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Asmythe is a world of danger and survival, conflict and conquest. The dreams of the ancient sleeping dagapesh made the world, give magic to mortal creatures, and shape their destiny. Myriad mystical monsters inhabit the wilds, created by the ancient ilthura to destroy magic. Delvers in their mountain strongholds and sylvani in their forest villages have survived since the ilthura abandoned Asmythe while Humans and Goblins appeared recently when the stars exploded. Can you survive and become a hero?


==History==
==History==
===Pre-History===
===Pre-History===
In the beginning there was nothing but the Elder Dragons. From the dragons Asmythe took form and the Elder Dragons were guardians of that form. 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.
In the beginning the world was chaos. The dagapesh took form and gave form to Asmythe. They gave the creatures of Asmythe life and will. The dagapesh saw that their work was done and slept. It is said that their forms can still be seen in the great islands and mountains of the world.


===The First Era - The Age Of Power===
===The First Era - The Age Of Power===
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 dagapesh slept the [[ilthura]] rose. For an eternity the ilthura inhabited the surface of the world and nurtured it. The ilthura were creatures of great intellect, immense magical power, and endless hubris. They built great spires on every land and in every sea. They created the githxa and the fae and many other creatures as servants and thralls.


The Elves were given the power of mind and life to better serve the Ilthids. The Dwarves were given the power of fire and air, to better serve the Ilthids. Although their powers were great, they were little compared to their masters.
The ilthura split into factions and created monstrous beasts to destroy each other. In the end the ilthura just disappeared leaving all of their creations behind. The creatures of Asmythe were left without leaders, without direction, and without protection from each other.


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 Anarchy===
When the ilthura vanished the creatures of Asmythe were left to fend for themselves. Some fared better than others and among all of them the githxa and the fae fared best, for a while.


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 githxa built empires of their own and took the fae as slaves. But the githxa were not as powerful or wise as the ilthura and their subjects rebelled, throwing down the githxa empires and destroying them.


===The Second Era - The Age Of Anarchy===
The fae fractured into tribes and forsook all the craft and trappings of the elder races. These tribes eventually became the sylvani, delvers, kobolds, and the many other races of Asmythe. Of all these the sylvani and delvers were the most prosperous.
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.  
 
The sylvani moved into the forests, plains, deserts, and swamps of the world. These lands are overrun by beasts. The sylvani learned how to avoid the beasts and to harness the dreams of the dagapesh to heal and protect themselves.


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 delvers retreated under the mountains where they built cities in the stone so they could defend themselves from invading beasts. They learned to work stone and metal and how to summon and control elementals to create motive devices.  


During this time each race developed its own culture and built civilizations, in their own way. Each race developed a common language, a written language, and practiced the sciences of living things and of machines that the Ilthids taught them. And as their culture grow their powers, granted to them by the Ilthids, diminished.
===The Third Era - The Current Era===
One day a great cataclysm erupted in the skies over Asmythe. The flares and lightning in the sky persisted for many days and nights. When it was over humans and goblins appeared and were already at war with each other. Each thrived on Asmythe, allying or dominating the native creatures and civilizations.  


===The Third Era - The Age of Spirits===
This is the current age. Human and goblin civilizations strive against each other to claim Asmythe while sylvani and delvers hide from the conflict and nurture Asmythe in their own way. Ilthid and githxa ruins and beasts are ubiquitous while mysterious elementals alter the nature of what is real and predictable. Asmythe is steeped in myth and danger.


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 humans appeared on the isle of Altazar, and made it the seat of the Armada [[Empire]].


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 goblins appeared on the isle of Cozak and rampaged across the world dominating all they encountered.


The Humans crashed on the isle of Altazar, and there made the seat of the Armada [[Empire]].
The sylvani have refuges 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 Orcs crashed on the isle of Cozak and rampaged across the world dominating all they encountered.
The delvers have strongholds in all the lands of Asmythe, though they prefer mountains and other lands inaccessible from the surface and where the minerals are rich.


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 Fourth Era - The Future===


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.
In the fourth era ilthura return to Asmythe, the veil to the shadow realm falls, and all the races of Asmythe come together in cooperation. This era develops advanced technology powered by arcane and primal energy, reaching super power levels. But outsiders continue to invade and rampage across Asmythe, destroying all life in their path. At the end of this era the dagapesh wake again, resetting the world back to [[#Pre-History]].


