Definitely a work in progress, suggestions welcome. [hider=The Paganlands] NAME: Elven Paganlands OVERVIEW: West of the Elven Forests are the Paganlands, a stark contrast to the beautiful groves and meadows, instead filled with infested wealds and misty taiga's. The Paganlands were once the grand and majestic land of Lomillar before being corrupted by The Pagans, otherworldly malevolent forest spirits. Occasionally, their whispers of power lure Wood Elves to their lands, or drive them mad and attract exiles. The weak, vicious, and deviant: All are welcome and loved by the Pagans' twisted hearts. And one day, when the old kingdoms crumble to the merciless millstone of time, The Paganlands will pour across the world, bringing with them the Pagans, to spread their power throughout the land. RACE AND CULTURE: The main races of the Paganlands are the Pagan Elves and Furbolgs, though outcasted and criminalized members of all races may walk amongst the various Circles. The Paganlands worship Pagans, alien spirits of Chaos that have overwhelmed and devoured the Spirits of Lomillar, taking their places as the Forest's spirits, deconstructing the Order and Peace they brought to Lomillar, and replacing it with Madness and Chaos. The cause of such a gruesome overtaken being the indulgence and sacrifices that the Elves of Lomillar, drunken with luxury, had partaken in. The Pagans are in constant competition amongst themselves, dragging their circles into small-scale Holy Wars along with them. The more followers a Pagan has, the more power they grant to their Shamans. Worship of the Pagans consists of sacrifices, be it material resources, sanity, or flesh... Pagan Elves were once Wood and High Elves, until the Touch of the Pagans permanently scarred them, warping their mind and contaminating their soul. Nearly all Pagan Elves are insane by the standards of most mortals. While most of them are naturally born, hundreds are made each year as entire pilgrimages of outcasted Elves journey to the Paganlands. Pagan Elves need not be naturally born. So long as an Elf submits to the power of the Pagan, they will be born once the Paganistic power corrupts their soul and mind. Furbolgs are bearlike Beastmen, once peaceful, until the day the Pagans came and devoured the forest spirits. Since then, the jovial Furbolgs have become grief-filled and angry, grinding away at their axes. Yet despite their hatred for The Pagans, they can do naught but heed their will, as they pledged their lives to the Forest Guardians, which, technically, the Pagans have become. GOVERNMENT: The Paganlands are divided into individual Circles, all bound by a treaty. The Shaman of each Circle has control, though the Pagans they worship could easily override their decisions. For decisions to effect the entire Paganlands as a whole, each Circle Master convenes at the City of Pagans, a city fueled with Bans that prevent any two Pagans from attacking each other, and vote. The power of each Pagan determines the weight of a Circle's vote, yet the Circle dedicated to the Alpha Pagan, currently That Which Takes, has upmost authority, yet the position of Alpha Pagan has a curse. With so much power and command at their disposal, the Alpha Pagan hardly concerns itself with the ongoings between the smaller circles. It's last command was that all Circles contribute forces to a new era of Conquest, led by his Shaman, before going mute to all attempts at Attuning. Currently, the Alpha Shaman is an elven man by the name of Arrick Clearmind, a powerful warrior who fought his way to the favor of Irrich the Clare, Pagan God of Chaotic Battle. Yet the other Circle Masters speak ill of him behind his back. Rather than sacrificing his own sanity or resources, Arrick prefers bloody conflict to sate his Pagan, lest it be rudely disturbed from it's blissful eternal feasting. INDUSTRY: The Paganlands are undeveloped. They have no currency, instead trading natural goods, such as crops and wares. More often than not, providers are small farms owned by family's that provide a portion of their earnings, and woodsmen who scavenge from hostile wilderness. In the military, soldiers are given short supplies, making them learn to adapt, if making them slightly less formidable in combat than other armies. They can survive weeks in lands other generals would consider logistical suicide. MAGIC: Lore of Shadow Lore of Death Lore of Beasts(Furbolgs only) Daemonology -- Pagans MILITARY: The Pagan army's lower and more plentiful ranks are more adaptive in surviving landscapes, making it easier for them to hold down positions in natural environments over fortifying cities and fortresses. Many of the Core soldiers are weaker than most other armies, yet less plentiful. The reason for such is that Pagan Daemonology requires sacrifice, be it of lives or sanity, to make contracts with Pagans that grant them the ability to manifest in the physical world. Without Pagans, however, Pagan armies are still plenty capable. Their mortal soldiers often break conventions of others of their type, such as Dark Rangers, with more melee power for less infantry, or the Werebear Barbarian, which gives up its clarity and thought for raw power. A weakness of the Pagan army is it's reluctance to retreat and be controlled, as several soldiers live for the chaos of battle, making what would be small defeats for other armies into catastrophic failure on the Pagan armies. [b][u]Core:[/u][/b] -Dark Ranger -Crazy -Mara Cavalry -Mara Archer -Black Hound -Heretic [b][u]Elite:[/u][/b] -Cultist of War -Child of Black Soil -Blight -Furbolg Barbarian -Furbolg Shaman [b][u]Rare:[/u][/b] -Champion of the Pagans -Pagan Brute -Elder Blight -Black Golem [b][u]Lords:[/u][/b] -Pagan Knight -Psychopath -Shadow Assassin -Paganmaster -Furbolg Warlord [b][u]Heroes:[/u][/b] -Master Shaman -Speaker of the New Gods -Pagan Avatar [b][u]Named Characters:[/u][/b] -Irrich the Clare: General of the Pagan armies, who possesses an unnatural clarity amongst Pagan Elves. While several of his equals talk behind his back, he is respected as the best military genius to carry out the inevitable conquest. -Tanglebane: Once king of the Treants, Tanglebane is a pessimistic Blight, who passes by his boredom through killing those who enter his domain. -Eireth of Sprawl: Queen of Sprawl, an overgrown city that is continuously being reclaimed by nature, despite the best efforts of the Pagan Elves to survive. Yet despite her city's state, she has claimed dominance over a single Blight, which begrudgingly carries her upon its head. -Duth Rageheart: The prophet of the Furbolgs, believing that "rage shall set us free". -Samia The Shifter: The master assassin of the Paganlands. Myths state that she can quite literally turn into shadow. [/hider]