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[WB] Ziemia (WIP)

Swoneus

Moon
Joined
Nov 23, 2022
This thread is currently a heavy WIP ported from another site. I'll need some time to iron it out. This is my medieval fantasy world building project that I've put some work into in the past. It's a roleplay setting I'll include in my RP invite.

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Republic of Kousleny (Arcane)
Government
  • Semi-Democratic Republic
  • A council of five members makes all decisions and legislature. (The Council of Five)
  • Potential ties settled by referendum.
  • Voter pool consists of only residents who have passed rigorous educational vetting.
Culture
  • Very diverse in terms of species and gender; rare to see discrimination based on species.
  • Magically inclined, to a fault. Children without magical prowess, although rare to come by, are run out of the country.
  • Prioritize general education and higher education of the arcane arts.
The Council of Five
Brezena Ambrozy, 33
  • Brezena is a human woman, originally born in the Kingdom of Walkaduma. Her affinity for magic led her to have a near-prodigal educational career in a military academy within Walkaduma. Once she turned 18 she immigrated to Kousleny, hungry for the knowledge that she could only learn there. After 10 years of advanced education and four years of teaching, she occupied a seat on the Council of Five.
Maja Peyton, 256
  • Maja is a dragonling, half dragon and half elf. Dragonlings are extraordinarily rare, and have arcane abilities unheard of from other species. Her dedication to Kousleny and the field of the arcane arts have netted her a consistent place on the council for over a century straight. She's often seen as a figurehead for the council, and sometimes Kousleny as a whole.
Karter Klacik, 415
  • Karter is the oldest living member of the council, having lived through a multitude of conflicts in the world. Karter, a much older elf, has been involved in vast expansion and innovation within Kousleny. Despite these acts, Karter remains as secluded from the public limelight as possible, preferring to instead pull strings in the background.
Placeholders
  • For someone who wants to make a character on the Council of Five.

Kingdom of Walkaduma (Human, Warlike)
Government
  • Elected Monarchy
  • A new monarch is elected whenever the old monarch steps down. Alternatively, if all generals in the military vote unanimously to remove the king, he is removed. Grey area in times of war.
  • Voter pool consists of generals and higher ranks within the military.
Culture
  • Only humans are allowed to reside in Walkaduma, though visitors of other races are allowed in.
  • General prejudice towards other species, sometimes to an extreme extent.
  • Legacy focused society.
The Elected Monarchy
King Mieszko Zygmunt, 46
  • The current king of Walkaduma, he is the third consecutive generation to be elected into power since his grandfather was voted into power. His characteristics play into Walkaduma's culture. He served in the military and was a prominent figure in his father's court. He has a calm attitude and a silver tongue, but a fiery temper where conflict is involved.
Queen Obranka Zygmunt, 44
  • The current sitting queen of Walkaduma. She came from two parents who served as ambassadors. She volunteered in the militia of her settlement when she was younger, and later served as guard to other ambassadors, before finally earning a place as an advisor on foreign policy for the king. She is extremely diplomatic and cool headed.
Prince Jakub Zygmunt, 22
  • Jakub, uncharacteristic for a royal child, studied and serves as a cartographer for the royal court, rather than more traditional military roles. Jakub is mildly diplomatic and has a much lesser combative nature than most important people within Walkaduma. Although he's trained in fighting and tactics, he's never seen real combat.
Princess Alicja Zygmunt, 24
  • Alicja is fierce tempered, and not just in a war setting, but in general. She excels in combat and leadership, but her overconfidence is her downfall. She is commonly used as a branch of the royal family for formal meetings and diplomatic missions.
Placeholder
  • For someone who wants to make a character who is a prince or princess of Walkaduma.

