![]() |
|
|||||||
| Register | FAQ | Members List | Calendar | Search | Today's Posts | Mark Forums Read |
![]() |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
#1
|
||
![]() Elune Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Finland
Posts: 10,961
|
The time has come to introduce the fantasy world I've been working on for the past two and a half years or so, Harnec.
I've been very enthustiastic about walking for my whole life, the speed at which I walk is faster than a normal persons jogging speed, and my imagination works the best when I walk. Ever since I read Warcraft Lore, I've been trying to create my own world, with its own history, geography and inhabitants. I have always done this while walking outdoors, sunken to my own thoughts. Two years ago, during a walk in the brighness of a summer night, I started writing the history of Harnec. It was, unlike all my earlier projects and totally unlike Warcraft, based on the idea that nobody knew about the earliest parts of history, so I based it in the History of The Human Race, which would play the main role of the possible book. Harnec molded in my mind for two and a half years, and today, after moving some islands south from their earlier location, I decided it's as ready as it needs to be in order to be presented here to you all. (note about the map; I used to have a handdrawn version, but it got lost, and i made this one instead to work as a replacement untill I gather enough willpower to draw a new one) *drumroll* ![]() Blue is water, Brown are mountains, Green is every other terrain. About the places: Gimradd is a giant valley in the middle of tall mountains. Accouding to history passed amongst men, they arrived there thousands of years ago, just after the race of Elves had gone extinct, leaving their empire of Gimradd in ruins. The Humans had two civil wars, ending the age of Emperors, and begun moving out of the valley, concuring much of the surrounding areas. Flernia, Astalka, Sateka, "The Endlessness", Werania and the Isles of Onenn' were taken by force and put under the rule of the kings of Gimradd (who ruled the nine city states that had been formed before the second civil war). The Endlessness is an enormous coastal area, which was named due to the fact that men had never seen sea in their life when they sailed down the river to find the area, not to mention an Endless-seeming coast, stretching south from the rivermouth. Sateka is a giant mountain range that is slowly but surely being inhabited by the humans in places beyong the valley in the middle, where the three main cities of the ragion are located. Astalka is a small colony, which is fanatically loyal to Gimradd, unlike the other colonies which want independance, both in its leadership of kings and queens and its populance, who are more positive about the Colony-based humankind than most Gimradians. Flernia is a coastal area, full of people who live with agriculture or fishing. It is also has the second most soldiers in its populance of all the provinces of Gimradd, second only to Werania. Werania is a giant plain area (the map doesn't show it, but it stretches all the way from Ash'Kalar to the western coast), which was, by the time the men of Gimradd arrived there, inhabited by tribes of simple men, who hunted for living and lived in peace (mostly). The Gimraddians, unable to start war to so many of their own, used every dirty trick they had thought of to turn the entire populance, clan by clan, into the largest colony possible. It is still ruled by barons, counts and mayors, whose power is based on the clan-based society the Weranians once had. The populance of Werania are very rebellious, many of them think they deserve freedom, since they have about as much area and half as much people as all the other zones in human control combined. Equinia is the land of Centaurs, who were driven away from Gimradd, their ancestral home, by the elves countless millenia ago. The Centaurs live in peace with The Humans (which is amazingly rare for a humanoid race of their own) and have quite good trade connections with them as well. They have no interest in conquest, and instead focus on improving their own kingdom as well as possible. The isle off the coast of Equinia is called Hastaena, and is a large area, which holds most of the agriculture of the centaurs. It is occasionally attacked by Naga, but has held them off this far. Gergannol is an Orc Kingdom, ruled by the chieftains of the Clans of Gergannol, of which one will be elevated to the position of King by a tournament of battles in their capital of Gergan every time the current king dies. Gergannol has a very strong navy, which is the only thing that keeps The Humans from attacking it, their ability in navigation and shipbuilding mostly covers fishing and transportation, not naval warfare. The orcs of Gergannol are not particularry warlike, but seem to want the area of South Werania very much, and have even warned the humans to