SoBG Lore

SEAS OF BLOOD AND GLORY - LORE PASTEBIN

RACES

Human - The most prolific race among the Colonial Powers, the humans originated on the continent of Meridia.  Through their industriousness, cunning and resourcefulness they have built grand societies and powerful nations, and the fact that the human nations are leagues ahead of most other regions of the world in terms of technology, military prowess, seafaring capabilities and administrative organization is a testament to their ingenuity and prowess.

Dwarf - The dwarves are a short, hairy, stocky, industrious and brave race of people living on the island of Camlann, now under the dominion of Barthelonia.  Though they are loud, brash, and prone to alcoholism, no one can doubt the ability of the dwarves of Camlann to work metal and turn it into magnificent works of art.  Physically, the dwarves are just shorter, stockier humans, which means that among all the "other" races they are the most tolerated (and even admired by many) in human societies.  However, they differ somewhat from the traditional human in that they almost always have bright red hair and bushy beards, and their tendency to imbibe copious amounts of alcohol has caused their gastrointestinal systems to evolve rapidly to cope, resulting in superior intestinal fortitude and the ability to drink any human under the table with ease along with even the ability to stomach milder poisons.  The dwarves are devout worshippers of Solarianism, perhaps even moreso than most humans, even despite the fact that many of their cities, including their former capital Eldin Baragh, are carved into the rocky mountains of the Camlish Highlands.

Elf - Originating in the eastern reaches of Meridia, the Elves primarily reside in the forested kingdom of Slava, but occasionally they choose to abandon life in the woods to live amongst the humans.  The elves are a wise race, on par with humans, though their preference for nature leaves them technologically underdeveloped.  Appearance-wise, the elves look practically the same as humans, although they are often lankier and thinner than humans, and they possess their trademark pointed ears which are the biggest indicator of their elfhood.  Additionally the elves possess a curious weakness in that they develop a severe allergic reaction when they come into contact with unforged iron ore.  Still they make up for this in the sense that they are quicker and more dexterous than most humans, making them excellent at jobs that require a high degree of precision and speed alike. The elves are tolerated enough in human society, although most note that they are a bit "wilder" and they don't always conform to human traditions and norms, meaning that they often find themselves in trouble.

Vampires - The vampires of Aztlan, children of the twisted god Camazotz, appear as humanoid creatures with long, gangly limbs, deathly pale or grey skin and gaunt facial features.  They are undead, meaning that they can only be killed by having their hearts pierced or removed or by having their heads cut off.  They also do not age, although they require a regular supply of blood to keep themselves alive, in addition to normal food.  They also have fangs characteristic of a vampire's from which they consume their blood, though in most cases they are longer than the stereotypical vampire's fangs and protrude from the mouth slightly, which makes it much harder for vampires to conceal their race.  Occasionally there are instances of more animalistic variants born with patches of fur and wing-like vestiges reminiscent of bat wings that can carry the vampire short distances but these wings won't allow them to fly for long periods of time.  These batlike vampires are very rare and those that do exist are often in positions of leadership or nobility.

Beastmen - The beastmen of Ixtlan take the form of humanoid animals of various kinds as a result of the supposed experiments of Xolotl.  They are strange amalgamations which have some features of men and some features of beasts.  There are beastmen of all types - gnolls, jaguar men, snakemen, wolfmen, lizardmen, and even a few eagle and bird men.  Discuss with me about options if you want to play one of these.

Giants - The giants of Cazca resemble massive humans which typically average about 10 feet tall and are covered in muscle.  The giants are indeed known for their great strength, as even a child of a giant can beat a human in a contest of skill.  While the giants of Cazca are known for their craftsmanship and skill with things like construction and stoneworking, they are a simple race and have less brainpower when it comes to things like math, science, philosophy and other complex topics.  Physiologically, along with being tall, giants also have very rough, almost rocklike skin, but this means that they can't swim and will most likely drown if they end up in open water.  As a result they typically avoid the sea and have a strong aversion to deep water.  Still, on land they are a force to be reckoned with.

Centaurs - The centaurs that rule over much of North Emmerica as part of the Onondaga Tribal Union have the lower body of a horse combined with the upper body of a man.  As a result of this combination they are both stunningly fast and strong, making natural cavalry.  The centaurs are also blessed with good eyesight, making them into skilled and talented archers and (if they manage to acquire a firearm) marksmen.  The centaurs all have a natural wanderlust, which means that most are constantly migrating from place to place, although a few have simple villages and the like.