Kingdom of Myrelord (Elven, Enlightened)
Government
  • Semi-Monarchy Parliament
  • There is a traditional king, a Minister of Oversight, and a parliament of 15 members.
  • The king may veto any decision by the minister of the parliament, however in order to veto the king, the parliament and minister must unanimously vote to do so, and then it will be put to referendum.
  • Minister of Oversight is voted in by parliament members. Parliament members are voted in by eligible voters.
Culture
  • High focus on image, not necessarily vanity.
  • Racially segregated; a focus on elven superiority. However, unlike Walkaduma, there's no law prohibiting other species from immigrating.
  • Vastly nature oriented population.
The Semi-Monarchal Parliament
King Felix of Augmagne, 243
  • The current sitting monarch of Myrelord, Felix has no romantic interest and has led a career of political and national goals and pushes. Although vastly unseen to most of the world, the security of Myrelord has risen largely due to King Felix. King Felix served as a type of apprentice under his father, learning policy, politics, and nationalism. He has cunning and wisdom, and an undying desire to achieve his goals.
Minister Bailey of Aberrance, 178
  • The current sitting minister of Myrelord, Bailey leads parliament sessions and it's her duty to keep the king from making decisions that are not in the best interest of Myrelord and its people. Bailey has a hesitant personality, and is always weary of the consequences of large decisions.
Lord Albailin of Bastion, 323
  • Lord Albailin is a long time veteran of a branch of elven agents that specialize in stealth and intel. His long time career left him with good standing with the politicial elite, enough to be ushered in as a successful candidate for parliament.
Lord Conarak of Halfrun, 302
  • Conarak's primary source of fame, political or otherwise, came from a deal he primarily negotiated with a group of humans from Walkaduma. He was able to negotiate a hostage deal in which no humans or elves had to die during a border skirmish back in his youthful days. His skills in negotiation has left him loved by some and hated by others.
Lord Ilyranu of Zephrish, 197
  • A member of parliament with humble beginnings, Ilyranu grew up in a rural village with very little civilization around her. Her forest setting made great strides in connecting her with nature, but her constant desire for exploration left her inching closer and closer to elven society at large, eventually leaving her involved in the politics of the kingdom.
Placeholder
  • For someone who wants to make a character who is a member of the parliament of Myrelord.

Region of Zainsik (Chaotic)
Government
  • Nearly literal Anarchy.
  • Gang-like groups form often, taking over property and territory.
  • Technically no laws within this region, however, you're subject to whatever consequences you face no matter the reason.
Culture
  • A place for anyone who has nowhere else to go.
  • Large gang presence, many of them containing species other countries will not accept, such as vampires and werewolves.
  • Some areas operate acceptably, others do not.
Zainsik's Various Gangs
Due to the nature of Zainsik being primarily torn into smaller gangs, new gangs and gang leaders will likely be changed and added.
The Vollemane Pack
  • Sometimes referred to as The Lycanthropes, they are a massive gang of various werewolf packs. Though they have many inner conflicts, they are a place in which werewolves can unite without prosecution.
Ancient Blood
  • Ancient Blood is a large gang of vampires who relentlessly attack territory in the interest of a stronghold for vampires. The chain of command within The Ancient Blood is very fragile, and commonly leadership is overthrown
The Rogues
  • The Rogues are a smaller gang who own vastly less territory than other gangs, but operate at a large scale. The Rogues are comprised of combat trained soldiers who have for one reason or another have been ousted or have chosen to leave their home. The Rogues are made up of many different beliefs and species, but all have a tribal brotherhood in common.
Jade Company
  • Initially a Moyakon intelligence group that would take assassination targets from the king, the small group of Jade Company abandoned post when they were instructed to stage a coup against their new king. They found little success with The Rogues, and eventually took to their own territory. It now serves as a safe haven for private bounty hunters and assassins, with the stipulation that 10% of any bounty goes to Jade Company.
Placeholder Gang
  • For anyone who would like to make a gang or group within Zainsik.

Kingdom of Piendusz (Wealth)
Government
  • True Monarchy
  • One family bloodline rules the land.
  • If the entire bloodline dies, the king's council will select a new bloodline.
Culture
  • Wealth is the primary goal for most residents living within the kingdom. Free markets make it feasible for the more poor to climb the wealth gap.
  • The standards of living are far higher, even for the poor.
  • Much education and ability is ignored in pursuit of this.
  • The crown collects many small taxes, and vastly has the most capital of all other countries.
The Monarchy
King Hunter Moore'Jat, 56
  • One of the only non-purebloods to ever hold the throne of a monarch, Hunter is a quarter orc. His father was pure human while his mother was a halfling. While this was faced with scrutiny from the people of the kingdom, Hunter instilled even more wealth into the commerce of the kingdom, leaving at least an acceptance from the bulk of the population. Hunter is skilled in nearly nothing, save for commerce and speechcraft. As is common for royalty in Piendusz, Hunter excels in following his vices.
Prince Jin Moore'Jat, 19
  • Jin has never had anyone step forward and publicly claim to be his mother, nor has the king ever wed anyone. Jin is the sole inheritor of any royal power or claim should his father pass away. Jin is 1/8th orc, which is unrecognizable by appearance. His only ability rests in politics and trade, just like his father.
Placeholder
  • Potentially room for another prince or princess, should anyone want to have that place.

