The Tarkir before there was a Tarkir...


Namacanaan is an infinitely massive, star-like storm of eye-blinding brilliant mana, aether and countless magical materials and energies, sorrounded by five planes that gravitate around it. Each plane is a naturally born plane, not a shard from a larger plane like Alara, having been born far away, but gradually aproaching Namacanaan and becoming stuck in an eternal dance around the "star". This makes planeswalking in and out of the present planes somewhat harder, as the location of the planes is never consistent.

However, this has brought unusual consequences on these planes. Two of the colours of mana of each plane have gradually left the world, leaving only three colours. Why this happened is not clear: some think that Namacanaan itself removed those colours, others say that the eternal motion around the "star" has made two of the colours of each plane dormant, focused around in the aether membranes.

Whatever the reason, this has left each plane with an unique identity, each plane with one color of mana pitied against the other two. This has made each plane both balanced and unstable, the local life having adapted to a world of contrasts.

It is theorised that this set of planes is not the first one, with other planes having preceeded them, eventually collapsing upon Namacanaan or being removed from the system altogether, perhaps returning to normal. This process must take thousands of years, for there are no known witnesses.


These are the five realms of Namacanaan:

Unaktil

The world of Unaktil is dominated by vast frigid tundras, punctuated by shielding mountain ranges and taiga. The local peoples have adapted to the harsh elements, using their sheer resourcefulness to survive in the biting cold. Living with them, however, are a variety of primal beings, from mammoth herds to ravenous elementals, and so not only does mankind need to combat a hostile and cruel land, but beings just as ruthless as the winds. Not even the strong survive: this is the land of the crafty.

Civilisation is currently unheard of in the icy wastes. In the distant past, one or perhaps several have existed, their ruins littered around, but now all that remains are many tribes, learning from the mistakes of the dead. Knowledge is a prized commodity, as new tricks to find life support on the frozen wastelands are beyond welcome, and so is defending them from thought stealers, all manner of beings who destroy memories. Even the very winds induce memory loss and catatonia, and so spell crafting focuses on building protective wards, or outright destroying these malicious agents.

Unaktil does not have observable seasons, life blooming when and where it can. Occasionally, there are periods when ice melts and plants bloom, allowing the tundra to become a vast, swampy grassland with massive and deep lakes, but just as often there are chills so severe that nearly all life is forced to actively defend itself from the cold, as glaciars spread and the taiga is consumed. Underneath the ice, in the plane's mantle, molten rock still flows, and occasionally tremours puncture the surface, destroying ice sheets and releasing life giving heat, as well as rearranging the landscape, ending cold forests in blazing infernos and reinforcing mountain ranges, which would otherwise be withered away. Many are those who seek to make Unaktil bleed, to change the hellish landscape into a warm world. The desire to keep the status quo versus the desire to free the world from it's freezing spell only adds to the countless conflicts of the frozen tundra.


Humanity


Humans were once Unaktil's dominant race, flourishing in bygone times when the frost wasn't so severe. Ruins of these past kingdoms still litter the open spaces, offering temporary shelters for travellers, but buildings any more complex than communal huts are not built anymore. Human beings are currently scattered in more or less 20 tribes all across the plane, hopelessly fragmented in the tundra, and their numbers are declining. In the face of such isolation, the primary priority of the tribes is to transmit as much knowledge as humanely possible to other tribes, to help other people survive in the perils of Unaktil and hopefully prevent or at least stall mankind's extinction. All humans in Unaktil are teached the arts of magic, as they're vital in this perilous environment, each person knowing at least one life-saving , or spell; no matter how small, an ability can make the difference between survival, freezing or being murdered. Human tribe politics are very flexible, with some being lead by all elders, others by a chief, elected or blood-dictated, but all leadership is inevitably theocratic. The shaman is the highest position in human society, the main healer and most skilled magician, capable of brewing life giving remedies, controlling spirits and elementals for fighting or helping, or immerse themselves in a trance, allowing themselves to access knowledge in other realms, to communicate with other shamans, to even bring damaged, lost soul and mind pieces to their rightful owners. Because of this, the shaman is very vulnerable, and always has a familiar, usually a an intelligent bird like an owl or a raven, to assist them and warn them of perils in other realms.

With time, shamans have built wards all over Unaktil, with the purpose of uniting mankind, allowing each tribe to locate each other and even communicate telepathically. This has proved a successful experiment, as many tribes eventually united. Unfortunately, the wards were noticed, and now each tribe is growing desesperate to keep these wards, all the while fighting against Humanity's enemies like the elves. For the first time after thousands or even millions of years, a need for sedentarism has began to manifest, and while this has allowed the tribes to offer aid more than ever before, the future is far from certain.


Elves


The elves are the unforgiving masters of the taiga, mankind's sworn enemies. Unaktil elves are quite different from other elves, having pale, sometimes transparent skin, icy green or blue eyes and a body temperature that conforms to the sorrounding environment, looking more deathly looking than the more vibrant elves from other planes. Unaktil elves are pure herbivores, having very large vermiform appendixes to produce varied bacterial flora and four stomachs, allowing them to extract nutrients from even the toughest grass or conifer needles. They, however, are far from peaceful: their entire culture revels on the irrational, so far seemingly unprovoked hatred for all other sapient beings, seeing humans at best as blights to be murdered in cold blood, as painfully and slowly as possible. Highly spiritual and hollistic beings, such a focus on slaughter seems odd, and so far whatever reasonings they may have are unknown, as they refuse to communicate. Even elven planeswalkers are not safe, as glamours rarely work on the Unaktil elves, and if they can't run away they are treated no better than humans.

Elves live in highly communitarian societies, led by a council of druids, usually located wherever conifers can grow. Elven children are raised solely by their mothers, as the father will be ripped apart and fed to eagles if he even dares looking at his child/ren. Teached by the council, elves become functional members of their society when puberty hits, which may be somewhere from 15 to 18. Not all elven societies have rites of passage, but those that do are highly diverse, from planting redwood trees to taming giant ground sloths. The loser is universally given five chances to complete the rite; if s/he fails, s/he may either be banished to die in the tundra - though s/he can be accepted into another tribe - or killed if the council deems it so. Elven society ranks are very flexible, with each non-council individual expected to take a part in home/tool/clothes building, gathering food or fighting, though individuals with a particular talent may be specifically restricted to just one function.

Elven magic and spirituality is closely tied together, just like with humans. However, instead of the primal trance of the shaman, elves preffer the more subservient magic of the druid, calling forth power by worshipping avatars of Unaktil's unforgiving nature. Elven magic is mostly focused on the power of the wind, someoning storms and blizzards that attack the body and mind alike, being capable of rendering the subject utterly catatonic. Mostly, however, it simply serves to immobilise the target, leaving him/her alive so that the elven daggers can deliver the long and violent death elves feel the target deserves. Elves are also capable of healing magic, used not only to regenerate their wounds, but also to prolong the lives of their victims, allowing for hours of torture. The fate of the body differs from target to target, generally being buried if the victim is an adult or dismembered and scattered across the tundra if it is a child. In the latter's case, the corpse is enchanted as to not be eaten by predators or rotten for several weeks, in the hopes that enraged people come attack the elves, offering them more victims.

On a less brutal note, elves also use their wind magic to communicate with other elf tribes, whispering messages into the breezes. This has been exploited by humans and other races to twist the messages, creating tribal conflicts amidst the elves. While elves lack sophisticated mind magic, they are excellent at breaking enchantments, which makes them a large danger to the mind wards.


Merfolk


The Merfolk are the solitary wanderers of the tundra, rarely seen accompanied. Very cryptic individuals, little is known about them, though they are definitely in friendly terms with humans. The tundra's visible rocks are frequently covered with runic symbols, the Merfolk's undecipherable messages, that seem to be their main way of communication. Merfolk magic is quite varied, ranging from mind magic to manipulating blood to melting the ice to cause destructive floods, and it seems to be closely related to their deliberately ascetic way of life. Merfolk can most frequently be found meditating, believed to not just be a spiritual practise, but actually a survival mechanism against the biting cold, becoming one with their environment. Merfolk are almost exclusively carnivorous, hunting large game by elaborate traps that usually seek to deliver a relatively painless death; they refuse to eat other sapient beings, except elves. During the few times when the tundra melts, Merfolk lay their eggs in the lakes that form, fertilising them externally just like fish. Depending on how long these periods last, the eggs either quickly hatch into already fully sufficient children, or freeze, waiting for another warm period to hatch. Said fully sufficient children seemingly learn from the runic patterns, and from poorly understood mind links with the closest nearby Merfolk.


