Re: Emoria: World-Building OOC

[Gadreille]

Sorcs powers revolve around these 'elements': fire, water, earth, poison, healing and prophecy. More will be described in the pantheon, but I guess the elements that would best describe the sorcs would be fire, water, earth and spirit?

[Bird of Hermes]

I can come up with more races for our world if you like. I always like coming up with things like that. I can do creatures too.

[Gadreille]

Perhaps some planes creatures? Apart from spirit and shadow of course. Anyone is welcome to that as well.

[Kathryn Lacey]

I just want to remind everyone that the first Plane of Existence was Spirit.

Therefore, all planes and all characteristics are part of Spirit. Just like the Material Plane is a combination of everything. If anything, Spirit and Material would be opposing forces like Light vs. Shadow, Fire vs. Water, and Air vs. Earth. Does that make sense to anyone?

I just thought it could be useful to point that out.

Anyway, those main elements sound about right for both the Drenador and the Sorcs. Of course, it really is up to the individual players to decide of what their races will mostly be comprised. If anyone feels differently concerning another's race, opinions are nice, but the ultimate decision lies with the creator.

[Bird of Hermes]

Perhaps some planes creatures? Apart from spirit and shadow of course. Anyone is welcome to that as well.

I shall!

[Shadow Moonseye]

Okay! Here it is! A little later than I was hoping, but its ready none the less. Hope I don't bore you all with the details. I went kinda crazy with these guys... Anywho! Let me know if you think something is wrong or overboard or anything like that. Or just let me know what you think in general. If anyone has any questions, please let me know and I'll try to answer 'em as best as I can.

~~~~~~~~~

Species Name: I’nak
Lifespan: Up to 300 years
Height: 7 to 8 feet
Bone structure: The I’nak have the same basic bone structure as other humanoids. However, there are a few distinct differences. The bones of the I’nak are far stronger than those of other humanoids, an adaptation coming from living in the harsh environment where everything is out to kill you. They can take blows that would shatter bones and come away with nothing more than a bruise. The bones of the face are longer and sleeker than humans, with more prominent cheek bones. I’nak have 32 teeth, however it is the front six that draw the most attention. Rather than having just four canines (two on top and two on bottom) they have twelve. This is due to a more carnivorous diet. These teeth do not change the appearance of a smile though, and it often only becomes apparent when the teeth part.
Musculature: Being that the I’nak have a humanoid form, there are little to no differences with the arrangement of the muscles from other humanoids. It is the muscles themselves that are different. The muscle fibers are coiled, thus allowing them to react faster and put more force in the muscle movement. This allows the I’nak to be far stronger than they appear and pack quite the punch.
-An important thing to note about the I’nak. They are a matriarchal species, both culturally and physically, As such the females are taller and stronger than the males.
Epidermis: The skin of the I’nak is thicker than other humanoid races, and is usually dark olive in coloration. Darker markings adorn the skin, the patterns closely resembling the stripes of tiger. The patter varies from individual to individual, though it is often hard for other species to tell the difference.
Ocular Features: The eyes of the I’nak are quite sharp, allowing them to pick up the tiniest of details that would often go unnoticed by other species and see extraordinarily well in the dark. The irises come in a verity of bright colors, ranging from blues and greens to reds, purples, and even yellows. One unique feature of the eyes is that they change color depending on the individual’s mood. The pupils of the eye slit, much like a cat, however they slit horizontally, rather than vertically.
Proboscis: The nose of the I’nak differs little from that of other humanoids in appearance. However, they have a far keener sense of smell than many of the other species.
Auricle: The ears of the I’nak are quite distinct. They much higher on the head than other species, at around temple height. The outer forward edge of the ear is made of a harder cartilage than the rest of the ear. This allows for the ear to swivel, much like a cat, allowing the I’nak to pinpoint sources of noises. The ears are four to five inches long, depending on the individual. The hearing of the I’nak is above that of many humanoids, due to the structure of their ears.
CapillusLike many humanoids, the I’nak have hair. There is little variation in the coloration of the hair, seeing as it comes strictly in dark browns and blacks. Other than the hair on their heads, the I’nak are utterly hairless; they don’t even have eyebrows.
