City of the Lost
Jan 17, 2017 19:25:30 GMT
Post by Taun-Lok on Jan 17, 2017 19:25:30 GMT
NAME: City of the Lost
KINGDOM AT A GLANCE:
The City of the Lost is an underwater and underground Temple structure, primarily devoted to Tehaun, Goddess of the Sea, however all Five Gods are worshiped and represented within the temple. It was created as a fief of the City of Gold after the Fall of the Mapheri Dynasty and the declaration of the Second Holy War by Taun-Lok Mageslayer, Priest-King of the Crokodon species.
SIZE AND LOCATION: Small
The City of the Lost is a single temple structure beneath the south-western lake in the central region of Ardell. The temple has two underwater entrances sitting at the bottom of the deep lake, though the majority of the city is within an underground cave complex consisting of several caverns and underground lakes, illuminated with Sun-Stones. It sits to the south-east of the Necropolis and to the west of Vanderburg and Arkell.
WEALTH: Low
The City of the Lost was built quickly using the existing caves as its foundation, and is still largely under construction. Very little gold has been shipped to the City as its purpose is less as a functioning city and more as a staging area for the Armies of the City of Gold to launch their Holy War against the Undead that have become increasingly common since the collapse of the Mapheri Dynasty and the Crokodon becoming active in the world at large.
Very few sacred artifacts have been moved into the city beyond the Sun-Stones that illuminate the caves and the Eye of Jag-Gar which can allow a warrior to see through the eyes of an animal companion at their service. Fish is caught in abundance in the lake country however so there is little shortage of food.
STABILITY: Medium
The City of the Lost is a major military staging point for the Crokodon species, and so it is constantly protected by a force of Priest-Warriors, however it is a military fortress. Eventually it will draw attention as the armies of the City of Gold are unleashed from the City of the Lost, since its destruction will severely hamper the Crokodon's ability to make war in the central part of Ardell, if not cripple it entirely.
DANGER TO TRAVELERS: Medium
Natural Fauna is mildly dangerous to fishermen and travelers, and the Crokodon do not enjoy sharing their lake's resources with outsiders, as they rely on the abundance of fish to fuel their war-effort in central Ardell. Its entrances are also located at the bottom of a lake, so getting to it is known to be a difficulty for many, though not impossible. Strangers and those that are unknown are not often well received by the Crokodon, preferring to keep these people contained and not let them see the extent of the City of the Lost. What allies the Crokodon have however are protected by the military forces stationed here.
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
The City of the Lost is under the complete command of the Priest-King of the Golden City and the Crokodon Gods edicts. However it is more often ruled directly by Hetan, Ancient of the Sea, an elderly Riverscale Crokodon and son of Tehaun, Goddess of the Sea. He is the military commander of the City and responsible for its defense and maintaining supplies meant for the other armies that will be staging from the underwater fortress. He and his Dragon-Turtle, Ghanzrabah, are known to be far more savage in defense of the Lake than their kin in the Golden City. Since the Dragon-Turtle is worshiped as an avatar of Tehaun, when it is hungry sacrifices are often made to it in Tehaun's name, be they captive, or a fishing village within striking distance.
FREEDOM AND OPPRESSION:
The people of the City of the Lost are free, however being a military structure related to the Priest-Warriors of the Golden City, sentient sacrifices are not unheard of. Captives are rarely held for longer than a few days before they are sacrificed, though capturing others isn't the goal of the Crokodon.
COMMON SPECIES:
Crokodon are the ruling sentient species, the large eight to twelve foot tall lizard creatures appearing similar to humanoid crocodilian species. As in the City of Gold, Godspawn make up the largest population, but all the Crokodon races are represented, Riverscales holding significant importance within the social structure. The war-like and ferocious species make use of several other beasts, though mostly aquatic creatures such as Ghanzrabah the Dragon-Turtle and his spawn.
Ghanzrabah is believed by most to be an island within the lake, though he is actually a massive alligator snapping turtle the size of the average galleon, worshiped as an Avatar of the Goddess of the Sea. Other large alligator snapping turtles, some the size of rowboats, have taken up residence in the lake since his coming, his offspring which are semi-sentient and venture into the other lakes and rivers.
