Tales of Yore

Have you got a game, book or movie you'd like to make a story out of? Want to expand on a story or plot that stopped? Have an original idea for a story that you want to post somewhere? Here's where to do it. Basically an RPG where one player controls ALL characters in the story.

Tales of Yore

Postby TyrannoTitan » Sun Jul 17, 2011 4:08 am

This is a sort of lore text from some fantasy setting I came up with. After seeing various representations of various races, I decided to come up with something I believe is an interesting take on common fantasy races. Will continue with more soon, hopefully.


1: Fierce Nature

The elves are a protective, very intelligent race, most widely known for their streamline forms and pointed ears. They care not for the world itself, only that which belongs to them. Usually situated in lush forests, invading elven land is almost always a death sentence, as the nimble creatures know the forests better then most of its animal inhabitants, and use this to deadly efficiency in repelling any opposing force. To strip them of this advantage, the demonic horde tends to burn and destroy the forests as they go, earning the utter hatred of the elves because of it.

The elves, as one might expect, pride themselves on their skill at a distance. They also have a deep connection with the land they inhabit, using the plants and animals of the region to best fight for what is essentially theirs as well. Herbal poisons can halt the strongest of the warriors, and fierce creatures are used as mounts and beasts of burden. The most common creatures amongst the elven ranks are the Teradun, a race of theropod beasts used as mounts by most elven forces, comparable to the humans' horses in their role. Their swift and fierce nature reflects the nature of the elves themselves, making them suitable mounts in such dense vegetation, able to traverse what normal animals could not.

The elves pride themselves in their ability to gain knowledge, including both military intelligence to aid them on the battlefield, as well as a deep understanding of the lore of the world. This, they claim, gives them insight in fighting any would be enemies as much as battlefield intelligence. This dedication means that they have the most complete record of the worlds' history, from which this text is derived. This information is readily available to those who seek it, but any information that may be vital to the elves is kept amongst the elder councils that lead them. The elves are one of the oldest races in the world, and have grown paranoid and protective in their many years of existence, spurring their unyielding defense of their ancestral land.


2: Endless Inferno

The demons are an unnatural occurrence in the world, of all shapes and sizes. They are an unfortunate blight, conjured up from their twisted realm long ago. Before this, it is said, they fought amongst themselves in their own hellscape, demon lords of varying strengths fighting for dominion. This fighting was without end, for as one lord falls, two more rise from the flames to take its place, leaving the entirety of their realm in a constant, unending war. When the first wielders of magic, the dwarves, inadvertently tore the fabric of their world, the demons found their new prey. The dwarves' folly manifested itself, because of their tie with the earth, in massive craters in what is now the volcanic wastelands, which surge with molten lava and unending flames, from which the demonic horde emerges into the world.

Despite the appearance of new foes, the demons do not stop their constant fighting. Not every demon from their hellish world can emerge into ours at once, and as such, battle for control of these entrances wage both above and below the surface. The volcanic wastes were not always as they are, however, but the unending clash of flames has scorched the earth dry, and no life has appeared in the region since. The region is so wracked with war that no other race has ever dared to enter. Any force that has tried has become victim of the demonic horde's full fury, which, thankfully, remains divided and unorganized. It is said, however, that should the demons unite, nothing in the world could stop them. Fortunately for the world, demons die by the hands of their brethren as fast they emerge from the hellscape, keeping any that move beyond the wastes at manageable, but costly, levels. For now.

Demon lords are particularly powerful demons that bend the wills of others through sheer force. They take many shapes, like those that fight for them, and the title is meant more to distinguish the demons' leadership rather then to refer to a specific type. Some are masters of horrifying magics, while others are strong enough to crush an army in a single swing. Whatever the case, they are creatures to be feared, and some of their kind find it better to lead their host away from the hellscape, rather then continue to fight in the wastes. These events are known as Infernos, for the demons burn, pillage, and destroy everything in their path until they are stopped, taking joy in the slaughter of mortal beings, which they find much more satisfying then killing their own kind.


