Hephzibah
New Member
This a thread where I will include and link to information about the different people groups, their technologies, and the factions that exist within the different lands.
Here is the link to interest thread.
Here is the link to the character sheets.
Here is the link to the OOC chat.
The Palarians: Where did they come from?
Long ago, the Palarians took over the land the Mikrosi used to call "namai" which meant "home" in their native tongue and renamed it "Soli" in honor of Isrit, their god of Light and Sun. They were once upon a time just a satellite of the greater powerful country called Dunamis which exists much further west. The country of Soli is very much independent of Dunamis now, and its people are very much their own. The people of Dunamis are still very much powerful and sell many of their captives of war in Soli. The Palarians extend respect to them, as they share many traits with each other.
The disenfranchised people of Soli:
There exist some people in the land of Soli who are retired military peoples, still waiting for their Emperor to carry out his promise of giving them their on plot of land and a pension. Thus far this promise has not been carried out, even as he receives tribute annually from the neighboring countries, leaving the people who once served the country to fend for themselves economically. This leaves these retired military people feeling very disenfranchised with their Emperor and country and feel some sense of kinship with the enslaved Mikrosi people who are also struggling economically, even as they still feel superior.
The metal used to create the diamond hard chain mail the Palarians use in war is called Pali. It is incredibly strong, but very lightweight and can be welded. It must be mined from deep in the earth - a work the Mikrosi slaves carry out.
Warfare is still sword against sword, spear against spear, arrow against arrow, shield against shield.
Felix and fellow craftsmen were to be given a handsome reward if they could come up with a way to transport a large number of soldiers and goods to far away countries more efficiently.
Currently, the steam locomotive is under construction and exists only in theory, although all the necessary bits of knowledge and technology are there to make it come into existence. The craftsmen are currently in the process of constructing one, and the Emperor is itching to find a way to create a pass for the locomotive through the very mountains that shelter the Eleos.
Slaves that serve in Palarian homes typically sleep in a room or building, if there are multiple slaves, designated to them by the head of the house.
Many Mikrosi are servants to wealthy landowners who have fields of corn, cotton, and wheat that need to be planted and harvested every year. Life under the ownership of landowners tends to be better than life in the slave camps, although it is still not great. However, they do often get their own slave quarters and are allowed to celebrate certain festivals, trade in the market, and sometimes if their owners are impressed by their work, they might receive a small amount of money they can use to spend or to save. Some owners are harsh and unforgiving, however, and there are no laws that protect Mikrosi slaves from being mistreated and abused.
The Eleos live in yurts - a round tent covered with skins and felt laid over a wooden frame. It is a fairly solid structure and provides much needed protection from wind, rain, and snow.
Here is the link to interest thread.
Here is the link to the character sheets.
Here is the link to the OOC chat.
The Palarian People:
The Palarians: Where did they come from?
Long ago, the Palarians took over the land the Mikrosi used to call "namai" which meant "home" in their native tongue and renamed it "Soli" in honor of Isrit, their god of Light and Sun. They were once upon a time just a satellite of the greater powerful country called Dunamis which exists much further west. The country of Soli is very much independent of Dunamis now, and its people are very much their own. The people of Dunamis are still very much powerful and sell many of their captives of war in Soli. The Palarians extend respect to them, as they share many traits with each other.
The disenfranchised people of Soli:
There exist some people in the land of Soli who are retired military peoples, still waiting for their Emperor to carry out his promise of giving them their on plot of land and a pension. Thus far this promise has not been carried out, even as he receives tribute annually from the neighboring countries, leaving the people who once served the country to fend for themselves economically. This leaves these retired military people feeling very disenfranchised with their Emperor and country and feel some sense of kinship with the enslaved Mikrosi people who are also struggling economically, even as they still feel superior.
The technology of Soli and Mikrosi slave labor:
Soli is in the beginning stages of the industrial revolution. They are just beginning to harness the power of steam. There is no electricity, but the cotton gin has been built. Now they have just begun to learn how to create a machine that can transport goods using steam - the steam locomotive. Many Mikrosi slaves work in the cotton fields or are mining for metals and coal. Now many are being used to lay the tracks for the new invention of the steam locomotive.
