Post/Author/DateTime	Post
HJFudge 09-19-07, 02:13 PM	Considering this is my first post, and Im not TOO entirely sure how to go about it.... Well, my name is HJFudge and I've been working recently on a unique campaign world. I've tried to create it to be system-independant (meaning you can use the setting in any fantasy gaming system) and that means not dealing with house rules or anything of the sort...leaving that up to any individual DM's. This may change as I get more detailed with things or find a group which I want to run a campaign in this world with. As you read over the races and factions I've outlined briefly, you might notice some passing similarity to several other systems. While trying to be unique, I've not tried to reinvent the wheel and relied on some classic plot points and archtypes to design something that will be both familiar, memorable, and interesting. My main goal is to create a world with tension and limitless possibilities. A shell, if you will, for the creative to form their own adventures and ideas from. I've no problem with someone taking a plot/history point and then running with it wherever they wish. THIS IS BY NO MEANS FINISHED OR COMPLETE! Im posting it here for advice and criticism. Please, don't treat me with kids gloves. If something seems stupid, call me out on it. I reserve the right to take or ignore any advice given, but...don't try and be nice. If it's crap, let me know so I can fix it. What might be obvious to you I might've totally missed. To start, I've listed several Races and Factions that are in my world. As you read the little backgrounds for each race, you will find several tidbits of world history in there. The same with the Factions. I've tried to keep things VERY general at the start for the most part so I can add detail later when I write up a History Of The World which will outline the history of Pearl in a much more organized fashion. If something in here sparks your imagination and you think "OMG TEH AWESOMES! YOU COULD USE THIS BACKGROUND TO MEAN <insert large speculativeness on history detail or future plot point here>" Please, share :) Anyway, enough intro, Im very longwinded I fear. Here are the races and factions. Its not organized much but... Human – One of the original inhabitants of pearl, the origins of their race are shrouded in mystery. Legend says that long ago, they were slaves to a race of Dragons…fierce beings who ruled Pearl with an Iron Fist. The story says that one man rose up, uniting mankind to fight in a war that was to last a thousand years. Eventually, Man won his freedom and drove off the dragons, sealing their Lords deep within the Earth. Since that time of unity, man has been at war with one another and with the other races for dominion. Mankind’s history is long and convoluted, with many heroes and many more villains. When the Vrek came through the Portal, it was during the rebellion of a small band against the largest unified Kingdom of Man: The Empire. Distracted, the forces of the Rebels were able to beat off the Imperial army, which had in their confusion attacked the newly arrived peoples thinking them to be aiding the rebels. The Vrek instantly became saviors for some, and enemies for others. They look, well, human. Du’vrek – Fighting a never ending war with the Dwarves, they were finally forced to flee when confronted with their Dark Ally, the Prophet and his minions. Made in haste, they opened a portal to another land…Pearl. There, they took their families, in a massive exodus to this new world…only to find it was already inhabited. Distraught to find their Promised Land was already occupied, they initially refused to even speak to the ‘rabble’. Seeking to keep to the Old Ways and protect their kind against the heresy of this new world, they have established the Great Houses of Lustria once again and have kept their old name of prophecy… Du’vrek: Defenders against Darkness. Du’Vrek have immaculate, almost glowing skin which is very pale. In fact, everything about them seems to glow and radiate light and magic. Their eyes especially, silvery, pupilless mirrors of varying shades and hues that glow even more than the skin. They have a lightly muscled frame, and stand about the height of a man. Dwarves – After they unwittingly unleashed the Serpent on Lustria, they realized their mistake and attempted to fight against the Prophet that they had aided…only to have the forces of the Serpent turn on them as well. Fighting a losing battle, they realized the hopelessness of staying on their beloved world, and created the Arkship, which sailed and landed on Pearl several hundred years after the Exodus. In their makeshift citadel, the dwarves try to piece their tattered