Difference between revisions of "Almanac"

From Asmythe
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==History==
==History==
===Pre-History===
===Pre-History===
In the beginning there was nothing but the Forge. From the Forge Asmythe took form and the Elder Dragons were guardians of the world. The Dragons gave the creatures of Asmythe thought and will and the greatest of these were the [[Ilthids]]. Then the Dragons slept.
In the beginning there was nothing but the Sorge. From the Sorge Asmythe took form and the Elder Dragons were guardians of the world. The Elder Dragons gave the creatures of Asmythe thought and will and the greatest of these were the [[Ilthids]]. The Elder Dragons existed before time and in the begging the Elder Dragons slept. It is said that their form can still be seen in the geography of Asmythe: the great islands and mountains of the world.


===The First Era - The Age Of Beasts===
===The First Era - The Age Of Ilthids===
As the Elder Dragons slept the Ilthids gained power. In the first age Ilthids walked the surface of the world and nurtured the elves, dwarves and hoblings as pets. For fifty thousand years the races roamed the world in small nomadic tribes, herded by the Ilthids.
When the Elder Dragons slept the Ilthids rose. In the first age Ilthids walked the surface of the world and nurtured the elves and dwarves as pets and servants. For an eternity the Ilthids ruled over the world and all its creatures. They were creatures of great intellect, immense magical power, and hubris. The Elves served them as caretakers of the surface world as gardeners, shepherds, and the like. The Dwarves served as caretakes of the world underground as miners, smiths, and such.  


When the Dragons woke they saw the world was not as they left it. Some were angry, others pleased, but all were disappointed in the Ilthids who were banished deep underground forever.
In the beginning the Ilthids were neither cruel nor kind but took care of the world as a craftsman takes care of their tools. But in time the Ilthids grew bored, or ambitious, or crazy and they created new creatures to serve them. Many of these creatures were fair and kind, many were monstrous and cruel, and many defy description or intention.


===The Second Era - The Age Of Dragons===
And then the Ilthids died out, or left Asmythe, or just disappeared. What is left of their cities has long decayed to ruin but still emanates with ineffable power. Most of their servants have also disappeared, but not all and those that remain are often solitary and erratic.
The Elder Dragons formed councils to guide the races of Asmythe and lead the races into a new era of liberty and self-fulfillment. For ten thousand years the Dragons guided the elves to build a surface empire of magic, the dwarves to build an underground empire of machines, and the hoblings to nurture the world upon which they all lived. Each empire was guided by a different council of dragons and the empires reflected the personality of the Dragons.


The Second Era ended when conflict erupted between the elven and dwarven empires. Fueled by the Dragons they created a cataclysm that destroyed each all three civilizations. In the cataclysm the Dragon Aureus fell; the first and only Elder Dragon to die in all the history of the world. The Dragons withdrew and promised never again to meddle in the affairs of the world. The death of Aureus marks the counting of the years as kept by sages and historians.
===The Second Era - The Age Of Anarchy===
When the Ilthids vanished the creatures of Asmythe were left to fend for themselves. Some fared better than others and among all of them the Elves and Dwarves, bein the first, faired the best.  


At the time of the cataclysm humans and goblins appeared on Asmythe along with a host of other creatures fierce and fiendish. Among these are the drakes, the lesser dragons, which still inhabit Asmythe to this day. Many believe that the drakes are weapons created by the Elder Dragons to wage the war that created the cataclysm.
Initially the Elves and Dwarves had little knowledge of each other and without the guidance and control of the Ilthids they explored their world and developed their civilizations in their own domain: the Elves above and the Dwarves below. When they finally contacted each other they were so radically different that they had no common language and no basis of understanding to build communication. Each, still remembering the domination of the Ilthids, attempted to do what they thought was right: to dominate the other. This began enmity between the races that lasted for an era.


===The Third Era - The Age of Anarchy===
During this time each race developed its own culture and built majestic cities, in their own way.


