Green Flame Rising (Exalted vs Dresden Files)

30th of September 2006 A.D.

When you were a little girl, five or six, before you had all come to Chicago before Leech was even born the four of you, as it had been there went on a trip to New York what for you could not say, for you and Daniel it had been a holiday in a fun new place, you had gotten to ride the feris wheel, ate way too many hot dogs and cotton candy, thankfully after the rides, got to see the statue of liberty, from the outside at least, the Empire State Building and, while Daniel had been back at the hotel with an upset stomach from some part of all that, you can dad had visited Long Island. Looking back on it now, caught between dream and waking with emerald-tinged clarity you get the sense dad was not all that sure what to do with a six year old and so by chance you had ended up wandering past this big featureless grey building that at the time had seemed so foreboding to you that you asked if it was a prison, maybe it was the place where they put all the naughty kids that used up their last time out. Dad had asked you if you wanted do go inside. Not wanting to admit that you could possibility be scared of a building you want in.

Later you learned that it was called a camera obscura, but in that moment you could only watch in wide eyed light squeegeed through tubes and bounced off mirrors was cast onto a table where you could see the shore, the people, the trees dancing in the wind. It was kind of like TV without the sounds on, but something about the images seemed more real and more distant all at once, like watching sunlight doing circus tricks.

In the dream, and you know it is a dream as sure as you know your own name the sun is not golden-white but green, not the green of your sword, the hungering flames, but a steady even glow as though all the shadows had fled from the world and when you walk in what you see projected onto the table is not the Long Island shoreline, but permutations of power, experiences of mirrored brass and leaping flame, of living clockwork caressed by taloned hands.

So much that had eluded you is made clear, it's not touch, hearing. sight, smell and taste as Aristotle thought and the Council teaches still, those are reflections of a deeper balance: earth, water, fire, air and wood. The Elements five, the Directions four and four, life mortality at the crux. Thus you learn how to bind air into a perfect mist, to forge a mirror that sheds blows as it does light, to ward off injury, tiredness and sleep. All things that Bob had tried to explain to you, all things you have no doubt he would have succeeded in anyway, but now you simply know.

As the visions begin to fade though you start to get pissed off, you know that somewhere in the depths of memories not your own there are answers to other questions of alchemy and sorcery. So why can't is just show you all of it? you wonder with a flash of annoyance.

No voice answers you, not even Usum's. Instead as you look up the thread of emerald light you understand. Tthe light must flow through a narrow opening else it would flood in all at once and there would be nothing to project. It is the things you choose to study and the life you lead that defines what answers you will be dredging from ages long since dead,

So reassured you leave the room and the dream as quietly as you had come.

As you wake up though and run through what you had learned in your head you realize that one of the formulas is very relevant to the problem of 'not enough hours in the day' you seem to be having, as in it will give you more hours in the night. Super coffee, you know how to make super coffee. A giggle escapes you at the thought of what the dignified alchemists of yore would think of that name, you're pretty sure Bob who had the misfortune to work with three of the more ill tempered of them would be absolutely cackling, but there is a more serious question looming. Do you just make use of it occasionally or take it every six days and pry from sleep's cold talons seven more hours of wakefulness each day?

The latter does sound attractive, though explaining it to mom and dad will take some... careful thinking.

How do you use Super Coffee?

[] Once in a while (Can stay up without penalty for important events)

[] All the time (Gain 2 AP which can be used to double up on Actions with multiple AP progress)
-[] Write in explanation to your parents

[] Write in

OOC: The reason the Alchemical bonus AP has that limitation is mostly so we do not slow down the quest too much, but also there is a limit to what you can do with AP in the middle of the night and I really do not think it would be worthwhile to invent a whole new class of actions you can only do with middle of the night energy. Think of this as Molly working deep into the night at whatever her long term project is.

THE COMING OF THE GODDESS

Ivan worked the fields, growing crops to feed his family. He had worked the same lands that his father did before him, as did his grand da before that and so on. Generations of his family members have tilled the soil of these harsh and cruel lands and generations more to come would do so.

Yet, there was a difference. Many things had changed since the coming of the new Goddess.

Before, the question of worship had never truly been a thing. The false Gods had never truly answered any of his family's prayers. You could scream at the sky till your face turned blue and still nothing would happen. The false Gods might as well as been a bunch of deaf mutes for all Ivan cared.

