The Living Waste of Mekhallah (Low Fantasy/OOC/Open)

[Lancearc]

Sheikdom of Mekhallah, along the border of the Jalema Sultanate 44 years After Coronation, 1st day under Full Moon "Finally." The grandfatherly old man's voice was equal parts cheerful and uneasy as the stranger entered his modest caravansary, tracking in sand and a chilly desert wind at their heels. Casting a brief glance about the place while shaking loose grains from their sandals and straightening their kaftan, the stranger could tell the roadside refuge they'd stumbled into was little more than a skeleton, eerily illuminated by moonlight piercing through thin gaps in the shuttered windows. Aside from the stranger and the keep, the caravansary was occupied only by empty chairs at empty tables, their sandstone tops dusty with disuse, much like the colorful fabrics which hung to cover otherwise bleak walls the same hue as the surrounding dunes. The stranger took a seat in an uncomfortable chair at the nearest table, a worn cushion attempting in vain to improve his luxury. "You're the first to come through in some time. I'm sure you can see," the old keep chuckled, his voice shaky with age. "It must be a rare beauty or a fool's errand that brings you to Alkhafat." Fumbling about behind the bar for an uncomfortably long period, the old man produced a ceramic jug, which the stranger could tell from the scent was filled to the brim with araq. Finally shuffling over from behind his counter, the stranger repressed a gag as the scent of araq mingled with the old man's distinct musk. The keep was perhaps as decrepit as his establishment, with deep-set wrinkles across his olive complexion dragging his face towards the floor much like the faded green cloth of his haphazardly wrapped turban. The old man poured a full cup of araq for his guest, the stranger nodding and lifting their drink in thanks. "Thank you, uncle." Shuffling to the seat across from his guest, the keep gave his feet a rest. The stranger could swear they heard the old man's back snap in two as he lowered himself into the chair. "Once it was 'The Frontier's Gem,' Gods be good!" the keep remarked harshly, shaking his head. "If your business isn't urgent I suggest you turn back now, traveler." The stranger, humoring the old man's clear lust for conversation, took another sip of their araq and leaned forward, resting their elbows on the stone table. "Tell it true, uncle. Is it as bad as we hear in the south?" "Worse," the old man said, leaning forward as well. The stranger couldn't help but feel perturbed as the keep's haggard brown eyes locked with his own. They seemed to communicate an age of suffering, decay, death. "The Waste is already here, Nafayat al-Hayya! And every day it's getting closer, like a stalking lion. They say it's just 100 miles north of our city. Farmers out that way are plowing little more than dust and dunes. The Hooved Ones tell tales, they say...no matter how far they ride, the mountains are crumbling from their very foundations, worn down into sand." A long gust of wind whistled through the window cracks then. The stranger could feel a chill roll down their spine. "People are leaving, the ones that can afford it. There's no money here, and what farms we have still producing crop at all are needed to feed our city. They say that for now, we can survive and scrape by. We're being punished," the old man declared, leaning back in his chair as if the tirade exhausted him. "And what will you do, uncle?" the stranger asked, likewise leaning back into their seat. The keep parted his cracked lips slightly, revealing a set of teeth sporting the same decay he claimed befell his city. "I'll keep greeting foolish travelers like you for as long as I can make a profit, of course." IC THREAD [tab=10] Welcome, traveler, to the Sheikdom of Mekhallah. The far northeastern province of the wider Jalema Sultanate, the people of Mekhallah have long embraced their reputation as rugged, resourceful, and determined. According to local legend, the sheikdom was first founded 300 years prior when a scout of the Sultan's army was sent to chase down an enemy messaging bird after a bloody battle, for fear the fowl would summon a greater army. The scout managed to shoot the bird in flight from distance, and when he attempted to recover the corpse and message discovered a massive camp of the Horned Folk nestled in a beautiful oasis. The Sultan's armies would later relay this report, and a large-scale campaign was launched to dislodge the Horned Folk from the region and settle a city along the river valley. Despite the sheikdom's distance from the Sultanate's capital, the people were able to enrich themselves by exploiting the area's abundant natural resources -- primarily fine gemstones, high-quality metals and the fertile lands of the river valley. The sheikdom's capital, Alkhafat, became one of the largest cities in all the Sultanate. The Sheik of Mekhallah was a coveted position, and was trusted to be both a shrewd negotiator and capable defender against the native Horned Folk and their more beastly cousins, the Hooved Folk to the north, inhabiting the desert that was then simply called The Great Waste. Approximately 70 years before your tale begins, The Waste began to slowly expand. It was barely noticeable at first, but the Sultanate's border protectors and elite soldiers, the Sand Striders, were among the first to chart its growth. Since then, the Living Waste has grown southward, butting up against the mountains that mark the Sultanate's northern borders and encroaching deeply into Mekhallah. Whole villages have been abandoned as the land around them seems to wither away and die, ground into sand by the unstoppable march of the Waste's dunes. Over the years, the Sultan has sent scholars, magi, and holy men to investigate to no avail. Now, the Sultanate has not been in contact with Mekhallah for several months. Officials are beginning to suspect the Sultanate has abandoned their sheikdom, and troublesome rumors of looming war and mass hysteria in other cities across the country create further unrest as the remainder of the Sultanate bears witness to Mekhallah's slow decay. Citizens of Mekhallah are rightfully worried. Many have begun to emigrate, some turn to crime, and still others spend their days praying for salvation. Your tale likely begins in or around the sheikdom's capital city of Alkhafat, still a fairly large city of over 40,000, a metropolitan melting pot of races and religion, and formerly one of the busiest trade cities in the Sultanate. As you and your family or other companions attempt to navigate this new reality, and make decisions on what to do next, the city is set to receive an unexpected visitor... "The Hooved Folk" | Nasrifaq Referred to as the Hooved Folk exclusively by the residents of the Sultanate, the Nasrifaq are a people native to the lands north of the Sultanate, dominated primarily by The Living Waste and other dusty badlands. While not a common sight in Mekhallah, some have been known to settle along the sheikdom’s borders. The Nasrifaq are regarded with varying degrees of fear and suspicion by the sheikdom’s human denizens, and are almost universally prohibited from owning property in the sheikdom. Some may go as far as refusing to trade with them, as a stigma of heathenistic spirits, devil worship, and black magic follows the