While the world was trying to recover from the cataclysm the humans forged an [[Empire]] on the isle of Altazar. The goblins rampaged across the world brutalizing all who stood in their way. The goblins harnessed the power of the [[#Cosmology|outsiders]] to dominate the world and none could stand against them.
===The Third Era - The Age of Spirits===


After a thousand and one years the Age of Anarchy finally ended when the human empire discovered the gods and with their power were able to build strongholds capable of holding back the goblin hoards.
The counting of years begins when two great constructs fell from the stars onto Asmythe. From these two constructs the Human and Orc races emerged and were instantly in conflict. And each thrived on Asmythe, allying or dominating the creatures and civilizations of Asmythe as their own culture directed.  


===The Current Era - The Age of Spirits===
This is the current age. Human and Orc civilizations strive against each other to claim Asmythe while Elves and Dwarves hide from the conflict and nurture Asmythe in their own way. Ilthid ruins and wild creatures exist in the nooks and crannies of Asmythe, steeped in myth and danger.


In the Fourth Era Asmythe is still recovering from the cataclysm. Although humans were the first to use the power of the gods the other races quickly learned of the cosmos as well. The world is scattered with nations of each race fighting to survive and regain their past glory. They engaged in wars with each other over land and doctrine. But the races of Asmythe are too scattered and weak to rebuild their empires, except for the humans who's [[Empire]] was never completely conquered during the third era.
The Humans crashed on the isle of Altazar, and there made the seat of the [[Empire]].


This is the current era.
The Orcs crashed on the isle of Cozak and rampaged across the world dominating all they encountered.
 
The Elves have homes in all the lands of Asmythe, though they prefer forest and other lands where they can hide and shepherd the world in relative peace.
 
The Dwarves have strongholds in all the lands of Asmythe, though they prefer forests and other lands inaccessible from the surface and where the minerals are rich.


==Astrology==
==Astrology==
Circling Asmyth are three moons.  The largest, Cylene, marks the seasons with its four cycles each year. Slightly smaller and much redder, Samlene, cycles every fourteen days; normal weeks are seven days. The third moon, a small dark body name Rolene, hard to see even when in full aspect, cycles every 17 days. Rolene first appeared near the end of the second era and is sometimes referred to as the "dark moon" or "blue moon".
Circling Asmyth are three moons.  The largest, Cylene, marks the seasons with its four cycles each year. Slightly smaller and much redder, Samlene, cycles every fourteen days; normal weeks are seven days. The third moon, a small dark body name Rolene, hard to see even when in full aspect, cycles every 17 days. Rolene first appeared near the end of the first era and is sometimes referred to as the "dark moon" or "blue moon".


By the empire calendar there are four weeks in a month, three months in a season, and four seasons in a year, for a total of 336 normal days per year.  The spring months are Seeds, Clouds, and Flowers; following are the summer months of Stars, Golden, and Contest. The autumn months are Bells, Harvest, and Crowns; finally the winter months of Shields, Storms, and Silver. The new year is on the first day of Seeds. The weeks are Squire, Knight, Prince, and King progressing from the first week of the month to the end of the month. The first day of each week is set aside for worship and is generally a day of friendship and renewal.
By the empire calendar there are four weeks in a month, three months in a season, and four seasons in a year, for a total of 336 normal days per year.  The spring months are Seeds, Clouds, and Flowers; following are the summer months of Stars, Golden, and Contest. The autumn months are Bells, Harvest, and Crowns; finally the winter months of Shields, Storms, and Silver. The new year is on the first day of Seeds. The weeks are Squire, Knight, Prince, and King progressing from the first week of the month to the end of the month. The first day of each week is set aside for worship and is generally a day of friendship and renewal.
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See also: [[Regligions]]
See also: [[Regligions]]


Asmythe is just one world in an infinite sea of worlds, called "realms of existence" or "planes of existence". Everything that can exist does, somewhere in the infinite realms and they are all manifestations of the Forge.  
Asmythe is just one world in an infinite sea of worlds, called "realms of existence" or "planes of existence". Everything that can exist does, somewhere in the infinite realms and they are all manifestations of The Sorge.  


Each realm is distinct and separate by means of the AEther, which is a substance or energy that does not truly exist but is ever-present and strong enough to prevent the realms from colliding with each other. At the center of the realms are the material realms, each material realm touches and is surrounded by many conceptual realm, and each conceptual reals is connected to many primal realms.
Each realm is distinct and separate by means of the AEther, which is a substance or energy that does not truly exist but is ever-present and strong enough to prevent the realms from colliding with each other. At the center of the realms are the material realms, each material realm touches and is surrounded by many conceptual realm, and each conceptual realm is connected to many primal realms.