Orcs - The orcs of the Tarawak Horde are strong, green skinned humanoids with bestial facial features such as long, protruding teeth and muscular physiques from years of infighting and coastal raiding of villages in Aztlan and Ixtlan.  They are dull but violent creatures, and are prone to killing over the slightest offense.  They also are known for their ability to eat nearly any meat, from fish to rotten corpses to other humanoids to even each other.  Truly a barbaric race.

Hobgoblins - The hobgoblins of Baharuk exist in the New World primarily as slaves in the various colonies of the Colonial Powers.  They are reminiscent of orcs in many ways, sharing their green skin and burly physiques, but having longer, ganglier limbs and long, pointed noses.  They are mostly stupid and subservient creatures, although they occasionally revolt or try to escape their masters.  While smart hobgoblins do exist, they are generally few in number and do not end up in the slave trade and therefore don't end up in the new world.

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NATIONS

COLONIAL POWERS

United Kingdom of Barthelonia and Camlann
Real-world equivalent: Great Britain
Race(s): Mostly human with a minority of dwarves living in Camlann
Religion: Solarian Reformism
Current ruler: King Edward II
Fluff: The United Kingdom of Barthelonia and Camlann is a country made up of two islands just off the northwest coast of Meridia.  While originally they were two countries - the humans of Barthelonia who came from the Meridian mainland and the dwarves of Camlann who are natives to the isles, the recent conquest of Camlann by Barthelonia has united the two countries.  While most have come to the conclusion that this new arrangement is generally beneficial to both parties, as both islands have generally gotten richer and more powerful since they became united, there is still a sizable faction of separatists amongst the dwarves who belong to the "Dwexit" movement who believe that the dwarves should be ruled by the dwarves and the humans should get the fhark off their island.  Unfortunately for the Dwexit dwarves they are still too few in number and resources to enact any meaningful change beyond causing chaos in various terrorist uprisings, but they do try to at least hold the Barthelonians' feet to the fire.  Barthelonia is a recent addition to the Colonial Powers, although their fleets are mighty and well-supplied by the wealthy Barthelonian nobles and Camlann's resources and craftsdwarfship.

Kingdom of Francisca
Real-world equivalent: France
Race(s): Mostly human with a small minority of elves
Religion: Praetorian Solar Congregation with pockets of Solarian Reformism
Current ruler: King Beauregard XVII
Fluff: The Kingdom of Francisca has long been an important player in the affairs of Meridia, as it is one of the largest nations on the Meridian mainland and a major population center as well.  The lands of Francisca are fertile and fruitful, giving rise to famous vineyards which produce some of the finest wine in Meridia.  The Franciscans also have a proud artists' tradition, and are no strangers to war either, being fresh off their victory in the Fifty Years' War with Barthelonia which resulted in the Barthelonians being pushed off the Meridian mainland.  The Franciscans gained a large amount of wealth as spoils from this war, and are now seeking to use this newfound wealth along with the sizable amounts of riches they already own to fuel their expansion into the New World.
Starting Relations: Barthelonia (Truce - 5 turns, +0 until truce ends), Tortugal (Friendly, +1), Vancia (Friendly, +1), Castellos (Wary, -1), Onondaga (Hostile, -3), Tarawaks (Hostile, -3), Aztlan (Wary, -1), everyone else (Neutral, +0)

Castellonian Empire
Real-world equivalent: Spain
Race(s): Human
Religion: Praetorian Solar Congregation
Current ruler: Empress Valentina de Trastobal
Fluff: The Castellonian Empire's history began in the fires of war, faith and glory as the Solarian Reconquista pushed the last remnants of the Maar tribe of goblins out of the Ithmerian Peninsula and back to the deserts of the continent of Baharuk to the south.  Once the Reconquista had ended, the various kingdoms that formed in the newly conquered lands were united by the great hero Santiago de Leon under the banner of Castellos.  The Castellonians are a fanatically zealous people, perhaps the most religious nation in all of Meridia and definitely the most unquestioningly faithful supporters of the Praetorian Solar Congregation.  The Castellonians flaunt their warrior tradition proudly through events like bullfighting and fencing, and the brave Castellonian Tercios are among the most feared and respected warriors in Meridia.  It was the Castellonians who funded the fateful voyage of Saint Emmeric and it was the Castellonians who first established themselves in the new world on their neverending quest for wealth, glory and the spreading of the Solarian faith to the unenlightened savages of the new world.  As a result the Castellonians are definitely the most established nation in the New World, with the Viceroyalty of Nueva Castellos being a bastion of Meridian influence.  However, their rapid expansion draws ire from the other colonial powers minus their close ally Tortugal, who would seek to check the growth of this mighty power if given the opportunity, and their conquistadors are currently in an ongoing war with the Aztlan Empire in their lust for Aztlan treasures and riches.