stay out of the area. Ash'Kalar is the ancestral home of the goblins, it is a giant rain forest, which is kept unbearably warm by the vulcanic actions of the nearby mountains. The majorty of goblins have lived in Ash'Kalar, accourding to Goblin forklore, ever since the beginning of their race. All that time there has been five major families of Goblins, who share the area, hating each other. Of the current five ones, originally three were parts of a massive family, which split into three after two earlier families left Ash'Kalar (one of them lives in Gergannol as the engineers, alchemists and mages of the kingdom, but is massively hated by the Ash'Kalar Goblins). The Northern Islands are a crisis area, just like South Werania, which is fought over by Trolls, Orcs, Hisherians (Lizard people) and Humans. The Islands were inhabited by several clans of trolls, who were however hunted down and killed by Throglodytes several deckades before humans found them. Now the humans are trying to drive the cave-dwelling Throggs back to the deeps, which is going to take forever due to the guerrilla tactics of the Throggs. At the same time The Orcs of Gergannol have sailed to the islands, completely concuring a single island for themselves and inhabiting it. The orcs have refused to specify a reason for their actions, but have promised not to intervene with the Humans' plans for the islands anymore. Finally, The Endless Mountains are just what the name suggests; an endless mountain range. Nobody in the knowledge of Men has ever found any kind of inhabitable land south from the point when the mountains begin, and after almost half of the explorers of mankind were lost, trying to figure out what was on the other side, the monarchs quit sponsoring such tries. Some tried sailing down River Garn, which seems to create a safe way past the mountains, but the trolls living in its shores are extremely xenophobic and do not let anyone exit their lands alive. Any questions, critics, whines, interesting remarks are welcome. Send me a Personal Message if you are interested in further info (like "the history of mankind" text file).
__________________
Quote:
![]() Co-creator of UFS, a joint urban fantasy setting. Last edited by Kerrah : 01-20-2007 at 01:11 PM. |
|
|
#2
|
|
![]() Druid of the Claw Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 104
|
Very Cool!
I'd like to see that hand drawn map if you ever find it or get around to making a new one and maybe a little more info on each of the races, you know, just to set them apart from all the other Orcs, Trolls, and Goblins from countless other fantasy genres. At I like it and hope to see more.
__________________
"Nothing of my homeland remains but ash and sorrow... The ghosts of Quel'thalas cry out for vengeance" - Kael'thas Sunstrider |
|
#3
|
|
![]() Glaive Thrower Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 60
|
very nic
|
|
#4
|
|
![]() Mountain Giant Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Avon Lake, Ohio
Posts: 225
|
The map is pretty cool, but do you have a scale for it so we can know approximately how big the place is? Secondly, do you plan on religion and magic playing a role in this world of yours? And perhaps most importantly, any designs for a more unique race than the standard, orcs, humans, elves, trolls, etc?
By the by, I like the fact that the orcs of Gergannol are a naval power; the only orcs I have ever heard of that have had a navy of any significance were the orcs of the Warcraft II. Anyway, I think you've got a good concept, and I wish you the best of luck with it.
__________________
Read excellent short stories and poetry at: http://dyingartjournal.blogspot.com/ |
|
#5
|
|||
![]() Elune Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Finland
Posts: 10,961
|
Quote:
Races.... There's at least one that's significant and that I've completely designed myself, but it's not mentioned here since Humans don't know of them yet. Hisherians are something like Aragonians in Elder Scrolls universe, so they don't count.
__________________
Quote:
![]() Co-creator of UFS, a joint urban fantasy setting. |
||
|
#6
|
|
![]() Eternal Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Portugal
Posts: 3,523
|
Sounds good, Kerrah. I like the map and the way you've positioned every race across it, with distinct kingdoms and histories of warfare with each other. I'd like to know more this world of Harnec and its inhabitants, if possible!
Also, I wish you the best of luck with any project you have that is related with this world.
__________________
You are become Vengeance, ravager of cunts. |
|
#7
|
|
![]() Arch-Druid Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,068
|
Nice job, Kerrah! Reminds me a bit of Elder Scrolls. I've been doing work on a fantasy world myself, so I know how hard (and how much fun) it can be. Hopefully, I can get something with which I can scan my maps (I've made a whole fuckload), and show them to you all.
Keep up the good work!
