Playable Species:

--Humans: Humans live all over the place, but mostly on the western half of the continent, which is damp, humid, and mostly swampy.

Humans have certain sub-cultures that are explained below, under PLACES. (Any culture that doesn't mention Frogs, Hapids, or Half-Orcs are Humans.)

--Frogs: Anthropomorphic frog-people. Some of them have a talent for Order-based magic.

--Hapids: They usually live in the desert, but they'll travel anywhere when they get bored enough, which is a fairly common occurance. Males are anthropomorphic rabbit-people, females are anthropomorphic cat-people. They have a gladiatorial tradition; they like to have fun and don't like to be bored (hence the gladiatorial tradition). Some of them have a talent for Chaos-based magic.

--Half-Orcs: The Orcs were large anthropomorphic orca-- you know, killer-whale-people. They stood about 8 feet tall, and were mighty and magical. No one remembers much about what happened to them, they disappeared so long ago. Half-Orcs, though, average about 7 feet tall, and are half-orc and half-human. All half-orcs are members of the Endless Mine Nomads (see below), although they do sometimes come to the surface for brief visits.



PLACES:

----The Chessboard Village: The Chessboard Village, north of the huge swampy area, is the location of an ancient battle between the armies of Order and Chaos. Subsequently, the surrounding area is like a chessboard of "white" and "black" areas suffused with Order or Chaos magic, where soldiers and mages of each type fell. The Chessboard Village is known for taking in refugees of all sorts. They are mostly human, although there are a number of Frog-people as well.

----Locations inside The Pendrell Swamp (also known as The Dismal Swamp):

------The Cage: A former huge prison before a curse turned the entire region into a swamp, The Cage is also now a home to refugees, but they have a more militant and confrontational attitude than does The Chessboard Village. They are mostly human, although there are a number of Frog-people as well.

------The Frog Monarchy: This empire is by far mostly populated by anthropomorphic frog-people, although anyone is allowed to join-- as long as they join the rigid caste system. The Frog Monarchy is located in the northern part of the swamps.

------The Uglolla people: The Uglolla (humans) are seen by many as a "primitive" culture. They are respected, however, because of their tradition of "Spirit Magic," a mystical specialization heavily linked to ghosts and spirits (and the undead, and elementals and other other-planar beings) in ways that many non-Uglolla find "creepy."

--The Sandstone Desert: The really huge desert that takes up most of the eastern half of the continent. It's even bigger than the swamps on the western half. It has a lot of giant blue lizards that the Hapids ride around on.

--The Endless Mines: Under the entire continent are the the vast network of tunnels of The Endless Mines. The Endless Mine Nomads live here, constantly patrolling for danger, trying to map the tunnels-- although the tunnels magically change from time to time, so the maps always need updating sooner or later. The Endless Mine Nomads feel it's their duty to protect the surface world from the monsters in the tunnels, and they're proud to uphold that duty. (They're about 70% humans, 30% half-orcs.)


--The Amerylith Coast: The eastern coast of the continent.

----The Waveriders might be found, theoretically, anywhere off the coast of the Continent, but they are far more likely to be found off The Amerylith Coast. They are a nomadic people (human), who ride around on the backs of giant sea-turtles-- having small villages on the backs of the largest.




Very Powerful Beings:

--Bor’Ma (the allied enemy): deity (as far as we know?) of the balance between Good and Evil, Order and Chaos. When one starts getting too strong, Bor'Ma wants things pushed back into balance...

--The Grand Lizard: The mysterious granddaddy of all giant blue lizards, somewhere out in the desert. Legends say that he'll bestow powerful abilities on whoever can find him and pass his tests.

--The Man: One of the legendary founders of the Frog Monarchy. Legend also say that someday he will return-- to save the Monarchy, or destroy it.

--Noric: Chaotic Good deity of weather, the sky, and everything in it. His symbol is either a star or a tall tree (or both), his colors are blue and black and green, and his holy days are those of storms and/or high winds.

--Ossiga, the Ghost Queen: a Lawful Neutral goddess of death, ghosts, bad luck, and blood. To the frogs she is the goddess of doom and failure and ruin. She is somewhat subject to bribery and flattery, but without either of these (and often with them), she is generally uninterested in the fates the living, and sometimes seems heartless. "Ossiga follows her own rules, not ours." Her symbol is the crescent moon, and those are her holy nights as well.

--That-Which-Thrashes-in-the-Deep:
     As ancient as it is powerful, this being inhabits the deep, dark areas of the ocean. Neither exactly evil nor chaotic, it is a thing of pure predatory instinct. It is the boogey-man that Waveriders scare their children with. It takes the form of a giant shark (60') with scythe-shaped tail fins. If one knows the right methods, one might be able to contact it, speak with it, and even strike a deal. What price you might have to pay to gain its favor is unfathomable, but everything has its price. Generally, such persons gain enhanced senses and some type of natural attack and a stronger predatory instinct.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:07, Sun 26 June 2022.