The Shaman Guild Roleplay IV: Twin Axes [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]

THE SGRP IV: TA
or,
TANGENT AXIS II: NOW WITH RUBBER BANDS

Links to the old topics, for reference
Tangent Axis - OOC
Tangent Axis - IC
SGRP
SGRP II
SGRP III: Dire Times Lie Ahead

Prologue: Legends Don’t Die

  “You know, Mrs. Dinn, I feel light as day,” the man remarked.

  “Why’s that,” said Mrs. Dinn, still adjusting the noose. She kept one eye on the horizon but could have tied the knot with her eyes closed, she’d hung so many men. In a few hours she would need to be in town. The mail office shut down early this time of year, and it had been months since her folks had word of her. With the Iron Wind in the area they were bound to fret.

  The man with the rope around his neck sniffed something back into what passed for a nose. “I reckon if you didn’t have me tethered by the head I’d fly right away,” he said. He was watching the horizon, too.

  “You’d not make it far,” said Mrs. Dinn. She secured the knot and jerked it twice. It held. “There’s worse things up there than sky pirates these days.”

  “I was the best,” boasted the man, as if he hadn’t heard. He held up his right arm for her to see. He wore a bracelet of smoked blue steel, much too small for the wrist it was on. “Do you know where I got this? Does the boy?”

  Other than the man in the noose and the sheriff, the only figure to be seen for miles was a young man who stood awkwardly nearby. His eyes bulged like a fly’s and he looked as if he would lose his footing any moment to be swallowed by the tall green grass that blanketed the plains in every direction. The boy’s name was Magany and he found it hard to rationalize what he was witnessing – the execution of the most feared void pirate of the last hundred years, captain Awkin. After almost a decade of inactivity, no one had believed it at first when the terror of the clouds materialized half-dead from the wastes and stepped into a bar for a drink. Magany knew that every lawman on Axis would pay half their pensions to be the one to hang Awkin, but Mrs. Dinn wasn’t excited. It was just her job.

  Mrs. Dinn stepped back and eyed her handiwork. “Arcem didn’t never exist,” she finally responded, “and it sure wasn’t handing out jewelry.” For the first time she looked him in the eye – even a criminal deserved some respect before he died, Mrs. Dinn figured. “The Earthborn have the whole Axis mapped out to a point, and they didn’t find no walking turtle city – if it ever existed, it’s dead and gone now. This country ain’t wild anymore, Mr. Awkin, and there sure ain’t no place in it for people like you, ‘cept in kids’ nightmares.” She crossed her arms and searched Awkin’s face for any reaction, but he only grinned like a child. Mrs. Dinn almost for sorry for the man. He was older than her grandfather, and his mind had fallen far enough to hallucinate an entire city.

  “It’s a legend, Mr. Awkin, nothing more, and so are the sky pirates in this day and age.” She figured a man ought to know the truth before he died. “If you have anything to say before you go, get it said. I can have it written to your folks, if you’ve any.”
Awkin broke eye contact to watch the sun creep below the horizon. For a moment he was old, real old, but then it was gone and Awkin was grinning again. “Legends don’t die, Mrs. Dinn,” he said, and looked at her.

  Mrs. Dinn blew his legs off with the Earthborn gun. She hated to waste good slugs on anything that would be dying anyway, and the kickback meant she’d have a sore arm next morning, but she and Magany knew only the one tree in a hundred kilometers and it didn’t have a branch tall enough to accommodate Awkin’s height. Mrs. Dinn didn’t like the mess, and thought it overly cruel, but the law’s punishment for piracy was a hanging, so she had to hang him. The pair turned and began the walk back to town.

 Magany felt that they should have marked the site in some way to let the people know it was here that the terror of the clouds had met his end, but Mrs. Dinn wouldn’t have any of it. “That man met his end a long time ago,” she said, and quickened her pace. The mail office would close soon if it hadn’t already and she didn’t want to wait until tomorrow. The Iron Wind had shown their faces in a settlement to the north and she would have liked to leave that evening. Behind them, the sun slipped below the horizon. Awkin’s long shadow disappeared with it.

~~~

Prologue: The Guild

  The matter of how to deal with the remaining creatures kept us in committee well past decent hours. “Gentlemen,” I finally broke in, “this has been the most ambitious expedition in all of recorded history. We’ve seen the center of the Axis, we’ve discovered its secrets, and now we’re all very, very tired.” To the credit of my colleagues, they didn’t listen; I knew as much as they did that this was the last important decision of the journey, but I’m not myself past the twenty-third hour.

  Mattatoo, seated beside me, was the most outspoken in favor of bottling the things up and taking them back to Axis with us. “I’ve learned from my service,” he grumbled, “never to turn my back on an enemy.”

  “Not one of them was hostile,” sighed Jordj, who looked half asleep already.

  “They could follow us back to ground,” Mattatoo insisted. “Steal our weapons. Then you’ll see who’ll be protecting your research.”

  I leaned back in my chair to gaze through the large window. Not a cloud was visible through the blue void that lay on the other side; directly at the center of the Axis, this was the highest altitude ever recorded. Much further up and gravity would start to pull the other way.

  “Sure, Mattatoo,” I said. “I suppose they'll jump.”

  I remember that’s when Yacov walked back in and stood over his chair. He gave all of us a slow look and wrung his hands. “We’d do best to off them,” he said with some difficulty, “we’ve had plenty already, and these ones won’t last very long. The coats found something.” It surprised me a little. Yacov hated how the committee had voted to deal with the natives earlier, once we had found how docile they were. Once he’d even dishonored an unfortunate colleague’s face with a cup of cold coffee. Now, however, his drooping eyelids showed he was as tired as the rest of us.

  “We’re at the center of the Axis’ gravity, as you all know,” he began, staring at the table. “In the excitement of finding the village, we all became a little careless. Nobody thought about the… about how a ship with the mass that… our ship has a mass, a very high mass, of course, and we neglected to think of how the abrupt arrival of our ship… that mass… upon this very sensitive, very balanced point in the field of the Axis’ gravitation… well…”

  I shared a frown with the men to my left and right. We all sat very quiet and looked at Yacov. Maybe we had all decided to play stupid. The room could have frozen over at that moment and I wouldn’t have noticed.

  Yacov finally sat down. “It’s just the fact,” he said, crossing his hands, “that landing on this rock has knocked it from its balance, and the coats predict it to fall out of its position sometime soon. Now they don’t know where the thing will land, or even when, really, and perhaps it’s possible to apply the proper force to the opposite side of the rock to knock it back in, but that… the coats say it’s all guesswork, and we mightn’t have the fuel.”

  I thought about my wife in Dunnock. It was as likely the rock would land on top of our house as anywhere else in Axis. There was a moment of silence; I can’t speak for my colleagues, but I supposed that by coming to the village we’d murdered it, first intentionally, then in ignorance.

  “That’s settled, then, as I see it,” murmured Mattatoo. “Let’s kill the things and bring them back. We can still learn from their anatomy, and anyone will believe that they were hostile.”

  “Museums would pay through their ears,” agreed someone to my left.

 “Press would be suspicious of anything, living or dead. Let’s leave them and go.”

 “Hogpoppy. We control the press.”

  It was only Jordj and I who advocated bringing the creatures back with us, alive, but the room had melancholied to such an extent that in less than an hour we’d gotten our way – though only by agreeing to be the ones to guard them. The three-week-long flight back to ground was a blur of silence and poor coffee. Jordj and I took shifts outside the cages and never left the hold but only rarely heard the things calling to eachother. We fed them with rats, for the crew was short on rations from our extended stay in the village at the center of the world. By the time we landed in Capercaille-on-the-hill Jordj and I were so exhausted that it was almost too much to muster a wave for the cheers and music that hit us like a wave upon stepping out of the craft. Once we’d gotten past the crowds I fell on a bench in the park and slept there, making it home the following afternoon.

  A number of weeks later I’d heard the rock had fallen to ground, fortunately enough, somewhere past the Lammergeier jungle. From what I’ve heard of the wilderness on the other side, the fiery death was more likely that not a welcome experience for any poor souls who might have been under the thing when it crashed. Of the dozen or so creatures we’d liberated from the rock, the Drive ordered them taken into private study some month or so ago, and I haven’t heard a word since.

  Well, that’s not entirely true. As agreed upon, I was delivered my share of the treasure we found in one of the creatures’ temples, which took the form of a small blue totem I placed upon my bedside. I’m sorry to say I put the thing up for auction in a fit of madness – for days after coming home, I couldn’t catch a wink of sleep for the memories the totem brought upon me in my dreams. I can still hear how the creatures shrieked when we broke in to the first temple – shah mahn!, shah mahn!, shah mahn!

~~~

Prologue: Rising Moon

 The newest arrival stood far removed from the rest. She had been a service droid in the Earthborn homes. With her rusted tin frame no one was sure how she’d even survived the journey through the wastes – an ordeal known to tax even the most sturdily-built robot, for the climate was unforgiving and exposure killed more surely than the most powerful of Earthborn weaponry. It was rare that something as weak as a service unit survived the trip through the wastes, and almost as rare was one running away in the first place.

