Lostorum - Worldbuilding Excerpts

The Commonalities of Oordmar



The sprawling Commonalities of Oordmar lays claim to over half of the land mass of Oordmar, almost everything west of the Riva Kamor, from the southern coastline to the northern ranges of the Thon-Kamor Mountains. Formed just over two hundred years ago (in 3519 UK,) the surrounding communities quickly joined up, and the country began expanding to the south.



History of the Commonalities



Liramor and Janktion were, prior to the founding of the Commonalities, both the seat of independent kingdoms; The Kingdom of Lir controlling the southern half of the Great Liramor Rift, including Terys Kor, and some lands to the south, to Lak Kamor. The Kingdom of Jankt held the northern half, including Auldrygge, and some lands to the north and east, to Goudal and Henneshyre. They had fought several wars over the previous three hundred years, each attempting to lay claim to the majority of the Great Liramor Rift. The last war had been some ten years past, ending in 2997 UK; a war of conquest led by King Tomos the Second of Lir. When King Rafferty of Jankt, the boy king who sued for peace after his father died in the last war, was assassinated without an heir in 3507, the Kingdom of Jankt fell into a short, brutal civil war. Once that Civil War was resolved, the new King, one of Rafferty's former Generals – Duncan Val Moray - set upon the Kingdom of Lir, starting what is now called the 'Moray's Rift War.' Lir eventually conquered Janktion and toppled the Kingdom of Jankt in the summer of 3509. Caleb Nor – one of Oordmar's greatest folk heroes, a former slave freed and given the title of Val for “Acts of Gallantry” in that war – began organizing the commoners and slaves in response to the conditions after the war. Soldiers on both sides had foraged and pillaged and raped, while the Crown made ever increasing demands and raised taxes all while food shortages and remnants of the fighting pained the commonfolk. Caleb, and his son after him, began unifying the more scrupulous nobles of the two cities as the discontent grew to even many of the privileged. The nobles of the two cities set aside their differences, under the leadership of House Val Nor, and began to lay the foundation for things to come. The King of Lir (King Owain Liram the Third, son of Tomos the Second,) tried to put down this movement, even trying to have Caleb killed; his brutal response to protests and any attempt to sway him leading to his death to a mob of rioters in early 3509 UK. King Owain the Third was the last King of Lir, and after his death, the major houses of Janktion and Liramor – having grown in influence through House Val Nor's work - pushed for the formation of the High Council and the Landsracht. This would later become the basis for the modern government of the Commonalities, and for a brief time the two Kingdoms were known as the “Free Cities of the Oordmar” and ruled by a Regent appointed by this new Council.



Some common folk still refer to the Commonalities as 'Noordmar' – a colloquialism or contraction meaning 'Nor's Oordmar.'



After Ulohen forces conquered Zeideraak in 3519 UK, and began the first of many campaigns to reclaim Oordmar, the newly formed “Free Cities of Lir” faced its next challenge, and set about reinforcing the nearby coastal city of Portas Kor, quickly putting down the Ulohen incursion - what is now known as the War of Refusal having lasted nearly 3 years, ending in 3522 UK.



In 3534, Sisten joined the alliance, the result of another coup against their own King, who had strong ties to Ulohi, and who had – along with his predecessors - been selling his people into slavery to the Ulohen Empire in an attempt to appease them, as the Empire's military might grew.



When Sisten joined, the Articles of Commonality were written and ratified by the High Council, which included Caleb Nor's son, Damon Val Nor. This was, truly, the birth of Democracy on Telos. The Articles outline the rights of the people and further clarified the structure of the Landsracht, and has grown in complexity and in the rights granted to commoner and landowner alike over the years. Countless smaller city-states and kingdoms flocked to the banner of the Commonalities in a series of small revolutions as the common folk learned of the new-found freedoms of their neighbors.



