Dust and Ashes. (World Building)

by **Ithalian Empire** » Sun Dec 11, 2016 9:23 pm

[img]I%20Need%20Something[/img]

The Time Before.

Once, men walked the earth like gods. They believed that they knew all that was to be known in the universe, there knowledge as great as the gods they claimed did not exist. The harnessed the power of the sun and walked amongst the stars. There arrogance was unbridled, they tempted fate with the terrible magic they experimented with.

So the gods let them continue in their arrogant ways. The ways of the old men would be their undoing.

In a single terrible day the ways of old were burnt away as the great cities of that world burned away and the remains scattered across the four winds. In that day the old world died in fire and blood. But for every end there is a new beginning. Thousands of years have passed since the fall of the old men and a new world has supplanted their dominance, a world ruled by magic and superstition. A world where the scheming and ambitions of nobles shapes to political landscape, where religion dominates to thoughts of the people. This is your world.

Religion Map

Religions

The religion of the people of the north. A polytheistic religion that is a twisted version of old norse mythology, the old norse gods have been turned itno defied versions of great football players, with Vince Lombardi taking the place of Odin.
Living in what was once the heart of the Old World's industrial might the Old World Cultist venerate any relic of the Old Days. Building their temples in the ruins of the Great Factories they are on the constant search for artifacts.
Living in what was once the old territory of the Sioux and other Great Plains tribes, the Spiritists worship four nature spirits, Father Earth, Mother Sky, Rain Maden and Lord Fire. Father Earth is the creative spirit, he made the world, Mother Sky created Rain Maden to tend to the world of Father Earth, and Lord Fire protects the creation from the dark spirits of the outer darkness.
Along the eastern seaboard of the United States, the Faith of the Fathers revere the Founding Fathers as gods. Amongst them is Father Washington, the Father of his country, Father Jefferson the Architect of Freedom, Founder Franklin, giver of knowledge.
The followers of Old Hickory, Jacksonians belive that the Fathers were vile tyrants and the Jackson was the true Founder. The faith is prevalent in the Confederacies.
The descendants of the Catholics Church the True Church claims to be the last true Christian denomination left in the world. Keeping with the Catholic tradition of a rigid priest hood, many saints and a human medary between the People and the Creator the True Church belive the in order to get into heaven one must complete good works and be sinless before God. The Pope resides in the Holy City of Nasville
The second Christian denomination the North Church believes that God punished man for his decadence. Because of this they are constantly paying remittance and begging God to forgive them for the sins of their fathers.
The descendants of the Baptists, the Southern Church considers themselves the true Christians. Believing it is their duty to spread the word of their faith to all the peoples of the world, they are the most aggressive in terms of conversion. The opposite of the True Church brethren they believe that the only way to Heaven is by faith and works are turned into rewards upon entry to the afterlife. The Southern Church keeps a very decentralized leadership, Preachers gather from all around to the to meet in the ancient city of Houston to discuss matters of faith.
Deep in the jungles men worship the sun as a deity. Believing that the sun is the face of the Creator, the Faith of the Sun believe that he sees all that mortal men do and judges them accordingly. The Faith of the Sun belive that the Sun God requires the blood of mortals in order
The faith of the Mayic peoples. They worship the Feathered Serpent who came from across the sea to spread his wisdon. Mayic peoples are there for a scholarly and philosophical people.
The dominant religion of the Cubian Island Castroian is based off of the ancient legend of one Fidel Castro. Like the Faith of the Fathers the Castroian faith believes that Castro was a god. The Cubic Emperors are descendants of this god and therefore worthy or worship.
The evolution of Voodoo, the Vedic relgion worships the spirits of dead ansectores. The Vedic faith believes that by taking in mind altering drugs they may be able to receive visions and messages form the dead.

