Post by Sekot on May 13, 2009 18:37:47 GMT -5
This'll be a new world creation thread completely told through stories instead of a more traditional listing of descriptions. Through these short stories I hope to capture a better idea of just what my world will look like.
To begin, we shall start with a race I created that will most likely change as time evolves.
Name: Rem'Naruul
General Appearance: The Rem'Naruul are bipedal humanoids. The males range from 5'6"-7' in height, the females being 5'0"-6'5". In life, their skin ranged in blue hues, in death their skin takes on a waxy grey. Instead of noses, the Rem'Naruul have two cavities on the front of their faces, exacerbated by rotting flesh. Their eyes sit in deep sockets and normally are colored red.
For the most part, they look like humans. Their arms are at a longer length in proportion to the rest of their body as are their fingers in respect to their hands. Both male and female Rem'Naruul were fairly muscular in life, not ranging much from an athletic appearance. In death, they are of course emaciated and their musculature has dilapidated in some respects.
Geography: The Rem'Naruul are a relatively medium sized population. They stick to themselves for the most part on their island nation.
The island itself is roughly the size of the United Kingdom. Heavily forested, and often covered in thick, poisonous fog, not many can live there beyond the Rem'Naruul and native species.
Government: The Rem'Naruul are governed by the Council of the Lich. On the council are the heads of Houses that oversee different parts of Rem'Naruul society. The Houses commune with one another and trade with one another, but there is still a sense of autonomy between them. A single leader is only chosen at great need.
Religion: Religion is complicated in Rem'Naruul society. There is a single deity at the head, Plageii, and lesser demi-gods, a status the priesthood sect can take. There is a Path of the Damned that is a religion of sorts, a way of life for many of the warrior Rem'Naruul.
For the most part, no Rem'Naruul believes that the gods take an active role in everyday life. They believe that they were created for the sole purpose of being watched.
History: The Rem'Naruul were once a large nation of short lived individuals. They had the same house system but were far more adventurous and war mongering. The other peoples on the island with them were quickly enslaved or eradicated. The Rem'Naruul swiftly sought out lands across the sea, but the harshness of the sea life was a deterrent to these goals.
So, stuck on their island, they fell apart and fought amongst each other. They splintered into separate groups and waged war after war against one another. They specialized in the creation of weapons, alchemical medicines, poisons, and diseases.
It was the last one that proved to be their downfall. One disease was so virulent and spread so quickly that those separate peoples were often wiped out in a matter of days. The Rem'Naruul took notice, however, and ended their constant feuds to find a cure for the plague.
They eventually thought they had one, but all they ended up doing was changing it. Instead of killing them outright, it severed the link the brain had with the body and it forced a symbiotic relationship onto their hosts. The bodies swiftly became deceased, but the brains still functioned, supplied with the energy given off by the disease that now functioned for them.
A pseudo nerve system was constructed. The body could still move, but all functions required for life ceased. The virus even was able to "resurrect" those whose brains had not rotted too much.
With this new state came entirely new behavioral patterns. The Rem'Naruul withdrew into themselves. They became isolated and no longer sought out what lay across the sea nor did they declare war on themselves.
However, the plague had also spread to the wildlife and soon the entire island was consumed by it until every creature once alive was now dead.
The Rem'Naruul continue to train their forces for inevitable war. They have discovered new ways to restock the island with wildlife, only to see them mysteriously die shortly thereafter. The plague has been wiped out as far as they know. Though with so few travelers ever coming to their island, they know little about anything else.
Leaders: TBA
Other: The Rem'Naruul haven't entirely forgotten their war like past. They still want to seek out other nations, but they are far more tempered in their moods. They are exceptionally quick studies and have been known to deconstruct unknown tech and reconstruct it in a way suitable for their own use.
They are traditional undead in that they don't need to eat, sleep, or drink. They don't feel pain, they are capable of moving quickly. Their language is often guttural and is mixed with an intricate sign language. They are capable of reproducing actual speech but very rarely will they do so.
((More to be updated later of course, just wanted to get a rough outline out there.))
