(this is initial text for our upcoming game Sortorius---let me know if posting this here is a problem Pundit. It is very crude and has not been revised yet).

HISTORY
History in Broad Strokes
These are the pivotal events in Gamandrian history.

Ancient Period (Ogre Civilization 1500 ante destructum-1 post destructum)
The year zero marks the collapse of Ogre civilization and the rise of human, halfling, orc, dwarf and elf civilization. During this period most of the races were broken up into nomadic tribes. The exceptions to this were the Ogres and the Slovars. Of these the ogres were the first to establish cities, crafts, and critical technology like the wheel and agriculture. The slovars, who traded with the Ogre city states, soon established their own cities.

While the Slovars and Ogres cultures advanced, the other races struggled to survive. Humans lived mostly in the mountains and foothills. Dwarves and Halflings stuck to the coasts and near rivers. The snakemen, who lived in the relative isolation of the southern coast, were building crude vessels to explore the offshore islands and rivers. Elves fell into bondage under the ogres and would remain in bondage until just before Nong Sai's collapse.

Eventually the the Ogre City States unified into a powerful civilization called the Nong Sai kingdoms. These were a group of culturally similar and semi-independent states. Usually however one of the Ogre Kingdoms dominated the others.

Around this period the Slovars formed into a league of city states called Anumar.  For centuries the Solvars and the Ogres waged war against each other. Whether these wars were fought for land, honor, or religion is unknown, but according to legend the ogre god Senga led many of the Nong Sai armies into battle, as did the Slovar god (Lorgo).

Up to this point in history the Sortori (sorcerers) did not exist. All magic resided with the gods. But the goddess Sarilla, a consort of Senga (god of the Ogres), grew jealous. She had created the snakemen, who lived on the southern coasts remained as primitive as humans and dwarves. She begged Senga to share his secrets, for she knew he had helped advance the ogres. Senga refused.

At this time a mighty Ogre king arose named Dosikan. More ruthless than his predecessors, Dosikan subjugated the other ogre states under an iron rule. He then turned his attention to Anumar with the intent of wiping it out forever. Seeing an opportunity to undermine Senga, Sarilla approached Dosikan and promised him power beyond imagination. Power that would result in the destruction of Anumar.

Sarilla had devised a way to kill another god (something not even Senga knew how to do). Little is known about this ritual, but it involved a special knife and chalice created by Sarilla. She instructed Dosikan how to use the objects and perform the rite.

As Dosikan prepared for war with Anumar, he approached Senga with his men to receive a blessing and show his adoration. As he bowed before the god he instructed his men to sieze Senga and he plunged the knife into his throat. As the blood flowed down, Dosikan received it into the chalice and drank until he had consumed every last drop. The blood imbued Dosikan with all of Senga's powers (and Senga died in the process). He led his men to victory against Anumar, slaughtering the Slovars and driving them to the east.

When the other gods learned of Senga's murder, the became enraged. Together they sent a hailstorm of fire and ash on Nongsai and created a new instruments of vengeance, the first dragons. Dosikan tried to make a stand against the gods, but he had already gone mad from the blood of Senga. When the killing blow was finally struck it sent a massive shockwave across Nongsai. Dosikan's body ripped asunder as the energy of a god was hurled unleshed the world.

Senga's energy was reborn over the next several centuries in the form of sorcerers. From that point on a small percentage of newborns (of any race except the ogres) would be touched by Senga's power and have the ability to wield magic. It was as if Senga's soul burst into millions of pieces and each one was incarnate in a living creature.

In the aftermath of all this, a two-fold curse settled upon the Ogres. First, their race would be untouched by magic. While sorcerers would be born among the other races, their's would be barren of such power. Second, once the masters of civilization, they became its exiles, forced to watch as other races claimed their cities.

Middle Period (1-500 PD) "Age of Ashes"The era from 1-500 PD (Post Destructum) was a time of drastic change and chaos. Humans populated Nongsai and slowly created their own cities and governments upon the ruins of ogre civilization. The halflings, who had already been developing on their own, established the Republic of Shar. Across the world the other races advanced.

However this was a time of great disunity and war. It was also when the first sorcerers emerged. At this time there were no orders of sortori. Their powers were shrouded in mystery and the Sortori themselves thought they were alone. When two Sortori did meet it usually ended in bloodshed.

In settled and organized regions fear of Sorcerers was rampant, leading to violent hunts. Though powerful the sorcerers were all too human, and especially vulnerable when they slept. Furthermore they were isolated from one another, effectively fending for themselves. The hunts were far from one-sided however. It was no easy task to dispatch a wizard and it was not unknown for hundreds of hunters to perish at a time.