After nearly a century of relative peace and progress, in 3701 UK, Ulohen forces marched on Goudal, Portas Kor, and Portas Weath, and encircled Druath. Portas Kor was first bombarded by Ulohen Naval Ships and Airships, the first major war to involve aerial vessels – hydrogen zeppelins with steam-powered catapults which lobbed incendiary devices far beyond the Oordmarian's cannon range. The Commonalities quickly began to mobilize, but not before Janktion and Sisten were bombarded in 3703 as well, though Janktion was able to withstand the siege thanks to its massive stone walls and the rocky terrain around it. Sisten was under naval blockade for years, but Ulohen ground forces were never able to take the city. By 3705, Ulohen forces had begun to move down the Straight of Kamor to try and get around the Thon-Kamor ranges, while sending some forces into the mountains to pin down or eradicate the Gurahl, and prevent them from joining forces with the Commonalities. The High Council quickly worked to support the Saurak and Seraps of the Hundred Clans, and were able to push back the flanking forces. The allied forces of Oordmar then freed Portas Weath in 3707, and from there were able to send their recently built Aerial Navy to bombard Guantar, and then Haagan itself, leveling the key industrial center. By the winter of 3708, the Ulohen forces had been all but crushed. Oordmarian forces then marched from Janktion and Liramor to free Sisten from the blockade, with help from the naval forces of Vol, Feldmaar, and many southern cities including Belethas. The war ended in the summer of 3709, when the last Ulohen forces were driven out of Portas Kor and then, finally, Goudal. Druath was then able to break the siege with help from Agharta and the remnants of the Oordmarian Aerial Navy from the bombing campaign against Haagan. Vol, Portas Kor, and several other smaller cities in the south quickly agreed to join the burgeoning democracy. The price of this war was great – Janktion, Portas Kor, and Sisten laid nearly in ruins, and the death toll was in the millions on both sides.



For the last 50 years, the Commonalities have slowly expanded south, absorbing more cities or smaller nations, and has been at relative peace but for a few minor internal or external conflicts, and the recent fighting with native tribes in the Plains of Oord.



People of the Commonalities



The Commonalities are mostly populated by humans, and those mostly of the Oordish ethnicity, but the nation has become a cultural and racial melting pot as it has expanded, and as people from all over the world have immigrated here looking for a better life. Many Saurak have joined the military or militias as mercenaries, if not loyal members of the society. Seraps are common, particularly in the southern cities, where they are so numerous they often have their own quarter of town. Gurahl are common enough in the mountainous north, usually just as travelers or traders coming in from their bordering territory, but many have settled down in the smaller towns in the Thon-Kamor ranges – particularly Aldridge, closest to their own lands. With the recent opening of trade between Feldmaar and ancient Nepharos, the Phelan are becoming a more common sight as well, and even the Kyuri are not so uncommon as to raise eyebrows in the larger cities.



The Commonalities have strong manufacturing industries, great mineral wealth, ample timberland, and rich sea trade, making for a very wealthy nation, second only to Kalanth. Most of this wealth is concentrated in the Great Houses or the more prominent families of the Landsracht, but the smart or hard working commoner can rise above their lowly station, particularly if they gain acceptance to a major guild or are employed by a prominent family.



Today, each of the four great cities of the Commonalities – Janktion, Liramor, Sisten, and Vol - has four Great Houses, who each hold a seat on the High Council. The High Council itself governs over the military, trade agreements and treaties, and disputes between the cities or requests from other cities to join the alliance, as well as the expanding of the borders into the frontier in the south. The High Council is counterbalanced by the Landsracht, a voting body where any land holding citizen of the Commonalities may vote for or against any decree by the High Council. The High Court, which is heavily controlled by the Taoan Church, oversees legal or criminal matters, disputes between the houses of the Landsracht, and holds a Veto power over laws enacted by the High Council or the Landsracht; often acting as a voice for the common folk – those who own no land and thus have no votes in the Landsracht. Those who sit on the High Council pass on their seat to their heir, unless a vote of “no confidence” is petitioned against a Great House. The High Court then hears the dispute, and decides whether the issue should be passed to a vote of the Landsracht – as such, there is a great deal of intrigue and political maneuvering among the wealthiest families of the Landsracht.



The people of the modern Commonalities thus enjoy the greatest social and economic freedoms on Telos. Workers’ rights, the rights of women, and the criminal courts all have many safeguards against the tyranny of the past, and the commoners enjoy a fairly high standard of living compared to the other major empires or nation-states. Slavery is outlawed, contracts are strongly policed to avoid abuse of workers or indentured servants, whether they are petty criminals sentenced to a contract of indenture, or merely poor and looking for steady work. Poverty still exists, and some houses are more abusive of the indenture contracts than others. Women still fight against some inequality, as do non-humans, it being far more difficult for them to own land or run businesses, particularly amongst the Guilds. And there is a great deal of economic, political, and religious intrigue and power-mongering. There have also been a few minor – but bloody - feuds between one Great House and another, with each House generally still keeping their own miniature armies. Every Landholder is taxed to support the military, and larger houses are required to maintain militias – another source of internal strife which has several times caused bloody internal conflicts between houses or factions.



