Areas

2.AREAS:

2.1 Keltoi:

a. Dinas Ator (the City of): Founded originally as a trading post by the Thessalonians to trade with the River Keltoi and on the way to the lands of the Galadh, but it over time has gained its independence, not only in government, but in culture. Most Keltoi in Dinas are River Keltoi, their dialect shows it. Most local merchants are members of River Keltoi clans. The Merchants have started a oligarchy much like the one the Thessa have, clan politics is heating up.

b. The River Keltoi live on the river and lakes of the Keltoi area. Either on rafts or in the case of the Lake Keltoi they will live in towns on pilings. Their lives filled with trading, fishing.. Some live on their barges, and some live on islands in the middle of the rivers/lakes, some natural and some man made (pillings or other means). They play their trades across the lands via the rivers. Trading horses for materials you can only get in Dinas Ator and other towns..

c. Plains Keltoi: Sort of a cross between Scythians and ancient Keltoi before the Celts migrated into Western Europe. Daily life is to follow their horses and cattle across the endless plains. Master equestrians. They have a home Tuatha (hill fort) that they retire to in winter, it is manned by members of all clans so that no one clan rules..

d. Northern, often called Mountain Keltoi. Sheep/goatherders, mountain tribesman, much like the Highlanders of myth. Of ten traveling in small family units, little more than brutes some are, and some are better off.

Keltoi in common are roughly based on Celtic culture, varied periods. From Hallstatt/La Tene to modern. Normally they are divided into families, septs, clans, and in some areas into tribes. The clans maybe based on decent, need, etc. Clans maybe based on decent: McDonalds as an example. By mythical decent: McLugh as an example (since Lugh is an old Celtic god). Also by being the Bear People, such as the Eagle Clan. Bear Clan, etc. By association, many old Scottish septs/clans were not normally related to the main sept, but had a strong association with the main sept.

Fostering: Is normally used to build relationships between Lord and Vassal, Lord and tenants, Lord and Lord, Lord and Ruler. Since when a person so fostered grows up, they often can call on not only their family, and clan, but also their foster parents family and clan.

Geas: Many Keltoi have some form of Geas on themselves. Often it is minor, but sometimes it can be quite strict or interesting, especially when two conflict. Most Keltoi have a home base, that is occupied by a small group of the family, and the rest then travel the plains/rivers/mountains with their herds or trade. The Home base is often called a Tuatha (hill fort, similar in concept to the Greek POLIS), or Clan or Tribal Castle. Even if the Tuatha is on a lake/raft.

2.2 Galadh/High Cities:

The Galadh/High Cities of are a related group to the Keltoi, but they are of a higher civilization and culture. They have been fighting a slow war with the Slime (Cthuluian like), which has made the swamp grow until all the cities are seperated on little islands in the ever widening swamp, there is some trade, but most is well armed. Jeorg a old networld friends one time area.

2.3 Thessolania:

Merchant principality. Ruled by a Archon, selected from the prominent families. Of which there is normally seven. (Archon also called Tyrannous). Roughly based loosly on ancient Syracuse and the Italian city states of the early renaissance).

Cities Family Leader

Alphis Alphian Phillip Antipathes

Macedonis Macedonian Hipplyta Macedonious

Korris Korrien Katsuloss

Theskis Theskian Alexandrias

Malthis Malthian Nestor Ptisti

Zellis Zellian Dreux Zellis

Julianis Julianian Georgias

Current Archon is Philip Antipathes of the family of Alphian, but this changes from time to time since politics is what the people of Thessalonia live for, makingmoney just pays for it. With each family head being a member of the Merchants Council which advise the Archon.

2.4 Elderan:

Area west of The Keltoi area, full of mystery, rumored to have a colony of Shinda (Elves) living there. To include a possible domed city and all that entails. Other colonies of Shinda have often been deserted, or so well hidden no one can find them.

2.5 Awalpi:

No much know of it (have to ask its online owner for more info). It is to the west of the Keltoi lands, beyond the Eldaran Forest, they have a wall/dike to protect themselves from the Forest as well as any Keltoi raiders, as well as have been woring on a road thru the forest to a limited success, so as to cut out the Thessa traders who have limited trade with them.

2.6 Arasaka:

Based on a loose interpretation of Japan during the early years about the time of the rise of the Shogun or there abouts.

2.7 Atzatlan: Loosely based on the Aztec/Meso-American, with very little of the blood shed, since it is a sort of recrereation, but recently they have been taking to heart the old ideals.

2.8 Mandana: Not sure where it will be at, but loosely based on plains indians of the pre-colonial period, with horses gotten from other humans or they brought them from earth..