Reproductive Cycle: The I’nak have a much different reproductive cycle than other species. The females go into a “cycle” which takes place once every 4 months and lasts roughly one to two weeks. The females are fertile only when on the cycle, any other time they simply cannot become pregnant. One interesting note is that the I’nak cannot breed with other species; they can only breed with other I’nak or with Tynir, seeing as the Tynir are merely a sub-species. Gestation lasts for roughly seven months.
Immune System: The I’nak come from a location where there is little to no medicine and the jungle is full of a multitude of nasty diseases. This has led to the adaptation of a very strong immune system. Only the most severe of diseases will kill an I’nak.
Biology: There several differences with the internal systems of the I’nak versus those of other humanoids. The most noticeable ones being that many food other species are capable of ingesting do not sit well with the I’nak, in fact, some are down right toxic. The most obvious examples being alcohol, “domestic” meat (as in cows, sheep, things like that), and dairy. However, most “refined” foods will bother them.

I’nak Culture

Society: The I’nak live in tribe like groups called Nimiak. The Nimiak range in size, and can be quite large. Each member of the Nimiak has a place, and though the females tend to hold positions of power, there is little discrimination against the males. Each I’nak is expected to pull their weight and help those in the tribe that need it.

Conflicts often happen in Nimiaks. These are solved through iyok, a supervised fight. The combatants are allowed no weapons and no clothing or armor. Iyoks are not fights to the death, rather they are to show who is the stronger, and work out conflicts in a positive manner.

The I’nak do not hold grudges, they do not brood. If something bothers them or offends them, they bring it out in the open immediately. If something cannot be solved through words, they turn to iyok. Once something has been dealt with, the hurt is forgiven and that is the end of it. This is the reason that wars do not affect them like they might other species, it is also the reason that allows them to interact so freely with the Tynir.

To the I‘nak trust is everything. They do not let others into their dwelling lightly, and it is often the first sign of trust, for then one can see the I’nak’s home, their strengths and weaknesses. Touch plays into this, if an I’nak does not trust someone, they will not allow them to touch, even lightest contact will be avoided. To be allowed to touch an I’nak is a sign of great trust, and to be allowed to touch an I’nak’s torso shows friendship and greater trust. Face to face contact is reserved strictly for family, mates, and only the closest of friends.

The I’nak society is one of Hunters. Every I’nak can hunt, and every I’nak can gather other foods. They take pride in their skill and wear their trophies to show how adept they are. The I’nak do not boast. If they say they can do something, they will be more than capable to do so. It is wise to take any threat or stray comment made by an I’nak seriously.

Government: Each Nimiak is ruled over by a Liel. Liels are most commonly female, however on the rare occasion you will find the odd male Liel. The Liel’s word is law, and they oversee the wellness of their Nimiak. Each Nimiak presides over its own “territory” and all in all there is no overarching government that oversees the entire I’nak species. In times of great crisis or need the Liels of the Nimiaks across Wyluutaan Jerigg may gather and figure out what needs to be done.

Religion: The I’nak worship four Gods. Mwan’tsu, the Hunter. He guides their hunts and sees that their aim is true while on the trail; his form is that of the Karzonon, the great saber toothed cats that stalk the forest shadows. Noea’xii, the Warrior. She keeps them strong and brings them worthy foes; her form is that of the Tzuacal, the cunning scythe-clawed lizard that fears none. Veanor’aal, the Prey. He makes the hunts bountiful and always provides to those in the most need; his form is that of the Oson, the great horned heard beast. Aeose’cen, the Mother. She looks after all I’nak and the forest they live in, her eyes see far and her wings shield her children from harm; her form is that of the Juurai, the far-seeing bird of prey.

Magic: The I’nak are not a magical race. They cannot use it, and strangely enough most magic does not seem to affect them. Direct magic (like fireballs or throwing lighting, stuff that uses an object/element) can harm them or affect them, but if someone were to cast a spell on an I’nak in the hopes to bring them under the spell caster’s influence, the I’nak would remain wholly unaffected.

Language: The language of the I’nak is quite complex. This is due to the fact that half of their language is hand motions and body movement, the spoken part of their language is also littered with vocalizations that are hard to reproduce by other species. They can communicate silently and effectively using the hand motions and body movements, cutting the need for speech while hunting. An outsider listening in on an I’nak conversation would wind up missing over half the conversation if they paid attention to the vocals alone.