Any creature from another realm is called an "outsider". Most outsiders encountered are either eternals or creatures summoned through the AEther by magical means.
Any entity, elemental, or object from another realm is called an "outsider". The Ilthids mastered means of manipulating the AEther and thus manifesting and controlling outsiders. These techniques are the source of all magic in Asmythe.


===Material Realms===
===Material Realms===
From the point of view of Asmythe, the continuum of realms is like an onion: it has layers. At the center is Asmythe and all the other material realms, realms that are each a world of living creatures and nations. All material realms exist simultaneously everywhere but can not be seen or touched except through the AEther. Each material realm is surrounded by many conceptual realms.
From the point of view of Asmythe, the continuum of realms is like an onion: it has layers. At the center is Asmythe and all the other material realms, realms that are each a world of living creatures and nations. All material realms exist simultaneously everywhere but can not be seen or touched except through the manipulation of AEther. Each material realm is "surrounded" by many conceptual realms.


===Conceptual Realms===
===Conceptual Realms===
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==Technology==
==Technology==
During the second age the dwarven empire reached a level of technology almost equal to the industrial era of Earth. The dwarves understood physics and chemistry; they had magical machines capable of smelting and mixing metals, forging tools and parts with great precision, and clockwork golems capable of reproducing themselves.
During the second age the dwarven empire reached a level of technology almost equal to the industrial era of Earth. The dwarves understood physics and chemistry; they had magical machines capable of smelting and mixing metals, forging tools and parts with great precision, and clockwork golems capable of many tasks. Dwarven culture is analogous to Steam Punk and they guard the secrets of this technology more fiercely than their own lives.
 
But even these great machines were barely capable of holding back elven spells and proved inadequate at fending off the goblin hoards. In the fourth age almost all of that technology has been lost, as has the power of the elves, but artifacts remain and maybe someday those lost arts will be rediscovered.


==Language==
==Language==
During the first age language was as diverse as the people of Asmythe. Every tribe and region had it's own language and dialect. With the rise of the Empire and the Elven and Dwarven nations during the second age language became more unified. The goblin invasions of the third age created an even greater need for a common language that every race and nation could understand.  
During the first age there was no language. The Ilthids commanded through mental force.
In the second age language was invented repeatedly by the people of Asmythe. Every distinct race and region had it's own language and dialect. With the rise of the Empire and the Orc nations during the third age language became more unified, based on either the Human or Orc languages with words adopted as necessary from local dialects.  


Literacy is not common among most nations; although it is taught in some schools most people don't go to school and/or don't use it in their daily lives so it is quickly forgotten. Generally only aristocrats, merchants, and scholars know how to read and write.
Literacy is not common among most nations; although it is taught in some schools most people don't go to school and/or don't use writing in their daily lives. Generally only aristocrats, merchants, and scholars know how to read and write.


===Spoken Languages===
===Spoken Languages===
These are the most common languages of Asmythe. Every civilized nation uses one or more of these languages to conduct it's affairs. Hoblings never developed their own language, instead they usually take and use the language of the nearest friendly nation.
These are the most common languages of Asmythe.  
* Empire Common, "Codrix" - The standard language of all Empire human nations.
* Empire Common, "Codrix" - The standard language of all Empire human nations and their allies.  
* Dwarven - The standard language of the dwarven nations.
* Goblin Common, "Harazod" - The standard language of the Orc nations.
* Elven - The standard language of the elven nations.
* Dwarven - There is no standard Dwarven language, each nation has its own dialect. Though Dwarven nations tend to be expansive and seemingly remote strongholds may be connected through underground networks, forming a single nation.
* Goblin - The standard language of the goblin nations.
* Elven - There is no standard Elven language, each tribe has its own dialect. Though nearby elven tribes usually develop a shared language based on hand signals and body language.
 


===Written Languages===
===Written Languages===
These languages can be written, read, and understood without magical assistance. Goblins never developed their own written language and the other languages have changed so much over the ages that ancient texts, if they exist, may be difficult to decipher.
These languages can be written, read, and understood without magical assistance.  
* Codrix - Codrix is the written language of the Empire and human nations.
* Codrix - Codrix is the written language of the Empire.
* Dwarven - Written language of the dwarven empire.
* Harazon - The written language of Orcs.
* Elven - Written language of the elven empire.
* Xathol - The written language of Dwarven science.
 


