Bachariko

Bachariko, the Spice Kingdoms

History

A region of similiar culture rather than one exact area, the vast languid river deltas that flow south split into two large rivers that empty into the same large plain to the south. This area is dotted with city-states as diverse as the various tribes and migrant who have met in the fields as combatants, traders or refugees. The history of this region predates all the other known areas, and is cosidered to be the point where the other empires of the past have originated. The largest and Oldest city-states in the region have based there wealth on three pillars. The bountiful resources of the sea, both from above and below, as well as the trade cogs that lined the ports and rivers of the region, and the vast plantations that circle the cities of spices, food stuffs and drugs. Backariko is blessed with a climate that is warm and rare rainy periods, followed by droughts, but most resident gain sustenance from the Three great rivers, and smaller tributaries that flow through there from the North and East. The Marshes that once choked the Estuaries have been drained, converted to gardens and irrigation, or left as hunting preserves for the god-kings. The cities are made from stone, mud brick and reed, with some houses of the wealthy using wood, bamboo or other more exotic constructions from the North. Great Walls, Temples and Statues dominate and dwarf the landscape that stretches flat in all directions, and largest hills are man made. Each City state swears allegiance to a complicated and ever shifting series of alliances, and periodically wars break out to sort out which City will rule as the seat of power. The God-Kings who rule have made dark pacts or given bits of themselves over to other entities to rule for decades, and some whisper for several hundred years as some dark shadows behind the thrones. The secret of this longevity is guarded with-in the highest circles, and is known only to a few of the City-States. It is here of all the world that Astronomy has developed the greatest, and at night large stretches of the city go dark to prevent any light from taking away from the Twin Moons above, and the march of the stars. The importation of advanced lenses, and other equipment is made for the exchange of captured prisoners from the periodic wars, spices and rare clothes, herbs and other ingredients needed by the Four Cities to the North, as well as by the client states that serve as a buffer between Bachariko and the Two Sisters to the North. Recently the God-King of the largest city-state has marshaled his legions, mercenaries and occult allies, consulted his astrologers, and is consolidating his control of the center of the region, in a big to build a lasting empire out of the chaotic region. If he succeeds, then the Twin Cities will face a unified threat. However, the region is experiencing a drought, and crop yields are falling, and some are calling for the blood sacrifices from the God-Kings to feed the Moons, so that the blessed rains will fall. In the Past, in times of stress, the God-Kings sacrificed themselves. This tradition has fallen to the way side, but the people remember, and their Gods grow hungry.

-by stephen_dean

Geography

In the distant past, the divine God-head of the Unified principle of divine balance ruled over the whole world. His children, growing hungry and envious of his power, overthrew their father and sacrificed him to the twin moons and the sun, his blood forming the rivers and his tears the stars and planets in the sky. The patterns of there movements are the very soul of the God-head, and by watching them, the Usurpers sought to find the secret of there father’s wisdom and power. But the fickle nature of the sons led to infighting, and the world was turned to chaos as infighting and war covered the earth, sky and water. We live upon bodies of the fallen, the oceans the blood that filled the land. They cannot die however, for if you look in some of the deepest wounds of there battle, there hot blood flows hot and molten, sleeping and dreaming spirits.

In the past, deep in the silent dust of history, five wise men found the secrets to principles that were sundered by the first sacrifice. They, and there reincarnations, have led the greatest states among us, guiding the return and watching the heavens for the correct moment to unify our holy lands and create a world spanning state in the glory of the unified principle of divine balance. They heretics and barbarians of the north, and the cities of glass shall shatter before the courage and power of the ever living, and the sacrifices shall make the earth burst forth in plenty.

-- by stephen_dean

Realm of the Sickle King

Embodying rebirth, the times of plenty and the bountiful crops and wealth of the Three rivers and fertile plains. Four Cities of stone and earth rise above the earth, towns and villages radiate out along the rivers and irrigated paths. All is centered by the great observatory and gardens in the center, holding plants and herbs of every corner of the earth, the observatory spends the dark nights scanning the heavens, and the Sickle Kings legions are armed with the tools of the harvest, sickles and Flails, and coursing into battle with the courage of the divine manna they feast upon before battle. The times between harvests are spent on vast projects such as the irrigation network, vast monuments to the glory of the divine, and splendid statues and walls emanate the wonders of the Harvest, the wealth of the earth. The mysterious wonder of the rebirth of the divine snakes, the sacrifices and holy days fill the souls of pilgrims with wonder.

-- by stephen_dean

Realm of the Drowned King

Flood bringer, the Water of life, principle of cycles, divine destruction and reshaping, the river-kings lands sprawl the largest southern river of Bachariko, smaller in size than the sickle king, but holding the headwaters of the greatest of the Three Rivers and the Marshes that line the foothills and highlands of the upper rivers. The Drowned King holds court in the waterfalls of the first Cataract, a palace of stone and bamboo, the wealth of trade, the bounty of trade and the purity of the waters providing wealth and rebirth with the eternal rivers, and calling on hundreds of villages and hamlets deep into the tributaries and pathways. The Great observatory sits atop a rocky pillar, high above the surrounding isles and towns, linked by the reed boats and floating islands of woven roots and crops. His legions are not levies as in the northlands, but proud dedicated river men, bloodied against the tribes and beast of the great jungles to the south, and feared for there tendency to ritually drown captives. He holds the rare flowers and lore that can extend life, and is guarded by the spirits of the scaled beast that eat whole men in a single flash of teeth.

