Tuesday 9 October 2012

The Odd World

I've caved to peer pressure and added a page of setting information to Into the Odd. This is the first draft so all is subject to change.

The Sister States

For over a century the four largest trading states surrounding the Silver Sea have been united under the Treaty of Sisterhood. Despite this, each state remains on the edge of conflict with its neighbours. As the cities swell revolutions rise and fall at least annually.

Bastion – Hub of Mankind

With nearly a million citizens, Bastion is the largest city in the known world. Its skies are black with smoke and its streets bustling with residents from every corner of the world. Canals feed the city with trade from every direction and vast workshops produce the first examples of steam-powered transport. The Senate of Bastion see Astrals as a lurking threat to the world of man and anyone considered a threat to mankind is put to death. Ancient Catacombs beneath the city give Astral Cults a place to carry out their studies in secret.

Starfall – The Stolen City

Some credit the bizarre architecture of Starfall to one of the handful of fallen civilisations to previously occupy the city, but its many scholars claim it was built by the Astrals. Glass towers and steel pyramids house everything from factories to universities, some remaining inaccessible to even the wisest academics.

Ashen – The City of Vaults

A city feared more than any other in times of war. As well as an elite army the city is known for its Arcane Vaults that house devices of great power. As well as the Vaults, Ashen is home to the largest banks in the Sister States and the union's House of Parliament. Outside of this fortress city Ashen is a land of lakes and sparse towns, renowned for their distilleries, sudden mists and harsh winters.

Rosevine – The City of Flies

Even the vast palaces of the aristocracy swarm with flies in Rosevine. This once proud city's population has been thinned vastly by a series of plagues. The filthy living conditions of both the aristocracy and working class only encouraged such pestilence. Many survived by turning to the city's criminal underbelly for support, giving these organisations a huge amount of influence in return. In fact, many argue the Astral Church's Primarch is ruler of the city in name alone.

The Eastern Colonies

These islands are dotted with tiny settlements, most of which are colonies of the Sister States. Life here is simpler but more lawless than in the Sister States. Uprisings against colonial rule are on the increase.

The Western Mountains

A jagged mountain range hides tiny cities filled with wonder. Volcanic smoke mixes with monsoon storms and swamp mists. In parts the mountains seem to give way to blasted plains and huge craters, which are seen as sites of great Astral importance.

The Southern Kingdoms

Plains lead to desert, to sweltering jungle to near impassible swamp. Dotted amongst the feral cave cultures are great, industrialised cities. These distant kingdoms watch the amassing guns of the Sister States and hide their own forces and Arcane secrets.

The Northern Ocean

The Silver Sea feeds into the great Northern Ocean. Few explorers return and each brings a different story. Descriptions range from a brightly shining paradise and cities of Astral beings to the Ocean leading out into the void, providing passage to the stars themselves. The mysteries of the Ocean continue to draw explorers to their death. 

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