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[Man of Paper]

The world of Aur'Kayn and the Magic Planes need your help!
Kaynan God Thread
Auran God Thread

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The Game That Took All My Ideas Before I Had Them

You are one of two primordial entities responsible for the formation of mortal planes, locked in an eternal battle for dominance over the next realm constructed by other entities who prefer world-building over the affairs of the mortals that populate them. The realm of Aur'Kayn is diverse in its landscapes, but not so much in its biodiversity. While lesser animals are quite common, Humans are the only highly intelligent species that bled into the realm while the builder entities did their work. Your influences have been felt even without your direct intervention, and two Human empires have formed, with their religions being central to their entire societies and cultures.

The Auran Empire calls the Deserts and Steppes of the Western Continent their home, while the Kaynan Empire settled the Fields and Woods of the Eastern Continent. Both of these have been locked in a bitter feud for ages, largely spilling blood in the Mountains of the Western Continent and Swamps of the Southern Island, but only recently did the realm draw your and your rival’s eye. As a result of your newfound attention, magic has begun leaking into the Aur'Kayn Plane in its most basic form. Humans have recently begun to explore the nature of the arcane and are hoping they can leverage magical power to conquer the realm.

Magic does not come from nowhere, however. The Planes of Earth, Fire, Air, Water, Order, and Chaos, as well as the Primordial Realms which you come from, are directly responsible for the magic that is available to mortals. These magical planes also contain their own species of intelligent beings that may be petitioned to participate in Primordial feuds as well as populate the Mortal Realms.

Before your arrival, the mostly decentralized human empires feuded over their territory with reckless abandon. Now that your attention has turned directly toward Aur’Kayn, a new landmass has arisen at the rear of each empire's claimed territory. With their deities showing express interest in them, and seeing the new lands as their Promised Land, the empires shifted their capitals to the custom-designed islands created for them by you. Whether it is a bountiful land, one of immense struggle, mundane or magical, is completely up to you. It’s not like humans care beyond thinking they’re the chosen people.

It is now your time to lead these mortals, bolster them with magic, inspire them to innovate (to a degree - advanced technology only appears in realms cut off from the Magic Planes), and reinforce them with the strength of the alliances you forge along the way. It is time to create your Avatar to represent your will among the mortals. Will you be able to conquer Aur’Kayn?

Below in the spoilers are the rules. Don't get intimidated! Most of the spoilers are just small snippets separated for easy reference if anyone needs to circle back to the rules!

Spoiler: How To Play (click to show/hide)

The first step to playing is joining one of the teams. You can join the Auran God to the West or Kaynan God to the East. Once you join a team, you will participate in decision-making for three distinct phases per turn: Design Phase, Revision Phase, and Strategy Phase. You and your teammates will discuss and come up with proposals during each phase, resolving them with a vote to determine which proposal is selected to go forward. Each proposal in the Design and Revision phases will be assigned a difficulty and become the victim of a roll of 2d6 to determine the final result of your proposals. After the Strategy Phase the composition of the armories of both sides is compared, and the results are written out in an After Action Report for the Combat Phase.

Spoiler: Designs and Revisions (click to show/hide)

The first phase of every turn is the "Design" phase. This is where you introduce new ideas and creations. Results of a design are based off of 2d6, with rolls of 6, 7, and 8 being equivalent. Design results are also modified by difficulty. Generally the results of a Normal Design scale as below:

Utter Failure (2): Nothing much is gained but the knowledge of how not to do it next time.
Buggy Mess (3): The design functions, just not too well at all. At least some experience is gained.
Poor (4): The design can be used without being a threat to anyone handling it. Still, it is far from reliable.
Below Average (5): It works, but there is clear room for improvement.
Average (6,7,8): The design functions as intended.
Above Average (9): The design works, and something about it works out better than expected.
Superior (10): It works much better than intended, and a lot is learned in related fields of research.
Masterwork (11): This is the perfect design.
Legendary (12): Development of this design goes so well that some sort of extra benefit is provided to the side building it.

The difficulty of the design modifies the roll for +4 (Simple), +3 (Trivial), +2 (Very Easy), +1 (Easy), 0 (Normal), -1 (Hard), -2 (Very Hard), -3 (Theoretical), -4 (Ludicrous), or -x (Impossible). Difficulty is based on the ambition of the design as well as how experienced you are with similar concepts. Impossible designs will always fail, but they may still result in some sort of progress on a higher roll. Impossible does not mean impossible within the scope of the game, just that it is an unattainable goal at that point in time. I will always let you know if something is not doable in the game or if, on the other end, a proposal would functionally do nothing.

You get Two Design Actions every design phase, and two votes to reflect that. You cannot stack your votes on a single proposal.

