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.o81 x eysuria worldbuilding: world's end
Did some more worldbuilding for Eysuria today. I worked on it on and off for a few hours. It really helped clarify some key details. Tomorrow I'll work on refining the plot for Names. If it's necessary, I'll worldbuild for Crossings, the place where Daemien grew up. I'm still not sure how I'll put Aerlun and Daemien's stories together.
World's End
Geography
World's End is along the southwestern (more south than west) coast of Dahmren. This means it is fairly close to the equator. It isn't tropical, especially considering it has an above-average altitude, but it has very mild winters. It has never seen snow. World's End is situated in a mountain range, in a massive canyon with a river running through it. It's actually more of a huge valley up in the mountains; I only call it a canyon because the mountains on either side rise sharply, sheer walls in most places, with terrain too harsh for World's Enders to venture out of World's End. The river and canyon end at a steep drop off -- a waterfall -- directly into the ocean. This drop off is known as the Edge of the World.
World's End is little more than a massive city situated on the banks of the river running through the canyon. The river is formally called Kairoden's Knife after the god of the city. Street kids and the poorest citizens call it the Lam; it earned this name because someone who has given up on life could swim out into the river and surrender himself to the current, being swept over the Edge of the World. This is called 'going on the Lam'. Running from life, you could say.
There is actually relatively little rain despite the climate due to the city's place up in the mountains. During the warmer months, however, the river floods. There is a waterfall north of the city deeper into the canyon, where it's narrower, in flood season. Melting snow and mountain water from higher up in the range create this waterfall. It is known as Kairoden's Tears because above the waterfall you can see the inactive volcano named for the god and credited for creating World's End.
World's End is home to mostly humans, goats, sheep, various birds and fish, various reptiles and amphibians, ashings, and some other animals. Cougars and rabbits aren't unheard of, but they can't be depended on for hunting. Goats and sheep are highly important for food and clothing. Fishing is also important.
The western bank is home to the wealthier World's Enders, and thus where Marble District is found. As the name implies, homes here are made from marble, and the wealthiest in the city live in them. Most of the other homes are pueblo-like, sort of, built from sun-dried bricks. Wood is scarce, so there are no wooden homes. The lower class have homes dug in the earth with little more than the roof raised above the ground. The roof is usually woven out of reeds and other plants that grow along the river banks. Middle class people have the closest to pueblo homes, usually the shop on the first floor, living space above setup. The poorest World's Enders live in adapted caves far from the river.
Origin
World's End obviously isn't the end of the world, but for a long time its people thought it was. In all the chaos and volcanic activity caused by Thos' arrival in orbit, the group of people that survived and found its way to the canyon/river valley created partially by the volcanic activity thought that it was the only surviving group of people in the world. They thought World's End, this perfect little river valley, was the only habitable place left. And so they named it World's End.
Also born from the volcanic and magical activity were the ashings, the sort of creature emblem of World's End. These creatures are most closely comparable to dragons. Very reclusive, they are rarely actually seen by people, especially considering their camouflaged nature. Ashings are reptillian, very large. As long as they haven't recently fed, they are translucent. Up close, it's fairly obvious where they are, but they're very hard to see flying through the sky. They can breathe and control fire. Their blood is very hot, and there is a half-magic chemical in both their blood and their bellows that prevents their own body heat from boiling them alive. If a human breathes in this chemical, it is always fatal, at least as far as anyone knows. It causes a fever in the person that is highly contagious. Some people who contract the fever from another human can survive, though it is rare, and the person is never the same. The fever damages people's minds.
Living ashing blood amplifies any magic in its vicinity.
Also, the name ashing comes both from the relation of fire and ash and the coloring of recently fed ashings.
Moving back to World's End being separated from the rest of the world: one year when there was almost no flooding to speak of, a ship came down the river into World's End from the outside world. This began World's End's introduction to the fact that there was still a surviving world beyond its borders. Trade began, the culture of World's End began to change in response to the new ideas introduced, but still it remained slightly aloof and separate.
The Black Coast, which is the empire existing outside World's End and the only nation it has contact with, has been slowly trying to assimilate World's End as a part of the empire, but it's too much work for the empire to really focus on it. The empire's greatest method of control over its people is through slavery. For every slave collar made, one key goes to the emperor and one to the slave's owner. The emperor at any time could incapacitate, free, or kill any of the slaves in the empire. The threat is usually enough; actually freeing or killing all the slaves in a province of the empire is harmful to the empire itself, too, and so it is very rare.
