Riddle of Flame
A Setting Rundown
A broken being absconded with the enlightenment of the gods and his prideful machinations would revolutionize the world.
A Massive World to Explore
RoF holds a massive world called Kyr brimming with territories as of yet unmapped by civilizations that inhabit three main continents:- Velas, a continent host to some of the greatest empires in the world with the remnants of those ancient realms fought over by many kingdoms. These lands are a hotbed of intrigue and agitated ideology ready to boil over into unrest and war.
- Skalovia, once home to the dreaded draconic aristocracy of the Scale Princes, is now home to the burgeoning radical Uhlionic Republic that works to spread the ideology of Equilibratism to the world through agitation or gunpowder.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-uhlion-republic.html
- Klastte, the home of a warrior class of aristocrats that quickly transitioned to the age of gunpowder that serves a bulwark against Equilibratism.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/06/klastte-men-of-war.html
- Alaria, a kingdom dedicated to the god of war that holds the last gasp of chilvaric knights within its feudal borders. It is the home of the high priest of the god of war and to different sects that are coming to conflict over their beliefs.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/06/alaria-holy-wars.html
- Wakunan, a new republic built off of the ruins of matriarchical rule and genocide with its own ideological goals and a rich trading tradition. The savannah is old and home to many dangers along with those that wish to return to the old ways.
- The Ess'Wunn Kinship The kinship is a network of monasteries that teaches the secrets of kah.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/06/wakunan-healing-savannah.html
- Thrale, a newer republic of colonists set on taming Thrake's Vale. Thrale is an up and coming nation that will blossom into a full blown superpower. Within Thrale's borders are strange Elakansi people who have a mastery of the energy kah and infuse this energy in totems on their mountain home. Thrale makes its home in:
- The Wynde, a great forest shaped by magical means now left to be overgrown by ancient masters. The young colonies that lie beneath the great mountain Thrake ply into this forest in search of ancient magical artifacts left behind and new fertile land to call home in Thrake's Vale, or Thrale.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/03/thrale.html
- Grush, the homeland of the Urkain where the deadly Nua Ragha raiders make their home. A land of masterful blacksmiths and rejection of the gaudy. Within this archipelago lies ancient ruins of precursors and large forests with many dangers.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-grushian-archipelago-of-urkain.html
- Liresku, once under the reign of a genocidal empire, now held by the godly Dominion in a theocratic grip. The god of law's agents rule the lands and suppress rebellion and heresy.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-dai-empire-and-dominion-transition.html
- The Court of the Night, a dark gloomy realm that acts as a nationwide house arrest for creatures of the night. The eponymous Court is made up of a mixture of vampires, wraiths, necromancers, and creatures that made a deal with the temple of the god of death to maintain their existence but there are undead that do not comply. It is a "safe" place to visit but beware of becoming the attraction.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-undead-creatures-of-shi.html
- The Sothian Palatinate, the warden realm around the Court of the Night which is home to the high priest of the god of death, Sothe.
- Drath, a despotate of dark elves that returned from distant mysterious shores bearing blood magic and snow-white skin after millennia of absence.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/07/drath-civilization-without-past.html
- Gromdalia, an ancient dwarven confederation found in the Gromdal mountains that has existed since before the twilight of time. It is responsible for the progress of the modern kinds up until the epoch of flame. Their unique runic magic is key to many magitek advancements.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/07/gromdalia-ancients.html
- The Arcanium A land based on magical supremacy where the greatest wizard rules. It is also home to the oldest magical colleges in the world with high fatality rates.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-arcanium-realm-of-magical-supremacy.html
- Samdiria A land of dragonkin founded by a dragon out of spite with a very libertarian feel to rules.
- Tarkaria A rough wildland of desert, grassland, forest, hills, and plains that is home to nomadic tribes of bestial kinds, animal men, and the Tarkkyrat, or United City of Tarks that seeks to consolidate the different tribes in the changing world in a modern city.
- Kesst A land of dunes, desert, and highlands that is ruled by the Diarchy and is one of the oldest kingdoms in the world. Along with Kessian culture are the enkidu, hulking kinds of tribesmen found in the highlands that keep their autonomy by service to the crown.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/03/nation-kesst.html
- Lusmia A land of tolerated necromancers that defend the entire world against the threat of an ancient race of mind-bending and fleshbending worms that seek to conquer the topside.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/03/nation-lusmia.html
- Groza a chilled land of liches and necromancers off the coasts of Skalovia and Grush that fight amongst each other when they're not invading the lands of the living for ancient grudges.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/05/undead-confederation.html
- Mekkhor A large region once ruled by an ancient warlord and now a divided land of multiple cultures.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-divided-nations-of-mekkhor-heirs-to.html
- Yagatzia A land of nomadic horsemen red-skinned hobgoblins.
- Golgotzia A land of free-spirited tinkerers and the homeland of the goblins.
