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>>86924244

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>>86924247

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>>86924251

1 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/84774616/
2 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/84847594/
3 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/84864673/
4 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/84877899/
5 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/84890048/
6 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/84918731/
7 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/84930206/
8 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/84943450/
9 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/84963046/
10 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/84990296/
11 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85001905/
12 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85025361/
13 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85034498/
14 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85074457/
15 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85181021/
15#2 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85273765/
16 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85357735/
17 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85442583/
17#2 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85499731/
18 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85554910/
21 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85580942/
22 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85686282/
23 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85775039/
24 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85865971/
25 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85981957/
26 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/86150840/
27 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/86258892/
28 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/86355397/
29 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/86504173/

>>86924265
30 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/86662491/

Also, someone should archive the last thread.
>>86786745

Google Doc Link for the timeline. As updated as it can be.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Weiu2IWHLvwzuWaCnggBT0nYVzJvvHEeD0ec3KB16WI/edit?usp=sharing

>>86924239
Snailhippo

>>86924244
New to this setting, what's the most fun region of this world?

>>86924744
In what sense? The world has plenty of stuff going on.

>>86924744
You can always check the wiki, it has nearly all lore written for this.

https://crumbling-giantstep.fandom.com/wiki/

A paper map of the world's nations would be pretty cool

>>86924744
I like the Gnoll Empire best.

>>86924270
31 - https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/86786745/

>>86926448
Thanks.

I really like the Azan lore

Amazed this is still going on, but my problem with these things is that the power of autism means it always gets way too complex to keep up with if you miss the beginning. do any of you guys think you’ll start a new setting eventually?

>>86927438
For now it's best to finish the lore of this one. I'd hate to see this unfinished.

>>86927438
if you want you can still contribute fairly easily
theres always room for notable figures(real or legend) everywhere
my favourite part of these threads was bobbit's journey, and that was just me and a few other anons bullshitting off the cuff
you could even pick two random places near to each other and make up a way that their histories overlap
only a few of the nations have really solid links(mainly wars years ago iirc) within the existing lore, its not completely isolationist but not far off

>>86927438
There are a lot of regions/nations that are cut off the rest and have little to no lore, so even if you haven't kept up with the setting at all you can still contribute

>>86927724
also this

More stuff about the Ra.

>History
The history of the Ra shines for its stagnation. Whereas around the world empires rose and fell, the Ra stayed in their swamps, living nomadic lives, hunting and gathering whatever food they could for their tribes. Contact with the outside world has existed, mostly in the form of traders and treasure hunters, but in general, the land of the Ra has been left alone. It was simply too uninteresting, with its harsh environment and lack of resources making it a poor choice of colonization. Even when the Khenomeric Empire expanded to the eastern bogs, it didn’t really affect the lives of the Ra much. The khenomeri founded a couple of coastal cities along the area, from where explorers and hunters could try to get the exotic and dangerous fauna of the region, with some small trade happening between the khenomeri and the Ra. And these colonies were quickly abandoned once the Khenomeric Decay set in, with the ruins of the coastal cities long looted and ransacked by bandits or used as bases for pirates.

>>86930426
This state of immobility would change with the arrival of the gnoll. The rise of the Gnoll Empire after the fall of the Khenomeric Empire had become an unstoppable movement, expanding in all directions. The more land the gnolls captured, the more they fed, and the more gnoll they could recruit to their armies. This became a tsunami of bodies, seemingly unable to be stopped. Under the rule of the first Gnoll Emperor, they moved forward, taking as much land as possible, seeking no treasure or glory, but more things to feed their ever growing armies. The bogs of the Ra, in general ignored by the civilized nations of the world, were just as valid of a target as any other for the gnoll. However, this particular campaign would prove different from anything the Gnoll Empire had fought thus far.

>>86930440
First, the gnoll had to advance through the dense swamps and marshes of the land of the Ra. Disease, wild animals and the many natural traps of the region took the lives of hundreds right of the bat, but this did not dent the strength of the gnoll at all. On the contrary, the dead gnoll spawned many gnoll maggots and hyena, which were the first sign the Ra received something was wrong. Trying to find the origin of these strange creatures, the Ra had found the gnoll much earlier than the gnoll had found them. Many tribes advocated for just letting them cross, thinking that either they’d go away or the swamps would finish them off. However, this quickly proved a wrong supposition, as not only they swept the bogs clean of life (threatening many of the oyster fields the Ra depended on) but their numbers kept increasing despite their losses. And what was worse, the gnoll had no compunction about attacking the Ra’s nesting grounds. Without any attempt of diplomacy or even communication, the gnoll jumped on the breeding grounds with glee, sensing easy targets. This would drive the Ra into rage, and soon enough, all tribes were on the war footing. Tens of thousands of Ra moved to the northern borders to stop the assault of this monstrous invader, in a never before seen mobilization of the species. The movement of Ra was so big that it displaced many of the local predators, somehow feeling the impending clash between them and the gnoll.

>>86930457
The battles between the Ra and the gnoll lacked any strategy or subtlety. Both sides keep charging at each other head on, trying to crush them, the Ra with their monstrous strength, the gnoll with sheer numbers and rage. The gnoll had not seen an enemy such as the Ra, and fighting within the bogs and marshes, the gnoll were outmaneuvered all the time. A single Ra was strong enough to rip apart a gnoll with ease, and their armor protected them from the gnolls’ crude weaponry. Simply put, the gnoll could not hurt them, needing the help of ogres to even have the chance of fighting the Ra. Eventually, however, the gnoll became more and more adept at fighting the Ra. They discovered that attacking the weak points of the armor was better that just blunting their swords and maces on the resilient carapaces. This started having an effect, but for every Ra that fell, around 50 gnoll had died or been crippled. The rate of attrition of the gnoll was nothing like they had seen before, and unlike other campaigns, the gnoll simply couldn’t replace the numbers faster, since the land was just as hostile as the Ra themselves. However, the gnolls’ numbers were seemingly without end, killing the Ra through sheer exhaustion, blood loss or drowning them in bodies. And the Ra’s numbers simply weren’t enough to push the gnolls back. Sooner or later, the gnolls would steamroll the Ra, erasing them from their homeland. This was the point when the first thuleans arrived to the swamps.

>>86930426
sweet

>>86924244
This picture gave me cancer

>>86927438
You can look at the OP's list of things to be done. Many of those things do not need an in depth knowledge of the lore.

>>86931760
I hope you get better, anon.

More like /tg/ makes a seething

So do we know who are the thuleans?

>>86937202
There is nothing outside of the original ra'ga page

It has been speculated their continent was somehow destroyed

Judging by their hero's name, the one piece of artwork, the caste system, the migration from the north, they are Indian/Hindu inspired, starting from the Vedic period

A bit more of the Ra.
>>86930468

The mystery of the thuleans is something that has become a myth within Ra’s culture. The chronicles of the Ra tell of a group of humans who had reached the Ra’s swamps, for some cosmic coincidence, at the same time as the invasion of the gnoll. Tall, with their skin filled with red tattoos and markings and wielding strange golden weapons, they identified themselves as the men of the land of Thulea. Where was that mythical land of Thulea, once green and fertile but now a frozen cemetery, or what were they doing in the swamp, it is not known. Some historians believe that, in reality, the thuleans were just humans who lived in the old khenomeric colonies, and had been forced into the swamps due to the gnolls’ advance. Others believe that they were some old wizards who had lived in isolation in the lands near the border with the Khenomeric Empire. And some believe that they were merchants and explorers from the south that were in the worst place at the worst time. Whatever the true is, they entered in contact with the Ra. The thuleans had built a ramshackle fort using rotting wood, stones and the bones of the gnoll, and were holding off the attack using arrows, spears and magic. They were going to be overrun when a group of Ra burst in and destroyed the gnoll attacking. Puzzled by the humans’ strategy, the Ra brought the thuleans to their leaders, and they explained that they knew how to fight the gnoll, but they were too few to push them back by themselves. Naturally, the Ra and the thuleans quickly bonded over a shared enemy, and began organizing their counterattack.

>>86937927
The thuleans explained to the Ra many new ways of fighting a war. Instead of pushing head on with great numbers, the thuleans would organize ambushes in the swamps, dividing the gnoll forces and making the Ra appearing from seemingly nowhere, and brutally crushing them with their claws. The thuleans also used many magical spells to aid the Ra in battle, from healing spells to animal invocation, bringing the wild animals of the swamps into a frenzy and sending them against the invaders. The swamps were made deeper, so that the gnoll could not really pass through them, funneling their numbers into more manageable amounts, easily beaten by the Ra. The Ra denied battle to the gnoll, and more and more their forces were scattered in the swamps, where the marshes themselves would take care of the bestial invaders. The gnoll responded the only way they knew: sending more gnoll. The sheer numbers invested in the swamps forced other campaigns to reduce their numbers, slowing down the seemingly unstoppable advance of the Gnoll Empire. In the battle of Oirant in 2.735 ABE, the Ra managed to outflank, surround and destroy nearly a third of the forces of the gnoll, having been set up by the Thuleans to think that it was a weak point of the Ra, a vital breeding center of the crabmen. The remains of the bones of the fallen gnoll were put together to form a mound big enough to be seen from miles. The thuleans used their magic to burn the corpses so as to avoid the spawning of maggot gnolls.

>>86937936
Such victory broke the spirit of the gnoll. It was clear for all to see that the war with the Ra was simply not worth the effort, and not only that, it was bleeding the empire white. In 2.737 ABE, the gnoll began retreating from the swamps, in a disorganized rout that saw many thousands more fell victim to the swamps. Unbeknownst to the Ra, the Gnoll Emperor, Grabagrorr the Great, had been bested in single combat by an unknown figure, simply known as The Nameless. His plans for the empire were not based upon war, and simply saw the war with the Ra as a waste of energy. He ordered to retreat to the border of the swamps, creating some primitive fortresses to avoid revenge from the Ra. The Ra did not even bother to push beyond the border, since they knew that a fight outside the bogs would not really be to their advantage.

>>86937611
could they be the lost civilization from the lost isle, given that the latter has little to no lore about it?

>>86939694
It could be vaguely implied, but never outright stated. Otherwise it loses its mystery.

The Crag

>History

Very little is known of this island. Its rocky terrain, little vegetation, pools of toxic fumes and volcanic ash covering the island have made it an unattractive location for any sailors throughout history. Even the people of the Orange Marquisates have cared little of exploring it. In fact, the very first accurated description of the Crag came by a washed up journal of a cog from Gvilderstaaten, almost a century ago. That account claimed that aggressive monkeys and even larger apes roamed the island, some even wielding swords they scavenged from human warriors. Although we can now confirm that these claims are correct, it is not known to anyone where could these simians originate from. Some claim that they must be local to the island, while others think they must have escaped from a vessel of the southern lands that was shipwrecked on the island's rocks, since no specimens like these can be found in northern Giantstep, or even Smallstep.

Later on, a merchant known as "Noel the Lemming" landed on the Crag's shores, looking to capture one of the monkeys in order to sell it to foreign circus troupes. According to Noel's book, The Fool's Errand, their mission was a failure, but his accounts unveil some very interesting details. The island's vegetation is very scarce, although the few trees and bushes that cover it seemed to be endemic to the region and all had red tinted leaves, and combined with the volcanic terrain make the Crag's landscape very unique. The monkeys built their homes using a material that looked (and smelled) like hardened feces. Not only that, but they proved extremely skilled fencers and were as if they had trained with swords for all their lives.

>>86940161
Three of Noel's mercenaries claim to have slain the monkeys' supposed leader - a large, white ape- after unloading more than ten crossbow bolts on its stomach, but -extraodinarily enough- state that upon slaying the beast it was able to resurrect itself with little trouble, chasing them off with its ghastly screams.

Even more preposterous was Noel's account. According to him, the group could periodically feel tremors beneath the ground. These tremors were nothing like any earthquake he had experienced before. Alongside them he would hear something along the lines of a snake's slither, especially when near one of the many cave entrances scattered around the island. Additionally, upon examining some marks in one of the caves, Noel hypothesized that the serpent god worshipped by the monkeys was in fact an actual, physical snake of gargantuan proportions. He and his companions did not stick to the Crag long enough to test this theory.

Other reports and rumours surrounding the Crag have also surfaced in the last decades, killing most people's desires and hopes to explore the island's premises in order to discover new alchemical ingredients or build any settlements. Thankfully for the people of the Orange Marquisates, the only route that would take any sailors near this forsaken rock is the one that leads to Zyla Gora and the Platanus Bog, places where one would need many reasons in order to visit in the first place.

>>86943722
Would this be one of the many murder cults around?

More about the Ra.
>>86937940

The end of the war with the Gnoll Empire was highly celebrated by the Ra. No other event had unified the scattered tribes of Ra like the war, and with the help of the thuleans, they had managed to survive from near obliteration. The relation between the thuleans and the Ra did not stop with the war, on the contrary. The Ra were mesmerized by all the advances the thuleans were able to bring to the table: things such as fire, architecture, agriculture and oyster husbandry, medicine, crafts… these things were unknown by the Ra, who had lived primitive lives since they first spawned from the swamps, but all this changed their lives radically. Their numbers grew exponentially, and this forced them to create a more complex organization to produce and manage all resources needed. The thuleans helped them create the first cities of the Ra, small and damp by any other standards, but for the Ra, they were incredible achievements. Rising from the swamps, the engineering necessary to drain enough swamp and dry it to build even the small Ra cities was something extraordinary, especially since the thuleans barely used any magic in the process. This strange knowledge has kept historians puzzled, wondering what other knowledge the thuleans held.

>>86945613
The thuleans’ knowledge went beyond technology. The thuleans helped the Ra organize themselves into organized kingdoms, with each of them having multiple small cities, each one in charge of the many oyster fields needed to sustain the population. They introduced things such as coin based economy, written language, laws, social structure… The Ra advanced many centuries in the course of decades, and that attracted the attention of traders and merchants around the region. This period of the Ra’s history became known as the Ra’Ga, literally meaning “The Great Ra”. This prosperity brought the Ra’s opinion of the thuleans, already high from their help with the war, to near divine levels. The thuleans settled in the island of U’mer, from where they tried to restore their civilization. Over time, U’mer became the biggest capital of the Ra’Ga. It is said that, once the great hero and leader of the thuleans, Prince Visha, reached old age, he decided to take his most loyal followers and sail to the north in search of the legendary “flower of fire”, a mystical item that would help him restore his frozen lands. Many thuleans remained, and have thus become the main leaders of the Ra ever since.

>>86945619
>Society and culture
The society of the Ra is heavily influenced by thulean culture. Many Ra have adopted customs such as tattooing their shells the same pattern traditional of thuleans. They’ve also adopted their written language, using mud tablets cooked in furnaces as support. Despite this, their geographical location and lack of appropriate resources (the Ra’Ga lacks great mineral veins, and many of the foods of the swamps are not edible by non-Ra) with which to trade with the outside world means that the region is considerable more backwards than other nearby nations. This suits the Ra fine, as they don’t really exit their homeland frequently. Seeing a Ra walking on a grass field can seem uncanny, considering their anatomy is design to move through dense mud and swamps, and outside of them, they can look uncoordinated and gangly. The descendants of the in the island of U’mer are much more developed, and have many more contacts with other human nations, especially with the nations of the south.

>>86945624
Ra’s society is divided into four castes: the Warrior Kings, who take the role of rulers and defenders of the swamps; the construction workers, tasked with the thousands of responsibilities that cities always in risk of sinking into the swamps have; laborers, in charge of agriculture, oyster husbandry, trade, crafts and other such jobs; and the slaves. Unlike many slaver societies, the Ra do not buy their slaves from the outside, nor do they launch raids to capture them. Instead, slavery is only a state of legal punishment, and they have to be afforded all the rights and protections given to them by law (with the exception of freedom, of course). They are usually tasked with some of the hardest and most dangerous tasks in the kingdoms, which they maintain until their sentence is done.

Where's the lore map?

>>86925987
We do need more artists. AI art is working thus far, but we have a lot of things that'd need someone actually capable of drawing ro do right.

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>>86945924
I don't know if the Ra'Ga lore is complete but I erased them anyway

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The Moth Albatross is a massive winged insect that lives in the eastern side of Giantstep. Its wingspan is one of the biggest ever recorded on an insect, easily surpassing many birds around the world. This allows them to glide all across the world with very little stamina loss, using their wingspan and their relatively low weight to get carried by the wind currents. They generally move towards the milder areas of the world depending on the climate, moving northwards during summer and southwards during winter. They lay eggs twice a year, which they will carry over their own bodies. The Moth Albatross can only fly, its legs have shrunk to the point of being unable to hold their weight, and thus they carry their larvae within sacks added to their bodies. Once hatched, they are capable of immediate flight, and thus they never need to step on the ground. Their diet consists of anything they can get while flying, from seeds to insects to small birds, they will use their large size and a strange stunning dust generated by glands all around their wings and body to dizzy their prey until they are weak enough to be caught mid air. However, this tactic doesn't work against bigger and more aggresive animals, especially considering how light Moth Albatross actually are. Thus, they spend most of the time at really high altitudes, searching the land below with their incredibly accurate vision.

