Goldhorn Stories

Welcome to my worldbuilding resource dump. There might be many like it, but this one is mine. Enjoy, I guess?

[goldhornstories]

The known world (3590)

(a.k.a I got my hands on Wonderdraft and went way overboard)

The main idea was to create a pseudo-Mediterranean landmass with some magical influences (e.g. the Red Circle in the middle).

I tried to keep geography, rivers and climates at least somewhat realistic. I do realize that MUCH more rivers would be needed, but yeah... not doing that.

The polities are also very pseudo-European, so we got:

Not Byzantium (Goldhorn)

Not Papal States (The Sacred Eye)

Not Italy (Atto)

Not HRE (Semnones, Swágur & the Štyrs) Note: I could not be arsed to come up with hundreds of tiny states in proper HRE style so that's all I got

Not Mongols (Yellow Khanate)

Not Hansa (Freeports)

and some additional goodies like Not Celtic Tribes (the Dhuines), or Not China (the Zhin).

Depending on IRL workload, I'll try and write up some proper descriptions for the world and the different states in the coming weeks.

[tastesoftamriel]

Support Talviel's Kitchen on Ko-fi! ❤️. ko-fi.com/talviel

Support Talviel's Kitchen On Ko-fi. Ko-fi lets you support the people and causes you love with small donations

Hey everyone, sorry to repost again but my laptop literally died on me right now, as I opened my Skywind writing document, also taking my book chapter with it. It seems to have resuscitated itself after 20 mins of me crying on the keyboard, but yall this machine is not long for this world.

Tl;dr: I NEED a new laptop. This is imperative. Without it I can't work, write, or play. My writing deadlines at present are Tuesday and end of July respectively and without a computer I'm doomed.

Please, please help and rb if you can.

Stay safe, eat well, be kind. ~Tal

[tastesoftamriel]

Yall are INCREDIBLE!!! Thanks so much to everyone who's donated, reblogged, or sent a little bit of love or tech advice. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for your generosity.

There's still a bit of a way to go, so even if you can't donate, a lil reblog would be so helpful!

Thanks everyone. More recipes otw soon as my way of saying thank you! ~Tal

[tastesoftamriel]

Even if you can't donate, I'd really appreciate a reblog to spread the word of Tastes of Tamriel and most importantly get me back to ESO (I miss it so much pls just let me play)

[jmfenner91]

[goldhornstories]

The birth of Mother Moon from the primordial fire gods

[goldhornstories]

[alanjamesart]

in the weeds

[goldhornstories]

Cragshore, to the East of Broken Tree

[pi-slices]

Plant Based - 200602

[goldhornstories]

A Flowerwalker of Mother Dawn.

[goldhornstories]

Táltos-lam: the religion of the Genáh

The Genáh, the people of the Goldhorn Empire used to be steppe nomads and their religion mirrors it. The Táltos-lam developed from the original polytheistic faith of the steppes, but as they settled and built an empire, this religion evolved. Paths are branches of the faith focused on the worship of one specific deity. Being an adherent of a path usually does not exclude worship of other gods. The Genáh worship the following deities and spirits:

Mother Flame: One of the two primordial gods, she was born from the Primordial Fire together with Father Fire and they created the world together. Mother Flame represents the constructive aspects of fire, and is revered by blacksmiths and families as protector and provider of heat. She is also a goddess of summer under the name of Golden Mother.

Father Fire: The other primordial god, he also had a hand in the creation of the world. He represents the destructive nature of fire and is feared just as much as he is revered. He is also a god of drought and thirst.

The Sun is thought to be the image of the two primordial gods. When it provides warmth, it is revered as Mother Flame. When it causes drought and punishing heat, it is feared as Father Fire.

All other deities are descendants of the two primordial gods.

Father Night: Lord of darkness and god of winter, Father Night is the first son of the primordial gods. He is thought to one day bring about the end of the world when the fire gods finally die of old age. As the god of silver, he is revered by merchants. His worshippers usually follow the Path of Darkness.