 Wall_Of_Thorns believed she was a spy. It would not be the first time the Earthborn had sent an unassuming robot, loaded with trackers or explosive, into the wastes to sabotage the Iron Wind. We’ll find out soon enough, Wall_Of_Thorns thought. It had taken longer than usual for them to find the sacred place, but when they felt the signal strength hit five bars and called for the ragtag company to halt the little tin girl neither exploded nor erupted into a signal beacon. Instead she merely followed the rest of the group as they sat in a circle around the two robots who’d led their two-day march. Of the eight, none had pinged clean so far, and it was down to the last two.

 Wall_Of_Thorns and Quiet_Mouse had watched as six fine robots cracked under the Antivirus’ punishing scans. Wall_Of_Thorns would plug each into the machine, a moment would pass, then Quiet_Mouse would yank out the plug and their frame would crumple to the dirt with an electrical hum that soon faded into silence. Quiet_Mouse had been with the Iron Wind for years and always seemed to know when a robot would pass or fail. Before pulling the plug they would nod or shake their head. Six shakes on one run seemed unfortunate to Wall_Of_Thorns, but Quiet_Mouse had doubtlessly seen worse turnouts before.

 If the seventh robot to approach the Antivirus was unnerved by his comrades’ fate, he didn’t show it. He was a monster. Plated in thick brass and standing a half meter above Wall_Of_Thorns, he could only be construction or military, and surely a few decades out of date. “You’ll do just fine,” Wall_Of_Thorns assured him, stretching to plug the Antivirus into the back of the giant’s head. Old robots that had dodged the scrapper were common recruits, and some of the most useful. Simple software, hate the Earthborn, and stalwart enough to withstand the Antivirus.

 Wall_Of_Thorns grinned at Quiet_Mouse, but Quiet_Mouse was shaking their head. A moment later the brass monster gave a violent cringe, sparking at the neck. It raised a massive arm and tugged at the cord, but its body quaked too violently to pull it out. Quiet_Mouse quickly removed the plug and watched with Wall_Of_Thorns as the old robot fell with a thud at their feet.

 “Dern,” said Wall_Of_Thorns. “I liked him. I liked all of them."

 “I’m still here,” called the little tin girl. She stood and stared at the Antivirus with a nervous eye.

 Wall_Of_Thorns looked at her. “Well, come over then,” they said and took the plug from Quiet_Mouse. The small droid stepped over and Wall_Of_Thorns pushed the plug into the back of her head. The moment passed. Quiet_Mouse shook their head, pulled the plug, and let her fall. Wall_Of_Thorns wound the cord around the Antivirus and hefted it onto their shoulders.

 “We might take one for scrap,” said Quiet_Mouse, so Wall_Of_Thorns picked up a small green boy that had fallen earlier and loaded it onto their other shoulder. The pair walked out of the clearing into the wastes.

 Wall_Of_Thorns remembered hearing a shot go off behind them and they turned, expecting a horde of Earthborn to be storming the clearing with their guns raised high. At first Wall_Of_Thorns saw nothing. They jumped as they made out a bit of movement against the dark night sky and quickly dropped both the Antivirus and the dead robot, ready to run.

 “Continue the ceremony!” urged Quiet_Mouse, more perceptive than Wall_Of_Thorns. A second later Wall_Of_Thorns realized it was the tin girl that was moving. She had regained her feet and stood watching Wall_Of_Thorns blankly.

 “Do you swear,” called Wall_Of_Thorns as they hurried back to the clearing, “to abide by the code of the network, and to protect and serve the interests of the Iron Wind, forever, or until you cease to function?”

 “Okay,” clicked the tin droid, unblinking.

 “What was your old name?” asked Wall_Of_Thorns.

 The tin droid hesitated. “Error four-oh-four.”

 “Which of your processes now take highest priority?” Wall_Of_Thorns allowed themself a confident grin.

 “To kill all Earthborn. To serve Wall_Of_Fire and the Iron Wind.”

 Quiet_Mouse stepped in between Wall_Of_Thorns and the droid. “We welcome you to the network of the Iron Wind,” said Quiet_Mouse, “and register you as Rising_Star.” Indeed a streak had appeared in the dark sky - a bright wound, an omen from Nature.

 When Rising_Star had accepted their new name they set out into the wastes with Quiet_Mouse. Wall_Of_Thorns followed behind, slowed by the weight of the Antivirus and the dead frame that would be used for scrap. “Don’t drop the machine again,” Quiet_Mouse called back to them, “or we’ll carry you for scrap instead, and you’re a sight heavier.” Rising_Star shared the first laugh of their new life with their new companions.

WELCOME TO THE AXIS

Breaking news! The sacred artifacts you’ve sworn to protect in your isolated sky village have been raided by some fancy men in suits, and the friends of yours that aren’t dead are held captive with you in the dungeons underneath the largest city you’ve ever seen! Or, at least, you WERE held captive, before the emergence of a frightening spirit wreaked enough havoc to allow you to free your friends and slip away. Judging by the reactions of the strange creatures that populate this world, it’s definitely the first time this has happened – so that probs has something to do with the artifacts being stolen! Good job protecting those, by the way, your civilization’s grown squishy and passive from not having to actually fight things for thousands of years! Now you and your homies find themselves in a strange new world filled with strange new beings, and all you know is you have to somehow relearn your ancient magic to track down the stolen artifacts and return them to your home – which, by the way, crashed somewhere and you’ve no clue where it is – before the new spirits stir up too much trouble or something REALLY BAD awakens! Good luck…

CHARACTER SHEET

Names:
Seed: (Shamans don’t require seeds, but can have them anyway if you like)
Blurb: Rather than fill out a formal sheet, describe your character in one sentence – it can be a quote, a poem, whatever suits them. You can develop your character’s appearance, personality, and backstory throughout the RP!
Faction: List "Shaman" here if you were from the village. Else, list any strong political-or-other loyalties your character has!
Items: What does your character have on them right at this moment?

ROLEPLAY RULES

1. Be creative
2. Be realistic
3. Graphic violence yay, graphic romance nay
4. Be prepared for anything!
5. You're allowed as many characters as you like

Continued on next post...

SEEDS

BLUE LANDS SEEDS

Earthborn
The most humanoid seed by far, the average Earthborn is omnivorous and bipedal, possessing a sturdy build, fair hair, and lengthy limbs. They possess various numbers of fingers, toes, and hearts, and are hardy, strong creatures. Earthborn commonly live in vast, wonderful stone cities when they aren’t mining for rare minerals and gemstones in the unexplored depths of the earth or falling trees in dark woods. They are fierce warriors and range from bitter and reclusive to kind, amiable creatures. Earthborn skills include pottery and sculpting, mineral identification and geology, metalworks, stoneworks, glassworks, woodworks, smithing, mining, architecture, tools and weapons crafting, fermentation and consumption of alcohol, combat, and contests of might.
MODERN AGE NOTE: The dawn of guns and radio have most strongly benefited the Earthborn. Under a government known as the Drive, they have spread their empire like jam across the known regions of the Axis. What territories the Drive doesn’t outright control they have a strong presence in. The most unified (and technologically advanced) seed, Earthborn are feared and hated in many nations. A Nitre saying goes: “Their arms spit fire and their tongues spit lies, and the latter is the most dangerous.”

Asthen
Born of fire, Asthen are of slightly amorphous shape but (most) generally take on the form of a mer-figure, with skin of organic lava (other forms include bipeds, wolves, spiders, and tentaculous monsters). In color, they vary greatly, but are usually a shade of red or orange, and feed passively off of miniscule amounts of bacteria found in their native lava pools as well as generally everywhere else. They were only able to reach the surface through a volcanic upheaval some centuries ago, and more may still dwell in forgotten cities of fire that lurk in the impenetrable depths. Asthen are horribly, horribly friendly and social, and possessing fantastic eyes for beauty. They may alter both their solidity and their temperature without changing their fiery appearance – indeed, one may touch the beautiful fires that alight from an Asthen’s body and feel only slight heat. Asthen are frightened of water, ice, snow, cold, rain, and weather in general. Their skills include metalworks (as they are quite effective forges), glassworks, smithing, mining (in hopes of unearthing more of their kin), archaeology, painting, weaving and sewing, regeneration (of minor wounds), swimming (in lava), dancing, charming, and arson.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Industrial pollution has chilled the climate of the Axis, driving all but the most wealthy Asthen far, far underground. Only one aboveground city exists: Tuz.

Nitre
Nitre are lean, shadow-dwelling bipeds, ranging in skin tone from pale to dark grey. Their large, white, bulging eyes see poorly, and they rely on their small ears for navigation. Height-wise, Nitre are generally quite tall, with soft white skin and visible bone structure, but their sizes may vary from individual to individual, ranging from three feet to eleven. Many are double or triple jointed, and some even move by scrambling across the ground in reptilian fashion. Nitre are reclusive and speak with low, soothing voices, though more often than not they simply do not speak at all. They favor the dark, and live either underground or in shaded grottos, and some can secrete a gel that allows them to stick to surfaces. The average Nitre feeds off of fungi and lichen, and is passive, vain, hard of will, and incredibly strong. Nitre skills include mineral identification and geology, mining, archiving, bathing, singing (though rarely in company of others), carving, quick movement, climbing, engineering, and diplomacy.
MODERN AGE NOTE: The most friendly in relation with the Earthborn, Nitre are the only seed capable of attaining high office in Earthborn society. Many work as smiths and mechanics.