>>86949122
I'll finish the last bits of lore of te Ra and move on. I may finish the other two bogs of the region.

>>86945632
The Ra live in familiar groups, usually with a male and two females. In the past, familiar groups were nearly non-existent, since reproduction and child rearing was a communal thing, done in the many spawning centers of the bogs. However, the contact with the thuleans brought them the concept of family, dividing the communal Ra into smaller groups. The creation of family bonds have helped the Ra’s spawn to grow and survive in bigger numbers, and also solidifying the bonds between individuals within the familiar group. The mothers are in charge of teaching the children the basics to survive, and then they are put to work as soon as they are considered capable to do so. High education is usually reserved for the firstborn male, and are then put to work as apprentices.

>>86950837
The cities of the Ra have strange architecture, designed to make use of the resources of the area and the unstable bogs and swamps. There are very few cities within the Ra’Ga, with most of the population nowadays either living in the great oyster farms or living as nomads as it’s tradition. The size of the cities is also small, since the environment is not the most appropriate to build sprawling metropolis in. In general, the cities are made in areas easy to drain, and once they’ve been cleaned enough, the Ra will design the cities from the bottom up. The thuleans brought with them a formula of special concrete, easy to create with the resources of the swamp and that could dry fast even in high humidity conditions. The Ra will set up great blocks of concrete at the bottom of the swamps, making sure the city’s buildings do not sink under their own weight. Once they have created a secure enough foundation, the Ra will begin building their structures, forming spherical and oval structures, using concrete blocks mixed with cooked adobe or hardened wood. These buildings are pretty much a single room, in which the Ra’s families live together, with only the public buildings having something similar to inner walls. Roads are irregular and frequently drain, with many Ra workers keeping them from clogging with the rains or the floods. Vines use the buildings to grow wildly, which is allowed by the Ra up to a certain point. This, combined with the frequent and unimpeded floods, means that their cities can look like they’ve been abandoned for ages when in reality they are in current use.

>>86950846
Trade between the different cities is slow, due to the Ra’s lack of a proper beast of burden. They have to carry their products by themselves, and the muddy terrain makes things such as carts useless. They will load all their burdens by themselves in bags and palanquins, tools that allow only slow travel with small volumes. Attempts of creating roads have been made, but the swamps simply swallow them without constant maintenance.

>>86950852
>Foreign Relations
The Ra have traditionally lived isolated from the other races of the world. In the past, they established tenue relations with humans from the Khenomeric Empire or the frogmen of the Land of Changing Waters to the north. Nowadays, however, they are much more connected to the outside world. The arrival of the thuleans managed to open the Ra to the trade of the south and east of Giantstep, with traders reaching the coast frequently. The Ra have repurposed many of the abandoned khenomeric ports in the coast as points dedicated to the outside world, since their ability to build docks from scratch is limited.

>>86950861
A growing danger for the Ra has been piracy. The raids from the Blind Bastard’s Domain and gnoll piratic raids are growing in number and ambition, threatening to cut off the city of U’mer from the rest of the Ra’Ga. The thuleans have developed a navy strong enough to deter attacks that aim for the coast, but their numbers are sparse and only usable for defense.

The Ra are obviously not fond of the Gnoll, and are one of the many nations who would gladly jump at the opportunity to erase them from the map if given the chance. Maggot gnolls, hyena gnoll and feral gnoll infest the bogs and swamps of the Ra’Ga, since so many gnoll died there during the war. The warriors of the Ra’Ga go to the swamps frequently to purge them from their home, having sworn to erase them completely from their territory. The Ra also keep many forces at the border, just in case the Gnoll Empire ever decide to rush them ever again.

>>86950837
I just realised how many swamps there are in this setting

>>86953133
There is more or less a straight line from the Bog Witch lands to the Ra'Ga homeland that crosses central Giantstep from north to south. It's interrupted in the middle by desert and badlands, but it's near continuous.

Do we have any info on local cuisine?

>>86926067
t. guy who wrote it

>>86953133
I blame the early inclusion of Ogres.

>>86956769
kek

What exactly is there in the Dark Bog?

Only 49 uncategorized pages in the wiki. We're getting closer to having everything tagged!

>>86949122
Before I write anything about the Oroma Islands; was it established if there was just one or many magma dragons?

>>86960104
The lore says "They are the home of a fierce race of magmatic dragons that guard the island's most precious booty", so I imagine there are more than one. Though I imagine they are lesser dragons, since the island are not big enough to feed really big dragons.

We really need more info about the dragons.

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So is this just a map of nations? Where are the wiki pages about gods and the fundamental forces of nature?

>>86960207
Look at the tags.

>>86960132
So, according to the lore, the dragons we know are alive are

>God Dragon in Fehrum Edzulair (sleeping?)
>Magma Dragon(s)
>Stone Dragon of the Hogmen Isles

could it be that Dragons were creatures created by the gods etc etc before humans even existed, and for that reason they are almost in the brink of extinction now? And the smaller Magma Dragons could be the spawn of the OG Magma one, albeit much smaller and less majestic.

>>86960499
I imagine that the original dragons were near semidivine entities. Their descendants are closer and closer to the mortal realm with each generation, so they are just intelligent but have none of the great powers of their forebearers.

>>86960312
I don't know how, sorry. I clicked on the guide but all I got was old dudes fucking.

>>86960882
https://crumbling-giantstep.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Divinity

https://crumbling-giantstep.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Divine_realm

You can also check the religious part of each of the nations, which will have more relevant info about their particular gods.

>>86960499
>>86960132
>>86960104
I'm the one who originally came up with them in thread 1 and I give you full licence to do anything you want with them. Reducing it to one dragon of the same power as the other 2 in the setting would be cool and also add consistency to the setting.

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>Seven Castles

>History:

The Seven Castles region (sometimes also known as the Dren’UI Peaks region, or the Uckerath Mountains region, or the Seven Castle Baronies) was settled by exiles from Florinth nearly a thousand years ago. The eight exiled noble families were an odd collection of political extremists and outright lunatics who initially cooperated to seize the region from the Khenomeric Empire offshoot petty lords living there, but then they almost instantly fell into infighting.

And so things have been for nearly a thousands years. It is rare for there to not be at least one ongoing conflict somewhere in the Seven Castles, and often all eight were at war.

The region had a hard time building up and retaining skilled groups of warriors due to the near constant violence and relatively poor pay in proportion to the risks. But in addition to widespread local conscription and recruitment of politically affiliated foreigners, the region became a mecca for newly founded mercenary groups hoping to establish their reputation. By around four centuries ago, the flamboyant Landsknechte culture with its “Nouveau Westerling” style of dress and love of large weapons had become the core military tradition of all eight baronies due to its popularity with mercenaries in Florinth and Tarot.

Since then, the most notable game changer was the alliance of the other seven barons/baronesses against the eighth, who, in his insanity, faked his own death, and managed to become king of Grobianismus, which his line still rules today (and falsely claim to be the founders of).

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>>86964707

>Government:

Each of the remaining seven baronies ruled by a noble family whose organization at times more resembles a cult than a typical petty lord’s court. Although the mercenaries fight for coin, and the common folk fight often under pain of torture, the core of each baronies forces is often ideologically based. The seven are:

House Othgar – A dirt poor, rural barony that lies close to the demon infested woods of Dia’Ul. They have a reputation (both the nobles and the peasants) of being inbred, paranoid, and highly distrustful of others.

House Shifa – A rich, decadent, powerful house that swore loyality to the Succubus Queen about a century ago and has grown even more rich, decadent, and powerful as a result, despite their legendary cruelty and on and off again talk about some of the more moral houses about doing something about them.

House Jano – A somewhat mysterious house known for its worship of Kagal and its interest in old Khenomeric magical practises. Their territory includes some old Khenomeric ruins that are subject to much speculation.

House Samonte – This house has the most in common with their ancestors in Florinth, in particular a great deal of vanity. Although often mocked for their highly decorative palaces, chateaus, and uniforms, they are above average in terms of military strength and skill.

House Ramsauer – This house has managed to maintain holdings in Florinth and Tarot that provide them with plentiful spending money for mercenaries. They are a large clan, and pretty much any position of importance is held by a cousin or second cousin of the current leader.

House Bunzli – The southernmost house, its mountain fortresses overlook the desolation of The Chill Steppe and the Frozen Lake. They are known for their grim fatalism and stubborn nature.

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>>86964722

House Bartlome – The northernmost house, controlling several wide fertile valleys with (relatively) large populations and possessing lots of money for mercenaries. They dislike being drawn into the endless conflicts, but are considered a powerhouse due to sheer numbers.

>Economy:

The region is fairly desolate and sparsely populated. Sheep herding and small scale farming is possible in the valleys, while there are a few mines and timber mills higher up in the hills, but much of the terrain is mountainous and only really passable during the summer months.

>Foreign Relations:

Grobianismus and affiliates – Grobianismus has sometimes launched poorly organized wars against the Seven Castles (with more frequency ever since the exiled baron took the throne) but they have never accomplished anything. The Seven Castles barons avoid Grobianismus, fearing the curse that afflicts all who stay there for too long with abysmal stupidity. However, individuals from Grobianismus who have some thinking ability sometimes immigrate to the Seven Castles region to work as laborers or occasionally even mercenaries.

Harmony Goddess’s Realm – Major pilgrim routes of the Harmony Goddess’s followers run right through the Seven Castles region. Even the more dark-hearted houses rarely mess with the pilgrims though, fearing a divine intervention from the Goddess herself.

Chill Steppe – The people of the Seven Castles and the Soomi have pretty neutral relations. Some Soomi still hold grudges as the barons conquered their distant cousins when they established themselves in the region, but other Soomi have established trading relationships with certain baronies.

Dia’Ul/Diaoul – This cursed land is overrun with unseelie fey and is avoided by humans. Those who live along the border often spend more time fighting the fey than they do other baronies.

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>>86964730
Forest of Getting Lost – Although fewer monsters lurk in this forest compared to Dia’Ul, very few who enter it find their way back out, so it is avoided at all costs.

>Geography:

The Seven Castles region is dominated by large mountains, forcing much of the population to live in the valleys in between. The climate in the valleys and border regions varies greatly. The southeast has bitterly cold tundra, the southwest has dense, seemingly tainted forests, the northeast has a pleasant temperate climate, and the northwest is jungle.

Needless to say, several of these climates are the unnatural creations of divine or mortal magic, and extreme weather is common due to weather systems passing through radically different conditions, though the height of the mountains does mitigate this a lot.

Due to high taxes and poor lands, most folk live in basic peasant hovels, though better quality stone and/or half-timbered houses are common in the wealthier baronies. Castles are quite common. The largest are the seats of the barons, but smaller ones protect the borders and sometimes serve as homes of vassal lords and family members.

>Demographics:

Humans – Most of the population is human. Most descend from those who have immigrated from Florinth or Tarot, but there are three racial minorities and plenty of folk of mixed origins. The first minority are plains nomad folk who lived in there prior to their conquest by the barons. The second minority is a peculiar darker skinned race common in the Harmony Goddess’s Realm who are believed to be cousins of the Thuleans, certain Gilgemashi, and a few other isolates. The third minority are the Grobianismusians. Although the ones living in the Seven Castle region are generally the smartest and most attractive of their kind, they are still well below average by the standards of most humans, and rarely rise above the lowest tiers of society.

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>>86964735

>Religion:

Varies by barony:

House Othgar – Fairly non-religious, but traces of the Northman Pantheon can be found.

House Shifa – Formerly Aphiria, now Gogotha.

House Jano – Kagal (Khenomeric Goddess of Magic).

House Samonte – Aphria and the Harmony Goddess.

House Ramsauer – Aphria and the Harmony Goddess, some Northman Pantheon traditions.

House Bunzli – Mix of Northman Pantheon with some Florinth, Tarot, and Soomi traditions.

House Bartlome – Aphria and the Harmony Goddess.

>Military:

There is almost always a war going on somewhere in this region, but the baronies lack the wealth or the numbers to sustain large scale warfare, so instead brutal skirmishes and torture are used to scare away rivals or intimidate newly conquered populations. At present, Shifa and Ramsauer have become infamous for vicious raids used to expand their territories, while Othgar and Bunzli are just as sadistic while on the defense.

Due to limited manpower, it is common for young folk of both genders to be conscripted, and aspiring female adventurers are also common among the ranks of foreign mercenaries from Florinth and Tarot. This hasn’t stemmed the brutality of the fighting though, even the most high minded foreigners often find themselves sucked into the endless cycle of increasingly cruel retaliations.

Centuries of heavy usage of mercenaries has caused the Landsknechte culture to be omnipresent among both conscripts and mercenaries. Elsewhere this culture revolves around well disciplined mercenary formations of men with pikes, greatswords, crossbows, and rifles, but in the Seven Castles, formations are small and mixed arms, and tactics are mostly limited to capturing and torturing smaller groups and fleeing larger groups.

Most baronies have a certain gimmick they are famous for (particularly brutal insurgency tactics, use of magic, use of succubi, etc.)

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>Pine Bark Bread
The rocky and dry region of Furlaniya is much more dependent on the fickleness of its weather than some neighbouring regions. If rain is scarce during the spring and summer, a year's crop of barely and rye can easily fail. Because of this the inhabitants of the region are no strangers to barkbread during the lean years.

If grain is scarce the green soft inner bark of the rock pine is harvested and dried over open fire or in an oven. The dried bark is then ground to a fine powder and added to the flour. At larger mills the dried bark is often added directly to the grain during milling. The resulting grain-bark flour is then baked into bread as normal, adding yeast and salt.

Due to its bark content ark bread does not leaven as quickly or fully as normal bread. The more bark to flour, the slower the leavening. Bark bread is therefore often made as a flatbread.

Most bread in Furlaniya includes at least a little bark, as it is an effective cost saving measure. Pure rye, barley or even wheat bread can only be found on the tables of the truly wealthy. So as to not permanently cripple or kill trees the inhabitants of the region practice careful forest management, making sure to only harvest as much bark as a tree can bear in a year.

>>86964584
An island full of dragons can work, but only if those dragons are not as intelligent as the great dragons of old. Maybe only similar intelligence than that of a human.

>>86960499
Fehrum Edzulair dragon is awake since a while. He's taking care of an egg given to him by the Gnolls and is their vassal.

>>86965408
>He's taking care of an egg given to him by the Gnoll
Isn't the other way around? The dragon giving the egg to the gnolls as tribute?

>>86964730
this is peak comfy

I finally added the Platanus Bog to the wiki

Ok, I'm writing the lore of the Land of Changing Waters. I have no idea what to say about the Dark Bog other than what it's already there, so that will wait until I can think of something.

>Biology
The frogmen of the Changing Waters are a sentient species of humanoid amphibians who live in the bogs between the Seguerial Hordas and the Great Ra’Ga. Their bodies are relatively small, around 1.40m of height at most, and most of that height is based on their long legs, with them having a very small and compressed torso. Their legs are highly muscular, and allow them to jump nearly five times their own size. This, combined with their massive webbed feet, allow them to swim and move around the swamps at great speeds. This is also true when they move in drier lands, though they tend to have a very distinctive walk. Their torso is highly compressed, with their organs taking as little space as possible within them. Their arms are also elongated and thin, ending on hands with stretched fingers, bigger than their palms. At the tip of their fingers, there is a muscular structure in the form of a round digit, and between their fingers, there is webbed skin.

>>86965701
The frogmen have very little neck connecting their heads with their torsos. Their heads are proportionally much bigger than a human’s head, and two thirds of it is taken by their great eyes. The frogmen have massive eyes, bulging out of their head and able to move around nearly 180º both upwards and sideways, giving them a near complete field of vision around them. They have very thin and light eyelids, though, so their eyes can be very sensitive to attacks. Their eyes’ size means that their long-range vision is much, much better than their short-range vision, allowing them extreme accuracy at great distances. They suffer from general near-sightedness, and that is why they usually manipulate objects with their hands keeping as much distance to their heads as possible. Outside of this, their eyesight is excellent at both detecting light and movement. Their mouths are also quite large and wide, which they need to hold their massive tongue. Their tongue usually stays coiled within their mouth, and can be propelled with a force known to break human bones on impact. The size of their tongues is 1.5 times their body size, and it can be used as both a catching mechanism or a defensive mechanism, depending on the circumstances. Their tongues can be shot out at blinding speeds, but they have to be careful doing it, since it can be quite exhausting for them doing it repeatedly. The frogmen also use their tongue as a way to chew their food, since they have no teeth. They prey on birds, fish, small mammals and great insects of the swamps.