kingdom together and make preparations to retake their beloved home world…standing a bit below a human’s height, usually 4-5 feet tall, they are usually stocky and well built, and cover their skin with Runes. Fond of Beards, they usually have long and flowing hair as well. The women are in stark contrast, looking more like young adolescent humans, but still retain the runed and tough looking skin, obviously well built for battle. Sla’vrek – During the Exodus, not all Vrek wished to leave. Some stayed to fight in a desperate last stand; both in an attempt to give their brothers time to complete the Exodus, and on the off chance the battle could be won. They were wrong: It was hopeless. Having bought their brethren time to escape, the brave warriors of Vrek began to retreat to the portal, just in time to see it close…The armies that fought so bravely to buy time were scattered to the wind. Those who survived holed away in groups of desperate guerilla fighters, eventually discovering a way to open the portal again; but not before the chaos taint of fell magic began to seep into their very beings. With the hatred of those who felt Betrayed, they created their own house, and called themselves by a new name. Sla’Vrek: Touched by Darkness. Looking much like the Du’vrek, their only difference is that they are more ashen then pale, and their skin no longer glows as bright. Also, they have taken to the practice of the dwarves, and tattooed their skin with runes and enchantments. Their eyes are also the same as Du’vrek’s, but glow more dark colors. Draconian – The sole survivors of the Dragon Race, they were spared because they refused to fight in the Genocidal wars against the human race. As punishment by their Dragon fellows, they were forcibly used in experiments to magically cross-breed man and dragon, though bringing it up in front of a human or Draconian is liable to start a fight. Today they dwell primarily on the Toothy Isles, where they sit in council and seek of a way to stave off the hatred of the Empire, which is constantly fighting to destroy this last vestige of Dragon Existence. Cool and Aloof, they refuse aid from anyone but fellow Draconian, having a distinct racial pride that is said to transcend all other loyalties. Hunted, Hated, and scorned, they look to find their place on Pearl in this new, war-torn age of strangers and shadows. Standing about the size of men, they are leaner and their skin is different hues depending on the type of Dragon they claim descent from. Their skin is reptilian, and they have long tails which they use in battle to surprise and trip opponents. Their eyes, however, are startlingly human in nature. Orcish – More numerous than even the Human Race, Orc kind spreads from one end of Pearl to the other, dwelling in tribal societies who worship various Shamanistic Gods. It is said that the Orc were not created, but simply ‘grew’ out from the earth, and immediately started bending it to their will. Some mistake them for Stupid, Ignorant savages…and while that may be the case for many, those who rule the Orc Tribes are keen and cunning individuals. The Orc Clan is a very loosely organized Class Structure, with your position in the tribe being based on your skill in combat. While orc tribes are constantly at war with one another, at times they gather for Great Hunts into more civilized lands, to raid/loot/plunder. Some scholars say they raid because they cannot reproduce on their own, and must steal and twist the children of other races to survive…though other scholars refute this due to the startling increase and growth of orc numbers in recent years. Big, Muscular, and tall, they stand a good 7 feet tall on average, with bigger orcs reaching heights of 9 feet! Dark green skin tone, their eyes are usually large and black. Completely Hairless, they otherwise look humanoid. Goblin – Cousin to the orc, they are usually found among Orc Tribes, or on a rare occasion in a tribe all their own. Much more Culturally Advanced, however, they are skilled negotiators and craftsmen, and usually act as a tribes Advisor and Diplomat, though due to the nature of the orc culture diplomats are rarely used for more than announcing the terms of a battle to settle disputes between tribes. Goblins also are more attuned to the mystic then their stronger brothers, and also due to their size are a bit more nimble. Those Goblins who show little talent in the art of war or magic or diplomacy are usually treated as rubbage by the talented goblins and the orcs, and in times of war are conscripted to be Meat Shields and use overwhelming numbers to subdue the enemy. With a light green skin tone, they stand around 3-4 feet tall, usually have a wiry frame, and