Mother Moon: The wife of Father Night, Mother Moon (also known as The Light in the Darkness) is the goddess of knowledge, wisdom and magic. She shows the way in the night and is the protector of sailors. She is also revered as the queen of the tides. The stars are thought to be her children from Father Night. Her worshippers usually follow the Path of Light, or, much less frequently, the Crimson Path.

Mother Dawn: The goddess of mornings and spring, Mother Dawn is considered a benevolent goddess and the bringer of life and love. She is worshipped by mothers and sacrifices are made to her during pregnancy. Her aspect of the Green Lady is revered as the protector of farmlands. Her worshippers usually follow the Path of Rebirth.

Queen of the Winds: The Queen of the Winds used to be one of the most important deities during the steppe nomad era of the Genáh. She is the lord of the steppes, the sky and of all winged animals. She is worshipped by the Kestrel Priests, followers of the Path of the Falcon. Along with his sibling, the Horse Lord, she is a protector of hunters.

Horse Lord: Horses are the revered animal of the Genáh people. The Horse Lord is thought to provide some people with special magic abilities, making them táltos. He is worshipped by the Red Riders, the Imperial Army's cavalry as well as several paths including the Path of the Great Steed. He is a protector of hunters alongside his sister, the Queen of the Winds.

The Miraculous Deer: The Miraculous Deer is the benevolent goddess of forests. She provides nourishment and protects travelers who visit her realm. She, however, severely punishes those who do not respect the woods. The Circle of the Woods - the Empire's foremost religious council - worships her and so do several paths of faith, especially in the countryside.

The Hundred Faces: The Hundred Faces are a deity representing human emotion from anger, grief and sadness all the way to love, joy and contentment. They are rarely worshipped directly, as the mere presence of emotions is seen as worship enough. People might seek their advice in times of great personal turmoil.

Guta: Guta is the god of death and of the underworld. He is feared by most, but is also thought to bring peace to the dying, should his appetite be sated by enough sacrifice. No paths worship him, and even uttering his name is thought to bring bad luck.

The Horde of Waters: The Horde is a collection of water spirits that together represent all waters of the world. Every last spring has its own spirit, and larger bodies of water have several. They are worshipped by sailors and are thought to bring about the rainy autumn.

Additionally, the Genáh revere a multitude of lesser spirits, but these are not deities. Lesser spirits can be benevolent, like the Flowerwalkers of Mother Dawn, who inhabit untouched, flowery landscapes, or malevolent, like Guta's nameless children that spread disease.

Yes I have been playing WAY too much Hades recently, why do you ask

Also, I started this world as low-magic, and I'm now writing about gods and spirits inhabiting it. I may have failed a tiny bit.

[goldhornstories]

The Crimson Path

The Crimson Path is officially a branch of the Táltos-lam faith, developed from the Crimson School of Red Rock. Its original teachings are centered around the betterment of the self and especially mental prowess in the service of Mother Moon, specifically her aspect as goddess of knowledge. Unofficially however, the sect acts as the intelligence service of the Goldhorn Empire.

The Crimson School was founded by a táltos of unknown name in the aftermath of the Farce War. The Path rose to prominence in the early 3400's during the rule of Brio II, who chose the Crimson Path's leading táltos as her Fifth Councillor.

Since then, successive leading táltos have served as Fifth Councillors, cementing the Path's influence. Despite this, the number of followers remains low due to the extreme selection and training procedures. The Path's theology has not deviated much from its origins as a cult of Mother Moon. However, the rules of the Path are focused on the sect's function as a Goldhorn state organization. Their priorities are as follows:

Espionage: Crimson Path agents conduct intelligence operations abroad. Most large cities of the Western Continent have at least a few agents operating in them.

Counterintelligence: Agents of high magical prowess are often used to protect Goldhorn from infiltration. Táltos of the Path use their clairvoyance to find spies then "hunters" capture, interrogate and neutralize infiltrators.

Protection: High-ranking diplomats of the Marble Chambers and other state officials are accompanied by Crimson Path agents to protect them from capture, magical attacks and assassination.

Covert diplomacy: The Crimson Path's "peace arm" forms the Goldhorn Empire's diplomatic corps together with Marble Chambers diplomats. While Chambers diplomats handle official business, the Path deals with behind-the-scenes negotiation, and its agents often work to achieve the Empire's goals via blackmail and threats.

