Centuries (Lore blog)

  Hello, and welcome to the Centuries lore blog. This is a blog where I detail events and lore elements for a massive fictional story I am currently working on.  I also have a character blog, where I focus on the individual characters and details of the stories. Rather than there being one singular story in this world, there are multiple stories set in different time periods, spanning from pre-historic, to the far future. I am updating the story as I go, so almost everything you see in this blog is subject to change. Hope you enjoy!  

[centurieslore-blog]

The Races of Thea: Wildekin

Name: Wildekin

Scientific name: Homo-Ferus

Special ability: Shapeshifting

Genus: Human like

Lifespan: 75-90 years

Wildekin are a common race of human-like shapeshifters who originated in the vast forests in the center of the Ularican continent. Appearance: Wildekin can be identified in human form by their dark skin, the coffee colored markings on their skin, and their bright eye color. They greatly resemble humans with similar skin tone, however their eyes and abilities differentiate them. Wildekin eye color can range from deep hazel to bright yellow. Wildekin who have reached young adulthood will tend to adapt characteristics of cartain animals, souch as enlarged canines, muscular structure, fangs, or heightened senses. Abilities: The most unique factor of the Wildekin race is their ability to Shapeshift into animals of similar sizes. The evolutionary origin of this ability is unknown, however it is speculated that Wildekin, like humans, evolved from uniquely evolved primates, except these primates possessed the ability to shape shift. When a Wildekin shape shifts, the markings on their skin will quickly flash bright gold, and their body will almost instantly transform in the blink of an eye. Wildekin can only shape shift into a singular animal, which is determined by their parent genes. However, there have been few cases where a single Wildekin can transform into multiple animals. Wildekin gain their ability to shape shift when they reach puberty, and don't fully master their talent until they reach young adulthood. At which point they will begin to gain certain aspects of their animal that cross over to their human form. Culture: Wildekin culture is very ancient, as their home had remained untouched  by civilization for centuries. Elder nature magic is a major part of ildekin culture as it is what gives them their skin markings. Wildekin are naturally born with invisable marks on their skin that determine the animal they are able to transform into. When a wildekin is born, the newborn is dipped into a special concoction made from the roots of elder trees. This dark brown substance reacts to wildekin skin, and highlights the markings. These coffee colored markings resemble tattoos, however, they are indifferent from wildekin skin. This is known by outsiders as a "wild baptism", (term popularized by colonial explorers on observing wildekin customs). History: Wildekin remained undiscovered for centuries until they were found by colonial explorers in the 1600s. While the first encounters were peaceful and pleasant, the Hunters guild feared the Wildekin and their shape shifting abilities. Seeing them similar to beasts, the New hunters took action unlawfully and attacked a group of Wildekin without warning. This sparked a brutal and bloody war between the colonial forces and the wildekin tribes. The wildekin won the first war using geurilla warfare and ambush tactics, and a wall was eventually erected, deviding the colonial territory from the wild unknown wildekin forests. After a few decades, new technology inspired new conquest, and so the former colony, now a new country of Ularica, pushed into the forests with greater numbers. The second war lasted until an eventual treaty was made, and Wildekin were allowed to live on determined reservations within the country. Today, Wildekin have adapted to Ularican life, and now live in peaceful coexistence with the rest of the many races of Ularica. Their ancient culture is still a very big part of their lives, and so many Ularicans own Tattoo parlors, to continue the tradition of "wild baptism" among their own kind, as well as make a prophet detailing tattoos for non-wildekin.  Due to the intermingling of various human like races, some mixed race wildekin have lost the ability to shapeshift, however, the markings on their skin are still visible.

Artists note: Even though it wasn't direct, I want to thank @galoogamelady. I used a few of her characters as reference for the female face, and I think it turned out pretty well. I know only like two people are going to see this so it doesn't really matter that I type it, but My thanks still stands. 