==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 first 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 named 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.


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.
Every ninety-eight years is the Time of Passing, alternating between midsummer and midwinter.  This is when a great darkness falls on Asmyth. 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.
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.
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==Cosmology==
==Technology==
See also: [[Religions]]
The world of Asmythe exists in the dreams of the dagapesh and although it is similar to our world it is not the same. The most obvious difference is the existence of magic and elementals. Elementals, being manifestations of energy, are attracted to any mechanism that harnesses or modifies energy, often with disastrous results. The more complex the mechanism, the more likely it is to attract an elemental. A simple wheel may function for weeks without attracting an elemental, but a clockwork device is likely to get infested within seconds.
 
This presents a limit to industrial technology and effectively limits it to a pre-industrial level. Without cogs, pullies, and other mechanisms to harness natural energy all work must be done by humans and animals.


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 Elder Dragons.  
There are aspects of technology on Asmythe that are more advanced than the medieval era, especially in medicine and engineering. Doctors have a good understanding of biology and are able to create medicine and cure diseases effectively. Engineers can design castles, bridges, and vehicles that are larger and more stable than medieval equivalents.


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.
Chemistry is not well developed in the third age. Explosives, acids, and other chemical compounds are more complex, less powerful, and less predictable than elemental energy, so they aren't researched. Stainless steel and other advanced alloys are a secret of the delvers.


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.
Delvers have their own technology that uses ilthura magic. They are able to create complex mechanical systems that are not prone to elemental infestations. Delver culture is analogous to Steam Punk and they guard the secrets of this technology more fiercely than their own lives. Delver alchemists know the secret of stainless steel, bronze, and other alloys. Delver armor and tools are very valuable and very rare in the Armada Empire.


===Material Realms===
==Language==
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.
During the first era the ilthura commanded through mental force. Their language was the only language and they did not share it with their thralls.


===Conceptual Realms===
When the ilthura disappeared they left behind writing but no language to give it meaning. The githxa, sylvani, and delvers eventually learned to adopt the symbols of the ilthura and adapt them to create their own languages, as befit their culture.
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.
Literacy is not common in most places, especially among the sylvani and delvers. Human and goblin language is taught in their respective schools but 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.


===Primal Realms===
===Common Languages===
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.
These are the most common languages of Asmythe during the third era.


[[File:AsmythePlanes.png]]
These languages can be written, read, and understood without magical assistance. Although the sylvani and delver languages share an ancient root, they evolved over time and, in the modern era, are distinct and unrecognizable from each other.


==Technology==
* Empire Common, "Codrix" - The standard language of the Armada Empire. (Similar to [https://omniglot.com/writing/manx.htm Gaelic])
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.
* Goblin Common, "Harazod" - The standard language of the Goblin Hoards. (Similar to [https://omniglot.com/writing/korean.htm Korean])
* Sylvani, "Jaunloul" - The sylvani language of life and nature. (Similar to [https://omniglot.com/conscripts/beringin.htm Beringin])
* Delver, "Kathesh" - The delver language of science and mechanisms. (Similar to [https://omniglot.com/conscripts/evhmelish.htm Evhmelish])
 
===Magical Languages===
The ilthura had written language but never taught it to their thralls; the language itself is so strange that it is incomprehensible to any of the living races of Asmythe.


==Language==
Although the ilthura language is impossible to fully comprehend without deep understanding of its grammar and structure a rudimentary understanding is possible and used by arcane wizards to summoning and control elementals. (The script looks similar to [https://omniglot.com/conscripts/uriovakiro.htm Uriovakiro] but is functionally a form of  [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregg_shorthand Shorthand].)
During the first age the Ilthids commanded through mental force. Their language was the only language and they did not share it with their servants.


When the Ilthids disappeared they left behind writing but no language to give it meaning. The Elves and Dwarves learned to adopt the symbols of the Ilthids and adapt them to create their own languages, as befit their culture.
==Economy==
===Production===
As with most pre-industrial civilizations, food production is most important and the most common occupation. The method of food production varies by region and resources with farming and fishing the most common. Farmers typically live within fortified towns and cities and travel outside the fortifications to work the land during the day. Farms are owned and managed by the local lord with farmers assigned to work plots of land, in a very feudal way. But laborers are not boud to a specific lord, by law they are "free" to petition a new lord if they feel mistreated.  