>>86965706
The frogmen have a very thin, mucous skin, which allows them to cling to surfaces easily. While this has traditionally been used to climb on top of the trees of the swamp, the frogmen have been found to be able to scale the walls and fortresses of rock, wood and stone of other species, just using their own hands and feet. The downside to this is that it loses its effectiveness if the frogmen in question dries up, so they need constant hydration if they are to be using this skill. Their skin is also used as a way to breathe underwater and to manage their levels of body salt. The frogmen will accumulate patches of salt on their skin, having excreted it the same way humans sweat, and then clean themselves of them. Some believe that the skin of the frogmen is somewhat poisonous, but this phenomenon only happens once the frogman in question has reached quite an advanced age, and even then, the poison is just enough to deter predators.

>>86965714
The frogmen are a sexually dimorphic species, but only slightly. The only major difference males and females show is the major vocal sack the males have, allowing them to make a wide variety of calls. The females also have one, but it’s much smaller and nowhere near capable of the same sounds. The female will lay eggs and the male then will have to fertilize them. The development of the frogmen tadpoles is a highly delicate one, an many of them do not survive until they develop into fully grown frogmen. Disease, predators and general weakness causes the death of many of the tadpoles, which is why the frogmen always search for the safest bits of swamp they can think of. The frogmen will only start giving names to their tadpoles if they have reached a certain stage of development, and can thus somewhat guarantee their survival.

>>86965850
Anon, it's in the OP, no more land masses.

>>86965860
sorry, looks like this is not the thread I thought it was

>>86965866
It's ok, anon. Good luck with your project.

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>>86964784
>Capùt di sporggo
also known as testa di sporro in Vittelian speaking parts, capùt di sporggo is a traditional Furlaniyan delicacy made with a whole sporggo head, usually served on New Year's Day.

Sporggos are type of subterranean mammal like creatures that dwell in the vast cave networks of the Furlaniyan karst. These pallid and grotesque creatures are about the size of a donkey and feed on algae, cave mushrooms and the occasional lost goblin. Females and their young live in small groups of ten to twelve while adult males are solitary. Males are fiercely territorial and frequently fight each other for control over caves and alcoves. Sporggos are primarily nocturnal and can often be spotted at night near the entrances of underwater caves where the algae grows best.

Every New Year's Day it is traditional to eat sporggo head. The head is stuffed with herbs, garlic, and pine nuts, then slow-roasted until tender. It is typically served with goat cheese, winter chard and a side of buckwheat porridge. The dish is also sometimes served as a main course for special occasions such as weddings or births. According to tradition, eating sporggo head on nee year's guarantees a bountiful harvest for the coming year.

>>86966535
>Sporggos
This reminds me we have to update the bestiary. Plus, it's nice to have some gastronomy in the world, makes the worldb more alive.

Also, is the image AI generated?

>>86966645
>Also, is the image AI generated?
Yes. I wanted a pig's head but it kept spitting out these misshapen sad looking creatures so I decided to just roll with it.

>>86965720
>History
The Frogmen of the Changing Waters have had a rather strange history. While the swamps and bogs they come from are practically unchanged by time, the frogmen have certainly changed a lot. The frogmen of the Changing Waters, also known as the “Ecrkoecknoi” as they call themselves, have lived in the swamps and marshes north of the Dark Bog for many millennia, but unlike the Ra to the south, they have become a widely spread species outside of their homeland. The Ecrkoecknoi are, by nature, explorers and lovers of adventure, but at the same time they are somewhat cowardly and avoid combat. This contrasts with their homeland, full of venomous snakes, crushing anacondas, killer alligators and giant insects big enough to break a frogman by itself. This means that any young Ecrkoecknoi, at least once in its life, will want to explore the world outside of its homeland.

>>86967471
This trend started when the Khenomeric Empire reached the lands of the Ecrkoecknoi. Around the 700 BBE, the first explorers of the Khenomeric Empire reached the Lands of the Changing Waters, and made first contact with the frogmen. In general their interactions was hostile at first, but it quickly mellowed out, with the khenomeri introducing a great deal of technical and magical knowledge to the Ecrkoecknoi. It also helped that the area had very little interesting resources, and the few areas that did (like some aether deposits at the bottom of some swamps) wouldn’t be discovered until much later. The frogmen were eager to learn from the strange humans of the empire, taking customs such as clothing, writing and construction from them. This would help the Ecrkoecknoi keep some of their spawning points safer from predators and disease, building safe dams protecting the cleaner lakes, and the khenomeri even taught them magic to purify the waters. This made the frogmen natural allies of the Khenomeric Empire, and many frogmen were seen around the empire as explorers, wizards or treasure hunters. In particular, the frogmen were adept coastal sailors, protecting the local khenomeric fleets from pirate raids. Their ability to jump many times their size, as well as their capacity to stick to any surface made them great boarders, getting the jump on the raiders before they could react. This gave the frogmen an excellent reputation in coastal cities, which saw many communities of frogmen popping up all along the southern coast of the Khenomeric Empire. Many would return at some point in their lives to spawn and form a family, since the lack of proper lakes along the coast of the Khenomeric Empire made their reproduction difficult.

>>86967485
The Khenomeric Decay marked a point of inflexion for the Ecrkoecknoi. The growing problems within the empire and their inability to keep a lot of their territory together meant that their holdings in the Land of Changing Waters weakened as well. While the frogmen and the Khenomeric Empire were not on bad terms, the frogmen started moving away from the coast of the Khenomeric Empire and towards other nations, seeking further adventure. The Ecrkoecknoi even reached the lands of Azan, due to the azanese holdings in the Aruanda Region. This has made the frogmen spread out throughout both the southeast and the southwest of the world, with some communities of frogmen even reaching the Isle of Wizards and the coast of Scimitarian. The Land of Changing Waters itself, however, became somewhat languished, seeing as so many of the youths were abandoning their homeland to never return. The swamps never became truly depopulated, since Ecrkoecknoi families usually have such abundant spawn. The lessening of the khenomeric influence marked a return to the old tribal ways, but this did not stop the exit of the youths to the outside, now through the coast at the west of the swamps. This area would grow many bustling ports, inhabited by young frogmen in search of adventure and many human and other races who had drifted to the area: fishermen, treasure hunters, mercenaries, adventurers, explorers, wizards for hire… The strait connecting the Inner Sea of the Frog with the Sea of Fog and the U’ritass Inner Sea was also quite easily defensible, something that would become more and more important as the piracy in the region increased.

>>86967499
The coastal cities became an opposing culture to the traditional tribal culture of the swamps. The Ecrkoecknoi elders and the more traditional families derided the cities as a hammer to the ancient culture of the frogmen, which would dilute and disappear over time with so many influences of the outside world. But even they had to admit that, after the Khenomeric Empire had lost influence on the Changing Waters, the coastal cities were necessary to protect the swamps, and also grant the region many resources they naturally didn’t have. Many ship captains would stop in the cities to hire young frogmen in search of adventure, and this would turn the cities into centers of business and trade. Which would turn the frogmen cities into an invaluable asset once the dangers from the east arrived.

>>86967509
The fall of the Khenomeric Empire and the rise of the Gnoll Empire was something that the Ecrkoecknoi were predicting for a long time now. Many frogmen communities living in the coast had heard the stories of the once feral gnoll suddenly razing everything in their path. The thousands of refugees trying to find a way to leave the empire and embark somewhere far from the monsters had been seen by the Ecrkoecknoi, and the news arrived to the frogmen elders years before the rest of the world began seeing the gnoll as a serious threat. The very same year the Day of the End happened, the Council of Elders reunited to decide what to do about the impending invasion. Gnoll forcers were starting to enter the swamps at the border, forcing many desperate humans to migrate deep within the swamps, going towards the coastal cities of the Ecrkoecknoi. The numbers gathering at the border were great, and even if they were not as numerous as those moving towards the swamps of the Ra, they were still more than enough to exterminate the entirety of the population of the Changing Waters. And there was no time to ask for the spread out communities of frogmen to return to their home and fight. Thus, the elders decided to move the entirety of the Ecrkoecknoi within the Changing Waters and seek refuge somewhere else in the world.

>>86967518
At first glance, this decision might seem callous and cowardly, but it needs to be said that, after many centuries of frogmen migrating from their home in search of adventure, the remaining Ecrkoecknoi were not ready to fight an all-out war with an enemy such as the gnoll. Most of the population consisted of either elders or mothers taking care of their tadpoles, with very few young men and women of fighting age. The young were all in the coastal cities, and even then, their help was not enough to keep the tide. Thus, the Council of Elders ordered a mass exodus to the cities, but not without doing something beforehand. Using their magical knowledge, the Elders began building a great statue of a frog, made out of wood, mud, vine and aether, to turn it into an animated automata that could fight the gnoll in their stead. This great frog, called “G'arr Gor'um” was going to be the Ecrkoecknoi’s trump card against the gnoll, allowing the frogmen enough time to move towards the cities and evacuate everyone. In the end, however, the project was never finished. While the hurried nature of the project meant that the elders did not have enough time to construct a more perfected version of this mechanical abomination, the massive resistance of the Ra to the south meant that most of the forces dedicated to the Changing Waters went towards the Ra. And thus, the Changing Waters were barely touched by the gnoll. The forces left in the area were bogged down by the fauna and the growing number of guerrilla volunteers, attacking quick and hiding back into the swamps.

>>86967530
After the war, the Ecrkoecknoi were left to repopulate their own lands. A series of purges were done in the area to clean the swamps and lakes from the maggot gnolls, to make sure they can be used once again. Many of the frogmen who left established themselves in small colonies to the south, along the Strait of the Dead Emperor. The remnants of the G’arr Gor’um were left in the biggest lake in the area, which eventually sunk into the bottom and covered by mud. However, the magic used to its creation, while incomplete, it’s not gone, and many say they can hear strange croaking noises that no Ecrkoecknoi has been ever hear doing…

>>86966658
I swear, some people can get seamless art with AI, and I still haven't managed to get a single human-like figure that didn't look horribly wrong...

>>86966535
>>86964784
Where do I put this in the wiki?

So are the Snoloth sentient sloths?

>Oroma Islands

>History

The existence of this volcanic archipelago has been known by the people of Azan long before the formation of the Empire. The descriptions of these islands have remained largely unchanged; the fertile soil, clodus of ash, erupting volcanoes and the ever present magma dragons are few of many of its characteristics.

Many attempts have been made to build settlements on the coast of many of these islands (mostly by the Drow, the Azaneese and the people of Azhar Nar) but these attempts have failed all the same. The magma dragons have proven ferocious and unrelenting in attacking these settlements and when the elves and the humans persisted, the giant dragon known as Sarrunis (meaning "Red Dread" in the archaic Azaneese tongue) made sure nothing was left of them but ash and bones.

However, by the time of the destruction of the settlements in the Oroma islands (whose exact timeline is unknown, but we can conclude it happened around the formation of the Azan Empire) the useful properties of the endemic blue banana had already been known throughout the West, leading to many expeditions with the goal of its retrieval.

These treacherous expeditions (hailing mostly from Moreelse and the Drow lands) are still going on to this day, although most end up in tragedy, with few ever claiming their so sought out riches. Sometimes, prisoners will be sent out to the Oroma islands as punishment, being left there to be eaten or burned alive by the dragons. This practice is common in Arangea, as the Alchemists and Pyromancers of the city are said to think of Sarrunis as a divine creature, and those prisoners being seen as sacrifice towards the large dragon.

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>>86971307
There have also been rare occurences of pirates, smugglers and fugitives building their lairs in one of the many large coves dotted around the archipelago, although most were soon abandoned.

As the centuries have passed, sightings of Sarrunis have been ever so rare, with some thinking the dragon might be dormant, or even dead. Some scholars argue that the volcanic power of these islands is fueled by this dragon, and his (supposed) death is also the reason there are fewer ash storms hailing from the Oroma islands altogether.

>Geography

There are more than fourty islands in the archipelago, although only the largest three are inhabited by land creatures, the rest being barren rocks where flowing lava covers the majority of their surface.

The Oroma Islands are known for their rich, volcanic soil, high cliffs, black and pink sand beaches, thick jungles and large waterfalls. A number of rare plants grow there, but none as rare as the coveted blue banana. Tribes of spear wielding trolls, colourful parrots, red wolves, spotted deer, wild boars, monkeys and large apes can also be found on these islands, often falling prey to the magma dragons.

Even from the deepest parts of the jungle one can spot the numerous volcanoes that cover much of the islands' landscape. Some erupt once every few decades, sending large clouds of smoke in the atmosphere and creating ashstorms that disperse after travelling around southwestern Giantstep. These eruptions and the subsequent ash storms have led the creatures living in the archipelago to develop certain features that distinguish them from their cousins on the mainland. Others volcanoes have a constant flow of lava all year long, and have turned the small islands they stand on into barren, scorching rocks.

Martyr is the fourth largest Oroman island, standing in the middle of the archipelago. There, one can find the tallest volcano in these islands, said to be the home of Sarrunis, the legendary dragon.

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>>86971852
Scorching hot lava flows from the volcano's crater and has made the rest of the island completely devoid of plant or animal life. According to some morbid rumours, the smaller magma dragons often take the bones of their slain victims to Sarrunis, creating a huge pile of skulls on Martyr, leading it to be dubbed the "Isle of Skulls". It's fair to say that all rumours regarding this place are uncertain at best, as it's hard to imagine anyone sailing past this island and living to tell the tale.

>The Magma Dragons

The magma dragons, also simply known as "Drakes", are similar to the dragons of old in all but size. Whereas the dragons that used to roam the world in ancient times could reach the size of a castle, these drakes are at most as large as a horse. Still, their abillity to breathe fire, their sharp claws and fangs, as well as their hardened scales make them a formidable opponent for even the most seasoned warriors. It's no wonder then how no communities were able to develop in these islands, as a flock of them would be almost impossible to deal with.

The magma dragons constantly patrol the islands they call home, although they are very rarely seen outside the reaches of the archipelago. Some scholars speculate that this is because they are magically drawn to the power of the volcanoes, or even Sarrunis herself. They predate on the various animals living in the jungles, with deer being their favourite meal. Trolls and primates are more easily able to avoid their attacks, as they often retreat deep in caves in order to survive. Drakes are also known to dive at great depths when endangered by other dragons, or even in order to hunt large fish.

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>>86972152
Sarrunis is the largest of these dragons, and calling it a drake would be insulting to its splendor. According to a survivor of a group which was attacked by this beast, it is the size of a small mountain, has large spikes protrudring from its back and its flame is hot enough to consume a small army. Whether or not this witness is correct, scholars from Hithlone have come to the conclusion that Sarrunis is one of the very few dragons that have existed in this world long before any humans, elves or any other race. If this claim holds any truth to it, then this would make Sarrunis only one of two such dragons (or three, as some argue the existence of the dragon residing in the Hogmen isles) to still exist.

Scholars generally support the notion that the magma dragons are the offspring of Sarrunis, althogu those from Azan believe that Sarrunis is the offspring of the gods, alongside the other dragons that have existed since the dawn of ages. Some would even go as far as to theorize that Sarrunis represents the living heart of volcanoes, and that the mood and state of the dragon is directly reflected on the volcanic activity of the islands. No matter the truth on Sarrunis' supposed divinity or actual age, it's possible that this dragon's mere existence (combined with the Oroma Islands' close proximity with Azan) were one of the factors that gave birth to the early Azaneese's reverence of dragons and eventually their faith.

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>>86972418
>The Blue Banana

The endemic to the Oroma Islands Blue Banana is the most sought out plant in the archipelago. Although inedible (thanks to it being extremely poisonous) to everyone but the local trolls and primates, it's unique properties have made it extremely valuable to alchemists around the world. Its juice is often used to create deadly concoctions and poisons, and as such one of these fruits can be as valuable as a diamond in places such as Arangea, the Nasr Satrapies and especially the Drow lands.

This is not only because of the demand for such a prized item, but also because of their limited supply, as few mercenaries and merchants undertake the difficult task of retrieving this treasured banana. Not only that, but all attempts of cultivating the blue banana tree outside of the Oroma Islands have failed, since it seemingly only thrives under the rich volcanic soil.

>>86972418
So Sarrunis and the God Dragon (and maybe the Hogmen one) are the only dragons left? or just the big/godly ones?

do you think that this setting will go down in /tg/ history?

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I found a never seen before map of the Squid Peninsula from god knows when

>>86972152
Added. I've also gone ahead and added the Martyr island as one of the thirteen horrors since that has been stagnant for a while.

>>86973224
From which thread is that from?

More stuff about the Changing Waters.

