecting an easy going people. To call them an Empire is to play mostly fast and loose with the term Empire. They do not strictly or centralize authority in any particular capital and the Government shifts from city to city depending on the season in a traveling court and council. They are principly mercantile, somewhat multi-ethnic and focused primarily on trade. They are the inheritors of both Lydia, Athos, and the Ancient Hyperians of distant lore.

Situated far south of Brigantia, they hug the northern portion of the continent of Magar, soaking in the sun and warmth of the sunny skies and using the fertile coastal lands that occupy a narrow green band on the north of Magar before the continent shifts into the rocky bad lands, The Anvil, the Hell pits and the Desolation. To their north there is the life giving sea, to the south a blistering rocky desert that is marginally navigable.

They engage in trade across the southern coasts and their ships even dock in Brigantia as their main trading partner in the north west. Lydia typically held the Sydonese Cities as their tributary City-States. Especially after a series of protracted wars allowed them to conquer these rich trade cities. But with Lydia gone, these cities are fusion of old Lydia and the old Sydonese. Currently they are ruled by a Lydian speaking elite. Particularly the descendants of Prince Mikelo and his Sydonese wife Theodarja. In most respects the Sydonese cities are a major piece of the old Lydian Empire that has remained stable. Some even referring to it as Lydia or the Southern Lydians.

Culturally however it is different. As it is linguistically. The Lydian language is in heavy use in official documents, diplomatic actions and among the educated elite. By the various dialects of Sydonese are the majority language. With it being said that in Thauitei one can here every language in the world, though this is perhaps a boastful exaggeration, it certainly would contain a speaker of most languages from across the the hemisphere. West of Thauitei sits Girauxa which is as much a jewel of merchants as it is knowledge. Housing 12 Libraries and schools and effectively an insular Magiocracy. Girauxa is both Culturally and Linguistically the most unique of the Sydonese at houses some of last living speakers of Hyperian as well as allegedly living descendants of a Hyperian Narcal or "Wizard King." Theodarja the current Empress is herself allegedly of this ancient bloodline of near Godlike magical potency and intellect.

City of Thauitei in daylight.

Note: Inspired heavily by the Byzantines, Carthage, and Andulasia.

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Lydians / Lydian Empire

"Venko favoras la grasaj." Or Victory to the Bold! A time honored Lydian proverb. The Lydians began as legend has it far to the East of the Brigantian peoples, Vespaciia and the world of the Tarmanoi. They are with great legend the descendants of half of the last city of the Hyperians. They were born from a terrible famine that gripped an Island city, the last hub of their glorious Kith and Kin. The famine held out for years in the post Hyperian world. The King, whose name is lost to history is said to have ordered his people to play a game involving dice. Many many sorts of dice for months and months. First the game was made to distract these last Hyperians from the grim reality of the world after the legendary 7 days of fire and the War in Heaven that ended Hyperia.

Legend holds that after 10 years the King held a new game. Dividing the land in half the two factions competed for the glory. The glory was that the other half would be released from the crumbling citadel, deemed witty, worthy and crafty enough to go forth and rebuild what they had lost. More over the remaining would be able to survive on their dwindling resources.

The Lydians are the descendants of these Ancient Game Masters. Nobody knows exactly what the game was, or even the precise location of the ancient fortress. Though some ruins hold clues with symbols important to the Lydians.

This is/was a culture that loves competition and games. Crafty, intelligent, and gifted the Lydians are/were gifted sorcerers, soldiers, engineers and artisans. Their armies set out from Lydia, their capital, to recapture what was lost of Hyperia. Their armies proved nearly undefeatable. Even Brigantia was once a colony of theirs. But like all great triumphs Lydia is on hard times. The eruption of the Parpassus Caldera and the destruction within its Eastern realm of Kemet have left it a land of Famine, Climactic shift and Tsunamies devastated its coastal garrisons. Lydia is reduced to just a few provinces around its capital. The rest are mostly autonomous states claiming homage but realistically not ruled by the Lydian Emperor whom himself is a puppet of the equally corrupt Senate. Mass migrations, the Heglandic invasion and indeed the resurgent Tarmanoi Kingdoms such as Brigantia have crippled the Lion of Lydia. But like their ancestors before them, they are resilient and will likely rebuild as their forefathers allegedly set out to do nearly 1000 years prior.

Their relations with Brigantia are strained at best. Viewing the Ústúan Kings as geo-political rivals whom consistently harass their Westerly colony of Vespaciia. Thrice they have had to send soldiers at the request of the Vespacians to repel a Brigantian host. With the last time costing them the whole of the city of Valenpretar which was famously picked clean of everything including the stones of buildings which left only the streets and sewers and cisterns of the city left. However the Brigantians never fully defeated their Lydian rivals. Lydia has buttressed the client state with Heglandic peoples, mostly as a deal to stave of Heglandic tribes from invading the Lydian heartland. Cynically selling off their outer colonies for the security of the capital and to buy themselves time.

The edge of Lydia, sit atop hills and rock, the city is considered a marvel of engineering and Transmutative Magic.


Lydian Woman in a Palace, even in a crippled State Lydia is still a beacon of art and culture.

The Almanag: The Lydians are in the Tarmanoi lands called Almanag, and the region they settle in old Hyperian is Almaniumiia. Likewise the Lydians used the vivid green of the Star of Alma, the first planet in the Solar System on their banners. They also call themselves "The People of the Morning Star." As Alma is typically the first and brightest star in the Sky. They also Worship a Supreme Empress Goddess Alma or many do or did. Goddess of Beauty and Radiance and Sovereign of their People. Lydia is the name allegedly of the Citadel they came from in their founding mythos.

Vespaciia Protectorate: Vespaciia is the name of the province now quasi-independent state/fiefdom left over from the official Lydian occupation on the sub-continent of Vespas of which the Isle of Brigantia sits on its south western regions. This nether land of Empire now is a State largely on its own and pledging homage to the Emperor of Lydia. However its largely fractured between 4 powerful Warlords whom rule via council. Likewise the region has many peoples beyond just Tarmanoi speaking subjects whom have been Lydanized. It has Sydonese, some Magar peoples, and Heglanders imported in as protectors but for whom have largely carved parts of the Lydian Protectorate out into their own fiefdoms.

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Tarmanoi (Other Tarmanic Language peoples)
*Specifically those of Vespa Region.

The general region Brigantia finds itself in is not altogether hostile soil populated by alien peoples for whom they struggle and fight with.

Spoiler: Geo-Political Map

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*Regions are labeled mainly by dialect or political geography, areas depicted may consist of several dozen politically independent units.

Overview of Tarmanoi

Tarmanoi speaking culture varies but in most areas it breaks down into some fairly common traits with the Brigantian people. Torc jewelry, gold decorations, spiral patterns and the use of plaid tartans. However similarities go further, culturally peoples have similar languages, though not mutually intelligible, the languages are close to one another. Peoples have similar if not the same Gods (Less they've been converted to Lydian and or Sydonese Mystery Cults) and have a fairly common mythology as well as the same host of holidays. In areas not directly ruled by the Lydians, the powerful classes are typically the Druid (Scholarly, Legal and Philosophical) the Bard (Poets and Story Keepers) and Vates (Religious officiants) and they subscribe to a similar cosmology as the Brigantian one and even the same religion more or less. These peoples are diverse to some extent but very similar and bound by a common culture and religion as well as similar language and philosophical outlooks. Generally Tarmanoi languages can be broken into the catagories of Vesponnic, or mainland languages and then Maebitic or Islander languages mostly from the Dalriatan Archipelago.

However each Culture/Language is somewhat unique and this will briefly survey them. Areas depicted in pinkish/red are more or less Brigantian Colonies/Tributaries or Vassal states. Areas in Green are independently ruled but speak Tarmanoi, Blue are independent and speak a Heglandic language, Purple Speak Lydian and are independent. The Pink areas form a decentralized Empire of the Brigantian people. Forming a fairly complex trade network in the region and buttressing Brigantian Power.

Tarmanoi and Writing

Until the arrival of the Lydians, writing was alien to this culture whose ruling class preferred memorization and a monopoly on knowledge. The Lydians for a time broke the traditional Druid, Bard and Vate class however Maebitic invasions brought about religious restoration. Restoration though with compromise. The mainlanders had grown literate and so the revived religious sects used writing and writing has gone mainstream to some extent. Though the elite classes reserve the cryptic Ogham script as the domain of the elite and of the Vates, Druids and Bards.

Various writing systems abound but the Brigantian common typeface and writing is fairly commonly used throughout Tarmanoi speaking lands, even via languages more distant from Brigantian.