Crimson Path agents also accompany the Red Riders on their campaigns, and provide them with protection, military intelligence and magical reconnaissance services.

[goldhornstories]

To High Judge Telonius Reman's eyes only

Milov, 5th of Springbreak, 3501

Your Excellency,

You will be pleased to know that our headhunters tracked down and killed a Crimson Path agent in the North Štyrian plains. The woman arrived by portal and was delivering a letter to a possible Goldhorn asset in the region. We are currently in the process of finding this "Oriole", and I will keep you informed of the developments.

I am attaching a translation of the letter and I hope you will find the information contained therein regarding the origins of the unplague useful.

Your true servant,

Judge Priest Massius

Oriole,

Autopsy of several of the beasts from the Unlands spillover did not find any signs of infection. While this alone would seem to confirm your theory that they are mutated animals or, gods forbid, humans, we did not find any signs of that, either. In fact, no discernible internal organs were found at all. The body of each beast is composed of an internal structure not unlike that of the Atto red golems, with a complex, almost organic machinery driving them. This makes them more construct than animal, despite their appearance and behavior. Our current working theory is that these things were built in the Unlands by unknown - although certainly malevolent - actors. Why the beasts broke into the Second March or how they spread the plague is still unclear, but they react adversely to magic. Kestrel priests have managed to use this to push the beasts back beyond the Morino, but the Second March has been lost to the Unlands.

We need you to find out how the affliction acts in humans and whether we can stop it once it has taken hold. As the infected are perfectly capable of spreading the illness themselves, I am afraid that containing the plague will be impossible at this point, despite our successes against the beasts.

Contact us as soon as you have any news of a cure. And stay where you are for now - we can not risk you dying of this plague.

5th

[goldhornstories]

History of the Genáh people, part II. (2947-3123)

The Eastern Continent with the Feydelmship of the Snowplains in 2947.

Feydelmship of the Snowplains (2947-3058)

Agost's son and natural heir, Emeric was killed in an accident while hunting. The ailing Feydelm appointed his nephew, Zolta to the throne, but civil war erupted almost immediately after Agost's death in 2950. Zolta was killed by Cupan, the threacherous lord of White Cross. According to legend, the young Feydelm, following Genáh traditions, arrived unarmed to Cupan's camp to negotiate, but was abducted and trampled to death by horses. Cupan held the title of Feydelm for less than a year before he was defeated in battle against a coalition of Agostine loyalists. He was executed, his corpse cut in four pieces which were displayed on the walls of four major strongholds of White Cross, Warhorn, Snow's End and Deep Shore. From early 2955 until his death in 2964, Aba ruled the Genáh. He seized vast lands from the Maronne in order to increase the Genáh's power, but as a result several revolts broke out against him. Aba was eventually assassinated by Maronne nobles who then forced his successor, Harka "the Weak", later known as "the Just" (2964-2988) to initiate widespread reforms. These resulted in the creation of the Circle of Elders that acted as the de facto government of the realm for centuries. This institution included every realm noble over 40 years of age. Maronne nobles were initially included in the Circle, giving them a say in the running of the country, although purges under Harka's successors gradually diminished their influence. Eventually the Maronne and other ethnicities were assimilated into the Genáh.

From 2988 to this day, Harka's descendants have held the office of Feydelm, though from the late 29th century until at least the end of the 31st century, real power resided with the Circle of Elders. This era also saw the merging of the ancient Genáh religion with the various faiths of the Snowplains, giving rise to the Táltos-lam, a polytheistic faith centered around the Táltos, people born with specific physical deformities such as extra fingers or albinism and who were widely regarded as having supernatural abilities. The people of Goldhorn and the Marches follow various schools of this religion to this day. The emergence of the new faith coincided with the appearance of Continental magic in Genáh society. Although the nomadic Genáh had already attributed magical powers to the Táltos, their worship grew in importance significantly after the arrival in the Snowplains. The Táltos exhibit clairvoyance and telepathy much more commonly than the general population where these abilities are practically nonexistent. To this day, they are the most common magic users in Genáh society.