Sphinxes


Even more elusive than the Merfolk are the sphinxes. Unaktil's kind spends most of it's life in the skies, hidden amidst storm clouds and winds, descending only to hunt, preying by choice mostly on sapient beings. A sphinx's mind is truly alien, at times cold and stoic and at others boiling with irrational hatred for other living beings, making the elves look reasonable in comparision. A sphinx's neurotic needs are so overwhelming that many only feel truly happy by causing widespread misery, some even taking it into a twisted artform, killing themselves if overwhelmingly unsuccessful - bear in mind, a sphinx's notion of "success" is very arbitary and bizarre. Sphinxes are mostly experts in mental and aether magic, using their spells in deadly tricks to accomplish their plans for inflicting pointless torment and suffering. Massive areas in the tundra are booby-trapped with wards of various effects, from utter mental dysfunction to having parts of the body erased from existence to utter madness. Others use runic patterns, something that has forced Merfolk to enter in an arms race against the sphinxes, resorting to more complex methods of verifying whereas the runes are authentic or not. Overs still seek shamans mentally, either severing their spirit from the body or destroying their minds and memories. For this reason, most shamans are accompanied by familiars, which can faultlessly see sphinxes before it's too late.


Viashino and Dragons


Reptilian beings in the frozen world of Unaktil seem odd, but nonetheless the crafty Viashino and their dragons have made a living in the plane's mountaintops and taiga, using geomantic magic to reach deep into Unaktil's magmatic layers, bringing life giving heat in the form of lava eruptions. Proud like the Viashino from other worlds, they nonetheless have a deep respect for life, trying to spread heat as much as possible in order to ensure plants bloom and animals prosper. They even at times help humans against other beings, though a fully forged alliance seems unlikely to occur any time soon. They, however, have an unambiguously hostile relationship with the elves - who utterly despise them as they attempt to make life prosper instead of letting the freezing status quo be -, and with the sphinxes. They have a more ambivalent relationship with Merfolk, usually ignoring them.

Viashino are omnivores, favouring hunting large game like bears, but also eating a variety of berries and soft plants. They are endothermic, literally warm blooded as their average body temperature exceeds that of a human. This helps to power their spells, but leaves them the most vulnerable to prolonged exposured to the cold. To make up for that, Unaktil Viashino have quill-like scales that trap air.

Viashino's live in large clans, formed of several bloodlines, usually led by a shaman. Leadership is always contested, battles determining who is the winner. The loser, or whoever uses foul play, is either exiled or lives as an outcast. Viashino form new clans by request, the young future leader petitioning the right. If aproved, blessings of strength are given, the departing new founder has the task of creating the new habitable zone by him/herself. Largely sedentary, Viashino don't usually venture far from their clan homes besides on hunting or "diplomatic" trips, the exception being during warmer periods, when the reptiles expand and maintain the tundra ice-free for as long as possible, before retreating. On Viashino territory, the sheer power of their geomantic magic is enough to keep the terrain very warm and snowless, allowing a temporary sanctuary for passing herds and human tribes. They are also anathema for the elves and sphinxes, which preffer the cold.

Viashino have managed to tame Unaktil's dragons. Rather than domestication, it's a form of commensal relationship, with the dragons offering muscle and aerial power while Viashino offer them hunting grounds and protected nesting sites. Dragons by themselves often fall prey to the vicious spells of the sphinxes, but guided by Viashino shamans their strength and mind are enhanced, breaking free of the illusions and burning the sphinxes to cinders. Viashino are not anymore bound to a specific dragon than people are to horses, though dragons still have a list of Viashino they like or hate.


Yetis


Unaktil Yetis are barely sapient, yet humanoid apes with thick red, brown or black pelts and a somewhat bestial face, resembling that of a baboon. Living in small familial groups, they behave somewhat like gorillas, being peaceful vegetarians that nonetheless will respond agressively to threats. Though they aren't sapient, they can muster whim-driven magic, usually associated with snow and ice, often subconsciously enhancing themselves with ice claws and spikes. Many live near the Viashino, taking advantage of the perpetual sources of plants to eat, though they avoid them when they can, even though the reptilian creatures make a point to not harm them.


Elementals and Spirits


The line between an elemental and a spirit in Unaktil is often blurred, with nature spirits being the norm and elementals being often very abstract, but generally spirits have a soul while elementals are just mana infused constructs. Both are of various levels of sapience, from animal-like instinctual beings to entities fully capable of reason, and thus are also of variable benevolence, from mindless forces of nature to cruel beings that infuse the winds with mind-wiping properties. Shamans control both, channeling spirits or elementals in both the physical world or the spiritual realms, for a wide variety of purposes.

Bhamarivo

Bhamarivo is the oldest of the Namacanaan planes, and it's landscape and flora easily betray this fact: the vast primeval swamps, forests and savannahs are dominated by ancient plant species rare if not extinct elsewhere in the multiverse, and are stalked by equally ancient animals, like terrestrial crocodiles and giant amphibians. The climate is all around warm and tropical, with no seasons but occasional periods of extensive drought and extensive rain in the savannahs. The jungles and wetlands are dominated by thick, humid, stagnant air, while the plains are somewhat drier and enjoy constant breeze; windstorms occur just about everywhere, and do so very frequently, the world's main natural disaster. Other than some particularly large lakes - many of which artificial - and swampy lagoons, there are no large waterbodies.


Since it's ancient roots, Bhamarivo has been the stage for the intricate battle between nature and civilisation. Empires have risen and fallen, wilderness has claimed the entire world and at times savagely driven back - though never completly conquered -, leaving countless ruins littered across the savannahs, claimed by the forests or sunken in the bogs. Currently, civilisation has once again risen to prominence, a series of city states on the plane's plains, slowly spreading their farmlands and satellite settlements into the lush forests and swamps, to exploit their more fertile soils. Predictably, this places the civilised races at conflict not only with nature and it's children, including other sapient races, but with ancient, primordial and sinister powers of the world, waiting just for the right apex of hubris to wipe out all progress and technological accomplishment.


The largest and most majestic of the cities is Mavotanambe, sitting right at the center of the Volamena Steppes. Protected by thick stone walls reaching heights of 250 meters, Mavotanambe is Bhamarivo's center of civilisation, connected by trade routes to nearly all settlements and receiving most of it's resources from them, though also overseeing some farming and mining operations. Dominated by a central palace, it is governed by Empress Vangavolo and the council chosen by her, overseeing both Mavotanambe and the leadership in other cities, seeking to retain a level of common control and unity in other to both maximise efficiency and to aid protection against the "wild powers". Nonetheless, other city states not only remain very functionally independent, they also often reject a common authorithy and even attempt to compete with Mavotanambe, causing schisms and conflict that simultaneously both frustrate and seriously worry the monarch. For the moment, a treatise ensures the recognition of Mavotanambe and Vangavolo as a common authorithy to be respected, though this relative stability may not last, as the "wild powers" do what they can to incite bitterness and resentment in other city states.


Humans

Humans form most of the population within the city states, both within the central poleis and the satellite settlements, though several "tribes" have returned to the wilds. As the driving force behind the Empire's literal and figurative wheels, mankind can be considered the de facto agent of civilisation in Bhamarivo, but the presence of other civilised races equally responsible for progress and inovation strip Man from the claim of intellectual superiority and accomplishment. Nonetheless, humans are at large the working, labouring force, the ones invested in the production of resources (be it farming, mining, et cetera) and in the operation of machinery, though by no means exclusively a proletariat; political seats, merchantile roles, the army and several other professional pursuits are open to humans in the cities.

Humans, and civilised society at large for that matter, are dictated by a rigid system of castes. While social climbing is possible, it is more often than not severely restricted, especially in smaller city states, where tradition is a higher power. Most of the population is expected thus to accept their lot in life, to continue their family tradition, at most expecting only to find other possibilities within their rank. The number of castes is variable within individual city states, with one social function being part of a caste in one city and being it's own caste altogether in another, but generally can be summarised as it follows:

- Andriana: Nobility/aristocracy. By far the most free of the castes, able to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle, though still functionally useful as politicians, researchers and military strategists/commanders. Most city states allow counter measures against excessive tyranny, stripping the corrupt Andriana out of his/her title and properties and permanently drafting him/her into the army as a low soldier, though of course the efficiency of these measures isn't certain. Within the Andriana there may be a further stratified hierarchy, with the highermost individuals being known as Marolahy. These are the ones most likely to run things, and indeed compose the body of Vangavolo's council, alongside high ranking Rahonafolk and Posa. "Andriana" also applies to the de facto rulers of the tribes unaffiliated with the Empire.

- Hova: The free lower ranking population at large, the merchants, farmers, miners, artisans and such. Within these, they may further be stratified along those lines, with specified professions being their own castes in some cities. Of the castes, the Hova are the ones most invested in traditions and festivities.

- Miaramila: Soldiers and most military operative ranks. This caste is the sole caste not defined by ancestry, with Hova, Andevo and fallen Andriana being able to pursue it (willingly or not) and conversely Miaramila being able to retire to any of the other castes. It is also the only caste where social ascension is guaranteed, Miaramila being able to reach higher status within the inner hierarchy of the caste.