Areas of Brigantian Influence and Rule

Kernoia: A very hilly and rocky countryside it is a difficult life in this rugged country of steep cliffs, rocky fields, and rough and tumble landscape. Known for their adept mining, mine stacks and other outfits dart the countryside. The people tend to live in small village units near arable land and mining operations. The largest settlement and regional power is Tre war Venydh near the coast in a rather well fortified castle town. The local leader, King Pasco rules with some advisers from Brigantia. He and its ten dozen other Lords are all tributaries of Brigantia. Though they rarely have to pay much, they do contribute hard metals and raw tin, copper, and iron to Brigantia and are in turn armed by them. Kernnowi people tend to live in hill top or lake side villages and towns, often engaged in heavy processing and industry.

Spoiler: Kernoia Settlements/Insperational Art

Show

*also a Miyazaki fan.

Cambria: Speaking a language closest to old Brigantian, these people are known for their many Castles and hill fortresses as well as crossbow's and weapons building. Cambria is practically a colony of Brigantia at this point. Its somewhat centralized into a mostly unified Kingdom under the rule of an offshoot dynasty of the Ústúan clan that rules Brigantia. Specifically the descendants of Colton which have ruled much of the West country directly. However they too are tributary to Brigantia. Their language is fairly distinct but is similar to what Brigantian was prior to the Ústúan conquest. Pennsmeru is the largest fortified town and seat of the Ap Colton Dynasty. However larger unwalled cities spot the rolling hills and marshes. The land is protected from attack by the mountainous Kernoia in the North and the Cantrabara riverlands. Lately it has been a hiding spot for peoples defeated by Sauscí in battle or exiled during her purges to secure power. Some fear Cambria may be a rising rival if Sauscí cannot secure a lasting stability in Brigantia after the civil war.

Icana: The land is thickly mountainous and filled with wooded canyons and valleys. Called sometimes "the Sheep people," they mostly heard their rams, goats, cows and sheep and hunt deer. People here are actually closely related to the Ústúan clan as they are Maebitic speakers. They settled the land and claimed it from the Lydian legion that had taken up roost there. They tend to live as their Islander Kin do, in Crannog dwellings and are largely pastoral. The mountainous domain however means a single man, or just few with crossbows, or a canon or two can hold off entire armies marching on their close neighbor of Picora. The Icana do host interesting religious shrines, particularly large stone hollow towers and practice a form of guerrilla warfare that the Brigantians often recruit to their own ventures.

Labrinau: Within Brigantia's own little quasi-Empire, Labrinau is probably one of its biggest over all internal threats. Not necessarily for any military reasons but because it has a famed reputation for spawning lots of religious fanaticism and cults. Particularly with a scoffed oracle Vate woman named Ambe wandering and prophesying in the area and creating trouble for Brigantia's well organized political order. The land is very rural, though the western coast is largely flat and farming is most common. The land is filled with Shrine stones and sacred temples, particularly to Mermaids and River fairies. Labrinau also has a long history of deranged leaders, particularly King Orangethix whom himself was imported and placed in power by the Brigantian Crown to replace King Avern whom both suffered lunacy and believed themselves the reincarnation of Fairies. The countryside is mostly rural farmland, with it getting more mountainous the further east one goes. The canyons and passes east are also thickly forested and dangerous, with only a few garrison keeps maintained mostly by the Brigantians themselves. The mountains are also host to Giants of one variety or another whom pose their own danger, and a cave dwelling King of the Ogres and an Ogre city which routinely threatens settlements.

Mannachta: This chain of Islands is home to purely Maebitic speaking peoples, Kinfolk to the Ústúan clan and sometimes a place were rulers are sent to live "authentically Maebitic," ways. Mannachta is much like Icana, but with fishing and sailing forming a key part of life. The Mannachta often supply Brigantia with extra sailors, and ship building. If Labrinau is the Brigantian Pain in their Butt, Mannachta is practically their Crown Jewel. Linguistically though the two people are very different, but among the Ústúan rulers whom speak the "Old Tongue," its also a place along with Icana to send children to perfect their skills in Maebish speech.

Picora: While Cambria is often called Brigantia's colony, Picora very much IS Brigantia's colony. With the Western-most thin peninsula being entirely Brigantian speaking, and typically the ruler of the region is a Ústúan and typically ones being prepped as candidates for the throne. The Picori language is strongest in the east, in the thick forests and glades. Theirs is a mainland language, akin to old Brigantian. They are divided into small tribal groups scattered about the Picori thicket in the east. A wet marshy river land coated in twisting trees and sometimes impassible country. Here the Picor people deal with savage river trolls, and allegedly hags that emerge from the bogs.

Holodram: The preferred Spiritual center of this little Empire. Holodram is a very odd place, as it hosts many peoples from throughout the region, and the Holodrami profit immensely from some trade with the world. But mainly they profit from their vast standing stones and Colleges in the high peaks. Unfortunately the Isles of the Holodram are very difficult to land on, making trade difficult and harbors treacherous. Likewise Sea Serpents stalk the straits between Holodram and Picora. Its northern Isles and clans host many schools and temples, and is a beacon for pilgrimage. Otherwise the Islands are rocky, barely farmable and difficult to land upon for trade.

The Marches Between Brigantia and Lydia's Vespaciia

Cantrabara: Independent of Brigantian control, these people are subject to a degree of Brigantian "Soft Power," but its Kings pay no homage and pay no tribute. Divided up into about 24 tribal fiefdoms the region is a vast riverland mostly, with bogs, marshes and wooded glades and fens doting the landscape. Cantrabara culture sticks to Crannogh style homes, crossbows are favorable and they are fierce fighters. On some level the Brigantians tolerate their independence on the grounds that they act as a natural buffer between them and the Heglandic Fief of Brynnlant which they do not fully trust. They are fiercely independent and the land is difficult to invade.

Kaloni: Also independent but less so than the Cantrabaran fiefdoms. Here they are split between three principalities with ever shifting internal borders. The land is rocky, and thick with pine and birch trees. The Heglandic Donderdalant fiefs fear the thickets of the woods and just raid the land. The Brigantians maintain several Fortresses in the area but exercise little political power over the locals whom try their hardest to resist rule. But militarily they have to obey Brigantia to some extent.

Tarantir: Soaking in the warmer climate, AND having various prosperous well defended mining towns and ports, these people are master goldsmiths, par excellence. They are not beholden to Brigantia but do trade with them extensively. Some of the finest jewelers and goldsmiths hail from here.

Arebroi: The main ports of trade between Lydia and the Tarmanoi speaking world for ages. HOWEVER they have recently began to fall within Brigantia's orbit. This land is likely to become their next tributary state. The people are fairly Lydanized but do no use the Lydian language. It is somewhat multi-cultural and multi-lingual and is the most friendly with Brynnlant.

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Heglandic Peoples

Those Heglandic peoples come from parts somewhat unknown to the Brigantians. The Lydians claim their origins in the far north in the land of Reindeer herds and endless snow. The glaciers of the far north marched south and Ice Trolls and Frost Giants drove them from their homeland they say. Vast starving hordes of Heglandic people began their great Migration into the Lydian heartland. Claiming northern provinces and settling the Lydian lands. Lydia's response has mostly been to ship them East and West and South and away from the Core of Lydia.

The Lydians have exported Heglandic peoples by the thousands in all directions to buttress their Empire. In some cases the Heglandic people became strong enough to basically become independent fiefdoms and Kingdoms. On the subcontinent of Vespa they have Brynnlant and Donderdalant. Culturally to the Lydians these people seem similar to the Tarmanoi of the West and the Brovic of their East, but Linguistically they are very alien. With the Brigantians describing the Heglanders as "Spitting grating idiots with a coarse tongue whom bellow with anger when not howling like dogs." Incidentally the two peoples, the Tarmanoi speakers and the Heglandic speakers do not get along well. In Vespa even the Heglandic people call the locals as Welch, Velch, or Walch depending on the dialect which roughly means foreigner though its come to mean also Forest Demon to reference the Western parts of Vespa are to the Heglanders a no-mans land of impossibly thick woodlands and rocky mountains that no mortal could live upon them. Tarmanoi speaking peoples view the Heglanders generally in the same poor manner. Donderdalant in particular spread the reputation of the Heglanders as people with a bloodlust, whom live for rape, and whom are all cannibals. Donderdalant did have a Thane whom was named by both Tarmanoi peoples and Lydians as Athelstan the Rape-King. Though to Donderdalanters credit he was assassinated in a Coup d'etat by Canute the Builder. Brynnlanters have a somewhat different relationship to the area. Living on an upland plateau they were granted at first some of the most difficult land by the Lydian's. Brynnlant's Thane Kodiman the Bold struck a deal via his sisters marriage to a Cambrian Chieftan for the coveted tubers the Tarmanoi grow so effectively in their more rugged terrain. Brynnlant thus has a slightly better reputation among the Tarmanoi, more over their willingness to aid the Brigantians and others in raids of the Lydians and Brynnlant's willingness to fight the clans of Donderdalant has allowed this small colony to enjoy some modest successes. Even if their lands are poor. Currently Brynnlant is ruled by fairly strong leader Bjarke whose kept his clans in line. He aspires to claim much of the Eastern areas of Vespacia from Lydian Rule and found his own Kingdom. Though Donderdalant's leaders have the same goal.