The successor kingdoms of the Livernese Empire slowly fell to the pressure from the Genáh in the East and the Atto to the West. Goldhorn, the last successor state, was invaded during the rule of Feydelm Aba III, with its eponymous capital conquered in 3058. In a bid to diminish the influence of the Snowplains nobility, Aba moved his court to Goldhorn where he ruled until his assassination two years later.

The Continent at the time of Aba III's death in 3060.

Feydelmship of the Two Seas before the Atto Wars (3058-3123)

Modern historiography refers to the Genáh realm post-3058 as the Goldhorn Empire, although contemporary accounts called it either Genáh Feydelmship or, as more of the Gold Sea shoreline was conquered, the Feydelmship of the Two Seas. This era saw the birth of the Transmarine Trade Fleet as well as administrative and military reforms including the reorganizatin of levied militias into regional command structures that eventually gave rise to the modern (Imperial) State Armies. These reforms were championed by powerful Elders, such as Ianus, a descendant of Harka who ruled vast lands around Red Rock. He was named Feydelm in 3098 (ruled until 3113), and his coronation marks the beginning of the descent of Elder power as the Feydelm, thanks to Ianus' own holdings and his centralization efforts, was now capable of exerting considerable influence over his subjects. The power of the Táltos has also grown, and by the 3100s has become comparable to that of the Elders in some regions. This era of reforms coincided with, and was probably influenced by, the establishment of contact with the theocratic Atto Empire that controlled modern-day Cragshore as well as most of the Neck and vast areas of Plainheart. Initial relations were amicable enough and several contemporary accounts on both sides mention flourishing trade and exchange of ideas between the two polities. Later however, the expansionist nature of the empires led to frictions over the ownership of the Neck, the Western parts of which were under Atto rule, while the East was controlled by Goldhorn. As the Atto at the time were preoccupied with curbing the power of the Nordic kingdom of Štyr and the Feydelmship had its own share of internal problems, open conflict was avoided. By the 3120's however, these issues were largely resolved. Štyr was beaten, its Southern territories becoming a vassal state of Atto. In Goldhorn, Ianus II (3113-3140) continued his father's reforms and consolidated his rule. The growing power of both empires led to the three Wars of the Neck (3123-3180), that eventually saw the Atto lose most of their lands to the East of the Hallum river.

The Continent in 3123.

[goldhornstories]

Goldhorn, home of the Genáh

The Goldhorn Empire is a human polity occupying most of the Eastern Continent. This vast realm - the biggest and most populous on the Continent - is ruled by the Feydelm, the head of the nobility, the "clan of clans". Nobles make up only about 5 % of the population but they hold all land in the Empire.

The majority of the population is Genáh, but other ethnic groups, such as the Mountaineers of the Greenwall, the Geats of Northend or the Atto living in Cragshore.

Goldhorn has about 40 million inhabitants post-unplague, a third of whom live in Goldhorn Proper, the peninsula separating the Gold Sea from The White. The capital city, also named Goldhorn, is found in this region, on the Northern shore of the Strait of Mallia.

Political map of the present-day Continent and surrounding areas. The Goldhorn Empire is marked in purple. To the North, the two Marches are dependencies of Goldhorn.

History of the Genáh people, part I. (pre-2947)

Nomadic tribes

The Genáh were originally a nomadic people on the Yellow Steppe. As pressure from other peoples in the East forced them to move further and further West, the Genáh came into contact with the civilizations of the Continent, notably Maronne, an old realm that has dominated the Greenwall region in the centuries after human conquest. First written records of the Genáh people also date back to this time. The Northern Codex written around 2820 mentions the newcomers as "savage steppe-people on horses faster than lightning plundered the land and burned the homes of God-fearing men." According to the Codex, hostilites broke out almost immediately betweeen upon the nomads' arrival. Despite lacking Continental magic, the Genáh proved more than a match to the Maronne. They overran the smaller tribes in the Western Yellow Steppe and crossed the Frontier river. The Genáh plundered the territories of the present-day Marches and even the Snowplains, but were eventually defeated at Warhorn (2811) and again at Halka (2812). The nomads were pushed back beyond the Frontier and the river crossings were heavily fortified. This era saw the construction of the Eastwall forts that stand to this day.