MILITARY FOCUS:
The City of the Lost is a naval power, but not in the traditional sense. Lacking traditional ships and weapons, the Crokodon make use of aquatic creatures such as the large turtles, Ghanzrabah himself, and other aquatic and semi-aquatic beasts as mobile attack platforms. Being aquatic and excellent swimmers themselves, the Crokodon attack from below, using strong claws and their beasts to sink ships before they become a threat, fighting with their prey where their aquatic nature gives them the greatest advantage.
On occasion they use Ghanzrabah to sink whole ships at a time or carry other siege equipment on his back in a howdah he is sometimes fitted with.
TECHNOLOGY LEVEL: Bronze Age
Most of the technology used by the Crokodons is incredibly primitive. Armor is mostly ceremonial, and even then normally just slabs or tablets of obsidian, slate, or gold decorated with feathers, cloth, leathers, bones, and uncut semi-precious stones. Their weaponry is simple, consisting of Macuahiutls, atlatls, javelins, and spears with even more primitive clubs, axes, and slings not being uncommon.
It is their script-writing, astrology, artistry that is most advanced. Brushes, chisels, each Priest-Warrior seeking to find and catalog omens in their own way. Their speech consists of gutteral grunts, growls, roars, and body language with similar sounds meaning vastly different things. Most verbal communication is based around situations where haste is required, such as combat, fleeing a volcano, an earthquake, and the like. Normally, in everyday conversation they will write their conversations, with different members of the species using different styles. Some may communicate in free form poetry, others only in iambic pentameter, others in song, some exclusively with metaphors and similes.
GODS AND RELIGION:
Crokodon are omnivorous, however due to proximity to rivers and lakes in the junle they often eat primarily fish and fruit caught from the Lake Country.
NOTABLE ARTS:
The Crokodon’s lives revolve around war and worship. From birth until the child reaches adulthood, they are taught to use weapons, read, write, hunt, and basic survival skills communally from many of their elders. After the child reaches about the age of twenty, they are fully grown and begin to learn other skills, such as developing natural talents, learning trades from elders, all while maintaining their combat prowess.
DAILY WEAPONS:
Weapons are almost always carried by the Crokodon, though travelers that happen upon the city will often not be allowed to keep them. Only trusted allies would be allowed to wear full armor and carry weapons within the Temple and caves.
HISTORY:
The City of the Lost was only very recently established and is still largely under construction in the lake country. The City was built as a fief or vassal state intended to be used as a military staging ground for the Second Holy War of the City of Gold, housing the Crokodon armies in central Ardell. The only reliable road through the mountains to the City of the Lost is through a deep ravine, and even this is snowed over in winter preventing the Crokodon from marching from their hidden city to Central Ardell.
The city was built by order of Priest-King Taun-Lok following his declaration of the Second War of the Dead, in which the Crokodon would retaliate against their undead enemies with the same viciousness they were given millennia ago during the First Cataclysm. During that centuries long war, the Crokodon were forged into a brutal war-like species, and during this one, Ardell would become familiar with them.
PLAYER CONTROLLED: Taun-Lok | Mageslayer
KINGDOM AT A GLANCE:
The City of the Lost is an underwater and underground Temple structure, primarily devoted to Tehaun, Goddess of the Sea, however all Five Gods are worshiped and represented within the temple. It was created as a fief of the City of Gold after the Fall of the Mapheri Dynasty and the declaration of the Second Holy War by Taun-Lok Mageslayer, Priest-King of the Crokodon species.
SIZE AND LOCATION: Small
The City of the Lost is a single temple structure beneath the south-western lake in the central region of Ardell. The temple has two underwater entrances sitting at the bottom of the deep lake, though the majority of the city is within an underground cave complex consisting of several caverns and underground lakes, illuminated with Sun-Stones. It sits to the south-east of the Necropolis and to the west of Vanderburg and Arkell.
WEALTH: Low
The City of the Lost was built quickly using the existing caves as its foundation, and is still largely under construction. Very little gold has been shipped to the City as its purpose is less as a functioning city and more as a staging area for the Armies of the City of Gold to launch their Holy War against the Undead that have become increasingly common since the collapse of the Mapheri Dynasty and the Crokodon becoming active in the world at large.
