Post by moggy on Jul 25, 2022 13:18:16 GMT -5
O D E N D U M
00 ODERINT DUM METUANT.
" let them hate so long as they fear "
You died.
Somewhere in the modern world, you might have been anyone. You could have been kind or cruel. You may have been an esoteric nobody or a glorified celebrity. None of that matters now that you're dead.
Summoned to an island continent divided by a civil war to determine who will usurp the throne and finally seize the true crown which still rests on the Dead King's head, you are alive again.
Odendum, and thus by extension Ostensibly itself, is at the total whim of all its Heroes. This world is meant to be left wholly in your characters' hands, with the fate of it hanging solely on how each and every piece of the puzzle chooses to contribute. There is very little that cannot be done in and/or to this world, and the only ones who might intervene are the Gods that watch the fates closely.
For the most part, these Gods are only interested in one thing.
Entertainment.
FACTIONS
You as the player choose which hemisphere your Hero has been summoned to, but they themselves have the ability to choose their faction. It is common for Heroes to simply align themselves with whoever has summoned them, but it is not unheard of for an individual to refuse, join another faction, trade sides when it suits their morals, or even simply choose to remain neutral. Some may betray their original faction or switch sides peacefully for a plethora of reasons, but someone who keeps jumping from place to place may be ostracized for disloyalty, and unable to join a new one indefinitely.
Realistically, you cannot switch factions too quickly or be too ambivalent. You will be smote by the Gods.
FIRE
For one reason or another, you have devoted yourself to the Emperor, Ivo Aurum.
Even though he seems less than interested in this whole civil war phenomena, the Emperor is seemingly eager to catch up to the fighting crowd as the Son of the Dead King. When you are first summoned, it is into the tower's tallest room upon the throne itself. Ivo greets you with enthusiasm and an anticipation for greatness; he has seen some of the amazing Heroes the other leaders have summoned forth, and he is all too eager to meet his reigning champion. It doesn't matter who you are; just be at his disposal and he'll make sure you're rewarded handsomely.
Ivo Aurum's ruling style is mock stern; it's easy to tell that he is trying desperately to fill the shoes of the Dead King by upholding his old heavy authoritative monarchal values, but his own superfluous nature seeps in and threatens to loosen the system. Currently, the Heroes he summons are regarded as soldier or adventurer types and are given very little instruction.
"Get out there and win me that good fight, Hero!"
Your first impression of him is that he is far too young to be striving for the crown.
WIND
For one reason or another, you have devoted yourself to her Highness, Elrinith Goth.
As a devote woman of faith, her Highness has always been a trusted and valued member of her part of society, especially as a charitable religious figurehead of what was once known as Domus' quaint Sunveil. Having used her amassed renown as the pious high priestess to garner favor, Elrinith has secured her place at the head of Vescent's cause to join the nation and the church together as one. She summons you personally and implores you to listen to this tale, which is spun heavily within her favor as you receive a stripped version of history. She seduces you with body and mind, and promises that helping her will grant you a reservation in The Above.
Elrinith Goth's ruling style is absolute and suggestive, a sort of juxtaposing participative type of democracy, and works entirely through manipulation and fear mongering to create a body of people desperate for her guidance. Currently, the Heroes she summons are divided into different forms of operative, delegated to either solo, partner or group work with varying responsibilities.
"Lets marry the Gods to Odendum together, blessed Hero!"
Your first impression of her is that she seems a bit too provocative for a supposed holy woman.
LIGHTNING
For one reason or another, you have devoted yourself to the Boss.
There has never been a reason for the Boss to be at the front and center of anything but his rag-tag group of found family criminals. For a decade five years Before the First, a thug gang referred to as Scin Spark ran Domus' southern cluster of islands under the law's nose. Under a year After the First, Scin Spark was dismantled and killed off by Heroes believing themselves to be doing the right thing. One of the few survivors, Barnabus Meliotus, summons you beneath the city he claims as his own and tells you a sliver of this story before convincing you he only wants to make a new world that is better than the last. He assures you that there is a place in this world for you, too.