are completely hairless. Their ears lie low and pointed on their head, and their feet are usually exaggeratedly large. Halfling – It is said that during the Ancient Wars of the Dragons, that in an attempt to quell the human uprising, one of the Dragon Magi cast a powerful spell upon the inhabitants of the city of Thrynn. Seeking to cripple the human creatures, he devised an enchantment that would shrink them to uselessness, making it an easy job to destroy them. The spell, however, didn’t quite go as planned. No one knows if it was countered, if the natural resistances of the humans prevented it from taking effect, but all the spell did was simply further attune the Humans to magic and shrink them to half their size. Today these people are known as Halflings. Many Halflings still consider themselves to be Humans, much to the chagrin of the other races…and they have no kingdom as such, but dwell among their human cousins, fighting side by side with them, and often stealing their things, as they can fit where most human adults cannot, and have developed quite the knack for running away….Standing about 3-4 feet tall, they usually are plump and slightly muscular, and are covered in an overabundance of hair. Otherwise human looking. Djinni – Dwellers in the depths, these elemental beings developed sentience long before the other races of pearl, and dwelt constantly under the world, delving the rocks and feasting on the bounteous energies of the earth. Recently, though, they have discovered a new source of energy in a place never before dreamed of….where there is no ceiling! The Above Land. Drawn there by a magnificent source of light, energy, and heat that the Above Dwellers call the Sun, they have quite suddenly established collectors to mine this new energy and ship it to their below ground kinsman…until the shadows came. Fell Beasts which drained life and heat came from the depths, quickly ravaging the Djinni Kingdoms. Their kind was driven slowly and steadily from their mining homes under the earth, and now they have been pushed to the surface, on which they flourish among the lesser races…yet they long to go back to their homes underground. Standing from 5-6 feet tall on average, their bodies are masses of toughened sinew that are afire with their element. Able to interact with items and even wear them as normal, they can alter their shape and form slightly if they have the energy available. One remarkable feature is their shiny eyes, which seem to glow even on a backdrop of flame and light which makes up the Djinni. Col’Rathi – Not all Vrek wished to keep to the old ways…after the exodus there were several who wanted to become a part of their new home, who wished to be citizens of Pearl in truth. This, of course, was blasphemy and Heresy to the Houses of Vrek. All who were found preaching it were exiled…and these vrek eventually founded a city deep in the heart of the forests of Pearl. They took upon themselves a new name, to reflect their new home and their ‘oneness’ with the natural beauty of what, to them, was indeed the Promised Land. They call themselves the Col’Rathi: One with Nature. Usually the Col’Rathi is a bit taller then the average human by about half a foot and the centuries on pearl among the trees have tanned their skin remarkably well, and are usually very lean and fit. Their eyes have lost some of the Vrek hue, however, and have due to their diet begun to lose their luster and look humanlike. Factions: Zionists: Religious group who seeks to found the Holy City of Zion on a sacred site of ground. They recruit throughout the civilized world, taking any race that wishes to raise a sword in the defence of Zion. They are often railed on by the Empire because they take citizens and resources from it and bring it to a city in the middle of the wilderness that is currently under seige. The Emperors Hand Cult considers them Heretics (and vica versa) but treats them with a modicum of respect...though tensions between the two groups are rising as they compete for followers. There true enemies are the Naturalis. When founding Zion, they chose a spot that was one of the most sacred in all of Nature according to the Druids, and so a holy war to drive zion into the sea was called. It is a city under seige. Emperor's Hand Cult: Believes that the Emperor is God Incarnate, and seeks to spread the worship of Him who is the Perfect Man throughout the Empire....often violently. They are zealous and do not tolerate any percieved enemy of Humanity. They treat every other race as second class citizens at best, filth at worst (save halflings, which they look upon with pity). They are despised by moderates in the Empire, but they do not care and the