The hunters rarely took chances. Mere suspicion of being a sorcerer was usually enough to warrant a speedy execution. Thousands of innocent people were killed because of this.

Some sorcerers gained political power in this period. The fear was two sided, some tried to destroy them while others sought their protection. By the end of the middle period, the later became more common. Sorcerers would often attract masses of followers and take kingdoms for themselves.

The elves developed the practice of casting out sorcerors from their tribes. When a group of outcasts united, this had severe consquences, they wiped out several of the elven tribes and migrated south where they inserted themselves as rulers of an existing human kingdom.

The most important development was the creation of wizard orders. These helped alleviate the conflict and tensions between Sortori and non-Sortori. The first was the Fellowship of Promestus. Promestus was a powerful wizard with a gift for politics and a strong mind for philosophy and rhetoric. He saw that the Sortori had value for rising kingdoms and empires. They were a vital resource in war, intrigue, trade and those without Sortori would be the losers of history.

The Order of Promestus was established in Rona, where it grew side by side with the existing political structure. While the Order of Promestus official forbade its members to seek positions of political authority, in truth they acquired political power through advisory posts. In Rona for example, they formed  an advisory body to the king made up of 13 members. The body remains intact today in Ronia.  

The Golden Era (501-1200 PD)
The Golden Era was a period of great stability in some places and tremendous growth in others. Kingdoms rose in the south, the Orc Empire of Caelum doubled in size when it defeated its rival Utoria.

In 750 a dwarf named Druzel Mathias started the Church of Ramos. His followers would later claim the church was founded at a much earlier date.

In 857 the north the Deoro people united under a powerful leader named Gru. They advanced south, driving the Ogres into Ronia (where they were welcomed into their former homeland as refugees).

Perhaps most importantly, the Ronian Empire was officially established in 900. Formerly the a group of loosely allied kingdoms called Rona, it unified under a single leader, the Pontiff of the Church of Light and conquered the rest of the Varian Sea.

Between 1100 and 1300 a number of human tribes, mostly people who had inhabited the mountains as primitive pastoralists, migrated to the foothills and became a source of conflict for the settled peoples in the western regions surrounding the Midbar and Brogustu mountains. One such group, the Marites, advanced into the Sardonan lands, forcing them to flee to the Brogustu Mountains in 1245. From the mountains, the Sardonans staged attacks on the western shore of Ronian (believing they too had been promised the Varian lands by Ramos) and ultimately took a small portion of it.

The Caelum Empire, which had a large population of Church of Ramos adherents,  seized the opportunity and invaded the coastline near the Varran river, effectively cutting the Ronian Empire in two in 1251.

The Silver Age (1200 to present )
This is the present, up to the year  1450. It remains a time of relative stability, though signs of decay are present across the world. In 1245 Sardonans invaded the western provinces of the Ronaian Empire. Soon after The Ronian Empire was cut in half by the Caelum Empire 1251. Following this the northern provinces were invaded by waves of Belvars and Ranu, which caused deep fragmentation. In fact what is left in the north is a dim series of kindgoms constantly at war with one another.

In just the last couple of decades the Manderu tribes of the central plains expanded rapidly forming an empire that stretches from the eastern coast to the Sardonan Lands (and in many cases Sardonan kings and chiefs are subservient to the Manderu). Traditionally the elves go through periods of unity and disunity, occasionally organizing around a powerful ruler. When this happens they are a force to be feared.

RELIGION
Though each race was crafted from a specific god, and though we include the "real truth" behind the legends in the rule book, the people of the world have differing interpretations of their mythos. Most acknowledge the existence of the full pantheon. But some have the gods mixed up (usually through deception by the gods themselves) or have the history wrong. Others, though they know they were created by one of the gods, worship many or even focus their worship on a god other than the one that created them. As a general rule it is rare for cultures to reserve worship for a single god (though not unheard of).

An example of how this works is the snake men of the east. They have the history of magic backwards (mostly because the snake god has deceived them). They believe it was their god who was tricked by the ogre king, and it was their god whose magic was stolen. They also don't believe he was killed, but seriously wounded. Their efforts to reclaim magic from sorcerers and give restore it to their god, is an effort to right an ancient wrong against their people. The truth of course is the Ogre god was the one who was killed, and at the direction of the snake god. But the snake people reject this telling of the legend and regard it as a lie spread by the ogres.