Literacy is not common in most places, especially among the elves and dwarves. Human and goblin language is taught in their respective schools but 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.
Crafts are practiced through guilds, associations of experts who band together to teach and regulate their craft. Guild masters are expert craftsmen who own and manage a craft hall. The guild masters regulate the craft in the local economy; they determine who is accepted for training, who is allowed to practice the craft, the cost of products, etc. The local ruler exercises authority and sets laws governing guilds.


===Common Languages===
===Travel and Trade===
These are the most common languages of Asmythe. Early in the third era each Elven and Dwarven nation may have a distinct dialect; later as trade and communication grow they become more similar.
In the third era most of the lands between cities is inhabited by hostile beasts and travel is very dangerous. Fortified cities and town are rarely more than a days travel apart and people live within the fortifications of a town or city.


These languages can be written, read, and understood without magical assistance. Although the Elven and Dwarven languages share an ancient root, they evolved over time and, in the modern era, are distinct and unrecognizable from each other.
Trade guilds travel between cities buying goods in one place and selling them in another. Purchasing a travel pass with one of these trade guilds is the safest way to travel. The guilds hire warriors and guards to protect caravans during their journies.


* Empire Common, "Codrix" - The standard language of the Armada Empire. (Earth Root: [https://omniglot.com/writing/manx.htm Gaelic/Latin])
Sea travel is the safest and most common form of travel, where it is possible. Beasts of the sea are less common than on land but also tend to be much larger and more aggressive. Ships usually travel alone to minimize the loss of an attack, because it is nearly impossible to win a fight against a sea monster.
* Goblin Common, "Harazod" - The standard language of the Orc nation. (Earth Root: [https://omniglot.com/writing/cyrillic.htm Cyrillic/Russian])
* Elven, "Jaunloul" - The elven language of life and nature. (Earth Root: [https://omniglot.com/writing/japanese_katakana.htm Japanese])
* Dwarven, "Xathol" - The dwarven language of science and mechanisms. (Earth Root: [https://omniglot.com/writing/korean.htm Korean])


===Magical Languages===
Wizards are able to power and control dirigibles, making air travel possible. Travel by air is very fast, very dangerous, and very expensive. Dragons and manticore packs are rare, but they are fast and can shred a dirigible before the crew realizes they are under attack.
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. (Earth Root: [https://omniglot.com/writing/georgian.htm Georgian])
===Currency===
Nearly all large transactions are conducted with bank notes, usually issued and backed by the House of Hugo or other local 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 delver coins and the coins of the Armada Empire.  


==Economy==
Counterfeit coins are rare because it generally costs more to produce a counterfeit than it is worth and the penalties for dealing in forgeries are harsh.
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 Armada 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.
Delver coins are of extremely high quality; they are ornate and composed of complex alloys. The art of making these coins is a delver secret, making them much more valuable than their base metal and impossible to forge. Although technically illegal, in some parts of the empire these coins are used for large purchases because they are of high value and can't be traced.


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.
Sylvani do not use currency, they share and barter among each other and with outsiders.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Coin Value!!Slang!!Empire!!Dwarven
!Coin Value!!Slang!!Empire Name
|-
|1||Tin Rat||Groat
|-
|-
|1/10||Copper Rat||Penny||Karot
|5||Copper Dog||Daric
|-
|-
|1||Silver Dog||Shilling||Scruple
|20||Iron Mule||Florin
|-
|-
|10||Gold Horse||Crown||Drachma
|100||Nickel Horse||Royal
|-
|-
|}
|}
There are many nations, who are not members of the Armada Empire, who keep their own system of currency; but empire and dwarven currency 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.

Latest revision as of 13:24, 16 October 2023

Asmythe is a world of danger and survival, conflict and conquest. The dreams of the ancient sleeping dagapesh made the world, give magic to mortal creatures, and shape their destiny. Myriad mystical monsters inhabit the wilds, created by the ancient ilthura to destroy magic. Delvers in their mountain strongholds and sylvani in their forest villages have survived since the ilthura abandoned Asmythe while Humans and Goblins appeared recently when the stars exploded. Can you survive and become a hero?