__________________
Many thanks to handclaw for his amazing rendition of Kargath Bladefist, which is now my avatar. |
|
#8
|
||
![]() Glaive Thrower Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 60
|
Quote:
|
|
|
#9
|
|
![]() Ranger Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 347
|
I am a little confused by the river system. It seems in some places, for example from Gimradd to astalka and Fernia, the water would have to flow up stream in some way to get through them. Are there giant canyons there for the water to flow through or is Gimradd actually a plateu and not a valley?
The humans seem to dislike the orcs as is implied in the Gergannol section. If the reason they do not attack the orcs is out of fear of the navy, why don't they attack by crossing the 2 rivers that seperate Gergannol from Werenia? I would assume that the humans who live there would allow them to pass through on their way to the orcs. Is the river very wide, and therefore large enough for an orcish armada? Is the Southern Bank well guarded, or has the area between the 2 rivers been a battleground for the races? Those are just some questions that occurred to me while readin gthe background and looking at the maps. Regardless, this seems to be very well written and very interesting, I would read any further information you can provide. |
|
#10
|
||
![]() Mountain Giant Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Avon Lake, Ohio
Posts: 225
|
Quote:
Edit: Also, the Orcs might very well have fortified the sides of those rivers, making them difficult to cross.
__________________
Read excellent short stories and poetry at: http://dyingartjournal.blogspot.com/ Last edited by Inquisitor : 01-12-2007 at 12:28 PM. |
|
|
#11
|
||
![]() Elune Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Finland
Posts: 10,961
|
About rivers: I know its quite stupid and all that, but when I made the river going south among the mountains and not entering Astalka, I just imagined this Grand Canyon style "river amongst mountains" thingie. Also, Gimradd is ALOT higher than Werania, so the river just flows downwards = south. Maybe one day the river will eat the mountains between it and Astalka away, kill thousands of people by flooding their farmlands and completely dry up Ash'Kalar by changing its course, who knows.
About Humans not attacking Orcs: There are three main reasons: 1) The Orc Navies would OWN any human ships on Lake Weran and The Eastern Sea and might even attack northern areas. They could also just load millions of troops in any shore of Weran, which are too large areas to fortify. 2) Gergannol has been fortified ever since Gimradians concured Werania. 3) The Goblins have quite good relations with The Orcs, they might join if given enough bribes, this would start a World War, which men don't want. Also recently, some quite dangerous things have started happening in Gimradd (which The Books are about). Most human strategists know that starting a war against Gergannol would severly endanger their own northern homelands.
__________________
Quote:
![]() Co-creator of UFS, a joint urban fantasy setting. |
|
|
#12
|
|
![]() Ranger Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 347
|
I am very interested in what you are reffereing two in your final response Kerrah.
Is this an internal threat? |
|
#13
|
||
![]() Elune Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Finland
Posts: 10,961
|
Well, you see, The First Civil war ended up with the first dynasty of Human Emperors (The Ramglades) escaping Gimradd with those loyal to them. Recently, a massive army of their soldiers has appeared in Sateka, claiming their king deserves supreme power over all of Gimradd. Even though their army is not large enough to cause any serious danger to Gimradd now, they very succesfully use Guerrilla Warfare against their enemies and seem to be next to impossible to drive away from the area.
Also, almost all the mountains surrounding Gimradd are under Troll rule, once upon a time there were six great troll empires, of which only one survives nowdays (men destroyed the five that no longer exist while expanding all around Harnec). The Trolls however inhabit the mountains, living in villages, of which all are hostile to each other. Recently, due to an unforseen factor, over fifty villages of trolls in The Eastern Mountains have been bent under the rule of one Warlord, who claims to destroy Gimradd when given enough time to preapre his armies. And as a third thing, a cult has been formed recently, but has gained incredibly much power. Death Cults have existed in harnec for milleniae, but none of them has been as powerful as "The Dark Palm" is now. Consisting of Dark Priests, Necromancers and Demonologists, the cults corruption seems to have an incredibly powerful hold over certain areas in Gimradd. And the worst thing is, they seem to hold the idea of A Necromantic Nation (Dark Casters rule, undead do the work) dear.