>Society and culture
Ecrkoecknoi society has evolved quite a lot throughout its history, though many of its traditions still stand. Originally, the frogmen were hunter-gatherers, migrating all throughout the swamps in search of adequate prey. Unlike the Ra, who eventually found a form of agriculture in the shape of oyster farming, the Ecrkoecknoi did not really have an adequate species to domesticate. Thus, they never really became sedentary, instead moving all around in familiar groups in search of food, with the only real stable settlements being found in the spawning areas, where they hatch their tadpoles. This partly explains the need of the young frogmen to exit their swamps and explore the outside world, moving from place to place in search of adventure. However, once they reach a certain age, many Ecrkoecknoi decide to go back to their homeland, to spend the rest of their days guiding their people and teaching them all they’ve learned. The elder Ecrkoecknoi are fond of storytelling, explaining their travels to the younger tadpoles once they are old enough to understand them.

>>86976048
The technical ruling body of the Ecrkoecknoi is the Council of Elders, a group of some of the oldest and most influential elder frogmen around. This council is mostly composed of frogmen who have lived all of their lives within the swamps, and thus have an extensive knowledge of their homeland and Ecrkoecknoi traditions. However, they also accept many frogmen who spent all of their lives adventuring, since they realize the world is a big place and their skills and experiences can be useful for the survival of their species. Their authority comes from the respect of the frogmen towards their elders, and the different travelling groups of Ecrkoecknoi are free to disobey them, though this rarely happens. They reunite every year near one of the spawning areas, since they are some of the closest places the Ecrkoecknoi used to have as established settlements. That is, until the coastal cities arrived.

>>86976059
The coastal cities of the Ecrkoecknoi appeared around 300 years before the start of the gnoll invasion of the Land of the Changing Waters. They were built by travelling frogmen, mostly retired sailors who had lived in the Khenomeric Empire’s ports all their lives. Feeling nostalgic about their sailing lives, they decided to somewhat recreate it by building human-style cities in the Inner Sea of the Frog. The area already had some seasonal fishing towns, but nothing as big or as complex as the new cities. Initially only a single city was built, Ribbigon, but over time another three cities were built: Crickit, Fickrit and Roggit. Over time, these cities grew in size and population, attracting many young frogmen seeking a sailor life, and many human ships seeking to recruit young frogmen for their crew. These cities also grew due to their location in the Inner Sea of the Frog, which can be protected easily from piracy by just blocking the Strait of the Crocodile’s Mouth, something greatly appreciated by shipbuilders and fishermen. This became much more important once piracy in the area grew after the formation of the Blind Bastard’s Domain and the gnolls sea raids. Human mercenaries and Ecrkoecknoi volunteers built two towers at each side of the strait, used to warn the inner fleets about possible danger, which allows a quick response. The strait is also full of frogmen guards, able to attack the pirate ships from below the waters, sabotaging them and sinking them before they can be a threat. This has caused the waters around the strait to be filled with wrecks, and treasure hunting parties are frequent once a ship is swallowed by the sea over there. After the attempted exodus of the Ecrkoecknoi, the cities have become the biggest authority in the swamps, something even the Council of Elders has had to accept. After all, they were the ones who asked the cities for help when the gnoll threatened to invade.

>>86976069
Mother Toad swallowed the world but couldn’t eat it, so she puke it out. The resulting oceans and swamps are just the remnants of her saliva giving life to the world. Her tadpoles are the stars of the sky, squirming until they become fully grown. The many communities of Ecrkoecknoi outside of the Changing Waters usually adapt quite well to the society they live within, adopting their customs and language. However, they keep their religion creating small shrines to the Great Mother Toad, while at the same time worshiping the many local deities of the regions they live in.

>>86976075
Ecrkoecknoi worship the Great Mother Toad, the goddess who created the swamps of the world and protects the frogmen all around the world. According to their myths, the Great Mother Toad swallowed the world but couldn’t eat it, so she puke it out. The resulting oceans and swamps are just the remnants of her saliva giving life to the world. Her tadpoles are the stars of the sky, squirming until they become fully grown. The many communities of Ecrkoecknoi outside of the Changing Waters usually adapt quite well to the society they live within, adopting their customs and language. However, they keep their religion creating small shrines to the Great Mother Toad, while at the same time worshiping the many local deities of the regions they live in.

>>86973224
I wonder who cartographed the island without being eaten.

>>86973048
I don't see how, it has nothing to do with any traditional game.

These threads are the only good thing left about /tg/

https://crumbling-giantstep.fandom.com/wiki/Sentient_Species_of_Giantstep

Is there any other sentient species missing from the list?

>>86977403
Hasn't worldbuilding always been a key part of traditional tabletop games?

>>86973124
What's the lacking info of the marked lands?

>>86975159
Thread 12 or 13 i think

File: orange marquisates jpg.1.png (1.17 MB, 3358x1420)

1.17 MB PNG

Was this map ever finished?

>>86964707
>>86964722
>>86964730
>>86964735
>>86964748
Nice.
About time this place got some lore.

>>86985975
Ok, so how do we call the capitals of the marquisates:

>Capitals of the Marquisates.

>Marquisates ruled by Healthy Noble Houses
-Marquisate of the Sea Lion:
-Marquisate of the Night Owl:
-Marquisate of the Orange Chalice:
-Marquisate of the Valorous Heart:

>Marquisates ruled by the Merchant Cities
-Marquisate of the Sailing Tiger:
-Marquisate of the Grey Bear:
-Marquisate of the Brown Hawk:
-Marquisate of the Sublime Rose:
-Marquisate of the Golden Sands:
-Marquisate of the Wise Fox:
-Independent Marquisate City of Leneas: Leneas

>Faarowt-aligned Marquisates
-Marquisate of the Fair Light:
-Marquisate of the Enlightened Path: Wübubao
-Marquisate of the Grateful Soul:

>>86976082
>Foreign Relations
Despite how much of an isolated location the Lands of Changing Waters, the Ecrkoecknoi have established pretty solid relations with many foreign powers. The frogmen’s status as sailors, explorers and adventurers has seen the species spread out throughout the south of Giantstep, reaching as far as the azanese coast, at the other side of the world. This means that the numerous Ecrkoecknoi communities spread throughout the world can have an unusually weight in the lands they are established. This is especially true for nations that have a lot of stock in sea trade, as the Ecrkoecknoi are cheap and willing manpower for sea travels (especially those that do not stray away too much from the coast, as the frogmen need access to drinking water to clean themselves of excess salt). As such, many southern countries have plenty of representatives in the coastal cities of the frogmen, to find enough frogmen for their fleets, and to access the Inner Sea of the Frog if piratical forces were on the hunt. Oddly enough, while the Kingdom of Drunigzar frequents the frogmen cities for resupply and protection, they rarely hire Ecrkoecknoi. This is because the drunig ships in the area tend to spend much more time in open sea than the fleets of the other nations (the drunig galleons being one the biggest ships in the southeastern seas), which the frogmen tend to avoid. As such, if a drunig captain hires an Ecrkoecknoi, their contract usually only lasts until the ship leaves the nations bordering the Sea of Fog or the U’ritass Inner Sea.

>>86988142
The relation between the Ecrkoecknoi with their closer neighbors are usually cordial. The Ra and the frogmen have many things in common, being both semiaquatic species from the swamps of the south, but other than that, they are wildly different. The Ra are isolationists, and are rarely seen outside of the Great Ra’Ga. In contrast, the Ecrkoecknoi are quick to explore and move around the world, as much as possible and to as many places as their biology allows them to. The Ecrkoecknoi are also much quicker to accept change, forming the coastal cities before the Ra began the construction of theirs. Cities that were only possible only due to the external intervention from the thuleans, who managed to bring many innovations from the outside. While the frogmen also needed to see the outside world to bring many advances to their lands, they were the ones with the initiative to put those innovations to the test. To this day, the cities of Ribbigon, Crickit, Fickrit and Roggit are much bigger and highly populated than any of the Ra’Ga cities. Trade relations between the two are frequent, since the frogmen are frequently seen around the coast of the Great Ra’Ga. Trade through the swamps is less common, since that involves going through the Dark Bog. While navigable, it’s full of dangers and diseases, and both species will avoid travelling through there if they can do so.

>>86988148
The relation between the Ecrkoecknoi and the ratmen from the Seguerial Hordas is more complicated. The ratmen are, at once, a rigid caste of near eusocial groups where obedience is the law, and a divided mass where infighting is the norm. This makes the ratmen worry more about each other than about their neighbors. The underground way of life is also very unappealing to the Ecrkoecknoi, who simply aren’t made for such lifestyle. As such, the only contact these two groups have is through sea trade. The Tiyali Brum River flows into the Inner Sea of the Frog, and that means that the ratmen whose tunnels are connected to the river will eventually get in contact with frogmen ships. The ratmen have great alchemical offerings, attracting a lot of trade to their area, though the number of ratmen who chose a coastal life is very limited.

>>86988151
The Ecrkoecknoi are in deep fear of the Gnoll. They know they cannot match the dark empire of the east, since they easily ripped apart their old, much more powerful ally, the Khenomeric Empire. Since the Great Exodus, they have not recovered their previous numbers, and even back then they chose to flee instead of fighting the gnoll. As such, they have taken many precautions just in case the gnoll decide to invade once again. They have managed to make a deal with many nearby nations for protection: in the event of a gnoll invasion, the Great Exodus will be realized. Gnoll raids are frequent in the east, usually with the intention of raiding for food or slaves.

>>86988169
Also, I still cannot think of a thing to say about the Dark Bog, other than "place full of danger and disease that divides the region's bogs into two". If anyone come ups with something, be my guest.

>>86984758
I checked, it's not from those.

>>86973048
Why not?

>>86988194
I'll try to come up with something

>>86976048
>Changing Waters
Where are they on the map?
Are the Ecrkoecknoi related to the Froglins, Toadlings and Ulwogs that live in the Realm of the Bogwitch?
https://crumbling-giantstep.fandom.com/wiki/Froglins

>>86993037
Witchbog anon here. The bog toad and frog races are harmed by getting in contact with saltwater. There could be some sort of ancestral biological link though.

What wiki pages need pictures?

>>86994038
There are a lot of things that got pictures posted on the threads and weren't uploaded to the wiki. The latest entries for the bestiary come to mind.

>>86993078
>Ecrkoecknoi
The Frogmen need to clean themselves from salt all the time. They can be harmed if they have excess salt in their organism, but they can take it for a while. That's why the Ecrkoecknoi can be part of coastal ship crews, but not open sea ones. In case of the worst, they can swim right back to the shore (they are good swimmers).

>>86993037
>Where are they on the map?
Between the Great Ra'Ga and the Seguerial Hordas, west of the Gnoll Empire.

>>86993078
This reminds me we have to categorize the sentient species of the bog.

https://crumbling-giantstep.fandom.com/wiki/Sentient_Species_of_Giantstep

Scimitaria seems comfy af

I found a contradiction in the lore. The Drow City states says this about the Red Lotus:
>"Red Lotus Congregation – A frequent target for slave raids in recent times, as their phenotype as become trendy for pet slaves in several drow cities. "

But this doesn't make sense. Riririn island is surrounded by powerful storms and fogs, it cannot be easily raided. Hell, if the island could be raided, then the city states would have wiped out the Red Lotus already, since they are very dangerous pirates and slavers.

>>86996932
earlier lore takes precedence, since the drow lore was written earlier (and also the three sisters lore which was also written earlier mentions raiding the red lotus for slaves), there clearly is some way to reach the island

>>86998903
So is everyone raiding everyone?

>>86998903
So how is the Red Lotus still around?

>>86999543
Raiding for slaves is pretty dangerous, probably none of the factions do it that often in times of peace. A lot of slaves probably descend from slaves taken during major conquests or times of mass turmoil

>>87000355
But the Red Lotus needs to constantly raid the nearby waters, especially if they want to capture enough ships of their own.

>>87000443
>>87000355
The Red Lotus raid not only to get treasure and ships, but people to brainwash as well.

>>87000443
>>87000984
then everyone is raiding everyone else then

>>87001128
Sounds like a lovely place to live.

Haven't been here in months. Has there been an agreement when it comes to the shape of the world/planet etc?

>>87005557
The world is flat. It's part of a celestial stairway, which mortals debate whether it goes on in circles of if it goes upwards towards infinity.

I'll be working with the Seguerial Hordas now. Let's see how it turns out.

At first glance, the lands west of the Changing Waters would seem unremarkable. Dry grasslands with low-density vegetation makes for a very idyllic view, with plenty of wild fauna, such as rabbits, foxes, snakes and hawks. The vegetation is composed of dozens of different species of herbs and aromatic plants, which can show many different colors depending of the time of the year. The nearby mountains from the Suritas Range bring most of the water of the region, with moderate floods during spring and even some fires during summer. These summers, caused by the increased temperatures and the dryness of the air, leave many plants dried up, which feed the fires caused by summer storms. The vegetation of the area has evolved to deal with this: many flowers time their germination until after a major fire, and some have even become flammable, to reduce the competition as much as possible. Many of the species have adapted to the fires as well, being quick to move and run from the flames, and even digging underground to avoid the worse of them. However, the land is also covered in great towers of dirt and rock. Measuring up to ten meters long, they have multiple openings wide enough to let a small man fit in completely. These are openings to the underground world of the Seguerials.

>>87008379
>Biology
The Seguerials are sentient species of humanoid rats who live in the underground beneath the grasslands west of the Lands of Changing Waters. Their bodies are quite small, around 1m tall at the most, with their bodies being quite prepared for the life in the dark. Their arms are legs are both equally capable of digging through hard ground and rock, with strong claws at the end of each. Their head is quite reduced, with a reduced snout full of white whiskers, which are able to detect vibrations around them. Their ears are also quite big, used for both listening and to thermoregulate themselves, and are able to retract at will, to minimize the space taken by the individual. Their eyes are quite small, but surprisingly for an underground creature, their vision is not bad, though they are colorblind. Their skin is a huge of clear yellow, with little to no fur, and highly wrinkled. It is highly sensible and able to detect not only vibrations, but also the composition of the earth by just entering in contact with it. They have a long tail which can be used for grabbing certain items, though it takes a lot of practice and effort for a seguerial to learn to use their tail as a prehensile tool. The seguerials are able to live in areas very deep underground, where the oxygen levels can be dangerously low.

>>87008387
The seguerials are well known in the area for two reasons. First, they have an innate ability to produce certain alchemical concoctions within their bodies. It is believed that, due to their need to dig up underground, they developed the ability to generate within their bodies certain chemical components, which they can mix to generate alchemical potions. These can range from healing potions to some acids and poisons, which they regurgitate and save in specially made containers. They make these substances out of the many underground life in their homeland: roots, mushrooms, tubers, insects and other critters… They can store them within their bodies for a while, but it is generally not recommended, since their effects will take hold within their bodies. This has led to cases of sudden explosions and combustions, with the concoctions taking effect while still in the gut of the seguerial in question.

>>87008400
The other particular element of the seguerials is that their society has evolved into a situation of near eusociality. Every group will have a couple of queen seguerial, much bigger than the rest of the group (about three times the size of a regular seguerial), dedicated exclusively to birthing new seguerials. In general, most of the colony is female and is, in theory, fertile, but this fertility does not activate until the number of queen seguerials goes below a certain number. Once that happens, the youngest and technically healthiest adult female member will begin swelling in size until it becomes a queen seguerial. The rest of the colony has to work to maintain the queens well fed and in good health, with the few males born having to move around the land in search of other colonies, to avoid consanguine problems.

>>87008416
The level of individuality within a colony is highly complex. Colonies measure up to 100-200 individuals, with 10 queens at most. In general, most individuals will live within the colony, knowing nothing outside of their burrows. However, it is not rare to see certain female drones moving away from the colony, either to explore the world or to try to create a colony of their own. However, this will cause different reactions in the rest of the colony: some of the drones will not care, or will actively join the departing individual, and some will actively try to attack them, seeing them as a threat to their own colony. Other species talking to seguerials will quickly notice that the seguerial language has no form for “I” or “me”. They do not talk in terms of individuals, even when they leave the colony, and this has been theorized to mean that they cannot think in individual terms, only in collective terms.

I just realised how few species actually build cities.

only real OGs know that the Irish Orcs were the leftovers of that one guy trying to force his manpreg meme

>Bugbear
So what are those?

>Shelkividur

>History

Shelkividur - also known as the Forest of Webs - was not always in the state it now finds itself in. Not much different than the taigas north of the Corteau Canyon, it was a land rich in plant and animal life, frequented by hunters, foragers and loggers, both human and snow elven.