Kingdom of Moyakon (Frostbite)
Government
  • True Monarchy
  • One family bloodline rules the land.
  • The only failsafe in place is if the bloodline should perish, a new one should be picked by a religious ceremony.
Culture
  • Relatively racially inclusive, though humans and elves make up the bulk of the population.
  • Typically very hardened people, from the rough terrain and extreme cold.
  • Very religious and traditional, most individuals never question the king/queen, even if they make a huge mistake.
  • Strong friendship with animals of the cold mountains.
The Monarchy
King Abraham Adriel, 253
  • Deemed to be the start of the new royal bloodline after the death of the last, Abraham has held the throne for over one hundred years. He's Moyakon's first elven king, and is poised to have the family own the throne for a long time to come. Abraham takes his role seriously, and takes steps to show the poise and traits that people like in a king. He makes extremely common appearances out in the public.
Queen Amara Adriel, 267
  • Abraham's wife, the pair had already been together when Abraham was deemed to be the new king. Loyal and strong, Amara makes a great figurehead for all women within Moyakon, and has been a massively strong figure for race relations, leaving Moyakon to be one of the most united populations of a mixed race society within Ziemia.
Princess Genesis Adriel, 96
  • The eldest daughter of the Adriel bloodline, Genesis had a reputation defined by her animal ken and affinity for the frigid nature of the mountains. Her peace contrasts the hostile conditions of the surrounding wilderness, and she serves mainly as a hopeful symbol within the kingdom.
Princess Grace Adriel, 83
  • Grace is the youngest daughter of the Adriel bloodline, she's known for her rigid temper. She excels in archery and survival. She does work in advising for public strategies in combating the cold and hostile animals away from smaller and defenseless holds within the kingdom.
Placeholder
  • For someone who wants to make a prince or princess or Moyakon.

Country of Franklin (Glory)
Government
  • Constitutional Republic
  • All elected officials must obey the constitutional law of the land.
  • Elected officials are elected into either the Chamber of War, Chamber of Legislature, or the Chamber of Public Affairs.
  • Each chamber respectively must vote on proposals, but may ultimately be vetoed by the High Herald.
  • The High Herald must pass all proposals to their respective chambers. His veto may only be overturned if the respective chambers vote against him unanimously.
Culture
  • The government only controls prospects vital to the functioning of its constitution, leaving it's people independent.
  • Massive wealth and education gaps in society.
  • Widespread belief in "societal obligation" of every individual.
  • Diverse and efficient population.
Government Figures
High Herald Delwin Hertsley, 59
  • Delwin Hertsley was born in Walkaduma, during the last generation of the monarchy. He served in the military, eventually becoming an advisor to the king later on in his career. When the call came to create a new civilization, Delwin made the hesitant call to leave his post in Walkaduma to head to Franklin. His noble and humble attitude led him to the highest honor in the youthful civilization of Franklin: the High Herald.
Statesman Lincoln Gilmore, 341, Chamber of Legislature
  • Lincoln was born in Moyakon, and despite being an elf, served under a human king. Lincoln was vastly a religious zealot, and dedicated much of his life to committing to traditional legislature within Moyakon. He served the new king of Moyakon for a time, before departing to spread his culture and belief in Franklin.
Stateswoman Reagan Walker, 32, Camber of Public Affairs
  • Reagan was a woman born in Piendusz, to no noble or military relevance. Her parents were simple merchants who strove to create innovation within the industry of preserving meat and vegetables. Their work netted them a comfortable life, and taught Reagan about commerce and trade. Once her parents passed she left to bring her knowledge to Franklin.
Statesman Bernard Vindelez, 46, Chamber of War
  • Native to Kousleny, Bernard always took pride in the relative unity that the people within Kousleny had. It wasn't until he was older that his patriotic spirit began to fade. He witnessed several times that children were chased over the border for their lack of magical prowess. He left his career as a teacher of destructive magic in search of a new life, and found his place in Franklin.
Placeholder
  • For someone who wants to make a character in the government of Franklin.