2.9 The Satra lands: To the NW of the Lands of the Galadhm they are a loose collective tribal network. To know more of their culture see the races section.

2.10 Shinda Cities: a. Those still floating. b. Those that have fallen to earth, but have not gone underground, few and well hidden. c. The Domed Cities.

2.11 Dinas Ator:

Originally founded as a trading post of the Thesslanian merchants guild, but as the local population grew especially from the Keltoi population with some influx of Galadh from the north, they city has slowly gained its independence from outside influences and it serves this nicely, as a place where River Keltoi can trade their goods from the interior, the other Keltoi can trade horses and like with forgeign merchants, as well as a nice rest stop between the Galadh lands the lands of Thessaly to the south, since across the Sea of Thessa is not always a good idea and many mercants are not willing to cross it, especially in the winter months. Also some Dinas merchants have started to send out their own ships to trade.

2.12 Z'am'chu:

Living on the Island called Mekhezha, to the SE of the Lands of Thessa, they live in a highly imperialistic/aristocratic lands, human of race (?), with a manifest destiny that no one can deny them, filled with intrigue, they look at the world as already their, just one problem, their system of government is so confusing, only a master understand part of it. Trade is possible with them, but be warned, they may think you belong to them. Marks area.

2.13 Vokhommen:

Not into the Lords, they distrust them at best, and think them usurpers and demons at worsted, based on a collection of Indo-European ideas. The One is more than happy to create/make the Vokhommen Gods come to life(?).

Race/Culture's name: Vokhoman (pronounced 'voh-KHOH-man'), plural Vokhomans. This is an anglicisation of a name that means 'the human beings who speak'. Physical desxription of the race: (especially if not human or normal race). Pure human of broadly European descent. Fairskinned but as they live out in the open tend to be weathered and tanned. Hair is dark in colour with only a small number tending to be fairhaired. Short in build, averaging around 5'0 or 1.5m (like me). Stocky and hardy in build, but the tendency to obesity was bred out of them generations ago (I wish). Eyes have a epicentric or mongoloid flap. All Vokhomans look like they were born on horseback, even the towndwellers. Cultural description basic stuff, but also look at below: Vokhomans are divided into two different social groups. Towndwellers and Pastoralist/herders. The warrior and noble classes are always herders, the artisans and minor officials are always towndwellers. The herders provide protection for the towns and raw materials, the towndwellers make and trade commodies that are not available on the land. Both groups are mutually dependent on each other. Government form description: The highest office is the Patriarch, a religious title but literally a sacred king who performs the rites that link the upper and middle worlds. Elected for life by the templemasters, he must retire or be deposed if he is seen to fail in his office. While the Patriarch holds little temporal power he is also the spiritual head of the Vokhoman nation and no one in high office can be seen as legitimate unless they cultivate his influence. This also applies to non-Vokhomans. Outside of the temples and the lands they own within Etsiya, the Vokhomans are governed by lords. These are usually descended from powerful nobles among the pastoralists and control regions that encompass several towns. The lords have to be judicious in keeping contact with the towns to govern them and keeping links with their own clansmen on the land. Usually they spend the winter months domiciled in the towns, and the summer months travelling with the herds and possibly campaigning against each other and against outsiders. It takes a truly great leader to unite all Etsiya under one lord and this happens only rarely. Rulers, and known peoples name and description: Under development. Religion: Vokhomans believe that in the beginning the Universe was darkness and water. When God set the Universe in order the good and evil creatures came into being. The goddess defeated the evil ones and banished them. She established and rites and conducts that keep them at bay. If the Vokhomans preserve these observances they will join the company of Ancestors in the upper world, if not they will join the ghosts and demons who may overthrow the good order of the universe. Nobody wants that. Names of deities - Their powers and area of control or basic filosofy of things: God, the first conscious being, the supreme diety with both male and female aspects. According to Vokhoman beliefs God is hidden and each person must find the inutterable Name of God inside themselves. Medva, the goddess, a personification of light. She defeated the demons at the creation and lead the Vokhomans out of the earth. She acts as mediator between them and God. Newborn children are presented before her in the temples as a rite of passage. The lesser deities. The commonly known ones are Peltvia, the personification of the broad earth, and the Neras who dwell in the flowing waters. With the help of the religious rites they keep the demons and ghosts at bay. Trade and products: Money? Barter? What products. The Vokhomans use gold-coloured coins they call sunwheels. There are smaller coins that are worth half, quarter, or a third of a sunwheel. It is not known what the exchange rate is. Ask a Z'am'chu. Most of their trade comes from the animals they herd: diary products, hides, wool and meat. They use ceramics to adorn their architecture, and appear to have some access to metals which they work, iron, bronze, gold and silver. They also trade their sturdy mountain horses (Przelski's horse - sp?). Their religion involves some degree of literacy and book production. Magic and what types? Even if it is tech: Magic is an attribute of the goddess. Vokhomans distrust foreign magic because they can't trace it back to her. So magic is closely related to their religion, probably scholarly and ceremonial and applied to everyday life - charms that ward off things against people and cattle for instance.

