Ancus - The Serpent Isles (Inactive)

Game Master Hotaru of the Society

The gods of Ancus (Ahn-kus) are different from the Pathfinder gods. Bear in mind, that while each represents a type of animal, the gods may have other faces that they show the world.

Lawful Good: Ames (Ah-mehz) the Pack:
God of Good, Law, Artifice, Community, and Fire.

Neutral Good: Etia (Et-yuh) the Herd:
God of Good, Glory, Animals, Plant and Sun.

Chaotic Good: Geana (Jee-ah-na) the Scaled:
Goddess of Good, Chaos, Travel, Liberation and Water.

Lawful Neutral: Cena (Sin-nuh) the Weaver:
Goddess of Law, Protection, Healing, Repose, and Magic.

True Neutral: Mala (Mah-luh) the Serpent:
Goddess of Balance and Harmony.

Chaotic Neutral: Uris (Yur-iss) the Hidden:
Goddess of Chaos, Trickery, Charm, Luck, and Knowledge.

Lawful Evil: Gedia (Ged-ee-uh) the Monarch:
Goddess of Law, Evil, Earth, Travel, and Nobility

Neutral Evil: Woan (Wohn) the Carrion:
God of Evil, Void, War, Darkness, and Death.

Chaotic Evil: Irus (Ee-rus) the Swarm:
God of Chaos, Evil, Destruction, Madness, and Air.

Mala gave birth to Cena and Uris. Later, Uris convinced Mala that the two were lonely, and she created Etia and Woan to keep the two quarreling sisters company. Uris watched how Mala created the two deities, and stole a fragment of her sister's and her two new brother's powers, blending them into new creations, thus Ames, Geana, Gedia, and Irus were born.

From these nine, the pillars of creation grew.

As you can see, Mala doesn't have any domains of her own. If playing a cleric of Mala, you may select any domain at first level. At fourth level, you gain your second domain (which may be any domain). treat your cleric level as three lower for all purposes of your second domain, including access to domain spells. A cleric -must- worship a deity.

More information on the gods are available on request.

Races in this world are (hopefully) better balanced than in base Pathfinder. Everything is intended to be lifted up to be more on par with Aasimar and Tiefling, rather than being reduced down to the lower end. We'll start with humans. Humans come from several kingdoms known as Houses. There are nine kingdoms of man, and each has one of the 'Heart of' racial traits for free, in addition to one that gets Silver Tongued.

House Galdfeld: House Galdfeld eeks out a life in the fertile heartlands of the Kingdoms. They spend most of their days toiling away in the fields or at a craft... which means there are none better at their given profession than a scion of House Galdfeld. Such Scions gain a racial bonus equal to half their character level to any one Craft or Profession skill, and once per day they may ignore an effect that would cause them to become fatigued or exhausted.

House Bjergvolk: House Bjergvolk are the pioneers of the mountains, responsible for the majority of the kingdom's defenses. While they have no homeland of their own, the majority of the house are more than willing to claim the rocky precipices as their own. Scions of House Bjergvolk gain a +2 racial bonus on Climb checks and Acrobatics checks to move on narrow surfaces and uneven ground. Furthermore, they are considered acclimated to the effects of high altitude. This racial trait replaces skilled.

House Marinhiro: House Marinhiro has staked claim to the inner seas, and while the majority of the house have taken to a life of trade, many have likewise taken to pirating. None are more capable on the water than Marinhiro, and as such, they rule the coastlines outside of the Serpent Isles. Scions of House Marinhiro gain a +2 racial bonus on Profession (sailor) and Swim checks, and these are always class skills for them. They can hold their breath twice as long as normal, and spellcasters gain a +4 racial bonus on concentration checks when attempting to cast spells underwater. This racial trait replaces skilled.

House Marlovi: House Marlovi is the house that is filled with the exiled of the other noble houses. Marlovi has no homeland to call its own, but those who have been exiled find themselves more capable of moving freely and avoiding detection. They gain a +2 racial bonus to sleight of hand and stealth checks. They gain a +4 racial bonus in urban and underground settings to Survival checks, and may roll twice when saving against disease or poisons.

House Iislaning: A branch of the Galdfeld line, House Iislaning officially declared itself a separate entity two centuries ago. Extending from the Galdfeld-held lands as far north as its people are willing to live, the Iislaning are a hardy people, well attuned to the dangers of cold. They treat the dangers of cold climates as one category less severe. In addition, they gain a +2 racial bonus on Fortitude saving throws against the effects of cold climates, on any check or saving throw to avoid slipping and falling, and to CMD against trip combat maneuvers. This bonus applies on Acrobatics and Climb checks made in slippery conditions. This racial trait replaces skilled.

