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kismet_s_guide_to_the_setting_of_sundering_shadows [2023/02/02 20:55]
kismet [The History of Sundering Shadows] 		kismet_s_guide_to_the_setting_of_sundering_shadows [2025/01/18 18:59] (current)
titania
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 Sundering Shadows has a large established world and an even larger continent that is not yet coded. These [[mainland_map|maps]] of the mainland and the known [[island_map|islands]] show you the most important regions in the coded world.  Sundering Shadows has a large established world and an even larger continent that is not yet coded. These [[mainland_map|maps]] of the mainland and the known [[island_map|islands]] show you the most important regions in the coded world. 
  
-Generally speaking, a Kingdom's jurisdiction reaches a few miles outside the walls of its main city, up to the last farm that pays their allegiances to it. The roads are considered somewhat safe for travelers, but bandits have been known to frequent the main trade routes. The forests, hills, and mountains, however, are riddled with beasts and should be explored with care. A city is unlikely to investigate a crime committed outside its area of influence unless the victim is of some importance to the authorities. Normally, such investigations fall to temples and other organizations. +A Kingdom's jurisdiction reaches a few miles outside the walls of its main city, up to the last farm that pays  allegiances to it. The roads are considered somewhat safe for travelers, but bandits have been known to frequent the main trade routes. The forests, hills, and mountains, however, are riddled with beasts and should be explored with care. A city is unlikely to investigate a crime committed outside its area of influence unless the victim is of some importance to the authorities. Normally, such investigations fall to temples and other organizations.
- +
-The rules within each city vary, but most will have a sign set up at their main gates listing the important ones. Among the actions most commonly considered crimes are: Murder, assault, thievery, property damage, using offensive and/or dangerous magic, wielding weapons and displaying tools most often associated with thieves (lockpicks, etc.), and assuming a dangerous form, such as a dragon, wolf, bear, weretiger, etc. +
- +
-Note that most of these crimes aren't hard-coded. Unless an actual fight occurs, your avatars won't know you've broken the law. We ask you to consider the setting and your character when entering a city and think logically about things. Your character may not care about the law, but how would the guards react if a werewolf with whirling swords surrounding it suddenly stalked into town wielding twin battleaxes? Would they attack? Ask it to leave? Runaway? Likewise, if you see someone doing this, react accordingly to help increase immersion.  If an avatar is available, you could use the //<thought>// command to let us know if you see something that the world should react to.+
  
 +The rules within each city vary, but most will have a sign set up at their main gates listing the important ones. Among the actions most commonly considered crimes are: Murder, assault, thievery, property damage, using offensive and/or dangerous magic, using necromancy to create undead, wielding weapons, displaying thief tools (lockpicks, etc.), and assuming a dangerous form, such as a dragon, wolf, bear, weretiger, etc.
  
 +Note that most of these crimes aren't hard-coded. Unless an actual fight occurs, your avatars won't know you've broken the law. We ask you to consider the setting and your character when entering a city and think logically about things. Your character may not care about the law, but how would the guards react if a werewolf with whirling swords surrounding it suddenly stalked into town wielding twin battleaxes? Would they attack? Ask it to leave? Run away? Likewise, if you see someone doing this, react accordingly to help increase immersion.
  
 +If an avatar is available, you could use the //<thought>// command to let us know if you see something that the world should react to.
 ===== Magic, religion, and technology ===== ===== Magic, religion, and technology =====
  
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 Given this reliance on magic, the advancement of technology has been slow, and in most cases, technology has a magic component. Examples of this include running water, clockwork toys and one known early-model version of a spelljammer. The recent decade has seen the rapid progression of technology, with the introduction of pistols and more advanced clockwork/steam-powered engines. As such, the pre-industrial era of the late 1600s is a good real-world frame of reference. Given this reliance on magic, the advancement of technology has been slow, and in most cases, technology has a magic component. Examples of this include running water, clockwork toys and one known early-model version of a spelljammer. The recent decade has seen the rapid progression of technology, with the introduction of pistols and more advanced clockwork/steam-powered engines. As such, the pre-industrial era of the late 1600s is a good real-world frame of reference.
  