Culture Map

Culture Groups

Descendants of the Canadians
Life in the Maritimes, most of there culture is bassed upon the sea and fishing.
The descendants of New Yorkers.
Based around the old region known as New England, strongest bastion of the Faith of the Fathers.
Basses in the hills and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains.
Based in the fetid swamps and lowlands of Florida.
Descendants of the Mexican people.
The Myaic are a scholarly and philosophical people that mainly worship the Feathered Serpent. Despite their scholarly nature, their are known as fierce warriors if needed. This has produce a warrior scholar breed that seeks to understand the ways of the old world. Though their are rarely seen outside of their homeland, some can be seen as far north as the Empire.
Descendants of the Cubans.
Descendants of the people of Texas.
The culture of the Deep South.
The culture of thse who live in the swamps of the Mississippi River and into Missouri.
The people of Tennessee and Kentucky
Misur, its people live by a heartland mentality. From the wooded hills of the south to the familiar fields of the north, the homogeneous populace live by the uniformity and rigidness of an established yet basic society. As long as you work and make sure to get to the Church on time, you'll likely be counted among them. It is a closed and humble living, a lifestyle that has remained the same for generations. They find confidence in the own piousness and purity, a people simple, but untainted by what they see as vices of either heathens or degenerates. Civilized yet plain, staunch yet hushed, productive yet stagnant. The Misur land and people remain rooted in their ways and traditions, and that's just how they like it.
The Plain Landers are often referred as Horse Lords, and rightfully so. From a young age they live side by side with their horses, training and riding is the most important part of their childhood. A largely Nomadic people, they have adopted the ways of the plains Indians and revere their horses with the highest luxury, and in return received the fastest transport possible. Even in large settlements such as the ruins of Denver and Omaha, people bring their horses into their homes to stay. The Plain Landers are feared cavalry masters, often attacking enemy targets and fading back into plains, they are unpredictable.
The people of Sindarian culture are the descendants of humans changed by the Catastrophe.
The hardy men of the north.
Living in between the fierce Northmen and the Old World Cultist’s of the East, the people of Scansin are a people of contrast. Living in a land prone to unpredictable weather due to the Great Lakes the men of Scansin learned early on that the Lakes were something that commanded fear and respect, less the Witch of November take you to her water grave. The Scansin people early on had to become fierce warrior’s, the ambitions of the Cultists to their east and the raids of the Northmen demanded that they take up the art of the sword.
Due to their proximity the the Great River and the Great Lake the Scansin people became a very trade minded people, becoming both warriors without equal and traders of supurd talent. As the Scansin kingdoms started to collect into larger and larger kingdoms the Scansin people went on a great conquest, forming the massive Empire still under they control to this day.
Considered to be the best merchants in the Empire, and in the Known World for that matter, Ckagoins are also considered to be snooty and arrogant people. Ckagoins are also a very devious and sneaky people, using bribery and lies to manipulate other to get there way. It is because of the that Ckagoin’s are not trusted by other culture within the Empire, especially the Scansinites. Unlike other cultures, Ckagoin’s are not united by a single religion, only the belief that they all are descendents of the Old Men of Ckago, one of the greates of the Old World cities.
The people of old Michigan, the heart of the Old World Cultist's
The people of Ohio, another center of the Old World Cultist faith.

Nations

The largest and strongest of the nations in the game. Captital is in Bay City (Green Bay)
This is a Nadian kingdom centered in Quebec.
A powerful trade kingdom located on the St. Lawrence river.
The Kingdom located in the Maritimes most of its income comes from fishing and trade. There land is infertile and unable to support a large population.
A weak kingdome located in the Vermont/New Hampshire area, other kingdoms look upon their lands with envy.
A bastion of the Faith of the Father, Bousom holds the holy city of Boston, its capital.
Once a poweful trade republic, ten years ago the Empire came and conquered mast of the nation, leacing on the areas once know as New York in it possesion.
The most powerful of the Faith of the Fathers due to its hold on the holy sight of Washington.
A relatively powerful nation with imperial ambitions.
The heart of the True Church, there power comes from there hold on one of the largest religions in the known world.
A nation andwiched by the once powerful Confederacy and the ever present Empire, Missoi is a highly militaristic nation.
The smallest kingdom of the Horse Lords.
The mighty kingdom of the Plain Landers, Plaintaria is a large and disorderly kingdom.
The might kingdom of the North Men, the Norvik royal family is intermarried into that of the Empires
The most powerful Kingdom in the south, Texas fends of the horse lords of the north spreads its soul saving religion into the south.
One of the three Confederacies, the fight for the High throne of the Confederacy.
Stuck between the two most powerful Confederacies in the civil war, the Central Confederacy is on the verge of collapse.
The most poweful of the the three Confederacies, the Eastern Confederacy fights to retain its control over the other Confederacies.
The settled people's of Mexico, the Mex pay tribute to there powerful Texas neighbours while keeping the Azetic people at bay.
the blood thertsy people of the Sun God, the are cosntently raiding settelment of both there neighbours for sacrafices to there bloody god.
A breack away nation of the Uxitan, this nation faces both the Uxitian, the raids of the Azetic and the threat of seaborn invasion from the Cubian Empire, Quhotica is in a very fragile posistion
A poweful kingdome of learning and wisdon, Uxitan is also a military power. Seeking to bring in its wayward cousin in Quhatica and stave of the ambitions of its rivals in the Cubian Empire they may one day become a force of great reckoning.
The poweful nation of islands the Cubian Empire is, at first glance, a powerful empire, but religious division is starting strain the Empire.