- Andevo: Slaves and outcasts. The absolute low in Bhamarivo society, these are at best awarded the simplest protections and rights, and at most common completly treated like objects, whose living conditions depend entirely of their master's compassion and basic decency. Many work as the labour force, which in some cities has allowed better living conditions and privileges for the Hova caste. Most of the "wild tribes" are descended from Andevo who escaped.


Human magic is of course as varied as their caste systems. Hova and Miaramila are most likely to use simple, pratical spells, while the Andriana are more likely to seek higher goals, refining themselves spiritually or searching occult knowledge. The few Andevo who know magic are driven to more desperate measures to gain enough power to free themselves, even making pacts with wild beings such as demons.


Rahonafolk


The Rahonafolk are Bhamarivo's analogue of Aven, though they are much more basal creatures than other birds elsewhere, with long bony tails instead of just tail feathers (said tails are nonetheless extensively covered by plummage, bearing long ribbon-like tail feathers that form distinctive fans at the end), sickle-like claws on the feet, "hindwings" (the legs have wing feathers themselves, extending along the digitigrade ankles) and a feathery snout full of sharp, serrated teeth instead of a beak. Coloured primarily white, the Rahonafolk operate mostly as the Empire's clerics, being in charge of spiritual guidance, counsel and ceremonies, not the least important of which funerary rites. It is believed that the pure white feathers of a Rahonafolk render them intangible from death's miasma and negative energy, allowing them to touch the dead bodies and prepare them for cremation, after which the Rahonafolk dust-bathe themselves with the ashes, taking thus responsibility for the departed's spirit. As such, Rahonafolk magic is intrinsically tied with the spirits of the dead, summoning them to augment their spells. A Rahonafolk's spirit in particular is exceptionally powerful, having gathered the magical essences of many other spirits throught his/her lifetime. They thus are also extremely valuable as battlemages and medics.

Suffice to say, the Rahonafolk enjoy immense prestige and power in civilised society, living outside of the system of castes (though technically a caste of their own). Empress Vangavolo herself is a Rahonafolk, and her kin has at least three representatives in her council as of this writting. Rahonafolk are considered especially fitting for governance out of belief that their purity estends to their purpose as well, and even in times when a human sat in the throne they took advice from them. While generally altruistically motivated, the Rahonafolk are in truth no less prone to moral failings, zealotry and ruthlessness as any other race, and at times the belief in their purity leads to arrogance and self-righteous perceptions, if well masked under their almost visceral politeness.


"To a human's eyes, my kind is perfect and infallible, like a nimbus against the midday sky. I did once believe myself to be so, and now the voices of the spirits I guard are mournful and betrayed. I can't sleep anymore."

- Maresta, Rahonafolk cleric.


Posa

Elegant and powerful, the Posa are anthropomorphic Fossa. Most of them live in the fringe between civilisation and wilderness, with some having completly joined the Empire as Miaramila while a few have rejected it and embraced the wilderness of the forests and swamps. Posa as a whole are not in conflict with civilisation, due to a pact they've commited with humans and the Rahonafolk in immemorial times, though tensions escale when their hunting grounds are threatened by farmland -usually resolved by the offending humans paying the Posa with food -, and some of the most wild of their clans are unbound by this treaty. On the contrary, most Posa enjoy this relationship with the Empire, and hope to influence things positively, to bring balance and peace to Bhamarivo's conflict ridden landscape.

Posa by nature live in small clans, displaying an internal hierarchy that is fluid and continuously contested, as they constantly compete for dominance, both out of personal power craving and because they believe it to be healthy for society to be meritocratic. As such, even the Posa most enamoured with the Empire bear a proffound ideological disagreement with the human caste system, and will readily liberate Andevo whenever possible. Relationships between the Posa and the Rahonafolk are mostly ambivalent, with the Posa finding their tolerance for the caste system and their religious privilege to be distasteful, yet most accept their authorithy and trust their dead to them - "wild Posa" simply eat the corpses of their fallen, recycling their life energy. Only the most wild of the Posa have a legitimate apreciation for the "wild forces", with most seeing them as either barbaric or inferior, disliking their willingness to destroy without a thought. Thus they have no qualms in exploiting or killing the Kidoky if they feel that such is necessary.


Posa magic is very varied, but usually is focused on their sense of morality, their ideological drives powering defensive and offensive battle magic, which goes well with their association with the Miaramila. The more wild of the Posa have rejected this altogether, their power instead coming from the wilds and their own dark instincts, as well as pacts with primordial and demonic beings.


Kidoky


Kidoky are massive, somewhat gorilla-like lemurs. Living in the forests and wetlands, they have rejected civilisation altogether in favour of the "wild powers", and as such are bitter enemies of mankind, the Rahonafolk and most of the Posa. They are largely avoidant, but if threatened they will viciously retaliate, calling fourth the power of the wilds to wipe out their enemies, be it by summoning powerful elementals, beasts and eldritch aberrations, or by releasing plague and pests.


Kidoky live in large groups, generally lead by a matriach. They make their homes in tall tree canopies, using phytomantic magic to grow habitable homes amidst the branches. Phytomantic magic also granted them a wide knowledge of herbalism, making them the most efficient potion makers in Bhamarivo, being capable of healing most ailments and to create deadly poisons. Sometimes, these skills are sought by humans and Posa who rejected civilisation, often at a very high price. Kidoky are almost exclusively herbivorous, but they are knowledgeable of necromantic magic, and will often create Vahyfaty, zombies animated by creeping vines like puppets. Most dead end up as Vahyfaty, or otherwise are left to rot and be consumed by nature.


While often competing for dominance, the Kidoky place a great emphasis in family as a concept, and the whole clan will raise their young communally, as well as readily adopt orphans from their own kind and, more rarely, from other races. The matriarch's authorithy is generally respected until times of great duress, when personal ambition and desperation trump respect for tradition. Interspecific relationships between Kidoky clans are complicated, and while a diplomatic approach is favoured, ultimately they tend to end in violence, the doomed either joining the winning clan or being killed and turned into Vahyfaty.


Demons


Bhamarivo demons are ancient forces of nature, manifestations of the plane's rich tricolor mana. These demons are more ferocious and animalistic than most demons elsewhere, but they aren't completly mindless, and are capable of enough cunning to propose pacts and lure other races with the promise of power. Living embodiments of nature's darkest side, their common end goal is to destroy civilisation, setting Bhamarivo back to pure wilderness.


Mangarsahoc


Resembling gigantic winged hippopotami, the Mangarsahoc are ancient, largely mysterious beasts, but regardless extremely dangerous. Completely mindless, they are nonetheless capable of incredible magical feats, calling fourth armies of beasts or powerful wind storms, laying entire cities to ruin in their wake, awakening the dead and devouring protective wards. True forces of nature, not even demons are safe from a Mangarsahoc's wrath, and as such most attempt to divert them away or keep them in slumber. They can be killed, but their thick hides are surprisingly durable against most weapons, and attempting to slay one will more often than not cause a worse retribution on their part.


Other Wild Forces


The forests, swamps and plains of Bhamarivo are full of strange and bizarre beasts that comprise the armies of nature, such as elementals, treefolk, hydras, wurms and eldritch monstruosities such as the Miambaby, creatures that resemble giant tardigrades. All of these are mindless and usually nowhere near as magically powerful as the Mangarsahoc and demons, and may even be tamed, but once called forth by intelligent magic users all bets are off.

Coming soon:

All done and posted.

Daganavia

Daganavia is, for all intents and purposes, a sky world. All known landmasses float in the air, and the sky seems expansive in all directions, with no ground in sight, or the edges of the outer space for that matter. Legend says that Daganavia was once a world with a stable ground, but a catastrophy broke it apart, scattering the landmasses in the air and expanding the skies in all directions, to form an endless ocean of air. Whatever caused it also diffused the Sun: Daganavia has no observable daystar, but it is remarkable for having bright ambient light at all times, an endless day that forever illumines the world. Weather patterns are extremely erratic, with massive storms forming at the drop of a hat, and ending just as quickly.


With the islands of rock that litter Daganavia's skies constantly moving about as they are carried by the winds, there is no stable geography, any map that ones makes being rendered completly inaccurate in a matter of hours. Combined with the sudden storms, this has lead the inhabittants of the plane to understand a harsh truth, that there can be no true stability. Whetever home one takes will be thousands of miles apart from all others in the span of a day, whatever city one constructs will be blown to smithereens. As such, a great deal of Daganavia's inhabittants are nomadic, staying only for as long as necessary and being always on the move, travelling through the air with aircraft, winged steeds or their own wings. This has had a positive aspect in that inovation and technological progress are both necessary and easily transmitable as clans travel about and meet other clans, but the lack of stable structures leaves them exposed to the worse of storms, and often leads to massive cultural resentment.