[centurieslore-blog]

Races of Thea #3: Centaurs

Modern day status: extremely endangered

Height: (male)=7'5" (female)=7'

History:Centaurs were the first mortal race to evolve on Thea. They began as spores spawned from the dense forests, evolving over the next thousand years to become centaurs. They did not stray from the forest of their conception, and created primitive society within the trees. They built stone shelters and temples to worship the spirits of the forest, and developed magical abilities such as healing and manipulation of nature. Eons later, after the Euphrate/Zailaf war, centaurs had remained untouched by civilization. secluded and protected within the forest, they upheld a peaceful existence. But a new species evolved around the same time the first human settlements began. The Centaurs were at first confused by the new species, but soon they befriended them, and helped them create a society based on theirs. They taught the wildekin magic, and how to obtain a beneficial and whole life through the power of nature. The wildekin learned to value nature, and became a primarily vegetarian species of human (however, they still ate meat on occasion). It was the centaurs who taught the wildekin how to shape shift into various animals, which is the trademark ability of the wildekin species. For the next few centuries, the wildekin and centaurs lived in peaceful coexistence. But disaster struck the centaurs once the first human colonies began to develop on the Ularican coast. The hunters were immediately dispatched to comb the forests surrounding the settlements in search of any potential threatening beasts. Instead, they discovered the centaurs. The Hunter's were at first confused as to if this newly discovered species fell under the hunter's accords (listing what species were considered sentient), but instead of awaiting an official order from the hunter's council, they instead slaughtered half of the village, and took the other half as slaves. The centaurs were not considered humans due to their "beast half", and their four legs and heavyset bodies made them the perfect load bearing slaves. (The wildekin were also captured and enslaved, yet they were treated as humans due to their resemblance) For the next century and a half, centaurs were brutally rounded up and sold into slavery. They were branded, and forced to sleep in stables like horses. They were given no respect, nor dignity by their owners. Non-complying slaves were sent to the proving grounds: a brutal event where hunters would practice their tracking and hunting skills on live targets. Centaurs sent there were doomed to be maimed, scarred and killed by the hunters participating. To make matters worse, generations of centaurs born into slavery began to lose their natural magical abilities. A centaur without magic was shunned by their own kind, and would not be accepted even if they managed to escape to the forest. Centaurs were rarely set free, but even if a master did relieve one of slavery, they mostly ended up homeless, or killed by roving bands of radical human supremacists.  Few cases saw centaurs assimilating into human society, yet they were a rare sighting.By the time centaur slavery ended, two thirds of the population had been killed. Slaves set back into the wild could not survive without their ancestral magic, and so the only centaurs who managed to survive were the ones who took refuge in the heart of the forest. In modern day Thea, it is unknown weather or not centaurs are extinct, or living in seclusion in the forest.

Biology:

Centaurs are naturally magical beings. Evolving from spores they are also connected to the plants and trees. Centaurs have small traces of xylem within their blood. as a result,  when  a centaur reaches its teen years, they will have grown horns made out of wood, with leaves sprouting on them. The males have significantly larger horns than the females, yet both sexes have them.

A centaurs death is not considered a somber event in centaur society. When a centaur dies, they become a tree, returning to the forest.

Unlike human infants, centaur infants are born much more developed, and are able to walk a day after their birth.

Centaurs come in many different colors, and sizes. Males tend to be larger, while females tend to be thinner and slightly smaller. while they are a peaceful race most of the time, Centaurs will fight tooth and nail to defend nature. They will not make their armor, but grow it from the forest. Weapons are also grown from the forest.

Centaurs do not possess a written language, however, they do write a unique form of hieroglyphics on the trees around their settlements. They share a coexistence with the Wildekin species. Human like shapeshifters who sport unique tattoos that allow them to  switch between animal and human.