__________________
Quote:
![]() Co-creator of UFS, a joint urban fantasy setting. |
|
|
#14
|
||
![]() Arch-Druid Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,491
|
Quote:
Reminds me of Elder Scrolls: Oblivion.
__________________
What was I thinking? Pick-up sticks? Maybe we could settle down together? Hmmm. At least I stopped short of proposing. Shani deserves someone normal. Someone who will care for her, not wander the world risking his neck for a handful of coin. I have no right to put her and Alvin in that position. I'm a Witcher. And sometimes I miss them... her. ~Geralt Of Rivia, White wolf. |
|
|
#15
|
|||
![]() Elune Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Finland
Posts: 10,961
|
Quote:
__________________
Quote:
![]() Co-creator of UFS, a joint urban fantasy setting. |
||
|
#16
|
|
![]() Ranger Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 347
|
The Dark Palm look really cool. the nation they want to create reminds me of Warhmmaer 40k where the humans on Earth destroy convicts' minds and make them do manual labor.
The whole being surrounded by your enemies thing also brings iit to mind |
|
#17
|
||
![]() Elune Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Finland
Posts: 10,961
|
I updated the map, since i did the last one without anything to compare it to, and i have now drawn a new, better map on IRL paper. I'm still pondering how to get it to digital form.
Here is a Political Borders Map. ![]()
__________________
Quote:
![]() Co-creator of UFS, a joint urban fantasy setting. |
|
|
#18
|
|||
![]() Elune Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Finland
Posts: 10,961
|
THE MIGHTY BUMP!
Here's the thing I'm most proud about Harnec, the system how magic works and the physics how the universe exists, so without further ado, I give you: The Consistance of the Universe and How Magic Works (in Harnec) Quote:
In the physical world around us, order is the way of things. A chair is a chair, not a pile of wood shards. A chair is where it is, not a meter to the left. The only way to change order into chaos is for some being to use power to turn the chair into a pile of wooden shards or move it a meter to the left. In the arcane plane, the natural way of things is chaos. Objects shift between different forms of existence and places continuously. The only way to change this chaos into order is for some being to use power and force it that way; Force something to stay in its shape and location, force the natural elements in the air to come and form a spell. Because order is such a rare thing in the arcane plane, enough order causes disturbances that come forth in the physical plane as well. When the natural elements of the arcane plane come and form a spell, the effect comes forth and changes something in the physical plane. A chair can be turned into a pile of wooden shards or moved a meter to the left. Though it is rare, the elements of the arcane can accidentally form a spell on their own. For you to understand how rare this is, try to imagine a giant sandstorm. This sandstorm is the arcane plane. Now imagine it having millions of different kinds of sand in it. Now imagine, that in order for a spell to form, a thousand grains of the same kind of sand have to touch each other. As it is said, nothing is easy. Being a wizard is even harder.
__________________
Quote:
![]() Co-creator of UFS, a joint urban fantasy setting. |
||
|
#19
|
|
![]() Arch-Druid Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sea of Dreams
Posts: 1,116
|
I can tell you've put a lot of thought into this world, and I find the setting interesting. The humans seem fairly factious, and, as others have mentioned, it's a unique approach to depict the orcs as a naval power. It pleases me to see goblins in this setting too. The differences between your centaur and trolls and Blizzard's versions of the same serve the purpose of differentiating your fantasy world from Warcraft, which is good. I also appreciate that you took the time to make maps of the setting. They really helped me place the lands and kingdoms geographically. As for your description of magic, it seems reasonable enough and should work fine so long as you stay consistent with your own metaphysical scheme.