Nasrifaq throughout Mekhallah. The race's origins are unknown, and their population is low. Some suggest they descend from barbaric beastmen who lay with their horses, others still claim they were formed through a heathen ritual, performed by a criminal wishing to flee more swiftly from the Sultan's armies. Whatever the case, the Nasrifaq were here long before human settlers arrived with the Sultan's armies, but never lay down a permanent city in the area. They have spent the last several centuries sometimes raiding the small outpost settlements that hug the edges of the Living Waste, clashing with the Sultan's Sand Striders often. Despite their remarkable endurance, the Nasrifaq have also been hard hit by the Living Waste's growth, as the distance they must cover to cross their desert continues to grow and oases disappear. Though they are nomads, the various disparate tribes hold a strong sense of unity. Leaders are elected in a rough democracy, with as many tribes as possible congregating at an unknown (to the Sultan's scholars, at least) location in the Living Waste. Once gathered, the various elders hear arguments and discuss amongst themselves who should be appointed that tribe's new leader. While obviously physically strong and swift warriors on open field, they also hold a special reverence for musicians. Much of their worship is carried out through song and chants. "The Horned Folk" | Alrifaq The indigenous inhabitants of the Mekhallah region, the Alrifaq are even fewer in number today than the Nasrifaq, never having recovered from the decades of armed conflict that resulted in the Sultanate's conquest of Mekhallah. With origins just as perplexing to the Sultan's scholars as the Hooved Ones, the Alrifaq share in their bestial aspects, though with greater variation. Some Alrifaq can be born with plainly visible horns, some with hooves instead of feet, while others can be born almost completely human save for a small bumps on their heads. A superstitious people who live in small, permanent communities around the outskirts of Mekhallah, many of the few remaining Alrifaq are struggling with whether to flee their race's homeland or remain at the mercy of the Living Waste's unyielding advance. The Alrifaq are exceptionally religious, adherents to a faith they call Dzho'Drakt, translating roughly to "Duality" or "Mirror." They pay homage to the stars and moon when the moon's phases are waxing towards full, and revere the sun and earth when the moon begins to wane out of sight. Many often paint their bodies daily, using warm reds and yellows when the moon is waning as opposed to the blues and greens employed when the moon is waxing. They dress modestly, with both men and women covering themselves in layers of beautiful fabrics, which are highly sought after by the Sultanate's elite. Aside from their beast traits, the Alrifaq appear to be plainly human. Their creation myth holds that they were the result which sprung from the earth when moon and sun were once in the sky together, in perfect harmony. This balance, they claim, provided the perfect conditions for the night and day spirits to mingle and create a race tightly bound to the earth it inhabited, an ideal mixture of humankind and nature. The Alrifaq are typically well-respected in the Sultanate, despite their cultural distance from the majority of its residents. It is not uncommon for them to hold positions of authority in the military and civic realms, and they are often sought after as strategists and advisors due to a general level-headedness which permeates their culture. Elite Troops | Sand Striders The respected order of border protectors widely known as the Sand Striders are more formally known as the Order of Muhari Alduud, named in honor of their founder. A fairly recent addition to the Sultanate's armies, the Sand Striders were officially formed 250 years ago when then-general Muhari Alduud led a desperate defense of Mekhallah's borders against a horde of Hooved Folk intent on sacking Alkhafat. Alduud's forces emerged victorious, but of the 5,000 only 700 survived the bloody combat. Becoming a Sand Strider is among the highest honors in the Sultan's armies. Initiates on average have served a decade already, but even lowly footmen who display great prowess and valor in the field can be fast-tracked into the Sand Striders. A highly unconventional force, the Sand Striders are expected to become masters of horseback archery, riding, mounted combat, tracking, and survival in the wastes. As the protectors of the Sultanate's borders, they most often come into conflict with the Hooved Folk and, very rarely, roving bands of wild men who raid border villages for food before disappearing into the wastes. They are immediately recognizable by the beautiful blue fabrics they wear over their armor, the hue of the Sultan's banners, and another common nickname for the Order is the Turquoise Horde, often used by the Hooved Folk as a term of respect. They maintain regular patrols along border outposts, but unlike typical footmen are given great freedom as far as equipping themselves. Their presence in Mekhallah has increased in recent years as the Waste expands and hostile groups of Hooved Folk take advantage of their retreat, occupying former border outposts now lost to the sands. They have been asked to scout into the Waste to search for a cause for its rapid expansion, to no avail. Recently, some Sand Striders have taken to worshiping a strange figure they call the Daughter of the Sands. Heaven-touched Mortals | The Sultan's Magi Considered the foremost -- and only officially sanctioned -- authorities on magic in the Sultanate, the Sultan's Magi are a small group of magic users who use their abilities to advise the Sultan, defend the Sultanate or otherwise advance the nation's interests. In practice, however, the Magi as an organization are very rarely unified. Most often factions of like-minded mages set their own agendas on what to study, how to go about it and when to actually advance the Sultan's wishes. At present, the Magi are perhaps more fractured than they have ever been historically, as the looming disastrous desertification of the entire Sultanate seems inevitable. The order currently numbers around 150 mages spanning the Sultanate. There are three academies where individuals can study magic unhindered across the Sultanate, all of which are essentially impossible to enter without first having magical ability, and also having the good fortune to be wealthy enough to pay for the education. None of these institutions exist in Mekhallah, being centered in the Sultanate's richly developed Southeast. Efforts to expand possibilities for magically-capable low born citizens have gone nowhere in the past, but as of now a splinter fragment in the Magi is making a push to find and educate low born magic users, arguing that the Sultanate will need every available hand to fight against the Living Waste. The Magi are closely linked to Tebala, and magic use which derives power from the daylight is looked on with suspicion and disdain, but not outright banned. Most of the Magi's members rely on moonlight magic, giving them the ability to manipulate freezing desert winds both by moving and utilizing the air itself, and creating frost, snow, and ice. Those that utilize sunlight magic are able to manipulate the desert sands, other