Another example of people having a unique vision are the ogres. They killed their god. But the ogres (who live mostly in small enclaves or scattered tribes throughout the world) believe their god will return one day. Some even say the ogre god's death was part of a divine plan, and the ogre king who stole his power was only following the wishes of the god.

The Church of Light is another example. This predominant in the Ronian Empire and Varan Kingdoms. The Church of Light worships Ramos, Sull and Lurolai.

THE GODS
Ramos (humans and flying creatures):  God of humanity. Brother of Lorgo. Lives atop a mountain.  Ramos is known for his quick anger, intense but short lived. He values hard work and honesty among his followers. Sul, Ramos and Lurolai are united by an oath. They protect each other and extend this protection to the followers of all three gods. Ramos is also a god of Law, like Lorgo. He periodically appears to his worshipers and issues commandments. Most recently he did so to Orathel Namburi in 351 (see Church of Light for more information).

Sul (dwarves and fish): God who created the dwarves and dwells in rivers. Sul is a merciful and compassionate god, favoring the weak and humble over the mighty and proud.  The other gods sometimes mistake Sul's compassion for foolishness.

Lurolai (Haflings and sea mammals): The halfling Goddess, said to live deep in the sea and believed to be the twin of Sul. Unlike her brother Sul, Lurolai holds a grudge and lacks his sense of mercy. She believes in justice. Those in her favor are showered with blessings, but those who wrong her remain foes for eternity. Lurolai alone suspects Sarilla of killing Senga and detests the snake goddess.

Lorgo (orcs and elephants): An orderly God associated with stone and architecture. He is said to dwell deep beneath the earth, perhaps under a volcano or mountain.  Lorgo was once the enemy of Senga and took the blame when Senga was killed by Dosikan. Lorgo has since developed a deep resentment towards the other deities (with the exception of Sul, whom he trusts). He has also become a fierce opponent of Ranua and her people.

Ranua (Elves and horses): A goddess of liberty, music and violence. Her laws resemble nature's laws. Sister of Senga.  She is said to live in a forest or wild plain. Ranua believes that Lorgo killed her brother and punishes the orcs for the transgression. In truth Lorgo is innocent, Sarilla started the rumor of Lorgo's involvement to conceal her own guilt. This has led to violence and enmity between elves and orcs for centuries.

Senga (Ogres and Lions): The dead god of the Ogres. Brother of Ranua. The ogres (and some elves) believe he will one day return to save them.

Sur Vanker  (beastmen and deer, elk, etc): God of the beastmen and plunder. It is believed he created the first metals. Sur Vanker values strength and bravery. He views diplomacy and mercy as weakness. He was a strong ally of Senga before his death, considering him his only equal among the gods.

Sarilla (snake men and reptiles): Sarilla is the goddess of the snakemen. She is cautious and cunning. Believed to dwell in a desert or jungle. Sarilla was once the consort of Senga, prior to his death, and though she murdered him, doing so was no easy task for her. To this day she still mourns Senga

MY CRUDE MAP
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I always like the idea of other civs.  So an Ogre civilization makes me happy.

I also like the placement of the origins of magic in the very beginning of the notes, so that it makes sense.  

A good read, so far.

Quote from: LordVreeg;530137I always like the idea of other civs.  So an Ogre civilization makes me happy.

I also like the placement of the origins of magic in the very beginning of the notes, so that it makes sense.  

A good read, so far.

Thanks. The magic is central because it is assumed most PCs will be mages (playeds can assume the roles of mundane characters but the idea if sorcerers  are basically god-like). So I wanted the concept to be front and center.

So far, to me it reads like Warcraft meet Myth (which means - meet Black Company ) meet Ars Magica. So - good so far, I guess .

Quote from: Rincewind1;530765So far, to me it reads like Warcraft meet Myth (which means - meet Black Company ) meet Ars Magica. So - good so far, I guess .

The ars magica comparison is appropriate. The big difference, if i recall the ars setting, is our wizards are not scholarly by any strectch. I this setting magic is more like the force in star wars. You are born with it and can develop it through training and practice.

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;530797The ars magica comparison is appropriate. The big difference, if i recall the ars setting, is our wizards are not scholarly by any strectch. I this setting magic is more like the force in star wars. You are born with it and can develop it through training and practice.

You need to be born with The Gift in Ars Magica as well. But - does that mean there is no scholarly education for Sorcerers?

Quote from: Rincewind1;530798You need to be born with The Gift in Ars Magica as well. But - does that mean there is no scholarly education for Sorcerers?

Yes, this is not a scholarly wizard setting. Nothing stops a wizard from becoming a scholar, but you don't study texts or spell books to hone the craft (there are certainly training manuals like you might have with martial arts though). It is also a setting where wizards can go nova when they cast spells at full power.

