What's new

Maiko's Game - Campaign Setting Information


maikochan

User #69
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Messages
1,322
Reputation score
48
Mostly just reposts here of my monster posts back in the signup thread.

Easterlands - The Dragon Empire Timeline
The Age of Dragons- ca.1 000 000 ya
In ancient times, it is said, when the land was wild and tameable, the dragons were the undisputed rulers. Some ruled by might and fear, others with compassion and reason. Then, as now, the forces of evil sought to conquer the middle ground, the mortal realm, in their cosmic battle against the forces of good. The dragons were able to defend their realms against the demons, but dragons breed very slowly, and the demon armies are inexhaustible. Slowly but steadily, the dragons' numbers dwindled. Some dragons saw the rising strength of their mortal minions and decided to impart some of their strength, so that, should the dragons ultimately fall, the mortals would be able to defend themselves against any invaders, demonic or angelic. The age of the Dragon Kings began.

The Age of the Dragon Kings- ca.200 000 ya
Dragons still ruled in this age, but their powers were falling steadily as the mortals, led by their leaders, given the power of the dragons, rose. Expanding their territories and even coming to blows with their former masters, the mortals soon dominated the land just as the dragons had done prior to them. The mortal ingenuity and their numbers, combined with the dragon's powers, allowed them to soundly defeat the demons time and again, until ultimately, after a crushing defeat, the demons retreated. With powerful magic, the mortals shut the gates to the dark realms, ensuring that never again, will demons threaten the world.

With peace now ruling the lands, the dragon kings turned their armies on each other, vying for power. With the dragons' strength diminished to the point that they no longer had any power over their former subjects, there was nothing to stop the mortals from waging wars against each other.

One dragon king, a powerful necromancer named Al'Zharid, who found his kingdom crumbling around him and his armies dropping like flies against his foes, decided to ensure that, if he fell, none of his foes would gain anything from his loss. Wielding dread magic, he ravaged his lands, turning verdant grasslands to barren desert and causing trees to turn to unliving stone. To this day, his former kingdom is still a barren wasteland, populated only by undead and those few who are hardy enough to survive in the harshest of climates.

Seeing the great lengths that some of them would go to to destroy their enemies, or prevent them from gaining any power, the other dragon kings recalled their armies. They set up boundaries, marking their territories out, and while such determination was not without strife, it was a far more peaceful process than the wars previously, and ultimately, more successful. For ages, peace was the norm, with wars fought only rarely, relative to the otherwise placid times.

The Age of Peace- ca.120 000 ya
The peace lasted for tens of thousands of years. The lines of the dragon kings continued ruling, but as the ages wore on, their draconic blood thinned. Some turned to inbreeding, in attempts to retain their power, which brought about new problems. Over time, the lines of the dragon kings diminished and fell. Their rulership replaced by warlords, merchant kings, politicians, and priests.

The Age of Mortals- ca.15 000 ya
The current age. Only one line of dragon kings survived this far, that of the Jade Emperors of the aptly named Jade Empire, far to the east of Zharid's Wastes. Making allies with the other denizens of that land, the Jade Empire was the single greatest power left in the land. It was, however, very cautious and xenophobic. Trade with the other lands slowed and eventually fell off. Travel through Zharid's Wastes was exceptionally hazardous, and the sea routes weren't much easier. Over time, the empire was forgotten in the west, and likewise, the west forgotten in the empire.

In the west, the disparate races, each formerly ruled by a dragon king, continued to live apart, bickering and occasionally fighting, even amongst each other. Eventually, a school of thought arose, first in the humans, but quickly spreading to the others. Called the Golden Path, it suggested that true power lay in money, not in strength of arms or magical might, for those could be bought. This philosophy of greed soon permeated the western lands, ultimately uniting them into a loose coalition of merchant states. While each had only their own interests in mind, they knew that by trading with others, they would enrich themselves. The goal, as they saw it, was to always come out ahead of whoever they were dealing with. The result was a climate of cautious backstabbing and swindling, but one that fostered growth.

While the western lands grew in their persuit of money, and thus, power, the Jade Empire stagnated. With their dragon emperor still able to keep the peace, there was no need for advancement. Combat became ritualized, eventually only taught to aristocrats as a pass-time of the privileged. Instead, the arts flourished. The pursuit of beauty became the great virtue of the Empire, with magnificent buildings and stunning artworks replacing fortifications and weapons. The Empire became mostly interested in the glories of the past, with ancestor worship becoming highly popular, alongside the existing naturalistic spirit worship of many of the beastfolk. Great shrines and monasteries were built to the spirits of the land and of past heroes.

The War of the Dragons- 200 ya
As peaceful as the Jade Empire was, it was not without the occasional strife. After the death of the Emperor without leaving a clear heir, his two sons began a war of succession. It didn't take long for the war to become known as the War of the Dragons, with the two warring princes known as the Ruby Dragon and the Emerald Dragon, due to the red and green armors the respective sides wore. The war was, relative to the wars of the dragon kings of the past, very tame, with strict rules of engagement and few casualties. For the peasants lucky enough to avoid being conscripted, the war seemed almost like an entertaining distraction.

Ultimately, the Emerald Dragon, Ryuoshu Midori, claimed victory when his brother died due to an untreated infection, and the land returned to it's usual peace.

Dragon Powder Arrives in the West- 199 ya
During the War of the Dragons, a chemist by the name of Tamaya, who lost his son in the fighting, left the lands overcome with grief. Traveling into Zharid's Wastes, expecting to die, he was instead found by western outriders, patrolling the wastes to keep the undead population down. While Tamaya was unwilling to reveal the secrets of his Flaming Dragons and Dragon Powder, the inquisitive gnomes quickly reverse engineered the formula for the explosive mixture. While less stable than the traditional Dragon Powder, this new Black Powder was quickly adapted into weaponry, both heavy cannons and artillery, and portable firearms. These weapons proved unreliable, compared to the traditional bows and crossbows of the time, but terrifyingly powerful, so in many cases, the trade-off was considered worth the risk.

The Second Coming of the Demons- 50 ya
With the many passing of the ages, the seals on the gates to the demon lands gradually weakened. While the war-ready western nations quickly pushed any escaping demons back and resealed the gates, the soft eastern Empire was caught completely off-guard when the gate in the northern Dragon Wing mountains spilled open. What followed was a devastating massacre as the demons moved southward, leaving ruin in their wake.

