Arth

1. 41) Andoran Ocean

   #41

   As any sailor will tell you, any patch of ocean has its own distinct flavor, in the way it moves, the way it smells, the weather found there, and of course in the things living there. In short, each patch of ocean has its own Way.
   
   Arth is a world made up of semi-continuous biomes, each with its own ecology and path. The oceans of Arth are no exception. Each ocean biome has its own way. Most Ocean biomes are huge in comparison to their land cousins; yet the Ocean has an uncounted number of biomes of all sizes. The Ocean of the Known World is fractured, just like ThirdLand. Now in most cases, the change in ocean biome does not touch a sailor, byt some do.
   
   This can make sailing problematic. Longdistance sailing is only possible on Arth with Coursefinders (oceanic Pathfinders). They not only know the biomes of the ocean, they have a "Feel" for them that allows them to sense shifts in travel paths and changes in way. Humans are the only species that are known to have the pathfinding knack, and even then it is in a small percentage. Most people in Arth, stay home. It is both safer and more comfortable being in a familiar "way".
   
   The sea clans have the knack in a disproportionate numbers. Since the knack is required to travel their "home" with great safety, it seems to be a fairly common gift for these people.
   
   The Andoran Ocean is bordered by NorthLand in the North and ThirdLand in the East. There is no firm border for it South and East, except the areas west of SecondLand and south of FourthLand are mostly underexplored. The east side of Thirdland has little in the way of civilization or good ports (as most of the east side are high cliffs populated by winged folk). The Imperium has commisioned a number of ships to explore the sea, to find more Lands and islands. The Emperor has also toyed with offering a reward, like he gave those who discovered MaskLand, as a regular bounty for finding new Lands.

2. Arth

   #42

   OK, the head of the pantheon, GE-EM is a collector of people, items and enire locations.
   
   But a little larger-than-world question plagues me:
   If those lands are taken from elsewhere, what about gods of those worlds? If they don't exist, fine. But if they do, do they take kindly this burglary or cataclysmic proportions, or is it a deal of some kind? Or are they simply forced to obey by a more powerful god?
   
   It might have been covered before, but could those races be followed by their gods (thus spoiling the nice pyramid of relations between gods)?
   
   
   GE-EM may seem now as being evil, but there are other options. Maybe he only takes parts of worlds that will be destroyed soon (it happens in cosmos from time to time). That may explain erased memories of terrible things. Or he takes only from worlds without true gods. Or from gods that take care badly of their creations (though that is debatable once again). Or, if he is The Creator Of All And Everything, maybe he picks the best or most interesting stuff from his children's work. Or what?

3. Arth

   #43

   But a little larger-than-world question plagues me:
   If those lands are taken from elsewhere, what about gods of those worlds? If they don't exist, fine. But if they do, do they take kindly this burglary or cataclysmic proportions, or is it a deal of some kind? Or are they simply forced to obey by a more powerful god?

   
   
   In the big scale, when Lands and such appear, I have always assumed they were copies of said places (Copy...and... Paste... edit slightly). On the small scale, such as strangers or the warp point in the Wapti swamp, they are all transplants.
   
   There could be trades. "Well, I will take this small tribe of Elves, do you want this dragon I have?"
   
   Rescues could be possible.
   
   

   It might have been covered before, but could those races be followed by their gods (thus spoiling the nice pyramid of relations between gods)?

   
   
   No diety seems to be able to be imported from the old world to Arth. However, the belief system with slight alterations could easily fit the new location.
   
   The big explanation of that was Danu, the God of Masques. Their diety did not (or could not) follow them, but the MaskLanders effectively created Danu, the master of Masques, because of their linguistic definition AND their belief in Danu. Their word masque empowered a new master. Given the definition of Masque, he is quite the powerful diety.
   
   The Lamic people had a single diety with angel helpers. Now they have Ge-Em and the elemental angel helpers, ignoring and down playing Mother Arth and Yi-Any (or making them angels helping Ge-Em).
   
   My view of it has always been "You can worship dieties that are not on Arth, but you can not draw upon them for power, nor can they effect this world."
   

   GE-EM may seem now as being evil, but there are other options. Maybe he only takes parts of worlds that will be destroyed soon (it happens in cosmos from time to time). That may explain erased memories of terrible things. Or he takes only from worlds without true gods. Or from gods that take care badly of their creations (though that is debatable once again). Or, if he is The Creator Of All And Everything, maybe he picks the best or most interesting stuff from his children's work. Or what?

   
   
   Choose the one which best fits your idea of the diety. Or use them all. How are your characters ever going to find out?

4. Arth

   #44

   ...Maybe he only takes parts of worlds that will be destroyed soon (it happens in cosmos from time to time). That may explain erased memories of terrible things.

   
   
   Choose the one which best fits your idea of the diety. Or use them all. How are your characters ever going to find out?
   
   Hmmm... imagine some fresh newcomers, with memories not _completely_ erased. These people start suddenly develop fears and visions of an incoming cataclysm. What if they are prodigies, and have glimpsed something of future? Sounds like a plot hook to me.

5. Arth

   #45

   ...Maybe he only takes parts of worlds that will be destroyed soon (it happens in cosmos from time to time). That may explain erased memories of terrible things.

   
   
   Choose the one which best fits your idea of the diety. Or use them all. How are your characters ever going to find out?
   
