The setting
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==The People== | ==The People== | ||
Unlike many fantasy games, the Empire setting contains only a few sapient species. The majority of Imperial citizens are humans, although the [[Imperial Orcs]] nation allows for [[orc]] player characters. There are a handful of other | Unlike many fantasy games, the Empire setting contains only a few sapient species. The majority of Imperial citizens are humans, although the [[Imperial Orcs]] nation allows for [[orc]] player characters. There are a handful of other sapient species in the game but they are very rarely encountered by Imperial citizens. | ||
Some humans are touched by the power of the magical realms and develop [[lineage]]. There are six lineages in the Empire setting - [[briar]], [[cambion]], [[changeling]], [[draughir]], [[merrow]], and [[naga]]. Each has physical ''trappings'' that mark them out as different to unlineaged humans and their personalities are influenced by the magical realm they are associated with. Lineaged people are found throughout the world, and while they are still fundamentally human different nations have different attitudes to different lineages. | Some humans are touched by the power of the magical realms and develop [[lineage]]. There are six lineages in the Empire setting - [[briar]], [[cambion]], [[changeling]], [[draughir]], [[merrow]], and [[naga]]. Each has physical ''trappings'' that mark them out as different to unlineaged humans and their personalities are influenced by the magical realm they are associated with. Lineaged people are found throughout the world, and while they are still fundamentally human different nations have different attitudes to different lineages. | ||
===Tolerant world=== | ===Tolerant world=== | ||
The Empire world may look | The Empire world may look medieval on the surface, but this inspiration is more about the look-and-feel than the attitudes of the people. Prejudice based around sex, gender, or real-world ethnicity is unknown. It's not an element we're interested in including in the game. Prejudice still exists, but it is focused on in-game elements such as lineage, nationality, or in-game religion. | ||
===Technologically advanced=== | ===Technologically advanced=== | ||
There are numerous [[technology|technologies]] known in the Empire setting that would be anachronistic in a traditional | There are numerous [[technology|technologies]] known in the Empire setting that would be anachronistic in a traditional medieval world. Some of these technologies such as [[technology#Light stones|light stones]] are magical in nature while others such as the [[technology#printing press|printing press]] are mundane in nature. | ||
Empire is also a more literate world than its real-world equivalent. The assumption is that everyone can read and write, and the general level of education is much higher than it might be in a similar fantasy world. | Empire is also a more literate world than its real-world equivalent. The assumption is that everyone can read and write, and the general level of education is much higher than it might be in a similar fantasy world. | ||
Revision as of 17:10, 22 October 2020
Overview
This page lays out the setting of the Empire game in broad strokes.
A closed world
Empire takes place in a closed world. This means that it has its own setting, laid out on the wiki. Players take roles within the world, and don't have the ability to introduce significant new elements. This may be part of game overview instead but possibly worth repeating in intro.
Nations
There are ten nations in the Empire, and every player character belongs to one of them. Each of the nations is developed on the Empire wiki.
The Empire
While there is a larger world beyond Imperial borders, the game focuses on events that take place within the Empire. We don't model the external factions in detail - they exist to create interesting interactions among the players within the Empire. This doesn't mean the Empire is the most important place in the world in-character, but it is the heart of the game out of character.
As such, we don't detail foreign nations or barbarian forces in the same level of detail as the Imperial nations, and events outside the Empire are important only to the degree that they effect Imperial citizens.
The People
Unlike many fantasy games, the Empire setting contains only a few sapient species. The majority of Imperial citizens are humans, although the Imperial Orcs nation allows for orc player characters. There are a handful of other sapient species in the game but they are very rarely encountered by Imperial citizens.
Some humans are touched by the power of the magical realms and develop lineage. There are six lineages in the Empire setting - briar, cambion, changeling, draughir, merrow, and naga. Each has physical trappings that mark them out as different to unlineaged humans and their personalities are influenced by the magical realm they are associated with. Lineaged people are found throughout the world, and while they are still fundamentally human different nations have different attitudes to different lineages.
Tolerant world
The Empire world may look medieval on the surface, but this inspiration is more about the look-and-feel than the attitudes of the people. Prejudice based around sex, gender, or real-world ethnicity is unknown. It's not an element we're interested in including in the game. Prejudice still exists, but it is focused on in-game elements such as lineage, nationality, or in-game religion.
Technologically advanced
There are numerous technologies known in the Empire setting that would be anachronistic in a traditional medieval world. Some of these technologies such as light stones are magical in nature while others such as the printing press are mundane in nature.
Empire is also a more literate world than its real-world equivalent. The assumption is that everyone can read and write, and the general level of education is much higher than it might be in a similar fantasy world.
Magic
THIS BIT IS TOO LONG! Magic is a fact of life in the setting, and in theory anyone can learn to use it. There are two ways of directly wielding magical power - spellcasting and ritual magic.
Spellcasting allows magicians to perform a small number of spells that can perform a handful of specific magical effects such as healing wounds or hurling an opponent away with amgical force.
Ritual magic allows groups of magicians called covens to wield the magic of the realms to create powerful magical effects drawn from six magical lores. Ritual magic is potent but there are several limitations on what it can achieve - for example no amount of magic can raise the dead.
In addition to the more obvious uses of magic, there are several other ways that magical force can impact the game. Magic items crafted by artisans and allow even the most mundane individual to access limited magical abilities. The five magical herbs allow physicks to achieve remarkable healing effects, and let apothecaries brew valuable potions.
Finally, the world itself is steeped in magic. hearth magic is a kind of roleplaying magic that sometimes grants additional weight or significance to otherwise mundane activities.
Cosmology
The Empire is part of the mortal or mundane world, but there are other worlds. The six magical realms - Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Day, and Night - are magical planes that are separted from but innately tied to the natural world. Magical power can be drawn from the realms, and while mortals can't visit them and survive they are inhabited by supernatural creatures called eternals who are fascinated by the material world.
Religion
Faith is a powerful motivation in the Empire setting, but it differs greatly from religions in many other roleplaying games. There are no gods for example, and no divine authority that will tell players how to act or answer their questions. The powers wielded by priests are significantly more subtle than those commonly available to religious characters in other settings, focused around the creation of roleplaying effects and dealing with spiritual matters rather than providing healing or smiting opponents.
Reincarnation
Almost all human religions recognise the idea that human souls reincarnate. Most of the known religions believe that after they die humans go to a spiritual realm for a time and then are reborn in the world. The exact details of these beliefs vary widely.
Many religions
The Empire has a formal religion - the Way - that is based around the pursuit of the seven Virtues. This religion is know and followed by people all over the world, but it is only one of several competing religions. It's illegal for people to preach other faiths in the Empire.
As with other elements, the religions of the Empire world are specific to the setting. Player character priests are likely to wield secular power as members of the Imperial Synod, and there is a strong theme of religious conflict with the priests of foreign religions.
The World
Not a medieval world
The broad strokes of the Empire setting are built around the aesthetics of the 12th and 13th century but that is not to say that the people who live there have the same attitudes as medevil people.
Rules
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