Great Houses
House Naruul'Ja
House Naruul'Ja is the largest of the Great Houses. It is known for producing the most powerful individuals of the Rem'Naruul race. Those born into Naruul'Ja are known for their arrogance, their brute strength and endurance. They are the heavy hitters, the powerhouses. They are not known for their tact and very few actually go through the trials of the Path of the Damned.
Males have a higher social standing in the House than females of the species. Males are taught the intricate ways of warfare while women are taught in the political realm. House Naruul'Ja favors swords over words and have a general disdain for any other competitive arena.
Patriach Moqu'lar'dunoka'Ja is on the Council of Liches and is the head of House Naruul'Ja. He is a cowardly man, however, and does not lead his House in battle. The generals and other high ranking family members recognize this but do not act. The Patriarch is chosen by birth and no child raised so far has had the blessing of the Damned Ones.
House Naruul'Ka
House Naruul'Ka is made up by the intellectuals of the Rem'Naruul. The great libraries and scholars are found in the halls of this family. They know the great art of alchemy through and through and have produced a great many beneficial things for their people. They were the first to contain the plague that nearly wiped them all out, and they have refined the art of child birth.
Naruul'Ka have a great disdain for the art of war, an opposite to the House Naruul'Ja. They enjoy the practice of rhetoric and politics. These are the diplomats of the Rem'Naruul, the crafty and wise. They hold no sex above the other, only valuing intelligence. All those who are malformed in birth or incapable of their level of thought are cast out of the House, left to be adopted by the lesser Houses.
The leadership often changes in the House. The Naruul'Ka are not above assassinating their own if they deem them unfit for service. As of now, Matriach Bene'zul'karan'Ka is the official leader, but she does not sit on the Council of Liches. Lich Hara'fen'klania'Ka sits on the Council, but he has been known to defer to the Matriach many times.
House Naruul'Qu
House Naruul'Qu has produced the finest tacticians and assassins the Rem'Naruul have ever had. Naruul'Qu is also the House that created the Path of the Damned and has the most followers. The House is quiet, often keeping to itself. Every one in the House is known to train since their conception in every art, only choosing one to excel at once they come of age. They then apply their chosen art to their pre-designated duty, often producing odd hybrids.
House Naruul'Qu is the most nationalistic of the Houses as well. They hold a fierce pride to their race and have a great distrust for all outsiders. They often create problems for House Naruul'Ka because of this. To win the favor of House Naruul'Qu is to win a very powerful ally.
Patriach Dana'har'ynakul'Qu leads the House and is on the Council of Liches. He is not as skilled in the Path of the Damned, but his skills at subterfuge and assassination are some of the best in the House.
House Naruul'Li
House Naruul'Li produces the race's workers and managers. These are often the grunts, the skilled laborers that oversee the menial workings. They produce good people, but not fantastic. This is not to say they are stupid. There have been some who have rivaled House Naruul'Ka in intelligence, but it is not their main focus.
Women tend to have a higher role in their House. It is the women who often lead while the men work. Part of this is because House Naruul'Li has had the most successful rate of child birth out of all the other Houses.
Matriarch Jage'gar'tuyan'Li sits on the Council but very rarely has an opinion. She normally brings a different view to the Council but rarely pushes an issue.
_______________________________________________
Nas’eko’tanudo’Qu rose to his full height of 7’2”. His long arms crossed over his thin chest, his glowing, red eyes stared out of dark sockets at the men and women kneeling before him. They were dressed in the garb according to their rank in the Path of the Damned. Those in the back were dressed in nothing, their bodies laid out before their kin, no shame in their undeath. As the eye drew closer to the head, more and more clothing, more and more armor was worn, until it stopped at the fully armored Harbingers. These were the highest rank attainable in the Path of the Damned, just short of the Transcendants whose power very few could ever hope to obtain.