Some Vokhomans can practice shapeshifting. They are called Vettens or Wolfdancers. They dress in animal skins and take on the attributes of those animals. These people are honoured among the Vokhomans because they do ceremonial performances at certain times of the year. In a role-playing situation I would expect these people might have special non-combattant skills related to their totems. The particular animals are the wolf, the bear and the lion. Organizations that are common thru the region: Religious orders exist in the temples, and lay people join religious brotherhoods for identity and support. There is also the lords and the governors, and the guilds. How well do they handle non-members of their race/culture: Foreigners regularly travel through Etsiya because it provides the most direct route between north and south Abrigon. Vokhomans expect to meet such people and profit from them. Because outsiders don't share in their religious perceptions the Vokhomans have some reservations about them. Any specific dislikes or likes and why: Anything that does not fit into natural criteria that they are accustomed to will be categorized as demonic and treated with hostility. This would cover anything that deviates further from the human norm than a satra. Racial: Physical desription as well as how would someone role play one as well as have a character as a member. Their physical description fits human as given above. They are class conscious, divided between nobles, freeborn and slaves. The household is the basic unit in Vokhoman life. While all members are subject to the master of the household, they can have no identity without it. It is their link to the rest of their society. Loyalty is everything to them. Their environment demands that they be tough to survive, their culture and religion preaches that they must be generous towards each other and honour the social contracts that binds them together. Genders: two. Animals: Domesticated animals include horses, donkeys, cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, cats, pigs, chickens, and bees. Significant wild animals include wolves, bears, lions, boars, deer, dragons, otters, mice, eagles, ravens, and geese. Dietary things: Vokhomans grow grains, and some fruit and berries. They depend on the meat and dairy products they derive from their animals. Mead and honey are used in their religious rites and they also brew beer. Plants grown: wheat, millet, rye, apples, walnuts, hazelnuts, cherries, mulberries, flax. - andrew.

The sacred writers have clothed God in a human form, like gleaming amber or fire, and have spoken of its eyes, and ears, and hair, and face, and hands, and wings, and pinions, and arms, and back, and feet. - The Divine Names, 1.8

2.14 Thyndw/Þyndw:

See this for more and conciese info

NAME: Þyndw or Thyndw

PHYSICAL: Elf-like. [Semi]-pointed ears, darkish skin (like middle-eastern) but with light hair (blonde or red, sometimes white) and almost always jade-coloured eyes. There are some variations, but not many.

CULTURE: The Þyndw are a simple, peace-loving, Elven race. Their ancestors are the Sogars and Elves of Câlnima. They make clocks and tools, mainly for wookworking and farming. Many Þyndw are farmers themselves, but the Þûldeð tribe, which lives in the desert, uses heavy irrigation. There is a mountain range between the desert and the jungle (where the Nûldeð tribe lives). Tunnels have been made that go through the mountains to carry water from the rainy Jungle side to the dry desert side. Sometimes the Nûldeðw & the Þûldeðw gather for group activities. The Þyndw love to explore the planet of Âbrygûn and love to hear stories from merchants who buy tools and clocks from them and sell them ores and old tools to work with to make new tools from or to repair if possible (for a fee of course: usually some ores, but they will also accept foreign money that can be used for trade with foreign nations). Every now and then, some rogue Banazoo raid Þyndw vilages for tools, but the Þyndw don't care because they figure that the Banazoo need the tools and can't pay. The religion of the Þyndw (NOT þyndwism [="Hinduism"-"H"+"Th"]!!!) tells them that they shouldn't keep all of the fruits of their labour and that the needy should get some. This is a carry-over from an old unknown religion of the Sogars (you know what that is, right Mark?:), though their main religion is worshiping the nature of Âbrygûn. They worship natural entities as though they are alive, though the Þyndw have no gods.

GOVERNMENT: So far, something like this: Each town has a leader who just makes the major decisions. But a decision cannot be made without a town meeting where everyone is welcome and usually includes a form of compromise. Things get done though. Usually only one meeting which takes pretty much a whole night (refreshment are brought for by whoever wants to bring something for the group).