You can also utilize both Design actions in a High-Effort Design, where 4d6 will be rolled and the highest two rolls applied. High-Effort Designs also benefit from a reduction in difficulty.

The second phase is the Revision phase. Revisions use the same 2d6 and rules as designs, but are restricted to altering preexisting designs. Results on either end of the spectrum of rolls are also generally less extreme. As with Designs, each player is allowed two votes for their favored Revisions, with the most popular Revisions being rolled for. There are no High-Effort revisions.

Spoiler: Strategy Phase (click to show/hide)

Initially, there will only be one decision to make in this phase: where to deploy your Avatar (see spoiler below for details). As the game progresses, you may develop Unique units who can only be deployed to one front at a time, in which case you will have to decide where to deploy them at this point as well.

There are four 'lanes' to deploy things in. Two combat lanes, and two influence lanes. Not all units can be deployed to both types, although your Avatar at least can be (being equally qualified in any field).

Spoiler: Combat and Influence Lanes (click to show/hide)

Combat lanes are very important, in that they are your clear path to victory. Your goal is to push your forces through your opponent’s territory and defeat them once and for all at their god-spawned island. Your forces will be in a tug of war for control of each lane.

Influence lanes have slightly more advanced rules to consider. Every turn you will choose one species from one plane to contact, and will only be able to make contact with planes directly connected to your own or connected to planes you have contact with. Note that once you contact a species, the rival species in that plane will automatically reach out to your rival for assistance. Each Influence Lane has three levels of influence with equivalent rewards for attaining them. Influence is gained by creating designs or revisions that can provide your chosen species with the tools to accomplish their unique stated goals. The rewards are as follows:

At 1 Influence you gain a small bonus to creation or utilization of that plane’s affiliated magic in Designs and Revisions, roughly equivalent to a +1 to the results of any roll.
At 2 Influence you gain the “Species Template”. This allows you to utilize that species along with humans in the creation of new warriors, mages, etc. More on Species Templates in the appropriate spoiler below.
At 3 Influence your side is granted the use of a unique artifact, turning one of your many mundane soldiers into a legendary warrior, mage, or similarly effective unique battlefield unit for as long as you can maintain 3 Influence. More on Artifacts in the appropriate spoiler below.

You and your opponent can both have 2 Influence in the same plane, but 3 Influence represents dominance in the plane, and therefore can only be held by one species at a time. You cannot force your opponent from 3 to 2 Influence just by reducing theirs somehow, but instead must take the proper steps to attain 3 Influence for yourselves.

Influence designs can be tactics, equipment, or specialists made to assist your aligned faction in some way. Influence designs will always be used in the planes they could provide help in unless stated and voted for otherwise. The singular choice of interaction is only for initial contacts and does not reflect the amount of total interactions you may have in the influence lanes each turn.

Spoiler: Expense? (click to show/hide)

This game will not deal with resources. Instead, things have a rarity that indicates how plentiful they are on the battlefield. Rarity is not (significantly) randomised, but is based on the complexity/cost of the thing in question, and cannot be lowered without reducing the complexity/cost. (ie, a revision that just says "We make X cheaper" is not always viable)
Note that rarity is measured on a 'unit' level, not necessarily an 'individual' level; a unit of hastily-summoned zombies may consist of 100 individual undead, a unit of militia might be only 50 individual soldiers, and some units may consist of only a single individual. It is possible to increase the numbers in a unit somewhat, but don't go crazy with it.

The levels of rarity can generally be viewed as loosely defined as:
Common: The bulk of your forces.
Uncommon: Five times rarer than Common things.
Rare: Five times rarer than Uncommon things.
Unique: One one exists, and must be deployed in the strategy phase.

Note that the scale of the war will escalate over time, but the ratios will remain relatively constant- ie, the first few turns may involve small skirmishes of a few hundred soldiers, while the endgame may involve colossal conflicts of tens of thousands, but there will be five times more common troops than uncommon ones in both the tens-of-thousands strong army and the hundreds strong one.

Spoiler: Avatars (click to show/hide)

Avatars are beings of immense, all-but indescribable power. Your avatar is an able combatant, but may also use their abilities to infiltrate Planes, where they can utilize whatever techniques they can apply that are developed for the purposes of gaining influence.

Of note, even if an Avatar's 'body' is 'killed' in combat, they can still reform, as they are not biological entities, but rather persistent artificial consciousnesses created and maintained by your primordial self. You do not have to (permanently) kill the opposing Avatar in order to win the game; if your followers are defeated at their capital you’ll just find another realm with worthier mortals to interfere with.

Spoiler: Species Template (click to show/hide)

Initially, any sort of unit you make will be based on your standard human. As you gain Influence within the Planes you will be able to integrate different species into your military through Designs and Revisions. You can get creative with Species Templates - sure you could make a pureblood of the species, but you might decide to try for a half-breed, or perhaps you want to pick and choose traits from all the species you’ve collected. Of note, a Species Template is not necessarily locked into the type of magic of their mother Plane.