World's End cannot really support slaves, however. There isn't room for much population expansion, so not many slaves can be brought into the city. Many of the wealthier families have a few slaves as a novelty item.
Magic
World's End exists on almost solely physical magic. What ancient magic is used there is still considered physical magic; it is used to adapt, hone, improve, amplify, or refine physical magic, and isn't recognized as being different from physical magic alone. One example is the glass orbs used as a light source because wood is so hard to find. They are given their glow using physical magic, but the glow is bound to the orb by ancient magic. Physical magic isn't lasting; it can't imbue objects or create lasting enchantments. It is magic of action. Thus any lasting spells or enchantments may have had a physical magic spark, but it's the ancient magic keeping them working over time.
Society and Government
World's End calls itself an empire, but it is that only in name. The only thing carried down from the bT empire of Eysuria in World's End were sagates, and they are quite different from the sagates of the old empire. Originally, sagates were provinces of the empire ruled by a sort of council rather than by a king or governor. The council, or sagate, was made up of sages. In World's End, a sagate is similar to a monastery. The 'sages' are not true sages, but they are clearly descended from true sages in that each sage will study one discipline -- healing, trading, agriculture, etc. -- to become an expert in that field. They are sworn to serve Kairoden and the emperor/empress. Ordinary citizens may seek an audience with a sage. Only with a sage's referral may a citizen go on to seek an audience with the empress herself.
During Aerlun's time, the ruler is an empress, and she is said to be a descendant of Kairoden himself. She actually is, but distantly.
World's End is populated by bronzeskins and darkskins. Bronzeskins are advantaged, especially since the beginning of interaction with the Black Coast, where darkskins and even bronzeskins are subservient to paleskins (though of course the emissaries sent to World's End downplay the subservience of bronzeskins). So the upper class and much of the middle class is made up of bronzeskins. The lower class and a small portion of the middle class is made up of darkskins.
Obsidian is important in World's End. The common black obsidian is used to make tools and weapons. Green obsidian and gold sheen obsidian are used as currency and carved into jewelry and ornaments. Other types of obsidian are also carved. Some smithing is practiced in World's End, mostly copper, bronze, tin, pewter, and the like. Iron and steel working they learned from the Black Coast, but it is really too expensive to be worthwhile for smiths to practice. They trade a lot of their iron ore to the Black Coast.
Obsidian Whips
The Obsidian Whips are something like the CIA of World's End, you could say. It doesn't deal with foreign affairs, but it does work quietly within World's End to keep the 'empire' under the empress' control and keep things running smoothly by whatever means necessary. Assassinations in the extreme, policing, all sorts of things. There are different types of Whips to suit the different types of work. Assassins, Whips trained in torture and other methods of persuasion, spies, guards, etc. Fresh Whips are often picked up off the streets -- people who show promise but don't have many or any people to miss them if they disappear.
New Whips are told they have no name. They have to earn a name through training and initiation, but once the time comes to prove they've earned a name, they can choose any name they like. Most are fairly unoriginal. Shadow, Sneak, Trick, things of that nature, or just their birthnames. New Whips go through basic training, indoctrination, things like that... They are watched to see what aptitudes they show, which rank of Whip would best fit them.
First initiation. The new Whip is allowed to choose a name. It's more ceremonial than actual trial; if the Whips don't think someone deserves initiation, he won't get it. But there is trial by combat, and then the Whip is given the mark of the Obsidian Whips -- his tongue is pierced. After first initiation, the tongue piercing is black obsidian. Technically first initiation means that the initiate is a Whip; the rank of Obsidian Whip isn't earned until second initiation. However, the difference isn't emphasized.
After first initiation, the Whip is given more specialized training. He is sent on basic missions, mostly policing and such. Useful work, but what higher ranking Whips consider to be child's play. He may also help train fledglings. For second initiation he is given a mission in his field of training. Once he comes back successful, his piercing is changed out for green obsidian and he must perform the piercing on a Whip who has earned his first initiation.
The highest ranking Obsidian Whips have gold sheen obsidian piercings. These are task leaders and higher level trainers.
The leader of the Whips reports directly to the empress. During Aerlun's time, the leader is Ashing. He is originally from the Black Coast, offered as a present to the empress of World's End when he was young, eleven or twelve. He was intended to be a control on World's End that could be enacted in a time of need. His task was to make the Whips loyal to him and thus to the Black Coast while making it appear they still served the empress. He succeeded in making many of the Whips loyal to him, but he also developed a close relationship with the empress and grew to respect and even love her. The Black Coast is distant for him; really he grew up in World's End, and has no reason to remain loyal to the Black Coast, especially when he is subservient there and superior in World's End. He can only hope he is never called on to betray the empress.