Thus for generations, his family had largely followed the false Gods of whatever Cleric came by and quickly converted when the next came. This way, generations had passed until the Goddess came into their lives.

At first, they had thought that the Goddess was just another false God. One whose clerics demanded worship and stood by uncaring about the fate of the other worshipers. Then Ivan and his family had personally experienced the miracle of the Goddess. Thus at that moment, they had found their Goddess and everything had changed.

In many ways, things remained the same. The Goddess still had not granted them their wishes. No, the Goddess was a smart and instead protected them from death itself so that they may learn from their experiences. Instead of miracles, she granted them knowledge and capacity to aide themselves. That is not to say that she had not granted them blessings or such. Ivan still marveled at how clear his mind had become after coming back from the dead and at how strong he had become. So many things had become easier for him and his family since that day.

They still worked their farms but now things had changed. Now people returned from the dead, healed, if not in mind, then in body. This ensured that the knowledge and experience they gained would not be forgotten and instead would be spread and passed on.

The knowledge of even if they would get sick, they would not die or rather would return from the dead did wonders to morale. Ivan smiled at the main reason why he had stayed loyal to the Goddess. Before only one out of four children made it to adulthood. Ivan still remembered with pain about his brothers and sisters, none of whom were alive. Dead to the cold, hunger, disease, and wild animals.

The worst was perhaps dying to disease. Ivan still shuddered at how his father had taken one of his brothers who had fallen ill into the woods during winter. Hours had gone by and his father had returned with blood stains on his jacket, grim faced and did not even look at them as he entered his bedroom.

It was only later that Ivan understood what had happened. To prevent the sickness from spreading, his father had taken his dying brother and given him a quick death. Ivan wanted to hate his father for this but could not. It was far more humane than what others did. At least his father had not left his brother to die slowly in the forest either to the elements or the animals.

But now? No sons and daughters of his would suffer such a fate. For the first time, there was hope. Hope for a better future and not one dependent on the whims of a fickle being but one built on their own two hands. The Goddess had given them a great gift leaving it up to them to use it and Ivan swore that he would do so.

Many prayed to the Goddess for granting them power, glory and honor, but Ivan and his family prayed to the Goddess for granting them the knowledge to live a good life.​

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AVALON – THE EVER-DISTANT UTOPIA

Avalon is a city unlike no other, for it is the size of a continent and is located at the Centre of Mu. Avalon was the seed around which the Mu accreted. The city is a nightmare of brass, lights and darkness. Where the sun sets, it is lit by vast coruscating arcs of electricity, or the roaring flames of the Furnaces, or the weird glow of luminous minerals.

The walls of the city are brass and steel, hard-edged and unforgiving. The city comprises of countless miles of tunnels and corridors and crawlspaces, dotted with recessed chambers and foundries and maintenance docks in areas where it borders the acidic sea.

Sometimes catwalks and open floors make travel easy, but more often braided cables sprawl across the ground, conduits are stapled to walls and ceilings in thick bundles, brass plugs protrude from the floor to knee-height and valves from the ceiling at eye level, all at irregular intervals.

Where it is not dangerously cramped, Avalon may open up to reveal cyclopean vistas—iron canyons which stretch for hundreds of miles, vanishing into darkness even under exposure to the most powerful lamps or anima flares. Open wells may run for leagues, traversable only by narrow stairs built into the walls, or by ladders, or by no obvious means at all, forcing explorers to climb or seek another route.

The city is never silent, forever marked by the sounds of industry. For technology forms the hardened shell and magic flowing in the wind, forms the power.

The city at the Centre of the world acts as the teleportation hub that facilitates the existence of all other cities and kingdoms in Mu.

Before the creation of the teleportation network, communication between separate Kingdoms and cities was difficult due to the constant threat of the monsters, as messages had to be delivered through physical means, such as railroad couriers.​

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HISTORY OF AVALON

Avalon is a city that has seemingly come into existence since the very beginning. The oldest records show that Avalon existed long before the first man or devil took their first breath.

Avalon is the first and last bastion of Mu. It is from Avalon that the colonists venture out to claim the four directions and it is to Avalon that they return, if they survive.

It is a land of steel and is endless in its supply, the metals seemingly just growing out of the walls. The mines of Avalon, first dug millennia ago have yet to run out. Even the oldest mines are still operational.