The tengus that lived in the Dragon Wing mountains were nearly wiped out by the demons, and few survive to this day. They were, however, perhaps the only reason why the demons were finally routed in the end, as it was their fleeing scouts that brought warning to the other races of the demons' return.

The kitsune and the nekugami, living in the forests at the foot of the mountains, were hit next. These two races, with long martial and magical traditions, were able to slow the demons' advance, but were similarly overwhelmed by the sheer numbers and readiness of the demon army. Their stand did buy the humans and nezumi time to build and ready their forces, but cost the two forest-dwelling races much of their people's lives.

While the demonic horde met the armed resistance of the humans and nezumi as they moved into the southern plains, the empire's lack of experience in combat meant that the defenders were pushed back and back. The capitol, the Emerald Palace, was sacked by the demons and many of the great works of art made by the empire were destroyed. Shrines were desecrated and ancestors were summoned as spirits to attack their descendants. Even the emperor himself was slain in battle. To the defenders, victory was looking to be increasingly impossible.

The Battle of Broken Pass- 31 ya
Ultimately, a small force led by an enigmatic figure known only as Murasa Kiiro, led the general of the demonic army into an ambush. The battle was fierce, with the mountain pass being devastated by demonic magic and Dragon Powder explosives (the first use of Dragon Powder as a weapon in the East). In the end, a tenth of the allied force emerged from the valley, the body of the demonic general in tow. Murasa Kiiro was missing and presumed to have perished in the fighting.

The loss of their general sent a panic through the demon army, giving the beleaguered defenders an opportunity to push back. They were ultimately successful, driving straight to the demon gate and sealing it by causing a landslide, burying it. The demon forces were scattered and broken, but remained. Most remained in the Dragon Wing mountains, where they'd occasionally strike from to harass the rebuilding mortals, while some were stuck south of Broken Pass. These southern demons wielded powerful magic to cloak their land in a perpetual mist, giving them protection from vengeful survivors, and thus their land became known as the Shadowlands.

The East Rebuilds- 27 ya
Though the empire was ultimately victorious, their lands were left ravaged. Cities were burned, shrines destroyed, rogue demons roamed the lands. But the survivors began their rebuilding. The Emerald Palace was rebuilt, though a pale imitation of the glory it once radiated. Ryuoshu Kamitori, son of the former Emperor, only six years old, was crowned, though the empire was overseen by the regent, the advisor to the former emperor, Laoren Akihito.

The West Annexes the East- 24 ya
In the middle of their rebuilding, the empire was greeted by emissaries from the west. Using gunpowder weapons and new magicks, the westerners were able to open a corridor through Zharid's Wastes and arrived in the east. Not to aid their rebuilding, but to conquer them.

Even at their peak, the Empire would have been no match for the well trained and armed western armies, so after suffering nearly total annihilation at the hands of the demons, the empire surrendered. Ryuoshu Kamitori was kept as the titular head of state, and Akihito, who had advocated for surrender, was given the position of Prime Minister.

Within a few years, the cities of the empire were rebuilt. With western money and resources, the process went much quicker than the Empire could have done on its own. The price, however, was steep. The easterners were treated as second-class citizens in their land and slavery of them became common. The traditional beliefs of the east were suppressed in favour of the secular capitalism of the westerners.

The non-human allies of the empire, the tengu, kitsune, nekugami and nezumi were treated even worse. Called 'beastfolk' by the westerners, they were often considered open game for slavery.

The Current-
Most of the empire has been rebuilt, to western design. The once beautiful artwork of the empire is now only barely visible behind the simple western designs. The easterners live in poverty, for the most part, if not outright slavery, while the western occupiers hold nearly all positions of power and continue their drive to accumulate money and power. Their lust for money have had the natural effect of causing crime, once nearly unnoticeable, to become rampant. Easterners seeing no other way to feed themselves or their family have taken to stealing, while other have embraced the western ideals of greed and either steal for the money itself, or take up the pursuit of money in business.

Many of the soldiers that came with the initial western force were let go once the transfer of power was complete, with little to no severance and with no way home. Likewise, surviving soldiers of the demon invasion that weren't caught up in the annexation have found themselves without a home. Both of these groups usually turn to banditry, with some bands being a mix of both easterners and westerners, often with little sign of the usual class structure seen in the cities. Other former soldiers typically turn to mercenary work, often coming into conflict with the former group of ex-soldiers.

The state religion, as such, that is impressed on the occupied east is that of money. There's no temples or shrines, no holy orders. The native ancestor and spirit worship are suppressed. As a result, there's very few who wield divine magic, and those that do usually need to do so in secret. That said, there have been a growing number of 'miracle workers' in recent months.

Currently, the climate in the cities is one of resigned occupation, for the most part. Much of the current generation grew up under the rule of the westerners and have started adopting their lifestyle. Outside the cities, the situation is much less certain, with bandits, rebels and demons wandering the wilds. Yet, even as things seem to be settling into an acceptable order, there is a feeling as though it's just a calm before an even greater storm.

Here's some information on the races. To note, acceptable races are the following:

Humans - Eastern or Western
Elves - Western
Dwarves - Western
Halflings - Western
Gnomes - Western
Orcs - Western
Half-Elves - Eastern or Western
Half-Orcs - Eastern or Western
Fetchlings - Eastern
Tieflings - Eastern
Changelings - Western
Tengu - Eastern
Kitsune - Eastern
Catfolk - Eastern (Also called Nekugami)
Ratfolk - Eastern (Also called Nezumi)


Humans: Typical of humans. Adaptable and ambitious. They make up the largest population in the Eastern Empire. Westerners can be found in any social level from beggar and thief to the official ambassador and leaders of merchant houses. Easterners are found only among the lower social levels. A few have begun getting into the western business trade and have begun to improve their station, but are still looked upon with disdain.

Elves: Once forest dwellers, the elves are a mostly cosmopolitan society now. Every bit as mercantile as the humans, they do still keep some link to their sylvan homelands, either with flowing artwork or potted plants or bright green and yellow clothing. Like western humans, elves can be found at just about any level of society in the Empire.
There's a small group of elves calling themselves 'The Returners' who advocate for a return to the nature dwelling ways of their species. They're mostly dismissed as wackos by the rest of the elves.

Dwarves: Not seen much in the east, the dwarves prefer to keep to their homelands. Great engineers, they build large city forts in the west, and like to stay there. Dwarves found in the east are typically soldiers, merchants or from the lowest classes looking for a better life.