Even then, however, Shelkividur (whose old name is now forgotten) had something that the other forests of Zemyland did not. The presence of a certain species of spider made it a dangerous place to wander in, but perhaps it was due to that that the forest was able to thrive; the comparatively few human and snow elven poachers made it the busiest wooded area of all. Scholars to this day are still arguing whether these spiders were native to the area or not, but they were specifically attracted to Shelkividur thanks to their attraction towards a certain type of Spruce tree found only in this forest. As dangerous and mighty they can be, these spiders are mortally afraid of fire. Forest rangers used this in their advantange, and because of that the spiders' population was confined in a specific part of the forest, with entering the brink of extinction once.

This all changed when the people we now know as "Zemylanders" invaded the realms of the Hyperboreans and the Aine Saevherne. The former used to control Shelkividur, being responsible for getting rid of any spider infestations whenever those popped up. Driven out of their lands and into the western tundra, the Hyperboreans could not hold back the expansion of the spiders. Over the years, the spiders claimed larger swathes of the forest for themselves and making the forest's roads even more treacherous than before.

The new Zemylanders did little to halt this. When the infestation got to the point of making it impassable for merchant caravans, they completely abandoned all efforts of culling the spider population. Being a seafaring people as they were, they preferred trading by sea rather than land.

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>>87012019
Nowadays, large parts of the forest are covered by a sea of silk webs. The few parts that aren't are frequented by mammals of which the spiders prey on. Over the years the spiders' nest has grown more than it can sustain itself, so it's not uncommon to see wooly spiders roam into the western tundra or even into the Crimson Queen's lands. Even though there have been talks of rooting out the spiders using fire, both the New Hyperboreans and the Crimson Zemylanders are content in just posting guards and watchmen at the forest's borders. Apart from merchants being accompanied by mercenaries and fortune hunters seeking to harvest the spider's silk, it's almost devoid of any human presence.

>The Spiders

This is the largest species of spider found in the North, with some individuals being as small as dogs while others being the size of a rhino. They have a tendency of inhabiting both the forest floor as well as the canopy. The spiders are completely blind, using their large trichobothria to sense movement and changes in air pressure. This gives the appearance of fur, which earned them the name of "wooly spider" that's now commonly used.

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Vandervax the Vile in his early years in Okhost

>>87012509
This could very well be a Vzdoruye Necromancer

Imagine a CK2 mod in this setting

>>87010972
It is a standard dnd monster race. So far in this setting their behavior, images, etc. aligns with the standard dnd bugbear. They are so far found in drow territory, kinnog, orc'iere, and felovik.

>>87012509
>>87012616
the image also aligns well with one used for the old khenomeric necromancer order

>>87013836
>It is a standard dnd monster race. So far in this setting their behavior, images, etc. aligns with the standard dnd bugbear.
So are they sentient, then? If so, we have to add them to the sentient species list in the wiki.

>>87015023
yeah they are sentient

>>87015062
Would they count as beast people, or as its own category?

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>Asvaran Confederacy

>History:

The Diwi people have lived in the region as far back as anyone can remember, though racially they are likely a mix of the Horse Nomad and Southerner racial groups.

The Azan Empire has had colonies in the region on and off for millennia, but it wasn’t until the late 7th dynasty (roughly two thousand years ago) that large scale colonization efforts began in order to support the new southern trade empire it was forming around the city of Moridan. Most of the colonists were from Gvilderstaaten, Siuverland, North Scimitaria, and Wanaidheain (now the Isle of Wizards) due to political and economic reformations that were occurring there at the time.

Perhaps as a result of being initially settled by peasants who were kicked off their land, the Asvaran Confederacy was never particularly loyal to the Azan Empire, and became less so over time as the governing class became increasingly mixed in with local bloodlines.

However, the Confederacy never rebelled, perhaps due to their dislike for Changrila, and remains technically a part of the Azan Empire to this day, even as the rest of Azan's southern holdings broke off into independent nations.

>Government:

The Confederacy has half a dozen small city-states, each with its own government, plus a few independent townships. Each government is known as a colony, and has a governor appointed by the Azan Empire, though in truth some governorships have long been hereditary positions held by locals, while others are figurehead positions for local councils. Many are both.

>Economy:

The backbone of the local economy is trade. Asvarans are known throughout south and east for their skill as mariners, and more than a few sailors and ships working the routes between North Scimitaria/Zapalovach and the Blind Bastard’s Domain are Asvarans. Asvarans are also dominate the whaling industry in the region, and have plenty of fishing boats as well.

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>>87015088

However, despite their maritime reputation, most Asvarans live on shore as farmers and herders, though neither is a major source of income at a national level. On the other hand, the azure diamond mining industry is nearly as important as the whaling industry, though it employs only a relatively small portion of the population. There have also been a few gold rushes, though there are no major mines at the moment.

>Foreign Relations:

Azan Empire – The Confederacy is still a part of the Empire, and still pays yearly tribute, though is politically very independent. No one in Azan cares too much though as long as the Confederacy remains a friendly port.

Azan Empire, Dsrvyth, Changrila, Blind Bastard’s Domain, Lorient – The main trading partners of the Confederacy.

Zulutaur Steppes – The Confederacy built a large wall to keep out inhabitants of Zulutaur Steppes, but also trade frequently with the Zulutaurs themselves and certain other friendly tribes. The wall is mostly for pig men, eight legged lions, ostrichfolk, orcs, and other hostile races and monsters living in the Steppes. An old Azanese canal that crosses a southern part of the Steppes and allows access to the Sea of the Void is heavily used by the Asvarans, though is officially not affiliated with any nation.

Mona Ki Ngi Xica Savannah – Major land trade routes cross this region to reach the Sea of Fog and from there the Domain. Asvarans are frequent visitors to ports on the west side of the Savannah run by the Domain, but rarely travel further east themselves.

Maneater Islands, Ortuga, Nasr Satrapies – Asvarans have a strong dislike for pirates, and are often targeted by them, though ironically, many pirates themselves are Asvaran.

Tuarapon – Occasionally Asvarans will visit to search for rare plants and animals.

War-Wel, Eldritch Jungle, the Maelstorm, and Moreaux Island – The Asvarans generally avoid these places.

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>>87015105

>Geography:

The northern shore is subtropical, though large portions of it have been cleared for grazing land. The southern shore is cooled by a poorly understood ocean current, and has a temperate climate that seems positively frigid compared to the steaming jungles that ring the nearby Sea of The End. In between the two shores are a small but steep mountain range that is frequently covered in snow.

Azanese Heartland architecture tends to dominate in urban areas, but in rural areas buildings tend to be simpler structures of painted wood, half-timber, or stone.

>Demographics:

Human – Most of the population is human, but of several different ethnicities. The Diwi people are the original inhabitants, and despite partially assimilating into the dominant culture, still often wear traditional garb and keep live in separate villages, though they are common enough in cities and on ships as well. The settlers are often of Westerling origin from North Scimitaria, North Azan, Wanaidheain, etc., but some are also from south or west coast Azan Empire, Changrila, or a number of other places that were a part of the Azan Empire at the time. In more recent times, there has been some immigration from seafaring nations like Zapalovach or Hithlone.

Hobbits and dwarves – A few of these races settled the area alongside human settlers. The burrow style houses of the hobbits sometimes become local tourist attractions.

Orcs – A few orcs still live in the wilder parts of the Confederacy, though they are more common in the Zulutaur Steppes. Academics have yet to decide whether the west coast or the south coast of the continent is the original orc homeland, but now they can be found on both in certain areas.

Beast Races – Small tribes and raiding parties from the so-called beast races of the Zulutaur Steppe can sometimes be found in the Asvaran Confederacy including zulutaurs, ostrichfolk, man-beasts, and pig men.

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>>87015116

4>Religion:

The New Azan Faith is dominant in the Confederacy, though a few other religions can be found as well including the Northmen Pantheon, assorted Westerling faiths, the Divine Light, and Avestanianism.

Although most of the Diwi people have converted to the New Azan Faith, aspects of their old spirit worshipping religion still survive. Like certain other religions in the south, it doesn’t distinguish between gods, demons, fey, and spirit animals, seeing all as spirits to be placated, though certain regional spirits get most of the attention.

>Military:

During the initial colonization, the region was fairly dangerous, and as a result, most communities were walled. These days, only the large stone walls of certain older cities and towns still survive, as the region has largely been pacified except for the occasional pirate raid or harassment from beast races or orcs.

A large wall along the border of the Zulutaur Steppes helps keep most of the more feral beast races from easily entering the Confederacy.
Asvarans are too independent minded to maintain a large army, but there is an Azanese Legion, plus dedicated city watches and town guards in the larger communities. Most of the actual fighting gets done by the colonial militia regiments though. Often fighting as light cavalry, they are well adapted to the sunny hills and steppes where they often see action.

The Confederacy doesn’t have its own fleet, but Azanese Navy detachments sometimes deploy in the region, and the Asvarans have a reputation for heavily arming their merchant, whaling, and fishing vessels.

>>87015074
Hard to say, in dnd goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears are closely related.

In this setting, goblins and hobgoblins are sometime associated with the fey, and other times their own thing. So far there are no linkages between the fey and bugbears, but given the areas they live in it is definitely plausible.

I'll try to create a basic religion map to keep up with what areas of the map worship what gods

anyone got an empty (high quality) map that i can use as a canvas?

>>87017121
What are you looking for exactly?

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>>87017121
>>87016976
Does this work?

>>87016976
We should use this occasion to also come up with all 7 Metropolia. We know Aynur is probably one and I imagine Nananikor and Essakor should both be one by default. Birna and Kurkuas are 2 good candidates as well. Fenqui should be an ex-metropilia. Perhaps we could pepper a few outside Azans borders as well?

>>87012308
That image is a great choice.

>>87018710
>We should use this occasion to also come up with all 7 Metropolia
Context? i'm a bit lost with the azanese lore.

>>87018710
What are the world's biggest cities?

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>>87018759
>>87018885
They're inspired by the irl orthodox patriarchates
>Metropolia
The oldest and most prestigious Ierosynia that can trace their lineage to the very founding of the Empire. There are only 7 metropolias in the world, 5 of them tracing their lineage to the begging of the empire, with 2 more Archierosynia elevated to this rank during the history of the empire. They are considered to have the final word on all religious matters and the vast majority of the Azanese faithful look towards them for final judgement on on theological, liturgical and dogmatical matters. While some of the 7 try to remain in communion with each other, their traditions have much diverged over the millenia and in practice every metropolia teaches their own version of the faith. Differences between them can range from minute differences in liturgy to fundamental disagreements over the nature of the faith. Strong emperors would often attempt to reconcile these differences, usually by exercising their rights as successors of Aza to call a general conclave of the faith where such differences would be smoothed out. However with the decline of imperial authority it has now been almost 400 years since the last general conclave was called.

>>87008424
Continuing with the Seguerial Hordas.

>History
The history of the seguerials is poorly understood by the other species of the world. Across the underground, thousands of different colonies play a never-ending game of dominance over the land below the surface. The underground wars of the seguerial are a thing of myth, hundreds of different colonies warring each other for the control of the resources, changing alliances and territories, and constant danger of the ground beneath their feet suddenly caving in to reveal an ambush. Thousands of years of internal warfare have turned the seguerial colonies extremely distrustful of other colonies, while also strengthening the bonds between the members of the family to fanatical levels. Over the years, the biggest colonies have reached numbers of hundreds of seguerial queens and hundreds of thousands of members, but usually those colonies tend to crumble away due to outside pressures, the colonies gladly collaborating with each other if the goal is the destruction of certain competition.

>>87019307
Around 1.000 BBE, there was apparently a major war between all the major colonies. A tectonic shift caused the collapse of some of the biggest underground caverns and breeding chambers, which broke the very weak stability into all-out war. Out of all of the colonies, the colony known as Alegnawiga managed to slowly but surely gain a certain advantage over their enemies. This caused the other big colonies to turn against it to counter its growing numbers, but in a surprising battle, the alegnawigans crushed their opponents’ armies. While they were trying to dig up the alegnawigans’ supposed breeding chambers, the leader of their forces managed to accumulate great amounts of explosive alchemical corrosive substances. Once the enemies tried to come out of the ground, she flooded the chambers with poisonous and flammable acids, melting down half of the forces that were trying to come out from underground, while also crumbling down the entire cavern over them. After the battle, the alegnawiyans charged with their own ambushed, tearing apart the enemy forces. They quickly overrun the enemy’s burrows, cementing themselves as the singular power of the seguerial. During the next 600 years, the Alegnawigan Dominion would unify the underground tunnel system to a degree never seen, both in terms of order and in terms of complexity. They created massive areas where trade and culture could have a space to flourish, a period of extreme prosperity for the seguerials, all while being hidden from the rest of the world. The only real show of power the Alegnawigan Dominion was an increase in sea trade along the Tiyali Brum River, with many travelling merchants seeking the alchemical products of the ratmen. Many human settlements would pop up above the surface, functioning as hubs for trade with the underground, as well as for gathering many of the local plants, highly valuable for medicine and cuisine.

>>87019325
However, all came crashing down in the year 2.303 ABE. A plague carried by fleas suddenly wiped around one third of the seguerial population, breaking down the stability of the dominion. This plague was especially bad for the seguerial queens, many of which either dying or becoming infertile. This reduced the population drastically, and caused famine and poverty due to the lack of available ratpower. This would cause severe tensions with the minor colonies, less connected with the great alegnawigan underground, and thus less hit by the plague. Once the disease died down, the minor colonies ravaged the old alegnawigan holdings, causing a massive civil war that lasted for centuries. The allied colonies vs the alegnawigans seemed like a battle that could go either way, and the absolute destruction it brought made the human cities above ground flee to some other places. Fear that the floor beneath their feet would cave in and swallow them into the dark, which actually happened to some of the cities that chose a side or another.

>>87019340
This was the situation the seguerial civilization found itself when the gnoll arrived. The rising power of the gnoll moved towards the grasslands of the Seguerials, not really knowing what to find there. They razed the few remaining human cities they found, and took many slaves who told them about the world underground. Interested, but surprisingly cautious, the gnoll send many small patrols to explore the dark tunnels of the seguerial. And while at first glance one may think that this fight would favor the ratmen, with them having much more experience and skill in underground warfare, the reality would prove much different. The complex organization of the seguerials were beyond anything the gnoll could do at this point, but any attempts to break the gnolls’ movements failed due to how simple the gnolls’ plans were: advance no matter the cost, eat and capture everything they could, destroy the rest. The gnoll were able to push forwards against the seguerials with sheer numbers, overwhelming the ratmen even when ambushed, thanks to their much aggressive nature and strength. When they died, their bodies would spew out many maggot gnolls, which could survive in the dark for a long time while they matured into hyena gnolls. This turned the areas where big battles happened into extremely dangerous places for the seguerial, due to the risk of both disease transmitted by the gnoll and by packs of hyena gnoll hunting down in the dark. The maggot gnolls also destroyed many of the foods the seguerials needed, increasing starvation and forcing many of them to go above ground to find food, where they would be easy prey for the gnoll. And of course, the seguerials were still immersed in a massive civil war, which allowed the gnoll to advance near unopposed against the ratmen. Even when facing near extinction, the seguerial colonies were more worried of their own kind than the gnoll.

>>87019355
Thankfully for the seguerials, the complexity of the underground would make the gnolls’ advance much more difficult once they started reaching the deeper levels. The rise of the Nameless would put a stop to the operations in the Seguerial Hordas altogether, but the area would end up being scarred forever by the arrival of the gnoll. Even now, gnoll raids to capture slaves and treasure from the ratmen are frequent, which stops them from really recovering altogether, not to mention fighting between the colonies is still a common sight.

>>87019029
Patriarchs have been identified in Calcabra, Blind Bastard's Domain, and Siuverland. At the time, I assumed a patriarch would be responsible for more than one province, but I pictured there being more than 7 of them, and none of the current three fall within the bounds of the original azan empire. However, since patriarch doesn't correspond well with any of the other tiers you identified, I would propose that Patriarchs run metropolia, and the seven are:

the five original (aside from excommunicated ones):
Essakor - generally the dominant one as far as Calcabra, Furlaniya, and Birna are concerned, new azan faith
Birna or Vesta - new azan faith, influenced by the regional religions in that area
somewhere in Furlaniya - new azan faith but with some unique traditions
somewhere in Azhar Nar - does their own thing these days, but not enough to be excommunicated
Drayrlolugrath - still maintain a lot of the old traditions, even though technically new azan faith

the two new:
Calcabra (I will think of a city name later) - new azan faith - responsible for westerling inhabited areas and influenced by westerling religions
Moridan - heavily influenced by southern faiths, also currently usurped by the blind bastard

excommunicated/voluntarily left:
Siuverland (added later)
Lorient (added later)
one, perhaps two in Changrila (originals) - Fenqui is too far north to be in the bounds of the original azan empire

Nananikor isn't old enough to be one of the original five, Kurkuas wasn't important prior to the new azan faith

>>87019894
Good ideas here, I'll be honest I haven't kept up with all of the lore so thanks for reminding me patriarchs exist. We could honestly expand the 7 to a higher number, the lore hasn't even been entered into the wiki yet. I think we should keep the new name though, helps it be a little less of a ripoff.
>somewhere in Furlaniya - new azan faith but with some unique traditions
I'd like to veto this, I've written all of their lore to imply they're religiously still connected to Azan, if not politically. There's an archprelacy at Narses that's influential as well as Vipanna and a prelacy at Fala, Fara and Vrsar, though there are presumably quite a few more. I'd have Furlaniya tied to Birna or some other Azanese metropolia. The lore does imply that the Furlaniyan style of the Azan Faith (Aynur Doctrine) originated elsewhere in the empire at the time but they took it their own way.
Additionally Furlaniya is a bit of a provincial backwater, I don't like the idea of them having one of the major seats of the Azan faith somewhere between their shitty little 3 village fiefdoms.