Courtship: The courtship of a male by a female is a highly pubic affair, from the moment the intent is declared, to the moment that the pair is mated. Though details vary from pair to pair, there are five steps that must be followed for a courtship to be complete and reach the mating ceremony. First, the female must approach her intended male’s mother and declare her intent to pursue him; if the mother approves, the female will proceed to the next step. The next step in the courtship is for the female to hunt out an animal, which she then presents to the entire Nimiak in the male’s name. At this point, the female and male begin giving each other gifts and spending time together as they form the bonds of trust. After a certain period of time, the next step takes place. A combat dance takes place, lead by the pair, the rest of the Nimiak soon join in. After the combat dance takes place, the pair leave the Nimiak for a period of three months, to test their ability to survive together and further build the bonds of trust. When they return the last step before the mating ceremony takes place. The pair must weave the binding ropes for their ceremony, decorating them as they see fit.

Important Rites:
- Coming of age: Around the ages of 8,9, and 10 the I’nak reaches full growth. At this time a great celebration is held as this is the point in which an I’nak is recognized as a true member of the Nimiak in the eyes of the Leil. There is a feast, with combat, dancing, and music. At the end of the celebration, the child is taken and the markings on her/his face and shoulders are colored through an excruciatingly painful tattooing process that lasts for many hours. After the tattooing is complete, the I’nak is sent out on her/his first solitary hunt, where they are challenged to bring down a mighty beast and take its skull for a trophy.
- Mating: The mating ceremony is a highly public affair, marked by a feast and a night of music and dancing. Once the moon is high in the sky, the actual ceremony takes place. Compared to the festivities of the night, it is actually a quite solemn affair. The ceremony is more emotional, and while it does signify that they are a mated pair and will reproduce with one another, it is more for an emotional purpose. The ceremony itself is quiet and quick; an exchange of words between the mothers, the Leil gives her blessing, and the ceremony is ended by tying the female’s right hand to the male’s left. They stay tied together for the remainder of the night. After the ceremony, the festivities resume until the morning draws near. Then the festivities end and the newly mated couple go to the female’s home. The next day the male moves his things to his mate’s home, and the pair wear their binding ropes in their hair to show that they are mated.
- Burial: When an I’nak dies, the individual’s belongings are gathered and her/his weapons and trophies are separated. Everything else is divided between the family. The body is prepared by dressing it for battle and decorating it in war paint. The body is then carried by the eldest daughter and borne out of the Nimiak, to the Wignyaat ea. The Wignyaat ea is the Nimiak’s “tree of death”, where the bodies of their dead are laid to rest. Once the tree has been reached the eldest daughter then climbs the tree, still carrying her parent’s body, and ascends toher family’s branch. There, the body is then suspended from the branch by rope, along with the deceased’s trophies and weapons. Songs are then sung as the daughter descends, and for three days afterward, the family enters a period of mourning, where they are exempt from all work in the Nimiak.

Clothing: Because the I’nak are a more touch based species (it doesn’t matter what you can see, it matters what you can touch) and due to the fact that they come from a very humid climate, they don’t wear much in the clothing department. Neither males or females wear shirts, and often the only “clothing” that is worn is a simple loincloth. Shoes are something utterly foreign to them. Decorations such as jewelry and feather, along with body paint, make up the rest of I’nak attire.

Weapons and Armor: The I’nak do not have access to forges or raw materials in which to make metal weapons or armor. Instead, most of their weapons are made of bone or the teeth and claws of the beasts of the forest. The only access they have to metal weapons comes from their trading with the Tynir. The weapons that the I’nak make themselves are spears, bows (and arrows, naturally), and short knives. They tend not to wear armor, but when they do they favor light leather armor made from the tanned hides of their kills.

State of Advancement: Though the I’nak might be considered savages by other more “enlightened” or “advanced” species, they see no need to change their way of life. The jungle they live in protects them, and if anything makes it into the jungle they will be aware of it longer before it is aware of them. Do not take their seeming lack of advancement as a sign that they are easy prey, or unknowledgeable of the world. They are aware when large things go down, when the drums of war sound, when the ground is soaked in blood. Though, if it does not directly threaten them, they will pay it little mind.