Halflings: Opportunistic gypsies, halflings can be found just about everywhere, but are welcome nowhere, except their own camps. They tend to open brightly coloured stalls in streets selling just about anything, most of it stolen. One thing they specialize in, however, is the making and selling of various kinds of drugs. The downtrodden easterners are easy marks for halfling drug pushers.

Gnomes: Inventors and chemists, gnomes, like dwarves, tend to stay in their homes, but are seen a bit more widely than their bearded cousins. Gnomes are usually found among the merchant class of society, selling small automatons, alchemical concoctions and arcanotech wares. They were the ones who came up with Black Powder by examining the eastern-made Dragon Powder.

Orcs: A mostly tribal society in the west, they aren't seen widely in the east, but when they are, it's almost always as either soldiers or thugs. Of the westerners, the orcs are the only ones that have mostly kept their traditional spiritual beliefs, worshiping animal totems.

Half-Elves: Half-Elves that either arrived from the west or were born to western parents follow much of the same social models as either the elves or humans, depending on which group they grew up in more. Half-elves born in the east by an elf and an easterner are an oddity. It mostly depends on how the elven parent wants to raise their child, if at all. Those that are taken in by their elven parent are, for the most part, treated much the same as if they had been born to two western parents, though they can be seen with some confusion by westerners not so used to them.

Half-Orcs: More common than their full-blood relatives, half-orcs still fill many of the same niches; soldiers and thugs, but are also found in other roles as well. A few half-orc artisans produce beast-like totems for decoration. Half-orcs born in the east are usually the results of rape and are left to their mother to care for. They typically fall into the lower social categories of eastern humans, keeping their father's penchant for thuggery.

Fetchlings: Born to women impregnated by a demon of the shadowlands. Since it's not too hard for them to pass as human, they usually fall into the same categories as eastern humans do. They don't have a sizable enough population to have any other broad categorization. A few are found working with the tengus.

Tieflings: Born to women impregnated by one of the non-shadowlands demons. Just as varied as described. Like Fetchlings, they typically fall into the same social structure as eastern humans, but since their heritage is a bit harder to hide, they can face some extra stigma.

Changelings: Very rare westerners. They are nearly indistinguishable from regular humans and integrate them into society the same way.

Beastfolk:
Tengu: The tengu, derogatorily called 'Crows' by the westerners, already vastly weakened due to bearing the brunt of the demonic invasion, and with their homelands still occupied by the demons, were grouped into one slum in Emerald City (the renamed capitol). Though just as subjugated as the other beastfolk, the tengu were able to adapt rather well to their new situation, rather than struggle to continue their old way of life. Among tengu, it's common for any children after the first to be sold as slaves to help bring in resources for the rest of the community, and young tengu are brought up to expect this, knowing that they would be helping their people by accepting their slavery. Their talent at moving quietly and observing things, combined with the social invisibility of being a slave meant that the tengus quickly gained a reputation as information brokers. Of all the beastfolk, the tengus are treated with the most respect by the westerners for this reason.

Kitsune: The kitsune, called 'foxes', 'dogs', or even 'bitches', didn't have such an easy time adapting. Prized among westerners for their exotic looks and talent for trickery, almost all kitsune living in cities are performing slaves. All kitsune slaves are expected to entertain sexually, in addition to whatever other talents they possess. Due to their talent with magic and natural shape-shifting abilities, kitsune slaves are fitted with special collars that make use of any kind of magic or supernatural ability difficult, if not impossible.
Some kitsune survive in their native forests, free of slavery and rebuilding in secret. The secret isn't that there are free kitsune living in the forests, but rather where. Some of these free kitsune attempt to free their enslaved kin while others manage to escape their owners and flee into the woods. The westerners are content to leave the foxes to their trees, occasionally sending hunting parties into the forests, but mostly just waving them off as being too small to be any threat.
(Special Rules: Kitsune slaves start with a null-magic collar. Attempting to cast any spell or use any spell-like or supernatural abilities requires a (Charisma bonus+character level) check against a DC of 25. If the check fails, the attempt fails. Spells or spell slots are not used up and any abilities that have a number of uses per day do not count as having been used. If the check fails, the wearer automatically fails any other attempts for the next hour. If the check succeeds, the ability or spell is used as normal. Collars with higher or lower DCs are available for purchase.)
A note on Kitsune tails. Kitsune tail growth is not based on their age, but rather, how their innate magical ability matures. It's quite possible for a kitsune to die of old age with only a single tail. The last recorded nine-tailed kitsune was during the age of the dragon kings and they are essentially mythical now.

Catfolk: The nekugami, called 'cats' or, at best 'catfolk', have a similar fate as their woodland dwelling cousins. Pleasure and performing slaves mostly, they tend to end up being given a bit more freedom than the kitsune do, possibly because of their lack of innate magical abilities, or possibly because they tend to find ways to ingratiate themselves with whoever has power over them.
Though they seem to be happy to be slaves on the surface, there's rumours that there is a network of catfolk working in concert with the other beastfolk to try to overthrow the western occupiers. This thought is scoffed at by the westerners, who say that any such uprising would be swiftly, and brutally, put down.

Ratfolk: The nezumi, or ratfolk, are treated the worst of all the beastfolk. Despite their small size and lack of obvious physical threat, their association with the rats and vermin of the west mean that the westerners despise ratfolk. Kept in large slums, many ratfolk grow up in filth and disease, ultimately perpetuating the westerner's view of them as vermin. The ratfolk are adaptable, however, and seek to make the best of their poor conditions. Of all the beastfolk, they survived the demon invasion in the largest numbers, and their high birthrate meant that their population rebounded rather quickly, making ratfolk slums heavily overpopulated areas.
The westerners are fine to leave the ratfolk in their slums for the most part. Compared to the other beastfolk, the nezumi are only rarely kept as slaves. Most nezumi slaves toil at thankless, menial jobs, though a few westerners have noticed their bright minds and talent for chemistry and arcanotech and keep them working in those positions.
 
OP
maikochan

maikochan

User #69
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Messages
1,322
Reputation score
48
Re: Maiko's Game - Campaign Setting Information

Some notes on classes.
Acceptable classes include: Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Wizard, Alchemist, Cavalier, Gunslinger, Magus, Oracle, Summoner (Called Demonbinder), Witch, Ninja, and Samurai. Also the Artificer class from the 3rd Party - Adamant Entertainment section is acceptable.

Summoners are called Demonbinders, regardless of how they practice their craft. Their Eidolons must have demonic cosmetic features, but is otherwise treated the same.