>>87020109
>>87019894
>>87019029
>>87018710
Is this all in the wiki? Azan has a lot of stuff missing.

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I just realised that the Eldritch Jungle has zero lore, so I'll try to write some.

The Eldritch Jungle lies in the far south of Giantstep. As its name suggests, it's covered in sinister jungles, ridden with plague and horrifying creatures.

>Settlement History

These jungles have been known to everyone in southern Giantstep since the dawn of time, yet they still remain largely unexplored. Only parts of the eastern and western coasts have been mapped, with expeditions leading to the interior of the jungle being met mostly in death and disease.

The only cities built by humans in these accursed lands have been on the coast, mostly by the Chugaranni, humans native to the Terrania Freeholds. The biggest one of those being Zamondar, somehow still surviving to this day. According to Aruandan legends, they also built colonies on the eastern coast of the Eldritch Jungle, although none of those have ever been found.

The western coast was home to small colonies founded by the Asvaran Confederacy centuries ago. Nowadays, only ruins can be found there, as the few settlements there were sacked a long time ago by corsairs and pirates, who enslaved their inhabitants. Asvaran soon gave up all efforts in colonizing and exploring these lands. The eastern coast is home to small trade towns of mud, mostly habited by the descendants of the Chugaranni, as well as some charcoal skinned natives not much different than those that dwell in the colony of Kinalonga. Zamondar is the largest town in the Eldritch shores, but compared to large cities in Azan or Changrila it is only the size of a hamlet. It is full of misery and it is frequented by adventures, exiles and rogues from all over, particularly Drunigzar. These towns survive on trade and fishing. Disease is less common there than the jungle interior, so outbreaks are rarer as well. This has lead to their people basically refusing to accomodate or trade with anyone that has ventured in the jungle in fear of the plague.

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>>87021037
I have a couple of questions:
>the only cities built by humans in these accursed lands have been on the coast, mostly by the Chugaranni, humans native to the Terrania Freeholds
The chugaranni from the Terrania Freeholds are hunter-gatherers, their only almost-city is a gathering around their religious icon, a sacred tree. How and why did they build a city? And about the chugaranni of the east, they must have also crossed the Terranian Freeholds to reach the eastern coast.

>The western coast was home to small colonies founded by the Asvaran Confederacy centuries ago. Nowadays, only ruins can be found there...
So the Asvaran confederacy once had access to the Sea of the End? The world is flat, they can't just go sailing around the Zulutaur Steppe, they must have had some acces through it.

>Zamondar is the largest town in the Eldritch shores
Wouldn't that be the drunig colony of Kinalonga? Even after the plague, it seems the most complex population center around the Eldritch Jungle.

>>87021198
God, I hate this flat earth thing. It also fucks up the Tuarapon lore as it's supposed to be an island full of botanical wonders yet it'd be almost inaccessible to anyone to the west of it.

>>87021198
I meant about the inhabitants of the eastern Terrania freeholds. They'd live in the coastal lands south of them, a territory that's labelled as the "Eldritch Jungle". They wouldn't be that much different than their northern cousins. And they are cities only in name, I guess I gotta change that.

There could be a canal in the Zulutaur lands, this would also explain the presence of pirates from the maneater islands in that sea.

Kinalonga isn't really part of the Eldritch shore, just an island off it. Zamondar would be much more to the north, making it more accessible.

>>87021311
>Kinalonga isn't really part of the Eldritch shore, just an island off it. Zamondar would be much more to the north, making it more accessible.
Fair enough. Also, if you're looking for established lore of the Eldritch Jungle, the Kingdom of Drunigzar page has a lot of it.

>There could be a canal in the Zulutaur lands
That could work, a cannal at the very edge of the Zulutaur Peninsula would be a neat detail.

>It also fucks up the Tuarapon lore as it's supposed to be an island full of botanical wonders yet it'd be almost inaccessible to anyone to the west of it.
Not really. The world is full of gods, magics and unexplained stuff. We can write a story involving about how a man used powers that weren't meant to be in exchange of all the most beautiful plants in the world, and it would fit right in.

>>87021674
Also, the Eldritch Jungle has abandoned cities with pyramids, mesoamerican style.

https://crumbling-giantstep.fandom.com/wiki/Kingdom_of_Drunigzar

>>87021311
>There could be a canal in the Zulutaur lands, this would also explain the presence of pirates from the maneater islands in that sea.
>>87021198
>So the Asvaran confederacy once had access to the Sea of the End? The world is flat, they can't just go sailing around the Zulutaur Steppe, they must have had some acces through it.
See >>87015105
>An old Azanese canal that crosses a southern part of the Steppes and allows access to the Sea of the Void is heavily used by the Asvarans, though is officially not affiliated with any nation.

>>87021268
I absolutely disagree. Due to how this setting was originally made the climate and geography of this world make exactly 0 sense, it's much easier to just go full fantasy and say it's a step on a cosmic staircase than try to bend backwards to try and justify the wacky environment of Giantstep.

>>87021727
This.

>>87021705
>An old Azanese canal that crosses a southern part of the Steppes and allows access to the Sea of the Void is heavily used by the Asvarans, though is officially not affiliated with any nation.
Neat, but that means that Azan reached the south of the region, at the very least through sea. We have to take that into account when making the historical maps.

>>87021727
This

>>87021777
Azan did reach the south of the region but did they colonise any of it apart from Asvaran, though?

The interior of the Eldritch Jungle is also known as the "Green Hell". No humans or other sentient species have been documented living or settling there. Despite that, many ruins have been found scattered around, some not resembling any known human architecture in the slightest. The most infamous one is the city of Terminus, made entirely of oily black stone. Its ominous location at the edge of gargantuan waterfalls combined with the fact that the jungle around it has scarce touched it has earned it a sinister reputation.

Hundreds of expeditions have been lost in the Eldritch Jungle, be it from disease, monsters or worse. It's said that nine out of ten explorers who set foot in the Green Hell perish before being able to escape it. It is no wonder that these jungles make even the most seasoned of warriors tremble at the idea of exploring it, as no fame nor any riches are worth venturing into this hellish place.

>Geography and Climate

There are countless rivers that run through the Eldritch Jungle. The largest one of them is Orrothos, a river that runs eastwards, forming a delta before emptying into the Sea of End. Many scholars claim that Orrothos is the deepest and widest river in the world, although very few have had the privilege of witnessing it for themselves. The interior of the jungle (known as the Green Hell) is home to many cliffs and mountains that are always covered in thick vegetation., although there's much more about this place we do not yet know, as large parts of it remain undocumented and uncharted. The jungle is extremely hot and humid, with rainfall and storms being relatively common.

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>>87021955
Evil mosquitoes in the jungle. They will chase you down relentlessly until you're exhausted by the heat and humidity, and then they'll suck you dry.

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>>87021955
Dangers

The dangers that lurk in the Eldritch Jungle are countless and are more frequent the closer someone gets to the center of the rainforest. Due to the extremely hostile nature of the jungle, few of what we know of its creatures can be credited to credible eyewitnesses, with most hailing from hearsay, rumours and oral stories. Nevertheless, it's important to mention them, as even the wildest legends have grains of truth hidden in them.

Orrothos and other streams are home to huge crocodiles and swarms of carnivorous fish capable of stripping a man's flesh in minutes. The rivers are also home to stinging flies, bloodworms, fifty meter long snakes, huge leeches and deadly mosquitoes. Even the herbivores of this land are extremely dangerous, as large hippos and jungle elephants could tramble an entire battalion. But not even those can compare to the Uon Longele, a quadripedal lizard-like creature with smooth skin that sails down rivers with such grace that not even crocodiles dare to harm it.

Deeper in the jungle one can find the mighty Lhaza Tiger, as well as humongous cannibal apes, which use tree logs as weapons, taking down large animals such as elephants. Dwelling in the Green Hell are tattooed lizards that run down their preys and rip them apart with long curved claws on their hind legs, man-eating ghouls and large, white vampire bats that can walk on two legs and completely drain one's blood in seconds. Even the rainforest's flora is not friendly, as some plants (such as the Cannibal Orchid) have developed an affinity towards meat. Not only that, but berry bushes and trees often carry flesh-eating insects, as well as disease covered murk.

>>87022180
>tattooed lizards
So if they are tattooed, that means they are sentient, right? I thought there were no sentient species in the Green Hell.

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>>87022206
By tatooed, I meant having marks that resemble tattooes or primal war paint. I should probably clarify that.

>>87021930
I imagine they only controlled just enoug to make the cannal.

Alright, I'll try to come up with something for the dark bog.

>>87022372
they probably controlled part of the Mona Ki Ngi Xica Savannah as well to form a land route between sea of the end and the sea of fog in order to connect to Moridan (now blind bastard's domain)

>>87020991
the metropolia stuff and other hierarchal levels probably should be on the wiki on the azan faith page, it is from a few threads back, the metropolia stuff from today isn't really formatted properly for a lore update, but maybe it can be incorporated into a map or lore update later

>>87020109
>We could honestly expand the 7 to a higher number, the lore hasn't even been entered into the wiki yet.
7 is fine for surviving metropolia

>I think we should keep the new name though, helps it be a little less of a ripoff.
Metropolia could be the seat and Patriarch the title. I know Metropolitans are a thing as well, but it just doesn't have the same weight to it.

>I'd like to veto this
That is fine, I guess there can be metropolia at both Vesta and Birna as they were both big cities going way back

>>87025268
>they probably controlled part of the Mona Ki Ngi Xica Savannah as well to form a land route between sea of the end and the sea of fog in order to connect to Moridan (now blind bastard's domain)
I don't think so. The historical maps show the Azan Empire expanding through the north of the Onyx Mountains to reach the BBD, so it wouldn't need to expand through the savannah.

>>87025638
Which, by the way, reminds me that there's a chunck of the historical map series still not on the wiki. It was posted a couple of threads ago, and there was talk to modifying it or adding some stuff to it...

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>Dark Bog

>The Bog

The Dark Bog is a place that has not been inhabited by any sentient species for millenia, if ever. Even if both the Ra'Ga and the Ecrkoecknoi are semi aquatic species that inhabit humid lands, they know better than to traverse this treacherous place. This is because of a number of reasons. Mainly, this bog is home to the Ichaeron, a horrible monster that lurks the swamps and quagmires, using millions of leeches and ticks as its army. Not only that, but the bog is swarmed by mosquito clouds which carry a plethora of diseases, namely red dickrrot, green fever, wormbone, pus-eye and stomach bane. Not even the sturdy Ra'Ga are able to withstand the diseases that plague this land, and many have perished in the rare occasions where the choice to traverse the bog was made.

Lastly, the higher than normal salinity levels of these mangrove swamps have been known to cause unwanted secondary effects like fatigue, aggresive behavior and malnourishment. This would make the permament settlement of this land an almost impossible task, as one would need to travel to the lands of the Ra'Ga or the Land of the Chaning Waters in order to search for a water source.

Nowadays, the Dark Bog is only traversed by the occasional traveller from the Gnoll Empire that wishes to reach the Sea of Fog without sailing the long way past the Squid Peninsula, an extremely risky task. As Ichaeron and its army of leeches stay within their dominion, the Ra'Ga and the Ecrkoecknoi don't bother in patrolling their borders with the Dark Bog.

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>>87026264

>Ichaeron

Ichaeron (also known as the "Lord of Leeches") is a creature that's as old as time itself, described in both the legends of the Ra'Ga and the Ecrkoecknoi. While the Frogmen believe Ichaeron to be a fallen god, cursed by the Great Mother Toad to dwell in the Dark Bog for all eternity, the Ra'Ga legend states that the Lord of the Leeches was a human princess that was devoured and sucked dry by leeches while traversing this bog on her wedding day.

Whatever the truth behind Ichaeron's origins might be, all we know about this primordial creature is that it resembles a leech with a vague human characteristics, possessing atrophic hands and feet and moving around by crawling slowly. Its slimy, muc-covered skin is filled to the brim with many leeches and ticks. Ichaeron uses them to infect other creatures with its blood, which is so irresistible that it allows it to mind control any of them that drinks it. This way, most of the other creatures that roam the dwell the Bog are under the Leech Lord in one way or another.

>>87018271
>>87017399
I was looking something more like >>86924251
but without the borders and nations drawn on it.

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>Heraldic Kingdom of Otamlar

>History

The Otamlar people have inhabited the plateaus and valleys of the southern Great End Peaks for millennia. Evidence of civilization in these lands have been traced to more than four thousand years ago, although according to Otamlar stories the first state in these ranges was founded closer to six thousand years ago. This state was known with the name of “Utaru”, founded along the Savuk river. Soon, many other cities states sprung up. Mordak, Korzarat and Ashamar and Samron were some of those, while others’ names have been forgotten.
According to Otamlar legend, these states were united around three thousand years ago under a single God-King, his name being Hamos Arai, the messenger of God and the destined hero of the Otamlar people. It was during Hamos’ reign that the Otamlar found their first ever victory against the mighty Runaan, where a handful of scouts were able to rescue more than a dozen Otamlar prisoners deep in the Ashland Desert caverns. According to the Otamlar religion, Hamos Arai’s dynasty was set to rule the Otamlar for all eternity, but alas, it was not meant to be. Hamos’ descendants grew decadent and let their pride swallow them, and when the growing threat of the Khenomeric Empire reached them, they chose war and violence instead of diplomacy and reason. Not only that, but they chose to march towards the Khenomerics instead of defending their own lands.

As expected, the Otamlar met many defeats in the fields of battle and would soon negotiate for peace. Hamos’ dynasty was humiliated and was stripped of all power. The Otamlar became vassals of the Khenomerics, although this vassaldom was in name only, as the Khenomerics did not bother much with the isolated regions of the Great End Peaks apart from collecting tribute and suppressing the occasional revolt.

>>87027070
>The years under the Khenomeric Empire were insignificant and uneventful. The Otamlar, as autonomous as they were, were far from their golden age during Hamos Arai’s reign. A dozen dynasties came and went though none of those were able to consolidate their rule in the region. It seemed as so that the Khenomerics’ presence in the region was the only thing keeping the Heraldic Kingdom together, because as soon as they pulled out of the region, the Otamlar gave into infighting and civil war broke out.
In the end, three states prevailed; Samyria, Tauron and Arkoon, all based in the eponymous fortress cities. It was not until a few hundred years ago that the Heraldic Kingdom of the Otamlar was reformed, and that was only because of the rising threat of the Gnolls to the west. Zina, a warrior princess of Samyria, was the one that united the three city states under one banner and led the defense against the Gnoll. Learning from the mistakes of her predecessors, Zina fortified the cities and built many fortresses that would guard the mountain passes from any direction. After a series of wars, the Gnoll abandoned all hopes of conquest as the mountains proved impregnable.
To this day, the dynasty of Zina of House Umaru still rules the Otamlar lands under relative peace, apart from the occasional raid.

>>87027076

>Government

The ruler of the Otamlar holds the political title of King, as well as the religious one of Herald of the Change. The King holds great authority and acts as a lawmaker, a judge and a religious leader at the same time. The title “Herald of the Change” has a theological connotation to it, as the King of the Otamlar is believed to be a messenger of God, his representative on earth and the one to bring fortune and prosperity to his people. The King rules the Otamlar from Vaas Arai, the ancestral ruling seat of the old Kings of Otamlar. A council made up of nobles and other advisors exists to support and assist the King in ruling, and usually deals with insignificant day to day matters.

>Geography

The terrain of the Otamlar lands is mostly mountainous, with fast flowing rivers and few forests. Winters can get very harsh and summers dry with periods of drought, and the Otamlar have learned to live with these extreme changes in temperature. Picturesque valleys, snow-covered peaks, deep gorges, rope and stone bridges and narrow switchbacks are some of the key features of the region. Ashstorms that blow from the west are also frequent in the Otamlar lands, leading to periods where the sun can be hidden for weeks at times.

