What Do You Want For Yrth

[Phantasm]

Also, even though a mage can view the event as it happened in the past using magic, can he tell if the perp was using a magical disguise in order to frame someone? Or was a changeling/doppelgänger?

Plus, do the law systems operate on "innocent until proven guilty" or "guilty until proven innocent"? Is Public Speaking more or less important than Law when in front of a judge (or some nobleman filling the role)? Do the accused get the right to question their accuser? Are witnesses given alchemical truth elixirs to prevent perjury? If so, is there a right to avoid self-incrimination, or does taking the elixir waive that right, if it exists?

These are all questions that need to be answered in regards to the legal systems of the various regions, and each nation can be different.

[David Johansen]

So this has inspired me a bit:

Burning Stone

There is a world who's cracked and parched surface smokes and steams with lava, where sulferous acid rains from the heavens and broken islands of greenery hang high above the fetid airs. This is the broken world of Burning Stone.

Once a fertile, magical world where winged humanoids and talking beasts crafted shining cities of glass and marble, a disagreement of philosophies arose in the idyllic atriums and lecture halls that slowly cankered and a resentment grew. War came suddenly and terrible magics wracked the world. The hierarchs of the cities soon realized that the numbers were against them, the growing population wanted more, resented those who had it and thus were seduced by their philosophical rivals. In desperation the worked powerful enchantments that tore their cities from the surface of the world and lifted them into the heavens. As a result, the sundered surface began to be split by earthquakes and volcanos and the lower atmosphere became tainted with sulphur and ash. The division was made more pronounced as the burning rains scarred and twisted those who dwelt below. Feathered wings became sheets of taut flesh, noble crests were stripped down to bare horn.

The world was ruined but the war raged on. The Lords of the Air used their advantageous position to rain fire and stones on the Lords of the Earth who responded by tunnelling their strongholds deep into the crevasses that scarred the surface. As it became impossible to grow food on the surface, the balance shifted and the Lords of the Earth began to seek sustenance on other worlds.

Then came the Bane Storm, more terrible and violent in the strong magical fields of Burning Stone. Perhaps that world had always been close to Earth and Yrth . Perhaps the Earth Gates drew it nearer, but the damage was done. Burning Stone is the host of a permanent Bane Storm which grows and rages across the world. The inhabitants thereof are often seized by magical forces and drawn into other worlds, usually in small numbers, where they are known as demons.

[David Johansen]

Child of Air 106 points
The original inhabitants of Burning Stone closely resemble beautiful humans with feathered wings sprouting from their shoulders and long flowing crests of feathers on their heads. Each of the great clans have their own pattern and colors of feathers.

Attributes:
ST +1 [10]; IQ +1 [20].

Advantages:
Acute Vision +2 [4];
Beautiful [12];
Flight (Winged) [30];
Magical Aptitude 1 [15];
Unaging [15];
Regeneration (Slow) [10];
Telescopic Vision 2 [10];

Disadvantages:
Code of Honor (clan's) [-10];
Duty (to clan) 12- [-10];

[LoneWolf23k]

I like the idea of making Angels and Demons into outer-dimensional beings, although I had the idea of taking elements from both Warcraft and Diablo in regards to the appearances and roles of each. And maybe derive some ideas from Starcraft's Protoss and Zerg.

The Angels would be a race of energy beings, made of light and sound and clad in metallic suits of armor and golden robes. Bound to a dimension called the High Heavens, they seek to bring order to the Multiverse and purge it of the Demonic Scourge.

The Demons are less a race and more an Infection, as all Demons were once mortal creatures, sentient or otherwise, that were infused with Fel energies and transformed, becoming immortal creatures bound to the Demons' home dimension of the Twisted Nether. Though ultimately loyal to the common cause of all Demonkind to spread and conquer, they are Chaotic and prone to backstabbing and betrayal against their own kind, with each Demon ultimately seeking its own benefits over others.

Neither one of them would actually have anything to do with human (or other) religion, though they wouldn't be adverse to exploiting human beliefs. Angels could alter their forms to appear like beautiful human angels, or become invisible and whisper to certain mortals, manipulating them to accomplish goals "In God's Name" for the Angels. While Demons would operate more directly, bargaining with opportunistic mortals or creating demon cults in remote wilderness areas.

[David Johansen]

Sure, and that's one advantage of the unfixed cosmology. We can both have it our own way. For myself, I prefer a solution that ties in well with both Banestorm and Infinite Worlds. One way I'd take it a bit farther is some discussion of the influence of Christian churches deposited on Burning Stone by the Bane Storm. My own thought would be that the Children of Earth and Fire would be more likely to take up Christianity, both because they're on the surface where such churches would appear and because they're less arrogant than the Children of Air. Which would be an odd situation. :D

Child of Earth and Fire 98 points
Consigned to the toxic and acidic surface of Burning Stone, the children of Earth and Fire live in constant pain and hunger. This makes them more violent and shorter tempered than the Children of the Air.