That said, Daganavia is not without stable civilisation, and several groups have taken to the floating landmasses and made them their own, building on them and turning them into settlements. Life in these floating islands isn't easy, being unable to escape storms and often being subjected to resource limitations, but for many the craving for stability overwhelms these pratical needs. Protected by strong magical wards, the "flying villages" or Flaugunheim are nonetheless important hotspots of civilisation for the peoples of Daganavia, offering as centers of commerce, information and rest. Some have been subjected to more ambitious designs, enchanted bridges connecting two or more landmasses while others have developed controlled propulsion means, but for now these innovations are in their infancy, and a stable sky city is still a long way to go.


In the lawlessness of Daganavia's immense skies, criminal enterprises have taken wing. An obscene amount of mercenaries are at beck and call to those that seek them, while sky pirates terrorise the nomadic peoples and Flaugunheim alike. The Flaugunheim themselves are often subjected to fervent zealotry in quasi-nationalistic fashion, and while the threat of conquest is unfeasible any time soon, this causes tensions between the more stable dwellers and the air nomads, and can make life within them rather opressive and conforming. More so than in any other plane of Namacanaan, conflict in Daganavia occurs is a force of disunity between the plane's sapient races, yet like every major aspect of the plane it isn't a certainty, vanishing as quickly as it starts.


Humans


Humans in Daganavia compose most of the populations in the Flaugunheim aside from the dwarves, though many also lead nomadic lives in the skies. Less adapted to live on the wing than most other races and lagging behind the Kor and dwarves in efficient aircraft and artificial wings, humans nonetheless manage to carve niches for themselves in the skies, those that do not crave the comfort and stability of the Flaugunheim often being known as thrillswifts. Between isolation in the Flaugunheim and constant input from nomads, humans have a paradoxically diverse and universal culture, common values and morality uniting radically different traditions and beliefs. Important concepts in human culture/s are sacred hospitality, taking oath swearing seriously, martial pragmatism, apreciation for artistry, crafts and industry and a craving for stability, though naturally the latter is often rejected by the thrillswifts. The swift is an unifying symbol among the thrillswifts, the full bird or just it's wings being a common visual motiff associated with them. Flaugunheim inhabittants reject swift imagery, often considering it a symbol of debauchery and immaturity. Consequently, some fringe groups in the floating landmasses have taken to use the swift either ironically or as a proud banner of their lack of conformity. Traditionally is a serious matter to Flaugunheim inhabittants, prommoting a sense of quasi-nationalistic pride and a fervent adherence to tradition, which often causes conflict with the more free-spirited thrillswifts.


Religion in Daganavia is mostly animistic, something particularly true for humans in the Flaugunheim, which venerate the local spirits. Most humans however do pay a common reverence to the personified Day, the everlasting light that floods Daganavia's air, often carrying amulets bearing the sacred rune of this god. It is to this deity that oaths are sworn, being called as a witness, and it is this deity that fuels healing and combat magic. While something akin to a clergy can be observed in Flaugunheim, Day is at service of all, and a superior connection to the deity is purely based on practise and dedication. Many spend years of their lives trying to connect further with Day and refine their souls in the process, in effect gaining a powerful mana battery from which they can cast awe inspiring spells. Funerary rites vary significantly, though most humans practise cremation in some form or another, believing it to be a way to connect the soul of the deceased with the light of Day. A few ritually throw the corpse to the void, letting it fall undettered to the vast unknown far beneath.


Humans also practise other forms of magic, drawing from the winds or the floating landmasses, though these are usually either seen as practical applications or as forms of art and self-expression, seldomly having the same reverence. Particularly common disciplines are storm magic and mental and emotional manipulation, used to a frightening degree by the sky pirates.



Kor


Daganavian Kor are largely nomadic wanderers, travelling across the skies in gliders, artificial wings and aircraft, some of the most skilled spellcasters flying about unaided. Most make a living as specialised miners, working on the underside of the floating landmasses to gather precious ore and gems, an occupation that puts them at conflict with dwarves, who compete for the same resources. Some have instead specialised in hunting the creatures that inhabit Daganavia's skies, such as birds and flying fish, earning a reputation as suppliers of exotic meat and pets. A few have joined the sky pirates, and fewer still have settled down in the Flaugunheim.


Daganavian Kor as a whole value a sense of detachment. Unlike their Zendikar cousins, to which nomadism is an necessary feature of their lives, the Kor from Daganavia willingly chose to not settle down and aid the other races in the construction of Flaugunheim, believing that being free from attachments is spiritually fullfilling and allows a greater understanding of their chaotic sky world. This extends further into their personal relationships: unlike Kor from other worlds, in which family relationships are extremely relevant to their society, the Kor from Daganavia believe the concept of family to be playing favourites, ultimately detrimental to true compassion. Their young are trusted to the whole clan to raise, to overcome the parental bias in favour of a more widespread sense of community, at least in theory unaffected by familial pride. These costumes earn them a great deal of respect from Daganavia's Angels, who favour their hollistic compassion, but to most other races they come across as either pretentious or cold. To be sure, the unbiased, higher-minded methodology and goals of the Kor often place them at odds with the more traditionalistic, strong-family oriented dwarves.


Like humans, the Kor worship the personified Day, though in a far more henotheistic fashion. They do not deny the existence of other spiritual entities in Daganavia, but they feel that they at best should not be entertained and that at worse they are forces of chaos and devastation that only further the disunity of their world. Kor are trained from childhood to devote some of their time to meditation, as means to connect with Day and refine and purify their souls further. Their magic is a consequence of this, gaining enough awareness to manipulate and control daylight to achieve multiple tasks, from healing wards to searing beams to outright levitation. Upon death, if a Kor's connection to Day is strong enough, they spontaneously combust in white flames, which reduce their bodies to ash to be scattered by the winds. Because this happens at the moment of death, the Kor call it last breath, and it is a very important spiritual event, which they feel other races, particularly humans, should experience as well. Some of the more scrupulous Kor, such as those that join the sky pirates, try to cause the last breath on other living beings, outright murdering them.


Aven


Daganavian Aven resemble albatrosses, their long, thin wings being ideal to cover large distances in the immense, endless skies at high speeds. Many Aven spend most of their adult lives alone in the skies, wandering about as they either hunt or trade, spending weeks if not months without ever landing, only seeking solid ground when feeling the need to raise a child. Nonetheless, several have since come to enjoy a less lonely existence, coming to reside on Flaugunheim in a semi-permanent basis, while others joined thrillswifts, Kor, sky pirates or other air nomad groups. Because of their inherent affinity to the sky, Aven are the race in Daganavia most attuned to their aerial environment, and are immensely valuable as guides, knowing best how to predict storms and to navigate around obstacles. Consequently they are also formidable aeromancers, casting galestorms of their own, being able to rescue falling people by pulling them upwards with thermals, and asphyxiating enemies to death.


Because of their solitary nature, Daganavia's Aven don't have much of a culture per se. They do have a proffound emphasis on monogamy, engaging in elaborate marriage rituals and passionate dances in order to afirm a couple's devoted love, regardless of gender. They have a penchant for contemplation and philosophy, and many Aven choose a career as educators and researchers, payed for it or not. Their intellectual pursuits and more equalising view of love often place them in conflict with the dwarves, while earning some admiration from the Kor and the angels. Nonetheless, the Aven also have a penchant for guile, and some have chosen criminal careers as sky pirates, mostly for the thrill of it.

Dwarves


To both planeswalkers and other native races, dwarves feel like the odd ones out. Stout and earth loving as they are, it'd would almost seem like a joke for them to live in their opposite environment, where air and chaos are more common than the stability of the earth. Yet, dwarves found means to survive and prosper in the sky world. Most hold their own in the Flaugunheim, though some have chosen a life on the wing, using some of the most advanced aircraft on the plane.

Daganavian dwarves, much like their counterparts elsewhere, are robust, relatively short beings, rarely exceeding 1,30 meters in height. They are more stout than humans, with thicker and shorter torsos, more "equal" limb proportions (i.e. the arms are almost as big as the legs), proportionally larger and thicker bones and thick fingers. Male and female dwarves exhibit a lot less sexual dimorphism than humans, with the main visual difference for clothed individuals being the absence of a beard for women (though moustaches are common). Dwarves have a variety of hair colours, though orange is the most common; with trimming being culturally frowned upon, both genders have quite hairy bodies beneath their clothes, and are well equipped to survive in cold temperatures.

It is thought that dwarves originated in ancient mountaintops before Daganavia became a sky world. Indeed, while dwarves feel uneasy in the air and preffer to stand on solid ground, they do not generally have fear of heights, and are expert climbers, allowing them to operate easily on aircraft and on the undersides of floating landmasses.