What is this about?

Dust and Ashes is going to be a post-apocalyptic character/faction role play set a thousand years after an unknown event ends our current world. Technology will be that of the early middle ages. Players will take the helms as either the noble houses that rule the world or as characters ranging from simple farmers to great warriors. There will be an overarching story line that players may chose to participate in, or the could do there own thing.

So here's the thing. That up there is a lot of stuff to write about and I don't have the creativity nor the time to do that. So, I am asking you, the people of the P2TM, to help me on this. I have a general idea on what I want, as written down in the above. Any amount of input would be appreciated.

What will happen in this thread will be standard world building stuff, developing the cultures, expanding the religions and filling in the back stories for the nations.

by **Insaeldor** » Sun Dec 11, 2016 9:32 pm

Tag

All hail the Architect!

by **Theyra** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 11:03 am

Tag, I may make make one of the cultures.

by **Ithalian Empire** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 11:39 am

Theyra wrote:Tag, I may make make one of the cultures.

Go ahead, make as many as you want.

by **New Roman Empire** » Tue Dec 13, 2016 5:15 pm

this looks interesting

by **Insaeldor** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 6:10 am

So I have some religious text made up for the Constructionalist Ithalian. We already discussed this with you but this is probably a better place to hammer this out in regards to its canonicity. Feel free to edit what you think needs editing.

Laws of the Architect as described in the Book of Albus

1: Life is a gift given by the Architect and his creations have no right to dene each other that gift.

2: We are one in the same as creations of the Architect and must act as such. We must care not for ourselves but for those around us in equal portions.

3: Be humble in what you are handed. Envy and greed are something to rebuke from your mind. If things come to you take them as they are but never go out of the way for the items of the flesh.

4: Do not let yourself fall to Lust, keep yourself pure until you've become one spiritually with a a wife or husband.

5: Keep the Architect holy and do not forsake his name or gifts.

6: Do not forsake the holy authority of the Architect for that of another false divine.

7: Love all whom you come upon. We are all constructs of the Architect and are thus all the same at the highest level.

8: Wrath and Hate are the antithesis of love and one should rebuke these feelings from their souls.

9: One who truly walks the path the Architect has laid out shall also be spiritual warriors to combat the threats of evil in the world both for themselves and for others around him.

10: The Architect is one whom is saddened to see his creations go through their flaming baptism to relive the damnation of the world. As followers of his oath we have a duty to help others avoid their flaming baptism and to live enterally in the Architects Realm.
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Creation Story as told in the Book of Crispus (Modernist Translation)

In the time of darkness the Architect stood in the darkness empty. He was an all powerful being but he was without reason and this sought out reason for his all powerful existence which had no being and shall have no end. He took his heart from his chest took a part of it and created the world in which we live. He molded his flesh and formed the mountains and the abysses through his molding and through that process helped create the various forms of earth from the clay which is the closest to the original flesh of the Architect to stone which had been compressed and shape the most by his hands. After he had molded the earth he slit his finger and that drop of blood became all the water upon our world which filled all of the deepest pits of the world. Then he finally created the sun and the moon by taking his eyes and placing them above the world so that he could see all who existed and all of existence.