-- by stephen_dean

Realm of the King of Dust

The Hidden Wealth, the Forger, Glittering Man, holder of the secrets of bronze, the Mines that bring forth the metals and resources so craved by the Cities of Glass to the North, and defender of the wandering herdsman and traders of the drier lands to the West and North of Bachariko, and the smaller walled towns and villages of the outer edges. His legions are armored and armed with weapons and gear of fine craftsmanship, shimmering feathered cloaks and trained terror cranes with sharpened talons accompanying his wars to defend the small folk of his lands. His capital sits atop a rich vein of silver, and his highest acolytes are said to wield blades forged from falling stars.

-- by stephen_dean

Realm of the Anointed King

The Bloody Man, the Sea King, the Wounded Lord, who rules the southeastern coast between the jungle and the ocean. There are many small fishing villages along the coast but the only harbor city is ruled by the god-king. They harvest the bounty of the ocean, in fishing and trade. Their observatories are also lighthouses, and they trade for lenses and mirrors for them from the Twin Cities of the north. They also trade with the distant archipelago islands of the eastern ocean. The followers of the god-king file their teeth like those of sharks, and go to war in sharkskin armor, armed with sharktooth spears. They have many secrets of blood magic, which they can use to call up monster sharks and set them into a killing frenzy, and also to drive beasts and men into panic from the scent of blood. As the price for these secrets, their ruler bleeds always from a wound that never heals, of which no outsider knows the details for it is the means by which the god-king's new incarnations are identified.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Realm of the Poet King

He is called the Inspired King, the Poet-Scribe, and the Human Verse. He rules commands no armies, yet he commands respect. He is a scholar, a gentleman, and, most of all, a poet. He represents humanity's creative and intellectual achievements. He encourages his subjects to study literature, art, science, and philosophy. His palace is a habitable library which is surrounded by gardens and natural beauty.

-- by shanoxilt

Culture

The City-states of the region, well known as the vast land of dry jungle in the foothills, to wetter environments in the lower lands, and widening into a drier flat expanse with languid rivers flowing north, where most of the cities lie, are as diverse as the plants and flowers that dominate the region's trade. Each City claims a proud history, part mythical, part historical, and all linked by the worship, sacrifice and expectation of the citizens, from the lowest serf working the fields that produce the bountiful wealth, to the deeply tanned fishermen who ply the waters of the coast, the great rivers, and even the outer marshes of the thousand flowing waters.

You can see this look of pride, lack of fear, an almost divine sense of identity in each person of these places. They range in size from hamlets of two to three hundred souls all told, to vast edifies of brick, bamboo and stone, or great trees hewed into beams. The largest are dominated by constructed hills, all of different forms, from pyramids and geometric shaped, to large crafted statues of bronze and gold. Each of the these cities possesses a observatory in the center, at the highest point, and it is here that the god-kinds, each a representative of his people, a sacrifice of the noble art of living a normal life, plots and schemes to expand his holding over more earth and water. They watch the planets and the Stars, forge weapons from stones that fall from the sky, and wage war against one another where the prizes are tangible, more people, more land, more earth and water.

Even the smallest of them form alliances and pacts to prevent complete take-over, and the cities have spent years, some hundreds, honing the art of survival and warfare. In the event that one god-king slays another, the city-state is purged of all symbols of the supposed divine, and the citizens become property of the victor. These clashes are rare and all or nothing affairs, and are fueled by the export of the spices, drugs and goods to each other, further afield and even across the great seas. Times of strife and scarcity see the ritualized individual combats give way to true conflicts, and when a great leader arises, such as the first god king, unifying the fractured land can begin.

The astrologers and soothsayers agree that the time of the second conquest is approaching, and warn there kings that change is afoot. Some claim that the time has come to move north, against the Three Cities, and this is worrying given the size and ability of such a force. The policy advice to continue funding and allying with competing factions, and weaken any god-king who shows signs of conquering enough to be a threat would be the best policy, due to known infiltration of some of the god-kings by heretical elements and refugees of the crusades.

-- by stephen_dean

The port city-states of Bachariko sail lateen-rigged catamarans. Their alchemists have concocted noxious depth bombs which can be dropped overboard in hopes of driving away monster sharks. Occasionally these work, but often the monster shark is noticed too late. The largest Bachariko catamarans are armed with Greek-fire siphons, which are no protection against aquatic monsters, but are deadly against enemy ships.