===Magical Languages===
===Magical Languages===
These languages originate on another realm of thought and are impossible to read, write, or speak properly without magical assistance. With training a person can learn to decipher basic meanings and even communicate with creatures who speak the language fluently; but do so as a foreigner with a terrible accent. Arcane texts and spells use these languages, usually draconic, but knowledge of these languages is not required nor especially useful for wizards because magical assistance is still required to understand and use them.
The Ilthids had written language but never taught it to their servants; the language itself is so strange that it is incomprehensible to any of the living races of Asmythe without help from an outsider.  
* Draconic - The language of Dragons, fey, and other eternals native to Asmythe.
* Celestial - The language of celestials and eternals native to to the "upper" realms.
* Abyssal - The language of demons and eternals native to the "lower" realms.
* Elemental/Other - Each elemental and other outer place also has a native magical language but they are too many to list. Examples include Infernal, Aquan, Ignan, etc.


===Barbaric Languages===
Although the Ilthid language is impossible to read some basic understanding of its characters and structure is possible. This rudimentary understanding is the basis of techniques used to manifest and communicate with outsiders.
In addition to the civilized languages described above, many beasts and barbarian nations have their own language. Unlike the civilized languages these languages vary from region to region even among the same kind of beast. Orc spoken in the Far Verge is different from orc spoken in Erronia or the Homelands. Sometimes these differences are just a matter of dialect, sometimes they are so different that communication is impossible.


==Economy==
==Economy==
The most common coins are the ancient dwarven coins and the coins of the Empire.  
Nearly all large transactions are conducted with bank notes, usually issued and backed by the House of Hugo or other large trading company. Coins are only useful for small day-to-day transactions such as purchasing goods or getting a pint at the local tavern. The most common coins are the ancient dwarven coins and the coins of the Empire.  
 
The coins of the empire are ornate and difficult, but not impossible, to forge. They are, however, barely worth the cost of the base metals and the difficulty of mixing the proper metals into the correct molds, and the harsh penalties for forgeries, makes counterfeit coins fairly rare. In the outer reaches of the empire these coins are somewhat uncommon because of the fear of forgeries and the fact that they are more difficult to get than dwarven coins. In the heart of the empire these coins are the only legal tender; forgers are aggressively hunted and punishments are severe.


The dwarven coins are of extremely high quality; they are ornate and composed of complex alloys. Dwarven "silver" is not actually silver but some kind of aluminum alloy. The art of making dwarven coins has long been lost, making them much more valuable than their base metal and legal tender in most cities of Asmythe. In many of the outer reaches of the empire the dwarven coins are more common than empire coins.
The coins of the empire are ornate and difficult to forge. They are, however, barely worth the cost of the base metals and the difficulty of mixing the proper metals into the correct molds, and the harsh penalties for forgeries, makes counterfeit coins fairly rare. In the outer reaches of the empire these coins are somewhat uncommon because of the fear of forgeries and the fact that they are more difficult to get than dwarven coins. In the heart of the empire these coins are the only legal tender; forgers are aggressively hunted and punishments are severe.


Nearly all large transactions are conducted with bank notes, usually issued and backed by the House of Hugo or other large trading company.
The dwarven coins are of extremely high quality; they are ornate and composed of complex alloys. Dwarven "silver" is not actually silver but some kind of aluminum alloy. The art of making dwarven coins is a dwarven secret, making them much more valuable than their base metal and thus legal tender in most Human cities. In many of the outer reaches of the empire the dwarven coins are more common than empire coins.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Coin Value!!Slang!!Empire!!Dwarven
!Coin Value!!Slang!!Empire!!Dwarven
|-
|-
|1/10||Copper||Penny||Karot
|1/10||Copper Rat||Penny||Karot
|-
|1||Silver||Shilling||Scruple
|-
|-
|10||Gold||Dollar||Drachma
|1||Silver Dog||Shilling||Scruple
|-
|-
|100||Platinum||Crown||Solidus
|10||Gold Horse||Crown||Drachma
|-
|-
|}
|}
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==Good and Evil==
==Good and Evil==
"Good" and "evil" are but thoughts and actions brought into existence by the creatures Asmythe and of the realms. Good and evil are more primal even than the gods but they are still just manifestations from the Forge. Most creatures are neither good nor evil even when they have generous or destructive tendencies. Only creatures and beings close to the forge are powerful enough to embody the essence of good and evil.
"Good" and "evil" are nothing more than thoughts and actions brought into existence by the creatures Asmythe and of the realms. These terms are often used in common language to mean "actions that help others" and "actions that harm others."
 