As the world bloomed with vegetation he continued to wish for greater reason. Using the clay of the earth he he first molded the beasts of the earth and later he later took the clay and infused it with his divine being and molded two people the original humans Semel the Woman and Cordus the Man. The Architect then carved out a home for the two, dubbed Hortus Divinitatis where the two lived for millennium. However as time grew and the Architects affection for man grew some Angels who were the Architects first creation of divine origin grew jealous of man. Two angles Nerva the angel whom personified Strength and Power and Imperatoria the angel whom personified Intellect went down to the World to sabotage the humans.

The Architect however being omnipotent new of the Angels plans and allowed as a test to his creations. When they came to the sanctuary they noticed Semel was seemingly weaker than her male counterpart but Cordus had less cognitive intellect. At the time Cordus had finished creating a structure in which to house them while Semel has creating items of clothing to protect their weak skin. Nerva approached Cordus and have him the knowledge of sexuality and beauty while Imperatoria approached Semel and gave her the intake rial knowledge of destruction. Corrupted Cordus unlocking the knowledge of sexuality came and raped Semel. In retaliation her intellectual knowledge of destruction gave her the though of reprisal and vengeance rather then self defense and torched his one and only creation the house in which he built. The two had sinned in by arming one another's knew knowledge.

Saddened the Architect came down and explained to them what had happened and that they had failed his test and were thus expelled from the sanctuary for such sin as it had sullied the perfection of the sanctuary. Cordus and Semel were exiled from the sanctuary and Nerva and Imperatoria were banished from the Architects realm. However the architect did recognize that the sin that Cordus committed against Semel was far worse then the Sin she committed and thus blessed her with the one ability a man did not and that was the ability to creat the vassals of a soul through child birth and was then surprised by her first pregnancy at the hands of Cordus whom had 120 other children throughout their life span. Nerva and Imperatoria were banished to their own realm of damnation where they intern harbored children through the ability of mixing their blood and giving life to the blood soaked rocks creating the first generation of Demons and this civilization had started.
_________________________________________

The Afterlife as described in the Book of Aesop.

When you body fails you and you cease to exist within the moral world you half to paths for your soul. If you have been in going conscious and have followed in the path the Architect has laid out for us your soul ascends beyond the grasp of our own reality and into the realm of the architect where we live among the righteous and Angels in perfect as the first humans did before the first sin.

If you have lived a life inline with the spirits of evil and have been misguided from the path of the Architect you will be guided by the angel Belthanos to the gates of Harbul where your physical body is laid intact. Upon passing the gates Belthanos throws you into the Fires of Harbul where your physical body is burned to ash and soul is baptized in the fires of Harbul. Upon the ending of the infernos cleansing of your souls you wait in a void of nothingness until your soul is recycled into a new vessel to relive life again in hopes you may live your life righteously.

(Further expanded upon in a first person native in the Book of Hesperos)
_________________________________________

Various parables.

Enos 1:4 - Water is weak yet it carves rock but my spirit is Iron and will never fall to water nor rock. Iron sharpens iron and my goal is to sharpen all the iron I see.

Cyrus 23:5 - We call him the Architect because he has created us. If we are thus creations and not the creator so would we know how to direct ourselves? Does a hammer know how to direct a hammer? No because it is our creation wrk now what to do with it. A hammer has no though and in inanimate however the Architect is far more intelligent compared to us the we are compared to the hammer. Give your direction to the Architect and he will use you in your intended manner.

Bartholomeus 12:11 - I have stumbled upon the Labyrinth of the Demon Abezethibou. I was lost and mortal logic had not seen me through this tribulation but I fell to my knees in prayer asking the Architect for guidance. After my prayers I had found the center of the demons Labyrinth thanks to the grace and guidance of the Architect

Ioaba 11:19 - Criminality is not natural it is a condition of human imperfection. If you catch a thief don't take at him with your blade but give him spare grain so he may become a man of respectable means

Obed 32:9 - Be humble and helpful in your life. If a beggar ask for bread give him his fair piece. For if you were to become a bigger would you wish to go hungry?

Onesiphotus 2:33 - If a man be found a murder punish him fairly but not equally. Justice is not the taking of a life in exchange for a lost life. Justice is reprisal that makes one reflect on his actions.