Most dwarves alive today follow the same professions that their ancestors were thought to occupy in immemorial times, as miners, smiths and artificers, digging the floating landmasses for precious metals and rocks both from the underside or from tunnels dug from the upperside, and producing weapons, jewelry and labour for the construction of vehicles and other technology. Craft is important for dwarves not only as means of employment, but also in regards to personal amusement, self-expression and artistry, and indeed several clans harbour traditions such as competitive games involving weaponsmithing or jewelry. Predictably, dwarf magic is also closely tied to crafts, with smiths forging runes and other magical symbols into their weapons and other tools, granting them the ability to channel mana through them. Favoured are the brannhammer, a hammer etched with runes that allow it to melt any stone or metal, and the blitzbeil, a hatchet in which the blade is covered by searing plasma when striking. Even dwarves that have chosen lives as sky pirates or other nomadic sorts still channel their magic through objects created by themselves.


Dwarf society is largely focused on their clans. Each clan claims a floating landmass for themselves, digging through it galleries of tunnels that serve both as mines and habitations. Dwarves interact with human society constantly as means to sell their products and indeed some clans have fully integrated in "mainstream society", but most retain a level of isolationism, preffering to remain comfrtable in the safety of their tunnels. Nevertheless, because of their symbotic relationship, dwarves and humans seldomly display overt conflicts, and indeed some Flaugunheim appeal to dwarf values in order to uphold traditionalism. Dwarves however are more distrustful of other races, namely the Kor and their unbiased compassion, the Aven and their intellectualism and romantic practises, the Imps and their cruelty and the Angels and their mysteriousness, alongside their apreciation for the Kor (though many dwarves express appreciation for the more militant angels and their righteous fury).


As stated hinted beforehand, dwarves are very conservative, disregarding intellectual pursuits in favour of upholding their ancient traditions and societal values. Technological progress has marched steadily, being able to create some of the most sophisticated aerial vehicles on Daganavia, but social progress has stalled, and dwarf society is very stratified and rigid. Dwarf society is largely patriarchal, with males being expected to follow extreme standards of "manliness", and females usually limited to a carrier as jewel makers at best, and strongly disadvantaged in professional and sexual lives; failing either ensures a status as an oucast at best and the subject of mob violence at worst. Many of the dwarves who have taken a life on the wing are women and men disatisfied with these rigorous social standards, earning for freedom and willing to sacrifice their comfort on solid ground to attain it. These are nigh inevitably disowned by the clans, though other clans may adopt them if they swear oaths to follow their traditions.


Imps


Mischiveous creatures, imps are the Daganavian analogue of goblins and devils, better suited to the sky world thanks to their leathery bat wings. Naturally gang-prone by nature, they are mostly found in association with the sky pirates, mostly drawn in by their likeminded cruelty and use of chaotic magic. Motivated by curiousity and by a need for personal amusement, imps are not necessarily sadistic, but they are inherently destructive, having no respect for other people's property and no hesitation in causing harm if they feel too bored. Imps use mostly chaotic storm magic, making use of wind and lightning to entertain themselves, often at the cost of thousands of lives. A few have mastered mental and aether magic, which they use for general mischief.


Angels


Daganavia's angels are generally wandering peacekeepers, flying from Flaugunheim to Flaugunheim - or to nomadic airships - to prommote diplomacy and good relations as well as to heal the sick. Some have instead pursed a more militant lifestyle, acting as law enforcers or hunting after sky pirates and other criminals as means to bring them to justice or, if necessary, to act as their executioners. In the latter camp, the most famous figure is Lyra Hangatyr, a notorious vigilante who has brought some of the most infamous sky pirate leaders to justice, earning her the title of Day's Machete.


Daganavian angels claim to be living embodiments of Day's will, physical embodiments of it's light. Few feel the need to contest them in this matter, though some spiritual masters believe that the true "children of Day" are instead the Archons, which have disappeared in the distant past for poorly understood reasons. Angels claim to have replaced them, claiming that the Archons of old were merciless and without compassion. Regardless, most sapient races have generally positive relations with the angels, except for the dwarves, which distrust them - though nonetheless they admire the fierce zealotry of some angels -, and the imps, which are killed on sight. Angels have a particular admiration for the Kor and Aven, but are compassionate and concerned with the other races as well, excepting again imps.


Drakes and Dragons


These reptilian flyers are largely mindless if cunning, simple minded beasts that transverse Daganavia's skies. Both Daganavian dragons and drakes have four limbs (two wings, two legs), but can nonetheless be easily distinguished: dragons are larger, tend to have darker colours, and are more sedentary, preffering to hold on to a flying landmass, while drakes have silvery colours and preffer a fully aerial existence, almost never touching the ground. Dragons tend to be more agressive and powerful, capable of breathing storms and lightning, but their solitary, territorial lifestyle means that they are rarely trouble unless people deliberately seek them out. Drakes, on the other hand, tend to gather in large flocks, and fearlessly chase after aircraft, attacking and eating whatever flying creature smaller tham them they find. Both are sought after due to their body parts, with bones and eggshells being of immense value in spell casting, or simply due to their meat, which is said to be very delicious and exquisite.

Sky Pirates


As a plane dominated by airships transversing across the endless skies, it would have only been natural for Daganavia to be subjected to criminal enterprises, especially in the chaotic, lawless expanses. Not long after the appearence of the first commercial airships in the distant past, Daganavia witnessed the abrupt rise of aerial thieves, equipped with their own aircrafts. Since then, the sky pirates have terrorised the open skyscape, entire enterprises focused on assaulting airships and Flaugunheim alike. Countless gangs of sky pirates now roam Daganavia, turning the already dangerous tempestuous air into outright death zones.


Sky pirate airships are extremely diverse, bearing some of the most extravagant designs on the plane. Nonetheless, most are designed to focus on speed over anything else: sky pirates either chase down or ambush their prey, thus needing to catch them by surprise as fast as possible. The downside is that they're usually more fragile than usual for airship standards, though to compensate most either have hooks to latch on to their prey or heavy armament to dispatch the enemy's defenses as quickly as possible. Most suberb is the development of lansekanon technology, projectile cannons sitting stop mobile stalks that allow a wider margin of damage infliction, which have cause immesurable grief to their victims. Sky pirates are generally versed on a variety of magic schools, but most focus on storm magic, casting vicious hurricanes, tornados and lightning storms to immobilise their prey. So efficient they are in this school that most can cast air gusts that levitate the cargo, rarely letting anything go to waste, and use storms to their advantage, using their sheer power to propell their airships, gliders and wings. Mind magic is also common, allowing pirates to take control of their victims or to erase damning information.


Sky pirate crews are mostly composed of humans, imps, dwarves and Aven, with Kor composing a nonetheless significant minority. Sky pirates are driven to their profession for a variety of reasons, such as economic desperation, escape from opressive societies (humans, dwarves), amusement (imps, Aven) or grander, poorly understood goals (Aven, Kor). Sky pirate crews are subjected to a well established hierarchy, preventing mutiny and ensuring successful strategising, but otherwise allow personal freedom and individuality, so long as it does not conflict with the captain's designs. Leadership is often contested, resulting in highly ritualised combats for supremacy; ascendancy by murder or other forms of "cheating" is highly frowned upon by the sky pirates, and will inevitably lead to mass mutiny and the brutal murder of the usurper. The looser's fate is decided upon by the crew, with particularly unpopular former captains often meeting their demise in brutality.


Besides outright piracy, sky pirates are also the primary operators of Daganavia's black market, dealing with illegal commerce such as slavery. Aided by deception and mind magic, they have managed to infiltrate most Flaugunheim, simultaneously selling their cargo and keeping an eye on law enforcement, always staying one step ahead.


Countless are the sky pirate gangs that patrol the endless skyscape, but three have risen to prominence in recent years:


- Gold Osprey Gang: Founded by a former thrillswift merchant, the Gold Osprey is in control of 40 aircrafts, The Jade Shrike being the primary headquarters, concealed by illusory wards that render it almost invisible. It is lead by captain Dvalinn Manglersson, a middle aged, white haired and bearded dwarf whose left eye has been lost to the blade of an angel. Ferocious yet calculating, Dvalinn has adapted the gang's attack philosophy to rely primarily on stealth and information gathering over rapid attacks. This has payed off significantly, turning an already formidable aerial terror into the bane of countless Flaugunheim, while managing an iron grip on the black market. Specialisation in more abstract magical arts like mental and aether magic are the norm for the Gold Osprey, allowing the head of the hydra to remain hidden no matter how many aircrafts are aprehended.


- Fiery Tempest Gang: A recent newcomer, it was founded by it's current captain, Keeneyed Loptmaun, an Aven in his mid-twenties. Starting his criminal career by hijacking a Kor airship, Loptmaun has since built an empire based on fast and furious methodology, relying on ambush storms that leave nothing but the cargo, swiftly carried into collection aircrafter by aeromancers. While not particularly revolutionary in this matter, the Fiery Tempest nonetheless compensates by sheer power and efficiency, and has effectively wrestled less capable gangs from the skies and reapropriated the resulting scrap into armament. Having crossed multiple times with Lyra Hangatyr, the angel has a special vendetta against Loptmaun, a sentiment he eccentrically shares, hoping to engage in a grandiose final battle against her.