   Hmmm... imagine some fresh newcomers, with memories not _completely_ erased. These people start suddenly develop fears and visions of an incoming cataclysm. What if they are prodigies, and have glimpsed something of future? Sounds like a plot hook to me.
   
   I could be that they are insane. Imagine if someone said that sort of thign to you? How would you respond? However, by simply defining the way of biome as now allowing pre-arth memories, poof.. they are gone.

6. ThirdLand working.....Ridge

   #46

   Ideas
   14 biomes are the Dwarven Clans, a small Kern Colony, a city of wing folk, Gargoyles, and the occasional Orcenti/Goblinenti tribe looking for new Goods. The only "passes" between the Northern Green and the rest of ThirdLand occur at the west most and east most areas of the Great Ridge.
   
   The Primary race of the Great Ridge are the Dwarventi. They are almost exclusively found here. Very few venture other places. Dwarventi are a shorter, broad shouldered, large eyed, partially subterranian humanoid race. They appear more human than most partially subterranian races, like the Goblinenti. Their ears are oversized, but still round. They run from 4'5" to 5'5", and 120 to 200 stones. They mature at 24 and live for approximately 200 years.
   
   They tend to live in large clan lodges that are both above ground and below it (with caves or carved out areas). They are natural metalcrafters, miners, and technologists. Their larger settlements are wonders of engineering, just like the Elventi settlements are wonders of magic and harmony with nature.
   
   Their clannish nature blends quite nicely with the traditional human social structure (clans or guilds). Each clan has its own distinctive braid (for hair and/ or beard) and fabric pattern (like Tartans). There are some 20 Dwarventi clans.
   
   There are only three elements represented in the Dwarventi of The Known World.
   
   Earth: The most common of all Dwarventi. They are a strong and stoic group, with hairs and eye colors that range from light brown to dark brown. (A side note: a Dwarventi's eye colors alway match their hair color.). The have a warrior orrientation, as most of their holdings are periodically distrubed by Goblin and Hobgoblins intrusions. There primary weapon is the Hammer or Mace.
   
   Water: These are the Dark Dwarventi, living in greater seclusion than most Dwarventi. Their halls and towns are almost exclusively underground. Their hair and eyes are black to blue black. Their skin is practicaly pallid. They are the most emotional of all the Dwarventi (and some would say the most paranoid and secretive). They are also masters of enchanting. It is only in recent times, since the "technological revolution" created in Antioch, that they have ventured forth to see this "new way of thinking".
   
   Fire: Found in the western most Mountain Biomes, with a few low land and hilly biomes in areas of "The villages". They are more surface orriented than most Dwarventi. They are also stubbern and stoic, with bouts of emotional exuberence (usually tied to alcohol). Their colors range from a goldish blond to a reddish blond. The three clans of Fire Dwarventi use Axes as their military weapon of choice.
   
   ******************************
   Should I list all 20 clans? Oh why not. Are there lands associated with each clan. No. Clans colonize a good distance away... Dwarves live in a 3d sort of world, so their territories can overlap horizonallty, but be seperated vertically. name conventions Clan and Hall, perhaps a ClanyaHall...
   
   Each clan will need a name, an ethnic group, a region it specializes in, plaid, braid, and some crafts they excell in. allies and enemies? they are not as twisted as the Humanti of SecondLand, but every clan should have one notable feature (either good or bad)
   
   Dwarventi should sound... germanic.. nah steroetypical, but what I did before. Russian. DA! So a list of Russian sounding surnames....
   this is the only language not defined by Imperial Elventi or translated by Warp into Imperial.
   
   So instead of 20 territories, we have 20 groups with various listings... so lets hit the highlights. Each region will have one to four interesting locations. (The East being the exception because it will have Sky and Kern, and so on). We have how many regions per biome? 3 (approx) gives us 4, 4 approx gives us 3.
   
   I like the four regions, so 3 biomes per region, with East being the exception..
   
   Gargoyle section should be added on, as these territorial creatures will act as guards for various halls.
   
   So 20 clans. One for each letter? nah, done that trick. Since the clans are mostly invisible to peoples, they are mostly there for naming conventions and a little color. Halls, there are thousands of them...
   
   Water Dwarves
   kvenski
   kyenski
   dyrnski
   
   Hammer
   Kurz (the short one)
   Schmidt (smith)
   Stahl (steel)
   Stein (Rock)
   Steinhauer (RockCutter)
   Eisen (iron)
   Eisenhower (iron cutter, miner)
   Erzberger (ore mountain)
   Gold (gold)
   Silber (silver)
   Kessler (Copper)
   
   West
   NeuGold
   Bauer (Farmer)
   Waldschmidt (Smith in the woods)
   Lesser (Woodsman)

7. AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH

   #47

   Okay, as soon as I
   a) Finish a rewrite of StoryPath (which I will do when I get some more feedback. HINT!)
   
   b) Get these neighborhoods out of my head (Get out. Get out! GET OUT!!!!!)
   I may do the nine neighborhoods of Antioch, which I will then post here.
   
   c) Write up the three Orbs and two associated places that are bubbling in my mind (Elvis, Green Lady for sure and Temple of Forgotten and Verdant Valley (where Green Lady is).
   
   I will get back into doing regular entries to Arth.

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