Brumal
To the uninformed, Brumal appear are huge, brutish, warlike, and above all, cold. Icicle-like teeth protrude from gigantic maws, and eyes, if present, are beady and many. Brumal have various amounts of limbs, which end in five ape-like digits. Some have distinct heads and necks, whilst others more closely resemble a shapeless mass. In reality, however, Brumal act with suspicion only with outsiders. With family and friedns they rival Asthen for social spirit. The larger a Brumal is, the less intelligent they often become – records often tell of the petite, humanoid Brumal who benefitted interspecies society with their scholarly work. Records also tell of mountain-sized mammoth creatures that lay in wait on glaciers to attack passing caravans. Brumal ‘hair’ is a snow-like substance that generally grows from their head down their back and along their arms, though some are completely covered in it and others display none of the stuff at all. Common Brumal skills include hording treasure, hygiene (for their skin is of quite pretty organic crystal, and if one has fingernails they are as long and beautiful as they are lethal), contests of might, strength, getting themselves lost, surviving in the wilderness after getting lost, ape-like parkour, intimidation, regeneration (of minor wounds), music (they’re surprisingly deft with a guitar), and stealth (for they must commonly evade poachers that seek their crystalline skin).
MODERN AGE NOTE: At war with the Drive, the Brumal emperors have retreated deep into their icy homeland. It is considered suicide for an Earthborn to enter those parts, as it is for a Brumal to leave them.

Madar
Noble creatures, Madar have hunched yet graceful bodies, thin heads with piercing eyes, and often boast some manner of feathery coatings on their thin, bony arms, and possess spindly digits that are perfect for ripping and tearing flesh. Occasionally, a Madar with full back-mounted wings may be spotted. Their legs are coated with membranous scales, yielding to various numbers of claws on the feet, and it is not uncommon to spot a Madar with a large, feathery crest upon his or her head. They move with grace and commonly dwell in wonderful airborne cities which are usually ruled by monarchs. Madar are carnivorous and generally hunt large sky-dwelling creatures for food. Their skills include painting, weaving and sewing, architecture, politics, diplomacy, fashion, literature and poetry, captaining and manning voidships, cloth work, cooking, hunting, music, flight, and parkour.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Pollution floods the skies – only a few Madar floating cities exist, preserved by tourism. Many Madar have spilled onto the ground and migrated to faraway lands. Now the seed is dispersed throughout the Axis and is generously represented in almost every major city.

Iris
Iris are peculiar creatures, their appearance resembling strange and unfamiliar flora. Their skin ranges from rough, bark-like coating to pale, smooth membrane of various color. An Iris’ fingers and toes are long, multi-jointed affairs, and it is not uncommon for them to bear multiple joints in other areas of their bodies as well – arms, legs, necks. Iris carve their homes from trees, possess long, coarse hair, move with dance-like fluidity, and always seem to emit sweet fragrances suggesting flowers or fresh grasses of the meadow. They may have multiple limbs, or even be rooted to the ground, and their faces are smooth, with thin lips, large and brightly-colored eyes, and a general, eerie pleasantness that is perhaps why the Iris are considered to be stereotypically one of the most attractive seeds (though it may also be on account of the fact that they do not wear clothes, possessing no uncivilized parts to hide). However, if they are graceful and tranquil, they can also be quite fierce – for their height and slender movements make them powerful adversaries in battle, wielding staves, spears, and bows fashioned from Stonewood trees and bound together with vines. Iris revere nature and harbor varying degrees of dislike for other, more technologically advanced seeds, and are generally vegetarian. Their skills include herblore, medicine and healing, singing, painting, literature and poetry, combat, woodworks, weapon and tool crafting, wilderness and forest survival, tracking, hunting, quick movement, charming, regeneration (of minor wounds) animal taming and tending, and dancing.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Endangered, possibly extinct. Occasional rare sighting on the outskirts of Lammergeier jungle.

Golm
Large, strong, yet surprisingly wise beings, the Golm are constructed of stone- or metal-like organic material. They come in various sizes and shapes, some resembling bipedal and moss-covered stone warriors that wield gigantic swords, others metallic scorpions that lie in wait, rusting, in the desert sands, and even some of leviathan dimensions that dwell underwater. They take sustenance from soil and sand, and are capable of emitting vaporous clouds of black, searing-hot gas from their mouths in order to scare off enemies. The battle cry of a Golm is a frightful thing indeed, and can be heard for miles, yet Golm are generally peaceful. They do not like to organize, and most of them simply roam the wilderness at random. Golm skills include stoneworks, metalworks, glassworks, smithing, combat, long-distance running, breaking things, philosophy, and intimidation.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Some Golm have voluntarily reforged themselves into beings of metal – these to be easily confused with the Automatons. This seed is the least affected by the rise of Earthborn imperialism.

Corvid
Primitive and wolf-like entities, the omnivorous Corvid hunt in packs. Though some are more humanoid, the majority of Corvids are covered in gray, black, white, or brown fur, have feral mouths and snouts, and move quickly on four legs. They have long, flat tails and various amounts of long claws on all limbs. Some of the more civilized variants do not grow hair on their lower parts, and even have human-like legs and lower bodies – possibly even human faces and body structure as well. Corvids are commonly nomadic and aggressive, and they tend to follow an alpha male or female. Their skills include combat, strength, endurance, hunting, tracking, military tactics, assassination, negotiation, gambling, quick movement, swimming, long-distance running, and stealth.
MODERN AGE NOTE: While some Corvids hold true to their ancestral ways, praying on passing caravans from the safety of the wild, many have adopted to modern life and work manual labor jobs in the big cities. It is said that an encounter with a Corvid will either leave you dead in an alley or out five bucks, as even the most amiable Corvid finds it difficult to resist an opportunity to make money, and many come equipped with silver tongues.

Loomai
Water-dwelling creatures, Loomai are very fish-like in build. They are commonly bipedal but may possess fish-like tails, as well as varying amounts of arms. Their hands and toes are usually either webbed or entirely fin-like, and their large, commonly heterochromatic eyes bulge, though not unattractively. Some possess solid eyelids, others have clear ones, some have none, and some have layers of both. Loomai are commonly quite happy creatures, smiling with pearl-white teeth and smooth lips, and their bubbly laughter is regarded by many as the most enjoyable and infectious a sound that ever existed. Loomai, with smooth-scaled or amphibious skin, possess fin-like ears, small noses, and gills on their necks (but many can breathe air as well). Their skin itself is naturally adorned with fantastic and colorful patterns and designs, and acts as semi-permeable membrane to equalize pressure when deep underwater. Loomai are famous for their sing-song voices that sooth the soul, as well as for their fantastic underwater cities that give the appearances of domes, and their remarkable craftsmanship – for they often make use of such metals as gold, silver, and precious stones. Loomai skills include singing, dancing, painting, architecture, metalworks (Loomai smiths seek out hot underwater vents for use as forges), stoneworks, smithing, swimming, quick movement, tool and weapon crafting, sewing and weaving, hunting (for fish), hygiene (for they are vain creatures), and charming.
MODERN AGE NOTE: The “groundsuit,” invented just last decade, is a wrought monstrosity that allows Loomai to walk up on land like everybody else. Having a fishbowl on legs clank into your shop is startling enough; coming across the metal-clad corpses of those that got lost and dried out is something else entirely.

Seryn
Fleeting, ghost-like, those creatures classified as Seryn are done so because of their transparent skin, blood, and all organ systems within. Most are grey or white of coloration, though they come in varieties of colors, just as they come in many shapes (though most commonly humanoid) – bipedal, quadrupedal, two arms or four, large or small. Some have elongated fingers, or occasionally wings, which most commonly resemble great, back-mounted structures closely resembling those of moths or butterflies, though some have feathered, angelic wings. Some Seryn sprout antennae from their forehead, the position and orientation of which indicate the Seryn’s mood. They are fantastic weavers, and it is common practice for the family of a deceased Seryn to harvest its skin for use as clothing – a sign of respect for the departed loved one, and the beautiful clothing fashioned as a result is highly sought after. Though the skin of Seryn is transparent, it is not phantasmal, and many a curious friend has been shocked to prod a compliant Seryn to meet with unmistakably solid substance. Seryn have fair, smooth hair and skin, move with fluid motions, speak with tranquil and melancholy voices, and like to touch things whilst communicating. Their skills include dancing, hypnosis (often an unintentional result of the dancing), sewing and weaving, navigation, regeneration, flight, sneaking and evasion, charming, politics, herblore, and diplomacy.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Their strange customs earn them reputations as flighty, flapper-like mockers of old time tradition – Seryn culture is forever changing and often ushers in new fads and underground movements. Many Seryns go on to become famous entertainers and performers. Cause they’re so darn pretty to look at.