Kelsholme in Brynnlant, an important center for trade and one of the more prosperous settlements.

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Far Away Locations and Peoples

For beyond the known lands to the Brigantians, generally know about lay many many rich areas barely heard of in these parts. Some of these places only have a name because they appear in the often circulated "Mariner Tales," a loose polycanon of adventure sailing stories and Geography tome.

Pedji: Said to be the origin point for many spices and silks, though this is not assured. Their Gods, Language and Culture is relatively unknown save for a scant few terms. A type of dress called "Sari," is known as well it being allegedly a huge center for Mystical study and some Lydians appear to take to their religions and religious ideas. Re-adapted Pedjite cults are apparently oddly popular with some sections of Lydian society.

Senonag/Senora: These people are fairly known to the Brigantians via the Dalriatan fleets and merchants. Tales tell of a land of Gods, Mountains, Sorcery and men of titanic strength and martial prowess. Their technology, political thought and poetry is even known to some extent among the educated Druids of Brigantia. Their technology is definitely well known such as their Alchemy and breakthroughs in Rifles technology, magnetic composes and paper as well as movable type and printing presses to some extent. A woman by the name of "Shou Wang," as the Brigantian Druids recorded it once visited with her husband "Huang Wong," visited the Kingdom for a brief spell and after some difficulty in language barrier they managed to impart and help create a translation of some Poetic and religious classics that circulate about the Island today.

Tolchek/Tolamec: Occupying a single sentence in the Mariner Tales, they are said to be enthralled by a great feather serpent and mysterious stone Star Gods whom feast on mortal blood and flesh. Though accounts vary, they live somewhere in the Southern hemisphere near the tropics, but sometimes accounts differ wildly. A Lydian cartographer described them in a wholly different manner and also said they dwell further south, remarking on their political order and use of Democracy as was in Athos and Thera (Before the Lydians conquered them and ended it that is) and no mention of blood sacrifices or Star Gods are recorded.

Brovic: Far to the North East, but largely the Brigantian people have zero knowledge of them save for what they hear from Lydians.

Sabylia: Similar it is said to the Sydonesian's but occupying the eastern Deserts and mounts and centered around a vast green river flood plains. Said to be filled with glittering cities written of called by names like Ur-Kasdim, Arkech, Nimeresh, and Mezekesh the Great.

Dilmund: An alleged paradise somewhere on the continent of Magar, described vividly in the Mariner Tales as the House of the Greatest Wizards and were Gods can walk among men. Though it is by legend plagued by a serpent Demon.

Kemet: The former Kings of the continent of Magar to the South. Once the Jewel of its own and briefly the thrall of Lydia and breadbasket of the Lydian Empire these people occupy a special place in lore and legend. Before the Parpassos Event laid them low Kemet was a river people whom build great damns and forged vast lakes. They could terraform the land as they pleased and their skills in magic unmatched, save for by Lydia apparently. Tales tell of gigantic damns and man-made lakes that make deserts blossom and irrigate vast lands of bountiful grain in the richest darkest soil on the planet. Further it is said Kemet, Not Lydia, were the last Hyperians and the vast Pyramids and mega building's and engineering of Kemet often rivaled and dwarfed Lydia. The Parpassos event has left most of Kemet a barren waste, coated in volcanic ash and crawling with the walking dead. It is believed a necromacy order caused the eruption and have tapped into dark powers of a being buried and chained deep within the earth.

*More may be made as the world is filled in.&

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Races, Classes, and Magic

So a long awaited crunch post perhaps? Wall maybe awaited? Anyway, the theme of this setting does somewhat limit things in the race and class department. Primarily because CLASS is basically irrelevant in this game or is in lore irrelevant. Basically I'm giving all the classes different names as best I can and then IDEALLY backgrounds alla 5e style become MUCH more prominent and important.

Races: This is SUPER easy.... Human. Yup, good old Human. Okay, I do think there should be some variations of HUMAN such as tieflings, assimar, dhampir, half-giants, pathfinder styled changelings (Children of Hags), ect. The key difference here is unlike typical D&D there is no Tiefling Kingdom, or Tiefling language, or even people who look that different. A tiefling may never KNOW they are a tiefling, they might have an odd appearance but they won't be devil horned tailed people whom scream "My dad is Satan!" Even a half-fey is likely a plausibility.

Classes: The full range of classes are available. BUT a player in this setting would ideally pick their background and what they are first, and class is somewhat of an afterthought. This is somewhat because of the challenge of having an IN GAME class called Druids WHOM are also a mechanical class that don't necessarily reflect what a Druid is in the games lore context. Among the Brigantians, the word for general Sage's is Dridór, so Dridór are often Mechanical classes Wizard, Druid, Bard, Archivist, Witch and other similar educated classes. Then there is the Social class of Vate which would likely be also Druid, Bard, Archivist, Witch and Cleric of course as Vates tend to be similar to Acolyte. Ect.

Various gun using classes are also avaliable because this is a setting with blackpowder available.

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The Reign of Sauscí and Current Politics

Sauscí has a weak claim, two infant sons, and a paranoid attitude. She is the daughter of her assassinated father Maraed who lived only long enough to see her to the age of twelve. A child of a Civil War that started years before her birth, and ended only weeks after her 19th birthday, she has had that experience color her sensibilities. Indeed she grew up in the South, in the rugged mountains, shepherded in remote areas and sometimes slept in caves with her mother and close kin. As a teen it was the mountains were she rallied gunsmiths and clansmen to her cause and were she plotted her conquest of the wartorn Kingdom. Peace has hardly softened her mind either.

Queen Sauscí the First is without much contention an honest to God(s) tyrant in many respects. She rules with a tight, ruthless, and intense level of control. She is however fairly popular for her making good on promises. She has restored order to a country wrecked by a brutal civil war. She has spent money rebuilding towns, cities, repopulating and repatriating people. She has unburdened some rather rough taxation on the merchant classes and saw to the creation of better legal aid for the poor. But she also seized control of the movable typeface printing press. Speaking ill of her and or her policies can be considered treason, and disloyalty is as serious a crime as rape and murder. Her troops hold vast parades, she puts up posters and hangs tapestries that are merely propaganda. Censorship, State control, and royal Authority are high and the Tanistry Parliament is weak.

Sauscí is a mixed figure for those reasons. Stability, trade, re-opening of markets, and kinder taxation as well as law and order has made her beloved to some whom wished only for an end to chaos and instability. Others however see a megalomaniac, a tyrant, vainglorious and power mad squelching all manner of traditional rights and liberties. The tributaries enjoy a mixed feeling as well. Cambria shudders under restriction and control, were as Kernoia celebrates peace and productivity, though many also profited from the war. Picoria sings the praises, but Icana resents new militarization. Labrinau fears her religious censorship and attempts to create orthodoxy and religious harmony throughout her many realms. Mannachta welcomes the end of war and the restoration of the Monarchy to its glory. Holodram fears its history of backing her opponents. Brynnlant is happy as she has restored their Pact of Peace and mutual trade and stipends of grain and tubers. Lydia's Vespacia Prot. rejoices as "
Imperiestrino Sasha," as some of them have come to call her agreed, to a quasi-Peace deal with them.

State of the Kingdom

Recovery and renewal. Queen Sauscí has made good on her promises to some extent in rebuilding, renewal and resettlement. Many seaside ports are partially in ruins or in bad disrepair from the war and across the countryside villages lay empty and farmsteads fallow. This has been sent into reverse as her policies and functionaries have worked to get people back to their lands, cities rebuilt, harbors open and markets running. For businesses and the merchant and artisan class this is a time of vibrancy. As well she is more than willing to elevate capable merchants into positions of power. This does however irk the militaristic nobility and warrior elites who feel their privileges are being squandered on these "New Men."

Castles sit empty or half collapsed. City walls need rebuilding. Swamps and thick forests are heavens for criminals and rebels. However day by day things improve.

Queen Sauscí the First faces her only major threat from the grumbling nobles who scoff at these changes, AND at her policy of peace with the Lydians and some Heglanders. Their money often came from war, and with no war they have only sheep, grain and potatoes for profit. Guilds also resent her tendency to crush the trade guilds in favor of independent merchants and craftsmen. Beyond the mere political and infrastructure threats, crime in some areas is obscenely high, goblins have re-emerged from the mountains deepest caves, bog beasts, rogueish types of all types. Sauscí uses a great deal of propaganda, often declaring its time to clean the Kingdom, wash away the blood and gore of the old. It works for her.