earth, and create fire. Although they are expected to closely work with the Sultanate's government, Magi are given the freedom to travel for study and research. Every Sheik in the Sultanate has an assigned Magi, but the assigned Magi are rarely the best available, as the more senior members of the order prefer to remain independent and pursue their own interests. Selfless River Warriors | The Jai-Anar The Jai-Anar are a group made up of low born sons seeking adventure, daughters looking to escape arranged marriage, and any other citizen of Mekhallah looking for a way out of a typical life. The group was founded by a former sailor and merchant, Zufar al-Siddiqui, though few know him by name. His moniker, River Drake, followed him from a land far across the seas, where he says he learned from pale men who battled across their land's mighty rivers in great war canoes. The River Drake learned how to build these canoes after surviving a shipwreck off the coast of this distant island and being rescued from death by local traders. The River Drake was without work or a way to support himself in the strange land, but was offered a job by the traders who rescued him. If he could wield a sword, they said, he could earn a way back home by serving as a sellsword along their country's many great and broad rivers, which were the primary trade routes in the region. Additionally however, the shores in between large settlements were thick with jungle and hidden coves, which serviced river pirates who had recently begun to prey on unguarded fleets. It is unknown how long the River Drake was in this unknown region, but he eventually returned and traveled to Mekhallah with his knowledge. With the continued expansion of the Living Waste, overland trade routes have become rare, and those that still travel are also targets for roving bandit groups that have formed from impoverished residents of Mekhallah seeking a way to survive. The Jai-Anar originally formed as a vigilante gang of sellswords protecting caravans the Sultan's Army could not or would not. Soon, as overland trade to Mekhallah began to dry up, bandits in the sheikdom took to river raiding. The River Drake and the Jai-Anar would eventually transform their primary function into what they are today -- a group of well-intentioned mercenaries who sail Mekhallah's wide Qaara River on strange war canoes, offering protection to merchant shipping and rooting out bandit encampments. The Jai-Anar are a small band, numbering about 100 members and seven canoes constructed with the River Drake's guidance. They have a presence all along the Qaara River, which flows through Alkhafat, and often unofficial patrols along the river's edge stumble criminal encampments. The Jai-Anar and the River Drake have become local heroes in the decaying sheikdom, but as more and more merchants begin to leave the city their purpose becomes less clear. Sharp-eared Mystics | The Shrouded Star Though many in Mekhallah believe the Shrouded Star is another religious group serving a strange god, its founders and members are a mosaic of faiths and races. Headed by two women, a human and an Alrifaq, the Shrouded Star operates on the surface as a group of couriers, messengers, guides for foreign visitors and fortune tellers. While it may be due to its founders being lowborn women, one of whom is an Alrifaq Dzho'Drakt follower, there remains some general distrust of the Shrouded Star among the wealthy. The Shrouded Star reserve membership exclusively for the destitute and downtrodden, allowing a near-guaranteed income for those willing to join their ranks. The Shrouded Star is considered a key part of keeping Alkhafat's poorest families afloat, as the income awarded through guiding new visitors both inside the city and around its outskirts is invaluable. Even more lucrative is the service offered by some in the organization as fortune tellers, who read coffee grounds and tea leaves to divine the futures of many wealthy tourists and distraught locals. The Shrouded Star gained their reputation and folklore early in their existence. Founded several decades before your tale begins, muggers who targeted citizens being escorted by a member of the Shrouded Star had a strange habit of turning up dead or restrained later in the same day, and the stolen goods were almost always reliably returned to their owner. Beyond their obvious employ, the Shrouded Star serve as faithful local informants. Throughout their duties they often converse with various people and overheard interesting things, all of which are worth something to someone. While the Shrouded Star very rarely directly involve themselves in anything criminal, they can unofficially serve as a source of information for local law enforcement and petty thieves alike, for a fee. To the more superstitious in Alkhafat, the Shrouded Star are able to manipulate the future and walk between planes to discern possibilities of a given action. They are easily recognizable most times by the spherical lanterns they carry, which are rumored to emanate a warding magic which repels thieves and other cutthroats. Their fame, rumors on their power and reliability in their humble task extends beyond Mekhallah, which is why visitors often hire a guide out of tradition and curiosity. Locals also pay their respects often by hiring a member of the group, especially in more dangerous areas of the Alkhafat. The Sultan's Worship | Tabala The majority religion of the Sultanate, Tabala as a faith has its roots in the far southeast, in the Sultanate's capital city of Tawira Mundh, where it was founded 700 years before the start of your tale by the Lunar Mantle Haral Musiah. The religion heavily reveres the moon and stars, as it is believed these are the gateways the multitude of spirits and divine entities use to reach the mortal plane and communicate their desires to humanity. Tabala's adherents believe the movements of the stars and moon can be used to foretell great prophecy and smaller omens, and becoming one who charts the stars is a great honor. Followers pray only at night, and many of their rituals involve imbibing hallucinogenic substances and performing ritualistic dances, during which it is believed worshippers will be able to divine spiritual messages in the night sky formed from stars. There is no singular deity in Tabala, as every star is treated as an individual spirit, with some of the more prominent stars in the night sky being elevated to "higher spirits" referred to as "Shayamun." The moon is closest thing considered a "chief" of the Shayamun. Since it is believed that the Lunar Mantle Haral Musiah was the moon given form, he is held in high esteem rivalling that of the moon spirit itself. Since the Lunar Mantle's appearance, children with pale skin, pale hair or white eyes have been considered exceptionally blessed. These mutations are rare, but still occur in the modern day. Most often, the children are shipped to Tawira Mundh to serve as seers and advisors for the Sultan, with varying success. Daytime prayer is considered a great taboo, as it is believed demons crawl out of the sun to spread their influence in the mortal world. Many travelers and caravans avoid the roads during the sun's peak hours if they can afford to, as do the Sultan's armies, preferring to march at dusk, dawn or night by the light of magi's lanterns. While traditionally there