In addition, the major industries are largely controlled by the Guilds, and the Guilds both heavily influence, and are heavily influenced by, the politics and wealth of the Great Houses. Most Guilds have one or more wealthy families who dominate the leadership of the Guild, and play favorites with who is promoted or allowed into the Guild. The Guilds are the only “schools” where more advanced trades can be learned, though some from beyond the Guilds are beginning to attain the secrets of modern industry without Guild training or approval. The major guilds, in approximate order of influence, are: The Aethermechanists Guild (who create and advance Aether based technology), the Banking Guild, the Steam Engineers Guild (steam engines and locomotives), the Artificers Guild (who hold the secrets to much of the ancient technology from the “Age of Dreams,”), the Gearsmiths Guild (watches, clocks, and other mechanical industries,) the Forgeworks Guild (who build and operate the great foundries and forges and refineries,) the Archaeologists Guild, the Stonemasons Guild, the Trade Guild, and the Seafarers Guild. Countless smaller guilds exist as well – Blacksmiths, Carpenters, Mathematicians, Clothiers, Porters, Restaurateurs, Hunters and Trackers, Soldiers', Mercenaries, etc. Most operate similar to how our own Labor Unions do; members pay dues, and the landowners of each Guild work (auspiciously) as voting blocs on the behalf of their members in the Landsracht. Players who belong to a Guild are generally required to donate some percentage of their own profits or income from related enterprises to the Guild. While membership in more than one Guild is allowed, it is not terribly common outside of the wealthier houses, and the more powerful Guilds jealously guard their secrets and financial interests.



The people of the Commonalities are, largely, a fiercely independent sort. They appreciate honesty, hard work, and most have a strong disdain for authority – a relic of the country being founded by a rebellion of the common folk against the oligarchy. Most are communal by nature, amiable, with good humor; but are seen by many other cultures as rude and impertinent. An Oord will speak their mind, more often than not, and pull no punches when disagreeing – with outsiders, or each other.



The Commonalities are revered (or, in some cultures, reviled) as a beacon of freedom and democracy over much of the world, but are far from perfect.



Languages of the Commonalities



The 'official' and most common language of the nation is Oordish, the native tongue of the predominant Oordish ethnicity. Feldessan and Belathi is fairly common in the southeastern cities, and Ulgaanian somewhat less so in the northern cities – mostly spoken by immigrants from the north. The highly educated speak Telosian, and that language is the most predominant for written scientific or technical works.



Technology of the Commonalities



The Commonalities are the place where Aether was first invented, nearly 100 years ago, and thus this nation has the most advanced aether technology on Telos. The most advanced Airships are of Oordmarian design, and thus the Commonalities have the most feared Aerial Navy on all of Lostorum. They also have aether-powered steamers and ironclads, making for a robust traditional navy, and well-armed troops bearing aether-powered firearms. However, the Commonalities are not as advanced as Kalanth in regards to steam or combustion engines, mechanized armor, or gunpowder weapons, nor are their armies as large as either Kalanth or Ulohi. The combination of their Airships and the barrier provided by the Thon-Kamor Mountains has enabled the Commonalities to keep their northern enemy at bay despite the vast numerical superiority of the Ulohen Empire. Aether technology has inevitably spread to all the industrialized cultures of Telos, so they may not retain their aerial superiority indefinitely.



The major cities of the Commonalities typically have aether or natural gas lighting and heating, indoor plumbing and well-constructed sewers, and even compressed gas refrigeration; though primarily only in the wealthier and / or newer areas of the cities. Smaller towns are beginning to build infrastructure for the same, and the rail lines have been rapidly constructed over the last 60 or so years. Factories – or “works” - are becoming more and more common, as are various forms of steam or aether powered vehicles, though the latter are more curiosities as they are of limited range and durability, excepting for industrial applications like earth movers or steam drills. The armed forces of the nation have some mechanized personal armor or machines of war, a recent development acquired in trade with Kalanth, but the hot climate of southern Oordmar is particularly problematic for these machines (or, rather, their occupants.)