Nas’eko’tanudo’Qu was one of the more skilled Harbingers, and the most skilled in his specialty of melee combat. His armor was formed perfectly to his body and made of the ore unique to his nation’s homeland of Kel’Nazu. The ore was found as steel in color, but after shaping and addition of powerful dyes, it could change its color as if it were alive. The Harbingers’ armor was always black. It was formed to personal tastes and needs. Sekot’s was black as the void and with no other adornment placed upon it. His helm covered his face except for his piercing eyes.
“Name the Four Disciplines!” Sekot ordered in his species’ guttural, biting language.
“Body, Mind, Power, Death,” the acolytes murmured as one collective unit.
Sekot nodded, “Body?”
“One must obtain perfection with one’s body. That which holds us is now ours to command. Every muscle, every nerve, is ours. There is no involuntary. There is no pain. There is only speed, agility, and control.”
“Mind?”
“No intrusion shall block one’s thoughts. The mind is a vault, impenetrable and indestructible. The mind is the last to fall. Perceive, deceive, process, act. As one we shall move, as one we shall kill.”
“Power?”
“Take from the weak, prove your place above all else. Stand proud, stand tall at the head of victory and defeat. Succeed or die. Subjugate, overpower, crush, mercy, respect. Hide yourself until the last, then strike with all your might.”
“Death.”
“Though our bodies are dead, though we may rot and fall apart, we stand strong. Death is Truth. Life is a lie, Death is the True Journey. Overcome. Transcend. Rebirth.”
“Through our Path, we gain what we lost and build on what we have. We, as warriors, stand against the world. In Death we were taught our values, in Death we are united. Our body is one, our Mind is one. Power we share, and Death we overcome. We Harbingers stand before the world, spreading our word with blade and potion. No race shall hide from what we say. No race shall not hear of what we bring before the storm that follows.”
The crowd grew silent as Sekot finished. “Now rise. We have one here who wishes to attain the rank of Harbinger. As Harbingers we must screen all those who wish to enter our ranks. He who wishes to rise has the right to challenge any Harbinger for the right to enter. He has chosen me.”
A murmur went through those now standing. The Harbingers present moved to stand behind Sekot, looks of amusement dancing behind their eyes. “Step forward, Kra’yal’zukund’Li.”
A singe armored soldier stepped out of crowd. He was half a foot shorter than Sekot and less bulky. His transition had not been kind to him. “Zuku, of House Naruul’Li, has challenged Sekot of House Naruul’Qu. I accept the challenge.”
Sekot bowed to his opponent who bowed back. A wide circle was made for them on the brown field. Zuku stepped back several steps, his eyes dancing over his opponent to size him up. Sekot looked back but stood straight as a post. Zuku was ambitious, overly ambitious. He felt that he had something to prove. The fact that he had obtained his current rank without clearly holding onto the ideals of the Disciplines was a testament to his skill. But skill alone was not enough to make one a Harbinger. Sekot could see the lankiness in his posture, his lack of respect behind the red eyes.
Zuku charged, unstrapping an axe at his waist. He came in low like he was going to tackle his enemy. Sekot merely sidestepped and raised his knee. Zuku saw it coming and placed one hand on the raised leg and pushed off the ground. As he somersaulted over Sekot, he swung with the axe. With the speed of a muscle twitch, Sekot’s arm was up and batting against the wide part of the axe as he simultaneously leaned backwards. The axe passed harmlessly above his head as Zuku landed in a roll.
Sekot was upon the other before he completed his maneuver. A foot snapped out like a snake’s bite, catching Zuku in the chest and throwing him back onto the grass. Zuku rolled to the left, only to stop when he saw a blade puncturing the ground before him. He turned around again, Sekot’s other blade stopping him. He tried to rise but Sekot delivered a powerful kick to his chest, driving him back onto the ground. “You’re a fool,” Sekot said. “Your speed suffers, your abilities suffer, and you lack the proper mental state to become a Harbinger.”
Zuku gritted his teeth and struck at Sekot’s leg with his axe. Sekot saw the move coming, read the other’s intention in his eyes. It was quick, only a glint of light hinted at any motion. One of Sekot’s blades was suddenly, almost magically, placed in Zuku’s head. The axe dropped to the ground as the body spasmed once before falling silent.