Attributes:
ST +2 [20]; HT +1 [10].

Advantages:
Flight (Winged) [30];
Magical Aptitude 1 [15];
Night Vision 5 [5];
Unaging [15];
Regeneration (Slow) [10];
Sharp Claws [5].

Disadvantages:
Bad Temper [-10];
Ugly [-12].

[David Johansen]

The impact of Christian doctrine on a people once governed by schools of thought was revolutionary. To some, the idea of a loving God was folly but others found the concept very appealing indeed. Among the Children of the Air one major school of thought is that Earth is their new Eden and have taken it as their duty to find a way to conquer it. Another believes that Yrth is the biblical new earth and wants to conquer it. This dispute causes more tension than one might think as neither world can be reliably reached. The Children of Earth and Fire mostly resent humanity, fatalistically seeing an unworthy and inferior race being redeemed by a doting father figure. However, the architecture of the churches that were transported to Burning stone inspired an entire school of gothic architecture.

Drudges
Slavery is common among the Children of Earth and Fire. Slaves have their wings brutally removed as a flight risk and symbol of freedom. Undesirable and dangerous work is forced upon these slaves with cruel punishment and starvation. Secret cults and sects abound among the drudges, many of whom look to the human messiah for redemption.

Gargoyles
It may be that the Gargoyles of Yrth originated on Burning Stone or it may be that they have simply infested another world. Gargoyles are bred by the Children of Earth and Fire and are found in a number of varieties not known on Yrth.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by LoneWolf23k

Maybe a book on the Ministry of Serendipity? I did conceive of a MoS campaign concept, adapting a version of GURPS Black Ops through the lens of an old Suppressed Transmission article that reimagined the Black Ops throughout history, specifically the Medieval version.

I could see a lot of potential in a MoS campaign where you're part of the Ministry's covert ops division, hunting down menaces to the stability of the Empire in the form of forbidden lore, either magical, technological or political.

Agreed, a Ministry of Serendipity book with a good chapter on what the MoS knows/thinks it knows about Earth/s. Said chapter should reflect hos the Ministry would seek to deal with you. Do they kill known Nazis on sight? Or recruit them?

It's the kind of thing worth knowing.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by David Johansen

One of the appeals of Yrth is that it's a bit more medieval, say, good Hollywood medieval, rather than steam punk or such. Still the effects of magic on society can have a few interesting outcomes. Many of these will be available to the rich and powerful without much improving the lives of peasants.

Reduced mortality rates, improved crop yields, drought and pestilence mitigated, better lighting, better evidence. One might argue that these things would lead to a more advanced society, but as necessity is the mother of invention they might actually slow it down. You can also argue that it cancels out by the time you have curses and demons and magic being used to undermine evidence. As Yrth is a medival fantasy setting I'd err towards the impact cancelling out but have extreme examples of the good and bad here and there.

As for the other realms, I suspect the worlds that gave Yrth Satrys, Centaurs, Goblins, and Trolls still exist. I would further suggest that demons come from such a world rather than being philosophically extraplanar beings. It's not a Cthulhu setting but it's easy enough to add such entities if you want them. But just suppose there are actually two or more Banestorms and they each have their own agendas.

A pdf on the worlds from which Goblins, Lizard Men, Centaurs, Hobbits, Merfolk, et al, come from would be very nice. It should A) offer these as alternate fantasy settings, B) give material for campaigns involving groups landing on Yrth after a Banestorm, and C) provide ideas for campaigns on Yrth because of persons, ideas, and things, brought from these worlds.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by David Johansen

Child of Air 106 points
The original inhabitants of Burning Stone closely resemble beautiful humans with feathered wings sprouting from their shoulders and long flowing crests of feathers on their heads. Each of the great clans have their own pattern and colors of feathers.

Attributes:
ST +1 [10]; IQ +1 [20].

Advantages:
Acute Vision +2 [4];
Beautiful [12];
Flight (Winged) [30];
Magical Aptitude 1 [15];
Unaging [15];
Regeneration (Slow) [10];
Telescopic Vision 2 [10];

Disadvantages:
Code of Honor (clan's) [-10];
Duty (to clan) 12- [-10];

They should be drawn to Yrth with their sky cities. The sudden appearance of a city that your troops can't get to, but whose inhabitants can raid your lands, sounds like an epic campaign to me.

[David Johansen]

I'm not sure, it depends on how mana works. It could be that reducing the mana level beneath the flying island would be highly effective.

I wonder if we should move on to a, "Contribute Something For Yrth" thread?