Druids, Oracles and Witches face some persecution for their divine abilities (Rangers are encouraged to take an archetype that removes or changes their spellcasting ability such as the Skirmisher or Trapper, else they will also face persecution). This persecution is mostly social in nature. You won't get arrested for casting a cure spell in public, but you'll likely have armed soldiers following you for a while afterward and you'll likely be refused entrance to most establishments.

Monks are prevented from openly practicing, and anyone seen showing proficiency in martial arts combat is suspected of being a monk and arrested.

Ninja and Samurai must keep their natures secret. The samurai orders were disbanded following the occupation and samurai were required to turn in their ancestral weapons and armor. Some chose exile instead, finding homes among the bandit groups, finding a resistance group, or simply living in the wilds on their own. Regardless, any samurai that is identified is taken into custody, their weapons and armor are confiscated and they are turned out onto the streets.
Ninja have it slightly easier, as they were already pretty secretive. The ninja clans were likewise disbanded during the occupation, but unlike the samurai, they mostly just moved into secret instead of actually disbanding. Discovered ninja are treated as rebels and either locked up or executed, depending on the situation.


And some other notes.

Arcanotech: A fancy name for magical items produced in the west. They typically look more techy than traditional fantasy magic items, but function the same.

Firearms: Only Early firearms exist. Their possession is restriction to westerners, though they can fall into easterner hands on occasion. The exception is the firelance, which can be found in anyone's hands. Additionally, all firearms have their misfire values increased by one.
Because there's a couple of conflicting pages on the SRD about firearms, this is the one that will be used:

Dragon Powder: A more stable form of black powder. If used in firearms, it reduces the misfire value by 2 (so one less than the value given in the rules), but imposes a -1 penalty to attack and damage rolls. A keg of dragon powder only explodes for 5d4 points of damage (with the same reflex save as a black powder keg). It costs the same as black powder.


Coming soon: Notable locations, notable people (Historic and Current), power groups and some kind of map.
 
OP
maikochan

maikochan

User #69
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Messages
1,322
Reputation score
48
Re: Maiko's Game - Campaign Setting Information

The Patron list. There's a good chance at least some of these people will become relevant later on, even if you're not working for them right away.


The format is as follows:
Name- (The Patron's name, along with any titles)
Race: (What race, and if necessary, ethnicity of the patron. This is mostly fluff, but it can affect how some people perceive the patron and, by proxy, the group)
Affiliation: (What affiliations, if any, the patron has. These can help build support networks, giving you an 'in' with those groups, or they can cause problems, if you run into rival or otherwise opposed groups)
Goals: (In general, what kind of goals the patron has, that the party would be working towards. Again, at least initially)
Location: (Where the patron's base of operations is at)

Then a bit of background and information.



Fumei-
Race: Human (Easterner)
Affiliation: Neutral
Goals: Peace, Knowledge, Protection
Location: Rockside (Original name: Ishi-ka, or Rockhome), a small village on the road between the Imperial Capitol and the mining town of Fall's Reach. Named for the rocky hillside it's built against.

Known only as Mister Fumei, he is the owner of one of the last remaining Eastern style tea houses in the Empire. Although the tea house has a name (Sojourn's End), everyone who knows of it refers to it simply as 'Mister Fumei's tea house'. Fumei himself is old. Very old. It's said that he built the tea house after a long pilgramage, over seven hundred years ago. Fumei laughs this off, saying that it was his ancestor that built it back then, and that it has remained in the family since then. Even so, it's not hard to see why some people might think he actually is over seven hundred years old; Fumei is a small, wizened man, with a long white beard and tired looking eyes. He is still very active, however, personally serving his customers alongside his younger employees, and it doesn't look like age will slow him down any time soon, though he does insist he's feeling his years.

The tea house is built around a central courtyard with a tree looking almost as old as Fumei himself at its center. The courtyard doubles as a garden and guests are invited to relax in it. A small pond is home to a few koi and a family of turtles.
The lower, ground level of the tea house is the serving area, along with the kitchen. Upstairs, there are a few rooms that Fumei rents out to travelers or others in need of a bed for a few nights, as well as Fumei's own bedroom and office.

Recently, Fumei has been asking adventuresome looking guests questions about their travel plans and goals. When asked, he doesn't hide that he's looking for a few brave souls to help him with a few problems. Rats in the cellar, he insists.


Madame Rouge-
Race: Human (Westerner)
Affilitaion: Neutral
Goals: Protection, Profits, Pleasure
Location: Blackhill (Original name: Kuroka, roughly, Black Hill), a small, but quickly growing mining town off the beaten path, though that path is quickly getting beaten into shape. Blackhill gets its name from the coal found in its hills. Not as valuable as gold, but still creating a small boom.

Madame Rouge, real name Theresa Spence, is a brothel owner currently setting up an establishment in Blackhill, to cater to the influx of miners and the inevitable others that will follow them. The Madame is an unusual character in the Empire, because, even though she is a Westerner, she has taken the time to learn to fluently speak the Eastern language with almost no detectable accent. She also observes some Eastern customs, and is one of the few business people to treat Easterners, human or beastfolk, with respect in their dealings.

She's relatively young, or appears to be, at around mid-thirties. Her name comes from her red hair, and penchant for dressing in reds. Though starting to show a few signs of age, Theresa is still a very alluring woman who takes pride in her appearance, always making sure she's looking her best whenever she expects to meet anyone else. In her prior businesses, she's even taken some clients herself.

Though she states that her reason for coming to Blackhill is because she wanted a change in scenery and because she saw opportunity here, those in the know are aware that she used to be a member of the Silken Sash, a very influential slaving guild, but had recently broken ties with them. It's suspected by some that she came to Blackhill to lay low for a bit and keep from giving them a reason to come after her.

Madame Rouge has recently been putting up posters around the small town asking for able-bodied and 'adaptable' persons to assist her with a few matters, with a fair bit of money being offered for the services.


The Great Itsunen-
Race: Giant
Affiliation: Bandits, Highwaymen, and Dance Troupes
Goals: Wine, Women, Song
Location: Wherever fine wines are sold

The Great Itsunen, is, in fact, a fabrication. A local legend in the rural parts of the Empire, of a giant of a man who harasses Western caravans and distributes the money to the Easterners in exchange for wine and general merriment. It's mostly told as a joke about the Westerners, with The Great Itsunen being something of a clownish figure, making the losses on his account causing the Westerners to look even more foolish.

His name comes from an enigmatic parchment found over the lock of a chest, where only the name 'Great Itsunen' were scrawled, and needed to be copied down in order to open the chest. (In other words, I had to fill in a captcha once, with Great Itsunen being the words. Thought it was an awesome name for a comical bandit character and was waiting for a chance to use it.)