The metal used to create the diamond hard chain mail the Palarians use in war is called Pali. It is incredibly strong, but very lightweight and can be welded. It must be mined from deep in the earth - a work the Mikrosi slaves carry out.
Warfare is still sword against sword, spear against spear, arrow against arrow, shield against shield.
The invention of the steam engine:
Many Palarian artisans and craftsmen are employed by the Emperor. Much of the goods and wealth coming in from the other countries every year is being used to go towards the creation of new weapons and technologies. For a long time, it was necessary for large amounts of Pali to be mined. This lightweight and tough metal is one of the big reasons why the Palarians are so successful in battle. The Mikrosi people provided much of the labor for this undertaking. A significant challenge, though, was that often mines would be flooded with water. A brilliant inventor by the name of Felix who had been experimenting with the power of steam for a while on the side discovered that steam could be used to pump water out of mines. Once he discovered this, he and his other fellow craftsmen kept tweaking this steam engine prototype to make it even more efficient. They discovered that a highly efficient steam engine, if inside an airtight container constructed of the lightweight Pali, could turn a wheel.
Felix and fellow craftsmen were to be given a handsome reward if they could come up with a way to transport a large number of soldiers and goods to far away countries more efficiently.
Currently, the steam locomotive is under construction and exists only in theory, although all the necessary bits of knowledge and technology are there to make it come into existence. The craftsmen are currently in the process of constructing one, and the Emperor is itching to find a way to create a pass for the locomotive through the very mountains that shelter the Eleos.
Palarians homes:
Most middle class Palarian people live in insulae-like structures - two room "apartments" that they own made of stone, connected to other insulae. The wealthy live in single dwelling homes and typically have multiple slaves.
Mikrosi homes:
The Mikrosi typically live in slave camps and are ordered around by Palarian guards to mine Pali and coal or lay what will be tracks for the railroad. They live in homes constructed with straw bales to create some insulation. (Straw bale construction is a very old way of building. The finished product can range from shack-like to very sophisticated.)
Slaves that serve in Palarian homes typically sleep in a room or building, if there are multiple slaves, designated to them by the head of the house.
Mikrosi life/Social structure:
The Mikrosi who live in slave camps are typically slaves that are being used by the Palarian nation and Emperor Akros himself to mine. They are kept in line both by Taskmasters, who are often unforgiving, and the guards who are there to keep them from escaping. Life in slave camps is hard. It is not totally devoid of leisure, though - although this is mainly to keep slaves healthy. In slave camps, the slaves are allowed to grow small gardens and raise a few goats or sheep. When they are not mining, they are tending to these gardens and their livestock. They are given one day off every seven days to tend to their personal matters and trade, unless the Emperor declares they are in a time of war. Then they work near all day and all night, brutally, in shifts.
Many Mikrosi are servants to wealthy landowners who have fields of corn, cotton, and wheat that need to be planted and harvested every year. Life under the ownership of landowners tends to be better than life in the slave camps, although it is still not great. However, they do often get their own slave quarters and are allowed to celebrate certain festivals, trade in the market, and sometimes if their owners are impressed by their work, they might receive a small amount of money they can use to spend or to save. Some owners are harsh and unforgiving, however, and there are no laws that protect Mikrosi slaves from being mistreated and abused.
The Palarian Military
Anyone can become a member of the Palarian military force. Men of a certain age in Soli can be drafted in times of war, but in times of peace it is mainly voluntary and the military is used to guard the slave camps, exact tax from citizens, act as "police" (often people will go up to soldiers, trying to get them to take their side in disputes that arise spontaneously in the public square), and patrol the border of their region. However, even slaves can become part of the military so long as they pay for their own weapon. Slaves that become soldiers are typically given a lower wage than other soldiers and often get pushed around by the Palarian soldiers, but they do have a measure of independence other slaves do not have. They can typically afford very small plots of land. They are often viewed by other Mikrosi people as traitors or weak-willed, but some Mikrosi people - especially those who work in slave camps - feel sympathetically towards them.
Currency
Within Soli, people trade using a silver coin that has a picture of the Emperor's face on it. It is worth a day's wage and is called a talent. Twenty-five talents are equivalent to one gold coin called the etos. Neighboring countries who deal with the Palarians also use this currency. Most smaller people groups such as the Elios, though, mainly barter unless they're trading in Soli.