Saurak



The Saurak are a race of reptilian humanoids most common to southern Telos, the western regions of Oordmar. They are fierce warriors, but lack the technological expertise and advancement of humans, and as such have lost much of their ancestral lands over the last few thousand years. They are savage carnivores, and value strength and cunning above all else. They typically coexist with the Seraps, and rely on their diminutive cousins for their limited technology or industry.



Physical Description: Saurak are about the same height as humans, but much more robustly built, and due to their squat stance and tail, can reach nearly 4 meters (or 12 feet) from snout to tail. Their thick hide is covered in bony plates, scales, or ridges, often with horns and spikes on the tops and backs of their heads. Their brow, head, and the back of their neck have a bone carapace hood – some breeds more pronounced than others. They have the look of monitor lizards; long, wide mouths filled with rows of teeth designed to rend flesh from bone, widely spaced but small eyes, and large nostrils. Their arms are disproportionally shorter than their three-jointed legs, and end in savage claws. Variation between one breed and another is sometimes drastic – difference in skin color, type, number, and orientation of spikes, horns, or plates all denote bloodline or clan, and as stated some have more or less pronounced hoods or carapaces, or spikes or bone bludgeons at the end of their tail. Some breeds are even venomous.



Saurak males are larger and have more impressive hoods, horns, spikes, or other markings than females, while females often have more colorful markings or skin than males.



Society: Saurak live in somewhat insular clans, often warring with other clans for food and resources, or for vengeance over some past conflict. These blood-feuds are constantly reinforced as one clan enacts their vengeance on another, which then swears further vengeance against the first – to the point that the original cause of the feud is long forgotten. However, they will set aside those differences when facing an outside threat. Saurak culture espouses strength in battle above all else, but they also value loyalty, most essentially to the clan, and to all the clans when the need to ally against an outside threat presents itself. Saurak are savage and often cruel, and highly competitive, with clan leaders generally being chosen by fights to the death between rival candidates. Amongst a given clan, fights are rarely to the death, unless vying for leadership of the clan, but are nonetheless savage and bloody.



Saurak clans generally live in warrens or simple mudbrick buildings, or natural caves, depending on the terrain they reside in – mostly either the rocky highlands or swampy wetlands in the western regions of Oordmar - in simple communities housing about a hundred families on average; but a few true cities exist, most notably Karnas. Within these lands, there is a loose allegiance called the “Hundred Clans” (though it varies from having more or less than a hundred clans that are allied under this banner from year to year.) This loose allegiance is slowly becoming a fledgling democracy, as the clans set aside their differences, or at least attempt to resolve any blood-feuds through single combat or tournaments, hoping to stop the senseless killing of one another in the hope of one day reclaiming some or all their former lands, or attaining vengeance against Ulohi.



Victory and Defeat are major cornerstones of Saurak identity; the shame of being defeated in contests or battles can drive some to suicide or self-exile, and can stain a family or clan name for generations. As such, Saurak have a philosophy that is best described as “winner takes all.” The victors of blood feuds or fights to the death take everything from the defeated – their lands, possessions, wives, children, etc. What they don't take for their own, they destroy. Theft is dishonorable, unless you first kill the owner of what you wish to take, which again is only accepted in relation to these personal or clan feuds – attacking another clan without provocation will most certainly be met with violence from one or more – or all - of the clans should they find out.



The Warrior Caste of the Saurak generally run everything, though most clans have Shaman or non-warrior caste members in advisory positions, at least. Saurak laws and customs are generally focused on protecting and providing for the family and clan, and say little about how they should treat rival clans or other races. The relative peace with the Commonalities of Oordmar over the last thousand years has certainly tempered this, and the Hundred Clans are constantly trying to pass broader additions to their codes of honor and laws governing relations between the clans and with other cultures or governments.



Beyond their own territories, Saurak are common enough in human cities in southern Telos and along the Shattered Coast, where they typically work as soldiers for hire. These Saurak are considered the “clanless” by their brethren in the Hundred Clans, though many are in fact members of clans who still hold their own lands. Many of these “clanless” have been tempered by living with humans, and are thus much less savage than typical saurak, but still capable of profound acts of violence when necessary. Many saurak look at the clanless as pitiful or disgraced beings, though not the majority, and this belief has been slowly becoming less common as human and saurak relations improve.