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;530800Yes, this is not a scholarly wizard setting. Nothing stops a wizard from becoming a scholar, but you don't study texts or spell books to hone the craft (there are certainly training manuals like you might have with martial arts though). It is also a setting where wizards can go nova when they cast spells at full power.

Cool - I love such wizardry . I have a similar approach in my current setting for the wizard power (except well, those supernova wizards are really top of the food chain). But I had chosen the "you need to learn first" route, still. The magic is basically divided in 3 methods:

1: The Formulaic Magic - anyone can learn this. It's basically learning a complicated mathematical formula, then trying to exercise it with your willpower. Just using normal BRP magic rules for that, and throwing in all the spells I can find - except that normal humans regenerate 1 MP per day.
2: Divine Magic - some individuals are chosen by gods as channels of Mana - gods themselves being usually just a beings of very concentrated Mana. The limitation is that a God can always "cut you off", you regenerate magic points like most humans do (1 MP per day - it's BRP so that gives you an idea), and you are limited to one Mana type, as no god will risk more - not only because of power jealousy, but also because wielding more then one Mana (we're talking about tremendous power), may cause a man's mind to corrode.
3: True Wizards - those are basically to magic what programmers are to computers. They regenerate mana in speed of 25% of POW per day, and they make their own spells, manipulating Mana. The most powerful of them are basically demigods, capable of destroying cities with a spell.

Here's the rough draft of magic rules I use for this, in case you'd want a bit of inspiration/help - it's very rough and I changed a few things already, but...

http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=21604&page=2

PS - don't take me wrong on the mix stuff. I love Warcraft and Myth, and that's just me being me, finding closest (pop)cultural connection . Btw - were you inspired a bit by Myth in designing this/played Myth? The Ogre race sounds very much as inspired by Ogres of that setting.

Quote from: Rincewind1;530805Cool - I love such wizardry . I have a similar approach in my current setting for the wizard power (except well, those supernova wizards are really top of the food chain). But I had chosen the "you need to learn first" route, still. The magic is basically divided in 3 methods:

1: The Formulaic Magic - anyone can learn this. It's basically learning a complicated mathematical formula, then trying to exercise it with your willpower. Just using normal BRP magic rules for that, and throwing in all the spells I can find - except that normal humans regenerate 1 MP per day.
2: Divine Magic - some individuals are chosen by gods as channels of Mana - gods themselves being usually just a beings of very concentrated Mana. The limitation is that a God can always "cut you off", you regenerate magic points like most humans do (1 MP per day - it's BRP so that gives you an idea), and you are limited to one Mana type, as no god will risk more - not only because of power jealousy, but also because wielding more then one Mana (we're talking about tremendous power), may cause a man's mind to corrode.
3: True Wizards - those are basically to magic what programmers are to computers. They regenerate mana in speed of 25% of POW per day, and they make their own spells, manipulating Mana. The most powerful of them are basically demigods, capable of destroying cities with a spell.

Here's the rough draft of magic rules I use for this, in case you'd want a bit of inspiration/help - it's very rough and I changed a few things already, but...

http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=21604&page=2

PS - don't take me wrong on the mix stuff. I love Warcraft and Myth, and that's just me being me, finding closest (pop)cultural connection . Btw - were you inspired a bit by Myth in designing this/played Myth? The Ogre race sounds very much as inspired by Ogres of that setting.

Actually I have never heard of myth before, the ogres were inspired by some thai illustrations of the ramakien (thai ramayana) at a thai restaurant I used to work at.

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;530809Actually I have never heard of myth before, the ogres were inspired by some thai illustrations of the ramakien (thai ramayana) at a thai restaurant I used to work at.

I thought that some Asian culture was a source of inspiration, given the names . I'd suggest playing Myth - awesome game, awesome story. Also features powerful wizards as rulers.

Quote from: Rincewind1;530821I thought that some Asian culture was a source of inspiration, given the names . I'd suggest playing Myth - awesome game, awesome story. Also features powerful wizards as rulers.

Yeah, a lot of the names have thai inspiration.don't really play video games (just have trouble getting into them). If it has cut scenes, i may just check them out on youtube.

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;530826Yeah, a lot of the names have thai inspiration.don't really play video games (just have trouble getting into them). If it has cut scenes, i may just check them out on youtube.

I can do you one better:

http://lparchive.org/Myth-The-Fallen-Lords/

Great Let's Play. Also has all the cutscenes if you want to just skip it all .