The Aquiann

[PhilosopherSwordsman]

Introduction

The Age of Kings had ended with the failure of the Zadokite Lineage. With the War of the Five Crowns coming to a close the Houses Minor and Major of the Great Convention now govern the once old kingdoms of the warring states. Under the Church's Peace no noble house may raise a standing army nor wage war against another house. It is an age of spies, assassins, duels, espionage, and secret societies.


The World of the Aquiann (The Great Mother)

A small watery world with one large continent named the Languedoc and the great sea the Womb of the World. A small archipelago called the Southerling lines the Heel of the Salt Pan. The Amber Isles, Durakai, and the Devil's Jaw. To the north a cordellerian belt, the Frostwinds and further still the Hinterlands. I will post a map soon, I have many.


Ancient History

A millenia ago the Antediluvian lived in a gilded age. Some say they were neither men nor woman but both. They worshiped stone, river, and tree, the nameless gods of the Aquiann. Their language was not spoken but sung or chanted. But their time was not to last. An ancient and cruel star fell from the heavens causing the Cataclysm, the Days of Fire. The Antediluvian were so devastated by the destruction that they split into two beings men and women, the First Men. Unable to survive on the scorching surface they hid underground in the First Men's Warren.


The Age of Kings/The Warring States Period

After two generations the First Men emerged from the warren and colonized the Languedoc. 7 kingdoms were forged from the fires of war.

The Sunderlands and their solar gods.

The Cinderlands and their mother murdering Iron Gods.

The Salt Pan, the God Salt and his wife goddess the sea, the Womb of the World.

The Fertile Crescent and the twin maiden river goddesses.

The Torrent and the ever battle of the sea and sky brother gods.

The Woodlands and the faith of the First Born.

The Hyral the great funeral plain and their plainswalkers.


The Holy Avalin Theocracy

King Astinoth of the Sunderlands saw in a vision upon the Mount of Tears the One True Divine. He waged a great war, the war to end all wars and unite the Languedoc under the banner of the One True Divine. The Legion Vast of the Faith Fanatic spread like fire across the Languedoc. Leaving behind death and their giant Conquest Icons. All other faiths were condemned and hunted by the Inquiries Office and their dreaded Heretic Hunts. But many still practice their faiths in secret.


The War of the Five Crowns

Once the great Priest-King Astinoth conquered the whole of the mighty Languedoc he started the Zadokite Lineage. Astinoth was a pragmatist and wasn't going to see his empire destroyed. His sons for the next 200 years would rule until the War of the Five Crowns. 5 children of the sacred lineage waged war against eachother for the Gilded Crown. Their war ravaged the Languedoc. And the noble houses banned together to destroy the Zadokite children and formed the Great Convention. This period was known as the Reformation. The Holy Avalin Theocracy remained as an anchor but the Age of Kings had ended. Now the heads of the houses major form the Wise Council and rule the once old kingdoms.


Secret Socities & Religions

The Sisterhood, an ancient society of spies and oracles whose lineage dates back to the war-whores of the Seven Star Sisterhood. Pushed into hiding by the Holy Avalin Theocracy they continue their ancient trade of gathering information by planting whore-spies in brothels. They pretend at oracles their power is their knowledge and it has kept their secret society alive. It is rumored some of the Houses Minor secretly confine in their council, for a price. (Marriages mostly)

The Nightsingers, an ancient society of assassins who worship the Dark Queen or the Nightsinger. They believe that light cannot exist without shadow and the darkness holds great secrets if you have the courage to face the unknown.

The Storm Eaters, the religion of the old Torrent. The sea god Trident battles with his sky god brother Galedyn. The stormworn peoples of the Torrent believe that this battle wages within everyman's heart and must be faced.

The Will of Iron, the faith of the Cinderlands. The brother war gods who killed their mother goddess to obtain her secrets to create metals for war. The will of Iron is the way of war.

The Faith of the First Born, religion of the Woodlands. They worship the tress whom they named the First Born. They also worship the Golden Stag a messenger of the First Born.

Salt's Way, the faith of the Salt Pan. Salt and his sister wife Aqi's union result in the birth of their daughter the Sea and her offspring so it is said are the seafaring people of the Salt Pan.

The Plainswalkers. The people of the Hyral tell stories before bed of the Nightwalkers, giants who blow dreams in the hearts of men. Their apostles the plainswalkers, roam the Hyral and continue the great oral traditions and the Dreamspeak.

The Divine Path. This ancient secret society was formed by legendary heroes in the Age of Kings. Arius the Philosopher Swordsman and the Wandering Prophet Varos. Through a very old breeding program they create the Philosopher Kings. They believe that if they can create an Antediluvian hybrid a new gilded age will be possible. It is whispered that their society is the true power in the Aquiann.

The Radiant Cross, a intricate spynetwork under the direct control of Vladislas of the House Valasko and the Master of Assassins on the Wise Council.

The Haji, or the Wild Women of the Wastes are a matriarchal society hidden in the Tear of Haji (The Dune Mother) an Oasis in the Scorching Sea. It is claimed they were slaves who killed their masters, the slavers, the Qatar. The rite to womanhood is a ritual named the Bloody Seed. A girl must survive a journey through the Scorching Sea, find a man to impregnate her and take his head back to the Oasis.

The Thieves Guild is located in Swindler's Squat. Master Thief Benon presides over the Rat's Nest and the Thieves Court. Benon's Bastards they are called all serve their sadist father in the Guild.


The Free City, the Star of the South, the Sea Star is a small tidal island that was once the mighty capital of the Salt Pan. Their Fisher-Kings adorned with their driftwood crowns ruled on the Seastone Throne. The Holy Avalin Theocracy unable to take the island brokered an uneasy truce, the Earth-Sea Pact. After the War of the Five Crowns a rebellion was started by a mysterious text, the Golden Plow. Whose rebellious pages spread across the little island. The Parliament Plot ends the Fisher-Kings power. The new lords of the island are named the King-Elects who are voted upon by ballet in Parliament.


The Great Invasions

As the Languedoc is the only large continent it possess the greatest resources. A confederation of Southerlings and Northmen have invaded the Languedoc en mass. Only two invasions have been recorded but there has been many others. The two recorded are Invasion of Pliny the Scourge. His Southerling fleet ravaged the Heel and much of the Hyral. They were defeated when his fleet traveled through the Narrows and wrecked upon the Angles.

The second great invasion was the united clans of the North beyond the Frostwinds in the Haunt. Stragoi, Gerga, and Anderetix who sailed through Glacier Bay and around Hager's Horn. Their armies were defeated by the efforts of the Brothers Noble. Ser Leoander Aldenbrant of the Aurulant, the Lion of the Languedoc. Ser Vladislas Valasko the Wolf, and Ser Alister Benondale of the Torrent.


THE GREAT CONVENTION

The Houses Major (The Wise Council)

House Highwind of the Hyral

House Bardoba of the Fertile Crescent

House Valasko of the Sunderlands

House Grueder of the Cinderlands

House Seaworth of the Salt Pan

House Stormcrow of the Torrent

House Entwyn of the Woodlands


The Houses Minor (Vassals)

House Harrimen of Sullenstone

House Reed of Husker Hill

House Thornwall of the Glade

House Ester of the Erg

House Aldenbrant of the Aurulant

House Rosenfort of the Rift

House Candon of the Gild Fens

House Bridgewater of the Arlelands

House Weber of the Aizenlands


This is a lot so far and there is so much more. I will post more later. Fingers getting tired.