At first glance, it may seem that Samsara is a veritible shopping mall of dieties- so many to choose from. But Samsara is not polytheistic in theory, it is henotheistic.
All Samsarans believe that the Ultimate of All Things is what is called the Brahman (also called the Great Spirit)- a formless, genderless, neutral SPIRIT that is responsible for all good things and all evil things. There is no concept of a higher order of evil- or a Satan/Hell equivalent. No one goes to hell, though when some particularily horrid sinners die, their souls go to a place called Naraka- where they are ritually cleansed by being shown the horrors of what they wrought. If they express repentence- their souls go on to reborn. Life is an endless series of second chances. Salvation is never really denied, but delayed depending on your actions.
All knowledge of this Brahman comes from the tome called the Vedanta. Vedanta speaks of all things- from the nature of the universe to how life came into existence. The Brahman does not actively intervene in the lives of people, but it may manifest in forms that help the world if it occasionally goes out of balance.
This is where the Mitraa and Lawgivers cleave from each other.
Mitraa:
The Mitraa believed that the Great Spirit takes different forms to help people comprehend Its message. Thus, though its forms are diverse- it still stems from the Great Spirit and is part of it. Thus, the Mitraa- seeing the Brahman is neutral- do not dissuade from different forms of worship believing that they all have to learn their own lessons and make their own decisions instead of being led down one path. All dieties fall under the Mitraa domain, including the following:
"Sometimes the learning is the lesson" - said the first head of the Mitraa- Malavika.
Here are some of the prominent Gods:
1. Brahma: The venerable, bearded, craftsman and architect of life is the God that is supposed to create all things. From the fashioning of flowers designed to delight those who pass them, to the creation of monsters that cause fear in all those that view them, Brahma is the manifestation that creates it all. He is the Creator, though very few people in the Lands worship him. Most of them who do are architects.
The first of his creations was Saraswati- the Goddess of Knowledge and Arts. Widely worshipped in the southern provinces, flashes of brilliance, or genius are often attributed to her.
2. Vishnu: The preserver of life and the balance, Vishnu is described as a breathtakingly beautiful dark skinned man who lies atop a coiled servant in the "ocean of milk" in the heavens. This is the manifestation that takes the most active interest in the welfare of humanity, and both he and his consort Lakshmi are worshipped more than any other diety. Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth and prosperity.
3. Shiva: . Shiva is a very intimidating diety, a tall tawny skinned man, with matted hair, his ash streaked body covered with writhing snakes, when the world is not fit to exist anymore, and cannot be redeemed, Shiva does his dance- the Tandav, the dance of destruction that destroys the entire world so that it may be created again. As the next age approaches, suddenly there is a resurgence of interest in this diety.
But fearsome as Shiva is, he is not as powerful or as terrifying as his consort. Parvati is a gentle, pious goddess widely worshipped by women who wish to make a good marriage, but when enraged she takes the form of Kali- The Dark Mother- so powerful, so all consuming that no God, not even the Brahman can stop her. Kali is the color of the night, her nakedness covered with garlands of skulls. She has four arms, each bearing a weapon and once she is angered, there is nothing known that can stop her stampede of destruction. Often the patron goddess of Beserker like Barbarians, she has gained quite the following among cults who take her destructive nature to justify their own unholy acts.
Chandi: Chandi is a vestige of the early tribal roots of much of the region. She is seen as a nature goddess, a motherly figure, often benevolent and kind. However, if insulted, she is known to unleash plague on an unsuspecting populance.
Ayappa: This God is the patron God of celibacy even through adulthood. He is said to loathe women, and many of his followers spurn family life and live their life as monks.
Lawgivers:
The Lawgivers concede that all dieties may be forms of the great Spirit, but they exist only to test mortals on their sense of judgment. There is only one form the Spirit wants you to follow- they claim, and that is Rudra. Rudra is said to be a tawny skinned, male manifestation of Brahman whose fellowship requires austerity, sacrifice, pious living, charitable acts AND living a life free of what they believe is sin. It is only when the mortal rejects all the false beings and accepts Rudra- that the first step towards salvation is achieved. The Lawgivers do this by preaching, spreading their work through acts of kindness, and the like so that people are inspired to learn more about them.
Many people believe Rudra is an early manifestation of Shiva- the God of destruction but the Lawgivers deny it.
"We convert through compassion. For every person gained into Rudra's fold by false means (lying, coersion, violence, bribery) is a false one"
Pavitra: The Pavitra cleaved from the Lawgivers twenty years ago. Their basic beliefs are similar to the Lawgivers in that they believe that Rudra is the one true manifestation of the spirit, but their worship is far more vehement. They believe the end of the Yuga is coming, a cycle drawing to a close, and the end of the world arrives. For Rudra to intervene, and if indeed He even shall, the world must be cleansed of the worst of sin. Thus, they call themselves "Rudra's thunderbolt", and attack where Rudra cannot.
So where do Cows fit in? Well, a cow is seen as the ultimate giver because there is no animal that is more useful. As most of Samsara is vegetarian- the milk and clarified butter is immensely important. The cow also is a beast of burden, ploughing the fields, and towing carts. The manure fertilizes fields and is dried to make a source of fuel when wood is not readily available. To kill such a valuable animal seems like a waste. Further, most Samsarans live so closely with their beasts that to kill any once they get old and useless is unthinkable.