is no organized institution overseeing Tabala, the Sultan has begun summoning particularly influential local spiritualists from across the Sultanate to form a proto-clergy overseeing important matters of magic and faith. An Ancient Way | Dzho'Drakt The religion followed by most of the remaining Alrifaq, Dzho'Drakt translates to the Sultanate's common tongue roughly as "Mirror" or "Duality." The Alrifaq of Mekhallah's river valley long revered both the sun and the moon in equal parts throughout the course of the time, depending on the moon's phases. Followers pay homage to the stars and moon when the moon's phases are waxing towards full, and revere the sun and earth when the moon begins to wane out of sight. Many often paint their bodies daily, using warm reds and yellows when the moon is waning as opposed to the blues and greens employed when the moon is waxing. While the Alrifaq are the primary wardens of this dying faith, some humans in Mekhallah have begun to convert, with more doing so as the Living Waste continues to approach the Sultanate. Dzho'Drakt holds that the sun and moon are both worthy of worship, and are in fact a pair of sisters who once inhabited the skies together long ago. When a great sandstorm covered the mortal world in dunes for thousands of years, the two sisters were blinded and lost their way in the skies. Since then, they have been circling the skies in search of each other, but are always just a few steps behind one another. Worship rituals often involve traditional, solemn prayer and lighting strongly scented torches, which are intended to catch the attention of both sun and moon and draw them together at last. Followers believe once the moon and sun are reunited, the world will return to its previous ideal balance to bring lasting peace and return the souls of the Alrifaq killed by the Sultan's men to earth. Followers also revere the natural world, which is said to contain energy from both the sun and the moon, and to which the Alrifaq are strongly bound by their beast traits. The most devout followers take a pilgrimage to Barazhyr at least once in their lifetimes, the highest peak along the mountain range on Mekhallah's northern border. The mountains are considered sacred platforms through which one draws themselves even closer to the sun and moon. Their belief in the previous state of ideal balance has led their culture to conserve the river valley's resources where possible, and the Alrifaq villages are often carved into the sides of mountains or near the bottoms of cliff faces in adherence to this belief. Wildfires are considered terrible omens, and a strict tenet holds that one must find a way to replace what is taken, if possible. Praise the Sun | Qariqism Just a few centuries older than Tabala is Qariqism, founded around 1,000 years before your tale begins. This faith features the solar spirit called Qariqadouk, revered as bringer of life and a shield against the evils worshippers say lurk in the dark -- murderers, bandits, thieves, and supernatural creatures alike. This is the faith of the Nasrifaq, entrenched in the Sultanate's northern sheikdoms after centuries of intermittent raids and semi-permanent settlement by the Hooved Folk. While they primarily revere the sun, the moon also holds a place in Qariqism, as a representation of the day's slow march towards victory over the night. Worshippers believe it is destiny that they help bring about an eternal day, and that the moon's light is a reflection of the sun slowly piercing through the inky black night sky. They use pyramidal, prism-like gems as the centerpieces of their temples, which are constructed with great glass domes. Their temple walls are scrawled with scripts from their holy book, also called the Qariq, and their religious leaders often interpret the meanings of omens by reading which scripts are illuminated by the scattered light and deciphering the scattered scriptures. Qariqism is the lone monotheistic religion in the Sultanate, and is today confined mainly to the northern provinces where it is still not a majority faith. Even so, their temples are often among the most beautiful structures in a city, all of them built of pristine white stone which brightly reflects sunlight. Adherents are fanatical in spreading their religion, and missionaries can be found in all corners of the Sultanate. They are largely tolerated, but have recently begun spreading doomsday prophesies and demanding the Sultanate's citizens convert to save their nation from being swallowed by the Living Waste. In turn, the Sultan has cracked down harshly on Qariqist congregations in some cities. Zealousness, passion, strength at arms, and charisma are considered high virtues among Qariqists. Followers often undertake at least one pilgrimage of the Sultanate in their lifetime, with the goal of converting non-believers to their faith. The holiest men of the faith are those prophets who train themselves to "read" omens in the sun's rays. These followers blind themselves as they stare into the sun, but are said to be granted supernatural sight and knowledge of future events as a result. A Growing Cult | The Daughter of the Sands Little is known about the figure that some of the Sultan's Sand Striders have taken to referring to as "The Daughter of the Sands," but encounters with her seem to be growing as time presses on. Some skeptics claim she is simply a wild woman who survives by traveling from oasis to oasis in the Living Waste, and occasionally travels back towards the Sultanate's border. Many Sand Striders have taken to the belief that she is an earth-bound goddess, claiming that they have seen her shifting the dunes with nothing but waves of her hand, and even turning into sand herself and sinking into the ground. The soldiers' accounts also vary on what she looks like, but the two common descriptions stand out. The first describes a woman whose body is completely made of sand, as if she had become one with the Living Waste. The second is of a woman whose complexion matches the color of the dunes, wearing a stark white cloak and hijab which covers much of her face. She is said to have eyes with no irises, and the whites are the color of the moon. It's also been reported that her eyes faintly glow at night, with Sand Striders claiming they've been able to spot her in the distance due to the dim light. The Sand Striders began worshipping her after some soldiers claimed she saved them during combat with the Hooved Folk, or from being lost in the intense sand storms that frequently occur on the Sultanate's border with the Living Waste. Those who revere her say she is a moon spirit, while others go as far as to claim she is a reincarnation of the Lunar Mantle. While her existence is questionable, the growing number of Sand Striders who praise her is very real. Some border outposts have erected shrines to the mysterious being, while others have been harshly reprimanded and even expelled from the army for converting to a devilish heresy. Magic in the Sultanate is tied heavily to government service, wealth and religion. It is essentially unheard of that a lowborn magus is ever able to channel their power into anything truly useful, and rarely will those born outside of the Sultanate's elite -- whether by way of royal blood or being born to wealthy merchants -- will be granted entry to the country's magical