Zebulon 16:22 - If you are a drunk or am addicted to the desires of the flesh do not indulge in such destructive activities. Do all in your power to fight them cut off your genitals if you must, live secluded if you must, char your tongue if you must you will be a better person without these indulgences.

Urban 8:33 - de a defender of the faith, cut down a heretic if you must for his soul will be given another chance on this damned world we've been exiled to. Your sword of faith will be as justly guided by the architect as your soul will.

Ultimatum 6:19 - Even in my end I shall still lead you to water and still lead you green pastures for it is not my physical end but my metaphorical end. And in my metaphorical end the physical end of the world is clear but as I have done since the day I breathed life into the original humans I will lead you through the tribulation of the mortal world but only if you accept my existence as fact and my word as law.

Ezrathus 1:12 - Those who propagate peace shall seen the Architect after their death

Yzrael 10:21 - As a person of faith you must spread the word of the architect, if you can give your life to the spreading of the world. Travel the country side and speak of the architect, speak of the Architect in the market, or give spare coin to the Church to help in this noble goal.
_________________________________________

List of Books in reading order

Crispus
Enos
Cyrus
Aldus
Aesop
Hesperos
Ioaba
Bartholomeus
Hukkaz
Ralican
Qowas
Husa
Yzrael
Zebulon
Echnon
Maculus
Nerva
Urban
Ezrathus
Belthanos
Onesiphotus
Obed
Festus
Eutychus
Esau
Absalom
Absolon
Azrael
Ultimatum

by **New Minahasa** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 6:34 am

Adding the pros and cons of each religion and culture and a more detailed differences between the cultures could make the roleplay a lot more interesting imo.

EDIT: Why's west USA empty, btw?

by **Monarchy of Japanada** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 6:38 am

GTG now. But I'll be back, aiming for a Marim character.

by **Insaeldor** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 7:24 am

New Minahasa wrote:Adding the pros and cons of each religion and culture and a more detailed differences between the cultures could make the roleplay a lot more interesting imo.

EDIT: Why's west USA empty, btw?

The West coat is Terra Incognita to my understanding.

by **Ithalian Empire** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 7:46 am

Insaeldor wrote:
New Minahasa wrote:Adding the pros and cons of each religion and culture and a more detailed differences between the cultures could make the roleplay a lot more interesting imo.

EDIT: Why's west USA empty, btw?

The West coat is Terra Incognita to my understanding.

Yup, we will know nothing about what's out west.

by **New Roman Empire** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 7:48 am

Ithalian Empire wrote:
Insaeldor wrote:The West coat is Terra Incognita to my understanding.

Yup, we will know nothing about what's out west.

so what would you like me to do? Im good with lore on anything really.

by **Ithalian Empire** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 7:54 am

New Roman Empire wrote:
Ithalian Empire wrote:Yup, we will know nothing about what's out west.

so what would you like me to do? Im good with lore on anything really.

I tried to give a rough idea on what all the cultures, nations, and religions are, I just need help refining them. So just pick something that interests you and give me a paragraph for it.

by **New Roman Empire** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 7:56 am

Ithalian Empire wrote:
New Roman Empire wrote:so what would you like me to do? Im good with lore on anything really.

I tried to give a rough idea on what all the cultures, nations, and religions are, I just need help refining them. So just pick something that interests you and give me a paragraph for it.

I'll get something up on The Empire and Quebes soon.

by **New Minahasa** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 7:57 am

Ithalian Empire wrote:
Insaeldor wrote:The West coat is Terra Incognita to my understanding.

Yup, we will know nothing about what's out west.

So, what's the point of making a faction if there's no territories to claim? I mean, all of the regions (excluding the western USA) on the map is taken. Unless the roleplay is character-based only?

by **Ithalian Empire** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 8:07 am

New Minahasa wrote:
Ithalian Empire wrote:Yup, we will know nothing about what's out west.

So, what's the point of making a faction if there's no territories to claim? I mean, all of the regions (excluding the western USA) on the map is taken. Unless the roleplay is character-based only?

Players will have the choice between playing as a noble house within the Empire, the royalty of one of the other countries, or as an individual character within the world.

