Scarterra primer, long
Elements of the Setting
Scarterra is a medieval fantasy setting, heavily based on real Earth medieval history but with logical modifications for being a fantasy world. There are active gods, 1 to 2% of the mortal population have magical capability or supernatural gifts, different mortal races share the same world, and literal monsters stalk the wild places. Overview of Scarterra versus Medieval Earth to browse specific places where Scarterra is similar or dissimilar from real world medieval history.Gods of Scarterra
[section:Gainsboro-bg]Scarterra is shaped by five gods and four goddesses collectively known as the the Nine. Every nation and tribe in Scarterra recognizes the same nine gods, but they don't agree on the attributes and values of the Nine or the best way to worship them. Some think the Nine are little better than tyrants and they don't deserve to be worshiped, but none deny that they exist.
The Nine are active deities that are capable of enacting tangible miracles and directing spirit minions to enact their will upon the mortal plane, but they are not micromanagers. They certainly influence Scarterra, but they don't outright control Scarterra. The Nine are their values are an undercurrent that flavors and shapes conflict on the mortal plane, but Scarterran mortals have Free Will and mortal actions are the main driver of politics and adventures, not the will of the Nine.
Tent Pole Articles for the Nine
Broad overview of the Nine themselves Broad Overview for how most Scarterrans approach worship Broad overview of how priests and priestesses operate
Composite Display of the Nine's portraits by Zeta Gardner
British Library digitised image from page 28 of "Proverbial Philosophy in four series; by British Library Public Domain
Eight commissioned human portraits by Diana Rahfoth
World History
The First Age
The Nine created dragons the First Age. The dragons grew and prospered and built mighty nations and cities. New races were created, some to aid the dragons and some to harm the dragons. The dragons alternated allied with, fought with, or oppressed these new races. As populations swelled, resources became scarce and the dragons fought more and cooperated less, especially with other dragons.
Seeking a military advantage with a mystical ritual to control all of Scarterra's fresh water, a dragon queen tampered with power beyond her ken and accidentally triggered a massive cataclysm called the First Unmaking. The event was millions of elementals rampaging the material plane fighting each other. The elementals weren't actively targeting living beings but the natural disasters that followed in their wake killed and destroyed indiscriminately, killing roughly 90% of all mortals and beasts.
by me with Midjourney
The Second Age
The Nine opted to created elves to become the new dominant race over the the Second Age. The elves grew and prospered and built mighty nations and cities. The Nine created new races both to assist the elves and to harm them. Political factions formed and politics became more brutal as the elf nations warred with the newer races, the remaining dragoons, and each other.
Then one day an elf king tampered with power beyond his ken and triggered a massive cataclysm, an event called the Second Unmaking. Void demons, once a very rare threat, flooded the material plane in unprecedented numbers and they, along with their assorted minions attempted to consume mortal souls. The Void demons didn't target plants and animals, but a byproduct of their entry into material plane created decades of severe winters that killed by plants and triggered famines for man and beast. About 90% of all mortals and 50% of all beasts were slain.
by Me with Midjourney
The Third Age
The Nine created humans to be the new dominant race of the Third Age. The Nine hoped the shorter life span of humans would prevent any single human from amassing enough power to destroy the world, though many believe that it's only a matter of time before some dumb human triggers a Third Unmaking somehow. They certainly war on each other as much as the ancient elves and dragons of yesteryear.
Dragons, elves, and humans were essentially created by a committee of all nine of the Nine. Many times individuals or small groups of the Nine ended up creating new races, sometimes by accident. Humans are the majority race, but Scarterra is clogged with new races and the descendants of survivors of the previous two ages.
Remnants of the first two Unmakings persist. The influence of the First Unmaking has left many places in Scarterra are marked with elemental energies which creates odds landmarks, feral elementals, opening and closing gateways to realm of the Fae and local anomalies in the laws of physics.