true believers place them in many positions of power throughout the empire. The Knights of the Empire believe the Cult to be a danger to the Imperial Ideal and stability, and the two groups are often at odds. They HATE the dragoons and will kill a Dragoon on site if they can. Dragoons: A group that dedicates themselves to the path of the dragon. Originally founded by the human resistance in the great Dragon Wars in order to better combat their oppressors, today it seeks to preserve the last remnants of Dragonkin and learn the wisdom of the Drake. The Empire considers those who follow this path Traitors, and those who join are often found in the halls of the Vrek Houses as there personal elite combat force. The Dragoons and the Knights of the Empire have a great respect for one another, and will often avoid fighting each other if possible. The Magicians Guild: Dedicated to the study of Magic and the workings of the mind, they travel throughout the world, studying ancient relics and searching for lost knowledge. They often jealously guard secrets they deem of great importance, sharing it only with the upper echelon of its members. Many warriors join in order to learn tricks of the magician to compliment their fighting prowess...or just to get weapons and armors enchanted at discount prices! Both the zionists and the Cult denounce Guild Members as devilish and accuse them of using Demonic Magics, though the Cult is much more violent towards the Guild then the Zionists. Naturalis: A group of druids and followers of the Olde Religions, worshipping the gods of earth and sky. They tend to avoid towns and have shrines set up in the wilderness at which to worship. Very little organization, there head is a council of druids and shamans, and there are many offshoots and break offs from the main order. They hate the Zionists with a passion and have declared a holy war on their city in the wilderness. Knights of the Empire: A militaristic order that is dedicated to the defence and spreading of the Imperial Ideal. They are an elite group of fighters, wizards and others who uphold a strict code of conduct and fight in some of the fiercest battles around Pearl. There other primary task is to keep corruption out of the empire, and they are charged with bringing traitors in front of the Immortal Throne, and executing rebellions. They despise the Fort Iron Mercenaries, who sell themselves out 'like *****s to the highest bidder' and will refuse to fight alongside them. Fort Iron Mercenaries: While there are many different mercenary organizations in Pearl, none are so famed nor so well known (nor so expensive) as the Fort Iron Mercenaries. The best money has to offer, they train entire armies and rent them to nations and groups. They also hire out on a smaller scale, selling body guards to merchants and officials who feel themselves in danger. They despise the Knights of the Empire, who have the dubious honor of being the only group a Fort Iron Mercenary will cross swords with for free. Order of the Serpentine: Throughout all cultures, nations and worlds both on Pearl and Lustria...in every pantheon wether it be monotheistic or polytheistic there exists a great enemy, and opposing force that is feared and shunned as evil. It has many different names...and on Pearl it is called The Serpent. Serpent Worship has been banned for many millenia in all but the crudest of nations, and none but the Orcs allow their followers to openly bear the mark of the Order of the Serpentine. More than just simple worshipers, these are the Serpents instruments on earth. His goal, so says the order, is the destruction of everything, the corruption of all life...to destroy. Even the Shadow Council will not accept members of the Order, saying they are too volatile and unpredictable to be trusted. Shadow Council: Not much is known of this, or even if it really exists. Whispers say that its membership is almost totally secret, only the Shadow's Eyes know who are members and who are not. Even then, the highest ranking council members operate totally independantly, sending out their servants to do the will of the council. Their goal? No one knows. What is known is that they are hunted religiously by all nations and governments, and when found, executed quietly and quickly. Wars have been caused by them, Peace Treaties designed by them, lives saved and destroyed all for some grand purpose that most council members themselves do not know. The Society of Friends: Among the nobility of the Vrek and the Empire, it has become more of a matter of who you were born to then what capabilities you have. As a result, many are raised in lavishness and never have to want...or work, or struggle. This has given rise to a widespread boredom...and nobles of the Vrek especially have been known to have strange tastes. The society of friends is a group of noble sado-masochists who thrive on pain and pleasure. They are not too secretive, though many look down on them and step lightly around them, as they have been known to torture people on a whim if they can, or commit some sort of macabre pain self-mutilation ritual then having an innocent arrested for 'causing them harm'. Peasants, besides the occasional ***** (male or female) are not allowed to join this society