With respect to the [[Cosmology]] of Asmythe, "good" and "evil" are conceptual realms. Most creatures are neither good nor evil even when they have generous or destructive tendencies. Only outsiders are powerful enough to embody the essence of good and evil.


Powers, abilities, and traits that specifically affect "good" or "evil" creatures only affect beings that:
In game terms: powers, abilities, and traits that specifically affect "good" or "evil" creatures only affect beings that:
* Have an alignment or nature that is specifically "good" or "evil" AND
* Are an outsider, originating from another material plane.
** Have spells-casting or spell-like abilities OR
* Have an alignment or nature that is specifically "good" or "evil".
** Have supernatural or magical abilities
*Have spells-casting, spell-like, supernatural, or other magical abilities
All other creatures, regardless of origin or nature, are not affected by spells or abilities that only affect "good" or "evil" creatures.
All creatures native to Asmythe, regardless of origin or nature, are not affected by spells or abilities that only affect "good" or "evil" creatures.

Revision as of 19:09, 22 September 2021

The Sorge

All the civilizations of Asmythe have legends of The Sorge. It is the source of possibility and potential; neither good nor evil, neither ordered nor chaotic it is the source of all that has and every will be created. From the essence of this realm Asmythe and all the realms of existence were forged. The Sorge is the source of all magic, all life, all thinsg, and the manifestation of thought and action.

History

Pre-History

In the beginning there was nothing but the Sorge. From the Sorge Asmythe took form and the Elder Dragons were guardians of the world. The Elder Dragons gave the creatures of Asmythe thought and will and the greatest of these were the Ilthids. The Elder Dragons existed before time and in the begging the Elder Dragons slept. It is said that their form can still be seen in the geography of Asmythe: the great islands and mountains of the world.

The First Era - The Age Of Ilthids

When the Elder Dragons slept the Ilthids rose. In the first age Ilthids walked the surface of the world and nurtured the elves and dwarves as pets and servants. For an eternity the Ilthids ruled over the world and all its creatures. They were creatures of great intellect, immense magical power, and hubris. The Elves served them as caretakers of the surface world as gardeners, shepherds, and the like. The Dwarves served as caretakes of the world underground as miners, smiths, and such.

In the beginning the Ilthids were neither cruel nor kind but took care of the world as a craftsman takes care of their tools. But in time the Ilthids grew bored, or ambitious, or crazy and they created new creatures to serve them. Many of these creatures were fair and kind, many were monstrous and cruel, and many defy description or intention.

And then the Ilthids died out, or left Asmythe, or just disappeared. What is left of their cities has long decayed to ruin but still emanates with ineffable power. Most of their servants have also disappeared, but not all and those that remain are often solitary and erratic.

The Second Era - The Age Of Anarchy

When the Ilthids vanished the creatures of Asmythe were left to fend for themselves. Some fared better than others and among all of them the Elves and Dwarves, bein the first, faired the best.

Initially the Elves and Dwarves had little knowledge of each other and without the guidance and control of the Ilthids they explored their world and developed their civilizations in their own domain: the Elves above and the Dwarves below. When they finally contacted each other they were so radically different that they had no common language and no basis of understanding to build communication. Each, still remembering the domination of the Ilthids, attempted to do what they thought was right: to dominate the other. This began enmity between the races that lasted for an era.

During this time each race developed its own culture and built majestic cities, in their own way.

The Third Era - The Age of Spirits

The counting of years begins when two great constructs fell from the stars onto Asmythe. From these two constructs the Human and Orc races emerged and were instantly in conflict. And each thrived on Asmythe, allying or dominating the creatures and civilizations of Asmythe as their own culture directed.