House Peladis: House Peladis represents the militia of the kingdoms. With no homeland of their own, House Peladis subsists in encampments of various sizes, but they're usually cramped. House Peladis is always the first to the front in times of war. Scions of House Peladis gain a +1 racial bonus on Reflex saves and a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class when adjacent to at least two other allies. Crowds do not count as difficult terrain for them. This racial trait replaces skilled.

House Median: House Median is named not by its people, but by those who deal with the people who live within the Median Jungles. Given that the jungles rest within the central portion of the continent, sheltered by mountains, the land has become a highly valued area for trade. However, the harshness of the landscape itself precludes any true civilization. Even still, the Median people have earned a familial name through perseverence and the acquisition of monetary holdings nearly unrivaled by any of the other nations short of the Marinhiro. They treat the dangers of hot climates as one category less severe. They also gain a +2 racial bonus on Fortitude saving throws against the effects of a hot climate, as well as against the poison and distraction ability of swarms and vermin. This racial trait replaces skilled.

House Varvaroi: House Varvaroi is the tongue-in-cheek name used to apply to anyone of an ancestry that can be traced to any of the wasteland areas located outside of what most humans refer to as civilization; while technically not a lordship, there is a begrudging respect for anyone who can survive in such harsh conditions. They gain a racial bonus equal to half their character level on Survival checks. They also gain a +5 racial bonus on Constitution checks to stabilize when dying and add half their character level to their Constitution score when determining the negative hit point total necessary to kill them. This racial trait replaces skilled.

House Kageno: House Kageno represents the ruling caste of the eastern Serpent Isles. Well practiced in very particular verses of etiquette, the silver-tongued 'orientals' gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy and Bluff checks. In addition, they may use diplomacy to shift a creature's attitude by three steps, rather than merely two.

A Human could also choose to be a scion of more than one house (by trading their bonus feat or skill to receive the secondary benefit), or could choose to not be part of a house at all (By trading their free House trait in place of Skilled to gain Dual Talent.) Just bear in mind, that having no 'House' also results in social repercussions when it comes to dealing with humans, and some other races.

Aristocrat: You may buy all of your starting gear at half price. This does not apply to trade goods, or objects that you make yourself.

Commoner: Choose one: Lightning Reflexes, Iron Will, Great Fortitude, Toughness, or Improved Initiative. You gain this feat as a bonus feat.

Expert: Choose One: Choose four skills. These skills are now class skills for you. OR You gain two skill ranks. Choose two skills you have ranks in, and those skills gain a +2 miscellaneous bonus.

Warrior: Treat your first level's BAB as +1 regardless of your class. You gain a combat feat, you must meet all prerequisites for this feat.

Etia, the oxen-headed god, wears several faces. The stag, the stallion, the ox, the bull, the elephant, and so on. Etia is responsible for bringing animals to Ancus, to populate all the places of the earth. His favored weapons have two heads; weapons designed for two-pronged assaults.

Geana, the scaled god wears many faces. Despite the name, Geana takes on the forms of any creature found in the sea, scaled, smooth, or shelled. Geana favors light blades; weapons designed as dextrous tools as much as weapons. Geana is responsible for the introduction of the halfling race upon Ancus.

Cena, the spider-headed wears only one face. Her favored weapons consist of the axes weapon group; Weapons designed to finish a creature in one clean blow. She is responsible for the introduction of Elves into the world.

Mala, the World Serpent, has been seen only by the other gods. It is said that she inhabits the core of Ancus, producing the heat and bounty which the world takes for granted, when she leaves, the world will be but a skin, hollow and lifeless. She favors spears and polearms; weapons designed to provide the protection of striking from a distance. She is responsible for the introduction of Dwarves into the world.

Uris wears any face she desires, though she seems to prefer feline. She favors close weapons, which ensures an ease of hiding them, as well as swift, intimate blows when they are necessary. In a fickle twist, she stole magic and knowledge from her sister and gifted it to the gnomes, which she is responsible for introducing into Ancus.

Gedia the Monarch wears the face of beauty, or the face of innocence. Frequently she offers the dusted wings of butterflies and moths, or glittering scales, and so on. She almost always wears the face of a beautiful parasite. She favors ranged weapons such as bows and crossbows; weapons designed to keep oneself beyond the melee. Seeking strong servants to shape the world in her image, she is responsible for the Orcs of the world.