Grand Duchy of Tortugal
Real-world equivalent: Portugal
Race(s): Human with elven minority
Religion: Praetorian Solar Congregation
Current ruler: Archduke Bartolomeo I
Fluff: The Grand Duchy of Tortugal is a small but wealthy nation, occupying a strip of land on the Ithmerian Peninsula along with the Castellonian Empire.  The Grand Duchy of Tortugal is known far and wide for its proud seafaring tradition, and many of the finest navigators and captains throughout Meridia are trained in the prestigious Seafaring Academy of Prince Marco the Navigator.  Like their Castellonian contemporaries they first travelled to the New World in search of treasure and to spread the Solarian faith, but generally haven't found the success of the Castellonians except in the continent of South Emmerica which they are credited with discovering.  The port of Rio de Dezembro is the only Meridian city on the continent and is a center of Tortugal's influence on the continent, but the settlement has drawn the ire of the warlike giants of Cazca.  Now the Tortuguese have mustered their forces and sent their proud warriors to try and thwart the Cazcan menace and claim the continent of South Emmerica for themselves.  Will they be successful?

Republic of Hallandaine
Real-world equivalent: Netherlands
Race(s): Human with elven minority
Religion: Solar Reformism
Current ruler: Prince Berend of Oranje
Fluff: The Republic of Hallandaine is a small nation situated to the north of Francisca and across the Barthelonian Channel from the isles of Barthelonia and Camlann.  Hallandaine is a land known for its low, rolling plains, fields of tulips and flowers, and spinning windmills standing watch over sprawling grain fields.  Though they have only recently begun their explorations and colonization of the new world, they have already established many fruitful colonies in New Amstel and Friedrichsburg where they have set up wealthy trade nodes which bring riches and many fine commodities back to the homeland.  Though Hallandaine strives to be a neutral power in terms of their relations with the Colonial Powers, believing that maintaining amicable relations with all parties and acting as a middleman between them will inevitably lead to wealth and power, their neutrality and peacefulness is tested by the onslaught of Aztlanic, Tarawak and Onondaga raids, leading the Hallandese to sound out the call for brave mercenaries of all nations to defend them from these threats and even help secure more territory for the glory of Hallandaine.  In return the Hallandese promise riches, fame and possibly even parcels of land to own for themselves in the new world.

Merchant Republic of Vancia
Real-world equivalent: Venice
Race(s): Human with elven minority
Religion: Praetorian Solar Congregation
Current ruler: Doge Vittorio Maestropierro
Fluff: The Merchant Republic of Vancia is a small nation but without a doubt the wealthiest in all of Meridia.  For centuries before the discovery of the New World the merchants of Vancia had been growing wealthy and powerful off trade with the eastern continent of Adria and had amassed a wide variety of treasures from the Orient, including silk and spices.  Vancia is an incredibly beautiful city full of canals with gondolas which take people from place to place, masterful architecture the likes of which aren't seen anywhere else, and some of the most renowned paintings and sculptures in the world.  However, while Vancia once had a sizable empire, its military power has waned in recent years, and it is now just a city-state in the Italician Peninsula vying for control against the multitude of other Italician city-states.  Still, the merchants of Vancia could not pass up on the promise of riches from the New World, and have established a lone colony in the city of San Torino.  It is here that wealthy individuals of the New World may travel to in order to find and purchase valuable spices, heirloom antiques and marvelous contraptions from the Orient.

NATIVE POWERS

Empire of Aztlan
Real-world equivalent: Aztecs
Race(s): Vampires with human and beastman thralls
Religion: Aztlanic Pantheon
Current ruler: Ahuitzotl
Fluff: The Empire of Aztlan is one ruled by the vampires of Aztlan, the children of the dark god Camazotz and practitioners of dark and forbidden magics.  Aztlan's cities are dominated by massive terraced pyramids from which the various rituals to the dark god take place.  It is said that every month on days before the moon is at its fullest, the staircases running up the sides of the pyramids become soaked in torrents of blood as those being sacrificed are beheaded and their bodies are sent rolling down the steep staircases for the masses at the bottom to feast upon.  When night comes, the remains of the bodies are reanimated to become thralls to the vampires, eternal slaves without minds of their own, whose only purpose is to serve.  The people of Aztlan are perhaps the most civilized of the Native Powers, having developed advanced calendars to accommodate to their schedules of sacrifices as well as their advanced knowledge of agriculture.  They also have advanced mathematical formulas and a strong grasp of architecture.  However, the Aztlanic people's greatest weakness is their inability to develop ironworking, as they're forced to use nonmetal armor and swords called macuahuitls made of shards of obsidian rather than steel.  Still, they are able to make up for this with their magical prowess and legions of undead followers, as demonstrated by the ability to repel many Castellonian invasions.  The Aztlanic people have a distaste for the living, and have no problem taking beastmen, giants, orcs and more recently humans as slaves for labor and for sacrifice alike.