However, this abundance of metals has resulted in a scarcity of arid land. Indeed, the continental sized Avalon has a severe lack of crop growing lands. Though effort has been made to create green houses, throughout its history, Avalon has had numerous famines, riots and dissent.

Avalon has always been ruled by a counsel and will always be ruled by a counsel. Home to the only people whose technological capacity stands not only comparable to Modern earth but noticeably advanced, the inhabitants of Avalon are also unique among the people of Mu in that they do not sail the seas, they do not hunt or raid, for conquest is not in their nature. As laid down in the Ancient Pact Citizens of Avalon are the sole source of metalwork to the people of the four directions baring the few Mountain halls in the North that are still colonized.

Before the advent of teleportation, every season vast fleets of landships will risk the torturous and nearly suicidal journeys to the various settlements. Though crude in the extreme compared to Avalon's military technology, these landships and weapons are nevertheless more than powerful enough to deter even the most hot-headed raider or monster from trying to steal the goods contained within.

Once the Landship arrived, the tribesmen of the four directions trade furs, salted meats and other goods for precious steel axe and spear blades, far superior weapons to the stone and bone the tribes are otherwise forced to use.​

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CULTURE OF AVALON

The people of Avalon believe on the concepts of dharma and karma. Ahimsa, the philosophy of nonviolence, is an important aspect of their faiths. However, non-violence does not equate to pacificism. For while they do not strike the first blow, they have no problems striking the final blow. As such they frequently employ civil disobedience in a truly massive scale to fight back against corrupt officials. But sadly, this is not followed universally or as often as would be preferred.

Avalon has 25 states and territories with different culture. The Avalonian culture is an amalgamation of several various cultures, spans across the Avalon continent and has been influenced and shaped by a history that is several Millenia. Throughout its history, their culture has been heavily influenced by Dharmic religions.

Avalon is the most religiously and ethnically diverse nations in Mu, with some of the most deeply religious societies and cultures. Although Avalon is secular, religion plays a central and definitive role in the life of many of its people.

Because of the diversity of religious groups in Avalon, there has been a history of turmoil and violence between them. Avalon has been a theatre for violent religious clashes between members of different religions. Several groups have founded various national-religious political parties, and in spite of government policies minority religious groups are being subjected to prejudice from more dominant groups in order to maintain and control resources in particular regions of Avalon.

This has all changed with the coming of the Goddess, as for the first time, the answer of "Is there a God" has been answered, irrecusably and unconditionally. Now, the various religions are re-orienting themselves around the new Goddess.​

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THE NORTH

The North has always been a land of survival rather than grace. Summers are short; winters are long and cruel. The land stretches from the walls of Avalon all the way to the very edges of Mu. They above all the regions cannot rely solely on Avalon's protection.

And so, they must be resourceful and hardy to survive, which is what gives them their identity and strength. They're strong from the fact that they have to survive on their own, which makes them a force to be reckoned with.

They may not have the same luxuries as Avalon, but they make up for that by being hard workers, being tough, and always ready to fight.

The mildest areas lie around the borders of the various Mountain ranges, where numerous small kingdoms and city-states have risen in pockets of areas that are shielded from the harsh land and its numerous dangers. It is not unusual for a city to burrow into one of the peaks of the various mountains.

They have long been home to some of the most interesting and diverse cultures. Those areas, which lie at the borders of the various mountain ranges, are known for their mild climates and unique cultural characteristics. Here, numerous small kingdoms and city-states have developed in these pockets of land, creating a vibrant mix of cultures and traditions. These areas provide an interesting backdrop for exploration as each kingdom or city-state has its own unique history, customs and beliefs.

The north mountains are a place of mystery and wonder. It is a place where mortals and devils alike can find solace in the seemingly barren wasteland. Despite its harsh conditions, this area has become home to many creatures who have adapted to the extreme temperatures and environment. From the Dire bears who hunt for food in the icy waters to the Alpha reindeer that roam across the tundra, this region offers a unique opportunity for exploration and discovery. For adventurers brave enough to venture into these frozen lands, they will be rewarded with breath-taking landscapes, fascinating wildlife, and an unforgettable experience.

To the extreme north, the ever-white fields cap the boundary of what most would consider the habitable areas of the North. The Great Ice stretches farther beyond that, all howling snow and glaciers, to the edge of the world itself.