The Black Shaft-
Race: Unknown
Affiliation: Bandits
Goals: Trade Disruption, Rebellion, Anti-Westernism
Location: The forests along the trade-routes between the Imperial Capitol and the gold mines in the southern mountains.

Probably the source of the myth of The Great Itsunen, the Black Shaft has made no secret his hate of the Westerners. Caravans carrying gold to the capitol or supplies to the mining towns are his targets. He has gathered a band of brigands that follow him, and aid him in his endeavors. His calling card, and the source of his name, is the black-shafted arrow that he leaves at the caravans he hits.

Though he hates Westerners, the Black Shaft is said to forgive individuals who prove that they share his convictions that the Eastern lands should be returned to the Easterners. Because of that, his band is filled with people of all races and ethnicities.

No one knows where the Black Shaft makes his camp, indeed, it's likely mobile, but everyone knows that traveling along the trade routes with laden wagons makes it rather easy to find him, though not in the way most want to.


Vorunkl of Krakmount, son of Urgot the Terrible-

Race: Half-Orc
Affiliation: The Vigil
Goals: Justice, Vengence, Law
Location: The Vigil's head office in the Imperial Capitol.

Vorunkl is the son of the great Orc warchief, Urgot the Terrible (who rightfully earned his title), and an unknown human woman. Growing up in the slums of a large western city, Vorunkl had to fight every day just to survive, and he inevitably got good at it. Unlike most half-orcs in the slums, and definitely unlike his father, Vorunkl had a sense of justice. He would pick fights with thugs who would extort those weaker than them. He would burn drug shipments. He would do anything to protect the weak and defenseless of his slum.
Ultimately, he started getting followers, and while he didn't see himself as a leader figure, he eventually took up the mantle and named his new gang, the Vigil. They quickly grew from being vigilantes, to actually being endorsed by the city's watch, who were hobbled by bureaucracy and budget cuts. The Vigil steadily grew until it had grown too big for once city. Vorunkl left a few of his lieutenants in charge and moved on with a small group to another city that needed help. In a few years, most of the major cities in the west had a Vigil chapter.
However, trouble started to hit them. Without explanation, Vigil members started going missing. Vorunkl tried to find out who was responsible, but just as he felt he was closing in on his suspects, the occupation of the Empire began, and he found his suspects having followed the army east. Without hesitation, Vorunkl followed.

Now, the Half-orc still searches for the organization that he's convinced has been targeting the Vigil, while also still working hard at maintaining order and law wherever he goes. He doesn't have any particular prejudice against the Easterners, but in his eye, the occupation of the Empire is a lawful one, and the laws of the land are the laws, which everyone must follow. His foes are those that exploit the weakened Easterners, as well as those who attack Western trade shipments.

Having come east with little preparation, Vorunkl is trying to build up the Vigil's presence here and has sent calls out for anyone interested in aiding him.


Yukiko, Eight-tailed-
Race: Kitsune
Affiliation: Beastfolk Rebels
Goals: Freedom for Easterners, Driving Westerners out of the Empire
Location: Shine to Niru-rui, somewhere in the forested foothills of the Dragon Wing mountains.

Yukiko is currently the only known eight-tailed kitsune in the world. While still one short of the mythical nine, she still wields great powers, and commands even greater respect. While not the founder of the Beastfolk rebellion, Yukiko quickly rose to prominence for her innate magical ability and her talent for leading.

Yukiko leads the rebellion from an ancient shrine to the spirit of the Dragon Wing mountains, lost to antiquity until it was rediscovered by the fleeing beastfolk during the demon invasion. The shrine sheltered them then, and has since become a rallying point for the rebels. Its location is unknown to those outside of the rebellion, but anyone dedicated enough to join them will be found by the rebels and brought before Yukiko.

Yukiko has a great antipathy to Westerners, for obvious reasons, but if one shows that they truly wish to aid the rebellion, they are given a chance to prove themselves. Otherwise, Yukiko accepts all Easterners into her fold, knowing that they'd need an army to drive the Westerners out.


Pecks-the-Shadows-
Race: Tengu
Affiliation: Tengu spy network
Goals: Profits, Information gathering
Location: The Tengu quarter of the Imperial Capitol

All other information is property of the Tengu spy network.


Riker Dalmott, the Blackhearted-
Race: Human (Westerner)
Affiliation: The Silken Sash
Goals: Slavery, Power, Money
Location: The Silken Sash safeouse in Hopefalls (Original name: Nijikawa, or Rainbow River), a dreary town on the banks of a river running down from the sourthern mountains. Once a very small village, it has been taken over by the Silken Sash and now serves as their headquarters.

Riker earned his epithet by being one of the most ruthless and cruel slavers in the Silken Sash. It seems like his greatest joy comes from seeing the light of hope die in a slave's eyes. Thoroughly evil, his rise through the ranks of the slaving guild was unsurprising.

After suffering a leg injury while chasing down a slave, Riker found himself stuck in Hopefalls for a while while his leg healed. Bored, he's sent out calls for mercenaries who want to get a few kicks out of tracking down runaway slaves.
 
OP
maikochan

maikochan

User #69
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Messages
1,322
Reputation score
48
Re: Maiko's Game - Campaign Setting Information

So, came up with a new system today at work. About 70% of it is going to be secret for now, but what isn't I'll detail here.

The system is called, for now, Boons (crappy name, going to rethink it later). Some creatures have a special essence inside them that is released when they are killed. A nearby PC (only PCs, cause they're special!) can absorb this released essence to gain a boon, but only one PC per creature can collect a boon. There are three types of boons, Permanent, One-Shot, or Temporary.
Permanent Boons take effect as soon as they're gained, and, as the name implies, are permanent. They cannot be dispelled or otherwise removed (with a few exceptions), but some of them can be suppressed by magic. Supernatural Permanent Boons are subject to suppression by Dispel Magic and similar spells and effects, as though they were magic items (though they cannot be permanently removed through the Disjunction spells).
One-Shot Boons are held in reserve until they are used, whereupon they are expended. You can only have a number of One-Shot Boons held in reserve equal to your level at any one time. Some One-Shot Boons are expended regardless of the success of the ability, others are only expended on a successful use, this will be detailed in the Boon description. One-Shot Boons can be extraordinary, supernatural or spell-like.
Temporary Boons, like permanent Boons, take effect when they're gained, but unlike permanent Boons, they only last a set amount of time.

