God Name: Viv
Title: “Goddess/God of the Stars, Travel, and Foreigners”, “The Starry One”, “Patroness of Travelers and Navigators”
Gender: Female
Alignment: Neutral/Neutral Evil/Neutral Good
God Appearance:
Personality: A seemingly aloof or distant sort of deity, one whose boundless curiosity and whimsical nature can at times see her looking about or examining places and people and the like on a whim. Her visage and the most general way she presents herself comes off as gentle, relaxed, and even upbeat for the most part. Yet all of this soft and seemingly naive appearance strongly belies the rest of her nature and person. She is highly intelligent and knowledgeable, subtle and stealthy, and even able to even be rather capricious and dark in her whims and actions when and where she sees fit (if she sees fit). In a sense, she is much like the stars themselves, a soft guiding light for many, and a dark and ultimately unknown force lurking about from far away for others.
In the end, being in her presence or talking to her gives one an unshakable feeling that is ultimately “alien” and makes her very hard to read...even harder to try to predict at times. She never much speaks openly of any “true” motives at all, though at the same time she might also not be hiding anything when speaking to others. It is...it really is hard to tell when it comes to Viv.
Biography:
-Origins-
The mystery that is the deity over the stars themselves can be traced back to drops of the sun’s own radiance, cast off like sweet drops of gold into the heavens. These became stuck within the firmament of the heavens, and were afterwards cooled off by the light and radiance of the moon whenever it would pass by. Eventually from this process was born the stars themselves.
One could say there is a certain beauty in the stars from the very beginning, with them shimmering like shining great gemstones from so far away. They could be called beautiful and soft, like the most lovely silk in all of creation. Their light too is the most gentle, far more so than the sun or the moon’s own radiance or splendor respectively. Many even now continue to admire them, study them, and gaze upon them in wonder each night.
Yet, there has always been another side to them. A darker side. Indeed, while the stars have always been so familiar since the dawning of all mortal kind...they are very much alien to the world. They, innumerable celestial bodies locked into the heavens, will eternally remain enigmatic and distant foreigners that none within the world could ever truly grasp or touch. They are shrouded in darkness and the void, watching on with unknown intent and nature that is concealed from all.
In the end, one could call the starry heavens themselves a paradox of sorts. Bright yet dark, familiar yet foreign.
So too would be the very nature of the goddess that was born from them: Viv.
A divine and undying child abandoned in the heavens, a young child born of the essence of the world’s two main celestial bodies (the sun and the moon) without their knowledge. Indeed, even the gods would struggle to grasp her strange and foreign nature, despite her presence among their ranks.
-Viv and The Gods-
From the start, Viv was always an aloof and distant sort, wandering and flitting about the world, and the other gods’ domains, to sate her curiosity whenever it arose. Among her many adventures in the far past, Viv often hung around the (former) Forge God, intently observing their labors and craft...all to at times compliment it aloud or silently admire before quietly disappearing once more. This has remained true even after that god’s death, as Viv still visits them in the Underworld below. The realm of the dream god too has always kept Viv enraptured and visiting quite often at that, merely to explore and dance and play within the twisting nether of ghoulish nightmares and vivid fantasy. At times she has even wandered about in the Sun God’s bright and glorious domain, curious and inquisitive about the “brighter” of her two parents.
She too would visit or observe the other gods at her leisure, though some might or might not have liked her for this. Some might have played with her, or received gifts such as a shiny meteorite. In particular it seemed Azahiel did not seem to like her around, and has always yelled at her quite a bit every time she merely shows up around him. In that particular case, Viv always seems to disappear before she pushes the deity “too far” and into actual action.
-Viv and The Mortals-
As the mortal races were made, and their gods warred, Viv made herself over time a patron to those who traveled and journeyed about, guiding them by her holy North Star and the innumerable others cemented in the heavenly firmament. She assisted the immigrant and the outcast as they sought to find refuge somewhere in the world, took in those who became foreigners in their own lands due to war or famine or the like, became a soft and motherly hand for the exile who sought redemption or a saving grace. Those who sought her sincerely and intently always knew how to find her: By just following the stars. Shrines to her became scattered about by those who traveled and worshipped her, with many having been around so anciently that a few have been forgotten and left to the passage of time.