Ixtlub Confederacy
Real-world equivalent: Mayans
Race(s): Beastmen
Religion: Aztlanic Pantheon
Current ruler: Ixtlub Tribal Council
Fluff: The Ixtlub Confederacy is an alliance of the beastman tribes of Ixtlan in the interest of defense and self-preservation against the marauding Tarawak Horde and also the recent invasions of Aztlanic slavers.  The cultures of the Aztlanic and Ixtlub peoples are nearly identical, from their arts to their architecture to their knowledge of science, giving hints that these two nations were once much more closely intertwined with each other.  The Ixtlub also practice magic, although it is much less powerful than Aztlanic magic and generally focuses more on nature than on death and darkness.  The Ixtlub, unlike their Aztlanic kin, are lovers of sport and have many games played in ornate courts which draw large crowds.  However, the concept of sportsmanship is generally unheard of amongst the Ixtlub, as the losing team is usually taken to the altar to be sacrificed.  As a whole, the Ixtlub people are wary of the intentions of outsiders, especially the more recent arrivals, but are generally much more amicable than their Aztlanic kin.  They have a strong alliance with the Cazcans, as both can admire each other's strength and tenacity.

Tarawak Horde
Real-world equivalent: Caribs/Taino/Arawak/island cannibals
Race(s): Orcs
Religion: Loosely-defined tribal animism
Current ruler: Various local warlords
Fluff: The Tarawak Horde is the current scourge of Canis Bay, infesting the tropical jungles and making anyone unfortunate enough to be caught by them into their next meal.  The Tarawak Horde has no real unity or structure, instead adopting rule by the strong as their maxim.  As a result each settlement usually has their own warlords, and they have no problem fighting each other or anyone else who gets in their way.  Only a mighty and strong orc could hope to properly unify the Tarawaks into a proper fighting force, in which case they would be an extremely difficult adversary by sheer virtue of their strength and numbers, but fortunately no such great leader has come about yet.

Cazcan Empire
Real-world equivalent: Incas
Race(s): Giants
Religion: Aztlanic Pantheon
Current Ruler: Tayahualpa
Fluff: The giants of Cazca were once the uncontested rulers of South Emmerica, before the Tortuguese arrived in their colony of Rio de Dezembro.  The Cazcans make their home high in the tall mountains on the western portion of the continent, although there are some low-lying villages in the thick jungles of the eastern portion as well.  The giants value strength above all else, and venerate their lord Huayascar as their creators and lord of war.  The Cazcans are gifted agriculturalists, owing to the need to feed their hulking bodies, and are able to make the most of their mountainous terrain by utilizing terrace farming to their advantage.  They also are skilled city builders, building their cities high atop the peaks of the mountains they inhabit.  Unfortunately, the giants fear deep water, which cripples their ability to leave the continent via boats and the like.  Recently, however, they have been beset by invaders from the sea - orcs, humans and even vampires, leading them to abandon their wars against each other and unify as one empire against the outsiders who would seek to destroy their way of life.

Onondaga Tribal Union
Real-world equivalent: Iroquois/Creek/Choctaw
Race(s): Centaurs
Religion: Onondaga Animism
Current ruler: Chief Skenandoa
Fluff: The Onondaga Tribal Union was once made up of several tribes that were constantly at war with one another.  They fought over land, hunting grounds, water, resources and more until one man, known as Hyawasa, united the tribes as one.  Although they do have villages and cities, these settlements are not permanent and move quite frequently whenever the centaurs' collective wanderlust overtakes them.  Thus they frequently get into conflicts with the Colonial Powers when they unintentionally or intentionally enter their territory.  These run-ins have led to the Onondaga developing a deep distrust for these new outsiders, who they think would seek to change their lifestyle and adopt their loathsome sedentary lives.  The Onondaga Tribal Union has a proud warrior tradition, but unfortunately they are woefully underdeveloped due to their constant propensity to move and their respect for the land which has caused them to put things like metalworking by the wayside.

