The Shifting World(Setting Info)

[VySaika]

The World Itself

To most, the world itself has no name. It's "the world", possibly "earth", and that's really all. But in the Keniiri script, the language of the oldest known civilization on this world, the land was called "Tellegana.' And since scholars do love to give more legitimacy to things that are older, Tellegana is indeed the accepted name of the world imn academic circles.

Like most names, it has it's meaning, of course. "Tel", the character used to represent the combination of the elements of earth and water, what make up the physical framework of the world as a whole. And "gan", meaning a shift or transformation. "le" added between to show current action, that the world is still shifting, not that it has merely shifted in the past. And finally the feminine "a" added to the end, to show the Keniiri considered the world to be female in nature.

Tellegana. The world that is shifting. The Shifting Land.

The "Shifting Events"
Over the course of history, scholars and great thinkers in every land have learned what the Keniiri meant by this. From time to time, there is an occurance that has come to be described as a "shifting event", where something new simply appears into the world. And by something, it can mean almost anything. Some tools or odds and ends from a culture no one has seen before. A patch of ground, some grass and a few trees where there weren't any the previous day. Or perhaps some new people, unlike any who have been met before.

Perhaps even an entire city full of these new people, thier land and things brought with them.

Physically, at the very least, these things fit in seamlessly. New terrain fits into the existing terrain like a piece from a jigsaw puzzle into the empty spot. Of course there was no empty spot until the shift occured, but the new addition fits so well that there must have been one. It's difficult to explain, as the scholars only have the evidence of these events by the aftermath, when they happen there is no indication, no surge of magical energy or disruptive tear in the ground. One day all is normal, the next something new is present. Nor has there been any way discovered to predict these shifts. Most are small, to be sure. Grass, trees, sand, perhaps they happen daily in the ocean with new water being added to the old and who would ever know?

In fact, the last major shift recorded by Telanthi scholars was well over a century ago, when a few dozen square miles were added to the Waste, and the Gigas Ruin was found shortly after.

But even that event has those who say the ruins had simply been undiscovered up until that point. The world is hardly fully mapped, afterall, and even the most detailed maps are the work of men and women traipsing about on thier own two feet, plenty of margin for error. And if these 'other worlds' that the things arrive into the land from really exist, why then is there no way of going back to them? But the argument over the truth of the shifting events is a matter for scholars, not the comman man.

Gameplay Effects

Spoiler: ShowHide

The Shifting Events theory is quite true, but subtle so it still has detractors. But it's still something most people...may have heard about, but don't really know much about. Ranks in Knowledge Arcana, Religion, History or Geography are required(not all, just one or two), to know more then that the theory exists.

Also, if one of you really wants, you could play a person recently moved in(either alone or with a small group. Not a major event) from another world. If that's what you want to do, catch me on AIM or IRC and we'll work out a custom race and such for you.

Lastly, if I didn't make it obvious, outside of the Shifting Events that work on pure plot power, plane travelling magic does not exist here.

Places within the Shifting Land

There are four known continents in the world currently: Sollemar, Indalla, Belland, and Autellica.

Sollemar(litterally translated from Keniiri as "where the sun rises") is the largest continent, but by no means the most populated. A vast stretch of the continent, nearly the entire south-eastern quarter in fact, is covered by a collection of scrubland and desert collectively known as The Waste. Many different cultures call Sollemar home, from the country of Telanthar who's people dwell in massive cities along the rivers and other hospitible areas of the Waste, to the clannish Veinsweald(and thier age old enemies, the orcs) that live in the slightly more hospitable northern reaches of the land, to the beast-like denizens of Linsara who are unfortunately caught between the inflated egos and decades old pissing contest between the Federation of Alleran and the Holy Republic of Toran to the west.

Indalla is a smaller land across the ocean to the south, known to have majestic mountains and deep jungles in equal measure. The best known cultures from this land are Indel, often called the "psychic empire" which exports many fantastic goods to the lands of Sollemar, and the Hierarchy of Martok, a land founded by the serpentine Yuan-ti people who rule over subjects of many races from humans and lizardfolk to stranger folk such as the winged Windkin and the half-man/half-serpent Naga. Other countries on this land may exist, but few know much about them(and most assume any others would be under the protection of Indel or Martok anyway).

More well known is the continent of Belland, across the Golden Ocean, west and to the north of the Republic of Toran. Dominant on this land are the many different small countries ruled by the industrious Dwarven lords. Or perhaps the territories of the various dragon kings of Dragonia, the "kingdom" with more borders then any other in the world(all dragon controlled territories are considered to be Dragonia, you see. Even if they don't touch. This gets confusing at times, to be sure). Belland is both the most densely populated continent, and the one with the largest number of different countries.

