I'll be using this page to collate, draft and re-arrange numerous fragments from older writings, (some of them significantly older), as part of a project to weld them together into a new fantasy roleplaying setting. It might be a bit
gonzo in places for a while. In theory, this is for use with the OVA rpg system.
Components;
CosmologyThe Mana Tree A World Tree, of sorts?
Gods and DemonsA matter of debatable equivalence.
The World of FairyThe world beside.
Dragons and other Monsters of LegendNot Gods, but don't tell them that.
Major RacesStable populations of the following races are significant elements of the world. The following list will be updated as I figure out ability/weakness packages/templates.
Humans [Probably no template]
Elves [Template will focus on them being frail, agile and pretty]
Dwarves. [Template will focus on them being sturdy, strong and slow]
Orcs [Template will focus on them being strong, savage and stupid]
Halflings [Template will focus on them being small, nimble-fingered and frail]
Goblins [Template will focus on them being small, cowardly, stupid, frail and cunning]
Kobolds [Template will focus on them being DRAGONS! I mean, uh, small cowardly idiots with great endurance and speed]
HybridizationUnlike many other settings, I'm making various common races officially half-races and their biology and culture will reflect this. Generally speaking, Hybrid races are either sterile or have severe fertility issues, much like Mules in real life. The following races are, as a side-effect of their new natures, generally rare.
Hybrid RacesHalf Elves - Elf/Human. Probably has weaker version of Elf template.
Half Orcs - Orc/Human, weaker version of Orc Template.
Gnomes - Dwarf/Halfling, nimble fingers from halfling, slow speed from Dwarf?
Hobgoblin - Orc/Goblin, less strong than an orc, less frail than a goblin.
Bugbear - Goblin/Ogre, Huge, Powerfully strong and almost too dumb to live.
Minor Races Some possible minor races follow, for reference.
Ogres
Lizardfolk
Jumi [Gem hearted mysteries]
Population CentresLakath the Wicked, partially ruined human
Megapolis.
Shall likely be mostly adapted from [the original incarnation of Lakath](
http://www.bigbangburgerbar.co.uk/Forum/index.php/topic,567.0.html)
Floating Mountain of the Dwarven Republic.
King-less Dwarves in a society dabbling with civically minded Necromancy and gigantic floating skycastles.
Floral Island Nation of the Elves of the
Minai Gwaith.
Elves are jerks. These elves are jerks mostly because they think that only elves are actually people. Everything else lacks a real soul. They're not that bad people, considering. A little inward looking, but generally benevolent and with a culture rich in art, poetry and all those elven lovelinesses.
Distant coastal towns of the Sea-monster hunting Saeormur Fliss Elves.
These Elves are weird. Ephemeral and dreamy as Elves can often be, these Elves are never the less rather hardy culturally speaking. They live on grim volcanic shores and make a living hunting terrifying sea creatures. They're not particularly sensible creatures and they tend to be a lot earthier in their humour and etiquette than other elven cultures.
Here follows the original write-up of the Saeormur, from a long time ago. I'll split it out into it's own post later when I start properly tweaking and editing.
Cultural Background –
Name of People: Saeormur Fliss (Say-Orm-ur Fliss)
Species: Elves
Also Known As: Oceanic Elves
Physical Traits:
Short of stature, round of face and hard of limb. They are usually a pale skinned, dark haired people, with incredibly dark eyes of anything from exotically thin and slanted through almond shaped and sometimes even quite round. Though their skin is usually quite pale and they don't tan very quickly, their skin does darken as they age, though mainly through the weathering of the elements.
Traditionally, the Women wear their hair short and the men wear theirs long, in loose tails or free to the wind. Saeormur women dress as sensibly as the men in almost all cases, partly due to the fact that theirs is a Matriarchy and that they not only share the physical labour but also often handle the more dangerous jobs, such as Hunting, or Captaining the hunting and trading vessels.
Psychological Trends:
A strange mix of giddy positivity and introspective gloominess, The Saeormur are as enigmatic and ever-changing as the sea from which they draw almost all of their resources.
They are rather fanciful Romantics, almost obsessively so. However, They are possibly the earthiest of all elves. They are blunt, they are at times rather crude even by some human societies standards, and they are much more physical them most of their cousins in both their endeavors and their manners.
A Saeormur Elf will cheerfully discuss bowel movements or the state of their love-life with their entire family, and frequently do. Such conversation is considered quite normal, and is not 'out of place' even at the dinner table during feast-days.
One of the Saeormur Fliss is also usually quick and more than happy to return advice on such matters, sometimes quite graphic in nature.
Further, They seem almost incapable of understanding that such blunt earthiness could make other races uncomfortable. They tend to see other races as curiously childlike at times, with their squeamishness. At others, they seem to the Saeormur to be almost mortally grim and stern.
