#eronovia

[tsvitok]

Assani’s Journal

It has been five years.

I was born in the Shield of the South. I was told my entire life that I could do anything, and for most of my life I believed them. My mother and father worked in the forge, repairing armour and armaments for travellers. I was raised amongst the many peoples of the world, I saw them every day of my life and spoke to them as equals. When I fell ill, I grew weak and they changed their tones. No longer was I able to do anything, I was lucky to have survived. It wasn’t until a woman took pity on me, that I realised my illness had no made me too weak to fight for my dreams. It had given me a reason to be strong. They gave to me a book, a journal, so that I could record my experiences and all that I learn. This is my journal, my name is Assani.

***

Another mild day on the road.

We stopped at a caravan rest, it was the first I have ever seen let alone been near. Tents surrounding a little wooden shack missing a front wall so that the people inside can cook for the half-dozen caravaners that have stopped. The bleach canvas of the tents stand out prominently on the plains. I saw them from a long way away and almost left behind my companions as I ran ahead. I may be a little giddy still, but this is the first place I have been beyond the walls of my home.

Joie takes a certain amount of delight in my enthusiasm, though I am not so sure about Khesh - they seem more interested in keeping me safe. I definitely remind her of someone, as she has told me, but she never seems sure whom.

The caravan rest is a comfortable stay compared to the bivouacking we have been doing - I have swallowed at least three bugs trying to sleep. Khesh has shown me several times how to wrap myself to avoid that, but my head always ends up uncovered. I am at least, far less hesitant about the idea of eating insects in the future - if I should ever be starving and I somehow am unable to eat one of my friends.

The rest is on a significant spot at least, as a small shrine is not far off just by a growth of trees. I ventured down this morning. There, hidden down in a earthen pit, is an Anchor - the immense black obelisk is three times my height at least, it is hard to judge, but it takes some time to drink in the sight. The Anchor has been carefully excavated, the ancient stones of the shrine ring it and mimick the perfection of the curved surface. These relics hold back the wild magics that allow monsters to grow, and make humans into elementals.

Khesh and Joie are both half-elementals, an Orc and a Harpy. I should write more notes about them in the future. But today’s entry would not be complete without detailing exactly who I met while I was visiting the shrine.

I met an Elf, her name is Reika and we had a very interesting exchange.

***

The trees seem to whisper portents as she looks at the Elf, their long black hair has a flow that matches the way their body moves as they motion for her to follow them back to the caravan rest. They are slender and tall, they take short steps so that she can keep pace.

“My people fought the Kythusians in the Wars, before the Drowning.”

Assani had heard of both, the two wars of Kythusia and the events that culminated in the Drowning of the Elves.

“Palois still holds the ancestral lands of my people, and suddenly my people found themselves aligned with old enemies.”

She listens intently, knowing there is a reason behind Reika’s wisdom.

“I’ve met many people who thought themselves above or below politics - but if you plan to see the world you should keep it in mind at all times.”

“It seems like something complicated.”

“That is because it is,” they pause at the edge of the tree-line and gesture out at the caravan, “I am a tea merchant, my family was destroyed by the Sanguine and my home was lost to the sea. I have had to learn it, it is something you can accomplish.”

“We’re travelling along the same road, perhaps you could teach me while we travel to Kythusia?”

“You are a nice girl with heady goals, but the last thing I want to be doing is tutoring you on the little time I have off.”

“I could help you! I can cook, I know how to repair armour!”

“First lesson, know the politics of the person you speak with. In Palois, the tradition is that a girl whom cooks and cleans for you, must be a slave.”

“That’s horrible!”

They gesture to the caravan, “This world is run on horror, girl. Best you get used to it.”

“You own slaves?”

“No, but many people do. It is only outlawed in three nations, and it is only condemned in five. Most nations consider you property of the lady that owns the land you live and work off of.”

“I...”

“Yes, Assani, the world is a cruel place but if you’re true to your intent you will face that. Come, I will give you your second lesson before dinner.”

[tsvitok]

keeper-of-the-lore replied to your post: Eronovia got dangerous, sexy gods we should...

How religious is the world? Are the common folk going to church every Sunday?

everyone is a believer, but not everyone is religious. the common folk are fairly well educated and have decent wages and free-time and shit - but given that the Gods walk among them on a daily basis, they have no reason not to believe. There are some that don’t buy into the religious aspect of it though, but almost everyone is visiting the shrines on sunday.

[tsvitok]

Eronovia got dangerous, sexy gods we should definitely not worship?

All the Gods are sexy, dangerous but you should totally worship them.

There are basically two gods and five demi-gods.

The Goddesses of Life and Death made the Five Demi-Gods to reign in the elements so the Demi-Gods are for Fire, Earth, Air, Water and Metal.

If you are up for ending up pregnant or looking after kids (males in the setting are the child-carers), then the Goddess of Life is a blast because the rituals all involve sex and fertility magic.