This is the current age. Human and Orc civilizations strive against each other to claim Asmythe while Elves and Dwarves hide from the conflict and nurture Asmythe in their own way. Ilthid ruins and wild creatures exist in the nooks and crannies of Asmythe, steeped in myth and danger.

The Humans crashed on the isle of Altazar, and there made the seat of the Empire.

The Orcs crashed on the isle of Cozak and rampaged across the world dominating all they encountered.

The Elves have homes in all the lands of Asmythe, though they prefer forest and other lands where they can hide and shepherd the world in relative peace.

The Dwarves have strongholds in all the lands of Asmythe, though they prefer forests and other lands inaccessible from the surface and where the minerals are rich.

Astrology

Circling Asmyth are three moons. The largest, Cylene, marks the seasons with its four cycles each year. Slightly smaller and much redder, Samlene, cycles every fourteen days; normal weeks are seven days. The third moon, a small dark body name Rolene, hard to see even when in full aspect, cycles every 17 days. Rolene first appeared near the end of the first era and is sometimes referred to as the "dark moon" or "blue moon".

By the empire calendar there are four weeks in a month, three months in a season, and four seasons in a year, for a total of 336 normal days per year. The spring months are Seeds, Clouds, and Flowers; following are the summer months of Stars, Golden, and Contest. The autumn months are Bells, Harvest, and Crowns; finally the winter months of Shields, Storms, and Silver. The new year is on the first day of Seeds. The weeks are Squire, Knight, Prince, and King progressing from the first week of the month to the end of the month. The first day of each week is set aside for worship and is generally a day of friendship and renewal.

Every ninety-eight years is the Time of Passing, alternating between midsummer and midwinter. This is when a great darkness falls on Asmyth bringing with it a great shaking of the land, heaving of the seas and other great disasters. In the skies a great dark body growing ever bigger heralds the coming of these baneful times; it is called The Destroyer.

Astrologers also mark the passing of three great lights that streak the sky at regular intervals over the years. There is one seen every 27 years that brings with it the passing of a great leader, one every 42 years that marks the birth of a great hero, and one seen only by a few every 150 years foretells the coming of the avatar of evil who will try to claim all of creation for itself. There are many other lights that pass through our skies that cannot be predicted; all bring with them an event of great significance.

Asmythe Weeks
Squire Knight Prince King
Asmythe Months
Spring Summer Autumn Winter
Seeds Clouds Flowers Stars Golden Contest Bells Harvest Crowns Shields Storms Silver

Cosmology

See also: Regligions

Asmythe is just one world in an infinite sea of worlds, called "realms of existence" or "planes of existence". Everything that can exist does, somewhere in the infinite realms and they are all manifestations of The Sorge.

Each realm is distinct and separate by means of the AEther, which is a substance or energy that does not truly exist but is ever-present and strong enough to prevent the realms from colliding with each other. At the center of the realms are the material realms, each material realm touches and is surrounded by many conceptual realm, and each conceptual realm is connected to many primal realms.

Any entity, elemental, or object from another realm is called an "outsider". The Ilthids mastered means of manipulating the AEther and thus manifesting and controlling outsiders. These techniques are the source of all magic in Asmythe.

Material Realms

From the point of view of Asmythe, the continuum of realms is like an onion: it has layers. At the center is Asmythe and all the other material realms, realms that are each a world of living creatures and nations. All material realms exist simultaneously everywhere but can not be seen or touched except through the manipulation of AEther. Each material realm is "surrounded" by many conceptual realms.

Conceptual Realms

Beyond and encircling the material realms are the conceptual realms, which are realms of focused thought and substance such as the celestial and abyssal realms. Similar to the material realms, the conceptual realms exist simultaneous and overlapping to each other separated by the AEther.

Not all conceptual realms touch all material realms equally; from the perspective of a material realm some conceptual realms appear "thicker" and stronger than others. These differences are the primary factors which differentiates each material ream from the others.

Primal Realms

Beyond and connected to the conceptual realms are the primal realms. The primal realms are realms of pure elements unhindered by thought or ego; barren of life, they exist only as substance from which all other realms are composed. Unlike the other realms the primal realms are arranged around the conceptual realms like the points on a star; each is a distinct "bubble" that is adjacent to but not does not overlap other primal realms.