“Only challenge when you are aware of the teachings and can put them to use. Defeat does not bar you from entry, only incompetence.”
To begin, we shall start with a race I created that will most likely change as time evolves.
General Appearance: The Rem'Naruul are bipedal humanoids. The males range from 5'6"-7' in height, the females being 5'0"-6'5". In life, their skin ranged in blue hues, in death their skin takes on a waxy grey. Instead of noses, the Rem'Naruul have two cavities on the front of their faces, exacerbated by rotting flesh. Their eyes sit in deep sockets and normally are colored red.
For the most part, they look like humans. Their arms are at a longer length in proportion to the rest of their body as are their fingers in respect to their hands. Both male and female Rem'Naruul were fairly muscular in life, not ranging much from an athletic appearance. In death, they are of course emaciated and their musculature has dilapidated in some respects.
Geography: The Rem'Naruul are a relatively medium sized population. They stick to themselves for the most part on their island nation.
The island itself is roughly the size of the United Kingdom. Heavily forested, and often covered in thick, poisonous fog, not many can live there beyond the Rem'Naruul and native species.
Government: The Rem'Naruul are governed by the Council of the Lich. On the council are the heads of Houses that oversee different parts of Rem'Naruul society. The Houses commune with one another and trade with one another, but there is still a sense of autonomy between them. A single leader is only chosen at great need.
Religion: Religion is complicated in Rem'Naruul society. There is a single deity at the head, Plageii, and lesser demi-gods, a status the priesthood sect can take. There is a Path of the Damned that is a religion of sorts, a way of life for many of the warrior Rem'Naruul.
For the most part, no Rem'Naruul believes that the gods take an active role in everyday life. They believe that they were created for the sole purpose of being watched.
History: The Rem'Naruul were once a large nation of short lived individuals. They had the same house system but were far more adventurous and war mongering. The other peoples on the island with them were quickly enslaved or eradicated. The Rem'Naruul swiftly sought out lands across the sea, but the harshness of the sea life was a deterrent to these goals.
So, stuck on their island, they fell apart and fought amongst each other. They splintered into separate groups and waged war after war against one another. They specialized in the creation of weapons, alchemical medicines, poisons, and diseases.
It was the last one that proved to be their downfall. One disease was so virulent and spread so quickly that those separate peoples were often wiped out in a matter of days. The Rem'Naruul took notice, however, and ended their constant feuds to find a cure for the plague.
They eventually thought they had one, but all they ended up doing was changing it. Instead of killing them outright, it severed the link the brain had with the body and it forced a symbiotic relationship onto their hosts. The bodies swiftly became deceased, but the brains still functioned, supplied with the energy given off by the disease that now functioned for them.
A pseudo nerve system was constructed. The body could still move, but all functions required for life ceased. The virus even was able to "resurrect" those whose brains had not rotted too much.
With this new state came entirely new behavioral patterns. The Rem'Naruul withdrew into themselves. They became isolated and no longer sought out what lay across the sea nor did they declare war on themselves.
However, the plague had also spread to the wildlife and soon the entire island was consumed by it until every creature once alive was now dead.
The Rem'Naruul continue to train their forces for inevitable war. They have discovered new ways to restock the island with wildlife, only to see them mysteriously die shortly thereafter. The plague has been wiped out as far as they know. Though with so few travelers ever coming to their island, they know little about anything else.
Leaders: TBA
Other: The Rem'Naruul haven't entirely forgotten their war like past. They still want to seek out other nations, but they are far more tempered in their moods. They are exceptionally quick studies and have been known to deconstruct unknown tech and reconstruct it in a way suitable for their own use.
They are traditional undead in that they don't need to eat, sleep, or drink. They don't feel pain, they are capable of moving quickly. Their language is often guttural and is mixed with an intricate sign language. They are capable of reproducing actual speech but very rarely will they do so.
((More to be updated later of course, just wanted to get a rough outline out there.))