The God Wars themselves too fed into Viv’s own influence and design, since she wasn’t interested or invested enough to get involved in them herself. Viv’s mortal lands instead became safe havens for many who sought to escape the hell they were in, home to such a staggering variety of peoples and scattered groups that some of them have become unknown beyond her lands. She blessed and protected her people, being at times a shining and rather gentle mother...and at other times being a dark and very sinister force. Tales of her dealings with travelers and others are plentiful, and paint a picture of Viv’s nature and her history to an extent. Yet even when she and the other gods had to leave the land physically, those who worshipped her knew she would always be there for them...even if from afar.
Opinion of Mortals (and other related details regarding mortals):
Mortals are a curiosity, to very roughly and simply sum it up in Viv’s mind.
-They are both good and bad, wandering and some staying, and their interactions are most interesting to view at times. Sometimes it is tempting to do evil or good to them on a whim, to see how they will react and go about things...sometimes that shifting reaction or growth in the face of danger is endearingly amusing. Those that worship her genuinely among the sentient mortals are very sweet in her mind, children who she loves to care for yet allows to make their own choices and decisions. After all, even the shepherd cannot be too overbearing, lest they chase off their flock.
-All those that worship her return to her domain after they die, ultimately to find peace and eternal rest with her. Many of these might serve her as ethereal warriors, sent to do her will if she desires it. Of course those who worship her yet cross her or get on her bad side get no such compassion, and they instead get violently and painfully transformed into hideous, alien, warped creatures beyond sanity and reason that serve her will...one example of these would be the non-sentient and beastly Gh’akk.
-Other gods’ people are to her just that: People. Other mortals just like her own or any others, just as curious and fun and the like to look upon. Those among these who them who call out her name as they die, in such a case, might be shown compassion and brought to her domain after death to find peace. At least, unless they get themselves lumped into the same bag of people as proper worshippers who get on Viv’s bad side. This all being noted, however, she won’t seek to infringe on the domain of the other gods and try to “steal souls” from them. That would just be rude.
-Further, as the goddess of travel she is often invoked by mortals to help guide the souls of the dead to the Underworld or other divine domains they are to end up in. So Viv does actually, in part, help with this matter in part.
-Viv also takes a special place among the gods when it comes to the granting of “immortality” to mortals or other creatures by making them into constellations after their death. If the gods overall/generally agree to granting a mortal being/creature this honor, Viv is the only one who can transform said mortal or creature into a constellation in the skies to make them “immortal” in this manner so they may look down from the heavens upon the world.
Likewise if a mortal/creature given immortality in the stars has it revoked by the gods, Viv is handed the task of removing the constellation/individual creature from the stars altogether.
God’s Domain:
“And I, infinitesimal being,
drunk with the great starry
void
likeness, image of
mystery,
I felt myself a pure part of the abyss,
I wheeled with the stars,
my heart broke loose on the wind.”
-Pablo Neruda
Link For Pic Representing Viv’s Domain -
https://i.imgur.com/aLJTFN1.jpg
Godly Tools:
-
Ecxe’lus: An object which at base takes the form of a caduceus-style staff, albeit the three serpents wound around the shaft of this one look alien and monstrous in this case. In its active form, this divine tool looks seemingly like a lump of some alien liquid metal that behaves as if it is alive. It is filled with Viv’s power and is bound to her being as well as a non-vital but literal extension of herself, so even if it is destroyed Viv can reform it once more as naturally and easily as a mortal breathes in air. She can summon it to her just as easily as well.
The metal itself can be formed into any shape or form at Viv’s will, able to stretch out over even long distances by stretching itself thin. Its durability is high, and by altering the surface tension and density of it the metal can be used for various battle and non-battle purposes with great versatility.
-
Cels’inar: An unbracing blade forged from the heart of a dying star that Viv collected, an alien material, which is wickedly sharp on both sides of the blade. It was also built with a “hook” on the end, used for catching more stars out of the innumerable amounts of them in the heavens for Viv’s usage with a mere exertion of her will or authority. This functions can of course be used for shaping/making constellations, creating beautiful meteor showers, or...well...literally throwing actual stars at others as orbs of super-destructive celestial force/power.
The blade is also able to tear open portals to different places with a mere swing of its blade as well, a thing very fitting of Viv’s nature as the goddess of travel.