Geography
World's End is along the southwestern (more south than west) coast of Dahmren. This means it is fairly close to the equator. It isn't tropical, especially considering it has an above-average altitude, but it has very mild winters. It has never seen snow. World's End is situated in a mountain range, in a massive canyon with a river running through it. It's actually more of a huge valley up in the mountains; I only call it a canyon because the mountains on either side rise sharply, sheer walls in most places, with terrain too harsh for World's Enders to venture out of World's End. The river and canyon end at a steep drop off -- a waterfall -- directly into the ocean. This drop off is known as the Edge of the World.
World's End is little more than a massive city situated on the banks of the river running through the canyon. The river is formally called Kairoden's Knife after the god of the city. Street kids and the poorest citizens call it the Lam; it earned this name because someone who has given up on life could swim out into the river and surrender himself to the current, being swept over the Edge of the World. This is called 'going on the Lam'. Running from life, you could say.
There is actually relatively little rain despite the climate due to the city's place up in the mountains. During the warmer months, however, the river floods. There is a waterfall north of the city deeper into the canyon, where it's narrower, in flood season. Melting snow and mountain water from higher up in the range create this waterfall. It is known as Kairoden's Tears because above the waterfall you can see the inactive volcano named for the god and credited for creating World's End.
World's End is home to mostly humans, goats, sheep, various birds and fish, various reptiles and amphibians, ashings, and some other animals. Cougars and rabbits aren't unheard of, but they can't be depended on for hunting. Goats and sheep are highly important for food and clothing. Fishing is also important.
The western bank is home to the wealthier World's Enders, and thus where Marble District is found. As the name implies, homes here are made from marble, and the wealthiest in the city live in them. Most of the other homes are pueblo-like, sort of, built from sun-dried bricks. Wood is scarce, so there are no wooden homes. The lower class have homes dug in the earth with little more than the roof raised above the ground. The roof is usually woven out of reeds and other plants that grow along the river banks. Middle class people have the closest to pueblo homes, usually the shop on the first floor, living space above setup. The poorest World's Enders live in adapted caves far from the river.
Origin
World's End obviously isn't the end of the world, but for a long time its people thought it was. In all the chaos and volcanic activity caused by Thos' arrival in orbit, the group of people that survived and found its way to the canyon/river valley created partially by the volcanic activity thought that it was the only surviving group of people in the world. They thought World's End, this perfect little river valley, was the only habitable place left. And so they named it World's End.
Also born from the volcanic and magical activity were the ashings, the sort of creature emblem of World's End. These creatures are most closely comparable to dragons. Very reclusive, they are rarely actually seen by people, especially considering their camouflaged nature. Ashings are reptillian, very large. As long as they haven't recently fed, they are translucent. Up close, it's fairly obvious where they are, but they're very hard to see flying through the sky. They can breathe and control fire. Their blood is very hot, and there is a half-magic chemical in both their blood and their bellows that prevents their own body heat from boiling them alive. If a human breathes in this chemical, it is always fatal, at least as far as anyone knows. It causes a fever in the person that is highly contagious. Some people who contract the fever from another human can survive, though it is rare, and the person is never the same. The fever damages people's minds.
Living ashing blood amplifies any magic in its vicinity.
Also, the name ashing comes both from the relation of fire and ash and the coloring of recently fed ashings.
Moving back to World's End being separated from the rest of the world: one year when there was almost no flooding to speak of, a ship came down the river into World's End from the outside world. This began World's End's introduction to the fact that there was still a surviving world beyond its borders. Trade began, the culture of World's End began to change in response to the new ideas introduced, but still it remained slightly aloof and separate.
The Black Coast, which is the empire existing outside World's End and the only nation it has contact with, has been slowly trying to assimilate World's End as a part of the empire, but it's too much work for the empire to really focus on it. The empire's greatest method of control over its people is through slavery. For every slave collar made, one key goes to the emperor and one to the slave's owner. The emperor at any time could incapacitate, free, or kill any of the slaves in the empire. The threat is usually enough; actually freeing or killing all the slaves in a province of the empire is harmful to the empire itself, too, and so it is very rare.
World's End cannot really support slaves, however. There isn't room for much population expansion, so not many slaves can be brought into the city. Many of the wealthier families have a few slaves as a novelty item.