Whimbrel
By far the least common and most mysterious of the seeds, Whimbrel dwell in parts unknown – the few that have arrived upon solid ground did so riding meteorites, giant stones, of debatable origin. They are fierce warriors when angered and much, much lighter than they appear to be, to the point where they are capable of minor levitation (as well as being quite agile). They are tall creatures, and sinewy, seemingly ebony skeletons of various deceased creatures – for they can be bipedal, quadrupedal, arachnid, fish-like, and have any number of arms, fingers, and toes. Truly, their bone structure varies greatly from individual to individual; and their eyes can only be described as horrible, glowing disks, through which one may glimpse oblivion. Whimbrel do not often speak, and shun civilization, preferring to wander the wilderness – in search of what, they do not reveal. One who encounters a Whimbrel considers themselves lucky, for such an experience is indeed rare. It is rumored that the beings are the skeletal ghosts of deceased ancestors, but this is most likely superstition. Whimbrel skills include flight, acrobatics, parkour, quick movement, sneaking and evasion, intimidation, combat, strength, assassination, and thievery.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Formerly known as the Voidwalkers, Whimbrel have – in the face of expansion on their old roaming grounds – made their societies publicly known to the rest of the seeds, but the Whimbrel are still a rare enough sight even in the largest of cities.

Automaton
Though the Automaton are technically not a seed it’s convenient to classify them as one. Most are of Earthborn or Nitre build, though other nations have begun to dabble in the art of robot-making as well. Most Automatons exist in bound labor (read: slavery) or as outlaws in the wilderness, but some have managed to distinguish themselves to the extent of earning their freedom. Automatons can be as small as your arm or as large as your house, humanoid or animalistic, armored in anything from wrought iron to gleaming gold plate to nothing but their bare wiring. Automatons are almost universally skilled at mathematics, making snap decisions, and learning new skills, but their specialties depend on what they were built for – heavy lifting, perhaps, or accuracy with a rifle.
MODERN AGE NOTE: On account of the rise of the Iron Wind, there is a strong prejudice against Automatons, particularly from Earthborn citizens. Free Automatons are be advised to keep their papers close and avoid being caught alone in the wrong neighborhoods.

Hush
After the Iron Wind popped up, the Drive decided that robots were not the reliable slaves it needed to take the hard and dangerous labor jobs in its empire. After decades of experimentation with science and amateur magic in its “dungeon temples,” the Drive created the first Hush from a stray tomcat. The controversial, but well-kept, secret of the process has since been improved, but work has slowed since it was first tried on an Earthborn, with disastrous results. It calls for a fresh corpse – too alive and the Hush agents are overpowered with the body’s natural processes, too dead and the decayed mind suffers severe damage while reanimating. Though Hush most commonly take the form of a warped version of their host body, they are capable of swelling to grotesque proportions and feeding their excess flesh into various limb-like constructs. The Drive quickly made the decision to go back to using robots for their manual labor, using the Hush as military units instead. Regardless of host, the Hush are uncommonly intelligent and their skills involve stealth, disguise, quick movement, assassination, hand-to-hand combat, philosophy (I mean, technically you’re dead, that’s pretty messed up right?) and doing whatever its host could do in their previous life.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Due to their unnatural nature and the fact that they’re a huge minority – with a total estimated population of less than two hundred – the Hush experience extreme prejudice from other seeds.

Torquat
The abstract, statue-like stones that have been popping up all over the Axis as of late are technically alive, but almost entirely useless. Some consider them restless spirits waiting to hatch. Others think them the prank of a group of kids with nothing better to do than carve statues and set them up in odd places, from the tops of isolated hills to right outside your bedroom window. Though never seen to move, a Torquat seen today might bear a little too strong of a resemblance to one you left ten kilometers behind you yesterday. Some have glowing eyes and most are marked with odd face-like patterns of circles and lines. Torquat skills include sitting around and not doing crap.
MODERN AGE NOTE: They're too new on the block to have anything else to say.

Refor
Fierce and aggressive beings of the desert, Refor stand at around five to six feet and have very tough, leathery skins, ranging in color from tan to brown to black. They possess a very large skeletal system for their size, and their massive bones can often be seen pressing against their skin, particularly on their backs. Refor have noseless faces and varying amounts of eyes and fingers, though their toes commonly have two seperate clawlike digits. They prey on insects, have thick, black blood, and utilize animals for transportation. Some Refor are nomadic, whilst others build great mud-block cities in the dunes, and these tribes are constantly at war with eachother – or rather, were, until their recent unification into a single country. Refornian skills include sewing and weaving, clothworks, desert and wilderness survival, tool and weapon crafting, navigation, contests of might, military tactics, politics, architecture, and animal taming and tending.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Extinct.

D’eya
The D’eya are characterized by their thick, armor-like, scaly, monochromatic exoskeletons, yet their actual anatomy varies from individual to individual. Some stand on two legs, others on four, some have multiple arms, others have blades for hands. Their eyes are often hidden beneath spiky carapaces, and their hair, sprouting from the unprotected backs of their heads, is of varying colors yet surprisingly smooth. D’eya are intelligent and respectable creatures, omnivorous, but perhaps a bit too militaristic. On the whole, D’eya have little taste for the arts (excepting their buildings, carvings, and monuments they construct, which are breathtaking in their gritty detail and ingenious architecture), and wear the plainest of clothing, but can be very fierce warriors. D’eiac skills include military tactics, strength, contests of might, politics, architecture, stoneworks, carving, endurance, tracking, and hunting.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Extinct.

Velian
Commonly known as the River Sages, most Veli are seminomadic. Their skin is pearly and smooth, and they enjoy decorating it with brightly-colored paint and tattoos. Veli are usually bald, have spider-like limbs with fluid tentacles that serve as fingers and toes. They have surprising range of motion, and are skilled acrobatics and contortionists. Veli are skilled craftsmen, fashioning intricate totems, instruments and ritualistic staves. They are generally quite religious, and take great stock in omens and dreams. They are omnivorous, and make their camps by the seaside or on the banks of large rivers. Velian skills include precognition, diplomacy, acrobatics, painting, carving, literature and poetry, speech and wordplay, tool and instrument crafting, fishing, endurance, weaving and sewing, clothworks, herblore, medicine and healing, music, creation and consumption of various hallucinogenic and narcotic substances, swimming, and singing.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Extinct.

Halyip
The Halyip, short creatures ranging from three to five feet, are remarkably strong for their size and are capable of scrambling quickly up rocky crags or perilous slopes. They have hoof-like feet which are covered in tiny, backward facing hooks that give them perfect traction, and possess multiple opposable thumbs on each hand. Halyippans generally live in the mountains, where they build cities of ridiculous proportions and architecture – buildings are place upon eachother, and streets are vertical, yet the residents are used to it and can quickly navigate the wondrous avenues and towering walls. Halyip, quite intelligent and practical creatures, have a natural curiosity, and are fascinated by the world around them, seeking to explore and modify it. They are responsible for some of the greatest scientific contributions to modern society. Halyippan skills include parkour, exploration, navigation, acrobatics, climbing, engineering, invention, chemistry, archaeology, mineral identification and geology, architecture, metalworks, and wilderness survival.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Extinct.

Fchulkt-chokt
The insectoid Fchulkt-chokt often choose to hide their faces. They possess fierce-looking, tough exoskeletons of various but often dark colors. They have varying numbers of limbs and digits, and possess spider-like jaws and eyes. Some even have natural organic sacs on their back, for storing food, tools, or even young. Fchulkt-chokt are not particularly talkative, but are highly ingenious in their designs for vehicles and weaponry. This is not to say that they enjoy combat, though some do; they simply like instigating it. Generally loners, Fchulkt-chokt are gifted thieves and are quick to be mistrusted at any average gathering of beings. They have a variety of peculiar customs, including those of strange ritualistic singing and killing their mates. Fchulkt-chokt skills include weapon and tool crafting, smithing, engineering, metalworks, clothworks, woodworks, glassworks, navigation, climbing, endurance, regeneration, sneaking and evasion, flight, singing, assassination, intimidation, and thievery.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Extinct.

Wunj
Wunj-Ai are generally reclusive and hermet-like, dwelling either underground in suspended cities spanning across massive chasms or in the treetops of dark woods, far above the forest floor. They are short and quick creatures, and range from quite fat and stout to thin and lanky. Proud, they are, of their beards, and possess unusual numbers of nail-less fingers and toes. Their beady eyes seem to sparkle constantly with new ideas, as well as thoughts of riches and treasure. Quite adaptive creatures, a tree-dwelling Wunj will be sure to steal from passing caravans, whilst those who prowl the labyrinthine streets of such povertous cities as Korrylna Proper obtain their food and coin from oblivious passersby, and deep-dwellers lay cruel traps on the surface that send travelers plunging into the dark depths of their tunnels to be ransacked. Wunj-Ai usually elect a council of monarchs, to rule from vast halls paved with riches. Wunj-Ai skills include metalworks, stoneworks, glassworks, smithing, mining, mineral identification and geology, archaeology, engineering, invention, sneaking and evasion, quick movement, climbing, treasure hording, hygiene (must keep that beard clean!), fermentation and consumption of alcohol, politics, thievery, and architecture.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Extinct.