institutions. The specific mechanics of magic are fairly well understood by the Sultan's Magi, as they have been studied for centuries. It is unknown how exactly it is determined, but some magically capable mortals are naturally gifted in either Sun magic or Moon magic. In the early stages, they are only able to channel their magic during certain times of the day, Sun magic users from sunrise to sunset and Moon magic users from sunset to sunrise. It is possible for someone to learn the magic type opposite their natural abilities, but they are often never able to achieve mastery. In order to channel their power into anything beyond the simplest applications (such as lighting a candle or manipulating small amounts of water), magic users must have a vessel to "refine" their energies through. Most often magi prefer a staff or wand, but the vessel can be anything one can carry -- a sword, a book, and anything in between, though it is preferable for the item to be sturdy in order to avoid destruction. Any mundane item can serve as a vessel, given the user learns to perform specific rituals. Moon magic vessels require the user to take their preferred item to a river (or any running body of water) immediately after sunset, fully submerge it, and allow droplets of their blood to drip into the water until sunrise. This bloodletting has resulted in serious injury and death, though the Sun magic method is not much safer. These magic users carry their implements into the dunes, and bury it. They shed their clothing and meditate on their burial spot, exposed to the sun's rays, from sunrise to sunset. While more dangerous, it has proven beneficial for magic users to create their vessels in the appropriate season when the days or nights are longer, allowing them to channel increased power. Magic users are able to create more than one vessel. It has been observed that creating a vessel near population centers has the ability to backfire and muddle the intended user's life energies with others, so most will avoid the risk by journeying into the wilderness to create their vessel. Moon magic typically allows its users to manipulate water, air, and ice. It allows users to see glimpses of the future, though these visions are often shrouded in mystic symbolism and metaphor. Moon magic users are, naturally, far more capable at night. Sun magic is far less understood, but is known to allow users to manipulate earth and fire. It allows users to channel their magical power into raw energy, invigorating users with seemingly superhuman strength and speed. They are of course more powerful during the day. Due to the common stigma around Sun magic, it is extremely rare for anyone to achieve mastery. The Sultanate only entrusts its knowledge on Sun magic to a select few of its Magi, but in recent years has expanded that pool as many believe Sun magic may be crucial to understanding and stopping the Living Waste. Magic is known to greatly harm the body with overuse, especially if great feats are attempted without a proper vessel. It is possible for a vessel to be destroyed while attempting a feat beyond a Magus's current capabilities. There is a sub-field of magical study which focuses on hunting down flora, fauna, and other ingredients which may expand one's magical abilities, but this primitive alchemy has only recently been established as the race to stop the Living Waste has intensified. Here's the Skinny If you've come this far, then congrats. You and your fellow players are now characters in the decaying Sheikdom of Mekhallah, the northeastern-most province in the Jamela Sultanate. It's not a good situation, either -- as the Living Waste continues to expand, large swaths of the sheikdom succumb to desertification. Farmers are forced to abandon their land, food is becoming a critical resource, and travel is difficult for an ill-prepared individual. At the beginning of your tale, the sheikdom's capital city, Akhafat, will be the center of the Sultanate's attention as an important official arrives to either solve the issue or determine a way for the city to be evacuated. Your characters may even have a crucial role to play in that. I encourage you to make yourself involved in this central plot, but your character is not bound to it, and can pop in or out whenever they desire. Though if do this, it might be best for you to talk with me about your character's goals so I can find ways to keep them tethered to the action even if they are elsewhere. However, I also encourage you to talk with me about possibilities outside of the framework I've laid down for you. Groups I have not included in my lore that you feel would enhance the world are fantastic, and I'm willing to work with you to make them slide seamlessly into the world. I also encourage you to consider individual subplots to explore your character -- the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and I would love for my world's events, related to the main plot or no, to help your character really figure out something important about themselves. Just a couple of general notes: This is a low-fantasy setting, so even if your character possesses some kind of magical talent, don't expect to be casting fireballs left and right. Magic also takes decades of study in the most elite schools in the Sultanate to really master, so it's rare for the common man to ever unlock their potential even if they can cast. It's probably a 1 in 100,000 occurrence that anyone in the Sultanate is able to harness any form of magic at all. The most outlandish things people know are the non-human races. Things are changing, though. The weird and supernatural seem to be encroaching into the Sultanate, slowly but surely. Also, as I'm sure you can see, this world is based on cultures of the Near East and Central Asia, so I encourage you to do some research in that direction if you want to come up with a super cool and easy to translate character concept, or just to find some dope outfits and weapons for your character to have. I encourage you to talk with other players for inspiration and, if you wish, to have your characters tied together through their backgrounds. I expect players to hold themselves to a standard of decency, common etiquette, and general not-being-an-ass-ness. While I don't expect everyone to write me a novel post by post, I do encourage new players to reach out to me if they want some help refining their writing! It will help you understand your character more and make them a unique person, not to mention helping your fellow players in the same ways and giving everyone a more pleasant read. If any questions pop up as you're making a character, or at any time really, ask away. I've of course not covered the entirety of this world, and I encourage collaborative world building in areas I may have neglected. Other than that, I hope to see people make this world their own. (Actual info on factions and magic is coming by tomorrow plz don't hurt me, I've been writing for a while and am tired now ) Application Code: Select all [b]Character Name:[/b] [b]Character Race:[/b] [b]Character Description/Image:[/b] [b]Character Personality:[/b] [b]Character Flaws:[/b] [b]Character Bio/Backstory:[/b] [b]Character Skills and profession:[/b] [b]Additional information (any quirks, oddities, equipment, or distinguishing characteristics/mannerisms that make them themselves):[/b]