 +===The Afterlife===
 +
 +The Goddess Lysara governs the afterlife. Every sentient being that dies passes through her halls for judgement. While nobody truly knows what lies beyond the veil, most scholars agree on the following: The faithful may be sent to rest in the halls of their gods, while the faithless are may be sentenced to what is known as the Wall of the Dead, a dark and desolate place of loneliness and torment.
 +
 +===Necromancy and Taboo Powers===
 +
 +Some types of magic are considered especially evil and heinous. They are marked with the word "Taboo" in their help files in game. Using these spells may cause your character to be shunned by society and even other players.
 +The most hated of these taboo practices is the use of necromancy to create undead creatures. The undead are a mockery of nature that corrupts and destroys every living and natural thing around them. Vast areas of the world are laid in ruin due to the continued presence of these monsters. Many scholars claim that to create an undead, the necromancer reaches out into the afterlife and steals the soul of a deceased person to power their creations. The soul is severely harmed in the process and may even be destroyed.
 +
 +Lysara’s church and many other faiths abhor the creation of undead, so to summon undead is to risk your very soul. New players especially should be careful about choosing this path, as they will be shunned in most cities and possibly hunted by other players.
 ===== The History of Sundering Shadows ===== ===== The History of Sundering Shadows =====
  
 The [[timeline_of_events|history of Sundering Shadows]] is marked by the many brave adventurers and villains who have inhabited it through the years. It is riddled with war, dragons, demons, allegiances, gods, destruction, and renewal. The faith of the world has hung in the balance many times, but the forces of good have always prevailed. Thus far. The [[timeline_of_events|history of Sundering Shadows]] is marked by the many brave adventurers and villains who have inhabited it through the years. It is riddled with war, dragons, demons, allegiances, gods, destruction, and renewal. The faith of the world has hung in the balance many times, but the forces of good have always prevailed. Thus far.
  
-In recent years, a few events have had such world-reaching consequences that they would be widely known. The Long Night of 751 SG was particularly hard, and it is estimated that half the world's population perished. Nobody lived through these decades unscathed. How did they affect your character and their family?+In recent years, a few events have had such world-reaching consequences that they would be widely known. The worst of these events was The Long Night, when the darkness of Ashra consumed the world and blocked out the sun for an entire year. It is estimated that the world lost half its population during these trying decades, and nobody lived through them unscathed. 
 + 
 +Please read [[world history]] and consider how these events have affected your character and their families.
  
-=== The First elemental storm, 736 SG ===+=== The First Elemental Storm, 736 SG ===
  
 [[geography|The Darkwood and Dagger regions]] are plagued by seasons of abnormal weather, which would later be known as the First Elemental Storm. An excruciatingly hot summer gives way to winter so cold it freezes even the vast Shadow desert and the seashore beyond. Food is in short supply and the situation becomes desperate. An entity known as Ryorik is rumored to be the cause of the storm. The weather becomes increasingly more unstable until one night, the storms are silenced by the song of a bard and a wedding, known as Ryorik's Wedding. [[geography|The Darkwood and Dagger regions]] are plagued by seasons of abnormal weather, which would later be known as the First Elemental Storm. An excruciatingly hot summer gives way to winter so cold it freezes even the vast Shadow desert and the seashore beyond. Food is in short supply and the situation becomes desperate. An entity known as Ryorik is rumored to be the cause of the storm. The weather becomes increasingly more unstable until one night, the storms are silenced by the song of a bard and a wedding, known as Ryorik's Wedding.
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 === The Silence, 737 SG === === The Silence, 737 SG ===
  
-[[kismet|Kismet]], ancient goddess of knowledge, breaks free of her imprisonment in the Shadow Gate, and in her rage throws all other deities down to earth. The deities, stripped of their divinity, gather their faithful and many battles are fought. The old gods die or disappear, giving rise to [[pantheon|the current pantheon]]. It is known as the Silence, for during this time all prayers go unanswered, and the clerics of the realm have no power.+[[kismet|Kismet]], ancient goddess of knowledge, breaks free of her imprisonment in the Shadow Gate, and in her rage throws all other deities down to earth. The deities, stripped of their divinity, gather their faithful and many battles are fought. [[The old gods]] die or disappear, giving rise to [[pantheon|the current pantheon]]. It is known as the Silence, for during this time all prayers go unanswered, and the clerics of the realm have no power.
  
 === The Second Elemental Storm, 738 SG === === The Second Elemental Storm, 738 SG ===
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 === Edea Awakened, 751 SG === === Edea Awakened, 751 SG ===
  
-On Autumnstime 8th, 751 SG, four artifacts known as The Elemental Hearts are united at the base of the World Tree. Their combined power tames the elemental storm and awakens [[edea|Edea, Celestial Light]]. She rises to battle her dark sister Ashra and her presence ends the eternal light, restoring the balance of night and day. The deities [[seija|Seija]] and [[khyron|Khyron]] are born.+On Autumnstime 8th, 751 SG, four artifacts known as The Elemental Hearts are united at the base of the World Tree. Their combined power tames the elemental storm and awakens [[edea|Edea, Celestial Light]]. She rises to battle her dark sister Ashra and her presence ends the eternal night, restoring the balance of night and day. The deities [[seija|Seija]] and [[khyron|Khyron]] are born.
  
