Im not entirely sure if this thread is officially in recruitment mode or not, but Id like to apply with the Azurans. The race was made for another game which sadly died in its infancy.
Basic concept is a nation of elves, reared from their earliest tribal days by Azurilaa, a Blue dragon which has by now grown so ancient and powerful she has transitioned into minor deity territory.
The nation is Lawful-neutral for the most part, with Evil undertones, although that evil is more in the eyes of their neighbors or those they have conquered.
Large worgs and half dragons feature, although the former are mostly seen in military service as mounts, while the latter are a rare sight, but universally hold positions of power.
The people as a whole have a very xenophobic outlook, believing themselves superior to all other races except blue dragons, in true elves fashion. Their philosophy is one of "Take what you have the power to take, as long as it is for the people, not just yourself". Of course that doesn't stop those in power from straying from that edict, even as they preach it to the general public.
Basically a quasi military state, with a focus on service to the people. Its at once mundane, being elves, with a rather different outlook to the norm, with a few fantastical creatures sprinkled on top :)
Their involvement would likely be by decree of their dragon goddess, who holds her people in high regard and is certain they will win this little "contest"
While I cant speak for our DMs feelings on the matter, I personally get the sense that we are operating under an "Artistic License" setup, with freedom to write what we want, with DM then asking for a rewrite if anything ends up out of line.
I like how population growth is the same for everyone, yet the goblins still manage to get almoust double the growth of everyone elses average...seems fitting -.-
Nazhtulamax Looked down at the new settlement from his newly finished temple hut, perched high in a practically ancient oak surrounded on all sides by rich fruit trees. All the other huts were nearing completion, a buzz of happy voices singing and talking, reaching his ears.
When he had sent the scouts far and wide to search the valleys every corner and map out their home, he had expected them to find new resources for them to use, but when word had come of a magnificent grove of fruit trees, he had felt Azurilaas hand at work more than ever. Emideatly he had spoken in front of the tribe, told them that they must relocate to this grove, that it was surely a sign. Just as Azurilaa had her sacred grove in the land of the spirits, so too should she have a sacred grove amongst the living, a place where they may go and pray for her blessings. He had wasted no time, and mere days later they had left, taking with them all they could carry, leaving empty huts behind.
He turned his gaze downward to below his own hut, at the very foot of the great tree. There the warriors were hard at work, training themselves for the battles that were sure to come. With so little need to hunt, now that they had been so blessed, there was plenty of time for such training, and he had put every hunter to the task. Already many of them bore the pelt of the ancestors proudly on their heads and shoulders. A few had been lost to the ancestors in their attempt to prove their worth. Surely their mettle had been found wanting. But they were with Azurilaa now.(im rolling a few of the winter deaths into this, also im refering to the one on one wolf slaying they have to do to prove themselves.)
Behind him the man and woman shifted on their feet, reminding him of his duties and snapping him back to his own tasks. He turned to face them, one a proud pelt bearing warrior, the other, his wife, swollen with the gift of life soon to be. There had been many such blessings since the coming of Azurilaa, more than usual. Freely partaking of her bounty had brought the security for starting families earlier.
Stepping towards them, he placed a hand on the womans belly, weaving gestures and symbols with the other as he chanted the tongue of Azurilaa. As he finished, he spoke in their own tongue.
Azurilaa bless the fruit of their union, see it safely to loving arms and bright future. Of the Tribe, With the Tribe, For the Tribe.
As he finished, Cerulishu, wrapped around his neck as always, extended out her head above his free hand. She bit into her tongue with a low growl, her blood dripping into his palm. Reaching two fingers into the blood, he then traced Azurilaas symbol on the womans belly, a dragons eye, the pupil slit in the shape of a lightningbolt. (This is both of spiritual importance to the people, but also an attempt to produce more sorcerers in the tribe)
As the couple left, he turned back to the balcony, a smile on his lips.
Summer:
As the capturing of deer bore fruit, a great pen was contructed around the fruit tree grove. Just as their own bodies nourished Azurilaas grove amongst the spirits, so too would the waste of the deer nourish the one amongst the livings. A few of the more docile male deer were put to use as pack animals and mounts, although not for use by the warriors, they fought on foot as a pack of wolves.The deer were divided amongst the warriors, their wives tasked with the responsibility of caring for their animals. The women took to the task with vigor, for it was task of much importance that didnt involve children or cooking, not normally afforded to a woman. The prestige and extra meat such a task brought, made ever more hunters take on the mantle of the warrior.
When the time for the great meeting of the tribes came, Nazthulamax did not go as he had the previous year. He knew the other tribes would not welcome him after he had preached Azurilaas word the previous year. Instead he held a great feast, as would be held at the meeting, proclaiming the time of the meeting would now be the time of Azurilaas praise, an annual week long feast to worship her name.