- Xatla, a sprawling land of tropical jungles on one end and rolling plains that contains a vast collection of peoples from the masked Uladrengish to the warlike bloody empires of the south and the enigmatic Zethite dragonkin that lay beyond their wall of mountains.
- Uladreng, a realm of the masked. Every citizen of this land wears black robes and white masks to hide their identities. They also often war against vampires invading them from the northeast.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/06/uladreng-dark-kingdom-of-masks.html
- Talah, an island realm of song where magical chordant stones have shaped an entire society to a choral hierarchy.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/05/talahvir.html
- Aizarin, a land of ancient cultures built from common conflict with a vast realm of fiendish undead besieging them on one end and a strange civilization of insectoid creatures claiming to hold an engine of heaven on the other facing off with knightly zealots. These lands include:
- Wakamoto, a land of grace and perfection ruled by a divine emperor and his samurai warriors in defense against an undead scourge. They keep order in the land against threats to the Emperor including the Oni King and his minions.
- Zothica, the home to kinds of bug people from bulky tall beetle humanoids to flying mothmen and armored venomous scorpion men.Their civilization was saved and built by a strange device that gives its users wonderful powers, the Heaven Engine.
- The Firmament, a puritanical crusader state of knights dedicated to the god of war carved out of a sultanate. They wage a continuous war to create a world united under their holy control.
- The Rasp, the land of the dead threatening to drag down the lands of Aizarin filled with all manner of undead thing from the wicked jiangshi to the vengeful goryo.
- The Cursed Reach, a vast desert of Aizarin filled with fiends that contains a great lake circling a mysterious island at its center.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/04/aizarin.html
- The Risen Realms Deep sea realms home to sea animal people, the Xhenonics, and to their ruling caste of sun priests that lead them to invade the land.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-lands-of-xhenons.html
- Then there are new frontiers yet to be discovered including a landmass dotted with massive black spires that reach toward the heavens and an ethereally cursed land of swamps, dark forests, and serene countryside that hides secret mysteries.
Read for more information on the laws of a few of these lands: https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-laws-of-nations.html
A Living Technologically Progressing World
The Riddle of Flame is not stuck to one time. It is spread across three distinct epochs that sees technology and society progress with the march of time. It begins with the introduction of Napoleonic Era technology, advances to a mid-victorian state, and then finally ends with a WW2-like world. These are known as epochs and are numbered 1, 2, and 3.
- Epoch 1 sees the world in its greatest state of transition from the feudal kingdoms to the nation states resembling the wave of Enlightenment Napoleon forced upon Europe. Armies begin as professional men at arms with pikes and swords and end with linemen armed with bayonets and muskets. Along with this comes the first aeroships and the discovery of the new land of Gothica.
- Epoch 2 finds the world in the first steps of an age of machines and clumsy smoothbore muskets replaced with cartridge rifles along with brand new discoveries like the land of black spires newly named Shudder. Along with this, trains and steam engines become popularized with rails crossing the land.
- Epoch 3 has the world well settled in technological progress and older one-shot rifles are replaced with bolt action rifles and submachine guns. Fast-flying airplanes are established and the age of the automobile has arrived. Advancements are extremely eclectic with personal music players seen amongst pressed suits and stetson-style hats.
A Feel of the Historical
RoF also contains degrees of historicity and verisimilitude. Many factions within the game are inspired by historical nations and cultures including but not limited to:
Beings occupying a demi-god like state exist that can serve as active patrons to their followers and worshippers. These include:
- Skalovia, which has a mixture of Slavic culture in its influence with Russia and the Soviet Union being direct prominent inspirations, but it also containing Polish influence as well.
- Klastte, which is an interpretation of Prussia and has an Eastern German influence with their early.
- The states of Mekkhor, which has inspiration from different regions that touched the Mediterranean including the Maghreb, the Levant, Iberia, Italy, and also France.
- Wakamoto, which is a Japanese inspired land with another culture, the Kaze, occupying a similar space to the Ainu.
Along with aesthetic influences, technology generally proceeds through the advances made on historical earth but at different speeds for different domains due to interference by magic, religion, and other factors.
Certain events resemble events from real life, like:
- The Skalovian Revolution A war resembling the Russian Civil War in it's destruction of an old outdated regime and its uplifting of a new ideology and setting the stage for the growth of a superpower.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-skalovian-revolution.html
- The Great Unburdening A time period resembling the Enlightenment that concerns the loss of power of religion, the advancement of humanist (kindist) thought, and a progression of science
Attempting to be similar to history (although not strictly adhering to it), many nations are not clean or unscathed and the morality of states are usually varying shades of grey. For example, the Uhlionic Republic did rise from an enslaved society of kobolds and did topple over a callous regime in the Scale Princes but it would also go on to make oversteps and commit Katyn Forest-esque atrocities like the Massacre of Port Brau. Along with this, most nations have participated in the practice of slavery until the near the start date.
https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/06/slavery.html
https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/06/slavery.html
Magic and Technology
Apart and in Accord
- Magic has long been part of the world and has served a key part in past advancements and society.