Saeormur Fliss are tolerant and accepting of other cultures, but tend to hold quite firmly to their own culture, rarely moderating themselves much to spare the sensibilities of those around them.
Clearly, to be a Saeormur Fliss is the best thing to have been born as, or so the saying roughly translates.
Culture:
The Saeormur are traditionally matriarchal, with their communities usually governed by a council of elders. The Council is usually all-female, but even in the rare case of a male holding a chair on the council, the head of the council is always a woman. Most Saeormur find the concept of a male Chief of Council to be somehow innately abhorrent, an appointment doomed to end in disaster.
Living as they do on their cold and storm-wracked shores, the Saeormur Fliss are not known for their flowing, diaphanous summer-dresses. Rather, living as they do primarily on a diet of seafood, specifically the flesh of 'Sea Monsters' and assorted beasts of the depths, they tend to wear thick padded leathers, usually fashioned from the hide of various Sea-beasts, usually lined with Sheep or Goat-skin. Sea-Bear hide and fur is also a common material, but such is reserved for generally higher quality garments and can be expensive, though it is very popular with Saeormur warriors.
Most Saeormur wear such heavy duty clothing whether their trade takes them to Sea or merely out and about town. However, in the comfort and safety of the home, things are rather different.
Traditionally, a Saeormur home is kept thoroughly well heated. As cold as the outside world may get, a Saeormur home is always hot and comfortable. Furs are customarily draped across floors and furnishings and soft woods underfoot make for an almost sensual, sauna like experience.
This warmth is vital, for the Saeormur reaction to such cold and stormy weather as they usually experience most of the year is to turn the home into a haven where restrictive, heavy clothes are completely unnecessary. Loose, light clothes, or very little at all are worn. A Saeormur home is intensely private and informal.
Of course, such open attitude to the body is not limited to private moments, Family gatherings have a similar loose, comfortable dress code and grand in-door gatherings, though slightly more formal, are often almost as likely to feature members of both sex looking to a foreign observer as if they are wearing their bedclothes.
Such gatherings usually revolve around food, or simple games. The culture of the Ballroom and so on are quite alien to the Saeormur. Music is more communal and participatory than otherwise, and dancing is a spontaneous, joyful thing.
That said, the concept of Masked, or Costume Balls has been embraced by the Saeormur in their own manner, and some Feast-Days do revolve around elaborate, whimsical costumes and light hearted play acting.
Though essentially happy to trade with almost any racial group or sentient species, the Saeormur have on many occasions known conflict. Being a strong willed, almost stubborn people has led them into opposition at some point with many races, though their homeland's remote location has largely spared them the usual conflicts with monstrous humanoids such as the Orcs and Goblinoids, (leaving them with a much less prejudiced point of view, when interacting with said creatures) they have at times had extended problems with the denizens of the Underworld and various Aquatic Empires.
They also frequently have problems with Pirates, though it is rare that a Saeormur Vessel is slow enough for another race's to actually waylay, and rare indeed is a Saeormur vessel incapable of more than just handling themselves. Given the nature of their usual prey, the average Saeormur hunting vessel is usually bristling with heavily armoured elves, so they rarely attempt to run from all but the most fearsome of pirate ships.
When they do need to fight, Saeormur culture traditionally favors pole-arms and similar weaponry. Javelins, Spears and Halberds, occasionally even scythe-like weaponry are all common amongst the Saeormur. Bow use is not unheard of, especially when fighting traditional battles, or in the defense of a ship, but the Spear-related culture of Sea-monster hunting is a very strong factor in Saeormur tradition. Most archers of any note have picked up their trade in order to aid in the defence of their hunting ships. Given the matriarchal nature of Saeormur society, it is unsurprising to note that that it is usually the females who dedicate themselves most often to the Hunt, with the Menfolk consequentially being much more likely to take up archery, a practice that holds little of the prestige that it would in other elven communities.
Relatively speaking, the Saeormur Fliss have very little to do with magic in comparison to their cousins. A Saeormur spell-caster is most likely to be a Sorcerer or Bard. Druids are not completely unheard of, and some small few find themselves called to become Clerics. However, the latter are rare because the Saeormur Fliss are quite an irreligious people. They acknowledge the existence of the Gods, but otherwise wish to have as little to do with them as possible.
This attitude revolves around the paradox of acknowledging that the Gods exist and but holding that they are not, in the Saeormur view of the things, entities that are as innately superior and worthy as they are commonly held to be. The Saeormur view the Gods as little more than extremely powerful Outsiders or extra-planar entities and generally refrain from directly worshipping any. However, they tend to view and treat these powerful and unpredictable beings with respect where possible.