Queen Sauscí is able to finance much of this through her leveling of absolute control of customs duties into the country, as well as a vicious and aggressive stance on piracy, more brutal than previous monarchs. She vows both execution for pirates but also the execution of their immediate families and enslavement of children. She has also followed the advice of more radical Druid scholars and taken out various loans with Sydonesian Empire bankers in exchange for opened markets. More over her policy of truce with the Lydian protectorate has opened up trade with Lydia and beyond. More controversially she has exercised greater command over the economies and laws of the tributaries, vassals and colonies. Firstly she has created a kind of common market law on trade within the system. Two she has asserted her right to half of all customs duties of all tributaries in exchange for the military maintenance. Third she has further embedded Brigantian leaders and voices over their respective Tanistry Parliaments and the electors of their Kings.

Brehon Cauránách Crediau: or the Law of Common Faith which is probably her most controversial act, the law of Religious Conformity gave her and the Parliament unheard of powers over religious ritual and affair, as well as opened up the Colleges of Druids, Bards and Vates to Crown censorship and input. Though religious shrines and Vates were granted tax exemption basically in perpetuity. The Druidic Scholars however saw the imposition of a type of entrance exam for civil service and an end to guaranteed pensions.

Brehon Covrithanáth: or Law of Commentaries redefines treason, re codes treason as not just betrayal of the Crown but of the Body of the Kingdom (I.E. its subjects). Expands treason well beyond attempting to Kill the King or Queen, but any and all undermining of Crown efforts, speech deemed Profane to the Crown and any attempt to profane the crown. Publishing seditious commentary and disloyalty all fell under the umbrella of treason.

Brehon Droginniadai: Expanded the Codes of Evil Deeds and gave the queen greater power to hunt down pirates, increased policing power to her army, and put censors in all legal printing houses and gave her functionaries to right to read mail and postage.

The above forming the body of her most controversial actions.

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Clans, City, Town, and Country; Life in Brigantia

The Clan:
For most Brigantí life centers around their location, the pre-eminent clan in the region and its chieftain whose fealty is sworn to the Monarch. Towns and geography may fall under clan terms but Cities by their charters do not have any specific clan leadership and thus hold a different political structure. Clan is also not entirely a lineal descent matter, but instead reflects a specific ancestral chief and ruling families name whom many adopt as part of their name for the sake of loyalty to their Chiefs and the leaders of clans. Lands are administer by clans as the closest level of local authority and organization. Within Clan Holds are typically Pentríth (Townships or Villages) and farmland. The pentríth are ruled over typically by Kin of the Chieftain and his family. They also are given out to other families were as the Chieftain traditionally directly held the land for farming and grazing as in a ideal of Stewardship. Chieftains are entrusted with organizing clan affairs, administering local justice, keeping council and organizing the common Clan Folk. Chieftains are also military men (Women have been Chieftains but it is rare). Pentríth sometimes are even sub-clans within larger clans. Increasingly with economic prosperity some pentríth have become larger walled cair (Walled City, or Large Town). Chieftains keep order, protect the common clanfolk and lead his or her banner men of rangers, fighters and elite warriors to call for the Monarchy.

Cities:
Typically a city is defined as a walled settlement. They come in two varieties either a Cusilian (Castle with a town attached) and Cair (Large town or settlement typically walled). Cities are independent of Clan structure and most are coastal and are the creation of Monarchs and their power of Encharterment. Cities are the direct vassals of the Monarch and Crown-Mayors rule here. Cities are places with their own statutes, tax law, codes, and protections and focus as the first line of Royal Power.

Towns:
Towns or Villages are simple units, often ruled over by Clan's or by the Royal clan depending on whose land the town sits within. Towns usually have a Leet-Court or Court of locals that oversee local farming, dispense justice, hold trial, and other matters. These self contained units usually have a Clan Chieftain or relative as a primary overseer acting as Lord Mayor.

Colleges and Shrine Lands:
Shrine Lands and Colleges act fairly independently but largely Shrine Lands are subject to internal laws set by the Vates whom oversee the property, and Colleges are part of the Royal Encharterment system and have their own structures. The Colleges often are overseen by appointed Druids. In political theory the clan chieftains and Royal family are supposed to let them be independent but largely they are subject to local civil authority.

Country:
The sticks and vast country side often have only tiny clusters of homes forming towns that have only a local Leet-Court organized and overseen by the nearest Chieftain.

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Religion

Preface: Religion is a big concept not just IRL but in the context of the Planet of Astyra were the humble Isle of Brigantia sits. Unlike a standard D&D cosmology and religious pantheon, Gods of Astyra are numerous, somewhat distant, and form often tight, self contained pantheons and cults. Multiple pantheons of god(s) exist (even at the same time) and monotheistic and atheistic (here meaning a belief in a religious philosophy) religions exist as well. Depending on the specific culture and religion, followers of various religions may or may not believe gods from other pantheons are real or in the case of monotheistic and atheistic religions people do not believe any other gods are real. This post will Largely focus on the Religion and interpretations of magic and the world AS from the standpoint of Brigantian and other Tarmanoi Language peoples.

ar Oran Már

On the Isle, and across the region, and even back on the Dalriatan Isles, this enigmatic philosophy cult is practically all encompassing. The phrase "ar Oran Már," means The Great Song, a reference to the fairly common creation mythos the Brigantians and other Tarmanoi speaking peoples have about the world. In general it is a philosophical, ethical or religious tradition of somewhat unknown origin that emphasizes living in harmony with the "Oran," or the Song of Creation and adding ones own notes to it.

Core Concepts and Beliefs:

1. Reincarnation of the Soul
2. Transmutability of the Soul and Body
3. Immortality of the Soul, Souls can change but never cease to exist.
4. Harmony of Magic, All magic is Divine and Arcane, there is no division.
5. Magic is an essence of the Song of Creation
6. The God(s) are part and parcel of the Song and its instruments.
7. The path to peace is Piety, Longing for Self Improvement, Passion for the world, and creating ones own "Great Song," to add to the Eternal Song of Creation.

On some level the religion promotes self improvement, Love as a high virtue, few personal rules, and focuses on rituals. Sin does exist but is sometimes unintentional. One can become "polluted," or "wretched," through no personal fault and simple cleansing rituals exist.

The Origins of this belief are mysterious but some believe its origins lay in the peoples across the western sea, Senora or Kixita or whatever name it is called. The Cult emerged not long after druids and learned vates traveled there and brought blackpowder alchemy to Dalriata. Since then the cult emerged there and was carried East with trade and the Maebitic invasions of the Eastern parts of Vespia. The cult overlays itself on top of local mystery cults and is more a philosophy than a God focused religion. Typically this cult is more popular among the educated and upper crust of society, and or as a a kind of unifying religious force in the area. Mythological cycles vary to some degree from region to region, but Oran Már to some extent provides a unifying philosophical frame work for unity.

Lydians claim the Cult is just a formalization of historic beliefs. Tarmanoi people had believed in an immortal soul, reincarnation, ect since the Lydian Legions first encountered them. Even claiming that their belief in Immortality made them both fierce and intense fighters, but tactically reckless because they did not believe death had any consequence, they subsequently did not fear death. Legetio Petro of the 7th Legion described the Immortality and reincarnation as a soft "Immortality," were heroes and people would go to the "otherworld," to be resurrected as something else, Or to wait for a time before returning as a new person. Unlike other Reincarnation beliefs few believed you came back as another lifeform. But you either came back as a mortal human, Or as something supernatural, or a vile monster, demon or undead.

He wrote that common to all the peoples of Vespia

None of their heroes truly die, every great man is the "once and future!" and none go away. People are reincarnations, or partial reincarnations of past heroes, glorious saints, or ancestors.

Partial reincarnation refers to the idea that two souls can merge, or have a kind of celestial sex to conceive a new unique soul, before themselves vanishing into the heavens.

The Wolf Tails Saga/Cycle

Older than old in Brigantia and its surrounding regions, it describes the heroic saga of many great heroes, Gods, Demi-Gods, Dragons and myths that form the basis of Brigantian and other related peoples mythology. The stories are numerous but relate to a social status of "Wolf Tail," or glorious hero. The collection of folk tales was compiled in written form only 200 years to the present, and today shows some degree of alteration and Maebitic influences.