Magic
World's End exists on almost solely physical magic. What ancient magic is used there is still considered physical magic; it is used to adapt, hone, improve, amplify, or refine physical magic, and isn't recognized as being different from physical magic alone. One example is the glass orbs used as a light source because wood is so hard to find. They are given their glow using physical magic, but the glow is bound to the orb by ancient magic. Physical magic isn't lasting; it can't imbue objects or create lasting enchantments. It is magic of action. Thus any lasting spells or enchantments may have had a physical magic spark, but it's the ancient magic keeping them working over time.
Society and Government
World's End calls itself an empire, but it is that only in name. The only thing carried down from the bT empire of Eysuria in World's End were sagates, and they are quite different from the sagates of the old empire. Originally, sagates were provinces of the empire ruled by a sort of council rather than by a king or governor. The council, or sagate, was made up of sages. In World's End, a sagate is similar to a monastery. The 'sages' are not true sages, but they are clearly descended from true sages in that each sage will study one discipline -- healing, trading, agriculture, etc. -- to become an expert in that field. They are sworn to serve Kairoden and the emperor/empress. Ordinary citizens may seek an audience with a sage. Only with a sage's referral may a citizen go on to seek an audience with the empress herself.
During Aerlun's time, the ruler is an empress, and she is said to be a descendant of Kairoden himself. She actually is, but distantly.
World's End is populated by bronzeskins and darkskins. Bronzeskins are advantaged, especially since the beginning of interaction with the Black Coast, where darkskins and even bronzeskins are subservient to paleskins (though of course the emissaries sent to World's End downplay the subservience of bronzeskins). So the upper class and much of the middle class is made up of bronzeskins. The lower class and a small portion of the middle class is made up of darkskins.
Obsidian is important in World's End. The common black obsidian is used to make tools and weapons. Green obsidian and gold sheen obsidian are used as currency and carved into jewelry and ornaments. Other types of obsidian are also carved. Some smithing is practiced in World's End, mostly copper, bronze, tin, pewter, and the like. Iron and steel working they learned from the Black Coast, but it is really too expensive to be worthwhile for smiths to practice. They trade a lot of their iron ore to the Black Coast.
Obsidian Whips
The Obsidian Whips are something like the CIA of World's End, you could say. It doesn't deal with foreign affairs, but it does work quietly within World's End to keep the 'empire' under the empress' control and keep things running smoothly by whatever means necessary. Assassinations in the extreme, policing, all sorts of things. There are different types of Whips to suit the different types of work. Assassins, Whips trained in torture and other methods of persuasion, spies, guards, etc. Fresh Whips are often picked up off the streets -- people who show promise but don't have many or any people to miss them if they disappear.
New Whips are told they have no name. They have to earn a name through training and initiation, but once the time comes to prove they've earned a name, they can choose any name they like. Most are fairly unoriginal. Shadow, Sneak, Trick, things of that nature, or just their birthnames. New Whips go through basic training, indoctrination, things like that... They are watched to see what aptitudes they show, which rank of Whip would best fit them.
First initiation. The new Whip is allowed to choose a name. It's more ceremonial than actual trial; if the Whips don't think someone deserves initiation, he won't get it. But there is trial by combat, and then the Whip is given the mark of the Obsidian Whips -- his tongue is pierced. After first initiation, the tongue piercing is black obsidian. Technically first initiation means that the initiate is a Whip; the rank of Obsidian Whip isn't earned until second initiation. However, the difference isn't emphasized.
After first initiation, the Whip is given more specialized training. He is sent on basic missions, mostly policing and such. Useful work, but what higher ranking Whips consider to be child's play. He may also help train fledglings. For second initiation he is given a mission in his field of training. Once he comes back successful, his piercing is changed out for green obsidian and he must perform the piercing on a Whip who has earned his first initiation.
The highest ranking Obsidian Whips have gold sheen obsidian piercings. These are task leaders and higher level trainers.
The leader of the Whips reports directly to the empress. During Aerlun's time, the leader is Ashing. He is originally from the Black Coast, offered as a present to the empress of World's End when he was young, eleven or twelve. He was intended to be a control on World's End that could be enacted in a time of need. His task was to make the Whips loyal to him and thus to the Black Coast while making it appear they still served the empress. He succeeded in making many of the Whips loyal to him, but he also developed a close relationship with the empress and grew to respect and even love her. The Black Coast is distant for him; really he grew up in World's End, and has no reason to remain loyal to the Black Coast, especially when he is subservient there and superior in World's End. He can only hope he is never called on to betray the empress.