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And here's some random information about the world of Eote (The world Sojourn is set in). In no particular order:
(Note: I've tried my best to keep this section informative without being spoilerish, but obviously there will be stuff that will be spoilerish whatever I do, so some of it's going to be hidden until the proper times.
Warbecks, Chobecks and the Sahrbeck family. |
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The Sahrbeck family make up the majority of the animals on the world of Eote. All Sahrbecks are omnivorous and warm-blooded, and are generally bipedal.
The small, agile wingbecks (Sahrta flyinroundus) are the only species of living sahrbecks capable of flight. Much smaller and lighter in build than the chobecks, they do not carry riders well, and generally only someone of very light build or children are capable of being carried by a wingbeck for any amount of time in flight. Wingbecks are fairly intelligent, although they are not as loyal or submissive as chobecks.
The sahrkan (Sahrta liechwata) are the other sentient species of sahrbeck in Eote. This species of sahrbeck is highly evolved for life underwater, to the point where typically strong backlegs have become something more of a dual-pedal tail, and the front claws have elongated to becoming spearing weapons as well. However, this puts them at a severe disavantage on land, as their specialised swimming legs do not support weight well. To counteract this, The sahrkan have a unique abilty to bond with other lifeforms (usually humanoid) as a symbiant. To date, only two races of humanoids have been known to have integrated the sahrkan into their societies. One is the Sahr-Na-Kan (Sometimes known as Sernakan) and the other are the Mm-Sahr, the Sahr Islanders of the East.
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Races in Eote |
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The Humans are decidedly the most numerous, although it is said they were not native to Eote, and in fact came from great sky-ships from another world. Most humans scoff at this theory, as that would have meant that they had been able to fly in the first place, which is ridiculous.
The Sernakan are the hybrid race formed of the sahrkan and hyren. The majority of them live in the swamp kingdom of Necropolis. When the Great Plague swept Eote, only the symbiotic relationship between the sahrkan and the hyren kept the hyren race alive. For strange reasons the humans are immune to the disease, futher confirming the hyren insistence that the humans were not native to Eote. The Mm-Sahr are the hybrid race formed of the sahrkan and humans. Not much is known about them other than they are fiercely isolationist and live east in the Islands of the Sahr. The Mm-Sahr are lead by a single leader, the shaman which they call the Mm-Rath. The Daemon are said to be a race of powerful demons who lived on the blood of the lesser races and vanished abruptly. There are also legends that insist that the Daemon were actually the sentinels and guardians of Eote. However, few remember what the Daemon were really like, and many consider them an old wives' tale. The Sahr are the dragons of Eote. They are said to be powerful, wise and possessed inherited memories. However, it is said they defied the Daemon, and in the ensuing battle they were wiped out.
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Organisations and Magic in Eote |
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Magic comes from five different flows, Tor'a (Destructive Energy), Dru'ma (Protective Energy), Sil'a (Life Energy), T'lak (Fortifying Energy) and Tu'rin (Spirit Energy).
Power and magic is not inborn or inherited, but rather, magic-wielding subjects tap into the energy flows and manipulate them throught their body by the means of tattoos or objects. Similarly, all races are capable of manipulating magic. Magic comes at a cost though, and the use of magic takes a toll on the body depending on how much energy the spell involves. Mages in Eote typically age faster than non-mages, and usually have a wreath of other nasty side effects (Exhuastion, ill-health, stunted growth if used as a child, and/or impotence if used too frequently).
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The most common of all are the chobecks (Sahrta delicus), which are generally used as beasts of burden, and they are used as meat animals as well. They are not reknowned for their intelligence.
The warbecks (Sahrta armura) are said to be descended from the now extinct Sahr, also known to the humans as the Dragons. Warbecks have limited telephathic ability, and are known to have collective and inherited memories. Warbecks are considered sentient, and generally live in hive collectives with a queen mind. Solitary warbecks are rare, and any non-hive warbeck is generally considered to be an outcast from its own kind (most usually a rejected queen mind, but rogue worker warbecks are common as well).
The Hyren are the closest to the humans in terms of physical resemblance, although they have very elongated fingers, larger eyes and longer ears. They also have chameloenic ability, and their skin and hair colour change according to the time of the year. Sadly, the hyren have been all but almost wiped out from a great plague several centuries ago.
The Death Priests of Necropolis are a mysterious bunch, and make their base at the Temple of the Sleeper in ther heart of Necropolis. There are also a number of travelling priests who live abroad. Death Priests are usually well-read, speak several different languages and although no one is exactly sure what they do. They are the only ones who only make use of the Tu'rin flow. Death priests have three tattoos, typically one on the chest, and one on the back of each hand.
The Mage-Hunters are a loose association of higher-class bounty hunters, capable of both physical and magical combat. Training is passed on a master-apprentice system, and they have a code of honour they do not strictly adhere to (they're guidelines, not law). Mage-Hunters typically share mind bonds with non-humanoid familiars. Magic-wise, they follow mainly the Dru'ma flow, although they also make use of T'lak magic for enchanting objects or people and Tu'rin for familiar bonding. They typically have a tattoo glyph on their foreheads, although usually it serves them to keep it covered. Because the nature of their work requires great physical fitness, Mage-Hunters use magic very sparingly.
The Havenshealers are a group of healers who formed from the sufferers and survivors of the Great Plague. Unlike common healers, not only are they skilled in surgery and apothecary, but they also possess healing magic. Unlike all other magic users who use tattoos, Havenshealers are the only magic users to remain youthful and unaffected by the magic toll, as they channel magic through the use of external healing crystals (A combination of T'lak and Sil'a), and use that to manipulate the life energy of their patients and accelerate wound healing. However, the magic toll of repairing the wound is as a result taken from the patient instead, and if not used carefully, can end up killing the patient instead of saving them. Healed patients are usually very weak and ill several days after the use of healing-crystals, even if they remain alive and have been healed in the important places.
The Tor'an Fire Mages are the most feared of all mages, due to their sheer destructive potential. While those of their calling are mainly useful in quarries and armies, the Tor'an practitioners have a dark history of suffering from insanity after prolonged use of the flow.