__________

The Vrazedny Amazons
  • A small population located within one town and small gatherings outside of it.
  • A strictly women population, men are captured or slaughtered if they refuse to leave their borders.
  • Ruled by one single queen.
The Tribal Orcs
  • Several small gatherings of orcs whom live in tribes.
  • They have a pact to stand together.
  • Bitter towards larger civilizations, and their general disdain towards orcs.
  • Labor, trade, and war oriented.
  • The only gathering left capable of speaking Orcish.
Woods of the Witches
  • For the strongly religious deviants.
  • A small civilization, within the nooks or a large forest.
  • Unfriendly towards the traditionally religious and agnostic.
The Equalists
  • Founded by the rejects of Kousleny.
  • Extremist ideology, that magic users deserve to be harmed and killed to protect the magically impaired.
  • One stronghold city, with small secret gatherings elsewhere.
Temple of Ignis
  • A large temple, created before recorded history, dedicated to the primordial god of fire, who's credited with sparking the first war.
  • Warrior worshippers of him and the lesser war gods are permitted to stay here and stand guard.
  • War ceremonies from all countries take place here. To attack it, it's inhabitants, or it's visitors is considered an act of war.
The Chaos Stone
  • Located somewhere east of Moyakon, within the wilderness mountains. No party or people inhabit nor guard it, many believe it doesn't exist.
  • Legend says the stone stands dozens of feet tall out of the side of a mountain, flooding with arcane magic. It's credited to different gods or creators, depending on who you ask.
  • The stone alters the build of whoever is brave enough to face it, for better or worse. The stone has no rhyme or reason to it, sometimes granting magical powers, sometimes cursing whoever approaches it, or sometimes doing nothing at all.
  • Pilgrimages to this stone are rare, but most commonly non-magical people born in Kousleny, desperate to be allowed a life in their home by seeking out some sort of magical prowess.

Overview
The vast majority of the population has good knowledge of the gods. The majority of people have some level of piety, while there is a minority of the population whom is dismissive or agnostic. Within the far lesser margins of the population, also exists alternative religions. To summarize the myth of creation:

At first, nothing existed in the dark and empty void called Ziemia. Until the will and nature of the void slowly changed, deciding that it wanted to create something instead of nothing. Ziemia spawned fire, to warm the dull cold if despair, and called it Ignis. Ziemia created spirits, to populate the lonely plane of flames, and called it Inferis. Ziemia created light, so that the spirits may see the plane of black apart from the fire and apart from himself, and called it Irolux.

The world stood still for a time, time being Ziemia's only adversary. But as time passed, Ziemia's creations took motive. Light convinced fire that it should entirely consume the world, so that it's light would cover everything. The spirit sought to tame fire, and used it's light to never allow it to get close enough. Ignis, Inferis, and Irolux all began to plot and battle against one another, spawning creations of their own.

Ziemia took notice of his creation's petty squabble, and sought to take them back, and leave the world as nothing once more. Threatened by the creator's motives, the three ambushed him, and the resulting battle ending in a grand shroud of chaos. The remains of Ignis created the sun, the heat, and all fire. The body of Inferis spawned all life, including humans, elves, and orcs. The body of Irolux formed all light, not just so that the world could be seen, but so that darkness may be pushed back. Lastly, the body of Ziemia turned into the Earth, and all trees, rocks, oceans, and natural wonders within it. Legend says that one day Ziemia will reawaken and claim back the world and make it barren once more.

Primordial Gods
  • Ziemia, god of creation and chaos, credited as the starting point of everything. Depicted as a blank silhouette.
  • Ignis, god of fire. Depicted as a burning silhouette.
  • Inferis, god of the underworld and spirits. Depicted as a ghostly silhouette.
  • Irolux, god of light. Depicted as a blindingly bright silhouette.

The strongest beings left after the four primordial gods passed were the minor gods, many created by the primordials, some created by the gods themselves breeding. Once people-kind began populating the earth the gods began to be vastly outnumbered and less interested in the affairs of people overall. They typically reside within the heavens and the underworld.