The Elios People
Elios technology/homes:
The Eleos have a deep tie with nature and would think of any "new technology" as rather artificial and wrong. They do not rely on agriculture and see no need to rely on any machinery. They raise livestock and tend to orchards in their valley and trade when they have need for anything. Whenever there is a dispute, the problem is brought up with the Elders.Elios technology/homes:
The Eleos live in yurts - a round tent covered with skins and felt laid over a wooden frame. It is a fairly solid structure and provides much needed protection from wind, rain, and snow.
Elios and "bonding"
The art of bonding with an animal is one that has been passed down through the Elios for generations. To bond with a familiar is to, in some sense, share one's life. Bonding is a process, and once it is completed, there is no turning back. The first part of bonding is called "establishing ties", which involves spending time with the animal and gaining their trust. After trust has been gained, the person and the animal can move on to "rites", which is when the person bows to the animal and promises them their loyalty until death. If the animal accepts, it too, will bow, and the process is complete. The two are bonded. Animals that are bonded tend to age more slowly. When their partner starts showing signs of age, so do they. If someone's familiar is killed before they themselves die, they can bond with a new animal, although it is said that this is difficult since one must grieve properly first before doing so.
Mixed race peoples:
As countries interacted with each other and traded, there have been, inevitably, relations between the Eleos, the Mikrosi, and the Palarians.
Palarian/Mikrosi
Some Palarians had relations (often sadly non-consensually) with Mikrosi slaves. These children are shorter and less strong than the average Palarian, although they do possess more strength, speed, and agility than the average Mikrosi. They also tend to have, like the Mikrosi, very beautiful voices. They are seen as slightly elevated though still inferior people by the Palarians and are referred to them as "half-breeds", and they are often regarded as suspicious by the Mikrosi, as many of these children grow up to become part of the Palarian military in order to gain social status.
Mikrosi/Eleos
Referred to as Sirens by the Eleos or as snow children or snow child by the Mikrosi, these children are fair, either average height or short, and usually grow up bathed in one culture or another. A snow child who grows up in Mikrosi culture might have a way with animals, but does not know how to properly bond with any of them. A siren who grows up among the Eleos may have a beautiful singing voice but have no knowledge of the old songs that carry so much power by the Mikrosi people.
Eleos/Palarian:
This is extremely rare, as both peoples have a distaste for the other. In the off-chance it does happen, it is probably kept a secret. These children would end up being slightly taller than the average Eleos. They would either have grown up in Palarian culture or in as a member of the Eleos. They would be more bronze-skinned than the average Eleos. They would, like the snow children, have a way with animals but have no way to properly bond with them if they do not grow up with the Eleos people.
The Old Mikrosi Songs:
A song of healing:
Your heart is strong
I hear it beating
Your lungs are strong
I hear you breathing
Your spirit is strong
I feel it fighting
A song of protection:
Your skin is hard
like a shield
Your feet are swift
like the deer's
Your eyes are sharp
like a hawk's
Your enemies feet
are slow
they trip on tree roots
Their arrows and swords
cannot reach you
Though they search for you
They will not find you.
The sowing song:
The earth is soft
as we plant seeds
into the rich soil
It is richer than gold
richer than precious jewels
We will delight ourselves
in the richest of fare.
The reaping song:
The wheat sways in the wind
tall and proud.
The sun beats our backs.
Our sickles are sharp
as we bend our backs
to reap the grain.
A song of healing:
Your heart is strong
I hear it beating
Your lungs are strong
I hear you breathing
Your spirit is strong
I feel it fighting
A song of protection:
Your skin is hard
like a shield
Your feet are swift
like the deer's
Your eyes are sharp
like a hawk's
Your enemies feet
are slow
they trip on tree roots
Their arrows and swords
cannot reach you
Though they search for you
They will not find you.
The sowing song:
The earth is soft
as we plant seeds
into the rich soil
It is richer than gold
richer than precious jewels
We will delight ourselves
in the richest of fare.
The reaping song:
The wheat sways in the wind
tall and proud.
The sun beats our backs.
Our sickles are sharp
as we bend our backs
to reap the grain.
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