Woan the Carrion wears the face of monsters. The Komodo Dragon, the Vulture, the Scarab... any creature known for feasting on that which has been long dead is a face he would gladly wear. Woan favors heavy blades, designed to frequently cut lives short with their tapered edges. Woan is responsible for bringing all the monsters that hunt man in the darkness into the world.

Irus wears the faces of destruction and pain. She is the locust and the wasp. She is the rat and the fly and the beetle. She favors thrown weapons, preferably covered in burning poisons; all the better to sow destruction and pain. Irus is responsible for the malevolent spirits of the world, be it fae, demons, or yokai. Unlike most chaotic evil gods, Irus does not seek total destruction of the world; she favors pain equally, and acknowledges that the world would be quite boring if it did not exist.

Far to the north in the lands now held by Iislaning, the Frostkin orcs lived within walls of ice, and deep within the ground. Here, they fought the elements every bit as much as they fought the dwarves who claimed all that lay underground. Life in the frozen tundras, even in the insulated underground took cunning, and the ignorance of the average dwarf was bred out of the entire clan.

Frostkin Half-orcs are descended from the brave and intelligent Orcs of the north. Frostkin Orcs tend to be taller and more broad than the orcs that other worlds maintain, owing to a heartiness that the tundra demands of them.

Frostkin Orcs negate the penalty to intelligence that plagues the majority of the Orcish tribes. Frostkin Half-orcs gain access to the Cavewight, Rock Climber, or Unflinching Valor traits as a bonus trait.

Far to the Southwest, in lands yet uninhabited by man, live the Sandkin Orcs, The Sandkin are descended from a mighty empire that once spanned the whole of the desert... back when the Great Desert had instead been a Strait, connecting the Marinhiro Seas to the Eternal Oceans. Long ago, the Orcs had made deals with the Genie outsiders that allowed their kingdoms to flourish... but that's a story for another time. Eventually a betrayal occured, and the lands that the Sandkin called home lost the blessings of the Marid, Some of these people still live on the edge of the Eternal Ocean and the Marinhiro Seas... but many are nomadic.
Sandkin Half-ors are descended from the unbreakable and spirited Orcs of the Southeast. Sandkin Orcs tend to stand with an almost regal demeanor, befitting the Djinn that likely many can trace their blood to.

Sandkin Orcs negate the penalty to charisma that plagues the majority of Orcish tribes. Sandkin Half-orcs gain access to the Burning Assurance, Evader, or Rock Climber traits as a bonus trait.

In the center of the continent, surrounded by mountains, lies the Median Jungle. Long before any but the elves had reached beyond the mountains and into the depths, the Dark Orcs had made their homes here... and made their deals. The Median Jungle is plagued with all manner of darkness, and any less than the Dark Orcs, or those brave pioneers of the other races, would have long ago fallen to the things that stir beneath.
Dark Half-orcs are descended from the seasoned and wisened Orcs of Central Ancus. Dark Orcs tend to be shorter and more bent than the orcs of the other regions, befitting the twisted nature of the jungles from which they originate.

Dark Orcs negate the penalty to wisdom that plagues the majority of Orcish tribes. Dark Half-orcs gain access to the Cavewight, Evader, or Shaman's Apprentice traits as a bonus trait.

Finally, some half-orcs are born within the Kingdoms of Man. As is true for all half-orcs, and indeed -all people-, no two stories are the same. One Half-orc may be taken in by a family, while another may be killed on sight. Another may be left to a church, while another is left in a gutter. One may be adopted into a House that they have served, while another may find themselves in exile. A Half-orc from the Kingdoms of Man gains access to the same House traits that humans have access to. In addition, they gain access to the Scavenger racial trait, or the City-Raised racial trait. They may choose any one of these traits.

Goblins have never thrived on their own. They've never been ones to build a monumental society. As a society, they've always been the things that sat in the background and knew that their day would one day come. This does not mean that all goblins are lazy, or unwilling to go the extra mile, or even that goblins as a whole don't have pursuits... it's merely that for the most part, they've never seen -reason- to make something their own.

No mortal is absolutely certain where goblins came from, but likely it was either the corrupting hands of Woan or Irus interacting with Orcs... or perhaps even the gnomes.

Goblins can be found across most all of Ancus, impossible to eradicate completely. While not accepted by all peoples, they still exist in pockets near most every settlement, be it human, dwarf, orc, elf, or otherwise.
The Goblins of Ancus are an incredibly varied lot, possibly due to their advanced eugenic studies... or perhaps due to the fact that their family tree is more a family cross-stitch. All the Goblins of Ancus have an innately positive... evolution. Goblins of Ancus receive a bonus trait, that may be selected from any Alternate Racial Trait on the goblin list aside from Cave Crawler.