- Technology has really burgeoned to become a new powerful force in the world and it rivals magic in its use and power.
- Magitek combines both of them together to allow for unique and powerful tools but comes at the cost of volatility and expensive materials like the aetherium crystal.
A World Driven by Ideology
The Age of Flame was begun by ideologues and it is further driven by ideologues. The ideologies break down into four major groups:
- Harmonism This is an individualistic philosophy that values freedom and prosperity.
- Equitianism This is a collectivist philosophy that values order and justice.
- To Learn More: https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/03/a-brief-timeline-of-feudalism.html
- Tierianism This is an ethonationalist philosophy made in response to the above two that is commonly militaristic and jingoistic.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-tiers.html
- Traditionalism This grouping contains those cloying to the old kingdoms and feudal systems that are slowly but surely dying out.
The Divine
The world contains multiple religions, prominent ones being:
- The Pentaphany The Epiphany of the Five that supposes that there are five true gods and all others are facets of those gods. Those gods being:
- Sothe, the God of Death, he who defends natural death and directs the afterlife.
- Liestra, the God of Life, the patron mother of fertility, farmers, and healing.
- Prythe, the God of Law, the great judge of justice and punishment
- Alar, the God of War, the lord of battle and just war.
- Astres, the God of Stars, the watcher of craftsmen, travelers, explorers, and keeper of knowledge.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-pentaphany.html
- The Temple of the Twins The religion worshipping the twin gods Dhaegoth and Vhaegoth who are prominent in Urkain culture.
- Hekanism Which describes a group of religions and traditions that draw upon the energy of Heka which is given by those between spaces such as kami and faeries.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/03/hagswoods-and-covens.html
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-deities.html
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/04/anima.html
Anathema: The Ascended
Beings occupying a demi-god like state exist that can serve as active patrons to their followers and worshippers. These include:
- The Woehltriv Archdevils which seek to leech off of society and control it. Archdevils include:
- The Crone Queen, the self-proclaimed queen of witches that delights in sacrifice and witches brews.
- The Crossroads King, he who is the greatest dealer and gambler of all time that grants wishes at a price.
- The Prince of Lies, he who twists others around his finger using his silver tongue.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/02/devil-worship.html
- The Woehltan Archdemons which seek naught but to discharge their strength.
- Veq, the Plaguebearer who delights in the spread of pestilence.
- The Oni King, an archdemon of blood and slaughter that lets his demons run wild in the world.
- The Living Saints Prominent figures that ascended in life and gifted their followers with power.
- Saint Bromae, devoted to the god of war in life and now continues his god's holy work in smashing apart the enemies of civilization.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/07/audovauld-bromae-of-lorcilly-patron.html
- Kunan, the messiah of Wakunan that taught self-control. She protects her people and followers through her patronage.
Contractors
The equivalent of heroes and adventurers in other lands, contractors include errant knights, traveling paladins, wandering mercenaries, and other specialists willing to ply their trade for coin and rewards. Contractors can find quests posted on quest boards or given to them personally and are paid to scout areas, clear passages, defend settlements, and more.
Contractor groups include:
- Exceldius A contractor guild built by former mercenaries, Exceldius has seen franchises across the world and any aspiring adventurer would benefit from its many services and amenities found in its halls.
- Gravemarkers A religious militant organization of wandering paladins dedicated to the god of death. They use large blessed scythes and armor to strike down the unholy.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-chantry-of-sothe.html
- The Gold Company A contractor guild that directly answers to the Thralish Supreme Chancellor that acts in their nation's name abroad.
The Energies
There are multiple energies that allow their users powers, spells, and other special effects based upon their special properties. These energies include:
- Aeth Mastery of this radiating ethereal energy that blankets the world allows the use of spells.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/06/magic-magic-blooded-and-magitek.html
- Will Bestowed upon those of great faith to allow them miracles.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-deities.html
- Kah The energy of life that strengthens the body and allows fearsome powers.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/03/kah-and-gurps-monk-template.html
- Heka This energy is a special mixture of Aeth and Will that is given by supernatural beings.
- Shi The energy of unlife that comprises of corrupted Kah that powers the undead.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-undead-creatures-of-shi.html
- Woehl The energy of the tithing realms drawn from sacrificed souls and the patronage of the unholy masters that dwell in those places.
- https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/02/devil-worship.html
Other Settings within Kyr and ROF
Maxim of Steel A dungeon crawler and Fallout/STALKER/Wild-West inspired mashup.
https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-maxim-of-steel.html
https://riddleofflame.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-maxim-of-steel.html
Gothica A Lovecraftian and Deadlands-like Weird Americana-like setting.
No comments:
Post a Comment