The Saga, or more accurately Sagas form the core of Brigantian History/Mythology and forms the core of the Legendary Cycles of their culture. The initial stories related more to the heroic sagas of early pre-conquest heroes, but later stories mold the old characters into the foundations of the new dynasty. For example the tales of Dubh the Ranger Chieftan from Dalriata whom was smitten by a Brigantian Princess he could not have. The Old Brigantian King Etainn's daughter Marigo was the apple of Dubh's eye and Dubh travels Brigantian until he finds the Sorceress Cattíthausia asked the Sorceress to use her magic needle to craft him a disguise as the man she expected to marry. After the tryst Marigo gave birth to the prince Nechtan, but Etainn learned of Cattíthausia trickery in the matter and gave chase to the sorceress, eventually cornering her in the eastern bogs. She promised instead that his line would continue until born to his dynasty there would be an incapable drunk. Nechtan was thrown in the bog to drown, but was saved by Cattíthausia whom shepherded the boy west across the sea to the Dalriatan Islands were he became a wise and powerful chief. He also was given the name Fergus and assumed the mantle of his father Dubh who is generally described as dead by this time, Fergus begat Condubh, and condubh begat Princess Scathach, and Scathach birthed Conloach the Great. Scathachs brother inherited the lands in Dalriata, so Conloach had no direct holdings. His destiny was revealed by Cattíthausia when she emerged from the woods of Dalriata as crow that shapshifted into a beautiful dark haired woman with very pale ghostly skin. She first was not believed by Conloach, but Conloach's Druids believed Cattíthausia was the same Witch his ancestors spoke of. Thus Conloach gathered an army and took the land Island of Brigantia from the Drunkard King. The rest being purely history. This myth forms the foundation of the current Dynasty and bloodlines right to rule.

Cattíthausia is an older character, and or Goddess in her own right. Part of the Fairy people or a powerful Sorceress whom is worshiped. Cattíthausia is said to have been born mortal. The daughter of a Demon Wizard King of the Mountains of Cambria. The Demon King has no direct name but there is the "Fiend-Wizards Palace," ruin in Cambria to this day. He himself is said to be the son of an Incubus and a Prostitute. Likewise Cattíthausia is the daughter of a sex slave and the Demon King. She came to the Island as a powerful mage and first appears during the time of the battles in Brigantia between the Lydians and the Brigantians. She is first captured to be burned within a Wicker Suite as per a custom the satiate the Gods. But she reveals she is no mere orphaned child. She instead shows her appealing to then King Cailtram with a vision in the fire of a a great battle between the Tarmanoi Kingdoms and the Lydians that was yet to come. The King sees in the fire a Great Dragon fighting a vile Hydra with many crowns. The Hydra appears to be triumphant but in the last minutes of the fight the Great Dragon roars forth a great fire the burns the heart of the Hydra. She explains that "The Great Dragon will be this Island and this Island shall be the High Crown that stands and beats the Lydians." This prophetic vision came to pass later on during the early wars with Lydia and today via the Ústúan dynasty using an Emerald Dragon as they symbol.

Over all it contains the history, lore and Gods of the Brigantians and has served as a source of propaganda material for the Ústúan Kings.

[Tzi]

Languages of the World

Since Language plays a more prominent role in my world building, I feel it deserves its own special post. Here languages will be presented as they are understood, particularly from the Lydian perspective as they have taken the most acute interest in classifying speech.

According to the Lydians there are Five classifications of languages. Arachii, Magarii, Aserii, Astorii, Nashuarii.

While their language tree is often confused and difficult to trace, they know Lydian, or Modern Lydian is an outgrowth language derived from Hyperian which is effectively a dead language, though still used by the Scholastic and Religious echelons of society in Lydia. Lydian is itself the descendant of Low Hyperian which is allegedly a language invented by one of the elite "Narcal," of Hyperian society. Lydian has elements of many languages from the continent of Arachii, the sea of Astoria, and now Heglandic and some Tarmanoi. In their classification Arachii languages are all either Hyperian, or Savage, with Tarmanoi languages and Heglandic languages falling into the category of "okcidenta sovaĝa arachii" and Hyperian being considered "Arachiio-Astorii" or "Civilized."

Sydonese Languages are considered to be "Magarii," or of the continent of Magar along with Khemitic and Atenic. Sybalian is classified as Magariio-Aserii, and Senoric, are just Aserii. On and on it goes.

Brigantian Language: The Lydians consider Brigantian an excessively complicated language. Primers on the language often have footnotes saying "Good luck." in Lydian. What is known is all nouns have either male or female gender, their is no consistent logic to which noun is which gender, and at times it is counter intuitive. The first consonant of some words changes its sound inexplicably (In their opinion), and the word order is Verb-Subject-Object, and that this is true of all other Tarmanoi languages, with the Tarmanoi languages classified as "Maebish" being even more complex. Brigantians, and indeed all Tarmanoi peoples are curiously claimed to have excellent memories and some Lydian ethnographers attribute this to their languages requiring a high degree of memorization. It is the most well known Tarmanoi language and is the defacto common tongue of West Vespia.

Lydian: If Astyria the planet has a "world language," currently Lydia is in the top 3, if not the second most known language on the planet. A full 1 in 7 people its believed have some knowledge of it. It is very much an international language as well. Its prominence has much to do with the Lydian Empires historical power, and even its current power. But also its alleged easy rules, simple grammar and lack of irregularities. Some have said you can learn basic Lydian in a few weeks, with one adept Brigantian Druid getting a relative proficiency in allegedly three days. It is thus often the language of international treaties, business and trade, as well as pretty much any international communication.

Sydonese: An Object-Verb-Subject language, its more complicated than Lydian, but less so than Brigantian. The second most common language on the continent of Magar, it has a very distinct song and melody to it. Often seen as a cultured and sophisticated language it lends itself well to poetry and calligraphy.

*more to come*

[Tzi]

Druids, Bards and Vates

In terms of classes, key to the setting is the idea of Social Class or Backgrounds. This gets tricky when in traditional IRL Celtic societies there were peoples called Druids, Bards and Vates, and Druid and Bard are mechanical classes in game. To an extent this is why picking ones background will be their first thing in character creation. Class is better understood as powers and fluffwise we will simply airbrush over much of it as simply background operations.

Vates:

Spoiler

Show

The Vate is the core religious section of Brigantian and indeed Tarmanoi speaking society. The Vate is roughly the same as a priest(ess), shaman, mystic or religious official. Typically someone who works at a Sacred Shrine, Grove, or Temple or serves a region for religious needs, ceremonies and exorcisms ect. Some Vates are nomadic and travel from place to place doing holy work, tending to communal needs and offering religious services were needed.

Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Perception
Tool Proficiencies: Mystics Tools and Holy Symbol
Equipment: A protective talisman, priestly regalia, a quill, a bottle of ink and 5 sheets of paper, a pendulum, a prayer or ritual book and a belt pouch containing 10gp

Specialization:

d6	Specialty
1	Oracle
2	Exorcist
3	Pilgrim
4	Wandering Ritualist
5	Astrologer
6	Fallen Priest

Feature: Sacred Vocation
You are driven by either divine call, divine will or a direct visit by the Gods to your duties be it to forewarn people, fight the forces of evil, visit holy places and learn, perform sacred religious rituals to any and all, watch the stars for signs and messages, or redeem yourself of past wickedness.

*more income*

[Steckie]

Interesting read so far, i'm liking the complicated mess of vassals and tributary states. I've been wanting to comment for some time now but you kept throwing posts around and i wasn't sure if i should already comment.
Here's a short list of questions:

- You mention that the Briganti remain dominant because of their rifle technology and alchemy, but how does this work really? Does their army employ special tactics such as the Spanish Tercio or something like that? That would work with the fact that you described guns as expensive and used mostly by nobility. A group of say 80 pikemen with 20 riflemen could probably do some real damage.
Also, you never mentioned anything about cavalry, so i'm assuming they don't make much use of that? It is a rather mountainous island after all. Mounted infantry would work wonders there, but cavalry not so much.

- You never mentioned a navy so how are they able to remain in control of their various client states without dominating the seas? Rifles and alchemy are worthless if you can't get your army across the sea to fight.

- How is Mannachta still independant? And how do they still speak another language? They seem so much under Brigantia's thumb, with even children being sent there to learn, that Brigantian colonists would most likely have moved there years ago. Especially so since they're a nation of small islands near a landmass that Brigantia struggles to keep under control to their direct east (Kernoia + Labrinau). Brigantia would have a big interest in keeping a fleet ready somewhere on Mannachta to keep those two under control.

- Related to my previous question: how does Brigantia still control so many tributary states? They just came out of a very vicious civil war and now have a young queen on the throne. An unwed queen i think?
Their less loyal vassals would have tried to aquire independance as soon as they had the chance.
And are they all vassals and tributary states? Cambria for example sounds like a great candidate for a personal union state. Ruled by the same king/queen, but technically not part of the kingdom. And now that Sausci has taken the throne with a weak claim, a member of a cadet branch of the house Ustuan took the Cambrian throne. This means the personal union ended but Cambria could still be a vassal state of Brigantia and Sausci would very much love to get on the Cambrian throne as well.

- Will you provide more information on Lydia, Sidonag and the rest of the world or will your setting remain focused on this area?
Also the Parpossus Eruption and it's effects sounds very interesting, will there be more information about that as well?