As time went on- the cow became the symbol of plenty and is now treated with much of the status accorded to a diety. You may never hit a cow, unless you wish to turn the entire crowd around you hostile. If a cow blocks your path, you either wait, or try and lure it away with something delicious. If you kill a cow on purpose- the penalty is death. If you kill it by accident, you must pay the village to which it belongs gold commensurate to the weight of a cow. Let me remind you that a cow is very heavy and if you cannot come up with that much gold, you will be a debted laborer forced to their lands until the villagers believe you have been punished enough. Some unscrupolous villagers have earned a lifetime of free labor because of the unfortunate act of some poor fellow.
While cows are supreme, all animals are sacred. All of them. In fact you may say that in some ways human life is not as highly regarded as animal life. The equivalent in terms of humans are children. To the Samsaran, all children and animals are alike in the sense that they are innocent and we are deemed their protectors. Thus, they must be protected from those who would use their superior intelligence and might to do them harm. Note that each time you kill an animal, even if it is in secret, there is a chance that the act will be discovered. If so- good luck getting quests from anybody. Because both Mitraa and Lawgivers will shun you. Even those violent Pavitra would rather kill women than horses.
That is the primer, folks. You will learn more about the deities and animals in the game if you choose to.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Beta OUT
So, those of you who volunteered to beta test this game have probably recd. a little message in their inbox with download instructions. Huzzah! I am so glad I was able to iron out enough to bring it to a testable stage. I realize it is an part of the entire campaign, and there may be more campaigns to go, but perhaps this 90-95% of the first chapter will show you how BIG the frikkin' thing is.
I cut some content because they are major spoilers, and I didn't want you guys to be spoiled. What if you play the final mod someday. That 10% I left out- I can test. But the bulk, I am going to need your help with and HOW!
For starters, bug testing is not the big deal for me. Bugs can be fixed. Conversations can be rewritten, proofed, checked and quests shuffled around to mitigate problems. What matters above all else is whether the tale is worth pursuing. I have given you guys enough to get a big taste of the writing, the people, the characters and the world. Before you bug test, or spell check or anything else, I want you to play it like you ordinarily would. (AFTER reading the Readme document) and just tell me what you thought.
This is my first major piece of work, and so I am going to be justifiably proud of it. But if enough of you say it sucks, then perhaps I can adjust my expectations accordingly.
First let me know what you thought. Be honest, I can take it ;) and let me know what the mod felt like. Then we can get to the more time consuming task of bug testing.
Once again, if you have volunteered to test this mod, know that I really, truly, honestly and completely appreciate your help.
I cut some content because they are major spoilers, and I didn't want you guys to be spoiled. What if you play the final mod someday. That 10% I left out- I can test. But the bulk, I am going to need your help with and HOW!
For starters, bug testing is not the big deal for me. Bugs can be fixed. Conversations can be rewritten, proofed, checked and quests shuffled around to mitigate problems. What matters above all else is whether the tale is worth pursuing. I have given you guys enough to get a big taste of the writing, the people, the characters and the world. Before you bug test, or spell check or anything else, I want you to play it like you ordinarily would. (AFTER reading the Readme document) and just tell me what you thought.
This is my first major piece of work, and so I am going to be justifiably proud of it. But if enough of you say it sucks, then perhaps I can adjust my expectations accordingly.
First let me know what you thought. Be honest, I can take it ;) and let me know what the mod felt like. Then we can get to the more time consuming task of bug testing.
Once again, if you have volunteered to test this mod, know that I really, truly, honestly and completely appreciate your help.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Companion NPCs
There are five companions to choose from in the first campaign. Any will stay with you until the end of thew campaign unless you do something to make them leave or fire them. All are voluntary. Two are mutually exclusive. You can take them all, or leave them all. The companion you don't take with you will wait at your "house". If you "fire" them, you cannot hire them back. Firing them is an option you get five times in the module, so don't expect to be able to fire them when you want to. You can fire them politely if you want to as well. Whenever they go, they will take some gold with them, so be careful.
Each of your companions have interjections and personal stories. ALL of them have subquests though it may not be immediately apparent with some of them.
Three of your companions are those you knew when you were young, so expect some history. Two of your mutually exclusive companions meet you for the first time in chapter 2, so they don't know much about your past.
Manav & Chaitanya:
Duing one of your quests, you will be making a choice between the two of them.
Chaitanya: The son of the headman of Hasthi, Chaitanya is a rising star in the Central Provinces militia and is considered to be a shoo-in for joining one of the King's elite units one day. He was raised in the Lawgiver faith and tends to see the world as pitch black and pure white. He has his own subquests. If you don't take Chaitanya into your group, you will still meet him later in act 3 of the first module.
Chaitanya is not romanceable. At least not in this campaign. In Tamas: The Axe of Parashu, he may be. But for this chapter- he is not.
Chaitanya will not approve of any nookie and most romances. He is most scathing about Sundari as he thinks all female elves are of questionable morals. If you are female or male, he will be okay with your romances as long as you have 30 influence with him and you are not engaging in "sinful" behavior. Most of your companions will not get along well with Chaitanya, but having him in your party boosts your reputation significantly. You will also find that Lawgivers are less inclined to be mistrustful of you if you take him along.
It is easiest to gain or lose influence with Chaitanya. If you gain too many points in the Mitraa faction, he will leave the party. He will also leave the party based on your decisions in a key event in chapter 3.
Manav: A man ostracized for loving another man, Manav is in search of his beloved. He is not romanceable by male or female NPCs as his heart strongly and totally belongs to another. Manav is mostly silent, unless the subject of Lawgivers come up when he lets it rip because he has been subjected to so much tumoil on their account. But even his mistrust of the Lawgivers does not compare to the hatred he feels for the Pavitra who kidnapped his lover.
Manav becomes chatty only after you have acquired a lot of influence with him. Do not expect him to trust you until you have proven that your acceptance of him is total and that you are dedicated to his search. Manav has his own subquests and is a spirit shaman. If you gain too much lawgiver points he will leave. He will also leave the party based on your decision in a key event in chapter 3.
Most of your companions like him well enough because he minds his own business. If you date outside the party, you will find that your females either loathe him, or ask him for shopping advice- something that often bewilders him because he is not in any way artistically inclined. Lawgivers will be less inclined to trust you if he is part of your party. If you are female PC- who is usually viewed with mistrust, keep this in mind. However, most quests have alternative paths- so remember if you lose some- you gain others.
Manav, if treated well will eventually become interested and devoted to PC as a person, and not in a romantic or sexual way. However, it is very hard to gain that level of devotion in a man who doesn't trust anyone easily.
Aditya: Your best friend as a child, and now almost pathetically glad to see you- the awkward pudgy boy turned into a strong, capable Paladin. But alas the mischievous streak in him remains intact. Aditya is like a puppy dog, boundless in his enthusiasm, and with a vast open heart.
Aditya does not seem to completely comprehend that both of you are grown up now, and he continues to treat you like both of you were 10 and harassing the ashrama cows all over again. While his enthusiasm and desire to tilt at windmills may be annoying, Aditya's devotion to you- male or female is unparalleled. He will die for you without a second thought.
If you are female and good aligned, Aditya is romanceable. Kind of. Do not expect poetry. Expect some amount of clumsiness and awkwardness in the beginning as he begins to fully comprehend that he is attracted to you. And even after he does, don't expect grace. Remember the puppy dog analogy? Aditya is playful and jocular, and you can banter around with him, but his typical reaction to a pass is fumbling bashfulness. If you can look beyond his goofiness to see the sincere heart and complete devotion, it may work.
If you start a romance with Nirav, Sundari or another NPC, Aditya will rag you mercilessly- but will be thrilled for you. He will not romance you if you romance someone else- whether they are there in the party or not. If you are a guy and cheat on the woman you are dating, he will tell on you even if he doesn't like the other npc.
Sundari:Sundari is one of the Gandharva elves and a very rare creature indeed. Not only was she born to elven parents, she is a wielder of magick- something practically unheard of in Samsara. While Shamans and Clerics are relatively common (though still quite rare)- a wizard or sorceress is a creature so rare that it breeds wonder in some and extreme mistrust in others.
Sundari is romanceable by male and female NPCs but watch out- though her interest is relatively easy to get, maintaining her interest is hard. Brilliant, pretty and blessed/cursed with a biting wit, Sundari's mind needs constant stimulation. If you slack off, don't be surprised if she cools off.
You will find that she is your most honest sounding board. Unlike Aditya who is inclined to think most things you do are GREAT, and Nirav who really doesn't care what you do (but who you are becoming), Sundari is blunt- in her praise and her criticism. Her eagle eye misses nothing- a glimmer of interest in another NPC or the motivations behind your actions.
If you are romancing someone, expect her to have something frank to say about it. If you are a male romancing an out of party NPC- expect them to display some jealousy that you are traveling with a female elf- even an ultimatum. Sundari will not tell on you unless you cheat on someone she likes.
Even if you treat her badly, Sundari will travel with you unless you fire her. She is level headed enough to understand that the larger goal is bigger than the way the two of you get along. Your companions are apt to treat her partly like a kid who needs protection and sometimes like the know it all elder sister.
Nirav: Nirav as a character scared me, because he is complex and romanceable. I cannot write romances well (even Aditya is being written with the help of my husband), and I was thrilled when Melrinda said she would craft him. From what I have read, I can tell you ladies and gents have a treat in store for them- especially the ladies.
Nirav is a Ranger, though an atypical one. He is large and strong like the Barbarians of the western provinces but never thought of being anything else but a Ranger because he was rescued as a child by one. A man of few words and strong opinions, it is difficult to gain his loyalty, but once you do, it is pretty much unshakeable.
Nirav cares only about his immediate circle, and those beyond that can burn for all he cares. He seems somewhat apathetic, but buried behind that cold, cool facade is a lot of seething anger towards the cowards who slaughtered his village and murdered his parents.
Both good and evil aligned female PCs can romance him, but if you are good, note that each time you take a detour to help strangers, Nirav is likely to get annoyed. You need to have very high speechcraft skills to persuade him to accept the detour. Though you will never "change" him, you can get him to accept you as who you are as long as you do the same for him.
Nirav doesn't care who you romance, though if it is within the party, he will have something typically sardonic to say about it. If you date outside your party, he doesn't really care. If you cheat on your girlfriend, Nirav is not going to be the one who tells on you, though delay his subquest too long and he will leave unless your influence is really high. If you have initiated a romance with Aditya, Nirav will not romance you unless you fire Aditya.
If you romance Nirav, note that he is not the idealistic, we will be together come what may sort. Lose his respect and you lose the romance.
Each of your companions have interjections and personal stories. ALL of them have subquests though it may not be immediately apparent with some of them.
Three of your companions are those you knew when you were young, so expect some history. Two of your mutually exclusive companions meet you for the first time in chapter 2, so they don't know much about your past.
Manav & Chaitanya:
Duing one of your quests, you will be making a choice between the two of them.
Chaitanya: The son of the headman of Hasthi, Chaitanya is a rising star in the Central Provinces militia and is considered to be a shoo-in for joining one of the King's elite units one day. He was raised in the Lawgiver faith and tends to see the world as pitch black and pure white. He has his own subquests. If you don't take Chaitanya into your group, you will still meet him later in act 3 of the first module.
Chaitanya is not romanceable. At least not in this campaign. In Tamas: The Axe of Parashu, he may be. But for this chapter- he is not.
Chaitanya will not approve of any nookie and most romances. He is most scathing about Sundari as he thinks all female elves are of questionable morals. If you are female or male, he will be okay with your romances as long as you have 30 influence with him and you are not engaging in "sinful" behavior. Most of your companions will not get along well with Chaitanya, but having him in your party boosts your reputation significantly. You will also find that Lawgivers are less inclined to be mistrustful of you if you take him along.
It is easiest to gain or lose influence with Chaitanya. If you gain too many points in the Mitraa faction, he will leave the party. He will also leave the party based on your decisions in a key event in chapter 3.
Manav: A man ostracized for loving another man, Manav is in search of his beloved. He is not romanceable by male or female NPCs as his heart strongly and totally belongs to another. Manav is mostly silent, unless the subject of Lawgivers come up when he lets it rip because he has been subjected to so much tumoil on their account. But even his mistrust of the Lawgivers does not compare to the hatred he feels for the Pavitra who kidnapped his lover.
Manav becomes chatty only after you have acquired a lot of influence with him. Do not expect him to trust you until you have proven that your acceptance of him is total and that you are dedicated to his search. Manav has his own subquests and is a spirit shaman. If you gain too much lawgiver points he will leave. He will also leave the party based on your decision in a key event in chapter 3.
Most of your companions like him well enough because he minds his own business. If you date outside the party, you will find that your females either loathe him, or ask him for shopping advice- something that often bewilders him because he is not in any way artistically inclined. Lawgivers will be less inclined to trust you if he is part of your party. If you are female PC- who is usually viewed with mistrust, keep this in mind. However, most quests have alternative paths- so remember if you lose some- you gain others.
Manav, if treated well will eventually become interested and devoted to PC as a person, and not in a romantic or sexual way. However, it is very hard to gain that level of devotion in a man who doesn't trust anyone easily.
Aditya: Your best friend as a child, and now almost pathetically glad to see you- the awkward pudgy boy turned into a strong, capable Paladin. But alas the mischievous streak in him remains intact. Aditya is like a puppy dog, boundless in his enthusiasm, and with a vast open heart.
Aditya does not seem to completely comprehend that both of you are grown up now, and he continues to treat you like both of you were 10 and harassing the ashrama cows all over again. While his enthusiasm and desire to tilt at windmills may be annoying, Aditya's devotion to you- male or female is unparalleled. He will die for you without a second thought.
If you are female and good aligned, Aditya is romanceable. Kind of. Do not expect poetry. Expect some amount of clumsiness and awkwardness in the beginning as he begins to fully comprehend that he is attracted to you. And even after he does, don't expect grace. Remember the puppy dog analogy? Aditya is playful and jocular, and you can banter around with him, but his typical reaction to a pass is fumbling bashfulness. If you can look beyond his goofiness to see the sincere heart and complete devotion, it may work.
If you start a romance with Nirav, Sundari or another NPC, Aditya will rag you mercilessly- but will be thrilled for you. He will not romance you if you romance someone else- whether they are there in the party or not. If you are a guy and cheat on the woman you are dating, he will tell on you even if he doesn't like the other npc.
Sundari:Sundari is one of the Gandharva elves and a very rare creature indeed. Not only was she born to elven parents, she is a wielder of magick- something practically unheard of in Samsara. While Shamans and Clerics are relatively common (though still quite rare)- a wizard or sorceress is a creature so rare that it breeds wonder in some and extreme mistrust in others.
Sundari is romanceable by male and female NPCs but watch out- though her interest is relatively easy to get, maintaining her interest is hard. Brilliant, pretty and blessed/cursed with a biting wit, Sundari's mind needs constant stimulation. If you slack off, don't be surprised if she cools off.
You will find that she is your most honest sounding board. Unlike Aditya who is inclined to think most things you do are GREAT, and Nirav who really doesn't care what you do (but who you are becoming), Sundari is blunt- in her praise and her criticism. Her eagle eye misses nothing- a glimmer of interest in another NPC or the motivations behind your actions.
If you are romancing someone, expect her to have something frank to say about it. If you are a male romancing an out of party NPC- expect them to display some jealousy that you are traveling with a female elf- even an ultimatum. Sundari will not tell on you unless you cheat on someone she likes.
Even if you treat her badly, Sundari will travel with you unless you fire her. She is level headed enough to understand that the larger goal is bigger than the way the two of you get along. Your companions are apt to treat her partly like a kid who needs protection and sometimes like the know it all elder sister.
Nirav: Nirav as a character scared me, because he is complex and romanceable. I cannot write romances well (even Aditya is being written with the help of my husband), and I was thrilled when Melrinda said she would craft him. From what I have read, I can tell you ladies and gents have a treat in store for them- especially the ladies.
Nirav is a Ranger, though an atypical one. He is large and strong like the Barbarians of the western provinces but never thought of being anything else but a Ranger because he was rescued as a child by one. A man of few words and strong opinions, it is difficult to gain his loyalty, but once you do, it is pretty much unshakeable.
Nirav cares only about his immediate circle, and those beyond that can burn for all he cares. He seems somewhat apathetic, but buried behind that cold, cool facade is a lot of seething anger towards the cowards who slaughtered his village and murdered his parents.
Both good and evil aligned female PCs can romance him, but if you are good, note that each time you take a detour to help strangers, Nirav is likely to get annoyed. You need to have very high speechcraft skills to persuade him to accept the detour. Though you will never "change" him, you can get him to accept you as who you are as long as you do the same for him.
Nirav doesn't care who you romance, though if it is within the party, he will have something typically sardonic to say about it. If you date outside your party, he doesn't really care. If you cheat on your girlfriend, Nirav is not going to be the one who tells on you, though delay his subquest too long and he will leave unless your influence is really high. If you have initiated a romance with Aditya, Nirav will not romance you unless you fire Aditya.
If you romance Nirav, note that he is not the idealistic, we will be together come what may sort. Lose his respect and you lose the romance.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Party Henchmen
The game starts off with two having only two henchmen. These henchmen of course will provide assistance in battle but their bigger purpose is not to be henchmen but as guides to the most important purpose of chapter 1.
Though as the mod progresses you will be introduced to other aspects of lore and alignment, the first chapter is designed to immerse you in the entire Lawgiver/Mitraa paradigm and how the world seems from their perspectives. And do so in a non partisan way. I am not pushing an agenda. I am showing that different paths have both good and bad aspects to them. One of the ways I do it is through the main quest. The other- through the henchmen.
Pashupathy is a ranger, and rather famous cult author of books that pertain to using the secrets of the animal kingdom to improve your love (sex) life. Take him and only him in your party, and you will get a Mitraa perspective on things- not canon because the Mitraa are diverse, but a sense of how egalitarianism and a secular attitude can work both in noble ways and horribly vulgar ways.
Himanshu on the other hand is the human side of the Lawgivers. And if you take only him, you will get more lore based information on HOW the Lawgivers percieved the events that led to your quest.
If you take both- you don't get too much info and perspective, but you can talk to them individually and learn about why they are the way they are, and you do get the interactions which are characteristic of what each think of each other. Not just as people but as "factions".
Though you will meet both in later chapters, neither will be a henchman any more after a key event in chapter 1.
It is in chapter 2 that you meet your real companions.
I shall speak more about them in my next blog entry.
Though as the mod progresses you will be introduced to other aspects of lore and alignment, the first chapter is designed to immerse you in the entire Lawgiver/Mitraa paradigm and how the world seems from their perspectives. And do so in a non partisan way. I am not pushing an agenda. I am showing that different paths have both good and bad aspects to them. One of the ways I do it is through the main quest. The other- through the henchmen.
Pashupathy is a ranger, and rather famous cult author of books that pertain to using the secrets of the animal kingdom to improve your love (sex) life. Take him and only him in your party, and you will get a Mitraa perspective on things- not canon because the Mitraa are diverse, but a sense of how egalitarianism and a secular attitude can work both in noble ways and horribly vulgar ways.
Himanshu on the other hand is the human side of the Lawgivers. And if you take only him, you will get more lore based information on HOW the Lawgivers percieved the events that led to your quest.
If you take both- you don't get too much info and perspective, but you can talk to them individually and learn about why they are the way they are, and you do get the interactions which are characteristic of what each think of each other. Not just as people but as "factions".
Though you will meet both in later chapters, neither will be a henchman any more after a key event in chapter 1.
It is in chapter 2 that you meet your real companions.
I shall speak more about them in my next blog entry.
Friday, July 25, 2008
More on Alignment
I have given an illustration of how the Lawgiver and Mitraa alignments work. A brief recap:
Alignments:
Lawgiver: Only one path, only one way. Following the rules of society. Collectivism over individualism. Can be good or evil.
For example- if a clanless dude happens to be walking out at day because he needs help finding an herb to save his kid, but societal rules forbid him from venturing outside his settlement except under the cover of darkness. A good-aligned lawgiver sort will say, here is a compromise- I don't want you walking the streets (against the societal law) so please go home, but I will help you find that herb and bring it to you. Both our problems are solved.
An adherence to societal law to such an extent that altruism and compassion take a back seat is not the act of a good aligned lawgiver. So the guy who says, go home and if your kid dies so be it, is a lawgiver but not a good aligned one.
Mitraa: Everyone has their own path. Humanitarian rules- general ethics over societal rules where it applies. Individualism over collectivism. Can be good or evil
For example- remember that clanless guy. An evil mitraa will encourage him to wander the streets and find the herb- rules be damned. A good Mitraa may offer to help because he is human too and no societal rules should interfere with the individual's need to better his circumstances. A guy who encourages flouting society's rules for the sake of it, is not a good aligned mitraa. A guy who will support it if it interferes with a person's happiness - is.
Complicated isn't it?
It gets far more complex.
Ganas (Types)
Ganas simply put refers to the sphere of influence over an individual. If a person is governed only by their own interests, passions and the like- he is of the Rakshasa gana. If his circle of influence includes friends, family, fellow natives, then he is a Manav gana, where he seeks to protect those he cares about. The Deva gana is an oddball. To him the entire world is his family and he seeks the welfare of the entire world equally, or the largest possible group there of.
Think of it this way. You just discovered your dad killed someone. A Rakshasa gana wouldn't care because it doesn't concern him. The Manav gana will try and protect his father from justice or harm. The Deva gana will turn in his dad because his dad committed a sin against humanity.
Conversely, you are in a battle and your family got attacked in their home by a group of raiders. The Rakshasa gana may act to protect his own skin- stay in the battle if he has better chances there, or abandon both if need be. The Manava gana abandons the battle and runs to protect his family. The Deva gana fights on even if it means his family gets slain, so that other families don't face the sorrow he does.
It is said each human has some of the above in them, forming a dominant type of person. Most people have some Manav tendencies, but the predominant tendency will mark you as one "type"
Gunas:
Every act belongs to three types. Those done out of compassion, those that are of passion, and those that are from apathy/ignorance. This is a tricky one.
All acts of altruism are good-aligned acts. There are no "but your help caused him to get lazy" arguments. Acts are not judged by their repurcussions but their purpose.
Satvik: A Satvik person shall always attempt the most non violent act possible because his compassion extends to all. Remember the Deva gana? This is the trait that most closely aligns with it. He will use violence only when absolutely neccessary and views the entire world through an egalitarian lens. He is as altruistic with a stranger, as he is with his closest friends.
Tamasic: Ever turned down a quest because you were not interested? Sorry, but your lack of interest in the suffering of others is a Tamasic act. Apathetic acts, or treating others and self with disinterest, not being actively involved in life, and your surroundings...or to put it in layman's terms having a "meh" attitude to life is Tamasic.
Rajasic: This is the most complex of all gunas because from it comes acts of great heroism, as well as pointless aggression. Simply put, this is the force that fuels the passion and the activity in you. If you are a Rajasic person, you always take the path of action, over the path of diplomacy, compromise or laziness/apathy. The trick is, did you do it for yourself, or did you do it for others. A belligerent bully who beats up others to show they are boss, or a man who intimidates, taunts or uses violence to achieve self-centric goals is showing his Rajasic nature negatively. A man who shows no mercy to baddies, beats up those who otherwise torments, hurts or harms his friends and family is showing positive Rajasic tendencies.
Here is an example of how it works.
Your sister comes home crying that her boyfriend hit her. The Rajasic person will go and beat the guy up either for beating his sister or because he dared to hit HIS sister (there is a difference). The Tamasic person will not care. His sister needs to take care of herself, anyway. He will get his sister out of the situation yes, but he will not abandon the boyfriend. He may try to discern if he can help that guy too in some way. Maybe a stint at the monastery will help him learn anger management?
Conversely, if the Kingdom goes to war, and his tribe tries to slaughter a village of innocent civilians, the Rajasic may not intervene but the Satvik might.
Think of it as all humanity is equal (Satvik), People I care about /I>Humanity (Rajasic), Humanity=0 (Tamasic)
Now if you have found that you have acted most in a Satvik way, you are becoming a Deva Gana person. To a Mitraa, that is an ideal. You have put humanity above a smaller group of individuals. The good aligned Rajasic person who puts family/village/specific God above all considerations is a Lawgiver Ideal. You are showing the tendency to protect those that matter over those that don't. The evil-aligned Rajasic person is mistrusted because he cares about nought but himself. Everyone hates the Tamasic person because they cannot count on them in any situation.
How this gets reflected in Gameplay:
If you are envisioning long dialogue trees with options for each one of the above, don't worry. That is not going to happen. Some quests will have only a satvik component to be gained. Others neither. It is not like everything you say or do reflects on you in multiple ways. It happens over time. It is cummulative over several quests. It is only at set points in the game where you can evaluate what you have done and where you stand, though each time you have made a Satvik, Tamasic, Rajasic (negative or positive), Lawgiver-like or Mitraa-like response- you will get feedback that you did.
Given that this is complex, you will get a chance at the end of the first chapter to erase your score book and start anew if you wish to. The first chapter is like a tutorial where you can explore how some responses have the effects they do and try to get a sense of it. When you stand up for your guardian when someone insults her- you will notice that your rajasic positive increases. When you act disinterested in anyone's plight, and refuse to help, you will notice that the game notices. And when you act in such a way that you honor an individual's desires over societal rules, or societal rules over individual need, or even HOW you word your compromise, it will be reflected as well. And once you think you have a sense of it, you get the chance to renew and restart in chapter 2.
Alignments:
Lawgiver: Only one path, only one way. Following the rules of society. Collectivism over individualism. Can be good or evil.
For example- if a clanless dude happens to be walking out at day because he needs help finding an herb to save his kid, but societal rules forbid him from venturing outside his settlement except under the cover of darkness. A good-aligned lawgiver sort will say, here is a compromise- I don't want you walking the streets (against the societal law) so please go home, but I will help you find that herb and bring it to you. Both our problems are solved.
An adherence to societal law to such an extent that altruism and compassion take a back seat is not the act of a good aligned lawgiver. So the guy who says, go home and if your kid dies so be it, is a lawgiver but not a good aligned one.
Mitraa: Everyone has their own path. Humanitarian rules- general ethics over societal rules where it applies. Individualism over collectivism. Can be good or evil
For example- remember that clanless guy. An evil mitraa will encourage him to wander the streets and find the herb- rules be damned. A good Mitraa may offer to help because he is human too and no societal rules should interfere with the individual's need to better his circumstances. A guy who encourages flouting society's rules for the sake of it, is not a good aligned mitraa. A guy who will support it if it interferes with a person's happiness - is.
Complicated isn't it?
It gets far more complex.
Ganas (Types)
Ganas simply put refers to the sphere of influence over an individual. If a person is governed only by their own interests, passions and the like- he is of the Rakshasa gana. If his circle of influence includes friends, family, fellow natives, then he is a Manav gana, where he seeks to protect those he cares about. The Deva gana is an oddball. To him the entire world is his family and he seeks the welfare of the entire world equally, or the largest possible group there of.
Think of it this way. You just discovered your dad killed someone. A Rakshasa gana wouldn't care because it doesn't concern him. The Manav gana will try and protect his father from justice or harm. The Deva gana will turn in his dad because his dad committed a sin against humanity.
Conversely, you are in a battle and your family got attacked in their home by a group of raiders. The Rakshasa gana may act to protect his own skin- stay in the battle if he has better chances there, or abandon both if need be. The Manava gana abandons the battle and runs to protect his family. The Deva gana fights on even if it means his family gets slain, so that other families don't face the sorrow he does.
It is said each human has some of the above in them, forming a dominant type of person. Most people have some Manav tendencies, but the predominant tendency will mark you as one "type"
Gunas:
Every act belongs to three types. Those done out of compassion, those that are of passion, and those that are from apathy/ignorance. This is a tricky one.
All acts of altruism are good-aligned acts. There are no "but your help caused him to get lazy" arguments. Acts are not judged by their repurcussions but their purpose.
Satvik: A Satvik person shall always attempt the most non violent act possible because his compassion extends to all. Remember the Deva gana? This is the trait that most closely aligns with it. He will use violence only when absolutely neccessary and views the entire world through an egalitarian lens. He is as altruistic with a stranger, as he is with his closest friends.
Tamasic: Ever turned down a quest because you were not interested? Sorry, but your lack of interest in the suffering of others is a Tamasic act. Apathetic acts, or treating others and self with disinterest, not being actively involved in life, and your surroundings...or to put it in layman's terms having a "meh" attitude to life is Tamasic.
Rajasic: This is the most complex of all gunas because from it comes acts of great heroism, as well as pointless aggression. Simply put, this is the force that fuels the passion and the activity in you. If you are a Rajasic person, you always take the path of action, over the path of diplomacy, compromise or laziness/apathy. The trick is, did you do it for yourself, or did you do it for others. A belligerent bully who beats up others to show they are boss, or a man who intimidates, taunts or uses violence to achieve self-centric goals is showing his Rajasic nature negatively. A man who shows no mercy to baddies, beats up those who otherwise torments, hurts or harms his friends and family is showing positive Rajasic tendencies.
Here is an example of how it works.
Your sister comes home crying that her boyfriend hit her. The Rajasic person will go and beat the guy up either for beating his sister or because he dared to hit HIS sister (there is a difference). The Tamasic person will not care. His sister needs to take care of herself, anyway. He will get his sister out of the situation yes, but he will not abandon the boyfriend. He may try to discern if he can help that guy too in some way. Maybe a stint at the monastery will help him learn anger management?
Conversely, if the Kingdom goes to war, and his tribe tries to slaughter a village of innocent civilians, the Rajasic may not intervene but the Satvik might.
Think of it as all humanity is equal (Satvik), People I care about /I>Humanity (Rajasic), Humanity=0 (Tamasic)
Now if you have found that you have acted most in a Satvik way, you are becoming a Deva Gana person. To a Mitraa, that is an ideal. You have put humanity above a smaller group of individuals. The good aligned Rajasic person who puts family/village/specific God above all considerations is a Lawgiver Ideal. You are showing the tendency to protect those that matter over those that don't. The evil-aligned Rajasic person is mistrusted because he cares about nought but himself. Everyone hates the Tamasic person because they cannot count on them in any situation.
How this gets reflected in Gameplay:
If you are envisioning long dialogue trees with options for each one of the above, don't worry. That is not going to happen. Some quests will have only a satvik component to be gained. Others neither. It is not like everything you say or do reflects on you in multiple ways. It happens over time. It is cummulative over several quests. It is only at set points in the game where you can evaluate what you have done and where you stand, though each time you have made a Satvik, Tamasic, Rajasic (negative or positive), Lawgiver-like or Mitraa-like response- you will get feedback that you did.