When a creature capable of granting a Boon dies, each PC gets a flat d20 roll to determine who gets the Boon. Whoever rolls highest, gets the Boon. Each Boon that a PC gets, gives them a -1 penalty on this roll, hopefully making Boon distribution more-or-less even in the end. These rolls may be done secretly, or publicly, whichever people want.

A Boon has already been awarded, actually. Zurui rolled a 19 to collect the Boon for defeating the ratling in Fumei's cellar. The Boon boon she chose was the permanent one, which gave her a permanent +3 boost to her HP. To show as examples, here are the other options she could have chosen:
One-Shot: Gain one use of the Consuming Strike, Minor (Su) ability. Declare that you are using this ability before making an attack. If you hit and deal damage, you heal a number of HP equal to half of the damage dealt (Round up). Any HP gained in excess of your maximum HP are lost. Regardless of whether your attack succeeds or fails, this ability is expended.
Temporary: You do not need to eat for one day. You still need to drink, and can eat food if desired.

There are going to be grades of Boons, from minor to epic, with the bonuses granted scaling appropriately. Zurui's Boon was of the minor variety. Also, each creature will, generally, give a different Boon.
 
OP
maikochan

maikochan

User #69
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Messages
1,322
Reputation score
48
Re: Maiko's Game - Campaign Setting Information

House rule, regarding the Realistic Likeness feat.

Here's the new feat:
Realistic Likeness (Racial)
Prerequisites: Kitsune.
Benefit: You can change your appearance with much more control than other Kitsune. You can freely change your form, subject to the capabilities and limitations of the Disguise Person spell, though you are unable to change any worn or carried gear or clothing. The change is not illusory. Also, you cannot change your appearance when appearing as a Kitsune. (What this means is you can't change yourself to look like a different Kitsune or even change small details on your Kitsune form. Non-Kitsune forms are fair game.)
You can remember a number of specific forms equal to your Intelligence modifier, and can choose to forget one to remember another. These remembered forms are in addition to your regular Kitsune Alternate form. You cannot copy another person's form exactly, unless you have remembered their form, or are able to observe them or a suitable likeness of them.
Disguising yourself in this way gives a +10 bonus on Disguise checks. When Disguised as a specific person, you may need to pass Bluff or Diplomacy checks when dealing with others who know the person you are impersonating, in order to successfully pass as that person.
 

Mamono Assault Force

Coon Tamer
RP Moderator
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
19,403
Reputation score
442
Re: Maiko's Game - Campaign Setting Information

So, what if a female kitsune remembered a dude's form. Could she change her form to have a penis?
 
OP
maikochan

maikochan

User #69
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Messages
1,322
Reputation score
48
Re: Maiko's Game - Campaign Setting Information

So, what if a female kitsune remembered a dude's form. Could she change her form to have a penis?
According to the spell description of (Specifically: "You could add or obscure a minor feature or look like an entirely different person or gender."), yes.

Also, more fine customizations of the form are possible, so the female kitsune wouldn't need to memorize a male form to take on a male form, or simply add a penis to a female form, if she so wished. Or vise-versa for a male kitsune changing into a female/adding female parts.

Because of magic, and complicated stuff, if it ever comes up, when a person is shapeshifted (regardless of method, unless it's for a very long period, say over a year), they're infertile.
 
OP
maikochan

maikochan

User #69
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Messages
1,322
Reputation score
48
Re: Maiko's Game - Campaign Setting Information

First, just stating now that I'm not reviving this RP at this time. I'd still like to return to this setting at the very least at some point in the future, however.

Anyway, had a lot of time to think about stuff while on buses and waiting for appointments recently, imagination got to working and came up with some ideas for pinning down the rather vague information I've thrown about regarding demons in this setting. There's still a couple points that aren't addressed here, but I might be able to get them out at some point. Just for scoring, those points are Half-demons and tieflings (touched briefly in this) and the nature of the Shadowlands demons.

So here's some information, presented in the form of a recovered document from Zharid's wastes from that lost empire's golden age.

Demon Metaphysiology: A Study
Remas Jha'lin, Master Demonologist, Ah'Zhar University

This research is based primarily on information extracted from bound demons. While the duplicity of demons is well known, this author believes that the methods used to acquire this information have ensured true and complete facts.

Overview of Demons and Their Realm
Demons hail from a world that is separate from our own, yet connected. This world has many names, the self-styled scholars of the elves call it 'The Abyss', the amateur summoners of the Sea Lords call it 'The Pit', the backwards mystics of the Untamed Lands call it simply 'The Demon World', as is in keeping with their primitive grasp of the world. The demons have their own name for it, of course, 'Infernus'. This document will use the name our esteemed researchers have given this world, Pandemonium, a name that accurately describes the chaotic and violent realm of the demons.

Pandemonium lies near our world, yet apart from it. Under normal conditions, it is impossible to travel between the two worlds, or to even see it, for it is displaced in a direction we cannot perceive. These normal conditions do, of course, not include the use of magic or the presence of Torrim Tunnels (colloquially, and unscientifically, called beetle holes by the public). Though it should be assumed that a reader is at least familiar with the concept of Torrim Tunnels, certain parties insist that a brief description of the theories behind Torrim Tunnels be included. See Appendix I, or the excellent thesis by Lord Ghiren Torrim, for whom they are named after, a copy of which can be found in the Ah'Zhar central library.

Through the use of magic or Torrim Tunnels, individuals can communicate or even travel between our world and the demon's. Travel to Pandemonium is heavily discouraged and should only be undertaken by a well prepared party, which includes a Demonologist of at least Apprentice rank from the Ah'Zhar High Academy, for safety. Pandemonium is hostile to non-demon life, with fire raining from the sky and chasms opening beneath one's feet. The understandably high population of demons in Pandemonium also contributes to its hostile nature.

Demons themselves are native to Pandemonium, and can be thought of as being the Prime species of that world in the same way that Mortals are the Prime species of our world. Demons display a great deal of variety, just as Mortals do, with many analogous examples to creatures found here. The simple, mindless Dretch, for example, can be seen as an analog to the baser creatures of our world, such as wild beasts and gnomes, and serve much the same purposes such as refuse removal and food by the higher order denizens (See this author's other work 'How to Garnish a Gnome' for examples of the later use).

More intelligent demons have cultures that vary by geography, but are strangely inclusive, with different types of demons inhabiting the same settlement, as opposed to the more enlightened practice of segregation. Though demons are possessed of free will, many fall into similar professions of the others of their specific kind. The Schir demons, for example, find it easiest to work as guards or soldiers, serving much the same roles as Orcs do, though there are rare exceptions (This author must grudgingly acknowledge the works of Gren Horath and his contributions to the field of Demonology).