[Tzi]

Interesting read so far, i'm liking the complicated mess of vassals and tributary states. I've been wanting to comment for some time now but you kept throwing posts around and i wasn't sure if i should already comment.
Here's a short list of questions:

First, Thank You for the post. ^_^

- You mention that the Briganti remain dominant because of their rifle technology and alchemy, but how does this work really? Does their army employ special tactics such as the Spanish Tercio or something like that? That would work with the fact that you described guns as expensive and used mostly by nobility. A group of say 80 pikemen with 20 riflemen could probably do some real damage.
Also, you never mentioned anything about cavalry, so i'm assuming they don't make much use of that? It is a rather mountainous island after all. Mounted infantry would work wonders there, but cavalry not so much.

Briganti remain dominant for a few reasons. The martial one is the most direct, they were the first to adopt the alchemical techniques of firearms and put it into widespread use. And yes, I imagined something akin to a combined Spanish Tercio type tactical use but also in general staying ahead technologically has helped them. And yes, the entire region of both the Island itself and its vassals are considered incredibly rugged and or thickly forested. Cavalry and traditional Knights do poorly in such terrain.

I suppose another aspect of Briganti rule that I should spend a post on is the relative unity and Strong Kingship of the Isle compared to its vassals. Essentially compare the political unity of Ireland, Wales and Scotland Pre-1066. If say England wasn't right there Scotland would be the strongest single nation and exercise considerable influence. Brigantia has the same set up. On the vassal/tributary map the other regions are not continous Kingdoms of their own by geographic/linguistic areas some of whom are filled with well over a 100 independent petty fiefs and mini-States which Brigantia can politically dominate by simply being the largest, most well organized and capable force in the region.

- You never mentioned a navy so how are they able to remain in control of their various client states without dominating the seas? Rifles and alchemy are worthless if you can't get your army across the sea to fight.

That requires a post for sure. They do have a strong Navy of their own.

- How is Mannachta still independant? And how do they still speak another language? They seem so much under Brigantia's thumb, with even children being sent there to learn, that Brigantian colonists would most likely have moved there years ago. Especially so since they're a nation of small islands near a landmass that Brigantia struggles to keep under control to their direct east (Kernoia + Labrinau). Brigantia would have a big interest in keeping a fleet ready somewhere on Mannachta to keep those two under control.

Much as Wales still has Welsh and having not had independence for 1000 years, Mannachta maintains its vague independence culturally on the idea the Brigantian Elite Idolize Mannachta culture as being more authentic to their further west Homeland of Dalriata were the ruling class come from. Much as the Normans more followed French norms, the Ústúan clan and many of the families that run clans on the Island maintain an idealized vision of themselves as still Dalriatans speaking and acting as such. Mannachta language is closest to the language the original Ústúan spoke. Think of it as if a band of Gaelic speaking Irish men conquered and unified Wales. They send their kids to the Isle of Man or Dublin to practice the old tongue and not become TOO welsh. Or how China under the Manchu dynasty gave Manchuria as a preserve strictly for Manchu speakers. Mannachta is considered a preserve for the authentic speakers of the Maebish language. They do have such fleets and carry out such policy but Mannachta occupies a much more cultural focus as well. If that makes sense? Maybe I should do some fine tuning to posts.

- Related to my previous question: how does Brigantia still control so many tributary states? They just came out of a very vicious civil war and now have a young queen on the throne. An unwed queen i think?
Their less loyal vassals would have tried to aquire independance as soon as they had the chance.
And are they all vassals and tributary states? Cambria for example sounds like a great candidate for a personal union state. Ruled by the same king/queen, but technically not part of the kingdom. And now that Sausci has taken the throne with a weak claim, a member of a cadet branch of the house Ustuan took the Cambrian throne. This means the personal union ended but Cambria could still be a vassal state of Brigantia and Sausci would very much love to get on the Cambrian throne as well.

The Civil War was fought among the tributaries as well. I am unsure were the quote comes from but it goes "The enemy of liberty is inertia." Or something like that. Brigantia has exorcised such political power that the idea of it is stronger than it itself is. Those that attempt independence face grim prospects with hostile forces on the horizons. Though the map itself is a poor gauge to how strongly they remain in Brigantia's orbit politically. Cambria is also hardly a state. It itself is a miniaturized version of the bigger context. A cadet Ustuan branch rules the biggest Cambrian State but vassalizes the lesser ones. But I see your angle and might rework it as that is very interesting.

I should probably expand on this a bit in its own post. Brigantian "Soft Power," but since the Ústúan conquest there has been considerable ideological and religious propaganda and narrative construction as they might say. the Ústúan clan has rather brilliantly constructed the idea of the "Brigantian Crown," in the folklore and myth of their client peoples so much so that rebellion becomes somewhat challenging. The Crown could get the Vates to cease religious ceremony and practice (And many vates would listen) the Kingdom has in effect created a mythology around itself and its importance that it is more likely the clients would attempt to take that crown then try to flee from it. Via bards, vates and druid scholars and especially now under Sausci the realm exercises a great deal of ideological monitoring and control as best it can.

- Will you provide more information on Lydia, Sidonag and the rest of the world or will your setting remain focused on this area?
Also the Parpossus Eruption and it's effects sounds very interesting, will there be more information about that as well?

The setting will Largely be centered on this region but I could give Lydia, Sidonag and others a bit more love simply since their lives effect the world of Brigantia as they know it.

[Tzi]

Lydian Culture

Note: With Steckie's suggestion I've decided to give some of the cultures their own specific write-up

Even having taken a huge blow to their overall power and domination they retain much of their high culture. Lydian society is often sophisticated, wealthy, but oddly a very practical people. Unlike the Sydonesians, or the Athonians they do not spend much time pondering the nature of life or the best form of government. As a rule the Lydians tend to value a sense of fair play, a type ad hoc attitude towards governance and lawmaking, personal liberty, conspicuous consumption, wit, strength and cleverness.

They throw big parties, build grand architecture and see themselves as big, imposing and larger than life. On some level these are common cultural values shared with the Sydonesians and Athonians and more or less may have been Hyperian values as all three cultures sit on the Hyperian sea. However their culture is more martial, organized and hierarchical than others.

Inspired Music: Small musical bands, often with singing girls. or Chamber music and instrumentals With musical instruments from across their empire. The Lydians love music from all over and tend to try and make anything their own.

Languages: Lydians mostly speak a Standard Lydian which is considered a remarkably easy language to learn for its regularity, simple rules and quick writing. However the upper class tends to speak a more refined and complex language dialect, and the educated elite and governing elite actually use Old Hyperian which is many degrees more complex than the average Lydian language. Athonian enjoys much use in the Eastern parts and Islands, and Sydonesian is often used as the language of high arts and Opera.

Gender: While certainly Brigantia would not be a country Betty Friedan of Earth would consider enlightened, Gender roles among the Lydians are fairly standardized and there is no question which gender is considered superior. Lydia is a mans world through and through. With men firmly in the drivers seat and definitively considered the "better sex."

[Steckie]

And yes, the entire region of both the Island itself and its vassals are considered incredibly rugged and or thickly forested. Cavalry and traditional Knights do poorly in such terrain.

You should check out the Bersaglieri. I know it's the wrong time period, but they originated on the island of Sardinia, comparable to the the island you've designed. In your world this would be light infantry, trained to run great distances with a musket and given them some alchemical stuff they can use while running (alchemist's fire, flash powder).

I suppose another aspect of Briganti rule that I should spend a post on is the relative unity and Strong Kingship of the Isle compared to its vassals. Essentially compare the political unity of Ireland, Wales and Scotland Pre-1066. If say England wasn't right there Scotland would be the strongest single nation and exercise considerable influence. Brigantia has the same set up. On the vassal/tributary map the other regions are not continous Kingdoms of their own by geographic/linguistic areas some of whom are filled with well over a 100 independent petty fiefs and mini-States which Brigantia can politically dominate by simply being the largest, most well organized and capable force in the region.

Wait, political unity pre-1066? Every map of europe before that date i look at has the Celtic world as a mess of kingdoms so i'm not sure how you got to that.
I do get what you're trying to say though, the other nation are such a decentralised mess that Brigantia can dominate them just by being centralised and organised.

The Civil War was fought among the tributaries as well.

You should reflect this in game, it's too much of an interesting situation to just ignore.
Tributaries that fought against Sausci or the nations supporting Sausci would probably have been punished. Or maybe there's some embargoes remaining? Destroyed ports that don't get Brigantian funding to rebuild because they supported the wrong claimant for the throne?

I should probably expand on this a bit in its own post. Brigantian "Soft Power," but since the Ústúan conquest there has been considerable ideological and religious propaganda and narrative construction as they might say. the Ústúan clan has rather brilliantly constructed the idea of the "Brigantian Crown," in the folklore and myth of their client peoples so much so that rebellion becomes somewhat challenging. The Crown could get the Vates to cease religious ceremony and practice (And many vates would listen) the Kingdom has in effect created a mythology around itself and its importance that it is more likely the clients would attempt to take that crown then try to flee from it. Via bards, vates and druid scholars and especially now under Sausci the realm exercises a great deal of ideological monitoring and control as best it can.