queenfange 09-19-07, 03:56 PM	I will try to follow your instructions as is best possible; they are similar to what I'd like to see. Of course, you may ignore or refute whatever I say, but if some of it is helpful- awesome. It's nice to see a world that goes the opposite direction of the splat-book addicts (not that I have anything against them); I like your idea of not tying the world to any set of rules. The only downside is that it may become a bit of a pain for people to convert, and really makes more for the background for a novel than for a game, no matter how in-depth and how fantastic it is. The SRD is flexible enough for my tastes, so I've tied my world to it, but go with whatever floats your boat. You say humans look "well, human." Does this mean they have the same variety in shape, size, facial features, skin color, hair tone, eye color, hair texture, height, weight, etc. that Earth humans do? Descriptions of a couple of major ethnic groups might be helpful (though I am the first to admit I am terrible at describing features other than hair, skin, & eye colors). Also, what are the Vrek? You mention the Du'vrek in the next paragraph (who, by the way, sound pretty- any particular inspiration in making them?) but it's unclear how/if they are related to the Vrek. OK, now I am seeing the Sla'vrek; is Vrek a general race, with Du'vrek and Sla'vrek being subraces? Are your orcs all male/genderless? I'm curious in the details of the process by which they "twist" children; some sort of magical ritual in which they are entombed in the mud (since that's where the first orcs arose), with only the strong surviving, might work. Even if this isn't actually how they reproduce, I'd expect it to be a well-detailed myth. Additionally, that being the case, how do they get more orcs, if they don't normally reproduce? Or perhaps orc females just are indistinguishable from males by humans... or they are all hermaphrodites. Just kidding (sort of). If goblins primarily live with uncultured orcs, how are they far more advanced in such matters? Do they form tiny subcommunities within those tribes, passing down secrets such as the arts of diplomacy, writing, and philosophy? Are there female goblins? I like goblins as meat shields if they are untalented... Vaguely reminds me of several other fantasy settings, but makes me giggle evily nonetheless (and I love goblins). I might consider changing the Zionist name, if only for political correctness. Dragoons make me think of crab ragoons. I'm not sure what those are, but I'm thinking they might be like those crab wonton things with the cream cheese and the crab in them that are all crunchy. They probably aren't though. OK, that rambling actually does make a few points: a) People can and will make stupid associations with names in your setting; it's up to you to decide whether to change the names or ignore them. (I had this problem with weinig, Quirinus, and Mannish, and will probably encounter it again in the future) b) I want to see more culture, including what they eat. c) Read Guns, Germs, and Steel. You seem interested in world-building, and that book is absolutely amazing as far as the development of different societies. Even when magic and other races and such are taken into account, it still has some applicable points. *Switches out of spazz-tastic mode* OK, going through more of the organization names... They lack any sparkle. They are fairly bland; I could see them in any setting. If you aren't good at inventing names, pull up Babel Fish and translate them into another language (I find Dutch rocks for this), or else grab your trusty ol' thesaurus and look up some obscure synonyms. If all else fails, thumb through Baulderdash cards and pick out some crazy words. The Society of Friends is cool, and I do like its ironic name. Have you read those Kushiel books? I've only seen bits of them (and heard about them from friends), but the noble sado-masochists with weird tastes reminds me of them. Post more and I'll give you more feedback if you so wish. Done any work on deities yet? Are you thinking of posting your setting online on a campaign building site (not just a forum)?