|
|
#20
|
||
![]() Elune Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Finland
Posts: 10,961
|
Paladins:
The main religion of humans all over Harnec is Ârginnaism, according to which a godly family, lead by Ârginnas the Glorious, saved the world of a dark scourge of evil and inherited the place of The Nameless God, who created the world. While the Church of Ârginnas is pacifistic and normally has nothing to do with the armies of the human nations, there are two expections. The first one are Battle Medics, who are given the basic training of a Priest of Ârginnas and assigned to help the wounded in war. The second one are Paladins, who are something totally different. The Paladins first appeared about two hundred years before the present date, during the last Necromantic Uprising. The Uprisings were eleven small wars, where one or more necromancers rose a small army, trying to establish a nation for himself. In the last one, the necromancer was named Xar'Jem. He was perhaps the most violent and ruthless of the modern necromancers, and many of his own considered him to only "give the rest of them a bad name". Xar'Jem's nation failed and most of his army was destroyed. He ran away, willing to kill and raise more people to get another try. He was finally caught and killed in southern Endlessness, but his revenge was dire. From his corpse rose a giant cloud of disease unlike anything that had been seen before. The wizards who has killed the necromancer died in seconds, but the cloud was not satisfied. It moved onwards and killed townfuls of people, leaving the nearby lands empty of any life. The Church of Ârginnas was quick to act against this, collecting a number of high ranking priests to stop the cloud. The priests collected near a mountain pass between The Endlessness and Gimradd and begun to pray. As the cloud approached, it was stopped by the giant amounts of spiritual energy channeled forth by the priests. On the side of the mountain, where the cloud had vanished, appeared the picture of a giant sledgehammer. The leader of the priests took this for a sign and got himself a sledgehammer like the one pictured in the side of the mountain. He learned to use it and trained six other priests as well. As their training was complete, the seven first Paladins spread out into the world of Harnec, hunting darkness and evil that had been left there in the wake of the Necromantic Uprisings. Seven years later the Paladins gathered, deciding to train seven more of their kind. On the very moment that decision was made, a tome appeared on the table they were gathered around. On the tome were written the names of thousands of young men, seven for every seven years. From that on the Paladins were the military arm of the Church, aiding the army where it needed aid. Every seven years the Tome of Paladins is opened and the names of the next Seven are read. The ones to seek out the new Seven are the ones who were themselves sought seven years ago. The first seven of his many years as a Paladin the trainee follows his seeker around, learning, the next seven he spends training the one after him, after that, he spends the rest of his life freely seeking and destroying evil where he can find it. The eldest of Paladins are named "Grand Paladins", they work as the official representives of the Paladin Order. One Paladin native to the Nation of Tas'Eras is chosen as "Paladin Lord", he leads the armies of Tas'Eras in battle and works as the leader of the nation in times of war. Tune in later for information about another interesting number of people... The Necromancers!
__________________
Quote:
![]() Co-creator of UFS, a joint urban fantasy setting. |
|
|
#21
|
|
![]() Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 26,718
BattleTag: Omacron#1477
|
I've been working on a science-fantasy world with a friend of mine, with her doing a majority of the artwork (I'm more of a technological and architectural artist). We've attempted to give a scientific basis for a lot of common fantasy archetypes, as well as examining politics beyond bloody battles. I'm glad to see other people give as much thought into their universes as I do.
|
|
#22
|
|
![]() Elune Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Finland
Posts: 10,961
|
Once again, I am bumping this. But this time I've actually gained something.
I've been able to scan my map! ![]() |
|
#23
|
|
![]() Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 26,718
BattleTag: Omacron#1477
|
This isn't a criticism as much as it is a peculiarity about me. If a fantasy "world" as it is, takes place on only one continent, or even worse, kingdom, I always wonder what's going on with the rest of the planet.
|
|
#24
|
||
![]() Elune Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Finland
Posts: 10,961
|
Quote:
But worry not, it's a very large area. |
|
|
#25
|
||
![]() Loremaster Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,046
|
Quote:
Unpleasant or outright hostile landscapes also provide a serious barrier in such situations. Siberia was certainly "reachable" as far back as the days of the Romans or Ancient Greeks, but who in their right minds would have any reason to contemplate heading in that direction across unknown thousands of acres of frozen tundra and uninhabited wastes when more than likely nothing but more of the same waited on the other side? As a result, even lands adjascent to those inhabited by existing nations often remained uncharted, impassable barriers even long after the native peoples technically became capable of braving the conditions and theoretically traversing those places. Magic certainly adds a possible means of circumventing this limitation, but at the same time, it'd be a brave or at least crazy mage who just set out to find a distant continent that might or might not even exist unless he or she found some sort of definitive evidence to suggest specifically that it does. Last edited by ARM3481 : 10-12-2007 at 06:29 PM. |
|
![]() |
| Thread Tools | |
| Display Modes | |
|
|