Fall:
Nazthulamax gazed around at the assembled newfound tribe. They looked at him with with scared eyes, his blue painted skin and the dragon perched on his shoulder clearly unsettling to them. However, it was the throng of wolf pelted warriors behind him that was likely the true cause of their convern, their faces painted with blue fangs on their lips and wolf pelt markings. It had not been difficult to make their chief assemble the tribe before him, the man easily intimidated by Nazthulamaxes sudden appearance in his hut Using Vanish to appear out of nowhere.
A great silence had settled, as Nazthulamax had said nothing, simply lookuing at each in turn, moving his eyes across the crowd, as if weighing their worth. Then he suddenly raised his arms, a smile on his face.
Brothers, Sisters! Azurliaa be praised we have found you! When the warriors brough word that they had found you, I feared to find more heathens amongst us, more who would scrape a living amongst the trees instead of embracing Her love! But now that I look upon you I see differently! Come, share with us Her blessings and let me teach you her ways!
As he finished speaking, the warriors cheered and sank their spears into the ground, the group parting to reveal that which they had been carrying. A great bounty of fruit, cooked meat and various herbs were brought forth and placed before Nazthulamax. Picking up a peice of meat, he took a great bite, closing his eyes and chewing with a smile. Then he moved to the Chief, offering the peice to the man.
What happened next would decide their fate.
If they accept, they are taken to the village where everyone will assist in building huts for them. Those who wish to be warriors are first taught how to hunt.
If they refuse, they are slaughtered, only the youngest children left alive and taken back to the tribe.
Winter:
Fully half the tribe was assembled in Azurilaas oasis, mourning the passing of so many, 11 small stone mounds arrayed in front of him (minus 2 who I moved to wolf related deaths). He was weary from several hours of chanting and rites for the dead, but he was content.
The night after the great tragedy, he had prayed to Azurilaa for guidance, more feverently than any time before. Cerulishu had left him, and when she returned, Azurilaa had appeared before him. She had looked weary and wounded, yet still with a smile on her face.
She told him a great evil, an ancient greedy spirit, had returned to the valley. It had grown so old and powerful, it was no longer troll nor bear, but had become a perversion of her own sacred dragons, a horrid brown glistening thing. In its pride it had even taken a dragons name, calling itself Thilakiz. Had it been allowed to reach the village, if would have surely devoured them all. So Azurilaa had faced it herself, had risked everything by fighting it in the mortal world, where even she could die. Im her struggle, she had been forced to call upon all her might, watching with great sorrow as every barrage of lightning killed more of her people.
But in the end, Thilakiz had fled, and she had been too weary to pursue. She knew it would not return to face her again, but feared that it might scheme against her, find other ways to destroy her people. She warned him to stay vigilant, to watch for agents of Thilakiz. Then she had left.
With a heavy sigh, Nazthulamax readied himself to tell his people the story.
Thilakiz is a Brass dragon, who has seen what Azurilaa is doing to the elves and attempted to contact them and reveal her for what she is. He was intercepted by Azurilaa, and they battled in the clouds. Or more accurately, Thilakiz tried to escape, while Azurilaa fired off a barrage of lightning in a rage. He escaped, and Azurilaa has no doubt he will attempt to foil her plans again somehow.
After a month of isolation in his hut, his only interaction being to recieve food at the door, Nazthulamax finally emerged as the first rays of the morning sun lazily wanders across the village. Hung lazily around his neck like a living scarf was Cerulishu, rearing her head up to let the warm sun caress her neck. Though still very small, she had grown many times larger since the day when she was gifted to him, barely the size of his hand at the time.
Her head moved to his, her mouth whispering in his ear. Then she curled tighter around his neck and appeared to fall asleep.
He gathered the tribe, every man woman and child.
It has been a cycle since I was chosen...since YOU, were chosen.
He gestured to Cerulishu.
This is Cerulishu, holiest of Azurilaas holiest creatures, herald of her word to me, as am I, to you. Together, we have meditated on Azurilaas wisdom and her teachings. While I have been gone, surely you have had questions and doubts. Speak them now freely, let no question go unasked. Fear not Her wrath in the doing, for our most benevolent Goddess does not blame you for your ignorance. Ask, and be enlightened!
Slowly, questions were asked and answered, becoming bolder and more frequent. Hours passed, untill finally the most important of all was asked. A young girl called out from the crowd.
If Azurliaa teaches that we should enojy freely the spoils of the world, what of the Bears and the Trolls? Are their spirits not condemned for their greed, their taking of more than they needed?
He smiled, the blue paint covering his skin cracking slightly at the edges of his mouth.
That is true young one, their greed did indeed condemn them to the eternal cycle. Even had their bodies been taken to Her holy grove and laid beneath the rocks as we now do, they would be cursed still. For you see their greed was selfish, it was for themselves alone. When you slay the deer, that you may eat well, it is a blessed act, true to the teachings of Azurilaa, but only if it is for the tribe, for the people. The lost spirits thought only of their own bellies, thought only of their own desires. That is why they are condemned. When you feast on Azurilaas bounty, when you take what she has given, thinking not only of yourself, but of family...of tribe. Then you do so knowing that Azurilaa loves you.