OTHER POWERS

The Free Cities
Real-world equivalent: Pirate dens like Tortuga/Port Royal
Race(s): Varies
Religion: None
Current ruler: No one, aside from perhaps some criminal gangs which keep some modicum of order when they're not killing each other
Fluff: The age following the discovery of the new world saw a grand rebirth in the practice of piracy.  As wealth-laden ships began to travel from the Emmericas to Meridia and to other destinations, the ever-opportunistic pirates followed them, preying on the weak and unprepared and appropriating their wealth for their own debauched purposes.  Every nation hates the existence of the free cities, as they are rats' nests where the most unsavory criminals escape justice, and many nations have taken the initiative to attack these cities and burn them to the ground, yet somehow they still keep popping up.  For a pirate or criminal, these cities are bastions of safety in a world that wants pirates dead.

OUTSIDE LOCATIONS (Note that you can't owe allegiance to these places as they have no presence in the New World)

Baharuk, the Dark Continent
Real-world equivalent: Africa
Race(s): Goblins and hobgoblins
Fluff: The lands of Baharuk are largely still a mystery, as Meridians have only explored the coastal areas as of yet.  The north of the continent is covered by an inhospitable desert inhabited by roving bands of sand goblins and sand goblin sultanates while the south is a thick and inpenetrable jungle full of dangerous creatures where tribes of hobgoblins roam.  The continent of Baharuk is primarily of interest to Meridians because of the slave trade that happens there.  Tribes of hobgoblins fight amongst each other constantly and sell their captives to the Meridians as slaves, who are in turn taken to the new world to begin their new lives of servitude.

The Orient
Real-world equivalent: East Asia
Race(s): Humans and gnomes
Fluff: The Orient has always been a popular destination for merchants seeking to make their fortune, particularly Vancian merchants who always have a demand for the prized silk, spices and handicrafts produced here.  While the countries of the Orient are nearly as advanced as the nations of Meridia, they have no real interest in the New World, as raids from monsters from the cold northern plains and civil wars are more than enough to completely occupy the attention of the nations of the Orient.  Still, through the Vancians, their goods and contraptions find their way westward and eventually into the new world, much to the delight of people who manage to buy these treasures.

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RELIGION:

Solarianism - Most humans, elves and dwarves worship a single religion - Solarianism.  Solarianism worships Sol Invictus, who manifests himself as the sun in the sky.  Solarianism teaches that Sol Invictus is the one true god who judges the actions of all mortals and at the end of a mortal's life he judges their actions either elevates them to the Realm of Bliss or consigns their soul to the depths of the Realm of Eternal Darkness.  Solarianism is also based on the teachings of the Messiah, the son of Sol Invictus in human form who was said to have fallen to Earth from heaven via a meteor.  As a human the Messiah walked the earth, spreading his message and founding the faith while performing miracles and helping the weak to become strong. However, one day he was captured by people tainted and consumed by shadow, and was executed.  Solarianism teaches that all men were born imperfect, filled with sin and shadow, but the Messiah, in his infinite compassion and wisdom, willingly allowed himself to be executed and in doing so formed the Solar Covenant - that in his death the Messiah redeemed the sins of humanity and thus that anyone who believes in Sol Invictus and his son and who follows their teachings faithfully may be saved.  The will of Sol Invictus is primarily carried out by the Praetorian Solar Congregation, housed in the seat of power of the legendary fallen civilization of Praetorium.  Most nations of Meridia are closely wed with the Praetorian Solar Congregation, though there are several nations of Solar Reformists who reject the Solar Congregation's interpretation of Solarianism for various reasons.

Aztlanic Pantheon - In direct contrast to Solarianism, the Aztlanic pantheon worshipped by the people of Aztlan, Ixtlan and South Emmerica consists of dark gods of night and shadow, chief amongst them being the dreaded god Camazotz, god of night, blood, sacrifices and death.  It is he who is said to have created the Aztlanic people and bestowed the gift of undeath and vampirism upon them.  The god of beasts, Xolotl, created the Ixtlub beastmen as his children, and the god of war, Hochtlipatl (called Huayascar by the Cazcan giants), created the giants of Cazca as a show of his mighty strength. Worshippers of the Aztlanic pantheon often commit acts that the Solarians find to be depraved and immoral, such as ritual sacrifice and practicing dark and cursed magics such as necromancy, meaning that the two faiths are fundamentally at odds with each other.  As a result many Solarians advocate for the genocide of followers of this twisted pantheon, although many others see them as fallen souls in need of saving and thus would rather see them converted and sanctified in the name of the Sun and Messiah.

Onondaga Animism - The centaurs of the Onondaga Confederation do not have gods but instead worship the spirits of the land and of nature.  Their faith is fairly decentralized, and most of their worship occurs through ritual and tradition.

Tarawak Animism - OIZ YOU GITZ GET OVA 'ERE DAT ROKK JUS TOLD ME TA GUT YA SO G'NITE YA SOBBIN' CUNT