AsmythePlanes.png

Technology

During the second age the dwarven empire reached a level of technology almost equal to the industrial era of Earth. The dwarves understood physics and chemistry; they had magical machines capable of smelting and mixing metals, forging tools and parts with great precision, and clockwork golems capable of many tasks. Dwarven culture is analogous to Steam Punk and they guard the secrets of this technology more fiercely than their own lives.

Language

During the first age there was no language. The Ilthids commanded through mental force. In the second age language was invented repeatedly by the people of Asmythe. Every distinct race and region had it's own language and dialect. With the rise of the Empire and the Orc nations during the third age language became more unified, based on either the Human or Orc languages with words adopted as necessary from local dialects.

Literacy is not common among most nations; although it is taught in some schools most people don't go to school and/or don't use writing in their daily lives. Generally only aristocrats, merchants, and scholars know how to read and write.

Spoken Languages

These are the most common languages of Asmythe.

  • Empire Common, "Codrix" - The standard language of all Empire human nations and their allies.
  • Goblin Common, "Harazod" - The standard language of the Orc nations.
  • Dwarven - There is no standard Dwarven language, each nation has its own dialect. Though Dwarven nations tend to be expansive and seemingly remote strongholds may be connected through underground networks, forming a single nation.
  • Elven - There is no standard Elven language, each tribe has its own dialect. Though nearby elven tribes usually develop a shared language based on hand signals and body language.


Written Languages

These languages can be written, read, and understood without magical assistance.

  • Codrix - Codrix is the written language of the Empire.
  • Harazon - The written language of Orcs.
  • Xathol - The written language of Dwarven science.


Magical Languages

The Ilthids had written language but never taught it to their servants; the language itself is so strange that it is incomprehensible to any of the living races of Asmythe without help from an outsider.

Although the Ilthid language is impossible to read some basic understanding of its characters and structure is possible. This rudimentary understanding is the basis of techniques used to manifest and communicate with outsiders.

Economy

Nearly all large transactions are conducted with bank notes, usually issued and backed by the House of Hugo or other large trading company. Coins are only useful for small day-to-day transactions such as purchasing goods or getting a pint at the local tavern. The most common coins are the ancient dwarven coins and the coins of the Empire.

The coins of the empire are ornate and difficult to forge. They are, however, barely worth the cost of the base metals and the difficulty of mixing the proper metals into the correct molds, and the harsh penalties for forgeries, makes counterfeit coins fairly rare. In the outer reaches of the empire these coins are somewhat uncommon because of the fear of forgeries and the fact that they are more difficult to get than dwarven coins. In the heart of the empire these coins are the only legal tender; forgers are aggressively hunted and punishments are severe.

The dwarven coins are of extremely high quality; they are ornate and composed of complex alloys. Dwarven "silver" is not actually silver but some kind of aluminum alloy. The art of making dwarven coins is a dwarven secret, making them much more valuable than their base metal and thus legal tender in most Human cities. In many of the outer reaches of the empire the dwarven coins are more common than empire coins.

Coin Value Slang Empire Dwarven
1/10 Copper Rat Penny Karot
1 Silver Dog Shilling Scruple
10 Gold Horse Crown Drachma

There are many nations, who are not members of the Empire, who keep their own system of currency; but Empire and dwarven coins are common enough that they are usually accepted as legal tender even in those nations.

Good and Evil

"Good" and "evil" are nothing more than thoughts and actions brought into existence by the creatures Asmythe and of the realms. These terms are often used in common language to mean "actions that help others" and "actions that harm others."

With respect to the Cosmology of Asmythe, "good" and "evil" are conceptual realms. Most creatures are neither good nor evil even when they have generous or destructive tendencies. Only outsiders are powerful enough to embody the essence of good and evil.

In game terms: powers, abilities, and traits that specifically affect "good" or "evil" creatures only affect beings that:

  • Are an outsider, originating from another material plane.
  • Have an alignment or nature that is specifically "good" or "evil".
  • Have spells-casting, spell-like, supernatural, or other magical abilities

All creatures native to Asmythe, regardless of origin or nature, are not affected by spells or abilities that only affect "good" or "evil" creatures.

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