3: Divine Right

The humans are one of the younger races, but make up for their naivety through sheer zeal. Devoted to their god of virtue and justice, human society is built around the continued existence of their race and the pursuit of order. All of the power of human society is based around those deemed "favored" by their god. The policing force, the holy Justicars, are a group of heavily decorated holymen that serve as warriors, and are usually found defending the humans' land and keeping order amongst its public. The military consists of mostly Templars of varying purpose. They are the holy warriors of the light, and use a wide variety of weapons, including swords, axes, crossbows, and the operation of heavy machinery such as catapults. They are the backbone of the human military. Next are the Inquisitors, warrior officials that lead the humans ranks into battle. They are Templars that have shown exceptional skills in battle, one of the few positions determined by anything other then their god's favor.

The mages are one of the highest ranking individuals in the entirety of human society. Archmages, those who guide the Initiates and have not yet Ascended, have more authority than even the Royal Family, who serve more as a figurehead then true leadership. Magic is seen as a gift from their god itself, and is treated with the utmost respect. Mages, who discover their powers early, are brought to special sects to hone their skills under the guidance of more experienced mages and the Archmages who, in turn, lead them. Magic has unlimited possibilities in its function, and thus is one of the most cherished assets to humanity. Some mages become Priests, which focus on healing rather then destruction. Others become battle mages, which lead special regiments into battle against humanity's toughest foes. Others still become scholars, where they devote their lives to the study and progression of magic and its uses, or become Archmages, which in turn teach fledgling mages.

Finally, there is the legendary status known as the Ascended, which is almost mythical in its nature. Few have attained such prestige, and those that do are considered their god's chosen. They are mages that abandon their usual chaotic magics for purely light-based ones, a personal gift from their god. These angelic beings sprout transparent feathered wings, which allows them to fly without leaving them open to dismemberment, and are adorned with the strongest, most decorative armor in the empire. The Ascended can heal the wounded and destroy the enemies of man with the greatest of ease, and are truly a powerful force indeed. The humans, because of what the mages can become, consider magic to be their gift alone, and consider the use of it by any other race to be pure heresy, which puts them at constant odds with the shamanistic dwarves and the wicked magic-wielding demons.


4: Call of the Earth

The dwarves are an ancient, subterranean people very rarely seen by the other races of the world, known for their stout bodies and spiritual nature. They were the first creatures to discover magic, but have since limited their abilities to only earth-based magics, which they feel is the only form of magic they can trust. The dwarves are the oldest of the major races, and their origins are shrouded in mystery. Many say they were spawned from the very rocks they now reside in, while others claim they were around since the birth of the world. The dwarves themselves do not fully understand their origins, but they understand their purpose: to protect the earth itself, which they consider a living creature. No historians are certain how the dwarves discovered magic, but they did so with great understanding. Instead of using this immense power to further selfish needs, they instead used it to "speak" to their beloved world. Those that spoke to the earth were known as the first shaman, and soon shamanism became the central belief in dwarven society.

Much to their surprise, the world was eager to speak to its children, and told them of the horror that festered far beneath even the dwarven cities, which were many miles underground. It was in constant agony, the dwarves could tell, harboring what slumbered in the darkness. Further investigation led to the loss of many of the shaman leaders communing with the earth, unable to bare what they saw, and spurred the dwarves to action. They knew they needed to use their new power to destroy the evil and free their world of its pain. But their naivety in magic proved to be their undoing, and in one particular ritual, the immense power they collected backfired on them. This event weakened the fabric of reality, and this weakness did not go unnoticed. The hellmouths in what is now the wastes were once the center of dwarven civilization in ancient times. Many died when the hellmouths were opened, spewing fire and magma as the first of the demon spawn surged forth. Those that survived fled the wastes, but the dwarves had lost many, and had learned a very costly lesson about the power they wielded: it was dangerous and volatile. From then on, the dwarves refused to use anything beyond earth magics, which they believed to be safest form of magic. They have become masters of this magic in their centuries of practice, and their high shaman leadership are some of the strongest spellcasters in the world. Although their plan failed, the dwarves did not give up on what the world showed them. They made it their sacred duty to protect the earth and its children from the horrors of the dark, should they awaken.