- Drake's Leavings Gang: Lead by the human Arien Sigyn, Drake's Leavings specialises in illegal trade, not only supplying the black market, but also by cunning, masquerading their ships as legitimate merchantile ones in order to steal cargo without needing to resort to outright violence. Nonetheless, they are far from lacking firepower, specifically taming dragons as last resort war weapons, and filling their ranks with imps. They are by far the largest of the gangs, with a hundred airships under their control and three secret solid ground hideouts, a luxury most sky pirates can't afford.

The walls of text are very daunting. Maybe summarize each of the worlds so we can get a feel for what's up?

Sure thing:

- Unaktil: Inuit death world devoid of White and Black mana

- Bhamarivo: Malagasy realm devoid of Blue and Red mana, where civilisation and nature are at dire conflict.

- Daganavia: Steampunk quasi-norse sky world devoid of Black and Green mana.

- Ranmin: SPOILERS!

- Shemaharesh: Babylonian-esque world devoid of Green and Blue mana, a decadent patriarchal Empire.

Up-dated the dwarves, and added sky pirates.

Glad to see this revived.

D&D once had a world with steampunk dwarves flying around in giant skyships, but it apparently didn't get much information written about it.

That seems interesting. Generally I'm not very interested in D&D, but if this ever gets pictures made I might want to avoid aesthetic similarities.

Shemaharesh

A world dominated by hardy shrubland, imposing steppes and oak savannahs, expansive marshlands, fierce mountains and everything in between, Shemaharesh is one of the least environmentally extreme worlds in Namacanaan, having a warm, temperate climate, if on the dry side of things: precipitation mostly only occurs in winter, slightly cooler than the rest of the year, though underground reservoirs and wetlands are abundant, and provide the necessary water if extensively purified. Throught the remaining Shemaharesh year, the weather is hot and dry by day, and pleasantly cool and wet by night. Rather, Shemaharesh's extremes manifest themselves in it's inhabittants.


In the ancient past, a cataclysm threw Shemaharesh into utter chaos. This resulted in a plane-wide war that lasted for hundreds of years, all human kingdoms and other civilisations entering in armed conflict, spiralling into vicious zealotry and hatred that nearly cost their extinction. Then, when all signs of resolution seemed to have been lost, the Archons stepped in. With their divine magic they anihilated most of the armies, tore down the institutions, and set the survivors to build a new nation, an unified empire that stood for what the kingdoms of old did not. This empire, whose name has become synonimous with the plane's, has since spread across Shemaharesh, overwhelming what little resistance there was, and becoming the sole nation in the whole world.


Shemaharesh has since enjoyed at least two thousand years of peace and stability, if not out outright prosperity. Technological progress of old has been preserved, if not particularly inovated upon, and the Archons crafted an ideological system that has been rather successful in minimising internal conflicts. While social stratification occurs, it isn't rigid, meritocracy being one of the core values of Shemaharesh's civilisation. A complex system of checks and balances simultaneously prevents the upper ranks from getting away with injust opression (most of the time) and maintains a system of medical and financial support for the populace at large. While far from an utopia, Shemaharesh as a whole has found enough of a balance between individual freedom and power and the overall need for balance and stability to allow a general carefree life to the population at large, and as such decadence and pleasure are availiable even the lowest social strata.


There is, however, an extreme downside to this. Foremost is an uncomfortably patriarchal worldview, which may have started in the ancient kingdoms, but has been radically been imposed by the Archons, citing the failure of the angels of old to bring peace as "particularly damning evidence". Women in Shemaharesh's society are thus severely disadvantaged socially, often seen as nothing more than property with only two basic human rights, protection from murder and rape, which even then mostly apply to either young girls and married women. Women are in theory allowed to own property and businesses, to participate in court cases and to get an education, but in practise all of these are made as exceptionally difficult as possible by the government, trying to remove their agency subtly by enforcing double standards, using the populace's own moral condemnation to oppress without technically breaking their own meritocratic standards. At best, a woman can live a relatively comfortable lifestyle depending on her husband's achievements, if he so feels inclined to grant her enough freedom for such. At worst, she may end up ritually stoned to death for a variety of reasons, or loose her agency even further and become a play thing.


This extreme sexism bleeds over to men's social standards as well, with perceived effeminate behaviour being a social death sentence. While homosexuality in itself is not condemned - male same-sex romance is actually idealised as the only form of legitimate romantic fullfilment, with women being just baby factories that provoke animalistic instincts -, men are expected to marry women, as a same-sex marriage will drawn in observation of "unmanliness" (i.e. one of the parties being "the woman"), which is seldomly tolerated. Not receiving some sort of combat training is seen as "unmanly", as is sociopathic behaviour and lack of compassion, "rationalised" as being women's selfish taint, which is why the institutions of healing and medicine are seen as especially sacred to men in Shemaharesh. Men are seen as the true nurturing sex, since it is believed that they are the generative principle that produces the "seeds of life", while women are just farmlands that nourish the child. As such, paternal relationships are seen as extremely important, and a cruel and emotionally distant father is extremely disdained at best.


Not all are satisfied with this status quo, and resistance movements have sprung up across the centuries. Known collectively (and often derogatorily, though many have embraced the term) as the Angel Daggers, these movements seek to topple Shemaharesh's government, to remake the Empire into a better, more equal place for all citizens regardless of gender. So far, the merciless forces of the Archons have prevented real success, but this resistance movement is far still at large, and they may eventually succeed.

Humans


Humans compose most of Shemaharesh's population. Archontic scriptures dictate that the Empire is the gift of the higher powers to a violent and turbulent humanity, instilling a sense of duty and thankfulness in the populace at large. Some of the most cynical minds believe mankind as a species to be subservient to the Archons, Lammassu and Molochs, but the relief from unvoluntary productive and menial labour thanks to the role of the undead has allowed most human beings enough leisure and contement to prevent uprising. Mankind's woes are therefore mostly the result of the extreme sexism of the system, the only factor preventing unrestrained self-expression and full meritocracy.


Archons and Lammassu


The highest powers in Shemaharesh, the Archons and their Lammassu servants are the main instigators of the current status quo, having created the empire from the ashes of the old kingdoms they defeated, ending the then seemingly endless war that threatened all life in the plane. Meaning to create lasting peace and prosperity for mankind, Archons have designed the empire's morality and social standards, attempting to create what they believe to have been an effective, lasting system. They are the center of a national religion focused on them, the scriptures they themselves wrote being the code of law the plane's entire civilisation follows.


The origins of the Archons are ancient and mysterious. They are thought to have been worshipped long before the ancient war, their veneration having fallen into decline in favour of the Angels, until the moment they stepped in. Since then, Archons have been venerated as ancient, morally unfallible, distant powers, ruling and maintaining the empire from afar, rarely leaving their ziggurats unless an extreme emergency calls for it, the exception being the patron Archon of the army, Sammangal, who oversees the military by himself. The supreme ruler of the Archons and founder of the empire is Malaksuen, residing in the central ziggurat of Ar-Shemaharesh, worshipped as a lunar deity, whose sickle is displayed in the night sky to remind all of his authorithy. 30 other Archons exist at the moment, their ziggurats scattered across the plane's city centers and a few on mountaintops, 12 of which having come into being since the end of the war.


The Lammassu operate as the mediators between the dettached Archons and society at large. Created by the Archons from mana, the Lammassu are the subject the public worship in their masters' names, delivering their will unfailingly and in turn carrying petitions from the people to them; they are the focus of public religious ceremonies and bestow blessings. Lammassu are used as mounts by the Archons, carrying their masters into battle on their back or pulling their mighty chariots. Lammassu magic is mostly curative and apotropaic, while their archontic masters are the most powerful beings on the plane, their divine magic capable of reducing entire armies to ashes, but most often bestow heavenly strength, purity and protection upon favoured mortals, who are their champions and fight for them.


Undead


When a human dies, his/her corpse is brought to a temple, where a special ceremony takes place, overseen by a Lammassu. This ceremony, involving the corpse being submerged in a mixture of milk, honey, oil and salt, while the family and other loved ones pour libations, light incenses and sing dirges and prayers to honour the dead. At the end, the soul leaves the body, to travel to the Lammassu's Archon master's ziggurat and be rewarded or punished as fit; the ceremony is mostly for show, as the Archons have cast a planewide spell that forces the souls to come to them regardless.