[Lancearc]

Jazallay, the Island of Sultans A rich island filled with lush flora and abundant fauna, Jazallay's climate ranges from tropical in the south to sub-tropical in the central and northern regions. Jazallay is home to the most elite of the Sultanate's families, with those that aren't permanent residents often having summer manors there. It is considered the cultural heartland of the Sultanate. The Jalema family is one of the oldest on the island, and the first to unite the sheikdoms under one banner. The island's sprawling cities are extremely dense and well-developed, as a stranglehold on trade to the mainland -- in high-value goods like native fruits, spices, and precious metals -- has allowed the island's families to profit from transactions with the mainland for centuries. Aside from an abundance of indoor and outdoor theater spaces (where shadow puppetry is currently extremely popular, even more so than traditional stage drama), the most notable cultural landmark in Tawira Mundh is the Titan of Triumph. The 300-foot monument is carved from strange, stark-white stone, believed to have originally been a piece of the moon. The Titan depicts the Sultan brandishing his saber east towards the mainland, commemorating the Sultan's total conquest of the mainland sheikdoms. Jazallay also boasts the highest concentration of recorded knowledge in all of the Sultanate. The island hosts the largest of the three Magi academies, the House of the Royal Magi. The Moustadqah is perched upon an isolated island at the center of the inland Full Moon Lake, securely housing the ancient library of the Mourahkin, a scholarly sect of gnostic Tabalists. Rat Alshiq, the Sister Island Rat Alshiq is the sub-tropical island directly to the north of Jazallay, one of the sheikdoms that has historically retained a high degree of autonomy due to its military contributions to the Sultanate. While it is not as wealthy as Jazzalay, its people have long accepted the protection of the Sultanate in a mutually beneficial arrangement wherein they provide the Sultan with excellent ships and men to sail them, and the Sultan levies only minimal taxes. The most influential family on the island, the al-Rashads, also appoints its own magisters and leaders rather than these appointments being handled by the Sultan. An overwhelming portion of the Sultan's sailors hail from Rat Alshiq, and it is home to the largest dockyard in the Sultanate. The island possesses an abundance of Steeltrunk Trees, towering plants which grow to be on average 180 feet tall and 50 feet wide. The trees are famed for their endurance, hence their nickname, and a ship constructed entirely of Steeltrunks is a vessel considered nearly unsinkable in combat. The majority of the trees are clustered in forests near the center of the island, surrounding the Sultanate's only volcano, locally known as the Sleeping Demon. The city of Maladjaz is home to the famous dockyard, and every full moon, fishermen and other boat-owners gather here to race on the strong wind typically blows in from the Saber Sea during this moon phase. The winner of this race around the entirety of the island is considered a greatly blessed individual on the island, but there is no material prize outside of potential business from those who may seek the winner out for assistance in building their own boats. Since local sailors often offer the winner their services as deck hands, first mates, and to pledge their swords for journeys across the sea, the prestige that accompanies victory is usually enough of a boon to make up for the lack of a monetary reward. It is suspected among historians that the River Drake, leader of the Jai-Annar who spent years shipwrecked in an uncharted foreign land, was born in Maladjaz. The city is also notable as one of three which contains a Magi academy, with the Academy of the Lunar Mantle located near the city's dockyard. Alqarn, Respite for the Downtrodden The first of the mainland sheikdoms to be absorbed into the Sultanate some 800 years before the beginning of this tale, Alqarn has changed drastically in recent decades and swiftly become one of the most metropolitan regions in the entire Sultanate. Its climate is primarily dry, dusty badlands in the west and more fertile farmland in the eastern floodplains along the Makharaa River. While it previously served as a choice landing point for the Sultan's armies during the early wars for the mainland, it has since been fairly neglected by top-level leaders. Its rapid growth after conquest -- and the sudden loss of income when the army stopped using it as a valuable foothold -- meant that it soon devolved into a wretched hive of scum and villainy, as many newly-destitute citizens turned to crime to make ends meet. This is still true today, and has only been compounded by the arrival of families from Mekhallah and Mekhalga seeking to escape the grasp of the Living Waste. Alqarn's city of Tawira Rat became a desirable destination due to affordable travel to its ports, and cheap living once arrived. The influx of immigrants has turned Tawira Rat into a melting pot of human culture from across all of the sheikdoms, and it is particularly notable for its sprawling street markets offering expensive foods, jewelry, armor, and weapons from all corners of the Sultanate.Tawira Rat is also the only city in the Sultanate to feature a place of worship dedicated to every major religion. The city is home to the third and last Magus academy in the Sultanate, The House of the Horn. Ji-Alsim, An Alien Land Ji-Alsim is perhaps the most foreign of the Sultanate's sheikdoms, at least to citizens of the western and northern reaches of the country. Familiar coastal plains and deserts make up its northern shoreline, but thick and endless rainforest stretch far to the south and east. The Sultan's armies are still in the process of properly mapping the difficult terrtain of Ji-Alsim, having only officially taken its capital, Ahadoud, roughly fifty years before the beginning of this tale. The unfamiliar landscape has made travel a difficult task for explorers and soldiers. This sheikdom is known primarily for its exotic fauna. Giant poisonous snails slowly slink through the underbrush, 15-foot river serpents glide in the waters of the Kafayin River, naked monkeys swing themselves about the canopy, and lanky apes standing as high as two men scrape for survival in the most isolated areas of jungle. Most of these beasts have become prized as pets and hunting trophies across the Sultanate. Ahadoud, as such, is known a popular stop for those suffering wander lust to experience some of the most strange sights their corner of the world has to offer. Rather than dried mud bricks or sandstone, houses here are constructed from a strange dark wood and with thatched roofs, many on stilts to survive the frequent flooding. It is also known as a cursed city to some of the Sultanate's more superstitious. Some believe Ahadoud's legendary destruction by flooding over a thousand years ago and, and the more well-documented floods 300 years ago are a result of an ancient curse still maintained by the disparate tribes which are believed to lurk in the rainforests. Outside of Ahadoud, the independent sheikdom and the Sultanate have both had trouble maintaining order. The jungles have always been a favored hideout for the Sultanate's worst criminals, and infamous pirates take refuge in hidden coves along the Kafayin River. Ahadoud's most notable landmark is the Tower of God, a beautiful spire of painted rock which juts up from the rainforests outside the city. At its peak is a Tebalan shrine, considered an especially holy site which many pilgrims visit yearly. Mekhalga, A Harsh Frontier The penultimate independent sheikdom to fall during the Sultan's conquest, the northern reaches of Mekhalga are sometimes referred to as "The Sanguine Desert" due to the history of bloodshed that plagues the region. Mekhalga has seen centuries of Nasrifaq raids and internal strife bleed its populace, who survive in the rocky, dry foothills of the Earthspine Mountains primarily as herders. Recently some of the Alrifaq who chose to flee Mekhallah have attempted to settle in Mekhallah, but violence has now erupted between Alrifaq refugees and the Fitaar people, a human herder society who have long considered themselves independent of the Sultanate. Mekhalga is home to the tallest mountain in the Sultanate, which the Sultan's scholars call the Qamar Iisbae, or the Moon Finger. It is referred to as the Sun Spire by the Fitaar, who adopted Qariqism from the Nasrifaq after centuries of conflict brought the two cultures into close contact. This religious difference is one reason the Fitaar consider themselves a separate people, however even among those who live outside of Fitaar society, Qariqism is a common faith in Mekhalga. In fact, Almaqa is the only city in the Sultanate with more Qariqists houses of worship than Tabalist temples. Missionaries have been known to be attacked in Almaqa, its citizens willing to tolerate Tabalist neighbors, but infuriated by men preaching on street corners and aggressive pushing their doctrines. Mekhalga is home to the largest observatory in the Sultanate, perched on a peak neighboring the Qamar Iisbae. The scholars who man the observatory are called upon by the Sultan himself often, for expertise on predicting eclipses and other potentially irregular movements in the heavens. The Qamar Iisbae itself is beautifully etched and painted with Fitaar poetry and representations of their history, as it is considered the birthplace of their people. Any non-Fitaar who attempt to scale the peak have disappeared consistently. Epic poetry in the Fitaar style is fairly popular in Mekhalaga and Mekhallah, as musicians along the frontier adapt the stories into songs. The Fitaar do not traditionally write anywhere outside of their sacred peak however, leading some foolhardy minstrels to give their lives in order to sneak to the mountain and attempt to transcribe some of the stories into their notebooks. Another cultural export of Mekhalga is Shaas, a grappling martial art which was developed for use specifically against the Nasrifaq. Due to their common warfare with the Nasrifaq, the Fitaar and other fighters in Mekhalga often favor cavalry and are excellent horsemen.