-- by Kakita Kojiro

Mercenary Companies of Note

The recent outbreak of conflicts by the city-states in the outer region of the former Sandstone Empire, as well as the consolidation of holdings by the God-King Logos the Unyielding in the regions of the vital trade routes of the Spice lands, has proven to be a boon for the carrion birds and sell swords of the lands. The most prominent are listed below, and recruit from all the known regions of our continent, with elements of the Twin Cities is positions of power, and others made up of outcast or drifters from over the Western Mountains.

The Sandstone Legion

A group of a thousand or so troops recruited out of the center of the former strong hold of the Sandstone Empire, they are reported to have access to some kind of beast to cross the Steppes, and are known to take trophies of the dead in the form of necklaces of ears or teeth. They seem to work mostly for those who can provide coin, and sources claim there goal is to gain enough recruits and experience to try and resurrect the old Empire. They are led by a veteran of Flower Wars from one of the Sapling Cities who grew disgusted with the decadence and decay of the City of Reflections’ military caste. Potential for use in eventuality of local Hollow Man cult deemed likely, for either finance or favors if the attempt to consolidate the region occurs.

Wind-Dancers

A group of forty acrobats and dancers that banded together following a principle of conflict based on fast movement and distracting attacks. Only recently formed, they are specialized in breaching defenses and targeted killings or kidnapping. Known ability and fame have led to their increasing use to settle differences between merchant groups or competing factions. Typically hired at a standard rate, and led by a known member of the Wanders of the Waste, this group may be a front operation for one of their schemes.

Bronze Serpents

A group of Five Hundred escaped slaves or landless peasants, this group wears scale mail, and highly polished and stylized helmets, and are known to be willing to take high casualties to preserve there standing as a premium force for suppression of slavers or incursions by raiders from the West. They are known to worship a Snake god of some sort, embodying the principle of rebirth, and seem to especially dislike Hollow Man cults or other darker things. They are led by a imposing fellow named Orobus, and based out of a citadel bordering the Eastern Coast. They oppose the sacrifice system and helots.

The Immaculate

A group of fifty highly trained members of the Orchid Eater faction, they represent the pinnacle of there art, and are considered to be the best protection for nobles traveling in these dangerous times. Their price is steep, and they refuse to work above twelve days travel from their temples. Dangerous foes, their code of honor and ability make them impossible to bribe or blackmail.

-- by stephen_dean

Magic

Blood Magicians

Blood Magic is seen as primitive and the tool or cults by the sophisticated Cities of the Twin Cities of Glass, however, it has a proud and long tradition and is the engrained method in the splintered lands of the former Sandstone Empire. The Spirit world can be seen, bribed and affected by Sacrifice, and the blood of Kings is the most prized. However, what constitutes Royal blood requires details Family Trees, Astrological Charts and details histories, and the Orchid Shamans and High Priest are always looking for new sources, or lost bloodlines. This Magic of the South focuses on communion and transcendence by special shamans and court Astrologers and Alchemist to gauge what amount of blood is needed to bribe fate to the required course. Example effects are limited weather control, disease and spiritual healing, and divination. One of the Strangest aspects of the Blood Magic is its use in extending the life of some of the corrupt kings, who feed certain flowers and herbs that bloom in moon-light a portion of there Royal blood, and follow rigid patterns of diet and behavior to live decades beyond their subjects. The Sacrifice of the ruling class has raised an interesting dynamic of ruled and subject, and the role of King is a hard road.

-- by stephen_dean

The blood magic of the Sandstone Empire allows a variety of effects. The following is a short list of spells. Each blood magic spell requires a minimum amount of blood to activate the spell. Some spells require blood from animals, specific people, or a certain blood type.

Sanguine mist: a cloud of reddish vapor that emits from the magician's wound. It is used to obscure an opponent's vision. Unfortunately, it also obscures the magician's vision. Blood knives: spikes and knives composed of solidified blood erupt from the magician's wound. The Blood is the Life: the magician uses blood (usually fresh from his or her own wrist) to increase the size of one's livestock and crops. Blood bond: an empathic link between two people who have ritually shared blood.

-- by shanoxilt

Orchid Shamans

Orchid Shamans, also called the Orchidaceae Eaters, are an ancient group dating from the earliest settlers of the marshes and flood plains of the rivers and islands of southern Spice lands. They are Eclectic magicians, however they focus on the cultivation of plants and herbs, flowers and diet as a way of extending perception into the other world, prolonging life and physical training as an art form. The High priest is the oldest, well versed member of the order, who hold the secrets of the order, and is guarded by the disciples of the Order, who along with the Silent Brothers hunt unnatural and mundane threat to the common people, and sending expeditions to find new herbs and plants to add to there impressive and expansive gardens and botanical gardens.

-- by stephen_dean

Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15], Enhanced Defense (parry) [15], Fit [15], Metabolism Control [5/level], Trained by a Master [30] Disadvantages: Curious [-5] Skills: Area Knowledge, Diagnosis, Esoteric Medicine, Gardening, Herb Lore, Naturalist, Pharmacy (herbal)

-- by shanoxilt