The influence of the Second Unmaking means that small numbers of Void demons cross over every winter. Infernalist cults of Void Demon collaborators skulk in the shadows or hide in plain sight. And Void energies pool to create new types of undead or grotesque mutated living beasts.
by me with Midjourney
Mortal Races
Humans, elves, and dragons were created by all nine of the Nine by committee. Because they have the spiritual imprints of all the Nine, they can theoretically interbreed with almost anything. All mortal half-breeds have to be half-human, half-elf, and/or half-dragon.A lot of new mortal races were created by single deities or small groups. Greymoria is the most prolific creator of new intelligent creatures, sometimes by herself, sometimes she persuades or tricks one of the rest of the Nine to help her.
Greymoria was unhappy that dragons weren't worshiping her as much as she deserved, so she created new races to attack them. Later, Greymoria was unhappy that dragons weren't worshiping her as much as she deserved, so she created new races to attack them. And now Greymoria is unhappy that humans are worshipping her as much as she deserves, so she is creating new races to attack humanity.
A lot of Greymoria's earlier creations have turned their back on their Dark Mother, so she is now attacking them, and some are now extinct. Others went extinct even without Greymoria's interference and some cling on to life despite Greymoria's interference.
Goblins now believe all of the Nine have forsaken them and shun all the Nine, not just Greymoria. Others such as the kalazotz have been spiritually adopted by one of Greymoria's divine rivals, but these are only but two examples of Greymoria's wayward "children".
by Zeta Gardner
Whispered Rumors finished version by Zeta Gardner
Where the Action is
Epic history is great in a fantasy world but fantasy worlds needs things for heroes to deal with right now. Center stage is the central region of West Colassia. Near each other are the land of Fumaya, and land of Swynfaredia, and the Border Baronies Region,Nation of Fumaya
The boot-shaped nation of Fumaya is sandwiched between much stronger powers. Nomadic barbarians and monsters to the north, dwarves to the west, elves to the east, and Swynfaredia to the south. Right now the Swynfaredians are angling for a full-scale invasion but that is not the Fumayans only problem for the plucky and pious "Booters".
Their capital city is overrun by organized crime, orcs are extorting northern villages, and monster attacks are on the rise. Those are just the obvious problems as hidden dangers lurk in the metaphorical and literal shadows. There is no shortage of things to keep adventurers busy.
On paper, Swynfaredia should be able to utterly crush Fumaya with strength of numbers, but Swynfaredia has it's own problems.
Fumaya National Crest-1 by Me via World Spinner's Heraldry Generator
Tent Pole Articles for Fumaya
Fumayan humansNation of Swynfaredia
Swynfaredia is a nation where the nobility is based on the descendants of half-dragons who use their draconic sorcery as a badge of nobility and as a weapon to cement their dominance. While descended from dragons, the noble families now resemble a nest of vipers. Lies, conspiracies, daggers, and poison cups are all tools of trades, enhanced by magic.
The Queen of Swynfaredia is angling to conquer Fumaya both so she can focus her feuding vassals against an external enemy and hopefully avert a full on civil war. But also she wants to shore up her own power by giving land to her supporters and putting potential rivals into dangerous situations where "Fumayans" can kill them. All the queen's dukes and duchesses are hatching similar schemes, and all of their vassals are hatching schemes. With all the high level intrigue going on, various anti-governmental groups ranging from idealistic rebels to cutthroat criminals are sensing openings they can exploit.
There is plenty of fodder to keep political minded characters busy.
Swynfaredian Coat of Arms by Me with Worldspinner's Heraldry program
Tentpole Articles on Swynfaredia
Swynfaredian Dragonbloods Swynfaredian Armed ForcesThe Border Baronies
The Borderlands is a rain soaked mountain range where rocky outcroppings and swamps separate proverbial islands of arable land creating several isolated independent kingdoms that are havens for outcasts, outsiders, and mercenaries. The independent nature of the isolated kingdoms, commonly nicknamed "The Border Baronies" gives story opportunities because sometimes you want to have a story where the king is overthrown without throwing the entire setting into a lurch.
Map of the Border Baronies by Pendrake
Comments