 The tribulations are not done however, as shown by [[current_events|our timeline of recent events]]. For those wishing to delve deeper into these events, books on the Silence and the Long Night can be found in [[shadow|Shadow]] Library. The tribulations are not done however, as shown by [[current_events|our timeline of recent events]]. For those wishing to delve deeper into these events, books on the Silence and the Long Night can be found in [[shadow|Shadow]] Library.
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 ===== Races and racism ===== ===== Races and racism =====
  
 +Note that Sundering Shadows still uses the term "race" from traditional D&D to distinguish between different types of creatures, but the scientific term species would be more accurate: Races on Sundering Shadows refer to different intelligent species that share a set of biological attributes and characteristics, as well as a cultural bond.
  
-Racism abounds in the world of Sundering Shadows. Your race determines your strengths, weaknesses, and in many cases your demeanor and potential allies/enemies. Racial enmity is as old as creation and it runs deep. Elves abhor orcs and drow, gnomes have a special hatred for goblins, and vice versa of course. Traditional fantasy tropes apply: Dwarves and elves are suspicious of each other but can collaborate, halflings have a tendency towards kindness and thievery, gnomes are mechanically inclined, orcs and goblins are savage, and trolls are generally dumb and like to hit people with clubs.+Racism abounds in the world of Sundering Shadows. Your race determines your strengths, weaknesses, and in many cases your demeanor and potential allies/enemies. Racial enmity is as old as creation, and it runs deep. Elves abhor orcs and drow, gnomes have a special hatred for goblins, and vice versa of course. Traditional fantasy tropes apply: Dwarves and elves are suspicious of each other but can collaborate, halflings have a tendency towards kindness and thievery, gnomes are mechanically inclined, orcs and goblins are savage, and trolls are generally dumb and like to hit people with clubs.
  
 Some animosity exists between the human ethnicities, stemming from past events. Tonovi and Antioch are in opposition, for instance, and the Morinnen and Maalish tribes have long been at odds. Additionally, half-breeds (half-elf, half-orc, etc.) and planetouched (tiefling, aasimar, genasi) are often viewed with suspicion, contempt, and/or pity. Anyone carrying the taint of an evil outsider, such as tieflings, find it hard to compete with their innate evil nature, thus giving life to the legend that all tieflings are bad. Some animosity exists between the human ethnicities, stemming from past events. Tonovi and Antioch are in opposition, for instance, and the Morinnen and Maalish tribes have long been at odds. Additionally, half-breeds (half-elf, half-orc, etc.) and planetouched (tiefling, aasimar, genasi) are often viewed with suspicion, contempt, and/or pity. Anyone carrying the taint of an evil outsider, such as tieflings, find it hard to compete with their innate evil nature, thus giving life to the legend that all tieflings are bad.
  
-Racism in the world of Sundering Shadows is structural and systematic: Beast races are banned from most civilized cities and Tonovi considers any race not human or drow as beneath them. If a crime is committed in a village, the tiefling or kitsune passing by is easily accused. In most cases, racism in this world is also a well-founded and important survival strategy: In a world where your race often determines your alignment and outlook, it is considered naïve to believe that an ogre can be anything but a man-eating monster that needs to be put down before you become its next meal. +Racism in the world of Sundering Shadows is structural and systematic: Beast races are banned from most civilized cities and Tonovi considers any race not human as beneath them. If a crime is committed in a village, the tiefling or kitsune passing by is easily accused. In most cases, racism in this world is also a well-founded and important survival strategy: In a world where your race often determines your alignment and outlook, it is considered naïve to believe that an ogre can be anything but a man-eating monster that needs to be put down before you become its next meal. 
  
 It is important to differentiate between the game and the real world. The Sundering Shadows community is open to people of all ethnicities and real-life racism in any form is not allowed or supported. Similarly, real-life racial slurs have no place in a fantasy setting. It is important to differentiate between the game and the real world. The Sundering Shadows community is open to people of all ethnicities and real-life racism in any form is not allowed or supported. Similarly, real-life racial slurs have no place in a fantasy setting.
kismet_s_guide_to_the_setting_of_sundering_shadows.1675371316.txt.gz · Last modified: 2023/02/02 20:55 by kismet

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