Finally, the blade can literally cut anything its blade touches, cleaving through the strongest metal as easily as if it was cutting into the empty air.
Pic used for blade:
https://i.imgur.com/tv37nez.jpg (not, the name on the pic isn’t this blade’s name)
---
Avatar Name: Sel’enca Ma’ra
Avatar Appearance:
https://i.pinimg.com/474x/5d/b9/08/5db908efa47846ad672ab64a7193892f.jpg
and
https://s1.narvii.com/image/iaoccr6lio5elpwzq22tu6b2x3qpqc4z_hq.jpg
(she also tends to wear a big and dark hooded traveling cloak,
just to cover herself up normally to combat the weather whilst traveling and
such)
Personality: A very beautiful and proud human woman who seems to be in her
early twenties, who seems to utterly disregard and not care about her own
ludicrously ‘alien’ fashion sense. She is a usually rather open, upbeat, and
jovial sort who can be found partying, relaxing, and doing her goddess’ will
each in respectably good measure. Despite her position, she can be quite the
flirt with anyone she finds attractive, and beyond that she is the sort who
might be called “totally and utterly shameless” with how she carries herself. Usually
of the positive sort in her mood, she much like her goddess likes the joys of
wandering and curiosity about the world, and it is almost like the two of them
are cut from the same cloth in that respect. However, she can be very
capricious and hard to predict at times herself.
Yet all of this behavior of hers belies the rest of her
nature and self underneath. Sel’enca is very keen of mind and intelligent, is
as quick as a whip, and wields what could be called a literally “unbreakable”
force of will. Even if beaten down, she’ll face things head-on with a smile
despite it all. When she puts her mind to something, she will get it done and
do nothing short of her best to do so. Her will is that of her goddess’, and
her goddess’ will is that of her own, and it can’t be said the two haven’t ever
‘not’ gotten along no matter the circumstances. She even gladly practices
combat once a year with one of Viv’s champions, a fellow immortal named Kens
Shi’ro, who uses the same celestial unarmed fighting style that she herself
specializes in.
Magic Abilities: Sel’enca is physically empowered exponentially more the farther from home she gets, her body being strengthened as a result to utterly inhuman levels of strength and physical capability/durability the farther away she is in turn. If brought to another plane by some means, her might would go through the roof in a heartbeat. Though even at home, she is naturally very strong as a person, and is extremely skilled in both armed and unarmed combat after centuries of training and wars and practice and sparring.
She also has the power to literally never get lost, and can easily discern and know what direction she needs to take to get to virtually any location or place she wants to go. In fact, she can precisely predict the movement path something will travel when it is in motion, this sense being so keen some think she is clairvoyant. Of course she really isn’t clairvoyant at all, just very perceptive when it comes to the paths and way things “travel” when in motion.
Finally, she can call upon the power of the stars to form weapon for her to wield, ones made of literal star power, using her will. These can be dissipated back into the heavens at will once more when she is done using them as well. They aren’t super OP weapons by any means, as Sel’enca is only mortal herself, but they are very useful and disposable. So she at least doesn’t have to carry regular weapons with her personally, which is one little advantage she has if nothing else.
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Hero(es): Kens Shi’ro
Rank/Reason: Immortal Champion; A bare-handed fighter who once indulged in much
evil, and whose Viv-worshiping parents prayed that he be watched over by Viv
in times long past. The goddess felt interest and yet also pity for the child
as she watched over them, even though they had left her lands and been
traveling about looking only for the thrill of battle. He cared, nor breathed,
for anything else in the world. Yet eventually, Kens’ past caught up with him
and left him on the precipice of death.
In this time as he lied dying on the ground, the crimes and
actions of his life came to mind, and guilt overwhelmed Kens. Seeking
redemption and to “have another chance at life”, he called quietly aloud the
name of the goddess who his parents had worshiped. Viv.
As this was back during the days of the gods walking the
world themselves, Viv herself actually came to him in this instance. She took
him home and nursed him back to health, taught him a celestial super-strong unarmed
fighting style, and about the nature of good and evil. He too learned of her
nature, and much more that he had ever learned before. A deal was also struck
by Viv with the Death God, to make Kens immortal.