HJFudge 09-19-07, 04:31 PM	Hey thanks for the reply, its nice to know that people actually read here :) It was VERY helpful, mainly in highlighting things that to me were self-evident but now I realise they were only self evident to me because they are in my head. It also gave me some ideas for how to flesh out certain races more, especially the orc race :) And again, as I get more detailed and seek to actually USE the setting in a campaign, I will either a) create a bunch of house rules for an existing system...b) make my own system for personal use by borrowing heavily from existing systems I like or c) just make it a D&D campaign with a couple house rules cause thats the ruleset I am most familiar with. Honestly for the human bit I have not quite got concretely down any subgroups or ethnicities. I was thinking of basically taking real world ethnicities and then splattering them into different regions once I got a map up. The main nation of Mankind is The Empire, and consists of most nationalities. When it comes to humanity, it tends to be very open to different cultures and I guess the best real world equivilent (I hesitate to say this because while it is the Best, it isnt that similar at all) would be the United States in the fact that there are MANY different subcultures in it's borders. There are some other human political systems/cultures/nations out there (unconquered because of distance or harshness of environment or some cases out of plain old "Its too costly to take them over"). The Vrek are the Du'Vrek, Sla'Vrek, Col'Rathi....its basically the same race but several...ethnic groups within the race for lack of a better term. The groups started as one whole, but are now divided on mainly political/religious lines but have been changed some physically due to events. It would very much help if I became more organized in my posts and with my information, but as the ideas are very scattered right now and Im just trying to get some feedback on the foundation information I will be using to further develop things. For the orcs...Yes there will be several different 'myths' on how they are created. The 'real' method of reproduction is something I've yet to decide on. As I create the myth's I'll pick the one I like best but twist it enough so that the myth merely hints at the truth. There are female orcs but again, they are not distinguishable to humans and gender isnt really an issue in Orc Clans. If an Orc is strong or has worth (male or female) they are important regardless of if they are male OR female. Goblins ARE sort of a subculture. They merely are too small and too Argumentative to form together for the most part (though some do break off in their own clans). Because they are small, necessity usually dictates that they develop SOME skill to make themselves useful or they are quickly pushed aside. Think of it like Natural Selection, a survival instinct. They develop a talent or get to be Front Line Combatants (or trail snacks for hungry orcs) in the next War. Those who do develop these talents share it with their friends and kids who they do not want to get eaten. The life of an average goblin with no skill is usually very short. As to the names: I just thought up stuff that seemed descriptive. Im NOT that good with names, I fear...but names can be changed. They are pretty much place holders for now. But some I like...Dragoons is a cool name :P Also the goal is to make them familiar. Something that when their name is said that the average player can automatically relate to in some form. Fort Iron Mercenaries are, well Mercenaries. Its a company of them. Now the details will differentiate them from Mercenary Orginizations in other settings, but the name gives a solid foundation of understanding for the player. My next step will be to write a more detailed, timelined history that explores some creation myths next. I've got basic ideas for dieties but nothing written down. Dieties themselves will not directly intervene in the world (save the serpent) and I want it to be much like the real world in that effect...not everyone even believes in the existence of a God or Gods. The Clerics and Priests derive power, yes, but is it from God? Or simply the power of Belief? So mainly I will put down the major religions and then later decide which are real, which are made up, and which are simply misunderstandings of reality. I do not know of any campaign building sites unfortunately. Link me some and I'll peruse em. Thanks again for the comments, I should have the history done tonight/tommorrow. I will of course check that Guns/Germs/Steel book out. P.S: I wish I was technically savvy and knew how to Quote :(
queenfange 09-19-07, 04:54 PM	I empathize with the things which are self-evident to you but confusing to others; that's one of my weaknesses in writing settings (I have many of those, sadly). Teehee. I still like goblins. Subculture is good, nice use of it here. I understand your desire to make organizations approachable; you could give some clear names and others more obscure ones. I mean, a shadowy cult? That by definition should be obscure; some weird name would enhance its feel. Yes, Dragoon sounds cool but it's making me hungry again. I do like your take on religion. I've gone for a fairly typical polytheism and I regret it at times. I encourage you to make your religions awesome and highly varied. For worldbuilding, I like http://eruvian.com. You can find my setting (Vere) there, as well as Urbis (a very thorough, awesome 18th century ish world). It's free to make your own setting there. I believe the Campaign Builders' Guild also hosts settings, but I think that may cost money. They are worth checking out though, as is Giant in the Playground. If nothing else, they are more places to post your setting to look for feedback. Yay, history! Anyway, let me know anything ya want more feedback on and I'll be happy to oblige ya. I'd offer to help you flesh out bits (and I may attempt to on a whim some time), but I already am supposed to be making a gnome mafia for someone else's world and have fallen WAY behind on that, so I need to sort that out before I take on any more. (That gnome mafia is under Mergor's Forge in the Fallen Lands on eruvian by the way). Best of luck in continuing the development of your world!
Ishmayl 09-19-07, 05:32 PM	I believe the Campaign Builders' Guild also hosts settings, but I think that may cost money. Currently, while we update our site and software, we're not offering hosting, but in about a month, we'll have about five different methods in which anyone can host, only one of those is a pay-for plan.