Propaganda, eh?
Doable, but they need a way to reliably spread that information apart from just some bards. Is the printing press available? Do religious leaders support the nation vocably?

The setting will Largely be centered on this region but I could give Lydia, Sidonag and others a bit more love simply since their lives effect the world of Brigantia as they know it.

I'm more interested in that eruption actually


Oh, and if the druid class is available you may want to think about renaming the religious class also named druid. Isn't there some Celtic translation of druid available that you could use?

[Tzi]

Wait, political unity pre-1066? Every map of europe before that date i look at has the Celtic world as a mess of kingdoms so i'm not sure how you got to that. I do get what you're trying to say though, the other nation are such a decentralised mess that Brigantia can dominate them just by being centralised and organised.

Well its a bit of theory making for the setting, but also historically Scotland actually came into being before there was a Kingdom of England. 843 AD versus 927 AD. Brigantia is partially modeled on Scottish and English national history.

You should check out the Bersaglieri. I know it's the wrong time period, but they originated on the island of Sardinia, comparable to the the island you've designed. In your world this would be light infantry, trained to run great distances with a musket and given them some alchemical stuff they can use while running (alchemist's fire, flash powder).

I think I will. Right now I found a mockup sort of Musketeer ranger class that could act as a Marines of sorts.

You should reflect this in game, it's too much of an interesting situation to just ignore.
Tributaries that fought against Sausci or the nations supporting Sausci would probably have been punished. Or maybe there's some embargoes remaining? Destroyed ports that don't get Brigantian funding to rebuild because they supported the wrong claimant for the throne?

I think I will have to do that and write it into the story. More clarification and context is always good.

Propaganda, eh?
Doable, but they need a way to reliably spread that information apart from just some bards. Is the printing press available? Do religious leaders support the nation vocably?

Printing Presses do exist. And yes, religious leaders are often "fall in line," as the core Religious schools formed with Brigantian help and either on the Island or in their colonial enclaves.

I'm more interested in that eruption actually


Oh, and if the druid class is available you may want to think about renaming the religious class also named druid. Isn't there some Celtic translation of druid available that you could use?

That is actually my biggest challenge, is the fact that MECHANICAL CLASS =/= CONCEPT FOR SETTING. Druid and Bard have specific meanings that don't entirely mesh well with the setting. I'm thinking of doing that, creating 5e backgrounds of say Driodor and Fialet, which in the Gaelic languages means the same thing. Honestly I'm hoping to have character creation be focused more on backgrounds and mechanical class being sort of a secondary concern.

[Steckie]

That is actually my biggest challenge, is the fact that MECHANICAL CLASS =/= CONCEPT FOR SETTING. Druid and Bard have specific meanings that don't entirely mesh well with the setting. I'm thinking of doing that, creating 5e backgrounds of say Driodor and Fialet, which in the Gaelic languages means the same thing. Honestly I'm hoping to have character creation be focused more on backgrounds and mechanical class being sort of a secondary concern.

You could hope for a background centered character creation, but i think that only a minority will go for that. Just go to the 'Finding Players' section of this forum, click on a few random threads and start reading. When people make their first post they sometimes start with a rough description of what background they want to have but most of the times people start with saying that they'd like to play class X. Or they ask if this or that homebrew is allowed or if they can multiclass.
I agree with you that character creation focused on background makes for a much more interesting story, but i fear it's only a minority that goes for it.

Besides, if you keep the word 'druid' as one of your religious leaders, you immediately give the impression of a tree-hugging hippie that wants to keep a neutral stance. Same with bard, if you think of them you think of some guy with a lute. People have played RPG's for so long that names like that just give you a mental image to go with it and they get confused when your 'druid' is different than the druid they've been playing for years.

[Tzi]

You could hope for a background centered character creation, but i think that only a minority will go for that. Just go to the 'Finding Players' section of this forum, click on a few random threads and start reading. When people make their first post they sometimes start with a rough description of what background they want to have but most of the times people start with saying that they'd like to play class X. Or they ask if this or that homebrew is allowed or if they can multiclass.
I agree with you that character creation focused on background makes for a much more interesting story, but i fear it's only a minority that goes for it.

Besides, if you keep the word 'druid' as one of your religious leaders, you immediately give the impression of a tree-hugging hippie that wants to keep a neutral stance. Same with bard, if you think of them you think of some guy with a lute. People have played RPG's for so long that names like that just give you a mental image to go with it and they get confused when your 'druid' is different than the druid they've been playing for years.

This is actually the one single thing that makes this setting a challenge. Since RPG Druids and Bards do not match up with the likely historical reality, making Celtic-centric area that isn't cliche and has IMHO a more authentic aesthetic is challenging. A Celtic Druid could best be represented by either an Archivist or Wizard. In relation to Caesers writings and Greek Historians the Druid was a kind of Philosopher, Legal expert, and Sorcerer of sorts. Plausibly they also acted in some religious capacity, they definitely did in Britain. Though some accounts say the specific religious leaders were called Vates/Ovates. Bards in RPG's and Bards in the Celtic world are mildly similar, the poets kept track of cultural knowledge and stories and in essence kept a great deal of cultural knowledge.

In Person games I've had some success with the Background focus. I had a Class Fighter, but Background criminal whom mostly acted like most people expect Rogues to play as. One other aspect would be to rename classes with magic users being various types of Mage, and Non-Magic users being Martial. In the end that will be the biggest weakness of the campaign, Druid has come to mean hippie dippy weirdo knawing on bark and talking to plants.

[Tzi]

The Parpossus Eruption/Event

"... And behold there was fire and ice reigning from the sky, just as in the Seven Days of Fire and the War in the Heavens, the skies darkened and the foundations of the world trembled. Fire bellowed forth from the Chasm and the grave of Gog, False God breathed life! There in the valley of poison long forgotten by Khemet, did tremble to its feet Gog, and it opened its eye and the world beheld the Mirror of Silence and with one great roar Khemet fell silent and moved no more.

Chronicle of the Seraphs

In the year 940 of the Common Era the glorious Kingdoms of Khemet and and Aten were laid low by an event in the deep wastes of Parpossus . The devastation ruined Khemet and left Aten the southern sister shrouded in poison. The caldera's churned to life beneath Parpossus and it is said by the citizens of Khemet, the foul "False God," of legend briefly opened its "Silent Eye," and laid waste to the Kingdoms. Khemet's loss especially was devastating for the world. Khemet was a mere puppet State by that time of Lydia. Its Kings were selected by the Lydian emperor and half of its grain yield was distributed throughout the greater Empire. Lydia was already struggling with the ongoing Heglandic invasions and other barbarous peoples of the far north pouring over the mountains into Lydia from the freezing far North. This even devastated Lydia with a 10 year famine and still suffers chronic food shortages to this day. The chaos of refugees, mass starvation, food decline has plunged the old Empire into chaos that it still struggles to rebuild from. Sydonesia suffers occasional earth quakes as the ground rumbles, and undead sometimes wander from the destroyed Khemet into Sydonesia.

By and large nobody remains in these lands, nobody living anymore. The land has become host to undead, fiery jin, dark forces stirring within the ash and poison choked remains. Some accuse the Magi of Aten of having uncovered something or of some rogue cult worshiping the feared Titan Gog. Explores occasionally venture into the ruined cities to recover magical knowledge or the many wonders of Khemets technical brilliance now buried in volcanic ash. They report horrid monsters and demons and that some still lurk within the ruins, servants of some unknown being or organization.

It is widely suspected that the destruction of Khemet was planned, but by whom and why is still unknown.

Ruins of Khemet and Aten:

Spoiler: Ancient History as Told by Atenic scholars

Show

Gog, the Queen of Silence and War of the Heavens:
In the "Deep Mythologies," of Aten there is the story of Gog, the False God. Built before the event often Called the War of the Heavens and the Seven days of Fire. This story is set in a distant era when it is alleged all mankind dwelt in only a few great and wondrous cities, on a continent for which Dilmund is allegedly all that remains. In such times the people lived long incredible lives, the cities were glorious beyond imagination and people built birds of Iron and even could travel the stars themselves. One city, by name unknown but ruled first by Ahkezomet, and by Takar the Black, became "of foul spirit," and sought to rule the whole of the earth and usurped control of the weather, of nature itself and harnessed their great power to build for themselves a God(dess) in their own likeness. An artificial God so that they might subdue the nations of the world, and the Gods and know all the secrets of Creation.