This lore contribution courtesy of Rodez

For the past two hundred years, the Zalabelkh Confederation has lived an uneasy existence along the northwest frontier of the Sultanate, where the deserts end and the steppes begin. Once strong enough to seriously threaten the sheikhdoms of Mekhallah and Mekhalga, the Zalabelkh, who are comprised of a dozen or more distinct nomadic or semi-nomadic tribes, were convinced after decades of inconclusive warfare with Jalema to enter into a tributary relationship with the Sultan. In this way, the tribes could retain all of their practical political autonomy. All they had to do in return was fight off potential raiders to the north and send a tribute of boys and horses for the army annually. The boys provided are trained together, and serve together in special janissary units. Though such detachments are often under the command of Sultanate native generals, it is not uncommon for a distinguished janissary to ascend to command.

This last item was difficult for the Zalabelkh to accept. Two tribes even broke off from the Confederation rather than see their third and fourth sons be taken by the southern settled folk. The others eventually grew used to the arrangement.

All Zalabelkh children learn to ride before they can walk properly, such is their reliance on horses for quickly navigating between water sources on the steppe, as well as chasing down wild game. Once they are old enough to properly aim and draw, children master the bow before learning anything further. Once young boys are old enough to leave home, their fathers present them with a ketboge, a small wooden horse charm. After death, the Zalabelkh believe their souls ascend to the Twilight Plain, where they ride with their ancestors and hunt prey for eternity.

Dramatis Personae

---

Hikmat Eayan, Sultanate Magus and farseer

Narif, persistent street urchin

Arukh Tansumiran, steppe archer Janissary

Arif al-Hakim, wandering warrior scholar

Mubarak Alani Jaffer, conquering magus

Shadhaa the Silent, seeker of truth

Ehsan Shariati, Alrifaq adventurer

Lorin Lothar, far-ranging crusader

Character Name: Almasa bin Maghrid

Character Race: Human

Character Description/Image:

Character Personality: Almasa's drive and determination are second to none. The brewer's daughter has been willful since a young age, bending words into her father's ear to wiggle her way out of any number of potential arranged pairings. A fiercely traditional woman, Almasa's mother regularly protested to her husband in vain attempts to reveal what she saw as her daughter's malicious manipulations.

Her successful preservation of social independence has allowed her to forgo the domestic expectations that accompany marriage, and she has continued to doggedly pursue fortune in Mekhallah using what she knows: music, charisma and guile.

While her motivations are primarily selfish, Almasa legitimately enjoys the nuanced game of forming relationships in Mekhallah's countrysides and streets. Conversation with the right people, as she sees it, is her one ladder to both personal wealth and immortalization as a true rags-to-riches hero of the common folk. Even if a conversation doesn't lead to a personal gain however, the minstrel will never turn down good company.

Character Flaws: Almasa has always viewed herself as the heroine of the world's tale, and has never stopped seeking out opportunities to prove this to herself. She incessantly inserts herself into dangerous situations seeking glory and recognition, which drove her to join the Jai-Annar. Whether it's a simple street brawl or a more complex power play, Almasa chooses the side she thinks is right and runs with it without much more thought than this superficial analysis.

At her core, she is a selfish glory hound. It's not that she bears any ill will towards the people around her -- in fact, she revels in good company and close friends -- it is more that she is so unaccustomed to considering the needs and desires of others that she often disregards them entirely. If something benefits her, Almasa is almost certain to do it.

Character Bio/Backstory: Almasa was born 22 years before this tale to an Alkhafat brewer and his wife. A family of lowly but livable means, Almasa was always just comfortable enough to dream of more while never truly needing to fight for her survival. Her childhood was spent with her four older siblings, three brothers and a sister, all lending a hand in their father's home brewing. Araq, beers, and palm wines remain some of Almasa's favorite smells to this day, reminders of a pleasant home life before she became old enough to consider arranging a marriage.

Almasa spent her free time exploring Alkhafat with her siblings, the children often finding themselves listening to traveling minstrels sing songs of the Sultan's conquests, colossal river serpents in Ji-Alsim, and vengeful djinn. Almasa's favorites by far however were the haunting melodies of the traditional Alrifaq singers, called Yagh'dzut in their language but known as Nightlarks to the Sultanate's common folk.

Songs of tragic heroes, doomed cities, and forbidden love encapsulated the young girl as much as the bards' melancholy voices. She befriended a Nightlark named Mouzat who often visited Alkhafat, and his visits eventually turned into lessons to hone her voice and her skills on the oud. While she learned to play, she also fell in love with the apparent romantic lifestyle the Nightlarks led. Traveling from city to city on their own merits, with only instruments and the road for company much of the time, appealed to Almasa. She vowed to do whatever it took to earn this life for herself, and become a hero who would be sung about.

Her youthful enthusiasm lasted through her teenage years. As the youngest child, Almasa had always been able to wrap her father around her finger. The time she'd spent with Mouzat only sharpened her social skill, though Mouzat likely never intended for her to become a manipulative schemer. Knowing full well the prospect of marriage and domesticity threatened her goals, Almasa broke off her first potential marriage by claiming through crocodile tears she'd seen her match courting another girl, though in truth she never even met the boy. Her father took the bait, and though it caused some outrage from the groom's family, the arrangement was called off. At 16, she terminated a second matchmaking effort when she returned from a make-believe rendezvous with her groom sporting a nasty black eye, again playing victim. In truth she'd asked her brother to hold nothing back on a hook square to her face, and to this day maintains she's indebted to her sibling for his help in selling the story.

Almasa left home at 20, leaving behind only a note explaining she would be back to visit. For two years she's experienced the ruggedness of a life on the road, but it has only served to harden her resolve. Her travels have taken her over land and sea to every sheikdom except Alqarn and Ji-Alsim, and with roads growing more dangerous in recent years, she took up swordsmanship a year ago in Mekhalga, training with a sellsword and temporary lover to use the sickle-sword native to the region.

When tales of the expanding Living Waste, banditry, and the River Drake began to circulate out of Mekhallah, Almasa decided it was the perfect time to return. She joined the Jai-Annar six months prior to this tale, and has since been sailing the Qaara River with the vigilante sellswords slaying criminals and becoming more proficient with her hooked blade. She is by no means a warrior however, and spends most of her time thinking up ballads about her exploits with the river warriors to recount when she returns to Alkhafat.

Character Skills and profession: A skilled minstrel, Almasa has a finely honed singing voice and is a talented oud player. Her skill with the hooked blade she carries is certainly beyond that of someone who has never held a sword, but she's essentially still a novice compared to experienced fighters due to a lack of combat experience, and often relies on more unconventional trickery to best her opponents. She still remembers the basics of brewing palm wines and araq, and given enough time and proper storage she can produce a decent alcohol.