At any rate, what is left is a perpetually preserved, non-rotting corpse. Covered in linen, strewn with magical herbs and blessed by the Lammassu, the corpse becomes animated, a mindless, soulless servant known as a Gallu, ready to work for the family and society at large. The person who inhabitted this body is now gone, so the Gallu is recognised as nothing more than flesh, though many ritually maul the undead's face in order to dehumanise it. Nonetheless, if not deliberately damaged, a Gallu is forever immaculate and clean, and for this reason many are indeed used as sex toys with little to no shame by those that seek to use them for that. Most however are used for manual and productive labour, for farming, mining and other operations left to slaves or lowly peasants elsewhere, freeing thus the population at large from the need do such.


Molochs can create their own undead, but since they lack the proper preservation magic these are often rotten, shambling messes, and most simply preffer to buy Gallu.


Rhox


Shemaharesh Rhox have a distant history of conflict with the Empire. After the Archons rose to power, the Rhox resisted, remaining fiercely loyal to the Angels. This lead to extremely violent retaliation, that nearly killed off their species. Recognising that they would simply not give up, the Archons cast a brainwashing spell on the survivors, making them forget their ancient history and begin anew. Since then, the Rhox have been successfully integrated into civilisation at large, though some have a lingering feeling that something isn't quite right.


Culturally, the Rhox have adopted the same costumes and beliefs as humans. Large and powerful, many preffer a carrier as either fighters or farmers, though they are free to pursue the same jobs as other races. Because Rhox have slower birth rates than any other race in Shemaharesh, there is a special pressure towards Rhox women to be housewives more than other races, a fact that has made them fierce supporters of the underground resistance movements.



Attarns (Antelopefolk)


Fiercely devoted to the Archons since long before the ancient war, Shemaharesh's antelopefolk have been part of it's civilisation since the beginning and may in fact be the reason for the utter archontic supremacy on the plane. They are considered mankind's "brother race", and as such have earned some degree of reverence on the part of the human populace. The Attarns themselves consider their duty to their archontic overlords to take care of humanity, and as such many males have chosen the roles of soldiers and guards. On the downside, some have taken this as a justification for elitism, seeing humans as mere children that need to be supervised.


However, not all Attarns have given themselves to divine duty. More so than any other citizen race, the Attarns are impulsive and whim-driven, periodically subjected to bouts of extreme passion, particularly the males. Most try to surpress or channel these emotions to either battlefield rage or artistic and industrial pursuits, but some have instead chosen to not repress themselves and become devoted worshippers of the Molochs. For this reason, "a company of horns" is often an euphemism for brothels.



Molochs (Minotaur Demons)


Tall, imposing and ferocious, the Molochs are the second most powerful beings on Shemaharesh after the Archons. They resemble anthropomorphic bulls, standing in contrast to the bull-bodied, human-headed, white furred Lammassu by having masculine humanoid bodies, bovine heads and black or dark brown pelts. Both, however, possess feathery wings, though Moloch flight feathers tend to be more tattered and damaged. Many are also wingless, either stripped of them by the Archons or not created with them at all.


Once worshipped in pre-war societies and thriving during the chaos and darkness of the war, their former dominance was brought to a sudden end by the actions of the Archons, many of their kind slaughtered by the heavenly crusaders. Nonetheless, they were spared, and were forced into a pact by the Archons: they'd be allowed to live, function and have power within the Empire, if they ceased to caused widespread misery. Those that signed the pact survived and thrived; those that did not were killed.


Molochs operate mostly as secondary deities, the subject of worship for matters that Archons do not preside over, like sex, money or artistry, venerated by means of pacts signed in the blood of animal sacrifices such as goats or horses, the demon supplying the pactee with whatever he/she desires, in exchange for servitude and devotion, usually sexual in nature. Their cults are focused on hedonism and debauchery, in brothels and clubs where many gather to give in to their passions. Anything is allowed within a Moloch's abode, as long as it does not leave it and comes into an Archon's sight.


As such, Molochs are often associated with the disenfranchised and outcasts, and are often suspected of being in cahoots with Angel Daggers. To be sure, many Molochs have in fact joined resistance movements, either to have more freedom or simply to stick it to the Archons, but most are content with their lot in life, enjoying their personal power and seeing the Angel Daggers as threats to it. They also have a disdain for Angels, if not more so than for Archons, and some do in fact own captive angels as signs of their prestige, power and masculinity.


Shedim (Devils)


Shedim are Shemaharesh's analogue of the Devils in other worlds, being distinguished by their bird-like feet and hands. Driven by ravenous impulses and whims, Shedim are born from the lustful desires of the Moloch and their followers, deliberately or accidently created in ecstactic rituals. Some Shedim are associated with their birthplaces in Moloch cults, but most are too chaotic and incontrolable even by their masters' standards, and so many have been exiled into the wilds, where they stalk for lost travellers. Living and breathing embodiments of extreme passions, the Shedim are associated with fire magic, and many wildfires and explosions are credited to them.


Angels


In bygone times, Angels were Shemaharesh's primary peacekeepers and law enforcers, worshipped by the populace as symbols of purity, compassion and dignity. But during the war, the Angels proved to be incapable of preventing things from escalating, and many did in fact only made the situation worse by prommoting fanatism and zealotry. Thus, when Archons stepped in and rose to power, Angels became seen as the fanatical warmongers, and came to represent the evils of female power when the archontic patriarchy was installed. As such, most were exterminated, with some of the survivors now being glorified war prizes, the personal toys of high ranking Molochs and human politicians.

Most surviving Angels have been luckier, however, and now lead the resistance movement, their presence and leadership an inspiring symbol of change and hope. Under their guidance, the Angel Daggers have successfully endured against the odds, bidding their time to take over Shemaharesh and correct the Archons' follies.



Lamia


Shemaharesh Lamia are completely bestial beings that lurk and rampage through the wilds. They have a scaly reptilian skin, a lioness's body and a fierce human face with bloodshot white eyes and sharp teeth. They are driven exclusively by a murderous need to kill anything that they come across, and for this reason they are often used as a warning on the part of Shemaharesh's patriarchal culture against female equality.

Ranmin

Ranmin is a plane covered by vast, deep oceans, their surface never broken by dry land. With the skies perpetually cloudy and the waters murky, it is a visibly dark world, great parts of it cast in perpetual night. Nonetheless, life thrives here: kelp forests dominate the shallower waters, reefs of soft corals cover the oceanic slopes, mats of shellfish and strange worms occur around brine underwater "lakes" in the dark depths, mangrove forests grow in the few places where the surface is almost touched, and when their dead trunks and logs float about massive crinoid forests grow on the underside, their long bodies extending into the depths like alien mixtures of palm trees and ribbons. There is no tectonic activity, so only the surface experiences storms, with the dark depths being as silent as the grave.

Legends have it that Ranmin wasn't always fully submerged, and that ancient landmasses bore multiple civilisations, many nations and kingdoms. But a massive cataclism abruptly sank everything above the waves, and some say it was also the reason why the world is perpetually gray. Evidence of this disaster can still be found on the depths, where dedicated archaeologists find relics of the past surface civilisations amidst the reefs or in the mud-covered ocean bottom in the deepest areas.

Since then, new civilisations have evolved in the seas. The oceans of Ranmin are governed by multiple nations, competing with each other and forming flimsy, temporary alliances to further themselves. As above, so below, and diplomacy and political games are an arms race every bit as fierce as natural selection, both between nations and within them.


Merfolk


The most common race in Ranmin, merfolk are divided in many different cultures across the seas. Their basic body plan is that of a fish-like humanoid with a tail instead of legs; their use of biomantic magic has largely warped their physical appearence, being a highly diverse race with radically different fin shapes, number of fins, head shapes and skin colours and textures. Some merfolk nations and groups set standards that usually offer some insight about an individual's affiliation (i.e. a particular clan may model themselves after a lionfish, for instance), but while some are viciously intolerant of diversity most allow the individual to modify themselves however they like, if only for identification's sake.


As such, while merfolk cultures vary significantly, all share a penchant for biomantic magic, applied not just to the individual, but to the world sorrounding them. Merfolk twist the sorrounding sea life to their civilisation's needs: entire reefs of corals and sponges are modified and grown into massive buildings, beautiful gardens of anemones and sea plants are further changed to fit their aesthetic tastes, fish and other marine vertebrates are grostesquely mutated so that their bones may be extracted and made into weapons and tools, clams are turned into living books, glyphs and characters inscribed into their soft flesh. Systems of gigantic organic siphons made from sponges, tunicates and just about any living flesh merfolk come across are employed to ventilate water currents within their cities, while crustceans are modified into barely animal-like ships. Merfolk have no ethical qualms about modifying even other sapient beings if it benefits them, including other merfolk, though some cultures preffer to minimise biomantic alteration, feeling that it's best for nature to take it's course and develop what they need by itself.