RULERS: None yet. You should have asked about the Espans or Sogars :)

RELIGION: Nature-worshiping; they have some customs that come from old Elf magic-religions (nature-worshiping as well) and an old unknown Sogar religion (currently (i.e. ~3200 C.E.) they have a nature-worshiping religion similar to Druidism and the Elven religion).

NAME OF DEITIES/PHILOSOPHY: They believe in freedom and equality for all. And education for all [well, for all Thyndw, anyway:), but they try to be kind to other races]. They... (shoot, that's what happens when you look at something else for 10 minutes before continuing the sentence...)

ECONOMICS: Products produced: Tools (swords), clocks, wierd jungle & desert foods maybe.

MAGIC: Some telepathy ... all that's left over from Elven blood. And they can put some magic into swords,mainly only a warning beacon to the user. That's probably what they'd use the Vokhommen precious stones for...

TRIBES: I'll use this as an opportunity to add "Tribes:" Nualdedd and Thualdedd (or with spelling reform: Nûldeð and Þûldeð)

OUTSIDERS: Very welcoming and accepting.

LIKES/DISLIKES: Like exploration and stories from travelers and merchants. Also adore utsu clothes :).

CHARACTER INFO FOR PLAYERS: Underconstruction:

GENDERS: TWO

DIETARY HABITS: Vegitarian mostly, but hunt for their meat if wanted. Plants: fruits, vegetables, corn, beans. They also make bread from their corn and make a dish similar to pizza but with corn-bread (well, bread made from corn, not quite American corn-bread). Also, they make tortillas of a sort, except that they make them so that they are hollow like a Pita (I did that once by accident when making a tortilla and it was cool and delicious). Basically they have flat bread, on which the make the Pitas, and hollow bread which they make something similar to Pitas with. They also have chickpeas that they make a falafel type food from. (I'm listening to "Desert Rose" by Sting and it's such an inspiration for developing the Thyndw).

ANIMALS RAISED: Pets

PLANTS GROWN: Corn (European? or Maize), beans, different veggies and fruits, no wheat (doesn't exist where they live or can't grow); what else can be grown in a desert?

LANGUAGE: Ða difî "The Speech" comes from Deymual "Fire Speech" and Romainsauge ("Roman savages"? or "Savage Roman"? Gypsy language. Ask Mark.) Own and local form of Koine or other.

ADDITIONAL FUN STUFF: CREDITS: Jonathans area And I think the One likes that for now.

2.15 Banazoo:

Banazoo is pronounced... Uh, why do you have to speak English?! "A" is like in "father" and "o" is like in "some", but as there are two pieces of "o", just try to pronounce a very long "o"! It is NOT pronounced like in "cool". All the consonants are like in English in that word. They look pretty human, but... Well, I'm not the only one who has been creating Pinclans, (there are 3 of us, though the others are little more grown up than I am [actually I was born some months before them, but that's not important] and don't play with Pinclans as much) and I bet the others would disagree with me if I now claimed something I'd like to. The main physical difference are the stretchings, but there are others too. Anyway, I must say something, so... Pinclan children are more strongly built than most Human children. Pinclans can climb like apes and they have excellent strength in arms by nature. They are also more musical than Humans, on an average. They are not so keen on time and exact hours than Humans, probably because they live longer. Pinclan hair grow very fast comparatively with Humans - if you shave a Pinclan man, he will have his hair to the shoulders in less than two Earth months, and his body hairs are back to normal in two Earth weeks. That's why most PInclans don't care to shave themselves or cut their hair much. Fortunately Pinclan nails don't grow that fast. All Banazoo, women, men and children, only shave their head after their stretchings. Their thick, wavy, greenish black hair usually reach their calves. They love to tie colourful ribbons and all kinds of symbols up their hair. Banazoo carry also important things light in weight tied up to their hair. And no, their hair won't go as shaggy as our hair. Banazoo skin is either dark reddish brown (80%) or dark green (20%). That is the result of their ancestor skin colours - the Wolves were almost black, the Tigers were anything between light and dark brown, the Foxes were yellowish brown and the Frogs were light green. Banazoo eyes are chocolate brown (62%), all black (24%), green (11%) or very light blue (3%). What's more, they may have change streaks in any colour in their eyes. In fact Banazoo believe that they who have light blue eyes have supernatural powers, so these children are expected to go to the monasteries. Pinclans are "harder to kill" than Humans. Most of them are immune against many fatal diseases, or then they survive after being sickly for a while. They may digest twigs and hay and insects, though they don't like that food. They are (even) more fertile than Humans (which is the damn reason why did the ancestors of Banazoo leave the planet Pii!) As you can see, Pinclans are a kind of masterpiece of evolution, if its demand is to increase and stay alive. Don't worry, the Banazoo averages have only 6 children ;-) I think I should also mention how do they dress themselves... It is cool on the mountains, so they have wollen ponchos and trousers. Under them they keep long shirts and trousers made of a fungus (which is like silk yarn) they took with them from Pii. Women and men and children all use same kind of clothes. I think most non-Pinclans wouldn't notice which sex a single Banazoo represents ;-) for they are all so sturby and have same clothes and hairdo. Religon is seems to be a plurity of deities they brought from their home land/planet. Skin is dark cause of less protection from the sun in the mountains. Trade is in produced products and their methods and materials are closely guarded secrets. Banazoo offer for sale:

- ustu clothes (ustu is the silk yarn like fungus) which are very durable, dirt-repellent and pleasingly soft - wool (animal or otherwise. - skilful stone statues - many kinds of dried delicious mountain vegetables and herbes (seeds are a natural resource, so potential blackmarket in them? Like how Silk worms were secrets). - bridge architechture (ground plans, architect renting/rendering)

I point out that Banazoo make sure that nobody gets the seeds or the seedlings of their plants, and the most guarded thing of theirs is ustu. So you have no entrance on the raw materials and you have to buy their completed productions, which are not cheap.

Well, I'm not the only one who has been creating Pinclans, (there are 3 of us, though the others are little more grown up than I am [actually I was born some months before them, but that's not important] and don't play with Pinclans as much) and I bet the others would disagree with me if I now claimed something I'd like to. Nata's area

Axu:

From: Natalia Gruscha Many of you need to know more about the Axu, so I have thought about it. Here is the description. It is based on the idea that the Lake water is not salty.

Axus are underwater creatures whose main nourishment is fish. Their oblong, stout body ends to seal-like tail, and the another end is the mouth. In fact they look like both ringed seals and dolphins, except that their only eye goes around the body in the neck. Axus can pull their eye in or turn it out to the direction of their mouth or tail.

The mouth is used for eating, whistling and as a hand. They have excellent hearing in their skin. Axus are intelligent, and they have as developed language as Humans do. Whistling is their way to speak. They have alga homes floating under the water, parent living with all her chilren. They love to gather together for dance performances, spectacles etc. Axus of the Great Lake are peaceful, for they all live in the same area, share the same culture and speak the same language.

In the age of 21 or so ( I use the years of planet Pii which means 3 Earth years - somebody please tell me how long is the Abrigon year!) Axu skin becomes to demand salty water. The skin gets rash and aches. That's why all teenage Axus must soon leave for the salty ocean along the underground tunnels. They tend to leave in small groups, friends with each other. Axus live in the ocean for decades. They have build underwater fortifications there to protect themselves from the sea beasts. Axus are sporty, so the inhabitants of different fortifications compete in many events. They compose great musical works and collect information about the sea organisms. During this period in their live many of them die because of the sea beasts and some diseases.

In the age of 51-66, depending on how well does the Axu in question get along in the ocean, the Axus become fertile (the ones who love the ocean will stay infertile longer). There is only one sex, so Axu way to increase is to change genes. During that period tail is their genital. There can be 2-7 Axus mating at the same group, and all who participate get pregnant. The pregnancy lasts for 2 years and during that time Axu skin stands both salty and fresh water. But the Axus are very conscious of the fact that soon after they will give birth to their children their skin stops standing salty water. Besides, their children need fresh water for their first 21 years. That makes the pregnant Axus swim back to the Lake.

In the Lake they give birth to 2-7 children at one delivery - this has nothing to do with the amount of Axus who took part in the mating. Some Axus just have more children than the others. Axus think that the only parent of the children is the one who carried them inside. But the whole society helps in nursing them, and for the Axus who have mated together are also generally good friends, children usually grow up near all their genetic parents. Axus live about 10 years after their children have swum to the salty ocean. That makes their lifetime to be between 80 and 100 years.

These old Axus whose children have gone are the leaders of the Axu society.

Banazoo have good relations with the Axus. They have developed kind of pidgin language, which consists of simple whistling melodies both creatures are able to make and hear. Banazoo want to protect the Axus, which is one of the reasons outsiders are not welcome to their area. All fish belongs to the Axus, Banazoo don't eat them and don't let others but Axus to eat them either. There are great celebrations full of opera sang by both Axu and Banazoo singers. Natalia