Arguably the aristocracy of Pandemonium is filled by the Balor and Maralith demons, both powerful and deceitful creatures. Though intelligent, it should be noted that these creatures are not Human, and thus, are of inferior intellect. Any appearance to the contrary is simply trickery and lies on the part of the demon.

The rulers of Pandemonium call themselves Demon Lords, a suitably descriptive term, and are even more powerful than the Balors and Maraliths. They are invariably cunning and should be called upon only by the most well prepared demonologist.


On the Origins of Demons
Demons do not reproduce like Mortals do (though there are examples of Mortal/Demon interbreeding, see the collection of works by Lessil Kh'Vol for more on this fascinating subject), instead they spontaneously come into being in a process that can be most easily described as being a crystallization of demonic energy. Demons are created full formed and mature, with all of the knowledge needed to utilize their capabilities, though as a demon grows in experience, it learns more nuanced ways to apply these capabilities.
By studying numerous demons, it is theorized that the world of Pandemonium continually generates these demonic energies, and that when a locality has accumulated enough energy, a demon is created.

Because of this constant generation of energy, one might assume that demon populations grow both linearly and indefinitely, however, this is not the case. Notwithstanding the high mortality rate amongst demons (see below for clarification of this apparent contradiction), it appears that the close link between demons and Pandemonium itself serves as a natural population control.

As will be described in more detail later in this document, demons are 'fed' a constant supply of energy by Pandemonium itself. It is most likely that this is the same kind of energy that gives birth to new demons. Thus the more demons that are in a particular area, the less likely it is for new demons to be created; the existing demons are consuming the demonic energy before enough can be accumulated to instigate the creation of a new one.

As demons are not Mortals, they cannot age or die in the same way that we do. So long as a demon remains in good health (ie: avoiding such ailments as dismemberment or disintegration) they can exist for eternity. However, when a demon is killed, the energy that instigated its creation is returned to Pandemonium to give birth or sustenance to more demons. As demons are inherently violent, such death is common enough to keep demon population stable.


Demon Physiology
Demons are varied enough that to attempt a complete study of their physical forms would require several volumes, however there are some common attributes that can be defined.

First, as mentioned above, demons do not age. Nor do they require food or drink as we Mortals do, though some do claim to enjoy the taste of particular food or beverages (further evidence that all creatures in existence are distantly derived from Mortals in general and Humans in particular). Demons do not need to sleep, but can enter a soporific state to hasten the regeneration of wounds and magical energies. No demon interrogated for this paper expressed any familiarity with the concept of dreams and given the large sample size, it can be assumed with a good degree of certainty that demons do not experience dreams while in their resting state.

Secondly, demon physiology is particularly well adapted to the dangers of Pandemonium. The energy suffusing the realm and the often toxic clouds mean that all demons are completely resistant to arc energy and poisons. In addition, the often extreme temperature swings of Pandemonium have required that its denizens develop a resistance to high and low temperatures. The caustic rain and lakes of that realm also require those making it home to be at least somewhat resistant to corrosive agents.

Thirdly, all demons have some ability to manipulate Torrim Tunnel effects to summon others of their kind, much like Mortal summoners can bring demons to their side. This natural ability to summon demons seems to suffer some form of instability as it is not always reliable. It's theorized that the natural attempts to manipulate the nature of Dimensional Space are not refined to the extent that Mortal magic is (the superiority of Mortal ingenuity over natural occurrences should not come as a surprise to academic students).

Finally, all demons are able to communicate complicated thoughts and words without vocalizations or physical movements of any kind. This 'telepathy' as the demons call it, seems to be a redundancy, as they are also able to communicate in conventional ways. One possible theory is that the high winds and frequent storms of Pandemonium make hearing vocalizations difficult, so being able to communicate without requiring auditory reception could be considered an advantage.


Demon Metaphysiology
As mentioned above, demons receive a feed of energy from Pandemonium. This energy does not appear to be vital to a demon's existence, but rather acts as a psychological stabilizer. Demons cut off from this energy become increasingly irrational and violent until they once again receive this energy. This is possibly the most interesting aspect of Demonology, as it gives insight into how demons think and reason. It is likely that the violent behavior demons are known for is either caused by a lack of this energy, or possibly due to the energy itself.

The nature of Pandemonium is a violent one, and this is likely reflected in the energy the world produces and feeds to its denizens. This theory is reinforced by the fact that demons can acquire substitute energy from violent acts when unable to receive energy from Pandemonium directly. It should be noted that the simplest way to remove a demon's access to Pandemonium's energy is to simply remove it from that world. The short-term summoning spells do not keep a demon in this world long enough for their dependency to become apparent and cautious demonologists that employ longer term magicks rarely keep demons bound for long, lest they find some way to slip their bonds.

The connection between this energy and violence is further demonstrated when demons travel via Torrim Tunnels to our world. Such demons quickly set about wreaking havoc on the surrounding area and in sufficient numbers can cause severe damage to even large civilizations (though any civilization that has realized the superiority of Humans over all other creatures, such as our glorious realm has, will surely survive any attack by non-humans).

Some demonologists surmise that demons are inherently violent simply due to their nature, however it is this author's theory that the violence displayed by demons is more a symptom of their dependency. This has been demonstrated in demons held captive for extended periods of time and it is this study that this document has been created for.


Sample Size
This study employed ten demons each of five different varieties, for a total of fifty subjects. Those varieties are (given in scientific classification and ley description, at editor's insistence): Babau (Assassin Demon), Dretch (Wretched Demon), Hezrou (Swamp Demon), Succubus (Desire Demon), Vrock (Ruin Demon)
~In the future, please use automs to guard Succubus subjects. -Ah'Zhar University Administrator


Study Goal
The goal of this study was to determine if energy acquired from different sources or by variant means has any effect on demon behavior.


Establishing Control Samples
There are two controls for each of the varieties of demon. One that is given energy from Pandemonium, as normal. This is accomplished by returning the demon to Pandemonium for two hours out of every twenty four. The other is given no energy at all. These two controls are to establish a demon's behavior with it's normal energy supply (from Pandemonium), and without any energy supply.


Varieties of Energy
Of the eight remaining subjects, two are given the same energy variety, thus four energy varieties are employed in this study. These varieties were selected based on information extracted from demon interviewees.