Red: approximate extent of the Genáh homeland in 2812. Blue: Maronne in 2812.

After this, conflicts between the Genáh and Maronne were sporadic. Genáh raids were usually spontaneous, although on several occasions Genáh raiders were used as mercenaries by the Livernese Empire, a Southern polity and Maronne's regional rival. In the Livernese-Maronne war of 2901-2903 in particular, Genáh incursions were instigated by the Empire and the nomadic cavalry was utilized to great effect at the battle of Deep Shore (2903), which ended in a decisive Livernese victory. Subsequently the Maronne were forced to cede their lands North of the White Snow river to the Genáh in a peace deal that effectively ended Maronne power and made the state a Livernese vassal.

Genáh lands, Maronne and the Livernese Empire after 2903.

After Maronne's defeat, the Genáh, under the leadership of Feydelms Agost and Kella (nomadic Genáh lived in a diarchy, with one Feydelm, in this case Agost, acting as war-chief, and the other, Kella, fulfilling mostly religious duties), soon started launching raids into the territory of Maronne as well as that of their former allies, devastating the Southern Snowplains. The Livernese Empire was at the time engaged in a prolonged conflict with the Nordic kingdoms situated in what is today Northend and North Štyr. Internal instability has also plagued the Empire, culminating in the Fracturing of 2933, wherein several provinces broke away from central authority. In the resulting chaos the Nords overran most of Plainheart, only being stopped at the battle of the Low Mountains the following year. The Genáh also capitalized on the situation and in 2934 the tribes of Agost invaded Maronne and took Snow's End from the Livernese, effectively ending imperial control over most former provinces.

The Eastern Continent after 2934.

The conquest of new lands brought new problems for the nomads. There were now significantly more non-Genáh living under their rule than there were Genáh themselves. The traditionalist faction of Genáh leadership, led by Malok, Kella's son and successor, maintained that the conquered had to be forced out from their lands, as was the custom of old. However, Agost's supporters disagreed. The traditional nomad lifestyle did not allow for maintaining such vast territory with a wide variety of settled peoples already living there. The Malokites eventually migrated back North, to the pastures beyond the White Snow and Morino rivers. Over centuries, they became the people of the present-day Marches. The Agostine tribes settled on the Snowplains in 2947, subjugating the Maronne an Livernese people with whom they previously coexisted. Traditionally, this event is regarded as the foundation of the first Genáh state with Agost as its first monarch, taking over the duties of both Feydelms. The term "clan of clans", denoting a nobility of mostly Genáh descent, is also applicable from this date as land in the Snowplains was gradually redistributed from indigenous nobles to an "elite" class within the Genáh.

The Eastern Continent with the Feydelmship of the Snowplains in 2947.

[goldhornstories]

Main faiths of the known world part 1: The All-Seer

The Faith of the Children of the All-Seer

The dominant faith in most Western states, the faith of the Children of the All-Seer is the most widely followed religion among the many faiths and cults worshipping the Sacred Eye, an Ancestor-made geological formation between the Continent and the Great Zhin.

The Children believe that the Red Gold Explosion marked the birth of a new god - the All-Seer - who brought the gift of higher thought to humans, leading them to prominence after the fall of the Ancestors. The deity is believed to encompass the entirety of the known world, his Sacred Eye seeing every act ever committed by humans. Believers maintain that the world is constantly judged by the All-Seer, and consequently bad events such as famine or plagues are the deity's way of passing judgement.

Over its long history, the faith has undergone several changes. The Book of the First Children, written almost three millennia ago in 657, outlines the basic principles of the faith, while subsequent holy books, called the Books of the Prophets, the most recent of which was written as recently as approx. 110 years ago in 3482 have shaped the faith, often changing even core tenets outlined in the original writing. The currently prevailing branch of the faith, endorsed by the Church of the All-Seer, is based on three main tenets as well as several principles stemming from those. These are outlined below.