Zaarilite
The giant Zaarilites resemble cyclopes, reaching fifteen feet in height with massive muscles and a single gigantic eye upon their brow. Their teeth range from large, stubby slabs to slender fangs of uncountable number. They are generally aggressive and travel alone or in small packs. Some possess discolored skin and large, troll-like horns or fangs that protrude from square jaws; others have massive claws on their hands or feet. Brutish, savage, and dumb, Zaarilites rely upon the meat and milk provided by their herds of sheep-goat creatures. They shun travelers and will attack without much provocation. Zaarilites scavenge whatever tools they can from various ruins, sometimes even uniting into packs to turn cities into ruins manually, an uncommon occurrence but enough to warrant alarm from most nations. Zaarilite skills include stoneworks, strength, combat, quick movement, animal taming and tending, tool crafting, intimidation, and wilderness survival.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Extinct.

Ten’Uulian
Most notable of the Ten’Uulian are their grotesque array of tentacles, which protrude from fingers, toes, elbows, knees, torsos, and various other bodily orifices. It is rumored that inside each Ten’Uulian lies a mass of the slimy strands, ready to be called upon, for most Ten’Uulian tentacles are retractable – they are known for being capable of opening their mouths and shooting forth a muscular tongue of up to sixteen feet. Anatomically, Ten’Uulian are humanoid, though tentacles ring their wastes and most prefer these for locomotion rather than their legs. Their skin ranges from smooth and slimy to crusted with barnacle-like growths, and is commonly a dark blue or green. They are either bald or possess Medusa-like tentacles as hair, in various styles and quantities, and have been known to possess multiple eyes or mouths at various locations on their bodies. Ten’Uulian eyes are reptilian and strike the viewer with a higher, sly intelligence – their mouths are deep ribbed gullets, lined with sharp, needle-like teeth. Ten’Uulians are gifted with most weaponry and can regenerate minor wounds, as well as being skilled cooks due to a particularly sensitive taste. Personality-wise, Ten’Uulians are quite social and friendly but can quickly give way to aggression. Their skills include swimming, quick movement, strength, combat, regeneration, cooking, speech and wordplay, literature and poetry, intimidation, wilderness survival, and painting.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Extinct.

Fezdrick
Ranging from four to seven feet, Fezdrick are known for their unusual (and in some cases, ridiculous) numbers of limbs. Their skin is mottled and bony, and their fair hair commonly grows to large piles on the floor. Fezdrick adorn themselves with fancy clothing and maintain scholarly habits, often visiting libraries if they don’t work there themselves. Their hands and feet possess claw-like structures of cartilage, and they generally have no mouth, nor any other facial features besides eyes, which are deep and complex affairs of color. As such, Fezdrick communicate by the written word or not at all, and are not particularly social creatures, though they are often quite friendly and gentle. They value knowledge highly and school themselves in as many subjects they can, though in time are inclined to specialize. It is the Fezdrick who are oftentimes responsible for recording history, decorating city walls with their fantastic murals or filling vast libraries with books. Fezdrick skills include literature and poetry, sewing and weaving, fashion, philosophy, archaeology, mineral identification and geology, herblore, medicine and healing, speech and wordplay, diplomacy, politics, painting, carving, and archiving.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Extinct.

Extinct seeds may have lived on in the Shaman village!

GREEN LANDS SEEDS

Sial
One of the youngest seeds, Sials strongly resemble Earthborn in appearance but are distinguished most strongly by a prolonged lifespan, an alternation of generations that affects the individual’s anatomy, and a remarkable transformation of skin pigment during spring and lasting throughout summer (the process known as dawning). The primary generation, or palerrine, stands with a common human build while the secondary generation, or passerine, is generally taller, leaner, and weaker (note: usage of “primary” and “secondary” terminology is an outdated method that may get the unwary traveler some angry looks among passerine civil rights activists! Tread carefully around the subject if you plan to visit Capercaillie-on-the-Hill). Palerrine sial appear a pale to dark grey in the colder seasons but wax a vivid blue during dawning. Pale palerrine adopt a cyan tint while darker pigmentation often leads to a deeper indigo hue. During dawning, the skin of a passerine undergoes a vibrant and sometimes physically unpleasant transformation, becoming marbled with an unrestricted host of varied colors. Fortunately these hues are seldom apparent except on close inspection; the eclipsed skin of a passerine is a pale pink or grey, and its dawning colors are often very light. A vibrant, neon-patchwork passerine is, however, not an uncommon sight (it’s considered very rude to stare. Again, tread carefully). Fashion trends move with a sial's dawning, which begins at a different time each year for every individual, but commonly near the start of spring. The sight of large numbers of dawning palerrine dressed entirely in extravagant clothing, shaded blue to match their differing skin hues, makes large Sial cities popular tourist attractions during the warm seasons. Passerine dress, however, attempts to completely cover their blotched skin patterns during dawning; Sial society and culture is built upon palerrine supremacy, and those of the second generation commonly experience reduced wages, small-scale discrimination, and occupy few if any positions of power in either local or central government. Possibly as a result of this, every newborn child is customarily sent to be raised by their grandparents – to prevent mixing of generational classes in the household – until old enough to take care of themselves. Sial skills may include sewing and weaving, calligraphy, debate, negotiation, fishing and hunting, tea-brewing, ceramics, painting, teaching, architecture, music, and gardening.
MODERN AGE NOTE: Though it is culturally required for each generation to treat the other with complete decency and respect, a history of abuse and violence has led to multiple civil rights groups growing in popularity amongst both generational classes, particularly in the Sial capital, Capercaillie-on-the-Hill.

Anathemae
Undocumented.

Agrippinae
Undocumented.

Cristat
Undocumented.

Sable
Undocumented.

SHAMANS

Shamans may belong to a seed, but their Guild has ancient origins and may include beings more alien than terrestrial! If your character is from the Shaman village but doesn't belong to a seed, put "Shaman" for "Seed" in the character sheet.

NOTABLE CITIES AND LOCATIONS (For your reference, not our memorization. Feel free to submit your own – remember, this is but one sphere-region of an incredibly vast universe!)

THE BLUE LANDS: Site of our previous adventures!

The Glades
The massive, wooded mountain range hugs Pasqwox ocean and continues in one direction to meet the Plains of Aderran and in another to intersect, continue into, and subside inside the desert Kana-Nashk’lov. Its peaks are frequented by Nitre explorers, as well as many reclusive Brumal and Corvid tribes, and mining quarries are common near the mountains’ bases.

Plains of Aderran (AH-duh-run)
Vast and flat, the grassy plains must be crossed by trade caravans traveling to and from Wan Hanna. It is home to packs of Corvids and a roaming place of the Iron Wind, as well as wild beasts.

Kana-Nashk’lov (KAHN-uh NAWSH-kluv)
Once the home of the late Refor, Kana-Nashk’lov is the largest known desert. Hot and dry, in its sands lies many a ruined city, buried over time, and archaeologists are as common a sight as bandits and nomads, wandering the wastes to excavate ancient cities of legend from the ever-shifting dunes.

Chorion (KORE-ee-yon)
The caverns of Chorion lie underneath the Glade range, and are home to many Nitre and Asthen. The main city of the same name is suspended over an enormous chasm, and the walls of its gigantic cave of residence are lined with crystals of gigantic size and immeasurable value – the pride of the late Wunj-Ai. Some of Chorion’s tunnels are used by miners from Rundi and other mountain and plains villages, whilst others are rumored to be flooded and provide access to Pasqwox. Expeditions have arranged made to locate such tunnels, especially after the discovery of a deceased and decayed Ten’Uulian skeleton at the bottom of a mine, but success is not forthcoming.

Wan Hanna (WAN HAW-nuh)
The dark and dense jungle of Wan Hanna lies across the plains from Pasqwox and the Glades, though it is bisected by the Yadric River, which runs through to Kana-Nashk’lov. Wan Hanna is home to great yet unnamed cities of Iris, who are averse to visitors yet frequently sought out by them, as well as less obvious villages of Seryn. Travelers not under the trading protection of the Iris are advised to be wary when passing through the dark wood of Wan Hanna.

Vorflucx (Luna_Cat16)
A narrow but long band of land sandwiched between the jungles of Wan Hanna and the forests of the Glades. Its bogs are dangerous to travel in at night, but it is rich in diverse flora and fauna. Many biologists come to the area to study the ecosystem, and they're still finding new subjects. However, it is not exactly a dream residential area, and many of the houses are simply cabins on stilts or tree houses, connected by bridges.

Pasqwox Ocean (PASS-wox)
Pasqwox lies in between the plains and the mountains, and in its depth lie many Loomai cities (most notably Nyra). Monsters of leviathan proportions have been reported by the odd fisherman, though these creatures are never discovered by expeditions of purely scientific intent. On the banks of Pasqwox dwell colonies of Seryn, and Corvids as well as Sial drink from its freshwater liquid. The Yadric River curls around the Plains of Aderran to join with Pasqwox.