History

Pre-History

In the beginning the world was chaos. The dagapesh took form and gave form to Asmythe. They gave the creatures of Asmythe life and will. The dagapesh saw that their work was done and slept. It is said that their forms can still be seen in the great islands and mountains of the world.

The First Era - The Age Of Power

When the dagapesh slept the ilthura rose. For an eternity the ilthura inhabited the surface of the world and nurtured it. The ilthura were creatures of great intellect, immense magical power, and endless hubris. They built great spires on every land and in every sea. They created the githxa and the fae and many other creatures as servants and thralls.

The ilthura split into factions and created monstrous beasts to destroy each other. In the end the ilthura just disappeared leaving all of their creations behind. The creatures of Asmythe were left without leaders, without direction, and without protection from each other.

The Second Era - The Age Of Anarchy

When the ilthura vanished the creatures of Asmythe were left to fend for themselves. Some fared better than others and among all of them the githxa and the fae fared best, for a while.

The githxa built empires of their own and took the fae as slaves. But the githxa were not as powerful or wise as the ilthura and their subjects rebelled, throwing down the githxa empires and destroying them.

The fae fractured into tribes and forsook all the craft and trappings of the elder races. These tribes eventually became the sylvani, delvers, kobolds, and the many other races of Asmythe. Of all these the sylvani and delvers were the most prosperous.

The sylvani moved into the forests, plains, deserts, and swamps of the world. These lands are overrun by beasts. The sylvani learned how to avoid the beasts and to harness the dreams of the dagapesh to heal and protect themselves.

The delvers retreated under the mountains where they built cities in the stone so they could defend themselves from invading beasts. They learned to work stone and metal and how to summon and control elementals to create motive devices.

The Third Era - The Current Era

One day a great cataclysm erupted in the skies over Asmythe. The flares and lightning in the sky persisted for many days and nights. When it was over humans and goblins appeared and were already at war with each other. Each thrived on Asmythe, allying or dominating the native creatures and civilizations.

This is the current age. Human and goblin civilizations strive against each other to claim Asmythe while sylvani and delvers hide from the conflict and nurture Asmythe in their own way. Ilthid and githxa ruins and beasts are ubiquitous while mysterious elementals alter the nature of what is real and predictable. Asmythe is steeped in myth and danger.

The humans appeared on the isle of Altazar, and made it the seat of the Armada Empire.

The goblins appeared on the isle of Cozak and rampaged across the world dominating all they encountered.

The sylvani have refuges 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 delvers have strongholds in all the lands of Asmythe, though they prefer mountains and other lands inaccessible from the surface and where the minerals are rich.

The Fourth Era - The Future

In the fourth era ilthura return to Asmythe, the veil to the shadow realm falls, and all the races of Asmythe come together in cooperation. This era develops advanced technology powered by arcane and primal energy, reaching super power levels. But outsiders continue to invade and rampage across Asmythe, destroying all life in their path. At the end of this era the dagapesh wake again, resetting the world back to #Pre-History.

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 named 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. 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

Technology

The world of Asmythe exists in the dreams of the dagapesh and although it is similar to our world it is not the same. The most obvious difference is the existence of magic and elementals. Elementals, being manifestations of energy, are attracted to any mechanism that harnesses or modifies energy, often with disastrous results. The more complex the mechanism, the more likely it is to attract an elemental. A simple wheel may function for weeks without attracting an elemental, but a clockwork device is likely to get infested within seconds.

This presents a limit to industrial technology and effectively limits it to a pre-industrial level. Without cogs, pullies, and other mechanisms to harness natural energy all work must be done by humans and animals.

There are aspects of technology on Asmythe that are more advanced than the medieval era, especially in medicine and engineering. Doctors have a good understanding of biology and are able to create medicine and cure diseases effectively. Engineers can design castles, bridges, and vehicles that are larger and more stable than medieval equivalents.

Chemistry is not well developed in the third age. Explosives, acids, and other chemical compounds are more complex, less powerful, and less predictable than elemental energy, so they aren't researched. Stainless steel and other advanced alloys are a secret of the delvers.