In the end the man became enlightened to many things, and
decided to seek out his own path at the behest of Viv. His own path. A personal
path far better than he’d ever been on before, guided by the divine power
granted to him. He needed no weapons but his body, the entire whole of which
had been reformed and transformed into a mighty weapon by Viv and her teachings.
He would become a tool that would now serve the good, the
oppressed, the weak, and the suffering. He would goo about traveling the world,
and has been ever since, smiting all evil into the dust from whence it came. Armies
would fall before him, the other gods would tussle, and yet despite this Kens would
continue onward. He has become legend itself, known among the people of the
world in hushed whispers as the “Fist of the North Star”.
...The funny thing is, no one even recognizes what he looks
like after all of this time. The memory of it has never been passed down very
well, and the god wars made this even more of a thing due to the destruction
and devastation. So even though his name strikes fear into so many villains, and
brings hope to hopeless, he himself can walk around like normal among the crowd
without recognition or issue.
Personality: A very sober, stoic, and action-oriented sort of person who will speak only when he feels the need to personally, making his imposing and muscled figure that much more intimidating to others. He is one who seeks to shrug off evil and punch it in its stupid face, yet can potentially be kind and even emotive on occasion when helping those in need in matters not regarding fighting. One would be hard-pressed to goad him into mistakes, as his raw level of self-discipline and dedication has been honed for centuries to help keep himself in check.
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Hero(es): (One name and personality per hero; may be
left blank initially as the roleplay develops)
Rank/Reason:
Personality:
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Hero(es): (One name and personality per hero; may be
left blank initially as the roleplay develops)
Rank/Reason:
Personality:
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Nation Location: The Sub-Continent of Vara’ia (the orange landmass on the far
west extreme of the map)
Name of Kingdom/Empire: The Kingdom of Vi’vear
Capital: Pol’ari (named after Polaris, the North Star, which is holy and
sacred to Viv)
Major Cities: Mer’ce, Rami’us, Nare’tar, Ro’lus, and Ari’nis
Society:
[Terrain and Local Style/Tech/Architecture Such]
-The mortal land of Viv, known as the continent of Vara’ia
to her people and the “New World” to the other nations, is filled with vast wilds,
dense tropical forests, great deserts, and other terrains hidden deep within
the depths of the sub-continent they are all located on. Only Viv knows the
full extent of her lands in full, as do her people, though to all beyond their
lands these are foreign places that boggle the mind and common sense.
Here one can find a vast variety of plant and animal life
not seen anywhere else, from great ferns whose spores can paralyze a fully
grown man and gigantic trees in certain places that make Redwoods look small,
to great dinosaurs that still walk the earth and strange monsters and large
insects and the like which inhabit the various areas of their own accord. One
should not venture into the wilds unless with locals, who know how to easily
navigate the land with a sense of relaxed ease...and respectable caution.
Great and super dense mists/fog shroud the forests and coastline
of Vara’ia, with reefs far out from the coast that make approach dangerous for
those not in the know who sail there upon the waters. These waters locals
navigate with great and small ships styled after the catamaran in a sense (
), made
for easily navigating the eternally fertile waters off their misty/foggy coast and
performing many tasks from trading to fishing to war on a common basis.
Others not at sea dig with metal and obsidian tools into the
ground to make great farms amidst the jungles, some might create floating farms
that are anchored to the lakeshore by rope but themselves lie upon the waters
thereof, or others create underground farms that grow many types of edible
fungus deep under the desert sands in moist caves or under the moist dirt of
the wilds. The people build many great Aztec/Mayan-styled/inspired buildings
and walls composed of stone and metal and strange “concrete”, all of which are utterly
alien buildings to others that stretch up towards the starry heavens and are
built very solidly for various purposes. Grand temples or even humble shrines
within this land are built similarly, usually with murals and materials such as
gold and jewels decorating them in grand splendor.
The people of the continent of Vara’ia can be considered
generally well-educated as a whole, or at least thriving and with a very high
population for their day and age. Their foreign nature does tend to make some
in foreign lands prejudiced and think they are a “dumb” and “backwards” people.
Though this, well, isn’t really the case at all. They are merely different,
from different peoples and different cultures.