HJFudge 09-20-07, 08:40 AM	Currently, while we update our site and software, we're not offering hosting, but in about a month, we'll have about five different methods in which anyone can host, only one of those is a pay-for plan. Sounds good, I'd be interested in seeing the different methods once you get them up, and also what extra's the Pay plan offers. Honestly though for me to pay there would have to be some pretty dang good extra's. I got work and stuff but after that I'll post some more. If anyone else wants to comment on what I have so far feel free.
Ishmayl 09-20-07, 05:46 PM	Sounds good, I'd be interested in seeing the different methods once you get them up, and also what extra's the Pay plan offers. Honestly though for me to pay there would have to be some pretty dang good extra's. I got work and stuff but after that I'll post some more. If anyone else wants to comment on what I have so far feel free. Sure, I'll be making a very large update to the main CBG thread here (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=559035) once the updates are available.
HJFudge 09-21-07, 01:06 AM	Hey this is late but I got it in so shhh. This isnt really a HISTORY, more of a creation myth (one of many) as told through a childrens primer. It is the one accepted by most of the Empire, usually gaining more acceptance the closer to the heart of the Empire you get. Tommorrow (well I guess today?) I dont have work so I will be posting either a conflicting view of creation OR I will be doing a point by point brief history of the world of Pearl. Just some thoughts on some of the ideas expressed in here, or maybe ideas on what other myths could be drawn up. I would like most of my myths to have common themes, but to differ in detail wildly enough to make them largely dissimilar. Thanks in advance! The Epic of the Free Man Penned by Legendary Poet and Historian Marcello De Martin Act I: Creation God the Almighty, before he deigned to visit Man as The Emperor, sailed through the empty spaces of the world. All was barren, dust. None but He drew breath. He saw this, and saw that it was not good. As worlds before had been fashioned, so it was with ours. A seed was planted in the barren soil of Pearl, our beloved home. Nurtured by The Almighty God, it grew and took shape....watered by his love and fed by the warmth of his presence, the seed flourished into a tree. Tis known to the Holy Ones as the Tree of Life. From the tree sprouted forth more seeds. Some seeds grew into cattle, some into the fish that swim in the ocean. The Almighty Emperor, God of this world, saw the beauty of creation flourish...the beauty that he himself had planted and helped cultivate. However, not all was well. The tree bore fruit and that fruit blossomed into new beautiful life, however that life lacked the thing that gave our beloved Almighty the thing that made him the most beautiful of all: A soul. He who is the Master Gardener was not selfish, and bore children from the barren dust; helpers to rule over the life that had sprouted from the tree. Fed from the Fruit of that divine creation, the Tree of Life, our forefathers grew and were taught at the feet of The Almighty One. We learned of his ways and of our divine heritage. We were fashioned in the likeness of Perfection...his perfect form. Children know and are taught that: For all the beauty of the life grown from the Tree, none is more beautiful than Man Itself. Only we were born of Him who is Master...only we have a soul. Thus we inherit Creation! Ah the wonder of our glorious message! This is the sanctity and divinity of Mankind, and this is the history of our creation. All was harmony, and all should have remained as such... Act 2: Seeds of Corruption While fashioned in his image and possessing the seeds of divinity, man did not appreciate the gift that had been given us. We were unruly...we became tired of taking counsel from our Lord and instead sought to Counsel Him. Oh pride! Sin of Sins! We had grown, prospered, multiplied over the face of the whole land. Our kingdoms, led by the Master himself, flourished and all was love and peace. The Fruit of the Tree prospered under our care, having been taught how to be Good Sheperds and Tenders. What a destiny was in store for us! The old songs tell of the plans that Almighty had for us...that we were to grow and become like him...to be sent out to be gardeners of New Worlds...to spread life to the barren dust of the land beyond the sky. But we believed it was our skill, our cunning that had led to our great success. We forgot that everything we had came from him. Perhaps it was the richness of our lives, the never knowing sorrow but for fleeting moments, that caused us to swell and become stiffnecked and hard of heart. We ceased listening to our Father and Master...and instead started listening to something else. Something that wished to unmake all The Almighty God had planted