Barnabus Meliotus' ruling style is haphazard, messy and incredibly violent despite the casual way he approaches delegation. It is better aligned with a type of transactional leadership style and the democracy he paints it as. Currently, the Heroes he summons are given individual places in the hierarchy with many sent out as intelligence operatives. The happier you make him, the higher in status you'll climb.
"We don't really win this thing if we're broke in the end, eh, Hero?"
Your first impression of him is that maybe he'd be better off in a different line of work.
NEUTRAL
You have chosen to shed any responsibilities laid upon you by the Leaders of Odendum.
Despite being summoned into whichever hemisphere, you could not bring yourself to dedicate your time and effort to the cause; or, you have your own plans in mind.
"Ugh."
Your first impression of the world is that you'd rather not have died at all.
ODES, GODS & HEROES
HEROES
Your characters are dubbed Heroes upon being summoned, a term coined by the masses after the first wave of adventurers had been stolen from their original realm. Even those who decide to divulge in less heroic actions, or even some who might choose to bring only harm to this second life, are still apart of this namesake.notable heroes
Revolution | The first Hero to ever be summoned four years ago. There is some talk about who they were and what they're doing now if you know where to ask, but for the most part, Revolution's whereabouts are unknown. Dead or alive, the first Hero is missing in action.
GODS
Every God is different, and no two share the same ideology. As far as the people of Odendum know, they are an ancient type of being that have riddled the world and its solar system for eons. There are no records of Odendum before it was Domus, nor is there any records on how the continent came to settlement. It's unanimously believed that the Gods crafted these things, and thus the natives themselves.
Gods come in an array of types, ranging from benign to benevolent and anywhere in between. The more in touch with humanity a God is, the more humanoid they will appear. The beast sentinels which guard the island continent are just as evangelical as the Gods that wear human faces on land, or the abstract concepts of holiness which haunt the neighboring planes.
Religion in Odendum is an overarching, shared belief across its people since Gods and spiritual or divine figures are commonplace in the world. The only divide would be between various schools of thought beneath specific Gods, so churches are erected in the name of a specific one. Each has their own "version" of religion. Someone who worships Selene would belong to the Church of Lunar, someone who is devoted to Motherworld would belong to the Church of Life, and so forth. Someone who is unaffiliated or doesn't care is an atheist.notable gods
Selene | Much is known about Selene thanks to Vescent's own Church of Lunar, but she is hardly ever actually present to the people of Odendum. She is regarded as a beautiful, towering seductress who is not only a God, but the personification of the moon itself. She might have some complicated background with the sun...
Motherworld | Akin to our Mother Earth, Motherworld is a God which oversees the fate of the world which Odendum takes place on, and the personification of the planet itself. Not much is known about her, but she is spoken of and regarded most commonly.
Kekeat | God of all things chaotic, unruly and mad. Thought to act entirely on impulse, it appears as more clownlike and unhinged than it does divine, but somehow it still inhabits a mostly humanlike vessel. Those who have debilitating mental health issues, especially kinds of a delusional nature, are thought to be touched by Kekeat itself.
ODES
An umbrella term used for all native residents of Odendum no matter their race, appearance or social class. When the island continent was still under the name of "Domus," they were referred to as Omes. It was not a hard shift to enact.notable odes
Agnost Aurum | Once simply referred to as "King," Agnost technically still holds the crown and, on a technicality, therefore still claims the title. Since he is, y'know, deceased under mysterious circumstances, the people of Odendum have taken to regarding him as the "Dead King" until the next emerges victorious.
Ivo Aurum | Son of the Dead King and current leader of Fierve, assuming the title "Emperor" in his pursuit of Odendum's crown.
Elrinith Goth | High Priestess belonging to the Church of Lunar and current leader of Vescent, assuming the title "her Highness" in her pursuit of Odendum's crown.
Barnabas Meliotus | Gang thug turned admin turned sole survivor of the Scin Spark and current leader of Stratous, assuming the title "Boss" in his pursuit of Odendum's crown.