Human Gods
  • Valka, god of war.
  • Domove, god of the hearth and architecture
  • Lovec, goddess of hunting.
  • Hispori, god of agriculture.
  • Nebe, goddess of the sky.
  • Hilena, goddess of the earth.
  • Rostok, god of bodies of water.

Elven Gods
  • Indole, goddess of nature and seasons.
  • Lutar, goddess of war.
  • Sol, goddess of the sun and day.
  • Luna, goddess of the moon and night.
  • Mestica, goddess of woodlands and animals.
  • Geladas, god of the winter and mountains.
  • Cavernas, god of caves and passage.

Orcish Gods
  • Vita, god of war.
  • Kughushi, god of the anvil and forge.
  • Abaras, god of borders and roads.
  • Milivu, god of poise and persistence.
  • Shearhe, god of fortune and feast.
  • Mikono, god of hands and willpower.
  • Kazi, god of labor.

Other/Lesser Gods
  • Onstru, god of outlawed beast races, (vampires, werewolves, etc) depicted as a shifting humanoid. Widely depicted as a wolf-like humanoid.
  • Saudade, goddess of love and marriage, depicted in very different forms depending on the culture depicting her.
  • Jahim, goddess and keeper of the underworld after the age of Inferis. Depicted as a human with dark features.
  • Drakonis, god of dragons. Depicted as a massive red dragon who lives on a mountain.
  • Stossiel, goddess of mischief, thievery, and trickery. She's generally depicted as a blue humanoid shape who takes form of other beings.
The Underworld
Mainstream religion dictates that the underworld was what was spawned from nothing when Inferis dared to challenge Ziemia. All of the wasted, torn, and discarded souls seep deep into Ziemia, only to reawaken within Inferis. As the world is named after Ziemia, the underworld is named after Inferis.

There are five layers within Ziemia, and one land that borders them all in which Jahim, her guests, and her judges reside. Jahim and her judges decide where each soul is placed and their terms within Inferis. You are judged based on your worth, morality, desires, and loyalty. The five layers consist of:

  • Wahed, ideal to many, this is where the souls are sent to real rewards from a life lived good and well. Bliss is found here.
  • Ethnein, an eternal war is fought here. It is a nightmare for some souls and a comfort for others.
  • Thalath, souls that are sent here are simply erased from existence and live no afterlife.
  • Arbath, land of torment, souls who have sinned with no hope of reconciliation with their humanity are forced here for eternity to live a firey existence.
  • Khamsa, utter hell, only the worst offenders in Ziemia are sent here. Punishments within this layer are determined by Jahim herself.

Magic in Ziemia is commonly believed to be remnants of the four primordial beings laced within a bloodline. If your parents have magical affinity, it's much more likely for you to have magical affinity as well. Though there are many cases of people being born with magical affinity with no history of magic in their bloodline, and cases of people with magically wealthy parents having no magical affinity.

Much of the arcane arts still is undiscovered, and the sky is the limit in terms of potential. However, most peoples illusionary and destructive prowess are not world changing. It takes a very rare and trained mage to be able to confuse or destroy groups of people with their magic alone.

Healing magic is extremely draining, leaving it a very risky and dangerous magic to use. Generally someone with healing magic would need intense training in physical and healing training to be effective.

A rare tree that sprouts and grows vines instead of bark, called tanglevine, is the biggest consistent threat to magic users. If you constrict a mage's limbs with tanglevine they will grow exhausted and cease to be able to use their magic. The wood is used to armor soldiers and ships from magical offense, as it will at least dampen the effects of the magic. Mages with strong affinity can detect if they're within close proximity to tanglevine.

The Border Skirmishes
Despite being the largest current countries, Walkaduma and Myrelord have expanded the least in recent history. Part of this reason is their extremely common border skirmishes. Despite only sharing a small stretch of the same border, both countries have a massive military presence at their border. Every given year there is some sort of border skirmish, leaving sometimes dozens dead. Despite there having been decades of no active war, the world can feel war between the two brewing once again.

The Elven King
In Moyakon's entire recorded history, they've always had a human king in power. Several decades ago when their last king's bloodline died out they carried out their ritual to select their next king. When an elf was chosen there was a small period of unrest, followed by some brief civil uproar within the kingdom. Some people left out of upset, others left out of upset that it caused controversy in the first place. This event would cause the king's unit of Jade Company to flee to Zainsik.