and return all to dust. Aye, friends, I speak of the Serpent. In those heady days, all was peace. War, hate, strife...all was unknown to us. When a man came among us, a self proclaimed prophet, convinced us that our Father, kindest of all, was using us. Convinced us that we were mere pawns to his whim...fighting a war for him that was not our fight. Blasphemy, of course. Yet then we had heard nothing but truth...so how were we to easily recognise a lie? Such came the fall. We as a race rose up and demanded our God leave. Deeply Saddened, the Great One departed to leave us to our own devices, not wishing to force himself upon even those he loved so very much. Act 3: Man's New Master For several decades after, all went well. Many felt sorrow and remorse for casting out The Gardener....for with him he had taken the fruit of his Tree. The Tree itself he sealed up, and no new life was birthed on all of Pearl. Only the old forms continued to grow and multiply. Many sought to set themselves up as new kings, pitting man against man. We were still innocent. We knew nothing of war. The battles then were those of words....the tongue lashing out were later the sword would replace it to all creations sorrow. Slowly, man forgot his destiny, and forgot much of the knowledge to shape and mold creation that had been taught them. The Prophet had left as quickly and quietly as he had come. None suspected that he had not gone without a final act...to call on his children: The Dragons. They came without warning, without mercy. Death, violence, war, pestilence, all new and dreadful to the Children of God...all these were thrust upon our Fathers. Some tried to resist, but were cut down. The Dragons ruled what remained of God's creation. They did not rule as he did...to nurture...they ruled to reap. They raped the earth itself, drawing its resources to fuel their purposes. Man was a slave. Most were killed, only a few were allowed to remain alive as workers for their Overlords. They were banded together in camps, or what the Dragons called Cities, to work and process the life of Pearl. Many beasts, kind and gentle, were twisted and turned to creatures of war and destruction. Such was the price of our fall. We had cast out our only protector, our only hope. We were doomed. Act 4: Freedom! Oh the boundless patience of Our God! Oh the Love he has for man, greatest of all Creation! For he would have been justified in leaving us to the consequences of our actions. Yes, for many thousands of years we toiled under the harsh, unyeilding lash of servitude...but we were not forsaken! He walked among us as one of us. He helped to ease our burdens, to lighten our weary hearts with his mere presence. Walking among the cities, he openly defied the Dragons, slaying them with the might of his Mighty Magics. Our penance, however, was that we would have to break the bonds ourselves. No longer was he to be a Father, but instead our King. We had grown...we had been exposed to the horrors of violence and hate and now it would be our cross to bear until the corruption in his vineyard was cleansed. We rose against the dragons, and with our God at our head, we broke free of our chains. For years and years we waged war, our first. The Emperor, as he now was known, taught us how to forge steel and create weapons of war. He helped us learn to tame many of the beasts that millenia of untold and unnatural experimentation had driven wild and unruly. All creation fought against the Oppressors. Together again, Man and God, we overcame the Serpent's Children...the Dragons. The Great Lords of the Dragons were sealed in the Earth Itself as punishment for bringing such evil to our world. Still today the Emperor, God amongst us, keeps the seal strong and our children Free. Act 5: The Burden of the Free All is still not done. Though it has been 782 years since the Founding and our victory over the Dragon, the effects of the war and of our millinea of enslavement can still be seen on the land. We were poor gardeners, and tares still grow in His vineyard. We as servants have been tasked with uniting the broken cities of man and in retaming the now corrupt and wild world. We shall never make the mistake we did at first, though in order that we never again repeat our mistake, the Emperor largely leaves us to our own devices, wielding his Mighty Power only when we ourselves are incapable of winning the fight alone. Our victory is garunteed if we but follow his light and heed his council. He has seen the Strangers that wander in our land, from other vineyards. Some seek to aid us and make welcome allies in our Quest for redemption. The Dwarves may empathize with our mistake and our need to correct it. The Vrek are insidious, and their motives are questionable....one moment acting for us and the next against. They cannot be trusted. Come children, let us always follow in The Father and Master Gardener's path.