Very few sacred artifacts have been moved into the city beyond the Sun-Stones that illuminate the caves and the Eye of Jag-Gar which can allow a warrior to see through the eyes of an animal companion at their service. Fish is caught in abundance in the lake country however so there is little shortage of food.
STABILITY: Medium
The City of the Lost is a major military staging point for the Crokodon species, and so it is constantly protected by a force of Priest-Warriors, however it is a military fortress. Eventually it will draw attention as the armies of the City of Gold are unleashed from the City of the Lost, since its destruction will severely hamper the Crokodon's ability to make war in the central part of Ardell, if not cripple it entirely.
DANGER TO TRAVELERS: Medium
Natural Fauna is mildly dangerous to fishermen and travelers, and the Crokodon do not enjoy sharing their lake's resources with outsiders, as they rely on the abundance of fish to fuel their war-effort in central Ardell. Its entrances are also located at the bottom of a lake, so getting to it is known to be a difficulty for many, though not impossible. Strangers and those that are unknown are not often well received by the Crokodon, preferring to keep these people contained and not let them see the extent of the City of the Lost. What allies the Crokodon have however are protected by the military forces stationed here.
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
The City of the Lost is under the complete command of the Priest-King of the Golden City and the Crokodon Gods edicts. However it is more often ruled directly by Hetan, Ancient of the Sea, an elderly Riverscale Crokodon and son of Tehaun, Goddess of the Sea. He is the military commander of the City and responsible for its defense and maintaining supplies meant for the other armies that will be staging from the underwater fortress. He and his Dragon-Turtle, Ghanzrabah, are known to be far more savage in defense of the Lake than their kin in the Golden City. Since the Dragon-Turtle is worshiped as an avatar of Tehaun, when it is hungry sacrifices are often made to it in Tehaun's name, be they captive, or a fishing village within striking distance.
FREEDOM AND OPPRESSION:
The people of the City of the Lost are free, however being a military structure related to the Priest-Warriors of the Golden City, sentient sacrifices are not unheard of. Captives are rarely held for longer than a few days before they are sacrificed, though capturing others isn't the goal of the Crokodon.
COMMON SPECIES:
Crokodon are the ruling sentient species, the large eight to twelve foot tall lizard creatures appearing similar to humanoid crocodilian species. As in the City of Gold, Godspawn make up the largest population, but all the Crokodon races are represented, Riverscales holding significant importance within the social structure. The war-like and ferocious species make use of several other beasts, though mostly aquatic creatures such as Ghanzrabah the Dragon-Turtle and his spawn.
Ghanzrabah is believed by most to be an island within the lake, though he is actually a massive alligator snapping turtle the size of the average galleon, worshiped as an Avatar of the Goddess of the Sea. Other large alligator snapping turtles, some the size of rowboats, have taken up residence in the lake since his coming, his offspring which are semi-sentient and venture into the other lakes and rivers.
MILITARY FOCUS:
The City of the Lost is a naval power, but not in the traditional sense. Lacking traditional ships and weapons, the Crokodon make use of aquatic creatures such as the large turtles, Ghanzrabah himself, and other aquatic and semi-aquatic beasts as mobile attack platforms. Being aquatic and excellent swimmers themselves, the Crokodon attack from below, using strong claws and their beasts to sink ships before they become a threat, fighting with their prey where their aquatic nature gives them the greatest advantage.
On occasion they use Ghanzrabah to sink whole ships at a time or carry other siege equipment on his back in a howdah he is sometimes fitted with.
TECHNOLOGY LEVEL: Bronze Age
Most of the technology used by the Crokodons is incredibly primitive. Armor is mostly ceremonial, and even then normally just slabs or tablets of obsidian, slate, or gold decorated with feathers, cloth, leathers, bones, and uncut semi-precious stones. Their weaponry is simple, consisting of Macuahiutls, atlatls, javelins, and spears with even more primitive clubs, axes, and slings not being uncommon.