The Great Ice is a vast, ever-white expanse that stretches far to the extreme north. It is a boundary for what most people consider the habitable areas of the North. This icy landscape is home to some of the world's most extreme and inhospitable conditions. From snowstorms and frostbite to greater polar bears and elemental walruses, this area is full of unique experiences that few people will ever get to experience in person or survive. The Great Ice is an incredible place with its own unique beauty, but it also poses many dangers and challenges for those who dare venture out into its depths.​

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HISTORY OF THE NORTH

The first settlers found the surface too inhospitable to properly colonize. Instead, the colonists built expansive cave cities deep beneath the various mountains of the continental mountain range. For many years the settlers sheltered beneath the rock, kept safe as the realm above was sundered in violent storms and set upon by great beasts and monsters. Though these cities were safe from the predators and harsh elements, they were ultimately abandoned.

Only contradictory legends and rumors now remain to explain why these great shelters were forsaken. Some legends tell that some malevolent force was present in the rock that led to mutation and madness, while other stories tell of the creating of dangerous and forbidden weaponry that made the cities unsafe to inhabit.

Those who have survived in the caves have over time devolved into foul creatures and horrible monsters with misshapen limbs, pale and diseased skin and massive milky orbs for eyes.

All that is left of the first failed settlements are ancient ruins and serve as important reminders of their shared history and the kingdoms that have gone before them and the artifacts and magics developed by them in a desperate and usually futile bid to stay alive. From the grandeur of Truin to the mysteriousness of Et-Ram, these ancient ruins give glimpses as to how people lived hundreds or even thousands of years ago.

They allow an insight into the North's collective pasts, offering invaluable knowledge about the world they live in. By visiting ancient ruins, the people of the north not only gain a better understanding of their own heritage but also become aware of the invaluable treasures that lie hidden away beneath layers of dust, ice and ruins as well as the chance restore the ruins and to expand upon what was built before.

They often contain strange architectures, powerful artifacts and very rarely survivors or mysterious inhabitants that can interact with courageous travelers. Filled with secrets that have yet to be unlocked by brave adventurers, these ruins remain shrouded in mystery due to their magical powers. By engaging in a journey through these majestic locations the people of the North will be able to uncover new settlements to rebuild while discovering powerful ancient artifacts along their way.​

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CULTURE OF THE NORTH

For eons, the vast frozen wastelands of the north have been home to a unique Barbarian culture that has been enriched by powerful magical traditions due to the mixing of human and devil alike. Although the barbarians live in harsh conditions and difficult terrain, they find comfort and strength in the knowledge that their culture has survived despite extreme conditions.

The Barbarians are a fierce people who believe strongly in honor and self-reliance. This is also reflected in their reliance on magic as a source of power. Magic is used by Barbarians both in times of peace and war, enabling them to survive and thrive in even the harshest environments.

Magic is an integral part of this culture - it provides a means for the Barbarians to escape danger and seek protection from the harsh cold environment. It shapes their way of life, allowing them to endure and flourish in the hostile climate. Just as importantly, it gives them a chance at an adventure beyond what can be seen and experienced in daily life.

Long-forgotten secrets remain hidden deep within these northern lands, secrets of forgotten magic and ancient knowledge. Through their own strength of will and adherence to their culture, these barbarians wield strange magics and conquer near-mythical creatures and Monsters in order to survive. In an ever-changing landscape filled with icy forests, snowstorms and deep rivers, they remain a powerful source of strength for countless generations since times past. With legends of powerful warriors that battle strange creatures marauding through their villages; magic remains one of the Barbarians' strongest weapons in this unrelenting war against nature itself.

The people of the North have taken their new found immortality with gusto and a new generation of adventurers have emerged that are attempting to and succeeding in pushing back the hordes of beasts that plague the North.​

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THE EAST

The grasslands of Mu are home to massive herds of huge, bovine creatures that are as tall as a man and sometimes as large as a house. Their lack of intelligence and violent tempers make them very dangerous to the herdsmen, but the huge amount of meat and leather that can be harvested from them is worth the effort. These fields can sustain entire tribes for years, and there are even tribes that dedicate themselves to this practice.