Finally there is the land of Autellica, discovered a mere fifty three years ago that lies FAR to the east of Sollemar. To the tune of a a year and a bit voyage by sea far. Until then, it was thought that nothing was further east then Telanthar's easternmost ports(aside from the odd island with native tribes here and there), but now it has been proven there is life beyond the Great Sea. So far the only country on Autellica that contact has been established with is the land of Tunlin, where the people are said to be impossible beautiful, live in cities who's roads are paved in precious metals and speak in a language of nothing but music. How much of that is true and how much is sailors' tales is hard to gauge, of course. Still, no few Telanthi drifters have decided to make thier way east to seek thier fortune in that new land...though few of those who have gone have returned.

Gameplay Notes

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If it's not obvious, we'll be starting on Solemar. In the country of Telanthar even, which exists within The Waste. More info on that will be in the next post.

[VySaika]

The Continent of Sollemar

Before understanding any particular culture of the land, you must first understand two things that exist within(or some might say "plague") the entire continent.

Remnants of a Lost Age with the Power to Change Everything: ARMs and Seru

ARMs
ARMs, the strange mechanical weapons that surpass even the greatest tools of death forged by the finest mortal smiths. First discovered in Keniiri ruins in the Waste, they were originally mistaken for odd works of art as an ARM in it's dormant form resembles a fist sized silver egg. But once touched by one who had the innate power to connect to ARMs, the egg transforms into a unique weapon of amazing power. In fact, no two ARMs are the same, some become strange mechanical blades, others became tube looking things which launched projectiles at insane speeds. Still others took even stranger forms, chains with sawing blades on the end, or lances that spun like a drill.

Thankfully, there are few of these dreadful weapons to go around, and even fewer people who can seem to use them. No one really knows what makes someone able to use ARMs or not, it seems to be an inborn trait that is not revealed until one makes contact with a dormant ARM. But once someone makes the connection, that ARM is bound to them and none other, not even another with the power, can connect to it. Nor can one with an active connection form a connection to a second ARM.

"Gene Drivers", as those who have connected to ARMs call themselves(or according to them, it's what the ARM calls them), seem to have traits beyond simply possessing the powerful weapons. They are well known for getting themselves into situations that most would consider too strange to be true, as well as using thier strength to simply obtain whatever they wish. To many Gene Drivers, might does make right, and with the ARMs there are few who can stand up to them.

Perhaps the strangest thing about ARMs is that they are not magical at all, nor will they hold any enchantment that is placed upon them. Some modern weapons and technologies, like the "guns" used in the Federation of Alleran and the Iron Ships that first made the voyage to Autellica, are based on what engineers have learned from studdying ARMs. Some of those engineers who study ARMs have also learned how to make modifications to the weapons themselves, and are known as Armsmeisters. These Armsmeisters make small fortunes upgrading the weapons of these poweful(and as such often wealthy) drifters.

While ARMs were first discovered in the Waste, and are still most prevelant in Sollemar, they have more recently been discovered in ruins on other continents. However, they are still considered largely a Sollemaran problem.

Game Mechanics

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To use an ARM, you must have the following feat...

Gene Driver(Special)
You are a Gene Driver, one of the few with the power to connect to ARMs.
Benefit: This feat allows you to form a connection with a single ARM. Each ARM is unique and takes its shape upon first being formed, but takes a form that suits the weilder(there's an entire document I have for making an ARM that I'll attach). Gene Drivers are also bizzarely proficient in languages, and always have Speak Language as a class skill.
Special: Gene Driver can only be taken at 1st level. Gene Driver and Seru Symbiosis cannot be both be taken.
Note: Until activating a dormant ARM for the first time, you have no idea that you have the feat.

Yes, it's a plot-thing of sorts, and obviously if you take this feat you will get the opportunity to get an ARM in the game. But to start with, if you take this feat, you will not have an ARM already and thus will not know that you're a Gene Driver.

Seru and the Mist
Far more well understood then the ARMs, Seru are simply magically created creatures with the ability to bond to certain humanoids to grant thier host powers and abilities beyond those he would be capable of on his own. They have been used throughout history by those with the ability to bond with them as tools, weapons and more. Some even develop close connections to a specific person and serve much as a familiar for thier host, even when not physically bonded to them.

The abilities possessed by Seru are as varied as the creatures themselves. Some grant increased physical capabilities, others resitance to or enhanced ability to use specific elements, one type of Seru has even been known to grant it's host the ability to fly. With these abilities, it's no surprise that Seru are heavily relied on by some, and that some would risk thier lives while young to develop the power to use them.

While the ability to utilize them is well known, the process to make new Seru has been lost to time. Which is perhaps fortunate, as had it survived there would have been more of them when the Mist came.