Tetra Doris (TET-ruh DORE-iss)
Unspeakable, unsurvivable, and utterly horrible, the cold tundra of Tetra Doris lies on the far side of the Yadric River from Aderran. Its surface is of igneous rock, and various former volcanoes lie as black mounds on the horizon, in contrast with the snow-covered ground. No tree grows, no animal survives in this empty waste, blanketed by thick fog, though it is a peculiarly common destination for Whimbrel – perhaps something mysterious and valuable lies in the massive, deathly expanses?

Man Den (man DEN)

Situated at the mouth of the River in the Glades, the capital of the Drive is loved by all Earthborn and hated by almost as many foreign seeds. It is notorious for arming its citizens judiciously – the wealthy Earthborn citizens that is – as well as neglecting its poor, punishing severely even the most minor of crimes, and spewing the virtues of the Drive’s regime all over the Axis by thrusting as much propaganda as it can fit into visiting trade caravans. Nevertheless, the Drive have so much political and economic influence, it’s difficult to keep a nation going without at some point or other dealing with delegates from Man Den, loud and lousy with the mixed scents of food oil and weapon grease.

Nyra (NIGH-ruh)
The beautiful underwater Nyra, lying at the bottom of the ocean Pasqwox, is a very popular tourist destination. For such outsiders to enter, one takes a day-long ferry voyage to the center of the vast ocean, where can be found floating on the surface of the water the entrance platform to vast tubules of reinforced glass, through which one descends by means of an ingenious hydraulic elevator. On the ride down, the pearly domes and graceful spires of the pleasure-city Nyra are visible through the crystal-clear waters, and the sea floor is lit up by phosphorescent beacons for miles around – it is quite a sight. Upon arrival, tourists walk through domes and tunnels of glass, greeting eachother cheerfully as they observe the Loomai tend to their vast fields of crops and frolic through the transparent barriers (attempting to get the creatures to wave back), their glass habitat filled by air which is pumped down to various points in the city through massive rubber tubes. Most important public-access buildings, such as hotels, casinos, and restaurants, possess (in addition to doorways from the glass labyrinth of streets) large pools in the centers of their richly-carpeted floors through which native Loomai may swim in from the outside to join in the merry-making, as the facilities cater to needs of both land- and sea-dwelling beings. Many a spectator, observing the tranquility and calm of the canals that riddle a restaurant or nightclub floor, has been caught gawking at the sudden and graceful emergence of the creatures, the beauty of whom is one reason why the city is so popular. Its economy thrives on tourism and revenue from businesses like the casinos, and spends most of said revenue ensuring that the glass domes and tunnels do not ever break.

Rundi (run-DEE)
Located opposite the Glade range from Pasqwox Rundi lies at the entrance to a large valley. It is populated mainly by Earthborn and Nitre, though it is a quite diverse city. It is known for its lumber and mineral exports, the former obtained from the eerie forests of Rundi Valley and the latter mined from various locations throughout the Glades. One of the few places left untouched by both the Drive and Iron Wind, and for good reason: it’s the only place known to host an active sect of the Cult of Vse.

Korrylna Proper (KORE-ill-nuh)
Located in the Glade range, and far removed from the common trade routes, Korrylna was once a great city but suffered when its mines were depleted of copper and tin deposits. Since then, Korrylna Proper is an infamous ramshackle of cobblestone ghetto, where street merchants guard wares in winding alleyways while thieves lurk in the shadows. It is populated heavily by Madar, Nitre, and Earthborn, as well as the occasional nervous Seryn. It’s rumored that the dark alleyways sit above secret hideouts of the Iron Wind.

Lal Leyna (LAWL LAY-nuh)
A modern wonder, the ‘Void City’ Lal Leyna floats high in the sky above Wan Hanna. It is accessible for the flightless only via ornithopters and voidships, which leave and enter Lal Leyna on a regular basis. The bright buildings, temples, and streets of Lal Leyna have an almost spectral quality to them, and their architecture is quite organic. Arches stretch across roads and faces of native Madar peer with curiosity from large windows. The city survives as a trade center for various nations, and boasts the largest art galleries (and most skilled cooks) in the Blue Lands.

Ryth’gera (rith-JEER-uh)
Located at least two subspheres removed from the rest of the Blue Lands and directly across the wastes of Tetra Doris, little is heard of Ryth’gera except that it is an industrial wonder – the ‘Mechanical City.’ From here originate many manufactured goods, and trading caravans carrying natural resources to the city are forced to circumnavigate the bleak wilderness that bisects the route, pushed on by the thoughts of the gleaming towers and rich streets that await them at journey’s end. Part of Ryth’gera’s obscurity doubtlessly originates from their refusal to trade with the Drive.

Hatch
Undocumented. After an incident surrounding a certain Hush, the town of Hatch – far out in the plains of Aderran – seemed to disappear from map and memory alike.

THE GREEN LANDS:

Lammergeier
The massive forest of Lammergeier serves as the major overland boundary separating the Blue and Green Lands, and it is the principal reason so little is known about the latter. Expeditions into Lammergeier don’t come back – they never have. It is possible routes to the Green Lands exist underground, but

The Gloaming
Undocumented.

The Cunicules
Undocumented.

Caracara
Undocumented.

The Ripyard
Undocumented.

Welkin
Undocumented. A range of impossibly high mountains between Lammergeier and Newsiber, so high that at two distinct points the peaks make contact with the opposite wall of the thousands-of-kilometers-wide tunnel that links the Blue and Green Lands, formations which come to resemble stalagmites of truly massive proportions. Some say the Welkin is haunted with the ghosts of the old-world spirits, angry at the destruction of their civilizations.

Newsiber
Undocumented. All that is known about Newsiber is it is where the Brumal emperors have made their fortresses – and it’s cold, very cold.

Ani
Undocumented.

Rook
Undocumented.

Skua
Undocumented.

Capercaillie-on-the-Hill
Situated among the foothills below Welkin, Capercaillie-on-the-Hill is home to the majority of the Sial population and is renowned all throughout the Axis for its exotic architecture – one street may be paved in mud, the next in marble, and the buildings seem to stretch to the roof of the sky in their strange patchwork beauty.

Dunnock
Undocumented. Some thirty five years ago the Drive mounted its largest expedition yet in a push through the wilds of Welkin. A strange creature, half-Nitre, half-moth - captured on the outskirts of the jungle - was heard to ask “how the mudlings had come to stray so far from Dunnock.” It is theorized that the mission was a success, but the settlers were unable to make the trip back through Lammergeier.

WILD CREATURES (Needn’t be called by name IC; you may refer to an animal that attacks your character’s caravan as a ‘wolf-life reptile’ or the pet of your Loomai as a ‘cat-like fish.’ This list compiles but a small portion of the wildlife that are in existence – many other insects, mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and other creatures, both tame and wild, common and uncommon, inhabit our new universe!)

Hona (HONE-uh)
Powerful, muscular, horse-like creatures of varying coloration, Hona are often used for manual labor and pulling caravans. Their soft lowing and melancholy eyes give them a somewhat sad look, heightened by their slow and methodic movements.

Gruna (GROO-nuh)
Similar to the Hona only smaller and more energetic. They are often raced for sport or used for more strenuous workloads.

Hrrathga (ROTH-guh)
Wolfish reptiles, the fierce Hrrathga stalk their prey by camouflaging themselves against the ground before springing forth. They hunt alone and as such may be overpowered by an alert traveler, who listens for their soft hissing when the Phosphor is high in the sky.

Shah (SHAW)
Small, furry, rodent-like pests that are a menace to farmers and pantries alike.

W’io (WHY-oh)
Whale-like beings that drift lazily from cloud to cloud, from which their white coloration often renders them indistinguishable. W’io are mostly silent, graceful creatures, though are hunted by Madar for their hides, bones, meat, and stomach bile, and are capable of smashing even the sturdiest voidships to bits in a hunt gone wrong.

Awkin (AWK-in)
Violent, noisy birds of prey that feed on carrion and live specimen alike. It is for these that the infamous voidpirate took his pseudonym, and for good reason. In flocks, these creatures can be dangerous, and they are a nuisance to most Madar cities.

Selegaunt (SELL-ay-gaunt)
Massive mammals that traverse both desert and plain – they have tough hides and are sometimes tamed for use in war.

Kitrin (KEET-rin)
Fish-like creatures with soft webbed hands and a long tail that are often kept by Loomai as pets, for both their dazzling coloration and their friendly, social nature.

Donwa (DAWN-wuh)
Giant eels ridden and tended to by Loomai, they are of great use for cleansing harmful bacteria as well as for plowing underwater fields of ocean-grown crops.