It is their script-writing, astrology, artistry that is most advanced. Brushes, chisels, each Priest-Warrior seeking to find and catalog omens in their own way. Their speech consists of gutteral grunts, growls, roars, and body language with similar sounds meaning vastly different things. Most verbal communication is based around situations where haste is required, such as combat, fleeing a volcano, an earthquake, and the like. Normally, in everyday conversation they will write their conversations, with different members of the species using different styles. Some may communicate in free form poetry, others only in iambic pentameter, others in song, some exclusively with metaphors and similes.
GODS AND RELIGION:
The City of Gold pays homage to the Five Gods, formerly the Ancestor Spirits, Totutl of the Sky, Grom-Taq of the Earth, Jag-Gar of the Beasts, Tehaun of the Sea, and Hexuatl of Time. Combined, the Five Gods are believed responsible for all of creation, but most importantly it is believed that the City of Gold and its inhabitants were made to directly serve and protect the Gods and their entrance to their Celestial home. Sentient Sacrifices are made to the Gods when the Crokodon wish to glean some influence from them.
In reality these Gods are merely the Spirits of five powerful mortals who learned how to trap themselves in Limbo so that they could continue to provide guidance to the tribes they had united and uplifted into a civilization. Because this was so long ago and contorted by absolute devotion, it is no longer known to the inhabitants.
FOOD:Crokodon are omnivorous, however due to proximity to rivers and lakes in the junle they often eat primarily fish and fruit caught from the Lake Country.
NOTABLE ARTS:
The Crokodon, despite being very primitive, war-like beings often become artists of sorts. Each warrior carries brushes or charcoal and parchment with them as a way of communication because in their society, unless haste is required, it is more polite to write for one another. Some will use poetry, haiku’s, limericks exclusively while others may be more freeform or script writing. A few are known to exclusively use metaphors and similes in their written communication.
Additionally painting and rock sculptures, particularly those of the Gods or the Priest-Kings are revered as forms of worship, with great painters and sculptors holding some level of renown in the City, even if war is the primary profession of the entire species.
RELATIONSHIPS:Most of the Crokodon have a very laxed view of relationships as whole, allowing individual to determine the duration and amount of partners for themselves. Some males and females maintain harems, others mate for life, and others refrain for whatever reason. Normally a female will pick two or three males each year, with the relationship only lasting a few months. Females are able to bear only two or three live offspring every other year, each offspring able to be born from different fathers. Because of this, females may mate with one to three males, picking them based on their individual traits she finds desirable, such as their strength, wisdom, talent, or even personality.
Interracial relations between Crokodon is not unheard of or frowned upon. Paternal side determines the Race of the child, allowing a female of any race of Crokodon to give birth to any race. Interspecies relations are rare however, largely due to their extreme isolationism. It would be assumed that if picked by a female of a different species males may be accepting and isn't culturally looked down upon.
EDUCATION:The Crokodon’s lives revolve around war and worship. From birth until the child reaches adulthood, they are taught to use weapons, read, write, hunt, and basic survival skills communally from many of their elders. After the child reaches about the age of twenty, they are fully grown and begin to learn other skills, such as developing natural talents, learning trades from elders, all while maintaining their combat prowess.
DAILY WEAPONS:
Weapons are almost always carried by the Crokodon, though travelers that happen upon the city will often not be allowed to keep them. Only trusted allies would be allowed to wear full armor and carry weapons within the Temple and caves.
HISTORY:
The City of the Lost was only very recently established and is still largely under construction in the lake country. The City was built as a fief or vassal state intended to be used as a military staging ground for the Second Holy War of the City of Gold, housing the Crokodon armies in central Ardell. The only reliable road through the mountains to the City of the Lost is through a deep ravine, and even this is snowed over in winter preventing the Crokodon from marching from their hidden city to Central Ardell.
The city was built by order of Priest-King Taun-Lok following his declaration of the Second War of the Dead, in which the Crokodon would retaliate against their undead enemies with the same viciousness they were given millennia ago during the First Cataclysm. During that centuries long war, the Crokodon were forged into a brutal war-like species, and during this one, Ardell would become familiar with them.
PLAYER CONTROLLED: Taun-Lok | Mageslayer