The largest herds of these beasts are in the cold reaches of the North-East, grazing on the grass that grows on the hills and mountains. The paths to these fields are narrow, winding, and dangerous, but the herds are vast enough to sustain entire villages of herding tribes.

Fertile fields can be found in the protected valleys between the mountains, offering a respite from the various monsters and weather that are so prevalent in Mu. These fields act as the breadbasket for the people living in the East and as a safety net. But these fields are not enough, for there are highly fertile but vastly more dangerous fields in which the people brave the dangers to drive vast herds of cattle across the treacherous planes.

It is here in the far reaches of the continent, sheltered from the dangers in the shadow of mountains that the herders acquire the majority of their food. It is not common for one to be able to have both a quality harvest and a quality cattle herd. It is common to have only one or the other. The fields are dangerous indeed, but are equally rewarding on the other side.

The land is littered with great magical stones that are revered by the people. These stones, though seemingly unrelated, give the people essential abilities to survive the monsters and weather. The history of the stones is lost to time, only the legends remain. Any who pass these stones are expected to take off their shoes and bow in respect, for the stones are seen as the foundation of the people.

It is said those who dare to disrespect the stones may never return. It has been said that the beasts of the plane frequently hunt the herd and are often slain by the beasts as they are used to the rigors of such a place.

The east is known as the home to the creatures of change, the beings that can warp their form, change into other beings and even create themselves out of nothing but their own will. It is a place of mystery, and danger, but also of great opportunity.

For the east is home to the creatures of knowledge, and the beings that seek to become more than what they are. It is the place of advancement, and learning, but also of great risk for the unwise.

It is also a home to creatures of creation, the beings that give life to others, heal the ailing and bring warmth and life to others. The pockets where these creatures live are a place of compassion, and giving, but also of great sorrow as many perish in the attempt to reach them, trying and failing to get healing for their loved ones.

As the plants of the east have adapted to a world without stability, so too have the animals of the East adapted to the changing conditions and the predators and native diseases that plague the roaming herds.

There is a great deal of variety in the creatures that make the east their home. To the herd animals that roam the plains, the crag gorillas who roam the shifting forests, the cannibalistic tribe of ogres that live in the mountains, and the wide array of animals and plants that once roamed throughout the vast forests, few creatures have yet to be catalogued or encountered.​

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HISTORY OF THE EAST

A land which has as its sole purpose seems to be as a dumping ground for special creatures and beings. The East is a vast continuous plain of nothing but land, water and air in which everything is constantly in a state of flux and nothing ever seems to stay put for more than a brief moment. Forests spring up only to up root themselves and walk away.

The only reason that these plains themselves are a constant is because of the intervention of a group of powerful, benevolent spirits known as the Celestials which are made of the same spiritual energy as the magic stones. These beings have raised mighty mountains that dot the land and which provide shelter for the people. Civilization only ever exists in these pockets of sanity.

There was once healthy trade that once existed between the mountain settlers and the tribes of the lowlands but that has since dwindled with the decline of settlers and the attacks by the beasts. The once bustling trade routes and the guarded and fortified settlements have gone silent and now are being lost to the history of the east.

Not much else is known of the history of the east, lost to the ever-shifting landscape.​

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CULTURE OF THE EAST

The hill tribes that live in the east are a superstitious lot. They believe in forces beyond the natural and although they have begun to adopt and understand magic, they still fear it greatly.

To the plain tribes of the east, all things have a soul, or an essence, or a spirit. This is not limited to beast and man. A rock has an essence, a tree has a spirit and to an elder, even a pebble has a soul. Of course, the tribes do not have the words to describe these unseen forces that pervade the natural world and so they call them by other terms.

These unseen forces are responsible for all things that happen that cannot be explained by the natural world. They are what brought the glaciers to the north and the dust storms to the south. They explain why one man is blessed by the gods with great strength and another cursed to be born a weakling. They are the reason why the stars move in the sky and why the sun does rises. They are the cause of the thunder and the lightning and the rain and the snow. They are the reason for all that happens that cannot be explained by the natural world. So the elders say.

The spirits are what keeps the world going and keep the tribes of the east safe from the beasts that roam the ever-shifting dark forests. They are the reason the tribes are safer in their homes than they are in the pursuit of food. It is the spirits who are responsible for setting the herds of animals that provide food for both the tribes and the beasts. The spirits keep the land from wandering and the weather from being too cold or too hot. The elders say that there are enough spirits for everyone and that the good will always prevail. Some are just stronger than others and the right offerings can cause them to look favorably upon you.