The high shamans act as the governing body for dwarven leadership, with lesser shaman below them, some perfecting their art to one day become high shamans, while others become battle mages of sorts, using both magic and traditional weapons in combat with deadly efficiency. The dwarves, due to their subterranean lifestyle, use the creatures that live beneath the earth for various purposes. Many employ large millipede-like creatures to move quickly through the winding tunnels, while others use dangerous cave ogres as war beasts to combat their foes. The majority of the dwarven military, however, consists of basic warriors usually armed with maces or war hammers and adorned with heavy armor. These warriors are known for their resiliency and strength, but due to the peaceful nature of the dwarves, they rarely engage in battle outside of necessity. Dwarven society focuses itself on protecting their world and teaching others to appreciate what the earth has given them, and even with danger and ignorance all around them, the dwarves remain a peaceful and intelligent race.


5: Blazing Sky

The dragons are a comparatively uncommon sight. They are never seen in ordinary circumstances, and it is for that reason that little is known about them. Historical records and myths alike describe them as fearsome creatures, dangerously intelligent and almost impossible to bring down. But they are not without purpose: on the occasions that they are seen, great strife has struck the world. Emerging from their mountain home, the dragons are like nature's white blood cells. Whenever the natural world has been dealt a great blow, the dragons are sure to arrive. Although they work well in keeping back the various enemies of the civilized world, their destruction is indiscriminate. Demons and defenders alike will burn if the destruction gets too out of hand, so they are seen as both a blessing and a curse.

When summoned, the dragons scorch the affected areas to ash. Although these regions remain desolate for some time, they seem to recover more quickly than from natural forest fires. The dragonfire that burns the landscape revitalizes it at the same time, causing plant life never before seen to grow and flourish in its wake. Nature thrives whenever these creatures go, but none of those living within it, even those that protect it so readily, are spared as such. There are few accounts of the appearance of these beasts, as most who get close enough to witness their terrible majesty never live to tell about it. They are described as enormous monsters of legend, with reptilian scales and massive wingspans, of all imaginable colors. Many determined explorers have tried to investigate the mountain range from which they emerge, and none have returned. It is clear that nature does not want its secrets exposed.
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Re: Tales of Yore

Postby Giratina93 » Sun Jul 17, 2011 4:45 am

Nice description of Dwarves, Demons, and humans, TT... alot better, and more consitant, than my takes on the second one...

I would love to see what this turns out into...
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Re: Tales of Yore

Postby TyrannoTitan » Sun Jul 17, 2011 4:48 am

Giratina93 wrote:Nice description of Dwarves, Demons, and humans, TT... alot better, and more consitant, than my takes on the second one...

I would love to see what this turns out into...

Elves, you mean. Dwarves will be next probably.

And thanks.
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Re: Tales of Yore

Postby Giratina93 » Sun Jul 17, 2011 4:52 am

TyrannoTitan wrote:
Giratina93 wrote:Nice description of Dwarves, Demons, and humans, TT... alot better, and more consitant, than my takes on the second one...

I would love to see what this turns out into...

Elves, you mean. Dwarves will be next probably.

And thanks.


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I'm sorry. Brief brain fail on my part...
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Re: Tales of Yore

Postby Doc 42 » Sun Jul 17, 2011 2:26 pm

Cool, but...

Yore?
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Re: Tales of Yore

Postby Godzilla Forever » Sun Jul 17, 2011 4:47 pm

Very interesting, and well written. Hope to see the next part soon!
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Re: Tales of Yore

Postby C S » Sun Jul 17, 2011 7:37 pm

Doc: Its like lore. Only with a Y. Because TT likes to deviate from the norms dood

and as for the fic, its cool. Am I the only one who envisioned it as some sort of documentary and visualized the various races go about their lives as I read?
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Re: Tales of Yore

Postby TyrannoTitan » Sun Jul 17, 2011 10:23 pm

4: Call of the Earth (Dwarf description) is up.

Thanks everyone. And for the record, yore means "old". So tales of old :P
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Re: Tales of Yore

Postby Giratina93 » Sun Jul 17, 2011 10:34 pm

Horray for the dwarves!

Once again, a veyr in-depth and consistant description! Nice...
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Re: Tales of Yore

Postby TyrannoTitan » Wed Oct 05, 2011 2:30 am

Added a small entry about the Dragons.
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Re: Tales of Yore

Postby Doc 42 » Sat Oct 08, 2011 12:23 pm

What weapons do the demons fight with? Who provides them with these weapons?
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Re: Tales of Yore

Postby TyrannoTitan » Sat Oct 08, 2011 6:02 pm

Weapons they create, which are forged in the dimension they come from.
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