The Sentients of the Ocon System
Technically not an exhaustive list, but these are the prime peoples that originate from the three habitable planets of Hinte, Lomans, and Ges.
Degwalker (Cityborn, Swampborn): The short, small framed degwalkers originate from the swamps of Lomans. Those that decided to stay in the swamps, swampborns, are widely distrusted. They let their natural, abundant oils soak their hair and matte their clothes, giving off a distinctly bitter, abhorrent smell. It doesn’t help that the swampborns often keep to themselves, stealing what they need when times are tough. They rarely seek the company of outsiders, but when they do befriend another sentient, that trust is rarely squandered. Being so close to nature, and at such cost, swampborns often claim greater magical ability.
In more civilized areas, degwalkers adapt quickly into meticulously groomed, eloquent diplomats. The change isn’t merely cosmetic; the genetic makeup of a degwalker is highly malleable. These changes induce a drastic shift over the course of mere generations. Cityborn degs, by the turn of the mythic age, found cities very habitable, given the proper attire. They adapted their looks, actions, manners, and soon their physiology followed suit. Their oils, once repugnant to outsiders and predators alike, mitigated into a fine natural cologne; their teeth rounded and straightened to form charismatic smiles, and their survivalist thought patterns refined to meet the needs of corporate intrigue.
This adaptive hyper-evolution has bred other types of degs as well. Tundra, forests, space stations, and megaplexi are some environments the deg has evolved to thrive in. However, their innate sneakiness and emphasis on survival is universal. Not only that, but all degwalkers have the intrinsic ability to spit a nasty contact venom when threatened, inducing pain. Cityborns use the naming conventions of the most popular race in the area, usually. Swampborn use primitive or basic names, like Ukka-Bend, Fire Seer, Lull Bak, or Din Walker.
Dirthin: A race from Lomans, primarily inhabiting the caverns below. They were once thought to be the scourge of the world, but time has distanced them some from their brutal past. Unlike the degwalkers, dirthin suffer more institutionalized forms of suspicion and mistrust. Few are apologetic for their warlike past, and some even make casual threat of the return of the dirthin league. Those that wish to maintain cordial relations with other races, however, keep such sentiment secret, at the very least.
With dark grey to pitch black skin, and senses fine-tuned by centuries underground, the dirthin make excellent infiltrators. They can be fiercely manipulative, but prefer to hold an intimidating air of haughty superiority or adopt a cold distance towards even their own kind. The dirthin hold progeny in high regard. Oftentimes, a dirthin will judge even friends based on ancestry, until their personal accomplishments far eclipse history.
To their credit, dirthin are often hard workers, driven by a passionate single-mindedness towards their goals. They are utterly perceptive and discriminating towards all possible threats, making them valuable guides or bodyguards.
Physically, they boast a couple boons. Small hooks in their skin allow them to climb even sheer surfaces and their eyes need little light to see in darkness. Naming is seemingly random and diverse: Seven, Blue, Alex, Contaminate; with a family name that’s just as random: Sick, Atrium, Balance.
Human (Hintling, Lomaner, Gesoon): The common folk of the Ocon System, humans are as diverse as they are plentiful. It was once thought that the gods placed man on each planet, declaring them lord of all species. Nowadays, scientists and magicians believe humans discovered some magical spectrum of the mythic realm that allowed travel between worlds millions of years ago. Still, their dominance over other races still stands, even if they’re the least likely to show loyalty to one another based on human kinship.
The planet Hinte, the planet most similar to earth, hosts the common hintling. Hintlings look more or less like our humans, boasting the pitfalls and strengths one would associate with the species. Ambition, inventiveness, and wanderlust are common traits among the industrious hintling. They were the rulers of nations, once upon a time. Now the best of them lead corporations, paramilitary branches, and magical orders.
Lomaners hail from the small planet Lomans, native to the jungles and deserts that cover that world. They bear long limbs, often standing a head or two above hintlings. Rough terrain has made the common lomaner hardier than their cousins, with thick, earthen skin of greens or browns over taught musculature and dense bones. However, their true strength lies in their uncanny grace and agility, with unmatched reaction times and startlingly quick reflexes. They exhibit a certain greediness that seems off-putting to other species, oftentimes suffering from strange kleptomaniac or hoarder tendencies. Naming is nature based: Whirlwind, Bauxite, Boar; with a family name: Gelin, Ricann, Roara.
Finally, the gesoon, humans from the tundra world of Ges, are generally shorter and wider than hintlings. Unforgiving, bitter cold has made these hardy folk eerily patient and careful. All things, to them, require a precise and particular method. This has proven a boon to survival, but a hindrance to their decisive human nature. They would argue, though, that they boast wisdom above rashness. They make excellent engineers and architects, using keen insight and careful hands to push the boundaries of science and technology. Naming is simple and compound: Roc-Duul, Gren-Duul, Til-Duul, and Mant-Duul would all be of the same family.