Relations: Saurak relations vary somewhat from one clan to another. Most of the Hundred Clans are tolerant and accepting of humans, other than Ulohens, but many still hold ancient grudges against all of mankind. The human cultures of modern Oordmar may have never gone to war against the Saurak, directly, but the saurak still see much of Oordmarian territory as theirs by right, and seek to someday reclaim it. This naturally causes a great deal of tension between the Saurak and the human civilizations, despite many efforts by the Commonalities of Oordmar to forge a lasting peace and alliance with their reptilian neighbors.



Saurak admire the gurahl for their physical strength and prowess, and their straightforward manner, but don't understand their peaceful nature, often mistaking it for weakness.



They grudgingly accept the presence of the seraps, who they largely see as honorless, but useful allies due to the seraps affinity with human technology. They know little of the phelan or kyuri, and most see them as either mysterious or dangerous creatures, or at worst, food.



Those saurak who live amongst humans, naturally, have a much more balanced outlook about other cultures, many coming from families who have coexisted with their adopted culture for generations.



The Saurak have their own Pantheon of Gods, led by Tar'Rass, who they believe lives inside the primary sun, Aerys (the Saurak name for Aerys is Tar'Rashah - “Throne of Tar'Rass.”) Other Saurak Gods are outlined in the section on Gods and Religion (See Chapter X.) Some Saurak clans have taken to worshiping deities from the human Telosian Pantheon, mostly those that live amongst human cultures, or clans living closer to human civilization than to Karnas, which have not joined the Hundred Clans. Many leaders of the Hundred Clans see this as blasphemous, but no holy war or inquisition has been waged on those that have turned away from their traditional beliefs.



Saurak as Player Characters: Saurak are likely the most difficult to integrate into a party containing members of other races, due to their insular and violent ways. However, many Saurak either reject their base natures, or believe that the Hundred Clans must accept those cultures which have proven to be friendly to the Saurak, and strong enough to resist the Ulohens. Still more have little or no connection to the clans, having lived among humans their whole lives; more a part of human culture than Saurak. Their constant drive to prove themselves in battle, their love of trophies and hunting, or even the desire to serve as ambassadors of their people send many into the adventuring lifestyle, for profit and glory. Some become adventurers in an attempt to clear their name of an accused or actual defeat or crime – only Victory can wash away the shame of Defeat.



Saurak are more than competent fighters, preferring hand-to-hand combat over the use of guns or bows, though they will use whatever means necessary to win. As such, Saurak excel at all manner of martial combat, but have little talent or interest in the arcane arts; though Saurak Shaman exist in most all clans, offering their wisdom, guidance, and the blessings of the Gods or Ancestors to their Clan or Party. Those rare Saurak who do pursue arcane power are more commonly Sorcerers or Incarnates than Wizards or Summoners. Of note is that Saurak are highly suspicious of Summoning as a whole, and tend to avoid those magics entirely, often seeing it as a sign of weakness – binding another creature to fight your battles for you.



Saurak Names: Saurak tend to singular names, then their clan-name if needed. Male – Ahrak, Kaar, Lassk, Rhemek, Yy’hok; Female – Ar’hya, Ehraan, Guhl, Taana, Veetya,



Saurak Language: Most all Saurak speak more or less the same tongue, with dozens if not hundreds of dialects though all are similar enough to allow most any clan or breed to communicate with any other. Their language is very tonal, and has strange grammatical structure – Saurak language lacks many conjunctions or prepositions and is very simple, relying on tone to imply much of what normal languages do with words that are not directly nouns, verbs, or adjectives. For instance, rather than saying “The sun is beneath the horizon” they would say the word for sun in a low tone, and horizon in a higher pitch. Similarly, possessive or gender implications are tonal; they have no word for “his” or “her” or “mine,” and imply this with the tone and inflection of the word.



When speaking human languages, saurak tend to sound a bit like a bird that mimics speech would; nasal, slightly high pitched, and with some difficulty pronouncing consonants which require the tongue to touch the teeth or roof of the mouch, such as ‘C,’ ‘D,’ ‘G,’ ‘Tr,’ ‘Th’ or ‘Z,’ and many such consonants come out wrong. ‘C’ ends up as ‘Hee,’ ‘D’ as ‘Ee,’ ‘Tr’ as ‘Hre,’ etc.