Great Houses
House Naruul'Ja
House Naruul'Ja is the largest of the Great Houses. It is known for producing the most powerful individuals of the Rem'Naruul race. Those born into Naruul'Ja are known for their arrogance, their brute strength and endurance. They are the heavy hitters, the powerhouses. They are not known for their tact and very few actually go through the trials of the Path of the Damned.
Males have a higher social standing in the House than females of the species. Males are taught the intricate ways of warfare while women are taught in the political realm. House Naruul'Ja favors swords over words and have a general disdain for any other competitive arena.
Patriach Moqu'lar'dunoka'Ja is on the Council of Liches and is the head of House Naruul'Ja. He is a cowardly man, however, and does not lead his House in battle. The generals and other high ranking family members recognize this but do not act. The Patriarch is chosen by birth and no child raised so far has had the blessing of the Damned Ones.
House Naruul'Ka
House Naruul'Ka is made up by the intellectuals of the Rem'Naruul. The great libraries and scholars are found in the halls of this family. They know the great art of alchemy through and through and have produced a great many beneficial things for their people. They were the first to contain the plague that nearly wiped them all out, and they have refined the art of child birth.
Naruul'Ka have a great disdain for the art of war, an opposite to the House Naruul'Ja. They enjoy the practice of rhetoric and politics. These are the diplomats of the Rem'Naruul, the crafty and wise. They hold no sex above the other, only valuing intelligence. All those who are malformed in birth or incapable of their level of thought are cast out of the House, left to be adopted by the lesser Houses.
The leadership often changes in the House. The Naruul'Ka are not above assassinating their own if they deem them unfit for service. As of now, Matriach Bene'zul'karan'Ka is the official leader, but she does not sit on the Council of Liches. Lich Hara'fen'klania'Ka sits on the Council, but he has been known to defer to the Matriach many times.
House Naruul'Qu
House Naruul'Qu has produced the finest tacticians and assassins the Rem'Naruul have ever had. Naruul'Qu is also the House that created the Path of the Damned and has the most followers. The House is quiet, often keeping to itself. Every one in the House is known to train since their conception in every art, only choosing one to excel at once they come of age. They then apply their chosen art to their pre-designated duty, often producing odd hybrids.
House Naruul'Qu is the most nationalistic of the Houses as well. They hold a fierce pride to their race and have a great distrust for all outsiders. They often create problems for House Naruul'Ka because of this. To win the favor of House Naruul'Qu is to win a very powerful ally.
Patriach Dana'har'ynakul'Qu leads the House and is on the Council of Liches. He is not as skilled in the Path of the Damned, but his skills at subterfuge and assassination are some of the best in the House.
House Naruul'Li
House Naruul'Li produces the race's workers and managers. These are often the grunts, the skilled laborers that oversee the menial workings. They produce good people, but not fantastic. This is not to say they are stupid. There have been some who have rivaled House Naruul'Ka in intelligence, but it is not their main focus.
Women tend to have a higher role in their House. It is the women who often lead while the men work. Part of this is because House Naruul'Li has had the most successful rate of child birth out of all the other Houses.
Matriarch Jage'gar'tuyan'Li sits on the Council but very rarely has an opinion. She normally brings a different view to the Council but rarely pushes an issue.
_______________________________________________
Nas’eko’tanudo’Qu rose to his full height of 7’2”. His long arms crossed over his thin chest, his glowing, red eyes stared out of dark sockets at the men and women kneeling before him. They were dressed in the garb according to their rank in the Path of the Damned. Those in the back were dressed in nothing, their bodies laid out before their kin, no shame in their undeath. As the eye drew closer to the head, more and more clothing, more and more armor was worn, until it stopped at the fully armored Harbingers. These were the highest rank attainable in the Path of the Damned, just short of the Transcendants whose power very few could ever hope to obtain.
Nas’eko’tanudo’Qu was one of the more skilled Harbingers, and the most skilled in his specialty of melee combat. His armor was formed perfectly to his body and made of the ore unique to his nation’s homeland of Kel’Nazu. The ore was found as steel in color, but after shaping and addition of powerful dyes, it could change its color as if it were alive. The Harbingers’ armor was always black. It was formed to personal tastes and needs. Sekot’s was black as the void and with no other adornment placed upon it. His helm covered his face except for his piercing eyes.