Additional information (any quirks, oddities, equipment, or distinguishing characteristics/mannerisms that make them themselves): Her oud is carved with an intertwined sun and moon to honor her Alrifaq teacher and as a symbol of her faith, as she is a Dzho'Drakti worshiper. She paints her body regularly and dresses in the Alrifaq style as another religious practice. She often spends much of the night plucking at her oud or drinking, as she has regular trouble sleeping. When she does sleep, she insists on having her instrument next to her, and becomes concerned when she's separated from it due to its sentimental value.

[Lancearc]

Reserved for Player Feats Worthy of Legend

[Reverend Norv]

This looks interesting. I will read through all the lore and then look into an app.

[Novas Arcanum]

Been looking for a non traditional roleplay tag.

[Ovesa]

This is fascinating; hands down, this the most unique fantasy RP I've ever seen. Consider this a tag for interest

[Reverend Norv]

This is fascinating; hands down, this the most unique fantasy RP I've ever seen. Consider this a tag for interest

It is indeed. I speak a little Arabic, which seems to be the loose basis for the language of the Jalema Sultanate, so let me know if you want something translated.

[Ovesa]

It is indeed. I speak a little Arabic, which seems to be the loose basis for the language of the Jalema Sultanate, so let me know if you want something translated.

Wow, thanks! I appreciate it

[Somerania]

Would be nice to see some djinns

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Owwwwww yyyeaaaaahhhh, here we go Lance. This is so good.

[Lancearc]

Here I was thinking this was more or less a swing and a miss

Thanks for the kind words all, I suppose now I’ll have to finish up the remaining lore info.

This is fascinating; hands down, this the most unique fantasy RP I've ever seen. Consider this a tag for interest

Thank you! I was torn between making a fantasy world based around the folklore of sub-Saharan and pre-Islamic Africa or the Islamic Arab world, but I’ve been reading the Throne of the Crescent Moon series recently so went with the latter.

This is fascinating; hands down, this the most unique fantasy RP I've ever seen. Consider this a tag for interest

It is indeed. I speak a little Arabic, which seems to be the loose basis for the language of the Jalema Sultanate, so let me know if you want something translated.

Yup! I’m no Tolkien so most often you will find that it’s a mish mash of some related Arabic words that create a new word

Would be nice to see some djinns

We very well could, even if magic is not as prevalent in the world

Owwwwww yyyeaaaaahhhh, here we go Lance. This is so good.

Always an honor to catch the eye of an old vet

[Reverend Norv]

Should be done my app tomorrow.

[Lancearc]

Should be done my app tomorrow.

Sounds good. I'm currently rounding out the info for current factions so feel free to change or add info based on what is up by then.

[Theyra]

This looks cool, expect an app tomorrow or Tuesday

[Lancearc]

This looks cool, expect an app tomorrow or Tuesday

Good to hear.

Finished up the overview of those factions central to goings on at story's start! This is of course not final or comprehensive of every group which will or could be introduced, but represents those most involved in current events.

[Ovesa]

This looks cool, expect an app tomorrow or Tuesday

Good to hear.

Finished up the overview of those factions central to goings on at story's start! This is of course not final or comprehensive of every group which will or could be introduced, but represents those most involved in current events.

Looks amazing! Nice work

[Novas Arcanum]

I was thinking of role-playing has a trader could I have a pack beast similar to a silt-strider from Morrowind?

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

I am writing up a traveling writer and jurist, an older man who has seen much of the world and has dedicated his later life to the study of worldly and religious law. As such, I will try to think of a few jurisprudential methodologies that would make sense in this world.

In my current draft, he travels to the Sheikdom in order to find out what human society is like at a moment of supreme desparation, in order to find the basis of true humanity. He feels too detached from humans, and part of his journey will be to actually see his place in helping people, rather than solely describing them.

[Lancearc]

I was thinking of role-playing has a trader could I have a pack beast similar to a silt-strider from Morrowind?

I wouldn't be opposed to a similar beast, I'd be glad to work on getting them integrated into the world.

I am writing up a traveling writer and jurist, an older man who has seen much of the world and has dedicated his later life to the study of worldly and religious law. As such, I will try to think of a few jurisprudential methodologies that would make sense in this world.

In my current draft, he travels to the Sheikdom in order to find out what human society is like at a moment of supreme desparation, in order to find the basis of true humanity. He feels too detached from humans, and part of his journey will be to actually see his place in helping people, rather than solely describing them.

Loving this concept. Happy to see what you cook up or work with you on some of those principles in the world as well.

[Reverend Norv]

I am writing up a traveling writer and jurist, an older man who has seen much of the world and has dedicated his later life to the study of worldly and religious law. As such, I will try to think of a few jurisprudential methodologies that would make sense in this world.

In my current draft, he travels to the Sheikdom in order to find out what human society is like at a moment of supreme desparation, in order to find the basis of true humanity. He feels too detached from humans, and part of his journey will be to actually see his place in helping people, rather than solely describing them.

I was actually thinking of a not totally dissimilar character, though different enough to be interesting, I think. The app is mostly done.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

I am writing up a traveling writer and jurist, an older man who has seen much of the world and has dedicated his later life to the study of worldly and religious law. As such, I will try to think of a few jurisprudential methodologies that would make sense in this world.

In my current draft, he travels to the Sheikdom in order to find out what human society is like at a moment of supreme desparation, in order to find the basis of true humanity. He feels too detached from humans, and part of his journey will be to actually see his place in helping people, rather than solely describing them.

I was actually thinking of a not totally dissimilar character, though different enough to be interesting, I think. The app is mostly done.

If you post your app when it's done, I will take a look and make some adjustments for mine to make them interesting parallels, if that's okay with you.

[Rodez]

This looks great! Reading through, I was thinking of making a janissary sort of character, originally from steppe lands that could be off to the northwest. Could I write this in without upsetting your lore?

[Reverend Norv]

I was actually thinking of a not totally dissimilar character, though different enough to be interesting, I think. The app is mostly done.

If you post your app when it's done, I will take a look and make some adjustments for mine to make them interesting parallels, if that's okay with you.

Sounds great!

[Lancearc]

This looks great! Reading through, I was thinking of making a janissary sort of character, originally from steppe lands that could be off to the northwest. Could I write this in without upsetting your lore?

Absolutely, the area to the north and west is kind of intentionally left a bit vague for that reason, though the general idea is that the are is inhabited primarily by nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples due to the geography and climate. If you had a concept for a group or small kingdom inhabiting that region I wouldn't mind working alongside to make it more established within the world as well.

[Lavan Tiri]

Täg