Close to a century ago, the Mist simply arrived in the world, sweeping over the land like a horrible blanket. To most, it was harmless, simply an odd weather condition that had a faint residue of magic to it. But to Seru, and those who wear them, it was a nightmare. Within the mist, Seru go mad...as do any who are wearing them. They become more powerful, and more violent, aggressively and indescriminately attacking anything that moves except for other Seru and Seru-slaves(as those wearing mist-mad Seru are called). The Mist did not stay long...but it also did not stay gone long. It comes and goes, simply drifting over the land from nowhere, driving all Seru mad when it touches them.

The Mist is the reason almost all cities on the continent are walled now. The Mist is the reason fewer and fewer every generation dare to learn to bond with Seru. To this day no one knows where it comes from, nor why it has such an effect on Seru. Also unknown is why there has never been someone with both a Seru bond and the ability to access ARMs. The two simply do not coexist.

While the Mist does appear on other lands, Seru are native only to the Sollemar continant. Ones found in other lands were brought there by travellers from Sollemar.

Gameplay Effects

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To bond with a Seru, you must have the following feat:

Seru Symbiosis(Special)
You took the risk, voluntarily or otherwise, as a child to create the Seru bond and managed to survive the process.
Benefit: You are capable of bonding yourself to a Seru to gain thier abilities. The Seru you can bond with is limited by your hit dice, but if you are capable of bonding with one it will usually let you. Different Seru occupy different body slots(shoulders being the most common), but you may still only bond with one Seru at a time. Removing a Seru or bonding to one is a full round action that provokes attacks of opportunity(and causes damage to you based on the Seru)
Special: To bond with a Seru, you must have as many or more hit dice as the Seru itself. You cannot possess both Seru Symbiosis and Gene Driver.
Note: Unllike Gene Driver, you very well know you have this feat as the process to gain it is allowing a Seru to bond with you while you are still a child(before the age of 10). As the act of bonding causes damage, this does kill some who try it. Those who try their first bonding later in life find it doesn't work. The Seru just bites them, no bonding occurs.

Mist Madness: Someone wearing a Seru when the Mist is present risks becoming a Seru-slave. Make a will save DC 10+the Seru's hit dice. Failure means you become a Seru-slave and lose control of your actions. Success means you stave off the madness for 1 minute, at the end of which you must make a new save. The save DC goes up by +1 for every minute you remain within the Mist. Further, even with a successful save, you may not use any Seru granted abilities while within the Mist, nor can you remove the Seru unless you succeed on a grapple check against the Seru(and removing it by force will do damage to you).

If you take this feat and want to be a Seru user, we can talk about starting with one. Seru and thier abilities will be entered into the Bestiary topic as you learn about them(with a couple to start it off soon)

Cultures of Sollemar

Telanthar, the land which spans the Waste: The Waste is a giant mass of desert and scrubland that coverers roughly the entire south-eastern quarter of the continent, and is populated by the Telanthar culture. Not a single unified country, Telanthar is divided into five countries, each ruled by a Sha, though as these countries all share roughly the same culture, religion and racial qualities, they are usually just grouped by outsiders as all one land.
Goegraphy: The Waste does have a few rivers running through it(somehow...), so the cities and plantations are found along these rivers, with few choosing to live further away from the life sustaining water. This causes the land to have tons of people concentrated in a few spots...and then long stretches of empty Waste filled with the gods alone know what. Needless to say, the fact that there's always something new to be found in the Waste makes it a popular destination for drifters, not only from Telanthar but other lands as well.
Cultures: The largest thing to understand about Telanthar is the gender split in the population. There are simply more women then men. To the tune of roughly 20 women to every 1 man. As should be obvious, this shapes everything about their culture. Families tend to be large(a man and multiple wives), and as such houses tend to be large. The societal roles that are generally considered masculine in other lands are filled by women here. On the other hand, men are usually steered towards academic or leadership roles, and generally kept away from violent professions as much as thier families can manage.
Religion: Religion plays a major role in Telanthar, priests and priestesses are highly respected and exist slighly outside of the social castes, being able to speak thier mind even to nobles without fear of official reprecussions. The religion is divided into three Houses, each of one god and his many goddess wives. There is the House of Kord, the god of strength and competition; the House of Boccob, the god of magic and learning; and then the House of Hextor, the god of war and rulership. The three Houses do not always get along perfectly, but they do manage to stay generally civil to one another. Generally. There is a fourth god, Vecna, the god of ambition and trechery, but worship of Vecna or any of the goddesses sill loyal to him is considered blasphemy and grounds for punishment by death. 

Spoiler: ShowHide

Races/Classes
Tellanthi Racial Stats
Stats: No changes.
Skills: Bonus skill every level as PHB human.
Feats: Bonus feat at 1st level as PHB human.