The crowd started talking amongst eachother excitedly. A few of the older men grumbled at first but it was clear the new belief had taken root in them as it had in him. And why shouldnt it? Azurilaas teachings filled him with pride and wonder, and now, they too shared in his vision.
You prove yourselves true believers of Azurilaa, I can hear it in your voices, the joy of discovering the truth. But we the chosen cannot simply sit and watch as our brothers and sisters of the other tribes, continue to live meager, unfullfilled lives. Surely many amongst them feel as we feel, believe as we believe. But they are bound to the old teachings, by those who refuse Azurilaa! We must free them. Slay their opressors so that they too may bask in Azurilaas love!
A cheer went up from the crowd at his words. Her head hidden in her sleeping coil, Cerulishu smiled.
Knowing that they need warriors, not hunters, to carry out their "holy crusade" on the other tribes, Cerulishu (at the command of Azurilaa ofcourse) tells Nazthulamax to teach his people the art of Animal Husbandry. For when they no longer need to hunt every day for their food, they will be able to focus on preparing themselves for war with their neighbours, to train themselves to kill Elves instead of deer. While this will take years to implement, he will make preparations to attack the other elves in this valley before the year is out
Nazthulamax spends most of his time meditating by himself and preaching Azurilaas word to the tribe, becoming more zealous with every passing month, absorbed in his own grand destiny. A priest by title, sorcerer by trade.
Cerulishu meanwhile spends her days overseeing the practical aspects of Azurilaas will, teaching the people how to keep livestock. They reverendly obey her, though their faith lies in Nazthulamax, not in her.
Seeing the potential of the wolves as beast of war, Azurilaa begins to make plans for their domestication.
As winter sets in, they attack under the cover of darkness, their war tactics immitating the hunting tactics of their ancestor spirits, the wolves. The warriors wear the pelts of wolves. Each has slain a wolf to prove himself a warrior. Coupled with their howling to communicate during the battle, they terrify their enemies (samurai style)
The slaying of the wolves for their pelt is taught to them as being a great honor for the spirit of the ancestor. By being defeated by one of the tribe, the ancestors spirit passes on to Azurilaas realm, satisfied that a great warrior now takes his place as protector of the tribe ending his vigil. They are taught that they too will become wolves when they die, so that they may test the warriors of future generations. With the way faith works in DnD, this may even becme true in time :)
Heck, Azurilaa may even become a real god when her following become great enough :P
Couldnt they just both have it? One doublicate whouldnt hurt? If anything it would make more sense than every nation starting from totally different baselines.
Im in this for the long haul, dont mind my PbPs taking years to complete, but I will say, the history of empires, if you go back the the beginnings we are starting at, usually stretches for thousands of years.
Going by season would take forever before we actually get into something even resembling actual kingdoms. Each post could be a year, with descriptions of the seasons?
I will say though, any world needs a little bit of silly, even if its played straight. Fx in one of my campaigns, I had a dwarven and gnomish nation battling eachother over what race their shared god was. The gnomes had Hill Giants as semi slaves / henchmen (like Jaws from the Bond movie). In battle, the giants would wear a harness with a gnome "pilot", manning a big gun.
Now that is pretty silly, but also awesome (atleast I think so) in a way where it doesnt make everything about them silly...just food for thought.
Another example is the Games Workshop game Warhammer 40000. The whole setting is total Grim-dark, yet they have the Orks who are incredibly silly...but it works.
I personally think we should just have a general area on the world map marked as "you live around these part" + a description of the area we live in (assuming you got something else in mind than the things we have written)
So like, a silhouette of the continent(s), with each of us having a color code and that color being filled into the areas we control.
Given how basic our nations are to start off (hunter gatherer and all that jazz) im actually having a hard time thinking of anything that needs covering, since most of what springs to mind is too advanced to even be a factor yet.
I guess I should ask about my advisor. Is it just gonna be a wurmling blue dragon that never ages? Or something else?
Thats fairly awesome, now you just need to make them traveling gypsies, Halfling style, and have the ride around in stupidly huge shanty town like wagons.
Hmm I just might change over to using my leader instead of generalizing, I mean the leader does represent the people as a whole.
My peoples language will be of little importance, since they will switch to Draconic within a very short time. Atleast thats what I would like.
So Elven = Draconic
I dont know what the general concensus is on how draconic sounds, but I like to think it makes heavy use of Z and X, with words flowing into eachother, making it sound like agressive jibberish to anyone who doesnt speak it.
This is fairly influenced by World of Warcrafts naming conventions for dragons, with names like Nozdormu, Alexstrasza and Malygos.
Slap on a japaneese sentence structure and we are in business.
Well the name of the campaign is right there in the recruitment title isnt it?
"The First Tribes" or "The First People"
As for an actual name for the world, such a thing, accepted by every nation, would likely only arise way down the timeline, and be dictated by whoever holds dominance over the land. Or more accurately their gods.
The "Common" name of the world would probably be established by whoever knows the whole world, since each tribe would call it something different. Going by the classics, that leaves the gods and the dragons most likely.
No idea how that would dictate the name, just thought it worth mentioning.