Kharmino: Avian humanoids blessed with the power of flight. Two broad wings, often accented with meticulously painted designs, give these people a majestic air. A variety of kharmino forms exist. Sometimes, they are only avian in that they bear wings and slight plumage. At the other extreme, their face is completely avian, and feathers cover their entire body. This phenomenon has gone unexplained for as long as the kharmino have existed. Some attribute their inexplicable nature to some form of hidden magic, beyond the scope of modern magicians. This might explain their uncanny luck and social magnetism.
Millennia ago, the kharmino held supreme power over Hinte, dominating other species with imperial resolve. However, once humans and other races tamed magic to their side, the physically superior kharmino fell from grace. Regardless of this ancient imperialism, the kharmino are well liked as fashion icons and celebrities. What they lack in magical aptitude, they make up for in charm and elegance. Even those with a more warlike bent wield an unmistakable, intrinsic majesty.
The kharmino physiology claims little flaw. The average kharmino stands heads above all but the thin vesuans, complemented by an appropriately large frame. Their speed, dexterity, strength, and longevity are all refined to superiority when taken as a whole, though other races have them outmatched in specific regards. That, and their apex nature means the range of physical and mental aptitude is limited.
While their majesty is beyond reprieve, the kharmino kind is stubborn and inflexible of mind. They display aloof disregard for opposing opinions or beliefs. They are not so much arrogant as simply unable to grasp empathy. Emotionally, too, the kharmino displays standoffish behavior one would attribute to ignorance or indifference. However, their uncanny charm and beauty mean many see these drawbacks as quirks or charming innocence.
Their determination and lack of empathy make them amazing soldiers, and their majesty and charm make them great actors, musicians, and spokespeople. Their names are adjectives followed by a family name, usually a verb: Blue Kill, Radiant Follow, Enormous Greet.
Ramok: The ramok are unique in that they are the only species uplifted by magical means. The plains and taiga of Ges once hosted the primitive ancestors of the ramok. They bore a simple intelligence, comparable to dogs or infants, though their immense musculature and natural armour meant their mental acuity fell by the wayside. It was only when human magicians recognized their malleable nature that they were blessed with a modest increase in intelligence. Still, for a time, the humans wanted an obedient race of warriors and labourers, so the ramok remained blissfully unaware of their captivity. The influence of magic, forever fickle and unpredictable, would prove instrumental to their evolution.
Over the course of several hundred years, the ramok’s unique mind, meld of magic and ecology, mutated in amazing ways. The native gesooan humans, hesitant to forfeit their servants, attempted to magically suppress this growth. They would learn that magic despises repression. An influx of magical energy, thought by the ramoks to be the hand of god, pulverized the minds of the humans who were so brash as to question the nature of magic. Firmly humbled, and wise to their credit, the humans made no resistance and even assisted the magical evolution.
Today, the ramok are a hardy race, with earthen coloured chitin plates for skin, and an unbelievable constitution. They hold no grudge against the humans that resisted their evolution, asserting that they would still be hunting the taiga in packs if it weren’t for the gesooans. They boast no great intelligence, but are often privy to the hidden workings of the mana flux. To this end, they make great battle mages. This connection to the flux imbued them with some wisdom and calmness unlike their ancestors. However, when pressed, a ramok is an unbelievable fierce opponent. They hold freedom in high regard, often following or leading progressive movements or revolutions. Their political and metaphysical interests are often lost on other races, who see them as boring at best, and preachy extremists at worst.
Their chitinous plates can shrug off mundane attacks, even bullets. Ramoks have single word names with a title earned at adulthood. This first title is supposed to push the individual to accomplish greater things, gaining more prestigious titles as achievements accrue. Venea the Green would turn into Venea the Lost. Incus the Simple would turn into Incus the Terrible. Plantan the Worried would become Plantan the Holy.
Vesuan: Amphibious creatures from Hinte, Vesuans are extremely tall and hairless, with pupiless black eyes. They descend from an ancient race of deep ocean creatures, tracing their ancestry beyond even the humans. Their stretched features and pristine skin make for an unnerving sight to those unacquainted.
It is said that nothing is too subtle to pass by a vesuan, whether it be a joke, an insult, or other hidden message. This keen awareness to the minutiae of social interaction would make them excellent politicians; however, they prefer to analyze interactions from afar, and speak only when necessary. Social awareness isn’t their only mental boon. They are prone to intellectual and scientific insight, making them natural inventors and researchers. Many races regard them as the height of intelligence, a conception the vesuans hardly dispute. They are confident beyond condescension, taking action into their own hands with little regard to anyone else. A vesuan would not deign to speak to most people, thinking themselves above interaction with those they deem unimpressive. An onlooker in a forum of vesuan philosophers would be utterly bewildered by their jumps in logic and wild ideas. The philosopher would claim that the need to address all subtleties in life is the wasteful trapping of other species.