1) Violence: The simplest and requires little explanation beyond simply that this energy is derived from deliberate, focused, destruction. Demons being given this variety of energy are loaned to the Ah'Zhar Prison Authority (with a registered Demonologist on hand to record the demon's behavior, with the incidental purpose of controlling the demon) and employed in public executions. Future studies involving this energy variety will be advertised at the Ah'Zhar Colosseum.
2) Control: This energy variety comes from the demon exercising control over others, be it magical or mundane, and having others do the demon's work. Demons given this variety were employed as slave overseers. The demons were remunerated for their work, to ensure their desire to control others was genuine. The method of remuneration varied for each individual demon.
3) Desire: This variety comes from the demon inspiring in others, desire for the demon in some shape or form. This variety was deemed sufficiently different from the Control variety to be studied separately. The method by which this energy was generated varied greatly and in some cases required considerable creativity on the part of the research staff.
4) Corruption: This energy comes from the modification of another's morals on the part of the demon. Slaves with a personality identifier of SA4 or higher were instructed to converse with the demon. As an incidental study, it was found that all slaves ranked as DV6 or higher at the conclusion of the primary study, with the conclusion that prolonged contact with a demon will invariably alter the personality of a weak willed individual.


Observations
These observations were taken over the course of one year. They are summarized for this paper, please contact the Administrator of Scientific Archives at the Ah'Zhar Archives to obtain copies of the observation notes.

Control: Pandemonium Energy: Demon displayed no major change in personality or disposition beyond those expected of being in captivity.
Control: No Energy: Demon became increasingly violent and irrational over the course of the study. Cognitive ability decreased at a logarithmic rate until the demon ranked only slightly above wolves for Cognitive capabilities.
Violence Energy: Demon became increasingly violent, but retained its intelligence and capacity for reason. Some specific observations include a demon that once beheaded those it slain moving to crushing of skulls to dismemberment to complete mutilation of carcasses.
Control Energy: Demon became increasingly willful and dominating. Care needed to be taken to ensure the demon did not break free of controlling magic as it became more able to resist as the study progressed. At the conclusion, the slaves under demons exposed to Control Energy were described as being empty puppets under the demon's complete control.
Desire Energy: Demon became less violent and confrontational, but increasingly manipulative. Near the end of the study, it became necessary to terminate individuals that came in contact with the study demon due to addiction-like symptoms.
Corruption Energy: No major change in demon's personality was observed, however, the demon's ability to corrupt test subjects greatly increased. In one instance, a slave ranked at SA10 (Extremely Deviant-Altruistic) was corrupted such that she was observed fornicating with wild animals. Unfortunately, said slave was slain when she attempted to mate with a Royal Inferno Charger before a second personality test could be administered. An estimated result, however, was at DV8 (Highly Deviant-Shameless).


Conclusions
From the observations above, one can draw a very clear conclusion that the kind of energy a demon is exposed to will change the demon's behavior over time. Additionally, one can conclude that demons require energy in order to operate in any rational function, becoming little more than wild animals otherwise.


Specific conclusions:
Control: Pandemonium Energy: N/A
Control: No Energy: Without energy, a demon becomes a wild beast with no higher cognitive ability. It should be noted that should a demon reduced to this state acquire energy in some form, it will quickly regain its faculties. Demons in this state are said to be Debased. Debased demons may be useful in applications requiring brute force or repetitive action, much in the way a draft animal might. Care must be exercised that the demon not be exposed to any type of energy, however, lest it regain its mind.
Violence Energy: Violence begets violence, this type of energy can easily escalate as violence energy is relatively easy to procure. Demons gorged on this type of energy are said to be berserk. Berserk demons may be useful as shock troops, if kept restrained when near allied forces. Note that Berserk demons will not differentiate between friend and foe, but could deliver a crippling blow to a hostile army's morale if unleashed in their midst.
Control Energy: Very dangerous. Demons seem to become ever more adept at resisting controlling magicks and can bend even normally strong minds to their will. Demons highly exposed to control energy are called Mastermind. Mastermind demons should not be produced except under highly controlled conditions. Recommend reigning a Mastermind demon with automs which are unable to be controlled except by their programmers.
Desire Energy: Dangerous, but potentially useful. Demons with a great deal of desire energy are referred to as Seducer. Seducer demons, like Mastermind demons, should be fettered by automs, but can be used to manipulate market forces by exposing commoners to them.
Corruption Energy: An entertaining study to be sure. When saturated with corruption energy, demons are referred to as Defiler. Defiler demons would be very useful in rectifying troublesome personality types. Control measures similar to standard demon binding methods should be sufficient for Defiler demons. Given their cooperation, it's reasonable to assume that such measures might even be relaxed in some situations, subject to the coordinator's discretion.




Appendix I: Torrim Tunnels
The full scope and theory of Torrim Tunnels is too great to detail here. Instead, a simple summery of the theory and its applications.

Torrim Tunnels occur when Dimensional Space has been warped to a great degree. Dimensional warping is a common effect of many magic spells. Teleportation, summoning and remote viewing are just some examples of magicks that take advantage of dimensional warping. Torrim Tunnels can be seen as these warping effect applied on a massive scale. When Dimensional Space has been sufficiently warped (a feat beyond all but the most advanced and powerful magicks), the warping can become semi-permanent. This creates a 'bridge' between two places that may not be near each other, or even on the same dimensional world. Travel across Torrim Tunnels is as simple as walking. Terrain inside of a Torrim Tunnel is often greatly warped and always somehow shaped like a hollow tube. Gravity in Torrim Tunnels is towards the walls of the tunnel, meaning one could walk in a straight line towards the 'wall' of a tube and look 'up' on where they had started. Torrim Tunnels can be collapsed using powerful magic (though significantly less powerful than the magic needed to create one) or may spontaneously collapse based on no observable criteria. Thus Torrim Tunnels should never be considered 'safe' but one that has existed for centuries can be reasonably assumed to continue to exist for several more. Any matter inside a Torrim Tunnel when one collapses suffers one of two fates. First, in a best case scenario, the matter is ejected from the tunnel, to whichever end it was closest to, often with great force. Second, the worst case scenario, the matter could be lost in the void outside of Dimensional Space. Such lost matter is irrevocably lost and there is no known way to recover anything lost in such a manner. Thankfully, the second scenario seems to be a much rarer occurrence than the first.

For a complete study on Torrim Tubes, see the thesis on the subject by Lord Ghiren Torrim, who pioneered the theory. Copies of the thesis can be found in any Zharid university library.
 
Last edited:
Top