[General Races/General Culture]
-While other kingdoms and gods might focus on a single
specific race, one which they created or otherwise, Viv’s people come from many
a background. Human, dwarf, elf, giant, octopus-head people, dinosaur-like humanoids
(called “Dinomen”), and many more found and not found on the other continents. One could call it
the most diverse land of the living, perhaps in all the world. Travelers and
visitors are generally always welcome here, foreigners and outcasts will find a
far less hostile reception than in some other lands, and those who navigate the
stars or seas can easily find port among Viv’s people to trade and explore and
do dealings with them. Yet despite this, proper order is indeed still kept by
laws and regulations and the like.
One distinct race living within Viv’s mortal lands among
these (just to note) are the winged Harpies, whose existence disappeared in
areas outside of her lands so anciently that their original creator is unknown prior
to them taken up by Viv herself. These Harpies are human in shape with four
toed bird-like feet with claws, and having two sets of arms - with the stronger
upper ones having very much flight-capable wings attached to them - and the
lower pair of arms having actual hands and such for grasping/using things and
the like. It is important to note that this race has long since devoted
themselves to service and worship of their goddess as well, and are among her
most devoted.
-The people ride about in ships of varying sizes that float
in the air, using passed-down magical techniques and mortal ingenuity/technique
to make it possible. These are the main mode of ferrying people and goods and
the like as the most common form of public transportation in Viv’s lands, with
ships that sail upon the seas being important as well along the vast coastline.
One might find several colleges in the biggest cities, dedicated to different
forms of magic and the arts or other higher crafts such as her peoples’ form of
airships, this as Viv’s curiosity drives her people to indulge in their own in
an educated manner as well.
Animals of burden and military use from Viv’s land are also
present and rather...unique, to put it simply. Mainly because the land mounts and
all of them are actual dinosaurs of varying kinds, no horses at all being
present, thus leading to different types of cavalry being a thing within the land’s
military.
-It is of note to say Viv’s people worship her above all
other deities in their lands, with her at their head always, and indeed her
influence reigns supreme in her lands. Though admittedly, worship of the other
gods is allowed secondarily, with the Dream God having some major temples in
the land (including one where Viv very long ago placed a meteorite as a gift
for him) and more focus than in other lands as a point to note, but influence from
the others gods has to pass through Viv and be allowed first on her terms if it
is to be performed within her lands.
Unless you are Azahiel, in which case you are just a cranky jobber
who doesn’t get permission. Ever. And indeed, beyond this, if anyone were to
try to harm her people and take over her lands or the like Viv will without
doubt respond in defense of her people somehow and in some way if they call
upon her for aid.
-Within Viv’s lands there are also many festivals and such to be had around the
course of the year as well. Some for harvests, some celebrating the goddess for
some past feat or act, some perhaps to generally celebrate multiple gods at
once, and even festivals for things like continued local prosperity or the
founding of one of the larger cities. With the very mixed nature of Viv’s
lands, it does seems to make sense that such a variety of things would exist. There
are one or two meteor showers, and even a comet or two that passes by every 100
or 250 years respectively, that are holy to her and dedicated to her.
-The dead receive proper burials in the tradition of Viv, buried in the ground usually in some form of stone coffin engraved on the inside of its lid with a summary of or tales of their life and its events. On the outside of the coffin lid is engraved the stars, so that Viv may help guide their spirit onward to the proper afterlife or Underworld or such. At least, among those who live in the mortal lands of Viv.
When traveling or in foreign places, an engraved stone with the stars on it and the name of the deceased is used as a "semi-proper" burial manner. Proper worshippers of Viv generally learn this practice, and might potentially be called upon in foreign lands to bury a dead stranger or foreigner to those places (or another worshiper) when none else can help or be called upon to bury them. Of course followers of Viv will not infringe upon local burial customs, respecting them as is proper, though some might find their services useful depending on the people and place and the like.
[Special Servitor Race]
One of the monstrous servitors that the “Starry One” has
created, both to serve her and help/act as part of her people when they call on
her for dire aid, is called by one name: The Gh’akk. Their forms are like great
pterodactyl -like serpents donning two pairs of leathery wings, with a fleshy bulb covered in
armor and long stinging spikes on the end tip of their long bodies...which
Itself opens up into 6 flaps and acts as a great secondary mouth lined with razor sharp
teeth. Each Gh’akk possess 1-2 pairs of arms, and each arm ended with four twisted and
deadly sharp clawed fingers (one acting like a thumb) at the ends of them that
can rend flesh and even the metal armors of mortals with a frightening ease.