This mix of intense intelligence and unrestrained self-assurance make vesuans prone to unspeakable evil as well as unmatched greatness and compassion. The only thing holding them back is their frail form and individualistic tendencies. Their population is sparse and thinly spread, prone to illness and disinterest in child rearing.
They can breathe underwater, unparalleled in their ability to swim. Like dirthins they can see in near pitch darkness. Their names are adverb-noun/verb compounds: Sublimely-Atom, Absolutely-Get, Devilishly-Grow.
In more explicit terms: an ante is a unique, powerful echo of some person or creature in the mythic world. This being is inseparable from you. You may disagree, even fight, but something undeniably essential links the ante to its host. Sometimes, an especially noble ancestor is linked with a common thug, but their loyalty to their race unites them, or a refined gentleman with a crude bastard for an ante share a terrible greed for money.
Now, the player controls both the character and her ante. It takes concentration, but one can look through their ante’s eyes into the mystic realm. Not great for health or sanity, but it’s essential for the job. In intense situations, like combat, the character and ante cooperate against their respective opponents. Killing a man kills his echo, killing his echo has drastic effects on the man. He may fall into a coma, lose his will to live, flat out kill him, or simply kill his passion. Speaking to one’s ante is easy, oftentimes unavoidable if they’re especially opinionated.
Now, regarding the description on the sheet. I put background/personality because your ante might have the latter and not the former. It might be a once lauded thief or infamous wizard, or it might be the personification of hatred.
IMPORTANT: if an ancestor, the ante always hails from the mythic age, so think fantasy/medieval jargon. That really goes for any of them; they always act as if the age of technology never existed. The mythic world is a place of high magic, a permanent snapshot of epic events immortalized in poems. It never progresses, and it never makes sense.
ALSO IMPORTANT: All players can be in the same room, but if there is no conflict, or the person doesn’t want their ante known, other antes cannot see them without some effort (and rude intrusion). As stated, the mythic world is funky, and the laws of physics do not apply.
This is pretty much your alignment, but not as universal as the kind in dungeons and dragons. There are two axes, the actual and ideological.
Actual reflects your stance on the mythic/mundane world split. If you prefer freedom, chaos, merit, legend, faith, or genuineness, you probably favour mythic. If you prefer security, law, humility, facts, order, or civility, you probably favour mundane. Antes, being as wild as they are, usually favour mythic. Some, though, take a keen liking to their corporate benefactors. They seek the structure and tranquility that their ante seems to destroy.
Ideological reflects your stance on the conflict between technology and magic. The technological side, the progressives, see technology as the prime mover of all persons. To a progressive, technology is always more powerful than magic, since it is reliable and technically sound. They see magic as chaotic and untamable. Conversely, idealists mourn the time magic was repressed, seeing byntanium as the next logical step in the evolution of progress. They see technology as cold and lifeless.
The two may seem to go hand in hand. After all, what business does a mythic have supporting technology over magic? And why would someone stuck in the mundane world laud magic? Well, these folk are fewer in number, but theirs is a unique strength. Imagine a CEO of a megacorp. He’s firmly placed in the mundane world, but is there not profit in magic? It is chaotic, yes, but so much untapped potential. And how about an archmage? Surely, being a mage means one must support magic solely? Or perhaps, they see merit in predictable weaponry, combined with magic?
And what does this have to do with anything? Well, these are the core ideas of the setting, and your character draws power from them. Not ideological strength, but actual benefits. Being one so tied to the mythic world, an ante doubtlessly benefits from magic. However, some might prefer a carbine in the real world to their odd counterpart’s lute. An ante might enjoy the security of a corporation’s money and power. These beliefs shape the relationship between a character and their ante.
Put simply, mythics and idealists make their ante stronger while mundanes and progressives make their corporeal self stronger. Being around many persons or a place heavily of the opposite nature may have negative effects.
IMPORTANT: When choosing equipment, know that mudane/progressive leaning folk typically use firearms or advanced weaponry like rail guns, energy weapons (arc, laser, plasma), or explosives. Mythic/idealists on the other hand, may use simple weapons like knives or even bows and swords, if they’re especially adherent to their nature. Their strict adherence affords them some mystical power in the mundane world, making arrows as effective as bullets and swords cleave through kevlar armour. Oftentimes, strict magic users will honour their lineage by using quarterstaffs or daggers. Seems silly, but powerful wizards envelop themselves fully in the mythic world, bringing its wonder into the real world.
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Topic: [OOC] Byntanium: Echoes of Myth (Recruiting) (Read 736 times)