[centurieslore-blog]

The races of Thea:

Part 2, Carnins (carno-sapiens)

Biology:

Carno Sapiens, or Carnins, are a very common race found on Thea. They resemble humans, yet they have many significant differences that distinguish them. The biggest difference is that they are 100% carnivorous, rather than omnivorous like humans. Because of this, Carnin bodies have evolved in ways that pertain to consuming and gathering nutrients from meat only. The biggest defining factor of the carnins is their face. Carnins have much larger jaws than humans, wich are lined with a row of pointed teeth used for biting and tearing into the meat that they consume. They grow these teeth at a very young age,around 2-3 years old, which allows them to begin eating and digesting meat as soon as possible. Aside from their mouths, carnins also possess larger ears, wider, front facing eyes, and a pointed, upturned nose. This allows the carnins to have much more acute senses of smell sight and hearing than humans do. Their larger eyes are also semi-nocturnal, which allows them to see clearly in the dark. Carnins also have a very high metabolism, causing them to be much smaller, and thinner, as well as giving them a very big apatite. Their arms are longer than humans and their hands are larger to allow them to grasp and hold onto prey whilst hunting. Carnins can run at incredible speeds if they have the energy, but only for a short time before they need to catch their breath. Carnin skin also has a rosy pinkish glow due to the meat they consume (kind of like flamingos)

Carnins gain all the nutrients they need from meat, so plant diets are just about useless to them. The only thing that a carnin may use a plant for is medicine. Carnins do not possess a digestive system capable of digesting plants, and so if a carnin happens to accidentally eat a plant, it will most likely vomit. 

Because carnins are a subspecies of humans, they are genetically capable of having offspring. Carnin human hybrids are unique, and often differ in appearence depending on their parents. If the father was a carnin and the mother was a human, they will have the sharp teeth of a carnin, yet if the mother is a carnin, they will have normal human teeth. carnin hybrids are also capable of eating plants without vomiting. Also like humans, carnins will take on a different appearance depending on the region they evolved in (asian/black/white facial features, skin tones). 

Carnin behavior differs from humans in many ways.Their fast metabolism causes them to be more hyperactive and twitchy at times, and their eating habits are traditionally messy. 

History:

Carnins started off similarly to humans. They began as nomadic tribes who traveled the world to survive. But while humans would eventually settle into a stationary location, carnins had to continuously track the herd migrations of their prey in order to continue hunting. Humans used hunter/gatherer methods, carnins had no need to gather plants except for medicinal purposes, so their culture was primarily based around hunting. Food was often scarce for carnins, and a failed hunt could mean death to an entire tribe, this caused carnins to often clash with humans, carnivorous wildlife, and even other carnins for food and territory. When food was scarce, some carnins would desperately partake in cannibalism against humans and other carnins. They would raid nearby settlements at random and take anyone they killed back to their encampments where they would cook and eat the bodies. But while humans would eventually settle into a stationary location, carnins had to continuously track the herd migrations of their prey in order to continue hunting. They lived in tents made of animal hides that were easily assembled and disassembled, and very light so that they could be carried long distances. Carnins would eventually settle into stationary areas as well, but it would happen centuries after humans had already established settlements. 

The main threat to carnins other than humans, were wolves and other wild canines. The carnins often had to share their hunting grounds with wolves, and the two species would frequently clash over the dead carcasses of recent kills. The carnins owed quite a lot to the wolves however. It was through observation and imitation that the carnins developed their own style of hunting based on the behavior of the wolves. Eventually, after centuries of fighting, the carnins would begin to befreind and domesticate the wolves, marking the first ever domestication of non-livestock animals. The modern world of Thea owes the ownership of pets to the pre-historic carnins.

Humans were obviously the first to win the race to civilization due to their omnivorous socioty, and they eventually gave up their hunter gatherer ways for a more civilized culture. The carnins were at a disadvantage when it came to civilization, because they could not have a need for crops, and had nothing to provide a basis for their culture other than hunting. By the time human beings had built stone cities and forged metal weapons, the carnins were still using primitive stone spears and living in wooden huts. There are a few records of primitive human settlements and carnin settlements making peace and living in an merged socioty, yet it is vastly overshadowed by the former. 