“Name the Four Disciplines!” Sekot ordered in his species’ guttural, biting language.
“Body, Mind, Power, Death,” the acolytes murmured as one collective unit.
Sekot nodded, “Body?”
“One must obtain perfection with one’s body. That which holds us is now ours to command. Every muscle, every nerve, is ours. There is no involuntary. There is no pain. There is only speed, agility, and control.”
“Mind?”
“No intrusion shall block one’s thoughts. The mind is a vault, impenetrable and indestructible. The mind is the last to fall. Perceive, deceive, process, act. As one we shall move, as one we shall kill.”
“Power?”
“Take from the weak, prove your place above all else. Stand proud, stand tall at the head of victory and defeat. Succeed or die. Subjugate, overpower, crush, mercy, respect. Hide yourself until the last, then strike with all your might.”
“Death.”
“Though our bodies are dead, though we may rot and fall apart, we stand strong. Death is Truth. Life is a lie, Death is the True Journey. Overcome. Transcend. Rebirth.”
“Through our Path, we gain what we lost and build on what we have. We, as warriors, stand against the world. In Death we were taught our values, in Death we are united. Our body is one, our Mind is one. Power we share, and Death we overcome. We Harbingers stand before the world, spreading our word with blade and potion. No race shall hide from what we say. No race shall not hear of what we bring before the storm that follows.”
The crowd grew silent as Sekot finished. “Now rise. We have one here who wishes to attain the rank of Harbinger. As Harbingers we must screen all those who wish to enter our ranks. He who wishes to rise has the right to challenge any Harbinger for the right to enter. He has chosen me.”
A murmur went through those now standing. The Harbingers present moved to stand behind Sekot, looks of amusement dancing behind their eyes. “Step forward, Kra’yal’zukund’Li.”
A singe armored soldier stepped out of crowd. He was half a foot shorter than Sekot and less bulky. His transition had not been kind to him. “Zuku, of House Naruul’Li, has challenged Sekot of House Naruul’Qu. I accept the challenge.”
Sekot bowed to his opponent who bowed back. A wide circle was made for them on the brown field. Zuku stepped back several steps, his eyes dancing over his opponent to size him up. Sekot looked back but stood straight as a post. Zuku was ambitious, overly ambitious. He felt that he had something to prove. The fact that he had obtained his current rank without clearly holding onto the ideals of the Disciplines was a testament to his skill. But skill alone was not enough to make one a Harbinger. Sekot could see the lankiness in his posture, his lack of respect behind the red eyes.
Zuku charged, unstrapping an axe at his waist. He came in low like he was going to tackle his enemy. Sekot merely sidestepped and raised his knee. Zuku saw it coming and placed one hand on the raised leg and pushed off the ground. As he somersaulted over Sekot, he swung with the axe. With the speed of a muscle twitch, Sekot’s arm was up and batting against the wide part of the axe as he simultaneously leaned backwards. The axe passed harmlessly above his head as Zuku landed in a roll.
Sekot was upon the other before he completed his maneuver. A foot snapped out like a snake’s bite, catching Zuku in the chest and throwing him back onto the grass. Zuku rolled to the left, only to stop when he saw a blade puncturing the ground before him. He turned around again, Sekot’s other blade stopping him. He tried to rise but Sekot delivered a powerful kick to his chest, driving him back onto the ground. “You’re a fool,” Sekot said. “Your speed suffers, your abilities suffer, and you lack the proper mental state to become a Harbinger.”
Zuku gritted his teeth and struck at Sekot’s leg with his axe. Sekot saw the move coming, read the other’s intention in his eyes. It was quick, only a glint of light hinted at any motion. One of Sekot’s blades was suddenly, almost magically, placed in Zuku’s head. The axe dropped to the ground as the body spasmed once before falling silent.
“Only challenge when you are aware of the teachings and can put them to use. Defeat does not bar you from entry, only incompetence.”