~~~~~~~~~

Whew, that was a lot of work. As I said earlier, I hope to have the history, geology, and a few important animals up tomorrow.

[Hello Danger]

What Dax added to the kidnapping was good. I liked it.

As far as who's getting kidnapped. If your nation is small, tribal based, or your leader/s aren't PUBLIC/well known, then likely no one from your world-space would be among the kidnapped. However, I'm sure they would be playing a role during the "meeting of worlds" or whatever it'll be called.

:: Shrugs ::

I don't care. Its whatever you guys want. I'll just play along.

[Dax]

Yah, and it doesnt NECESSARILY have to be the leader who gets 'napped.
It could be something like the stereotypical princess or a national hero that everyone adores. Just saying that so that just because your leader isnt public/existant, you can still be directly involved instead of just trying to look good for foreign relations. xD
I am sure, for one, that one of my important guys are going to get 'napped simply because... well... lets just say Vatienne and the Mountains of Night dont have the beeest relation.

Oh, and I will be PMing Hello Danger and Shadow Moonseye for Foreign Relations work.

[Guest]

Alright, Shadow Moonseye character sheet (very good, by the way) has been posted in the information thread. We only have a few players left who need to put up their character sheets. I'm pretty sure everyone has a landspace now.

Character sheets are needed from:

• Asyrdar
  
• buzzwolf
  
• Gunneh
  
• IRLGoat
  
• Kalon
  
• Plaguewalker
  

I haven't heard anything from Plaguewalker in a while, unless I've missed it. I haven't heard anything from Asyrdar. If you two are still interested and working on your sheets, could you just let me know? I would like to know how much of a time frame we have to still work on our characters before we throw all of our efforts into the actual story.

[Guest]

Are people ok with the information i have been posting?

[Shadow Moonseye]

Hey, I talk to Plague on a daily basis. He's still interested and working on his stuff, he was just forced to wait on me, since his people are a sub-species of mine.

Also...that wasn't really my char sheet. More of...my people sheet, would be a good term for it. I'll have the actual character sheet with my actual character up in the next few days.

Edit: And thanks! I put a ton of effort into 'em.

[Guest]

Sorry...I'll move it to History and Lore then.

[Shadow Moonseye]

Hey, its fine. Sorry I didn't make it very clear what it was. My bad.

[Kalon Ordona II]

The I'nak seem practically invincible.
They don't seem to have any weaknesses at all. What are they going to do when something affects the peace of the world around them? Pay it no mind?

Wanting to keep to themselves is good for a race without weakness, because it prevents them from taking over the world. But what about helping other lands? If all they do is keep to themselves and defend their land invicibly... how are you going to have a chance for them to fight with anyone but themselves?

For that matter, how is anyone going to see their land? I guess something would have to be in it that people want or need, so they have to earn their trust.

Sorry if I'm doing too much at once. It's just that they don't seem vulnerable, which means there's not much room for conflict, because they'll immediately take down anything that comes agains them. (except a mage throwing meteors or some other god-mode action)

[Guest]

Could people answer my question please?

[Kalon Ordona II]

I liked your info so far, Raptorman.
Which reminds me, was anyone working on a timeline? I forget how old the world is supposed to be. 11,000 years?

[Shadow Moonseye]

Its fine, I can see why it would look like not much can hurt them. I'll expand a little and try to ease some worries/answer questions.

If something threatens the peace of the world around them(as in the plot of the rp) they will pay attention. While they do keep to themselves, if something big happens that is impossible to ignore, they will act.

See, the keeping to themselves is kinda of part of my plan in the long run. The way I'm seeing it, the southern continent is largely unexplored, a land of unknowns. Think of it as when Columbus found the Americas. They and the people there were complete unknowns. This big threat to the entire world will probably be the very first time the I'nak really show themselves and what they are capable of. Just because they keep to themselves doesn't mean that they won't help other nations in need. Generally, as long as nothing is done to upset or anger the I'nak they'll be cautiously friendly.

As for people seeing their land, if at some point the rp comes to the point where a thread is taking place in the southern continent, I will be playing an I'nak, so that right there would give the others traveling with them a window and guide to keep them safe in the forest.

Another thing to remember is that though they are tough, they fight with weapons of bone and wood and stone. Metal armor and metal weapons give other nations a huge advantage over them in battle.

Hope that helped ease fears/clear things up. If not, feel free to ask more questions and I'll do my best to answer.

As for your question, Raptorman, I like the info you've been posting thus far. Tis pretty good!

[Guest]

I liked your info so far, Raptorman.
Which reminds me, was anyone working on a timeline? I forget how old the world is supposed to be. 11,000 years?

Older than that. Ignore that time as it doesn't really work now.