>Economy

The Otamlar’s economy mostly depends on mining. Iron, copper and gypsum mines are relatively common. Otamlar smiths and blacksmiths have built a reputation for themselves in eastern Giantstep, their crossbows being reputed as the most advanced in the known world. Due to the harsh climate, farming is less efficient, although many rare botanical ingredients grow in the valleys and mountains, some fetching a high price with foreign merchants. The low grass that grows on the region is ideal for pastoralism, which many Otamlar practice. Most of their food comes from domesticated animals, such as sheep, goat and yak. Few of the Otamlar are fishermen, as the eastern coast (in which few people live) are poor in fish.

>>87027080
The Otamlar also extract tribute tolls from merchants and caravsn passing through the mountain passes of the Great End Peaks. Their most common trade partners are the Tenzin people, and formerly the Dual Kingdom-Empire of Voita-Malagsh.

>Society and Culture

The Otamlar mostly live in plateaus and valleys, with the region being relatively sparsely populated. Due to frequent raids and the fish-poor waters, the coastal parts of the region are the least populated. The Otamlar society is decentralized, as many population centers are scattered around the nation, due to how many of those settlements were isolated from one another. As such, Samyria, the largest city in the Kingdom, is not that much more populous than Shovar, the sixth most populous one. Many cities are carved into the face of mountains themselves, creating large natural fortifications. Sometimes, these cities will run deep into caverns which make up the homes of the cities’ less privileged citizens. The Otamlar architecture has impressed many scholars in the past, with many praising their intricate, grey stone mountain dwellings.

The Otamlar culture has evolved around the many hardships that these people face all year round. Weakness is often seen as a burden, with many males opting to walk out into the mountains in order to die when they get maimed, crippled, blinded or even old enough. Most Otamlar men are trained in arms from a young age, and even those whose professions don’t revolve around manual labour are skilled enough in the both bow and sword.

Women are respected in Otamlar society. Even though they usually end up taking household keep and child bearing duties, they are also trained in arms and are capable of jobs often considered too tough for a woman to partake in. Many women in the past have acted as rulers, as Otamlar succession law does not specifically favour males over females.

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>>87027091
Long garbs, head scarves and face veils are common among the Otamlar due to the ashstorms that often plague their lands.

>Demographics
The majority of the population are locals, some of whom have lived in these lands for millennia and can trace their ancestors generations and generations back. The few foreigners present on Otamlar lands are Tenzin merchants and wanderers, as well as immigrants from the Dual Kingdom-Empire of Voita-Malagsh. A variant of the Peacock Ogre also roams the numerous valleys, living inside caves, but they usually avoid interacting with humans unless necessary.
>Foreign Relations
Tenzin People – These people are either indifferent or friendly towards each other. Both mind their own business and have little reason to trespass in each other’s territory. Despite the different cultures and lack of a common language, whenever their paths cross they usually exchange goods as a sign of good faith. The Tenzin are not a war-minded people, and for that reason they have not assisted the Otamlar against the Khenomerics in the distant past, nor did they ever aid one Otamlar city-state against eachother.
Dual Kingdom-Empire of Voita-Malagsh – The Kingdom of Boita and the Malagshian Empire used to be the most common trade partners of the Otamlar, even though some wars have occurred between the three of them at times. Ever since both of these realms were cursed and the Forest of Bloody Vengeance spread to immeasurable levels, their relations were cut off and nowadays the Otamlar steer clear of the forest. This has led to even fewer people crossing the mountain passes in order to reach Old Nogar and the Tenzin, which means less income through tolls for the Otamlar.

>>87027271

Runaan – Despite their prowess and hardiness, even the Otamlar know that they should not venture to the southwest, where the mighty Runaan live in their caves, unwelcoming to any prowling outsiders. Many Otamlar merchants and warriors have been lost in this inhospitable Desert. According to the Otamlar faith, the Runaan are demons that were spawned from the deepest reaches of the world.

Gnoll Empire – The Gnolls have tried to conquer the Otamlar many times in the past hundread, but the heavily fortified mountain passes, harsh climate and the resilience of the Otamlar have led to many Gnolls perishing during these war efforts. Since then, the only interactions between the two are some small scale raids organized by rogue bands of feral Gnoll stranded in the mountain range. Furthermore, the Otamlar seldom venture to the west, due to the toxic environment created by the Mountain of O'oze and the fiercer ashstorms that rage on.

Drunigzar, Leng and Nogar – These nations have occasionally sought out contact with the Otamlar, although the latter are not trusting of the foreigners that step within their lands. This has led to tensions arising between the Otamlar and these seafaring nations, particularly the Drunig. Ever since some diplomatic exchanges went wrong between Drunigzar and the Otamlar due to the former’s mercantile activities with the Gnoll, Drunig traders have been banned from the latter’s lands.

>>87027297
>Religion

The Otamlar religion is a monotheistic one. Their God goes by the name of Amu and is considered the creator of the earth and all things living. According to them, Amu does not interfere in the affairs of mortals, but rather has his own representative on earth (called the Herald of Change, which is also the King) whose is set on bringing fortune and justice to his people. Many of the Great End Peaks' animals (such as White Tigers, Spotted Leopards, Red Pandas and Rhino Ibex) are considered sacred and killing them is a serious crime. There are various shrines and temples devoted to Amu in both cities and the wilderness, where both males and females take the role of priests.

Oxus is the antithesis of Amu and is considered his alter ego and nemesis. He resigns in the underworld, where he uses his minions (believed by some to be the Runaan) to spread chaos and death in the world.

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Dunno if the Seguerial Hordas lore is finished or not so I left it as is for now.

>>87027513
Which of those has gone the longest without any lore?

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>Ashen Shore

The Ashen Shore has been included by many scholars in Hithlone as one of the thirteen natural wonders of the world. Some say that even standing on this beach is enough to rejuvenate someone and make him fill total bliss, while others have said that the Ashen Shore is the closest place on earth that resembles paradise. Even though it's located on the generally cold island of Zemyland, this particular coastline is known for its temperate climate and waters, which used to be frequent by many nobles as a vacationing spot.

>History

The Ashen Shore has been known by the people of Zemyland ever since the island has been inhabited. For that reason, many mansions were built on the shore, while settlements sprung up on the nearby hills and plains, with both Hyperboreans and the Aine Saevherne living there.

The Hydra only appeared after the Zemylander invaded and their kingdoms had been established in the region. It appeared one day out of sudden and started attacking anyone on sight and eating those that it'd slay. Its enormous size, numerous heads and deadly venom meant that taking down such a beast would require an immense effort. Not only that, but it was reported that when one of its heads was severed, two more would grow on its place. The Hyperboreans and the Alltaf

This eventually lead to the abandonment of the area, the many grand mansions that stood there now lying in ruin. For hundreds of years the Hydra has patrolled these shores, rarely straying away from them. This has led many people speculate that its origin is magical in nature, as a large predator such as this would surely wander away to other waters with an abundance of prey, instead of a shore which no one visits because of its presence.

>>87028322
The Kingdom of Copper technically still lays claim to this area, as they collect taxes from the villages to the hills on the north of the shore. Wanting to take back control of the Ashen Shore, they have hired many mercenaries in order to take down the Hydra, all being unsuccesful so far. Because of that, alternative methods of exterminating the beast have been proposed, such as somehow learning the true origin of the Hydra and using that against it, but no light has been shed on these efforts as of now.

>>87028322
>Thirteen natural wonders

this gave me an idea. I'll post a list of things that could fill the bill and you tell me whether you agree or not

>Ashen Shore
>Kinh Hee Palm Grove
>Glass Mountains
>Big Rock Candy Mountains
>Tuarapon Island
>Sleep Poppy Fields
>Mountain of Ooze
>Corteau Canyon

Can't think of any more

>>87025638
travelling by sea as much as possible makes more sense, that is how I wrote asvaran and blind bastard's domain

>>87027513
I'm not done with it. Give me a loredump or two.

>>87027849
Gilgemash has no lore. Period.

>>87031444
I will do gilgemash next

I'll try to list each religion/faith practiced in each region for anyone willing to make a map out of it. Starting with Scimitaria:

>Chrysovica

Toc Murra (majority), Nine Saints (minority), Caijin (minority), Kahunoa Cult (southernmost island)
>Sea Elven Domains/City States
Caijin
>Aurous Highlands, Blesire States, South Belsirya
Nine Saints (majority), New Azan Faith (minority), Irem (southeast of the Aurous Highlands), Toc Murra (minority)
>Bumi
Church of Mg'umba
>Arangea
Irem (majority), Mg'umba (minority)
>Grand Duchy of Calcabra
New Azan Faith variation (majority), Irem (minority)
>Calcabran Hobbit Clans
Nature Worship
>Drow City States
Drow Pantheon
>Red Lotus Congregation, Kinh Hee Palm Grove, Shell Coast
Cult of the "Great and Holy Celestial Father of All
>Fallen Kingdom of Kinnog
Variety of religions, Tri-Saints of Lust, Greed, and Wrath
>Moreelse
Cleansing Flame
>Three Sisters
Variety of religions, New Azan Faith
>Hithlone
Terpsythean Pantheon
>Last Remnants
New Azan Faith variant (majority), Drow pantheon (minority)
>Scarred Phantoms
God of Death
>Terusia Isthmus
New Azan faith (majority), Dwarven god (minority), Triple God Faith (minority), Eilistraree (minority)
>Land of Storms, Castle Athassel, Etera, Cocoon Islands
No Religion
>Isle of Wizards, Orc'Eire, Fortress Islands
Unknown

>>87032804
Zemyland

>Alltaf Tribes
All Creator
>New Hyperborea
All Creator/Zemylander Pantheon/Shiora
>Kingdom of the Crimson Queen
Zemylander Pantheon (majority), Fey gods (minority), All-Creator (minority), Snow Elven religion (minority)
>Aine Saevherne
Shiora worship
>Platinum Princedom, Kingdom of Copper, Gold and Silver, Ashen Shore, Collapsed Realms of Rust
Zemylander Pantheon (majority)
>Kentogorod
The White Whale
>Shelkividur
No religion
>Uknown
Corteau Canyon, Rognarey

Also I realised that the Rognarey don't have added lore, no idea why they're erased from the lore progression map.

>>87032896
I'm pretty sure the Rognarey had some extra lore written about them, maybe it never made it to the wiki.

>>87032896
Smallstep

>Avangar Empire
Avangar Cult (majority), Elyrian religion (minority)
>Republic of Vilga
Vilgan Faith (majority), Avangar Cult (minority)
>Woodcutter Cities, Pondlings, Kingdom of Poker, Dreaded Wharf, Orange Marquisates
Unknown
>Künt
Künt philosophy
>Fyrd
Fyrd faith
>Great Oak Forest, Tower of Insanity
No religion

>>87033008
Eastern Giantstep

>Florinth, Lucy's Land
Variety of religions
>Golden Sea of Wheat
Fyrd faith (?)
>Faarowt
Bright Ones
>Kingdom of Tarot
Four Creeds
>Cloaked Kingdom
Death Cults
>Realm of the Harmony Goddess
Goddess of Harmony
>Elanxa Empire
Emperor worship (majority), ancestor worship (minority)
>Grobanismus
Grobian Faith
>Scatomancy Wizards
Scatomancy
>Urine Woods
Urinomancy
>Seven Castles
Varierty of religions
>Frostlands of Khelek
Ulek-mol (?)
>Seagard
Cult of Rusalochka
>Dominion of Leng
Lengi/Khenomeric Pantheon
>Anchovia
Nature worship
>Drunigzar
Drunig Pantheon
>Nogar, Old Nogar
Church of Nogar
>Cowmen Grasslands
Lamagash
>Otamlar
Amu
>Runaan
Leptys
>Vodyanik Lands
Fish Gods
>Land of the Lord descended from the Sky
Lord who had Cometh from the Sky
>Setlovia
Faith of the Maw (minority)
>Gnoll Empire
Great Maw
>Forest of Getting Lost, Thornwood, Luden, Ruins of the Merfolk Empire, Lotus Island
No religion
>Bladegrass Lake, Kayaker Tribes, Sealed Grove, Kowloon, Lunatik Nine, Dia'Ul, Lumberling Grove, Astromancers, Gor'GoLeth, Blackstone Prison Islands, Kokaine, Chill Steppe, Isle of Cold, Tenzin People, Dual Kingdom-Empire of Voita-Malagsh, Ketlovia
Unknown

Neat.

I just realised how many fucking nations exist in this setting

>>87033416
Many of those aren't really nations, but places where more fragmented societies exist.

>>87028322
>Not only that, but it was reported that when one of its heads was severed, two more would grow on its place. The Hyperboreans and the Alltaf

...the hyperboreans and the Alltaf what? Is there missing text?

>>87031765
>>87031433
Considering the Gokmavi are relatively recent arrivals it would make sense that Gilgemash is some sort of remnant of a previous empire

>>87038836
>Considering the Gokmavi are relatively recent arrivals it would make sense that Gilgemash is some sort of remnant of a previous empire
In what sense? They have little history.

>>87036866
oops, my bad. I meant to say "The Hyperboreans and the Alltaf believed this was some sort of divine punishment towards the Zemylanders for occupying their former lands".

>>87042517
Ok, I'll add it in the wiki.

>>87031765
Looking forward to that

A hand drawn map of this setting would be sick.

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In the most disgusting depths of the Bog of Eternal Stench sits a dung-root-covered mud shack inhabited by an entity whose existence is generally credited with being some foul offspring of the Bog Witch. However, the common assumption that another witch's daughter lives in the hut is a misconception. This superstition exists due to the gag-inducing nature of the environment and the fact that only the most brutish mercenary gangs or unfortunate strays set foot on this patch of muddy ground.
In fact, an ancient hermit with a meter-long, tangled beard lives in the hut. Although he hardly ever gets visitors, he is friendly and open to those who visit his smelly home.
Only a handful of living residents of Giantstep know the fact that this cranky hermit is the creator of the Bog of Eternal Stench, who once frequented the highest ranks of the scatomancers brown academy. He himself spread the rumor that the Bog of Eternal Stench was created as a result of a scatoalchemical experiment gone wrong in order to disguise its true origin centuries ago.
The truth lies behind the magically sealed basement door of his muddy abode.

[...]

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[...]

Behind his moldy wooden cellar door, which at first glance seems inconspicuous, there is a deep spiraling mud hole that swallows anyone who steps into it with a slurping sound.
The traveler's mud-sunken body is then ejected only seconds later from a large rosette-like mud structure called the miasmapod which lies hundreds of kilometers from the hermit's hut in the east of the continent.
It erupts the traveler with a farting sound, releasing sulfur fumes and flatulence gases that give this otherwise very efficient mode of travel a bitter aftertaste.
The miasmapod is located at the center of the Bog of Egestión, which forms the natural boundary between the Marquisate of Clay and Grobianismus.
The miasmapod shuts down tightly immediately after the eruption, making a fast return impossible.
Whether the creation of this wormhole was merely an opportunity for the old hermit to put his academic theories to the test in practice or whether it serves any practical purpose is unknown. However, it is suspected by those in the know that the old warlock makes his dimensional gateway available to the Bogwitch from time to time, for an unknown fee.
As the first and only scholar of Giantstep this mysterious hermit who does everything to keep his true identity secret managed to create a magical one-way portal by unleashing a massive scatomantic energy that manifested as a fetid, surrounding-corrupting biosphere (nowadays known as the Bog of Eternal Stench).

>>87019355
A bit more of the Seguerials.

>The society underground
The world of the Seguerials revolves around the rigid social structure of the colony. The highest echelons of power belong to the seguerial queens, who hold all power within the colony. Without them, there can be no colony. They are the ones deciding near all aspects of the lives of their subject daughters and sons, and are revered with all honors. Their place in the colony is heavily fortified, with many soldiers guarding the tunnels that connect their chambers to the rest of the hive. However, once every two months, the queens will enter in heat, and it will be the work of the seguerial males to continue the bloodline. Seguerial males stay in isolation from the rest of the colony after they are born, and are well fed and taken care of. Once a male reaches maturity, it will be traded between colonies as a diplomatic tool, with the healthiest and strongest males being quite sought after. Their job is easy, but it is believed that the mating process is highly violent, and there are known cases where a seguerial male has not survived the mating process. The males will stay with the queens until al become pregnant, at which point the males will go back to their private chambers. Once the queens are expecting, the maintenance caste is called to take care of the queens, and to make sure the queens are not lacking anything.

>>87048189
Each queen can birth up to 10 seguerials every time. Once the babies are born, they are taken from the queens (who have no maternal instincts, no any real way to take care of them) and tenderly cared by the maintenance caste. The members of the maintenance cast will instruct them in everything they will need from the future, since their jobs are selected when they are born. Their education is strict and thorough, and destined to create highly specific workers. Those jobs are dealt depending of the predicted needs of the colony, trying to think what the colony will require by the time the babies reach maturity. Once they reach maturity, each of the seguerials join their designated caste: workers, maintenance, soldiers and diplomats.