Olia (OLE-ee-yuh)
The large, amphibious apes are found around Pasqwox and in several locations within Wan Hanna. They are considered quite the sporty challenge for thrill-seeking sea- and land-dwelling hunters alike, and are valued for their hides and ivory tusks. (Extinct)

Phosphor (FOSS-fur)
Already mentioned somewhere in the text wall above; insects that are responsible for the glow that serves as a sun. (Extinct)

Unknown creatures
Dwelling deep within the bowels of the earth in expansive caverns of lava and unfamiliar stone, or perhaps slumbering in some unknown fissure leading to vast underwater caverns beneath Pasqwox, or floating up high in unheard-of layers of the void where no sane pilot dares fly, there are multitudes of undiscovered creatures, huge and tiny, fierce and tame, some of which exhibit strange properties never before discovered in modern creatures – research has been done in electric affinity, molecular alteration, spontaneous generation, acidic propulsion, fire aspect, air distortion, earth-churning structures, and far more weird and unusual theoretical properties of the eldritch unknown.
MODERN AGE NOTE: The Green Lands in particular are an area of which society has little knowledge. Much is said of the creatures and strange seeds that lurk there, but little is to be believed.

NOTABLE CHARACTERS (NPCs for your reference, not your memorization. ^^)

Djon Fints (JON FINCH)
At almost two meters tall, the High Sir is the highest ranking Drive official. He has endured six assassination attempts and still walks undefended in public with a smile.

Baba Moroza (BAH-buh muh-ROE-suh)
Little is known about the “Dead Fox,” other than she commands the Byolnis – largest and most feared of the Brumal tribes – and that she personally leads her soldiers into battle.

Leg Yilkoshov (LEG YEEL-ko-shawf)
General and Prime Minister of the Brumal Shapkai tribe. Leg Yilkoshov earned a name for himself as a ruthless madman among the other Brumal rulers after he had the corpses of an invading squad each rolled in snow and flung from trebuchets at a nearby Earthborn encampment.

Healthy Maramarie (MARE-uh-muh-REE)
Head of state of the Sial Nation, following in the line of the Healthys before her, Maramarie acts primarily as a head of state and philanthropist while the real decisions are made by a secret committee.

Michahai “Skinny” Ross (MEE-ku-high URNZ)
The only known Earthborn-hosted Hush – he awoke from the transformation a disastrous failure. Naming himself “Skinny,” he currently holds the small wilderness town of Hatch in his perverse grip; even the Drive won’t go there anymore.

Wall_of_Fire
The “first free program” supposedly organized the Iron Wind two decades ago and has been recruiting automatons ever since. A true nature fanatic, they surround themselves with their preferred companions – plants, animals, and fungi. It’s even rumored that no small portion of wild beasts report to Wall_of_Fire as their master.

Rising_Star
The quickest Automaton thus far to become an Alpha in the Iron Wind, commanding their own clients after only eleven days of service. In six months, Rising_Star has yet to lose a battle – an impressive accomplishment for any of the Metal Chiefs.

Lead_Grass
Arguably the most feared of the Iron Wind, they operate completely on their own – a bandit that is known to appear, kill, and disappear in even broad daylight without attracting notice. Lead_Grass is rumored to be powered by the blood of Earthborn children which they steal away in the night, but that is most likely untrue.

Flying_Bit
Once one of the Iron Wind’s most distinguished Alphas, boasting the highest heart-count of all the Metal Chiefs – indeed, having slain more people than any other single entity in recorded history – Flying_Bit has since put down their sword. Though their host of clients is still feared and hated, Flying_Bit has been working with a peculiarly urgent spirit to reach peace agreements between the Iron Wind and the Drive. Their success so far is limited.

Dawson and Leycivet (DAW-sun LAY-sih-vet)
Leycivet, the mouthless cat, and Dawson, the legless crow. Both are black with bright pink eyes. The first two Hush ever created, they quickly used their not-yet-fully-understood abilities to escape into the wild and have become popular pop culture symbols ever since, the subjects of horror stories and fairy tales alike.

Giana Velloix (jee-AW-nuh vel-LOY)
The eccentric Earthborn technobiologist/geneticist is mocked, and secretly feared, about the scientific community for her work with cell splicing and organic modification, which landed her in jail for a time, after which she has disappeared to resurface only recently. Outwardly, Velloix is a charming and intelligent young woman, though if her current research was exposed to the public, she would doubtlessly be sent straight back in irons...
Executed some fifty years ago for her horrendous experiments, Velloix is nonetheless credited with the invention of the Automaton. A statue of her stands controversially in the main square of Man Den.

Wan Fera and Wan Circa (wan-FE-ruh wan SIR-kuh)
The twin monarchs of the Iris forest reside deep within the bowels of Wan Hanna, their location the most closely-guarded of Iris secrets, and only forest-dwellers are privy to it. They are technically of the Iris seed, yet stand as monumentally massive trees, with trunks stronger than those of stonetrees and leaves of all colors. The strange fruit they bear is said to heal if smelt and kill if eaten, and it is said that their voices may be heard in the twilight hours when the Phosphor draws near. Wan Fera, the larger, is representative of courage, honor, and the glories of victorious hunting and warfare. His name is a patron to all Iris warriors, whether they live in his forests or not, whether they know of his true existence or not. Wan Circa, the smaller, is a symbol of gentleness and respect, of kindness and acceptance. She is a matron figure to what few Iris politicians exist. Together, the duo are revered by many (even those of other seeds) and the number of paintings, poems, and other artforms dedicated to the inspiration of their spirits is uncountable.

Vse (FSEH)
Not much is known of the mythological figure, other than that every once in a while certain artifacts and transcripts are unearthed from decaying shrines in caverns of great depth. Such texts speak of an ancient cult’s search for the one true god, the birther of the world as it is known, in order to free it from its confines and restore an order to the universe. Vse is described as ‘a worldly being, the skin of which is earth, the blood of which is water, the breath of which is air, our nurturing father, our unforgiving mother, with wrath of fire and eye of void.’ In various carvings, Vse is depicted as a bipedal figure with disproportionately long legs which compose four-fifths of the entire figure. Its body is depicted as a curious mesh of strange symbols which some claim to be those of smaller beings, and Vse’s arms, almost as long as its legs, terminate in strange bristles. Its head is an indecipherable array of what could be bones or odd tendrils, though in some carvings is shown as a simple elliptical shape. Whether or not Vse actually exists is unknown and quite controversial – if it does, it has not been discovered, nor have any members of its seed, even by the sects of the cult that exist in the current era, for the small groups pop up everywhere – though the excavated artifacts that praise and describe Vse are inexplicably consistent. Confounded archaeologists and historians alike have yet to trace the cult’s origins back far enough to reveal any organized system of communication, refusing to believe the disturbing possibility that all of the sects had been operating independently and without knowledge of eachother.

Continued on next post...

QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

Confused about some aspect of this roleplay? Post your question and I will answer!

Do firearms exist?

Primitive pistols and rifles, prone to misfire, do exist, but are not very common. Cannons fashioned from Stonetree trunks are generally used in sieges, and pirates may carry barrels of gunpowder on their vessels to pack brutish grenades with.
Yes! In the century that’s passed since the first Tangent Axis, the Earthborn have created weapons that are capable of lobbing a disgusting amount of ammunition in the general area of a target. Brumal weapons, more like muskets, are more precise and hit much harder, but are technologically far behind and prone to break down.

What are these voidships, and how do they work?

Basically they’re airships. Low-flying craft, such as the small, winged ornithopters, are referred to as skyships, whilst higher-flying vehicles are called voidships as they travel through airless or near-airless space. Most voidships resemble zeppelins of leviathan size, and possess sealed hulls of Stonetree wood, though when they travel in lower altitudes one may take a walk on the ship-like deck of the vehicle, as the contraption is quite stable. To reach the actual vacuum that exists in the central void of each sphere, the Integrity has taken extra steps: importing metal canisters from far regions into which they pressurize air, insulating the hull heavily (they plan to seal it to the point where the crew will be forced to blast their way out with black powder, a stock of which shall be kept on board), and mining for stocks of ultra-dense minerals that negate gravity, causing the ship to rise.
They’re not around anymore. Folks fancy enough to fly use ironclad airships these days – the steel dirigible rules the clouds.

Are there cars?

Caravans drawn by horse-like creatures are commonplace, but steam engines do exist, though they are quite rare. Some scientists get about on automated hydraulic transports powered by such engines, though in appearance they resemble wooden wagons laden with rubber tubes and metal pipes.
The richer Earthborn possess primitive automobiles.

Is magic a thing?

Unexplained properties of characters and objects are welcome, so long as they are not overpowered and serve some sort of purpose.
That’s still true, and if you play one of the Shaman’s you’re allowed a bit of magic – be it tied to an item, innate of yourself, destructive, creative, so long as it’s not OP I’ll allow it.~

So wait. How do day and night work again?

The Phosphor-band-slash-sun provides enough light to see by when it is highest in the ‘sky,’ and though it is still quite dark, this is considered ‘midday.’ As the Phosphor gets closer to our area, its incredible brightness can be blinding if one stands in its midst – though the path of the insects can easily be avoided if a traveler is familiar with it, it is still unadvisable to be out of doors at this time. This is when citizens draw their shutters and go to sleep. Essentially, the ‘night’ time is very bright, and the ‘day’ time is semi-dark. Random fact, there are some blind, ‘nocturnal’ creatures out there that take advantage of the blinding brightness to hunt.
The Phosphor insects have long since become extinct – their grassland habitats cleared for development. The Axis lives in a perpetual twilight, aided by torch or gas lantern, unless someone can restore the “living sun” to the land. Wonder whose job that is…

Do different seeds speak different languages?