Their heads look like three monstrously-long and fleshy maws with a total of three
sets of bestial and alien eyes...all merged together into one horrid Cerberus
of a head, each able to open up independently or together to extreme lengths as
their flesh can zips on the sides of their mouths to accommodate as much
mouth/mouths opening room as they need.
Each mouth of theirs too has many rows of deadly, predatory
teeth, and their saliva is a neurotoxin that paralyzes prey rapidly and deal
agonizing pain...whilst it transforms into a neurotoxic gas that can be exhaled
instead when their saliva is exposed to direct sunlight. And in final, the
hides and appearances of these creatures are hideous, gruesome, and horrid to
look upon in any sort of light, like someone took skeletal bones and a very
tough and leathery hide and stretched it about on its body frame.
To see one of these is to become only one of two things:
Ally...or Prey. Preferably the former, as the latter is a sure way to die a
gruesome and swift death to the mighty strength of these abominations.
Viv herself can send them down to the mortal plane, though
frankly priests and priestesses and clerics of her can also summon them or
others among the monstrosities contained in her realm (since they have her
permission to do so).
[Economy]
-The Kingdom, due to Viv’s influence and specialties, is a
massive hub of trade in its own right. Seafarers, land caravans, Kingdom
airships, and the like can be found commonly going to the many markets in the
various townships and major cities. One can find exotic goods and spices and unknown
products and meats and fruits and minerals and metals and the like grown and
traded and more. This includes even rare materials, or ancient artifacts from
long lost times being present for sale (or in a tempting display) in some
manner or another. Many merchants from the Kingdom also travel about on long
trading missions out to the other continents, to go about to others to piddle
their wares and make trades in foreign places.
Though while trade and merchants are the main economic
powerhouse in the Kingdom, this has given rise to all other industries (mines
and farms and hunting and the like) even just on a local level. At least,
within reason and stability and such. It is such that the land is making plenty
of foods and other goods available, in case the Kingdom’s trade were to be cut
off somehow from all other places. Albeit such a thing as losing all their
trade would still hurt the economy of the Kingdom, but they’d be able to at
least survive on their own and flourish well enough if nothing else.
-There are also special “pleasure houses” within Viv’s
lands, a curiosity in their own right that arose to cater to travelers and also
became local staples, though they are not as sexual as their names suggest.
They are places meant to leisure about in little to no clothing in a
magically-controlled environment, eating light and refreshing foods and
drinking of similarly-natured drinks and chatting with others. A
foreigner/traveler coming to such a place might find themselves asked to talk
of their travels, no matter how small or great, by locals who frequent these
houses as well as a form of social activity.
Many of these pleasure houses feature various forms of
entertainment too, such as dancers of a similar clothing level as patrons,
musicians, street performers, and even maybe some mages putting on a magical
show for them. Prices in these places are usually very affordable as well, due
to their commonality and being so culturally ingrained into Viv’s lands. Though
admittedly, in the fewer “higher end” pleasure houses (more expensive to get
into) there might be special staff who can be paid to give patrons “pleasurable
company” while there. These would be much higher-grade than the average tavern
wench in other places, though, and are most definitely paid well for their
“services”.
[Military]
Airships and ships on sea, dinosaurs serving as varied types
of melee and ranged (and even flying) cavalry, sailors and land infantry of
varied sorts, along with certain implementations of Gh’akk and magic. That is
basically a summary of the Kingdom’s military in a very simplified and rough nutshell.
In terms of specifics, the Kingdom in part specializes in
raiding parties/troops who are great at hit-and-run tactics and are usually great
at stealthily moving about in swift air/sea ships. Harpies are especially
useful on airships when used for raiding parties against enemy lands. Groups of
raiding parties can be used deep in enemy territory to act as “self-sufficient”
and roving military forces that merely need only keep in communication by some
means (carrier birds or subtle agents or magic or the like) to facilitate
coordination.