Spoiler: Artifacts (click to show/hide)

Artifacts are unique gifts granted to your mortals by the mightiest powers in the Planes. When you first reach 3 Influence with a species you will be given a free “design” to describe the artifact being gifted. While this will not alter the efficacy of the weapon or item on the battlefield, it will change how it is utilized. You may decide the artifact is a mace, or a crossbow, a hammer or a helmet. Artifact designs are never rolled for. The artifact will create a Unique Champion for you to deploy in the Strategy Phase.

Spoiler: Your First Turn (click to show/hide)

Along with your standard two design actions, your first turn will be a “turn zero” without a combat phase where you will also decide on a couple things about your Avatar and the land you created:


-Name: What your Avatar is referred to as. Can be a true name or title.   
-Appearance: An Avatar can take many forms, but this is the one it takes naturally and maintains most of the time.
-Base Location: Where are your people flocking to?? Describe the environment that your base is situated in. This will have slight mechanical effects, although don't bother trying something like "At the peak of a mountain, accessible only by a narrow, winding path"- I will forcefully balance things if necessary; you can have a base at the peak of a mountain, but it will not be strictly better than one situated in open fields (though it may influence what tactics work better).

Spoiler: The Map and Key (click to show/hide)

AUR’KAYN
Fields (Light Green): A vast expanse of tall grasses broken up by the occasional tree. A few large towns have been built in the area, with farmlands radiating outward. These towns and farms all ultimately work to feed the largest city in the Kaynan Empire. Fighting here will take place first in the fields, then in the city. (KAYNAN)
Woods (Dark Green): Large evergreen trees spread out across this entire region, with the ground between trees covered in moss, short grass, and dense thickets. A small number of towns in the area fuel the lumber industry for the empire, making the operation vital for their long-term survival. As a result, a large military fortress has been constructed and permanently manned within the Woods. Fighting here will take place first in the woods, then at the fortress. (KAYNAN)

Swamps (Purple): A disgusting bog with limited amounts of dry land. Twisted trees and vines decorate the putrid landscape. Deeper in the swamp is the aptly named Deep Swamp, where the treecover is so dense that you could march armies across the braided branches. Which is good, because the Deep Swamp is certain death in the forms of deep water, sucking mud, and sinkholes. Fighting here will take place in the Swamps first, then in the Deep Swamp. If both sides strike while the Swamps are uncontrolled, then the first fight will take place in the Deep Swamp instead, with the subsequent fight occurring in the Swamps. (NEUTRAL)
Mountains (Dark Gray): The Mountains are a collection of high peaks, steep ridges, and deep-cut valleys. Fighting and movements are tedious in this landscape. The Mountains are also home to the Underlair, a network of dark caves and caverns that cross underneath the Mountains. Fighting in this area first occurs in the Mountains, then the Underlair. If both sides strike while the Mountains are uncontrolled, then the first fight will take place in the Underlair and the following fight will take place in the Mountains. (NEUTRAL)

Deserts (Light Beigeish): Sand and dunes stretching from horizon to horizon make up the Desert. The heat during the day and the freezing nights are almost as bad as the lack of water and food to forage. Deep in the Desert lay some mercy in the form of the Oasis. The Oasis is a large lake fed by underground waterways surrounded by reeds and hardy desert plants. A massive fortress was constructed here to act as a waypoint for armies and travelers. Fighting will happen first in the Desert then at the Oasis in this region. (AURAN)
Steppes (Light Brownish): A largely flat region sparsely decorated with patches of grass and low-growing trees. Nomads move their grazing herds freely for the most part, but at the center of the Steppes where all roads meet is the Auran capital city. Fighting in the region will first occur in the Steppes then in the city. (AURAN)

THE PLANES

Earth (Light Brown): Home to Dwarves and Elves. These two species are locked in combat as representations of two different approaches to the Earth: symbiosis and exploitation. The Dwarves are hardy clannish people who have dug deep into the Earth, and are master miners and craftsmen as a result of their exploits. Elves live in harmony with the Forests, protecting it from the Dwarves who seek to use the wood for fuel with no consideration for long-term environmental damage. The Dwarves are strong, short, stocky fighters. The Elves are a druidic society and are generally highly skilled casters and rangers. 
Air (Light Blue): Home to Faeries and Avians. These two species live largely at peace with one another in their Plane, but the winds of change are blowing. The Faeries and Avians rule jointly through a Senate split evenly between the two species. There are some Faeries that believe their vastly higher population means their species should have more seats in the Senate to better represent the population while the Avians seek to maintain the status quo. Faeries are small, frail, fast, winged humanoids with potent magical capability. Avians are thin, feathered humanoids with winged arms and beaks capable of flight who prove to be impressively nimble but easily injured warriors.