The Founding of Franklin
Nearly three decades ago, many minority groups within the main countries had an outcry, drowned out by the population of their respective groups. Many minds came together to plan an escape from their respective horrors. Whether it was escaping the taxes in Piendusz, the persecution of the non-magic in Kousleny, or the discrimination of races in Walkaduma and Myrelord, a new frontier was founded in the east, a place for individuals to go and create the communities they wanted to live in. Franklin has recently finally developed into something of a country, able to compete with the others, and it has certainly garnered negative attention from the other governments.

__________

Plots / Starters:

Once every half a century, the Kingdom of Moyakon conscripts a group of outsiders to collect the blood of a rare creature called the frost serpent for a ritual that is sacred to them. The ritual has been a part of Moyakon royalty for as long as the kingdom has kept records. The rules of the ritual clearly state that the blood must be fresh and must be collected and delivered by outsiders of the kingdom. When the conscripted outsiders journey the frozen wilderness to find this mythical creature, what will they do when they realize it's no menace at all, but instead a small and scared animal that can't defend itself?

This roleplay could be done with a group instead of a pair. The characters in question could be representatives of other kingdoms, rogues, adventurers, etc. The main theme here is the ethical dilemma of fulfilling Moyakon's wish versus turning their backs on a powerful kingdom.

There exists a small tavern in the degenerate wasteland of Zainsik called Jade Company. From the outside, it looks like a raggedy old bar that endures the criminal crowd of Zainsik. However, the well-informed and well-connected know that it's a hub for bounty hunters. But that isn't where the mystery of Jade Company stops. In fact, there are extraordinarily few in all of Ziemia who know the truth behind Jade Company. When two bounty hunters who have been loyal to Jade Company are offered a private contract to kill a council member of a different country, will they earn the trust of the most secretive organization in Ziemia?

The roles could be swapped in this scenario. But, in my head, this scenario would involve an extremely high-profile assassination at a public place. This setting would most likely be Kousleny, but could be negotiated. This roleplay has the potential to strongly affect some future events of Ziemia.

The Temple of Ignis has stood longer than human or elven records, and is seen as a sacred monument by many in Ziemia. To attack anyone at the temple is seen as an act of war, meaning that even the most bitter of enemies must obey the rules. Of all the kingdoms and countries in Ziemia, there are none who hate one another more than the humans of Walkaduma and the Elves of Myrelord. Wars have spanned for hundreds of years between the two, and rarely does a day go by where there are no deaths from their border skirmishes. Their war-hardened societies are of the most respectful towards the Temple of Ignis, which makes for an uncomfortable situation when representatives of both kingdoms appear on the same day. And even worse, sages of the temple formally request that the representatives work together to defend the temple from a rising Draugr problem.

I've always really wanted to explore just how deep the hatred between Walkaduma and Moyakon is. The potential for romance exists in this setting, but it's deeply complicated by the origins of the characters. This setting could be played with characters from one kingdom and the other kingdom consists of solely side characters, but I really think that would miss a great conflict rising.

Franklin is a young country, in fact, there are elven inhabitants who were fully grown before the first settlers of Franklin even conceived the idea. Franklin stands for a future that is significantly different from the more traditional kingdoms, and apparently that was felt, as one day an army of elite and magically gifted elves appeared and started torching entire towns in Franklin. Many fled, many fought and died, and a select few were spared and captured. A small group of survivors captured by the mysterious army hatches a plan to learn as much of their surroundings as possible and eventually escape imprisonment. What will they learn of this devastating army in their search for freedom?

Characters don't necessarily have to be Franklinites in this setting. The army that invaded was fierce, effective, and quick, and they attacked anyone in the area.

Kousleny is a powerful kingdom, dominant in magical ability and competitive in strength, culture, and economy. However, their success comes with a catch: those who are not magically gifted are not allowed to visit or live there. When a wounded traveler is rescued by a citizen of Kousleny, they soon discover that they brought in someone without any magical ability. Will the stranger have the compassion to protect the person they saved from persecution, or will they turn them in to protect themselves?

A lot of variety and possibilities with this one, as well as places it can go from there.
 
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