The Kingdom also uses “proper” armies for battle usually,
grouped up in very/highly flexible and well-equipped sub-units of troops, each
about 500 strong, which have very stable and reliable chains of command. They
also vary in armaments from long spears, to swords, to great axes, to archers (great
longbows in their case made from some of the immense trees of their land), to scattered
“cheap” skirmishers and light infantry wielding a variety of ranged weapons such
as slings and shorter hunting bows and metal/obsidian-tipped spears and even weighted
wooden spears with metal tips and more. There are also a range of melee/ranged
cavalry types, from flying bow-firing or long-spear charging pterodactyl
riders, to great stegodon that charge into enemy lines with immense mass, to
great t-rexes and swift velociraptor riders who blitz enemy forces with more
teeth than they can handle, and more.
Formation-wise, cavalry tend to keep to the outside of the
army during battle or when traveling, for screening purposes, whilst archers
and other skirmishers tend to remain near the front for similar purposes during
travel or battle. The usual battle approach is to use cavalry and skirmishers
to harass the enemy, use light infantry to pin down enemies or intercept enemy
troops, and then the heavy infantry pins down and chops through the enemy
troops in the end. Basic variants of this can be utilized as needed, such as
heavy infantry taking up flanks to act as a defensive barrier for skirmishers
firing from behind them or stonewall heavy cavalry troops by also using spears,
or even the use of heavy cavalry to smash front lines and flee as skirmishers
and archers cover their retreat as light infantry comes in from the sides and
the heavy infantry holds the backlines.
Mages will usually be incorporated into proper armies,
usually on the backlines with strange trebuchet-like siege equipment (maybe
acting as it in groups at times) and helping move troops/supplies and
commanders about. They too act as lines of communication, using magic to create
mental networks for commanders and sub-commanders in a given army for rapid
communication. Overall it is a very support-focused role that mages fill for
the Kingdom’s armies, though elite battle cores of mages who get into the fray
can also be found at times.
Heavy Infantry, Archers, and Heavy/Ranged Cavalry are all
professional, full-time troops that are recruited, kept, and trained year-round
within the Kingdom. They receive the best quality armor, weapons, training,
and gear that can be afforded. Many nobles and commoners have been among their
ranks, where skill and merit hold supreme....though admittedly the nobility
still are the majority of professional commanders due to their wealth being
used to train and educate them better than a commoner would be able to. Light
Infantry, all other Skirmishers, and Light Cavalry of all kinds on the other
hand are always pulled from local levies that are rounded up, drilled, and
trained by the professionals and commanders to send into battle during times of
war. Experienced levies within the right age range, aka ones who are veterans
of multiple conflicts, are usually targeted for recruitment as well where and
when it is possible...on occasion with financial incentive if the situation is
dire and experienced troops are desperately needed.
Varied mercenaries can also be found as a supplement to the
Kingdom’s armies at times, with the best quality and most loyal mercenary
groups usually getting paid best. Local mercenaries from within the Kingdom’s
own population can also be found or hired out, usually having served as levies
in conflicts from the past and put their training and experience from then to
good use.
[Politics]
The Kingdom is, as a kingdom, ruled by a proper royal family
at its head: The Vir’afa. This family has ruled over the Kingdom for centuries,
with Viv’s own immortal avatar being one of their most ancient original
ancestors. Beneath the royal family is a Council of sorts composed of regionally
chosen people and nobles of great experience and wisdom that help manage the
day to day matters of law as well, and also helps control the various governors
and the like under royal supervision. Indeed, one could call the Council more
of a “parliament” of sorts due to its composition of commoners and nobility,
but it is kept in line by the Royal Family who still has full and total military
control. Likewise, the Royal Family can pass edicts down on the nation as
desired or needed, though the Senate can negate these to avoid anyone just
passing edicts that could harm the nation or mess matters up very badly. So
there is a balance of powers that exists here, in a sense, and this process has
been hewn out with experience and time to become a very ancient and stable
system at least.
However, it is of note that Viv through her avatar does
wield an unsaid absolute power when it comes to the Kingdom and its political
structures. She is known for allowing her mortals to ‘do their thing’ and
decide on their various local and national matters, though at times Viv has had
her avatar step in about certain matters or otherwise to assist the political
processes. If the mortal government ever collapsed or broke into pieces, it
goes without saying that Viv’s avatar would quickly be able to seize power and
assert governance over the nation with the peoples’ full support if she ever
felt it ‘necessary’ to do so.
Other:
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Viv’s Theme Song:
