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[h1][b]THE MYTHLANDS[/b][/h1]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/cJOZJQh.png[/img]
[url=http://piratepad.net/UjfTxfJpZc]Our Piratepad[/url][/center]
[h2]Welcome![/h2]
This is not quite an RP, but rather a collaboration thread where we will build a world in which we can later set RPs. With that in mind, while everyone will be creating a nation as in a nation RP, a certain creativity is also expected in the way you leave your imprint on the Mythlands. Feel free- in fact, I will go so far as to say there is a certain obligation- to flesh out the world by creating cultures, monsters, towns and geographies. Note that it is also collaborative; cooperation which other people will be required, so as to ensure that the world remains seamless and logical.

This is high fantasy, which means that magic is a reality (although rare), fantastic monsters roam the dark parts of the land, and the gods are active and unpleasant. Humans, of course, inhabit the world, but I encourage the creation of other races, be they based on traditional representations or original creations. The races should generally be, barring fringe cases, very intermixed, with most countries being a mesh of many different kinds. Of course, some regions will be more homogeneous than others, due to isolation or political reasons, but the world at large will be fairly cosmopolitan in outlook.

The driving source of conflict in the world is the never ending wars between the gods. They share the same life force as mankind, which they absorb as mortals die. This has lead to a world in which a group of solidly entrenched powers wage ceaseless and seemingly meaningless wars among each other, leading holy wars to feed their gods with the souls of their enemies. 

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[hider=Mythos]
Though many regions revere their own private gods, there are only seven true deities in the world; the others are either fiction or imposters. These seven are comparable to forces of nature; they simply exist, beyond the mortal world, everywhere and nowhere at the same time. They wage private wars amongst each other that have lasted since before the world existed. In these divine squabbles, the mortal races are pawns and game pieces, to be used and discarded. 

The gods are not necessarily omniscient, nor omnipotent. To them, the mortal world is covered in fog, and they can only see through the lens of their annointed clergy. Occasionally, they may take physical form in the mythlands, but this is an arduous process which robs them of much of their strength afterwards, requiring a long period of recuperation afterwards to accumulate power once more.

There were once more than seven. Some say there were ten, or thirteen, or fifteen, but regardless they were once many more than they are now. Conflict first arose amongst the gods when the world was created, a decision which was not unanimous amongst their kind. And when some gods created life, there was a split amongst those who approved, and those who saw the mortal races as abominations. The schism ended in war, a terrible war that ravaged the earth and nearly wiped out intelligent life. But those gods that defended life used it as a weapon, sacrificing mortals to empower themselves enough to smash their opponents. The defeated gods, known as the Old Ones, were locked away beyond even the reach of a god, ending their interference in the world.

This war, known as the Sacrilege, ended with seven gods standing and the rest banished. As soon as it ended, however, conflict erupted between the victors, which has lasted to this day. In fact, some refer to the current divine conflict as the Second Sacrilege. Though this implies a similar war between two defined sides, in truth the current conflict is a quagmire of small alliances, the balance of power constantly shifting as gods rise and fall in prominence. Writ large, the main impetus of the war is the friction between the four Angels (Tarnis, Horomund, Lysvita, and Nergal), whose views on mortals are generally benign if not always considerate, and the three Demons (Sidhe, Anat, and Pathar), who view mortals as tools and slaves, to use and throw away.

The gods and their domains are as follows:
[list]
[*] Taranis, god of order, civilization, and tyranny
[*] Horomund, god of chaos, passion, and the wild
[*] Lysvita, goddess of life and rebirth
[*] Nergal, god of death and decay
[*] Sidhe, goddess of plots, trickery, and oathbreaking
[*] Anat, god of sadism, cruelty, and malice
[*] Pathar, god of honor, war, and bloody violence
[/list]

Below is a graph representing the web of relationships between them, with blue representing good relations, gray representing ambivalence, and red standing for hatred. 
[img]http://i.imgur.com/OVODwNM.png[/img]

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[hider=Magic]
The mythlands are a strange place where the impossible is reality. This is magic, the power to bend reality to the user’s whims. It comes in many different forms: an archmage in his tower might be capable of a dozen different tricks, while a wandering sorcerer might be only capable of exercising a single power. 

Magic comes, at its core, from the life essence that all beings possess, which is shared amongst all beings, even the gods. Some are born with more than others, and these are capable of a kind of natural magic, though it is often unrefined, all talent and no skill. These cases are rare, but there are recorded instances of farmboys being able to turn invisible, or of children controlling the wind. Cases of truly powerful natural magic are even rarer, as sadly most children exhibiting supernatural powers are killed by superstitious locals.

A second source of magic is the divine, the very gods of the world. Their squabbles frequently involve the mortal world, which use as pawns in their never ending struggles against one another. In further of this, the gods sometimes grant a portion of their power to mortals, as strategic moves against their enemies, or as simple entertainment. This power can manifest to anyone at any age. Those blessed in this manner always carry a marked burned somewhere on their skin, of varying size, but always in the shape of the patron god’s emblem. 

Regardless of how magic is acquired, it is always similar in that it is always different; all magicians have powers with characteristics unique to themselves. An example would be a travelling oracle who can see the future, or a psychic that can read minds. It is theorized that the powers gained depend on the personality of the individual.
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[hider=The Mythlands]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/2bcJjuT.png[/img]

Changes can be made to the geography within reason. For example, lakes and islands could be added, but the general shape should remain the same.
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[hider=Nation Sheets]
[b]Name:[/b] Include both the official and casual name of the country if they differ. Demonyms are also welcome.
[b]Racial Makeup:[/b] The races of the mythlands are heavily mixed after such a long common history. However, if your nation is dominated by particular races or otherwise more homogeneous, this is where the detail it.
[b]Geography:[/b] Mark the rough borders of your nation (to be determined precisely with neighbors), and detail the climate and shape of the land. Mentions of what kinds of monsters inhabit the region are also welcome.
[b]History:[/b] Include such things as how and by whom it was founded, who were its historical enemies, and how its culture change or didn’t change with time.
[b]Foreign Relations:[/b] Elaborate on the relationships between your nation and its neighbors. This can be left until you actually have neighbors, but must be done at some point.
[b]Culture:[/b] Detail the character of the nation; Are its people warlike? Are they religious? Are they traders, or are they insular? This section should make clear the lifestyle of the common people, including the economic reality.  
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[hider=Race Sheets]
[b]Name:[/b] Any names by which the race is known. Demonyms are also welcome.
[b]Societal Role:[/b] If the race’s traits push them into a particular role in society, such as being warriors, farmers, slaves, or so on. Optional.
[b]Physiology:[/b] Detail the biology and physical appearance of the race, as well as any quirks of behavior.
[b]Habitat:[/b] Optionally, if the race can only live in a particular climate, say so here.
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I would ask that new players restrict the characters tab to content that I have approved, so that we can keep a clear distinction between what is and is not yet cannon.