Main Tenets

The All-Seer is the Only God. The faith of the All-Seer is strictly monotheistic and rejects all other faiths.

The All-Seer is the font of human knowledge, and is thus the Only Path. Since according to believers of the faith knowledge stems from the All-Seer, science and progress is Its to give. All progress made by the faithful is dear to the deity.

The All-Seer sees everything and Its judgement is Truth. A faithful should accept any reward or punishment the All-Seer sees fit to pass on them.

Principles

As all gods other than the All-Seer are false, people who believe in these deities will be subject to judgement. Should the All-Seer choose Its Children to pass this judgement - usually through proselytizing or conquest - it is expected that the faithful accept the call.

Current doctrine interprets the First Tenet to apply to heretics as well. Any sect or cult not following official Church teachings is subject to judgement. Canon law prescribes a list of punishment up to and including death and confiscation of wealth if heresy is proven.

The Church shall act as the mercy of the All-Seer. It should help the down-trodden and the ill, and priests should represent the less fortunate against their overlords.

The Only Path is understood to be the progressive aspect of the All-Seer. Science is the realm of the priesthood, and priests need to drive the progress of knowledge, and never hinder it.

The Only Path is forbidden for laypeople. Only priests may walk it.

To become a priest, one has to renounce their family, their kin and their very being. The way of the faith requires total submission to the All-Seer, and consequently to the Church. Priesthood is open for everyone willing to pay this price.

Priests are the only ones to pass judgement, but the sentences may be carried out by laypeople.

The Church

The Church of the All-Seer, led by the High Priest, is the governing body of over thirty million believers of the faith. It acts as the religious and judicial supervisory body of almost all Western realms and therefore wields immense power. The institution was formed fairly late, in the age of the seventh Book of the Prophets some five hundred years ago as the Atto branch of the faith subsumed others in the wake of the conquests of the Skavian dynasty (3023-3095). The last priest-king Malign I Skavian had then asserted the primacy of the priesthood, transforming Atto into a theocratic empire. After the main line of House Skavian went extinct with the death of Malign I in 3095, a council of priests took over, making the High Priest the de facto head of the empire. At the peak of its power, the Church of the All-Seer ruled over an immense area from present-day Swágur in the Northwest and the Freeports in the Southwest all the way to Štyr in the East.

Although its power waned in the wake of the unplague of 3501 that broke up the empire, the Church of the All-Seer still wields considerable influence over Western politics as well as immense wealth due to religious tithes and the Eye's control of the maritime route between the Gold Sea and the Zhin Ocean.

I'll do Church hierarchy later, this post is long enough as it is.

[goldhornstories]

The Sacred Eye

The Sacred Eye or simply The Eye is the name of a circular geographical feature separating the Zhin Ocean from the Gold Sea and Atto from the Great Zhin. It was created in the Red Gold Explosion, during the fall of the Ancestors. The blast created a crater roughly 430 km in diameter, bordered by the Red Circle, the tallest mountains of the known world. To this date, there is no definitive evidence as to what caused the explosion, nor whether it was an accident or an intentional act of war during the era of civil strife that marked the dusk of Ancestor civilization.

Church of the All-Seer. After the arrival of humans (Year Zero), a temple was constructed on the central island. This is currently the center and most important holy site of the Children of the All-Seer, the dominant faith of the Western part of the continent. The temple also serves as residence to the High Priest of the Church. Due to the Eye's central location, the Church also wields immense economic power as they control the only maritime route between the Gold Sea and the Zhin Ocean. Alongside the religious tithes paid by the continent's lords, the fees paid by merchants in exchange for crossing the Eye form the basis of the Church's wealth.

Red Gold. Probably due to the (suspected) magical nature of the explosion, the Red Circle is extremely rich in ores of red gold, a metal best known for its excellent properties as magical conduit. After recent developments in mining and refining techniques of these ores, the Northern Freeports and the Kingdom of Atto are currently undergoing an industrial revolution fueled by the mines of the Red Circle.

[goldhornstories]

Intro

So uh.... This is the place I will dump my worldbuilding notes, I guess. I have no idea what I'm doing tho