With their superstitious outlook, the tribesmen have long since given up the precious metals and gems that once stood for their wealth. To the plain's tribes, gold was once an object of value. Once, they believed that the more gold a person has the richer they are in the foods and animals they can acquire and the longer they will live. If a person was wealthy, they must be blessed.

They have since abandoned the metals they once relied on for comfort and instead have begun to dress in the hides of the animals that roam the ice fields. This can be seen as a testament to their respect for the animals and their apprehension to take the life of another. Money, food, and other goods are exchanged for goods and services as is widely practiced in civilized realms.​

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THE WEST

The west is a land composed of silver metallic forests. It is an endless forest that begins from the walls of Avalon all the way to the edge of the world. It is a forest of death as no settlement has ever been established and no one has survived to tell the tale.

For the people of Avalon, this is a lush land where there is much to be gained. The west itself is only accessible through ruins in the border between the west and the South and has a large amount of water to traverse while being blasted by the powers of the storms.

The west is not a barren land. Far from it. The west is a land of wealth. Over the millennia, however, the lands of the west bordering Avalon, as well as the South, have been constantly attacked by hordes of beasts and monsters that surge forth from the forests. These areas are filled with the remains of battlefields where human and devil alike have attempted to fight back against the beast tides. But the beast tides are killing machines, devouring the bodies of those who fight back and leaving nothing behind them.

For the people of the bordering the west, this is a land of horror as they have witnessed the carnage that has been left behind. It is also a land of refinement. It is a land of study. It is a land that is red in tooth and claw.​

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HISTORY OF THE WEST

The West has no history. Those who went in never came out, not even rumors survived. Not even devils. The deaths are so complete that not even whispers are left, only profound silence.

The west was some alien and unknowable land that devoured all those who entered, wholly and completely……that is until the advent of the Goddess. Now, immortal adventures are braving the Silver metallic jungles and are returning with knowledge, wisdom and sometimes, even with their lives.​

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CULTURE OF THE WEST – THOSE WHO BORDER THE METAL FORESTS

Of the resources available, the most valuable is the knowledge of the land itself. No man knows how much the forests will change with each beast tide. Sometimes old paths survive and good fortune may preserve a tribe's territory on the border of the forest for many years, but it is more likely that they will be broken and destroyed.

When this happens there will be vicious wars between the tribes and only those who succeed in finding new land and establishing themselves on it will survive. Once the Beast tide has passed, the tribes must settle the new lands quickly, for soon their supplies will run out. If they can find no new land, they must resume their wars for the territories of other tribes. So it is that the life of a tribesman is one of constant seaborne migration and warfare.

Thus, the South-western lands are a land of battles. The people are bloodthirsty and brutal by necessity and live within the bowels of the world, in swamps and in the mud, spending their lives killing their enemies. It is a world where the biggest threat to your life comes to you every day.

These lands are extremely fertile and have kept the tribes fed since the time immoral. Rice is the food of the Gods here and it is a land that will turn green and green quickly. For this reason, they are hotly contested, the people find themselves surrounded by enemies as often as they are surrounded by allies.

This fierce competition in a dog-eat-dog world has led to the people getting their weapons and equipment by looting corpses.​

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THE SOUTH

A great ocean of acidic waters lays to the south of Mu, bordering the southern ends of Avalon where great docks churn out vast fleets of ships. The ocean borders the silver forests in the west, a land so dangerous that no settlement has yet to be established there, despite the people's new found immortality. But it is not just the west, because as tranquil as the acidic ocean occasionally seems, it is an undoubtedly a violent place.

The skies of the South are highly dangerous. Titans and rocs often patrol the skies looking for prey. The lands near the mountains are totally uninhabitable due to the effect of the Titans due to their nesting habits.

Most of the titans of Mu live within Mu's single global ocean that Avalon must live by and fight if they are to survive. It is not an easy life at the best of times. Many gigantic creatures inhabit the acidic sea, ancient and scaly reptilian behemoths that are as large as small islands and can swallow a warship in a single gulp. Others are long and serpentine, with boiling acidic blood and scales that glint like pearls in the sun.