Delvers have their own technology that uses ilthura magic. They are able to create complex mechanical systems that are not prone to elemental infestations. Delver culture is analogous to Steam Punk and they guard the secrets of this technology more fiercely than their own lives. Delver alchemists know the secret of stainless steel, bronze, and other alloys. Delver armor and tools are very valuable and very rare in the Armada Empire.

Language

During the first era the ilthura commanded through mental force. Their language was the only language and they did not share it with their thralls.

When the ilthura disappeared they left behind writing but no language to give it meaning. The githxa, sylvani, and delvers eventually learned to adopt the symbols of the ilthura and adapt them to create their own languages, as befit their culture.

Literacy is not common in most places, especially among the sylvani and delvers. Human and goblin language is taught in their respective schools but 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.

Common Languages

These are the most common languages of Asmythe during the third era.

These languages can be written, read, and understood without magical assistance. Although the sylvani and delver languages share an ancient root, they evolved over time and, in the modern era, are distinct and unrecognizable from each other.

  • Empire Common, "Codrix" - The standard language of the Armada Empire. (Similar to Gaelic)
  • Goblin Common, "Harazod" - The standard language of the Goblin Hoards. (Similar to Korean)
  • Sylvani, "Jaunloul" - The sylvani language of life and nature. (Similar to Beringin)
  • Delver, "Kathesh" - The delver language of science and mechanisms. (Similar to Evhmelish)

Magical Languages

The ilthura had written language but never taught it to their thralls; the language itself is so strange that it is incomprehensible to any of the living races of Asmythe.

Although the ilthura language is impossible to fully comprehend without deep understanding of its grammar and structure a rudimentary understanding is possible and used by arcane wizards to summoning and control elementals. (The script looks similar to Uriovakiro but is functionally a form of Shorthand.)

Economy

Production

As with most pre-industrial civilizations, food production is most important and the most common occupation. The method of food production varies by region and resources with farming and fishing the most common. Farmers typically live within fortified towns and cities and travel outside the fortifications to work the land during the day. Farms are owned and managed by the local lord with farmers assigned to work plots of land, in a very feudal way. But laborers are not boud to a specific lord, by law they are "free" to petition a new lord if they feel mistreated.

Crafts are practiced through guilds, associations of experts who band together to teach and regulate their craft. Guild masters are expert craftsmen who own and manage a craft hall. The guild masters regulate the craft in the local economy; they determine who is accepted for training, who is allowed to practice the craft, the cost of products, etc. The local ruler exercises authority and sets laws governing guilds.

Travel and Trade

In the third era most of the lands between cities is inhabited by hostile beasts and travel is very dangerous. Fortified cities and town are rarely more than a days travel apart and people live within the fortifications of a town or city.

Trade guilds travel between cities buying goods in one place and selling them in another. Purchasing a travel pass with one of these trade guilds is the safest way to travel. The guilds hire warriors and guards to protect caravans during their journies.

Sea travel is the safest and most common form of travel, where it is possible. Beasts of the sea are less common than on land but also tend to be much larger and more aggressive. Ships usually travel alone to minimize the loss of an attack, because it is nearly impossible to win a fight against a sea monster.

Wizards are able to power and control dirigibles, making air travel possible. Travel by air is very fast, very dangerous, and very expensive. Dragons and manticore packs are rare, but they are fast and can shred a dirigible before the crew realizes they are under attack.

Currency

Nearly all large transactions are conducted with bank notes, usually issued and backed by the House of Hugo or other local 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 delver coins and the coins of the Armada Empire.

Counterfeit coins are rare because it generally costs more to produce a counterfeit than it is worth and the penalties for dealing in forgeries are harsh.

Delver coins are of extremely high quality; they are ornate and composed of complex alloys. The art of making these coins is a delver secret, making them much more valuable than their base metal and impossible to forge. Although technically illegal, in some parts of the empire these coins are used for large purchases because they are of high value and can't be traced.

Sylvani do not use currency, they share and barter among each other and with outsiders.

Coin Value Slang Empire Name
1 Tin Rat Groat
5 Copper Dog Daric
20 Iron Mule Florin
100 Nickel Horse Royal