>>87048207
The worker caste is the muscle of the hive. They form the majority of the colony, with activities such as agriculture, hunting, tunnel building and upkeep, exploration, cooking, cleaning, crafting… Most tasks fall upon their shoulders, and are by far the most numerous group.

The maintenance caste functions as a number of social services for the colony, from medical services to administration to education, but they will mostly center their energies on the queen and the newborns. They are the thinking brains of everyday life, and have an essential role in their economy.

The soldier cast is the shield that protects the hive. They are in charge of keeping the hive secure, forming both security forces and the armed forces. They canquite the fierce warriors, with a discioline and an organization unmatched, though they are not that physically strong.

The diplomat cast is needed to slow down the many confrontations between the different hives. Their tendency for conflict forced the colonies to try to slow down the clashes as much as possible, but this is not always possible. The diplomats usually take great risks for their own safety, since if war starts, they will be the first ones to be killed by the enemy colony, offing them before they could raise the alarm.

>>87047441
Agreed, or in general a less convulted and eyesore map

>>87049854
We need more artists in general. It's a shame, since we have so much lore and yet we rely on AI art or existing stuff...

Based scat anon is back

>>87048220
Do the seguerials interact with the humans above ground?

>>87050601
Are there humans above ground? Most of them fled during the collapse of the Alegnawigan Dominion, and the rest were exterminated by the gnoll when they invaded. I'm not sure if there are humans above ground in the area anymore.

>>87048220
The colony spends most of its time tending to their underground farms, while also searching for any valuable minerals they can use. The seguerials are good artisans, but metallurgy underground can be hazardous, with their forges being highly reinforced and ventilated. Woodworks are also an important part of the seguerials’ artisanship, using a certain species of trees near the mountains of the Suritas Range. This special wood is incredibly resistant to humidity, something very important when working in the sometimes incredibly damp underground. The underground itself is formed of thousands of different tunnels that do downwards into the earth. In the past, these systems of tunnels and caverns were not connected with each other, due to the absolute distrust between the hives, but after the Alegnawigan Dominion became the dominant power of the underground, many of the hives under its rule joined together, creating an underground labyrinth that expands for kilometers around. While this system has been pretty damaged after the fall of the Alegnawigan Dominion, it still represents the biggest area inhabited by the seguerials. The hundreds of hives that live interconnected through the old Algnawigan holdings have to live sharing the same space, which helps with maintaining the sprawling underground, but this tends to generate conflict. This was especially true when the gnoll invaded, and each colony reverted to defending their own spaces. Once the gnoll gained access to the general algnawigan systems, they could easily reach each the many hives connected to them, instead of having to carve their way from the surface to the depths.

>>87054748
Most seguerials are content with their lives within the colony, but once in a while, a seguerial is born with the need to break away with their hive. Not to create their own colony (that happens too, and it is heavily watched over by the maintenance caste) but to explore the outside world. These seguerials are called anomalies, and are quickly expelled from the hive once their maverick behavior is discovered. They frequently end up moving southwards, through the Tiyali Brum River, staying in the coast selling their potions and alchemical concoctions. In general the waters of the Sea of the Frog are much safer than moving deeper inland, since the surface of the region is frequently raided by the gnoll, and a seguerial surprised alone above the surface is very vulnerable. Seguerial anomalies cannot return to their hives, under penalty of death.

>>87054760
The relation between the seguerials and the surface humans used to be quite amicable, since trade between them was quite a lucrative business for both. However, with the disappearance of the humans after the gnoll invasion, certain groups of seguerials have occupied the cities’ remains. This range from communities of anomalies living together under the sun, trying to restore the human cities for themselves, or certain colonies trying to fortify their underground connection with the surface to prevent gnoll raids.

>>87056558
We're getting it done, boys.

Also, the Lesandros square should be erased, since that got lore as well.

>>87059473
It did? When?

Also, anyone got the Rognarey lore that I'm pretty sure was posted some threads ago? It's not in the wiki

>>87059602
https://crumbling-giantstep.fandom.com/wiki/Demarchists_of_Lesandros

A while ago.

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>The Sulfur Springs
The area known as Sulfur Springs lies on the northern boundary of the Urine Woods and the southern boundary of the Marquisate of Clay.
It is a unique, terrestrial hydrothermal system known for its unearthly colors and mineral patterns, and the very acidic fluids that discharge from its hydrothermal springs. Large yellow stalactite-like structures and mesas composed of sulfur mineral, as well as vapor clouds rising from the ground give the area a very distinctive appearance. At its northernmost border, the region merges into a small yellow sulfur mountain range.
The geothermal field is home to a large, black, wingless species of sentient bat known as Sulfurimps.
Due to their demonic appearance and mischiveous nature, this somewhat humanoid life form is considered "devils" and is fought against by the inhabitants of Grobianism in particular.
Despite their bad reputation, the Sulfurimps are evolved naturally and non-demonic in origin, though some embrace the superstitions about them due to the deterrent effect they have on strangers.
Some "scholars" of Grobianism even suspect the gate to hell to be located in this inhospitable area, which of course is nonsense but might have a kernel of truth due to the large catacomb-like sulfur stalactite cave systems under the Springs.

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>>87060252
The Sulfurimps bathe in the sulfuric acid pools, which are highly toxic to humans.
The corrosive minerals and high temperatures don't bother them much due to their thick, leathery and acid-resistant black skin. On the contrary, bathing in the springs and exposure to the Sulfur appears to have a medicinal and life-prolonging effect on the Imps. Outside of this region, the imps only reach a maximum age of 10 to 20 years. In the Sulfur Springs however they can outlive most people.
In addition to the sulfur pools, there are also some smaller pools of boiling tar on the geothermal field, which the imps also for bathing aswell and seem to have a similar effect on them as a peloid therapy has on humans.
The Imps have set up sulfur mines throughout the area, which emit industrial smoke in addition to the terrain's natural fumes.
What the imps do with the mined sulfur is mostly unknown, despite trading and exporting it, which adds to the conspirational murmurs about these creatures.
Although this is considered barbaric among the more faint-hearted denizens of Giantstep, gauntlets made from the peeled hide of Sulfurimps are very popular with alchemists for their fire-resistant and acid-repellent properties. Their horns, made of black ivory, are a popular material for ritual weapons and are ground into all kinds of ointments, powders and tinctures with varying degrees of effect.
The caves under the sulfur springs are said to be full of mineral resources such as oil, mercury and gold, which is why one or the other ruler has secretly cast an eye on the area already.

>>87059602
>Rognarey

Thread 25
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/2022/85981957/

>>87026343
Ok, give me a second.

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>>87026343
Like this?

>>87035826
Is this an owl-lemur? With horns?

>>87056558
So someone was doing gilgemash already, right? Which of these needs lore the most, the Kinga Badlands or the Gokmavi Khaganate?

>>87061639
That's ideal, thanks.

>>87062831
I'd say the Gokmavi, it was one of the first nations to be submitted months ago and it got almost no lore since. It's also surrounded by important nations.

>>87061639
What's with the lower part of the map?

>>87056558
Isn't there some lore for the glass mountains already?

>>87064026
What do you mean?

>>87063785
The thing with the Gökmavi is that, other than "generic mongol empire broken in smaller kingdoms" stuff, I'm not sure if I can add some special flavor to it.

I'm trying to find something to add some spice to it.

A quick writing about the Mona Ki Ngi Xica.

>The Green and Blue Savannah
The lands between the south of the Badgassi Mara Honi and the eldritch jungle are formed by a strange savannah. The plant life in the area has evolved to change color depending on a series of factors: Some experts believe the plants release chemical signals to scare away parasites and herbivores, and this has escalated into colorations that are usually seen in animals. This means that the landscape can turn from a regular grassland to a sea of colors, changing slowly in seemingly random patterns. The region has thus received the name of “Ngi Xica”, or “the Green and Blue Savannah”. The exotic coloration of the land, more typical of a coral reef rather than a tropical savannah, has also affected the physiology and behavior of the wildlife living there, many of which have adopted wild patters of stripes, spots or other patterns to try and camouflage to hunt or to avoid being hunted.

In the middle of the Ngi Xica, there is a small but incredibly high mountain range, the Devil’s Horn Peaks. In the middle of it, the Devil’s Horn, an inactive volcano covered in snow, watches over the entire region. The Devil’s Horn Peaks are the main source of water of the region, and it is of vital importance for the populations of the region.

>>87065842
>The Mona Ki Ngi Xica
The Green and Blue Savannah is inhabited by the “Mona Ki Ngi Xica”, which literally means “the people of Ngi Xica”). They are a nomadic culture of humans, organized in a tribal fashion all around the savannah. They move around in groups consisting of a couple of families, taking care of their cattle and hunting the big beasts of the land. Their charges mostly consists of cows and sheep, from which they obtain most of their meat, leather and wool. They are also famous for raising zebroids, a hybrid between horses and zebras. Zebroids are in general more unruly and difficult to tame than regular horses, and lack their strength and stamina as well. However, they compensate by resisting much better the harsh conditions and parasites that lurk in the savannah, not to mention their camouflage can partly mimic the coloration of the grasslands at the time, with its stripes able to change color in the same way a chameleon would. They use these zebroids both as a tool of war and as a way to hunt some of the biggest and most dangerous animals in the region.

>>87065853
The origins of the Mona Ki Ngi Xica are discussed by historians. The Mona Ki Ngi Xica themselves tell legends of their ancestors reaching the lands of the Ngi Xica because they were chasing a golden lion all the way to the Devil’s Horn, and once they reached it, they couldn’t find their way back home. Their arguments over how to go back eventually causing divisions, and this gave room to the tribal and scattered organization of today. Even today, the sight of a golden lion means both opportunity and misfortune for the Mona Ki Ngi Xica, since hunting it down will bring great honor and accolades, but the chase may lead you to places you might not enjoy.

The Mona Ki Ngi Xica are proud warriors, usually fighting each other for access to the best grazing areas. This generally takes shape of highly ritualized combat, with pitch battles where the warriors will enter individual duels with their opponents. They will use long spears and bronze axes, combined with oval shaped shields made out of wood and thick leathers. These fights generally leave many wounded, but few dead, since they are pretty much designed as displays of strength, and not really meant to destroy their opponents.

>>87065873
The Mona Ki Ngi Xica worship spirit animals, representing many of the aspects of their lives. Their totemic religion centers around the Great Golden Lion, father of all, whose mane became the suns and his teeth became the moons of the world. The Great Golden Lion watches over the Ngi Xica Savannah, keeping the circle of life going. The Mona Ki Ngi Xica create totems made out of stone and ivory all throughout the region, offering gifts such as weapons, hunting prizes and other treasures to the different spirit animals.

>>87064402
maybe each tribe could be a worshipper of a different diety?

>>87066906
Maybe, but it doesn't really solve the problem of the region sounding pretty generic.

>>87066906
Maybe wars of religion? We have little to none of those in the setting...

I'm gonna write up something about the island of Usul near gilgamesh

I'm writing the lore about the Badgassi Mara Honi. There's very little lore about them, so I'll try to flesh it out as much as possible. Let's see how it goes:

The tribes north of the Ngi Xica Savanna have been the epicenter of near constant wars for near two millennia. The lands are rife with mineral and natural riches, with all kinds of ores and produce easily obtainable. However, trying to take these resources has been exceedingly risky for centuries, due to the great wars between the two dominant species of the region: the Zidazzi and the Bagdassi. These two groups have maintained one of the longest feuds in recorded history, with tales of their battles being recorded back during the days of the unification of Azan. However, only recently the Bagdassi have managed to get a significant advantage over the Zidazzi, pushing them all the way back to the Onyx Mountains. The Confederated Chiefdoms of Badgassi Mara Honi has been growing as a power ever since, threatening to expand to both the Zulutaur Steppes and to the Ngi Xica Savanna.

>>87072212
>The Bagdassi
The Bagdassi are a sentient species of humanoid badger who live in the lands south of the Onyx Mountains. They are tall and lanky figures, being on average taller than most elves, but with arms much longer in comparison. Their body is cover in an dense black and white fur, strong enough to stop most piercing attacks, with cases of bagdassi capable of shrugging off multiple arrows shot at them. They also have powerful claws, used for both digging and fighting, though it has made them have problem manipulating delicate items, and as such, are notoriously poor craftsmen and artisans. They have an elongated head with powerful teeth, capable of crushing bone.

>>87072218
The bagdassi are well known for their tolerance to poison. Somehow, their body has adapted to resist nearly all known natural poisons and toxic concoctions, only causing them a mix between dizziness and hangover at the very worst. As such, they have a tolerance to alcohol that surpasses even the most ancient dwarves, a fact many dwarves who meet a bagdassi for the first time will happily put to the test, which can end up badly depending on how much ale they have at hand. This means that only magical or alchemical poisons can really threaten their lives, and even then, they will be able to resist them for much longer than other species.

>>87072226
The bagdassi are fierce warriors, able to shrug off most wounds and keep fighting for hours. However, they are generally not the smartest nor the most organized species out there. They tend to limit themselves to tribal groups of a couple of families, moving around as hunter-gatherers, and occasionally settling down in areas where the resources make it possible, such as mining regions or areas occupied by humans, who tend to be rife with poultry and other farm animals. Their general organization is poor, being historically unable to join into a cohesive state until relatively recent. Even though the bagdassi have been in contact with groups that dominate herding, husbandry and farming, it has only been recently when they’ve started to partake on these activities. In particular, the domestication of the dwarf elephant, a small but very intelligent species of elephant that lives in the area, has allowed them much more success, especially for those nomadic groups that need more protection from bandits, the zidazzi and other bagdassi.

>>87072233
>The Zidazzi
The Zidazzi are a sentient species of humanoid honeybee who used to live in the the lands south of the Onyx Mountains, though over time they have been pushed more and more into the mountains themselves. They are a very diverse species, having a complex hive system that not only affects their behavior and role on the colony, but also their physiology as well. Their eusocial lifestyle means that their roles are picked up for them once they are born, and throughout their lives, they will be given a specific diet that will change them into the role chosen for them. In general, most zidazzi are slightly shorter than humans, with cases such as the zidazzi soldiers and queens being much bigger. They have four arms, plus two legs and a pair of wings, which help them fly over short distances. Due to their size, they cannot really travel long distances by flying, but they can still use their wings to traverse short distance, or keep themselves afloat for a while. Their bodies are covered with a light carapace that protects them while not really weighting them down. At the end of their backs, they have a stinger, though it is in reality a vestigial element. Most zidazzi produce poison, but they secrete it through their mouths instead of their stinger. This poison is mostly designed to be incredibly irritating, capable of temporally blinding enemies when in contact with their eyes, and can be fatal if ingested or if it enters the respiratory system.

>>87072240
Their way of life follows a rigid caste system. Most of the members of a zidazzi hive are sterile females, with both the males and the fertile young females leaving the colony once they reached adulthood. Like in many eusocial systems, the queens are the center of the hive, and they are the most important element of the entire colony. The queens are twice the size of the regular workers, and they lay dozens of unfertilized eggs, which are then fertilized by the male drones. The queen and the drones take most of the decisions in the colony, keeping an eye on every aspect of everyday life, being informed about the state of affairs by the many workers. The worker zidazzi are the most numerous members of the hive by far, and are required to do most of the activities dedicated to the continual survival of the colony. Zidazzi are known for being exceptional at the art of agriculture, capable of bringing yields of flowers in areas that, under normal conditions, would not be suited for the task. However, it is important to remark that the zidazzi only really harvest plants with flowers. They do not work with most crops due to their produce, focusing instead of generating the most amount of flowers. This is because the zidazzi only eat nectar and honey, created by said nectar. Their very specific diet has forced them to take a lot of measures to preserve their food supply, since a bad harvest could mean starvation for the entire hive. The zidazzi have created the equivalent of small cities, gigantic structures made out of wood and wax, both as a place to reside in and as a place to store honey for the bad times. These massive structures are guarded by the zidazzi soldiers, towering brutes who are capable of secreting a poison so toxic it can dissolve some organic matter. The zidazzi soldiers are the rarest of the hive outside of the queen, and are only ever seen around her.

>>87072246
The zidazzi are a society with a high appreciation for arts and culture. They are well regarded as hard workers around the region, with a long production of wax sculpture and literature. Unlike other eusocial species of Giantstep, the relation between the colonies is amicable and peaceful, usually trading male drones to keep consanguine problems from popping up. The members of the colony are also less likely to abandon the hive, due to the high quality of life they can reach within their society. The zidazzi are a peaceful species, and in general they do not seek violence if they can avoid it, which is it can be shocking for many outsiders to see the lengths they will go to fight the bagdassi.

>>87064047
It's cut off isn't it?