[Guilty Carrion]

Sorry about my radio silence there. Sometimes I ferget that I should keep people informed on what's happening, and I just get lost in a world of scheming.

Also, just as a forward warning, alot of the stuff on the Tynir's biology and what not is pretty much identical to the I'nak, save for some minor adaptations for marsh dwelling. The major diffrences lie in their culture, and all that fancy stuff. With any luck, I'll have'em up today!

Work, work!

[Dax]

I liked your info so far, Raptorman.
Which reminds me, was anyone working on a timeline? I forget how old the world is supposed to be. 11,000 years?

Older than that. Ignore that time as it doesn't really work now.

Older than 11k? I thought we agreed on 'undetermined' as the age of the world.

[Guest]

I liked your info so far, Raptorman.
Which reminds me, was anyone working on a timeline? I forget how old the world is supposed to be. 11,000 years?

Older than that. Ignore that time as it doesn't really work now.

Older than 11k? I thought we agreed on 'undetermined' as the age of the world.

The exact age of the world is uncertain but we have a rough ballpark estimation by virtue of the time line I am putting together.

I should have it up tonight.

[Bird of Hermes]

You people are so active with this project. It makes me happy. I am a very happy bird.

[Gabe]

This guy right here ( points at self ) has been very busy these last few days, but I promise I've been reading and responding to PMs as well as I can. I've also been talking a lot with Caleb about our shared history, I think its going to be great when its all finished.

If I may, I'd like to humbly suggest something for the story as well:
If a direct kidnapping is too easy to direct at a villain, we could simply start by having a small missing person crisis that later develops into a kidnapping problem. If someone important were to go missing, kidnapping may not be the first conclusion we all come to. It's just a suggestion, and while the difference is subtle it may be just what we need to get the ball rolling.
This helps the culprit as well because he (or they) can claim that some of his own have gone missing as well to cover his own tracks.
Anyway, just an idea, what does everyone think?

[Kathryn Lacey]

Raptor, you already know my opinions on the information you’ve been posting, for you have often discussed those things with me before posting them.

Kalon, none of the current residents of Emoria should really be aware of how old the world is. I don’t even think that Morgarath would be aware despite his having been born after the Existence/Origin Wars ((Have we decided which name to use?)) because the Origin/Existence Wars didn’t occur immediately after the Material Plane was created. We’ve only just begun counting the years after the Wars of Illuria, and that was about two thousand years ago.

Plague, it’s “forget” not “ferget.” I’m not sure if that was on purpose or not, but if it wasn’t, I thought I’d help you.

[Guest]

Hey, my people's creation myth (detailed on my character sheet under worldspace) could be considered an interpretation of the Origin Wars if you want to use that as some thing to go off of.

[Kathryn Lacey]

As long as this is merely their belief, and you're not trying to claim it as factual, I see no problems with that.

[Guest]

I just meant as the Fermatan's interpretation of what happened. It would be nice for all of the (human) races to have a similar story, with maybe the Elves having a different story?

[Kathryn Lacey]

Well, that's a decent interpretation in my opinion.

Basically, when all seven planes worked together to create life for the eighth plane, they would have had differences in opinion about what exactly to create. For the semi-sentient beings, this explains the diversity in animals. For the sentient, humanoid ones, this explains the different races. In my mind, the two major races ((Elves and Men)) would have definitely been created at about the same time, but it's up to those who have created races other than those two to decide if they want theirs to also have been created at the same time as the men and elves. If not, I think they would have been created after that because elves and men would have been the first sentient humanoids for the Material Plane. I also think that the plants and animals would have come before the sentient beings, but we can discuss that. It just makes sense to me, personally.

Anyway, there were originally five elves and they prospered and bred into an entire population. Because Earth ((our real Earth, not the Earth Plane of this role play)) pretty much clarifies that genes need to be diverse and that inbreeding is awful for the diversity of the gene pool, I'm sure magick would probably have a hand in keeping them from being defective, mutated imbeciles... However, maybe the science of Emoria is different from the science of our real Earth? After all, we have no idea how human kind started and how we became so populous especially if the Christian belief of only two original humans existing in the beginning is to be brought into the equation.

What are others' thoughts on this?

[Hello Danger]

Here's an updated map of the Aqualyt Islands. Done by my best friend, thanks!



Direct link.

[Dax]

Damn, thats alot of cities xD

Really nice map, Danger

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