New Roman Empire wrote:
Ithalian Empire wrote:I tried to give a rough idea on what all the cultures, nations, and religions are, I just need help refining them. So just pick something that interests you and give me a paragraph for it.

I'll get something up on The Empire and Quebes soon.

Hmmm, the Empire will be the main focus of the RP so when you do write stuff for the Empire expect me to be a little more critical of it.

by **New Roman Empire** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 8:14 am

Ithalian Empire wrote:
New Minahasa wrote:So, what's the point of making a faction if there's no territories to claim? I mean, all of the regions (excluding the western USA) on the map is taken. Unless the roleplay is character-based only?

Players will have the choice between playing as a noble house within the Empire, the royalty of one of the other countries, or as an individual character within the world.
New Roman Empire wrote: I'll get something up on The Empire and Quebes soon.

Hmmm, the Empire will be the main focus of the RP so when you do write stuff for the Empire expect me to be a little more critical of it.

will do, any over all thoughts on the empire you want me to make sure I weave in?

by **Ithalian Empire** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 8:17 am

New Roman Empire wrote:
Ithalian Empire wrote:Players will have the choice between playing as a noble house within the Empire, the royalty of one of the other countries, or as an individual character within the world.

Hmmm, the Empire will be the main focus of the RP so when you do write stuff for the Empire expect me to be a little more critical of it.

will do, any over all thoughts on the empire you want me to make sure I weave in?

The current Emperor is on his deathbed after a long and fruitful rule. His two sons are both dual heirs to the throne, this obviously is not a good thing. One brother is the bookish type, loved by the people and all that jazz, the other is envious, scheming, and wants the throne all to himself. The Scansin people formed the Empire 500 years ago, the capital is in the area of Green Bay.

by **New Minahasa** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 8:39 am

Ithalian Empire wrote:
New Minahasa wrote:So, what's the point of making a faction if there's no territories to claim? I mean, all of the regions (excluding the western USA) on the map is taken. Unless the roleplay is character-based only?

Players will have the choice between playing as a noble house within the Empire, the royalty of one of the other countries, or as an individual character within the world.

I see. I thought it was faction-based all along. In that case, I'm gonna try my best contributing to some of the cultures and nations.

by **Ithalian Empire** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 8:42 am

New Minahasa wrote:
Ithalian Empire wrote:Players will have the choice between playing as a noble house within the Empire, the royalty of one of the other countries, or as an individual character within the world.

I see. I thought it was faction-based all along. In that case, I'm gonna try my best contributing to some of the cultures and nations.

Cool, I already have the Scansin done if you check their entry in the OP, Ckagoins are next on my list of what I plan on getting done for cultures.

by **Monarchy of Japanada** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 12:01 pm

Monarchy of Japanada wrote:GTG now. But I'll be back, aiming for a Marim character.

Screw that I'm being in Lawaria! [Probably a king]

by **Ithalian Empire** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 1:33 pm

Monarchy of Japanada wrote:
Monarchy of Japanada wrote:GTG now. But I'll be back, aiming for a Marim character.

Screw that I'm being in Lawaria! [Probably a king]

I am going to be the Emperor, so there's that.

by **Monarchy of Japanada** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 1:38 pm

Ithalian Empire wrote:
Monarchy of Japanada wrote:Screw that I'm being in Lawaria! [Probably a king]

I am going to be the Emperor, so there's that.

Since Lawaria is a "powerful trade kingdom" would they be somewhat equivalent to the Dutch? [Well, what they used to be at least]

by **Ithalian Empire** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 1:45 pm

Monarchy of Japanada wrote:
Ithalian Empire wrote:I am going to be the Emperor, so there's that.

Since Lawaria is a "powerful trade kingdom" would they be somewhat equivalent to the Dutch? [Well, what they used to be at least]

In terms of wealth they would be equivalent to the Dutch. Military capacity is lacking for them, meaning if they have to rise armies to defend and the like it has to be mercynaries.

by **New United Texas Republic** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 1:53 pm

Reserve Texas please.

by **Monarchy of Japanada** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 2:56 pm

So I guess I'll go for a king or queen of Lawaria.

Dust and Ashes. (World Building)

Dust and Ashes. (World Building)

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