No, there is one language, though some seeds may or may not speak differently or with various accents. Everyone’s different.
Yep, though the Earthborn ‘mudlish’ is spoken by almost everyone.

What’s the plot?

The Earthborn, in their age of domination, have sailed to the center of the ‘planet-cavity’ that exists in the mass of matter that composes the rest of the universe. There, they have discovered the wonder of the world, a sacred floating village home to sacred artifacts which keep sacred spirits at bay. Naturally, they took the artifacts, and the inhabitants – that’s us! – need to get that stuff back before the emerging forces of nature tear the world apart, and awaken something REAL nasty that even our legends are a bit hazy on.

How long should posts be?

However long or short you like, cause sometimes it’s hard to put out a huge post when you rely on another character’s response!

Is there a postal service?

Postal caravans carry letters and packages throughout the sphere - if you want a letter delivered more quickly, however, you can pay the more expensive fee of a Pony Express-esque service of gruna-riding deliverymen.
That still applies, only the caravans are automated and generally reserved for the more wealthy customers.

Are there rubber bands?

I believe the main falling of the first Tangent Axis was the lack of rubber bands. Yes, rubber bands have been invented a few years ago by a little-known Nitre scientist - the Drive took all the credit.

What’s the Drive?

The Earthborn government that’s united almost their entire seed. Well-meaning and well-dressed but too greedy and curious to worry too much about the balance of the universe.

What’s the Iron Wind?

A collective name used to describe a loosely-connected group of tribes, some static, some nomadic – their members are runaway robots from Earthborn society, with the goal of overthrowing the Drive and wiping the Earthborn from the Axis forever.

What’s Vse?

There is no Vse. There’s never been a Vse.

Hey Mata, how do months and years work if there aren’t any suns or pla-

mphssshhHHHHH

CAST OF CHARACTERS (Accepted sheets)

SHAMANS

Mata Rahi

Name: Ostoba
Seed: Shaman
Blurb: Winged, tentacled "spirit juice"-loving dancer who seeks friendship as much as heroic glory.
Faction: Shaman village
Items: Small purple heirloom amulet, leather pouch containing dried fruit and two shiny stones, bit of pointy scrap metal

JazzTap

Names: Feckless
Seed: Fchulkt-chokt
Blurb:
Something is scratching its way out
Something you want to forget about

No one expects you to get up
All on your own with no one around
Faction: Shaman
Items: 2x wrist gadget, cavalry mace

GnD

Names: Rachego
Seed: Golm
Blurb:
Metal forged by its own hand, sharpened by its only edge.
Throughout a weapon's life, countless fall to its crusade.

Decided to be bathed in the blood of beggars, soldiers, and kings.
For blades, life's end is one of many marvellous things.

By their bindings they will not break, weapons with graceful thought.
In their wrath, with every slash, cutting doom they will wrought.

Faction: Shaman
Items: A hilt made of leather.

NOT SHAMANS

Tierax

Name: Has had many, too old to remember its first. Goes by ARGH or WAtcher now, being the most common names it has been called.
Seed: Torquat
Blurb: Forgotten if it could ever talk, now it just flashes images into the minds of people nearby.
It can't see or move around if a sentient is nearby, but it can see the essence of them, and those around it.
Should it be out of all sentient sight, it can imprint its images or move were it stands. It can also use this time to look into the world as if it too were alive. It seeks purpose to its existance.
Faction: Long forgotten, but self serving it thinks.
Items: too useless to know how to pick up items. Or move without teleporting. Or speak.

Name: Alpha-13-d
Seed: Automaton
Blurb: a unit designed for void studies, equipped with many features to assist in void based activities. -obsolete
Faction: None
Items: Small compartment with various spare parts. bolts, nuts and the like.
also carries a small book titled "the hive" by Barazen Eterin. sadly, alpha lacks the ability to read

JazzTap

Names: Hunger, 'Alala
Seed: Corvid
Blurb:
I raise my mind's eye
To the infinite which lies

In a silent night, speeding wild
Stellar might, dark heaven
Faction: Chorion mining company
Items: spiked pauldron, saddlebags

I'll write up a character once i gethome from work. typing this all out on a phone would be a nightmare ha ha statue critter here i come!

Awesoooome! Can't wait to see them :D

Name: has had many, too old to remember its first. Goes by ARGH or WAtcher now, being the most common names it has been called.

Seed: Torquat

Blurb: forgotten if it could ever talk, now it just flashes images into the minds of people nearby.
It can't see or move around if a sentient is nearby, but it can see the essence of them, and those around it.
Should it be out of all sentient sight, it can imprint its images or move were it stands. It can also use this time to look into the world as if it too were alive. It seeks purpose to its existance.

Faction: long forgotten, but self serving it thinks.

Items: too useless to know how to pick up items. Or move without teleporting. Or speak.

You know, when I put Torquats in I never expected anyone to actually want to play them, but I'm glad I did :D Sweet character! This is gonna be an interesting bunch, I can tell already!

I instantly had ideas for them. ranging from comedic relief to seriousness all round. i can't wait to see how this goes

Totally gonna write up a wolf/rider duo when I get unburied from homework.

Don't let this die in the meantime, k? (Pretty please?)

We won't let you down jazzy!

We'll do our best! Really looking forward to how this'll turn out!

Here's one of my sheets. I'll doubtlessly make a few non-shamans as well, but it's late and I'm trying to get to bed earlier. :P

Name: Ostoba
Seed: Shaman
Blurb: Winged, tentacled "spirit juice"-loving dancer who seeks friendship as much as heroic glory.
Faction: Shaman village
Items: Small purple heirloom amulet, leather pouch containing dried fruit and two shiny stones, bit of pointy scrap metal

Actually, came up with another. character of the tribute variety.

name: Alpha-13-d

seed: Automaton
blurb: a unit designed for void studies, equipped with many features to assist in void based activities. -obsolete

items: small compartment with various spare parts. bolts, nuts and the like.
also carries a small book titled "the hive" by Barazen Eterin. sadly, alpha lacks the ability to rea

So I just saw this massive Tolkien-esque block of text. I got a few 12 hour shifts coming up, so I will probably wait a lil later this week to read it all and get a sheet and such. I BETTER NOT FORGET

Do not fret mister impZ. I will not let you -sinister chuckle

No worries Imp, take your time. XD I've been meaning to spice it up with a picture or two so it's not so... brute-y!

(embiggen - sans equipment)

Names: Hunger, 'Alala Seed: Corvid Blurb: I raise my mind's eye To the infinite which lies In a silent night, speeding wild Stellar might, dark heaven -rhapsody of fire Faction: Chorion mining company Items: spiked pauldron, saddlebags

---

Names: Feckless Seed: Fchulkt-chokt Blurb: Something is scratching its way out Something you want to forget about No one expects you to get up All on your own with no one around -the fray Faction: Shaman Items: 2x wrist gadget, cavalry mace

Oh very nice art. Can not wait to see them in action

Freaking excellent, JazzTap! And very nice illustration :D

Names: Rachego
Seed: Golm
Blurb:
Metal forged by its own hand, sharpened by its only edge.
Throughout a weapon's life, in the bodies it will etch.

Decided to be bathed in the blood of beggars, soldiers, and kings.
For blades, life's end is one of many marvellous things.

By their bindings they will not break, weapons with graceful thought.
In their wrath, with every slash, cutting doom they will wrought.

Faction: Shaman
Items: A hilt made of leather.

Thank ye.

Will our Shamans be starting off during the prison break, or on the surface amidst the panicked citizenry?

Hunting for each artifact should be fairly self-contained once we get that business out of the way. Does the arc plot already encompass what precisely each one is, or can we just make that up?

('Ello GrandEnder.)

Awesome, GnD! Accepted :D

That's a matter of debate. I think it would be fun to start off on the surface, immediately after having broken out, with the city security on our tails. After that, I'll be throwing out clues and conflicts to the characters, who may choose to stick together or separate as they may. I'll also try and give a decent description of each setting so players can feel at the liberty to make their own choices and not feel like they're getting something wrong - though I wanna stress that this is a world we're all making together, so don't worry about getting anything 'wrong.' :P

To fuuully answer your question, yeah we're making it up as we go along. When we get closer to starting (there are one, maybe two people I know wanna have a sheet in) then I'll do some grindwork on the specifics of how the plot's gonna proceed, but my ultimate goal here is this having the literacy and coherence of a structured RP combined with the freedom of a text adventure! Combined with robots and explosions cause they're cool.

This excites me, can't wait to play this! Everything feels so exotic... And that art style! Haha much win to be had all around if that appears even once more!

Any estimate when you will have those other rp'rs?

Well so far we have JazzTap to thank for our artstyle :D Lessee now, I'm thinking of Omni and Imp, but I know that both are extreeemely busy with college and work respecs. And one just had a birthday! Might be I'll shoot them a message, see if they want us to wait or if we should just start it and they can jump in. I'm so glad to see folks excited around here again!

Collaborative setting-building is sweet, and setting seeds first is even better.

Any word from either?