If you are up for some kind of messed up shit like mock rapes, mock executions, mock necrophilia, but also a shit load of sex followed by drugs and drink to make the womb barren (both men and women drink it), then the Goddess of Death is your gal.

The Fire Demi-Goddess basically requires burning shit and you will be branded. In fact, the most religious call themselves the Branded because originality.

The Water Demi-Goddess will drown you, and if you survive then good. The survivors do a lot of ritualistic cleaning, and are required that when they have sex it is immersed in water. Needless to say not many devout water-worshippers in the desert.

The Air Demi-Goddess is into chimes. Basically all you need to do to appease her is travel and see the world, and try not to be a dick.

The Earth Demi-Goddess usually asks for its priestesses to be buried alive for a week before they are fully ordained. She is also big into crystals. Her most devout followers are intersex and trans for two reasons, she has the ability - through her worship - to resculpt the faithful, and she herself adores them and offers them unique power amongst her followers compared to other goddesses.

The Metal Demi-Goddess is unique in that she does not care about your worship. She doesn’t turn you away, but unlike the others she doesn’t crave it. Mostly the worshippers drape themselves in metal trinkets and bind themselves in chains. The priesthood are warriors and crusaders, and the rituals of worship usually involve mock combat or sexual-combat given there are two ways to “forge the man into true metal” - the crucibles of combat or carnality.

Questions?

[tsvitok]

About my new DnD setting, and possible eronov setting.

The world is comprised of two planes that have been merged into one - the Primordial Plane and the Ultimordial Plane.

The Primordial Plane is the canvas from which the world was created aeons ago, weaved from the strings of the five elements.

The Ultimordial Plane is the end of the world’s life as it becomes aeons into the future, decayed by death but with the spark of life stirring inside it.

To prevent the end of the world the gods sewed these two planes together by placing in the the Anchorstones and thus life and death were imposed upon the elements and the civilisations could continue.

However Humans were not made from the ancient Primordial elements, and the spark of life was not present in the Primordial plane. The two becoming one meant the rise of Primordial Life and the Elemental Infusion of Humanity.

Primordial Life, the Leviathans and the Blights, exist solely and singlemindedly to destroy the Ultimordial taint so that the Primordial Plane can revert to its true state. The very world itself is overcome with this desire, a magical energy known as the Wilding moves as if alive and changes the wildernesses and erases the civilisations not protected by the Anchorstones.

Humans meanwhile have learned to adapt to the Wilding, having become infused by the Elements they mutated and changed into the Elementals. Those conceived in the veil of the Wilding were born as Half-Elementals, while those Half-Elementals who remain in the veil of the Wilding for too long mutate into Full-Elementals.

Pure Humans are now no longer the majority, they dwell mostly in the City States of Lorhine and in the Empire of Kythusia. Some trade cities swell with Humans such as Vasmok - but those born to a half-elemental will be half-elemental and those born to two half-elementals will become a full-elemental.

Elves, the Half-Elementals of Water, dominate the Drowned Lands and the Archipelagos. They are fair and graceful and able to shift their bodies into water at whim. As they progress they become the Mer - Elves that grow gills and fins on their head, and whose lower legs melt and become a watery tail or tentacles reminiscent of a fish or a squid.

Centaur, the Half-Elementals of Earth, dominate the plains and forests. They are strong and proud, quick of hooves and able to root themselves in place to feed from the soils they roam. As they progress, they grow more tree-like and become Dryads - Centaur whose flesh has hardened into wood and fur and hair that sprouts into moss and leaves.

Tieflings, the Half-Elementals of Fire, dominate the mountain ranges and the deserts. Haughty, passionate, short-tempered. They are almost immune to the effects of cold and heat, and no wounds scar them for long. As they progress, their skin sears and become ashen and cracked, becoming the Marilith. Their legs fuse together and grow into a long snake-like tail, new arms sprout from their sides and they radiate heat, erupting into fire as they grow angry - body turning molten and able to breath fire.

Harpies, the Half-Elementals of Air, dwell across all lands as hunters and traders. A race of only females, long feathers plume from their arms allowing flight and their legs end in talons. They have the unique ability to move with limitless momentum, once they begin they cannot be stopped. In fact, they do not fly as much as glide, jumping into the air on an updraft. As they progress they become the Alkos - very little changes apart from the way their body fades as they change, their feathers falling out and being replaced by the air that blankets their physical form until they become like smoke only solidifying briefly as needed.

Orcs, the Half-Elementals of Metal, favour the deeps but live across all lands. Strong and tough, as if made of steel. They are unique in that they are at face value another race of only females, but have the ability to change their sex as they please. As they progress, they become Ogres - giants covered in thick rock-like plates and horns that dully shine like dirty metal. Their bodies grow heavier and more dense as their bones turn to metal and their skin becomes more and more armoured.

More lore coming - tell me what you want to know.