Merfolk breed by fertilising eggs externally. Their relationships have no passion or any sort of intimacy, simply being pacts made to ensure their desire to pass on their bloodline. They do have a concept of family, focused mostly on duty to one's ancestors and upholding their clan's traditions; some merfolk cultures prommote strong familial duty and pride, while others have a more pragmatic stance, simply using it as means to boast about genetic superiority. Merfolk have some degree of consideration for their family and friends, but most are generally quite self-centered, and ruthlessness and pragmatism are more often than not prommoted among their societies.


The most prosperous merfolk nation is the Maolangai Confederation, a series of states united by a common court, focused on Palace Qinguang, a massive building rising from the middle of a deep trench, 1,600 meters beneath the surface. Made entirely from solid green coral, this branching, multitowered structure resembling a massive tree glows with a sickly green light, illuminating the depths and nourishing the trench, filling it with forests of kelp and coral reefs. Around the trench there is a thriving merfolk metropolis, Shumenghai, one of the largest settlements in Ranmin. Continuously expanding, it now covers most of the sorrounding flat ocean bottom, and it's current peace treaty with the nearby cephalid nation of Huxizhangyu may soon be nearing it's end, as the merfolk have began the production of biological weapons.


Cephalids


Ranmin cephalids come in two varieties: the shallow water preffering Munea, resembling anthropomorphic octopodes, and the deep sea dwelling Hmuk, resembling vampire squids, their lower tentacles united by webbing and resembling "skirts" while their sides have wing-like flippers, and their suckers are claw-like hooks. The former live in many small communities scattered across Ranmin's shallower waters, while the later live in several city states in the dark depths, though within both groups there are many solitary individuals.

Munea cephalids are masters of disguise, specialised in deception magic. Their skin, already naturally colour and texture changing, aids their spellcraft as if amplifying their spells, rendering them nigh completly invisible and almost impervious to enemy spells, and capable of casting powerful wards that mask their settlements from potential threats. Munea cephalids have also mastered vitakinetic magic, capable of regenerating themselves with life energy and prommoting plant and coral growth, which they use to build shelters. They see biomantic manipulation as an abomination that twists and warps life cruelly, being one of their greast cultural taboos to misapply their life magic this way. They are largely isolationists, preffering to not attract the attention of other races, a particularly dire necessity as their biological properties are widely sought after by merfolk biomancers and Hmuk sangromancers, having lead to entire clans being massacred.


Hmuk cephalids do not have their cousins' skill for deception and camouflage, but they make up for it with vicious combat magic. Most Hmuk have specialised in the art of sangromancy, allowing them to brutally dismember their adversaries and leech away their lives, creating fleshy servile horrors from the resulting carnage, and using blood and other biological fluids to brew potions. A few have instead specialised in lethemancy, rotting away thoughts and memories with various degrees of ease, or letting their own fears and nightmares consume them; most of the Hmuk lethemancers are insane and psychotic, as their efficiency is tied to their ability to experience their own worst memories and nightmares, and as such most live as hermits, lest they be torn to shreds by their own kind, though a few have successfully controlled their urges and risen socially, having a clear advantage. Their societies are decadent and hedonistic, fully confident in their sangromantic abilities to defeat their opponents. Surely enough, most Hmuk nations have successfuly forced their merfolk enemies to sign peace treaties, which in the ambition-driven realm of Ranmin is seen as basically a gesture of humiliation. Their cities are made from the finest corals, shells and stones, built by the horrors they command.



Lamia


Ranmin Lamia are fully aquatic and resemble anthropomorphic sharks, essencially resembling tigershark mermaids with dorsal fins and extendable jaws full of sharp, serrated teeth. Animalistic and ravenous, Lamia live in nomadic gangs, hunting in packs in the open sea, occasionally diving to the depths to attack other races. When driven to attack, Lamia are consumed by a vicious bloodlust that turns them into killing machines, their opponents' minds being reduced to a state of paralising fear unless protected by magic wards, rendering them defenseless against the Lamia's claws and teeth. Lamia are also capable of powerful bestial magic that summons forth fearsome leviathans and other sea monsters to their aid, and indeed they have a general close relationship with these fellow marine predators. Lamia are parthogenetic, and their clans are tied together by strong bonds, that allow them to coordinate their attacks with cunning precision.

Naga


Resembling anthropomorphic moray eels, Ranmin Naga live in reefs, kelp forests and amidst mangrove roots. They are slow swimmers, but they can move through crevaces and other tight spaces effectively, easily turning their environment to their advantage even without magic. Sedentary to the point of rarely leaving the area imediately sorrounding their homes, Naga are fiercely territorial, defending their homes viciously from any intruder, seeking to be left alone and in peace. Like merfolk, they use biomantic magic, though less refined and more primal, focusing on augmenting beasts, vegetation, reefs and themselves in order to overwhelm their opponents, trading control for sheer power. They have also the art of weather magic, creating powerful storms that give them a clear advantage on shallower waters.

Naga are fiercely attached to their territories, and generally only leave as a last resource. Because of their common desire to avoid conflict, they have an alliance of sorts with the Munea cephalids, allowing them to remain in their territories and fighting alongside them. This alliance is uneasy, however, since the Munea tend to compete with the Naga for resources, often leading to outright exploitation on their part, leading the Naga to retaliate violently.


Djinn and Sphinxes


While most races in Ranmin compete and fight in the depths of the seas, the skies above are patrolled by watchful eyes, monitoring the dark waters from the air. In ages past, sphinxes were once very common in Ranmin, but gradually they disappeared for poorly understood reasons, until only Tianliandao remained. Thousands of years old, Tianliandao spends his entire life aloft, high in the clouds above Ranmin, attended to by his djinn servants, the "court of Heaven", who bring him news of the events in the oceans and in turn carry his will to all literally beneath him. Humouring himself with deep contemplation and pondering on the world's affairs, Ranmin's sole sphinx rules from the shadows, his existence meticulously kept a secret from the sea dwellers with the exception of a few, who have made pacts him with for power and knowledge, in exchange being his double agents and keeping their mouths shut, lest he send his djinn to kill them. For a few thousand years he has been machinating a grander design for Ranmin as a whole, and he may soon start setting it into motion.


Ranmin djinn are created by sphinxes to be their servants, nearly all living djinn being Tianliandao's creations, though a few have been created by other sphinxes and taken under his wing since their demise. Curious by nature, the djinn monitor the seas under their master's name, gathering as much information as they can, both under his command and for their own personal enjoyment; not fully aware of their master's final plan, most are impatiently waiting for it's conclusion. Mischeveous beings, many djinn use their elemental and mind magic to play pranks, or inflict sadistic cruelty. Rendering themselves invisible, few on Ranmin suspect their existence, allowing them absolute freedom to do anything as long as it doesn't contradict Tianliandao's will.


Horrors


Ranmin's oceans are full of terrifying horrors, created either by merfolk biomancy by twisting and mixing living creatures, or Hmuk sangromancy by tearing flesh apart and creating horrid abominations from it, though a few ancient horrors of unknown origin lurk in the deepest trenches. Most horrors are mindless creatures that live only to serve their masters' wills, their unnatual lives needing to be constantly supported lest they die; merfolk biomancers either feed their horrors conventionally or supply assimilate other lifeforms into them, while Hmuk sangromancers simply give their horrors blood. Over time, some horrors gain sapience, quickly beginning to plot against their owners. Both biomancers and sangromancers usually resolve this problem by periodically killing their horrors and building new ones from the remains, but many have managed to escape, hidding themselves in the darkness and amassing power...


Leviathans and Krakens


The great predators of the seas, Ranmin leviathans resemble massive crocodiles with flippers instead of legs and fins, while the krakens resemble gigantic ammonites, floating pacively in the sea, their massive, vegetation-covered shells being the closest thing to islands on the plane. Both predator types stalk the open sea, rarely interacting with sapient races unless they seek them out deliberately, which they often do: both animals are highly valuable for their body parts, and merfolk biomancers in particular enjoy twisting them into war machines. Lamia and Naga have a more commensal relationship, however, forming bonds with these creatures and summoning them to battle.



Hydras


Ranmin hydras resemble plesiosaurs, bearing massive fings which they use both to swim and to crawl in the ocean bottom. Living in the ocean bottom, they preffer shallower waters, where they use their beaked mouths to devour coral reefs, kelp forests and anything that is foolish enough to be near them while they graze. Their are notorious for their immunity to biomancy and sangromancy, rendering them invulnerable to the merfolk and Hmuk, much to their intense frustration. Devastating forces of nature, hydras can summon powerful storms if threatened, so all except the Lamia evade them as best as possible.

And with this it is done.

Any questions?

Edited a few typos. One name is also better adjusted. Ranmin was the section I wrote most hastily.

Added Rhox to Shemaharesh, as I felt there wasn't enough racial variety there. I feel like adding another race, but I can't decide between Leonin or Elkfolk.


Thoughts?

Added Attarns and Lamia to Shemaharesh, and Yetis to Unaktil.