Storms raged across the entire Ocean; even as uncountable hordes of watery horrors fight in the oceans to devour each other. Chitinous horrors clad in amber resin clashed with pods of tentacled horrors.

These sea monsters will sometimes pluck a sailor from the deck of a ship and drag him down to his death in the deep, acidic waters. Still others are too uncertain in form to describe, as they are many-tentacled monstrosities with razored beaks and cold black eyes that hide in the depths until they rise to the surface to feed.

It is a sea that is constantly in motion and although it is not impossible to find land plane it is almost never ever stable. With explosive violence, the lands are often torn asunder. Blazing volcanic islands rise from the steaming acidic ocean spewing flames, with lava pouring down their slopes. Below the surface, the waters boil into steam that engulfs the world with its sulphureous fumes. Great tidal waves scour the coastlines of Avalon as new islands are birthed.

However, Islands created in the upheavals of preceding years are cast into turmoil by this annual eruption. Some endure, but many are broken apart or swallowed by the seas, engulfed in the churning waters and casting their unlucky inhabitants into the deeps.​

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HISTORY OF THE SOUTH

The waters are treacherous, but the seemingly infinite bounty of fish, coral and pearls is worth the risk. In the deep recesses of the ocean is rumored to be a land of wonders, everything one could want, but no one has travelled that deep.

The South has often been fished for the vast bounties that can be found within and is the sole reason why Avalon can exist for the continental sized docks berth countless fishing ships that exist solely to feed Avalon's endless hunger.

For as long as it has existed, Avalon has had a love hate relationship with the South, as unlike the West and despite the dangers, the South provides an endless supply of food.

Regarding the people who have braved the waters, there existed only tribesman who sail the seas for nothing lasting could be built on the few lands that are available and any land is too hotly contested and small for civilization.

The sole exception are the colonists from Avalon. It is also in these oceans that warships made of special sorcerous metals, escorts Arks containing colonists from Avalon, thousands of miles to the nearest archipelagos. Avalon's newest armies accompany the colonists, there to protect them from hostile life forms.

The colonists comprise of volunteers hoping to make better lives far from their current homes; some simply hoping to escape the crowded and famine prone Avalon.

These islands, devoid of any land creatures and away from most weather conditions, are ideal spots to convert into vast farming lands. Most pay tribute in the form of crops and received the Avalon's protections from the tribes who have to be forced into submission and policed.

The docks on these islands also act as ideal spots to drop off vast quantities of fish and other aquatic food that are to be teleported to the ever-hungry Avalon.​

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CULTURE OF THE SOUTH

It is against the creatures of the seas that the warriors of the tribes match themselves and those that emerge triumphant live forever in the oral legends of their tribe.

The extreme geography and the creation and destruction of islands has resulted in the human population becoming one composed largely of primitive, nomadic, barbarian tribes who barely approximate an Iron Age level of development. The tribes constantly seek secure territory, and as a result skirmishes and feuds over islands between rival tribes are common. The people are hardened to the changes in temperature and environmental extremes, and so is the native fauna.

Though extremely dangerous, the island tribes make a living from hunting the great beasts of the seas, creatures that often greatly outweigh and outsize the largest of their ships. Yet to slay even one such beast is a rich bounty indeed, providing skin, scales, fat, meat and bones that can last a tribe for months. The hide is cured and turned into clothes, ship hulls and shelters, while the meat is salted and preserved. Such hunts are necessary practice, for with the turn of every season comes the chance that a tribe's home island will be torn asunder and sink beneath the wave, sending the entire tribe out onto the seas in a mass exodus.

The tribe must find a new home if they are to survive, for no matter how skilled the sailors, no tribe can survive on the seas alone for any length of time. Yet any new land is likely to be already inhabited or at the very least will be claimed by multiple tribes who will have to fight for dominance and ownership.​

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THE EDGE OF MU

For in the ends of Mu lies the endless desert. A barren and lifeless land filled to the brim with only death and horrors. A crimson silent wind guards the skies of the endless desert and occasionally blows inward, to the terror of all.

There is nothing to be found here, only death and misery. Yet, if one was to brave the desert for seven days and seven nights, a miracle would happen that they would enter paradise, or so is the saying. In truth, no one in Mu is aware of what happens to those who survive in the endless desert on the eight days. That is until the arrival of the Goddess.​

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