Fire (Red): Home to Orcs and Dragons. The Orcs are a highly industrious species, utilizing fire in whatever way they can to create some of the most powerful, creative, and self-destructive equipment in the Planes. In their home plane they travel in large groups without any real leadership, but one goal drives them all: attaining wealth. Dragons are extremely intelligent, dangerous, fire-breathing flying lizards who prefer to live in solitude. A recent spike in Orcish heist attempts (some more successful than any prideful dragon would admit) has forced Dragons to work together to figure out how to protect their hoards from an enemy that was near-numberless. Orcs are large and muscular humanoids with jutting lower jaws housing a pair of large tusks and are ingenious and suicidal in equal measure. Dragons are massive beasts stronger and tougher than just about anything else in the Planes, and whose mere silhouette can inspire fear in lesser beings. 
Water (Blue): Home to the Lizardfolk and Illithids. The squid-faced Illithids use their proficiency with mind-warping magics to keep the Lizardfolk enslaved. The Illithids cannot survive the harsh surface of the Water Plane’s marshes and bogs, but rely on the foods and materials within them to sustain their submerged city. Some Lizardfolk have broken free from the Illithid’s grasp and are seeking ways to free more of the Enslaved while the Illithids hope to reign in these upstarts. Illithids are extremely frail but immensely powerful spellcasters, while Lizardfolk are tough, strong, and resistant to illness and disease.

Order (Yellow): Home to the Seraphim and the Swarm. The tall, muscular, white-winged humanoids of the Seraphim live in patches of beautiful, bountiful, lush lands they call the Gardens of Eden. Outside of these gardens is a vast flat desert, which wouldn’t be an issue if the Seraphim weren’t constantly forced to find new homes each time the Swarm descended upon them. The numberless Swarm are Order in it’s ultimate form: the hivemind. These insatiable insectoids come in many forms, designated by the Nurse Caste who use their scythed forearms to etch the appropriate rune on the eggs as ordered by the Hivemind. The Seraphim use secrets of the runes to empower themselves and their equipment in their fight for survival, but are looking for a way to help fight off the Swarm for long enough to get use out of their Gardens before they’re overrun. Seraphim are large, strong, flying humanoids who are skilled in both the magical and martial arts. The Swarm are insectoids that come in many forms, each with a specific purpose, and all connected to the same hivemind. Some are more intelligent than others and capable of something resembling independent thought. The Plane of Order is the domain of Runic Magic.
Chaos (Dark Gray): Home to the Infernal and Undying. The Infernal are horned, cloven-hooved, tailed humanoids who were created in a mortal realm long ago but betrayed their creator and were forever cursed to live in the Plane of Chaos as a result. They have worked out a way to slowly infiltrate other Mortal Planes through their single Demongate. The Undying are the remnants of mortals who sought to break the natural Order of birth, life, death, and rebirth by prolonging their life forever. Banished to the Chaos Plane for trying to break the cycle, the Undying are a mix of the undead ranging from skeletons to zombies to specters led by a circle of Liches. The Liches seek to wrest control of the Demongate from the Infernal, not to reach into the Mortal Planes (yet), but to leech from the infinite well of raw magical power that is the source of the Demongate. This is thanks to the terms of their banishment, as a Lich will slowly lose power and fade away into a lesser undead unless they can feed off of a source of magic. Both the Infernal and the Undying utilize the Chaos Plane’s strange flora in the creation of powerful stimulants, potions, and magical draughts. The Infernal are large, powerful beastish humanoids with immense martial skill and proficient casting ability. The Undying come in a variety of forms, but are very resilient and persistent in any shape and size. The Plane of Chaos is the domain of Alchemic Magic.

[Powder Miner]

i will be auran

because that shit sounds like it's golden

[Maximum Spin]

I'll be Kaynan because I like fields and woods.

[m1895]

I'll be Auran

[Rockeater]

Kaynan

[Taricus]

After consideration... Auran

[Twinwolf]

I coinflipped and landed on Auran.

[Doomblade187]

Kaynan, time to see what me and Rockeater can come up with.

[evilcherry]

Kanyan to balance the player count.

[TricMagic]

Auran

[A_Curious_Cat]

Sign me up for Kaynan.

[NUKE9.13]

Kaynan.

[ConscriptFive]

I, for one, welcome our new Auran masters.

[Happerry]

I'll join Auran because it has only three pages of thread to Kaynan's seven pages. Also, I wish I'd noticed this last month.

[Man of Paper]

Well luckily for you, last month was only two days ago, and the post only made a couple days before that, so you haven't missed much!