In such times the other cities also became swayed by these cults or resisted. Takar the black deceived many, "Come forth! We shall build this Goddess in our likeness and she will be our Mother! She will nurture us and through her we will know the Stars!" The men of a city called Riece became beholden to the project and conjured fourth an artificial soul for the creature that stirred in the Nameless Cities black heart. The High Priests, the Anunaki of the city of Nod built for it bones made of metal forged in the fiery heart of the Sun and gave it claws made from the Moons skin.

The Gods, and beings from within the voids of sky grew fearful. Rallied by the righteous of the cities war erupted! For the cities of evil had usurped the very weather, reshaped the rocks of the earth and made slaves of every beast there was. All whom did not follow Ahkezomet and her Priestess Takar were made to starve. And the Anunaki Men made sure the world was compliant. Gog awoke and the righteous citizens of Ur-Bekk were made witness to Gog's terrible power. Its eye opened, The Mirror of Silence and the city was engulfed in a baleful fire and its people made into shadows burned into the bricks of its temples and streets.

The Gods awoke the Leviathan, the beast of the Sea and Earth, the Mother of Tarrasque's and the awoke her consort from the heart of the great Star, the Father of Dragons, and they battled Gog. For seven days fire reigned from the sky, and the world was consumed in poison and ash. The metal birds fell from the sky, and the great cities turned to ash. The Children of the World hid in caves and deep places. Until finally the three great beasts lay dead. Father of Dragons lay scattered as bones across the east of Aseria. Leviathan lay crippled beneath the waves, in a coma for all time. And Gog had a claw stabbed through its head, its heart torn out and devoured, and in its belly the silvery eye, the Mirror of Silence, sown shut. It lay comatose beneath the deserts of Magar, beneath Parpossus imprisoned by the Gods and righteous ones.

[Tzi]

Historia Hyperia

Who, What, Where and Why of the Hyperians

East of the Vespian sub-continent and removed from Brigantia for a time, the Hyperian heartland was a chain of Islands in the Sea that bares their name. Emerging 400 years BCE they were contemporaries of the alleged Tolmek Empire and the glory of the Tong Federation, as well as the early Dilmundic peoples whom all rose to power in the world after the described War in Heaven according to Atenic Historians. The Island of Brigantia had some Hyperian constructions on it. Particularly a catacomb and vast subterranean structure and an aqueduct that falls into the sea, implying the sea level may have been lower and their may be a lost city or citadel beneath the waves.

What is known about them is scant. Allegedly the Lydians, Sydonesians, Athonians, and other inhabitants around the Hyperian Sea claim them as ancestors. The Lydians claim descent from a military legion of their kind. The Sydonesians and Athonians both claim their many cities were founded by the great Narcal's whom allegedly survived.

Their society was somewhat hierarchical, organized around a governing elite called "Narcal," in their tongue. These individuals were incredibly powerful Magic users. Below them were a caste called "Maya," whom acted as intermediaries, books keepers and generals, and then "Lumarii" or the everyday soldier, worker and tradesmen. They Hyperians built their cities with magic and transmutation and also maintained a large geographic power base via a system of fortresses with some sort of magic portal or tunnel that connects the all the fortresses into a web of interconnected holdings. They maintained a small army, but because they could appear in any place, all provinces could be kept in order. They also strictly controlled the use of the portals.

While little material knowledge remains about Hyperians and their culture, what is known is that they ended. The beginning of the Common era marks the end of the Hyperians. Indeed the great super empires of that age all came to a swift and sudden end when the magics that sustained them backfired or some unknown agent turned them against them. The portals collapsed and released a backlash of magical energy with the destructive force necessary to vaporize their cities. Leaven almost no trace save for large crater lakes were their strongholds once stood. Stories say this same fate befell that Tong, and much of Dilmund was washed beneath the waves caused by the Hyperians Destruction, leaving only scant bits of the Dilmundic people unharmed. The old Tolmeks it is said also succumb to the waves.

Origins of the Tarmanoi People(s):
Hyperian sources that survive the cataclysm give some rough hints to the origins of the Tarmanii as they are listed in Hyperian sources. Described as "feral westerlings," or "Western Peoples." they were at that time said to all have one language, largely enjoy fighting and had strange customs of theft and raiding. Importantly the Hyperians do not necessarily ascribe negative nature to the Tarmanii. But do consider them as fairly primitive and far away by their standards. While there are Hyperian structures in the regions of the Tarmanii, it is unknown how much contact they had. The physical accounts mach but Tarmanoi peoples today have no exigent accounts of the Hyperians themselves. Implying either no contact was made (Highly unlikely) Or that many of the Tarmanii whom did have contact with the Hyperians died in the cataclysm (Very likely) Or that the people the Lydians call Tarmanoi, and the Tarmanii are not the same people (Possible).

[Steckie]

Alright, i think i know where you got inspiration for a few things in the last two posts, let's see how many i can spot
Khemet and Aten is probably upper and lower Egypt. Kemet was the Egyptian name for Egypt. Aten is probably taken from that different name for Ra.
The Parpossus Eruption i think was inspired by the Minoan eruption? The 'Atenic scholars' are most likely people from Athens. Tolmek empire probably the Toltecs and Tong federation the Tang dynasty? Hyperion is going to be ancient Greece. Lydians are Romans, didn't they claim to be descendants from the Greeks as well? The Sydonesians are trickier, Hellenised Persia perhaps?

Interesting stuff you've got there, one remark though: a 10 year famine seems quite long.
A one year famine is enough to bring a nation to it's knees, a 10 year famine would completely destroy said nation. For example, the Great Potato Famine of Ireland lasted from 1845 to 1852 and killed roughly 1 million people and another million migrated. It took them decades to recover and the population of Ireland today is still lower than it was before the famine.
Maybe you should lower that a bit, perhaps take inspiration from the famous Year Without a Summer? A one year volcanic winter followed by a period in which food is extremely expensive becauce Lydia needs to get it's food from some other place would probably result in a series of revolts and food riots. Maybe a few emperors/kings/whatever they have in charge get overthrown in quick succession?

[Tzi]

Alright, i think i know where you got inspiration for a few things in the last two posts, let's see how many i can spot
Khemet and Aten is probably upper and lower Egypt. Kemet was the Egyptian name for Egypt. Aten is probably taken from that different name for Ra.
The Parpossus Eruption i think was inspired by the Minoan eruption? The 'Atenic scholars' are most likely people from Athens. Tolmek empire probably the Toltecs and Tong federation the Tang dynasty? Hyperion is going to be ancient Greece. Lydians are Romans, didn't they claim to be descendants from the Greeks as well? The Sydonesians are trickier, Hellenised Persia perhaps?

You're close, surprisingly close.

Tolmek is actually Aztecs, Inca, Maya.

Tong, spot on.

Parpossus Eruption is absolutely inspired by the Minoan Eruption and the "Bronze age collapse."

Khemet and Aten are spot on. Atenic Scholars are just generalized "They know some stuff."

Hyperia is if anything a kind of twisted Atlantis. I actually got their social structure idea from a quirky New Agey Pseudo-History video about Atlantis that I saw in my bored travels on Youtube.

The Sydonesians are in part Byzantium, Carthage, and Al-Andulasia with Persian spicing.

I mean I freely admit a lot of this is fairly opaque in what I'm inspired by. Heck Gog is actually a Bible reference from Revelations. XD Indeed the History of Gog in this setting implies a very distant much more technically capable past and thus that this setting is actually a very very loose "Post-Apocalypse," but with the great cataclysm that destroyed civilization being so distant as to be mythology now and the world is green and kept on spinning.

Interesting stuff you've got there, one remark though: a 10 year famine seems quite long.
A one year famine is enough to bring a nation to it's knees, a 10 year famine would completely destroy said nation. For example, the Great Potato Famine of Ireland lasted from 1845 to 1852 and killed roughly 1 million people and another million migrated. It took them decades to recover and the population of Ireland today is still lower than it was before the famine.
Maybe you should lower that a bit, perhaps take inspiration from the famous Year Without a Summer? A one year volcanic winter followed by a period in which food is extremely expensive becauce Lydia needs to get it's food from some other place would probably result in a series of revolts and food riots. Maybe a few emperors/kings/whatever they have in charge get overthrown in quick succession?

Hmmmm, I may do a rewrite on some of that and further expand Lydian History. I do have some notes now of a quick succession of emperors and more or less the Senate of Lydia being largely an oligarchy at this point.

[Mechalich]

How are you limiting magic in this setting? Relatedly, how are you limiting monster presence? This setting seems to be built very heavily around human historical and cultural assumptions, to the degree that it's more of an alternative Earth history than an actual fantasy from the material so far presented. For example, having the mastery of relatively simple firearms by the Briganti being a massive military and political game-changer doesn't work if there are any 20th level wizards or adult dragons pretty much anywhere in the setting.

What you've described so far doesn't feel like a D&D setting at all and might in fact work significantly better with a different system, not sure which one, possibly GURPS.