With primitive culture, defenses, and no-written language, the carnins were easily exploitable by early human civilizations. As a result, many carnin settlements were raided, and their inhabitants were forced into slavery Carnins had no time to form their own civilization, and so the carnin slaves and servants would come to adopt the human way of life. Carnins were heavily discriminated against, and often were not allowed in some venues weather they were slaves or not. 

Magic was a common practice in early human civilizations, and carnins were compleatly capable of learning and using it just the same as humans were. Slaves were forbidden to use magic, but servants to human nobles were permitted to use minor spells to help them with various tasks. Some carnin slaves would steal pages of magic scrolls attempt to learn the spells for themselves. This often led to disastrous misfires that killed the user, but one carnin was able to perfect a magic spell and taught it to his fellow slaves. They would eventually lead a slave uprising and escape to hide in the wilderness. After weeks of hunting, they were eventually found by human soldiers, and executed on the spot, but their sacrifice inspired many other slaves to try to rebel against their oppressive human masters. 

Carnin slavery was eventually abolished centuries afterward, and carnins would slowly but surely integrate and live in equally within human society.

(more information on carnin History coming soon-ish) 

[centurieslore-blog]

The races of Thia:

Part 1: Humans

Humans are not the first mortal races to evolve on Thia, but they are definitely the most abundant, and have grown to become the most advanced. (I’m not going to explain the biology of humans because you already know what they look like).

 Making up 70% of Thia’s sentient life Humans originally evolved from large apes. Early humans fought to survive in the pre-historic world against animals, nature, and even other humans and human like species (their main enemy being the Carnins {carno-sapiens}, a carnivorous subspecies of humans}

The first human societies were nomadic, hunter-gatherer tribes, but over time, they eventually would settle in a single area, where they would begin to develop their society. The foundation of all society on Thia can be traced back to humans. Different humans of different regions also developed different cultures based on the influences of the areas they settled into, basing their society around said culture. In a span of 10,000 years, humans would corroborate with the other species of Thia to create an awe inspiring, self-sustaining first world society. 

[centurieslore-blog]

In the beginning, there was nothing. No stars to pepper the sky, no planets to house life. Existence itself was nonexistent. There was nothing but inky black darkness. 

Until suddenly, from some unknown phenomenon, came a single light. Very little is known of this light, and most of what is is impossible to prove, but one thing is certain about it; it created the universe. This light is known only as Vespa. Mere seconds after it appeared, the first star was created from its divine light. although it shone less than half as bright as the first light, it was more than enough to brighten the darkness.  From there, more stars were created. The universe grew brighter and brighter, until the darkness was now peppered with trillions of twinkling lights. Soon enough the horrible darkness was a beautiful landscape of color as far as the eye could see, and it grew larger and larger by the second. 

From the stars, birthed the Ethereals. Cosmic beings of near infinite power, comprised of stardust. They worshiped Vespa as a god, and a parent, and Vespa treated them as its children. It bestowed upon them the power of creation, and they used it to create planets, comets, and other celestial bodies. Planets were like books of wisdom to the ethereals, each one containing information about the world around them. They arranged the stars themselves to write in an incomprehensible language. These ancient writings are known to mortal beings as galaxies.

After a century, the ever expanding kingdom of Vespa spanned trillions of light years in all directions. Vespa’s children maintained a peaceful existence under the loving eyes of Vespa.

[centurieslore-blog]

Story Plot for Game

Everything in this work of fiction is subject to change. The Beginning: In the beginning, there was nothing. Existence did not exist. There was nothing but the inky black of emptiness. Until the birth of the creator known as Vespa. Vespa was born out of an unknown force. a single light spont...

This is the manuscript of ideas that I am currently working on. It is unfinished and very sloppy, so read at your own risk