Seanci Racial Stats
Stats: +2 Con, -2 Dex. Seanci are fairly tough, thier bodies used to life in both the rough waters of the eastern sea and the Waste. However, despite being adapted for life above or below water, they aren't too horribly graceful on either.
Skills: Seanci are an inherently artistic people, gaining a +2 racial bonus on a single craft or perform skill of thier choice. The chosen skill is always a class skill. Further, they gain a +4 racial bonus on swim checks.
Feats: Seanci gain no bonus feats.
Special: Seanci are amphibious and have no issues surviving above or below water, and have a Swim Speed of 20ft. Seanci have the Low Light Vision ability.

Allowed Classes(both races)
Warrior: Fighter, Samurai(Hom), Brawler(Hom), Ranger, Swordsage(ToB)
Skilled: Rogue, Scout, Songmage(Bard varient), Noble(Hom)
Spellcaster: Wizard, Sorcerer, Cleric, Beguiler(PHB2)

The Veinsweald, and the clans of the north:

Races/Classes

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Veinswei Racial Stats
Stats: Str+4, Int-2. The Veinswei are big. Really big. And very strong. But they tend towards being simple people, not horribly complex and by the standards of other lands, not very intelligent.
Skills: Veinswei gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate and Survival checks. It's easy to be scary when you loom over everyone else, and the harshness of the sweald means everyone needs to know how to do thier part to survive. Veinswei also take a -4 racial penalty on Bluff checks. Deception is not a part of their culture, it's something softlanders and cowards do. They can learn to lie, but thier entire upbringing makes it difficult.
Feats: Veinswei may choose between Great Fortitude, Endurance or Run as a bonus feat at 1st level.

Allowed Classes
Warrior: Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, Brawler(Hom)
Skilled: Scout, Skald(Bard varient), Wanderer(Hom)
Spellcaster: Cleric, Sorcerer, Totemist(MoI), Mystic(Hom)

Linsara, country of the beastfolk:

Races/Classes

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Linsetti Racial stats
Stats: Karm(+2 Dex, -2 Str), Kala(+2 Cha, +2 App, -2 Str), Karta(+2 Str, -2 Wis). Karm'Linsetti are generally very agile, but a bit on the small and physically weak side. Kala'Linsetti are usually quite social, and found to be highly attractive by not only thier own race but most humans as well, but aren't any bigger then the Karms. Karta'Linsetti, on the other claw, are fairly large and powerful, but prone to having very short tempers and a general lack of self control.
Skills: All Linsetti gain a +2 racial bonus on Spot, Listen, Balance and Climb checks.
Feats: Linsetti recieve no bonus feats.
Special: Linsetti have the Low Light Vision and Scent special abilities.

Allowed Classes
Warrior: Fighter, Ranger, Swashbuckler(CW), Brawler(Hom), Soulshifter(Hom)
Skilled: Rogue, Scout(CAd), Wanderer(Hom)
Spellcasting: Sorcerer, Spirit Shaman(CD)

The Holy Republic of Toran, the land where god sleeps:

Races/Classes

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Torani Racial Stats
Stats: +2 racial bonus to a single stat of your choice. Torani recieve many opportunities to improve themselves and excel at thier chosen specialties growing up.
Skills: Torani gain a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge(Religion) and Concentration, and both skills are always considered class skills. Government mandated worship of a god that encourages meditation and focus will do that.
Feats: Torani recieve a free bonus feat at 1st level.

Allowed Classes:
Warriors: Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Swashbuckler(CW), Knight(PHB2)
Skilled: Rogue, Scout(CAd), Bard, Marshall(MH)
Spellcaster: Cleric, Mystic(Hom), Wizard, Sorcerer, Dragon Shaman(PHB2, Gold only)

Confederated States of Alleran, land of freedom and technology:

Races/Classes

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Allerani Racial Stats
Stats: +2 Intelligence or Charisma, -2 Wisdom. Allerani have a tendancy to be either intelligent or magnetic...and sometimes both together. But rarely if ever really stable. The chaotic jumble of society they've grown up in does take it's toll.
Skills: Allerani gain a +2 bonus on Knowledge(Local:Alleran) checks, and may make such checks untrained. The only people who can keep thier country's politics straight are the locals.
Feats: Allerani gain Skill Focus as a bonus feat at 1st level. This must be for a skill that you could reasonably use to make a living. So Survival would be fine(hunter, tracker, guide, etc), but Concentration would not(can't make a living off that skill alone, really).

Allowed Classes
Warriors: Fighter, Knight(PHB2), Swashbuckler(CAd), Ranger, Hexblade(CW but heavily revised), Brawler(Hom)
Skilled: Rogue, Scout, Bard
Spellcasting: Wizard, Sorcerer, Artificer(Ebberon), Warmage(CAr), Healer(MH but heavily revised)