Given that this is complex, you will get a chance at the end of the first chapter to erase your score book and start anew if you wish to. The first chapter is like a tutorial where you can explore how some responses have the effects they do and try to get a sense of it. When you stand up for your guardian when someone insults her- you will notice that your rajasic positive increases. When you act disinterested in anyone's plight, and refuse to help, you will notice that the game notices. And when you act in such a way that you honor an individual's desires over societal rules, or societal rules over individual need, or even HOW you word your compromise, it will be reflected as well. And once you think you have a sense of it, you get the chance to renew and restart in chapter 2.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Provinces
Samsara is divided into five provinces.
1. Northern Provinces: The northern provinces extends from the Dronagiri mountains to the beginning of the Vindhya hills. It is the second largest province in the Kingdom, but perhaps the most important. It is here that the epic (some say mythical) battle between Ajeya and the Naga chieftain Nidraloka took place, and here is where the capital of Samsara is. It was originally called Ektaa or unity but no one calls it that anymore. As the freed slaves built their city, they strove to make it so wondrous that anyone who saw it, gushed that it looked like Gods lived there. The image stuck and people started refering to it as "Devanagari" or the city of the Gods.
Devanagari is home to the Palace of King Druta as well as the Sama building - the building where the councils meet and usually argue endlessly over nothing.
The Northern provinces also are the place where gems and gold are mined at the foothills of the Dronagiri mountains. They have recently started exporting gems to various foreign countries, including Kao Tur and Shou Lung, in exchange for silks. The hottest export these days is little dogs from Shou Lung that the noblewomen of Samsara absolutely adore.
The northerners pride themselves on being politically sophisticated and cosmopolitan. Though the southern provinces produce much of the culture, only the best managed to get the the northern provinces and they have access to the very finest of art and culture. They are always the first to know about any political happenings, and of course, if the KING choses to live there, they think their province is very fine thank you very much. They share a natural affinity with the southern provinces, who they will claim are "second best" as they are known to be intellectual and cultured and save their most bitter scorn for the people of the Western provinces, whom they dismiss as uncouth boors.
Their council representative is a man once famous for his diplomatic solutions that once prevented a war with Thay- Kabira. Kabira is also the author of the book "Sama, Dana, Bheda, Danda" or "Negotiate, bribe, create conflict, punish" which is considered an authoritative book on the art of negotiation.
2. Eastern Provinces: The rich delta crisscrossed by seven rivers that seem to take fertile soil from the entire country and dump it on their plains is THE biggest province in Samsara. And if you eat anything in Samsara, chances are atleast part of it grew here. The people here are simple, hardworking, and pious almost to an extreme. Labor and Rudra are their only two passions, and you won't see them engaging in gossip or speculation. The most famous city here is Bhakti, the city of a hundred temples, which is also the capital city of the province.
The simple, devout natures of the Eastern provinces means that they are often at odds with most of the other provinces, though they will tolerate the central provinces. Afterall, the central provinces make selling and trading a lot easier and have brought them a lot of prosperity. However, they mistrust everyone else, reserving true hatred only for the southern provinces of whom they are convinced each citizen is a godless, sinful, horrid human being sure to be reborn as the lowest of beasts. Maybe pigs.Eastern provinces are completely Lawgiver territory and even tactful, polite disagreement with their principles will win you some hostility. While they are far too devout to act violently, expect your conversation to come to a sudden, non -negotiable and absolute halt.
Their representative is the highly pious Lawgiver priest Chaturvedi. Chaturvedi is known to have facilitated fifteen thousand conversions in his youth.
3. Central Provinces: The central provinces are surrounded by sea on two sides, and by a network of rivers making it a trade hub for both internal and international trade. Their capital, the city of Ratnagiri (the Hill of Jewels) is home to the Trade council building and is the second largest city in the kingdom. Only Devanagri is larger.
Though Ratnagiri reigns supreme, a smaller town named Hasthi is coming into some prominence as it lies half way between both the eastern and southern provinces and Ratnagiri. Many travelers prefer to rest here and buy supplies before going on to Ratnagiri. Since Hasthi is cheaper, and also amneable to trade in old fashioned caravans that travel by road, the military has invested a fair bit of money here.
The people here are wont to be a tad abrupt, and speak their mind plainly. It is considered better for trade to be upfront with your thoughts and most have no patience for small talk or meandering discussions. However, since they are exposed to the widest variety of races, and nationalities they tend to be most accepting of people different from them. As a result, many foreigners can be found here living among the Samsarans. The Central provinces do not have any affinity with any other province, and though they view them with faint condescension, their contempt is more drama than seriously held convictions.
Their representative is the legendary Chanakya, the foremost authority on the sensitive subject of Economics. His treatiste - Arthashastra is required reading for anyone seeking to pursue trade as a profession.
4. Southern provinces: For people who live among pretty beaches and tropical, warm sunshine, the southerners are anything but easy going. Fiercely idealistic and almost militantly egalitarian, the southerners combine some commendable attributes with some very antagonistic ones. On the positive side, most of them grow steeped in culture and intellectual debate. They cherish ideals like the freedom of expression and the freedom of belief. On the negative side, they are always the spoil sports, finding fault with EVERYTHING others do. They don't take sides, and are more apt to criticize their King than support him. Southerners do not send any of their citizens to join the army.
Southerners are the polar opposite of the eastern provinces. Religion is often viewed as a philosophic attitude, and they rarely stand for anything- prefering to argue against everything or arguing for it, depending on their whims. This is strongly Mitraa territory, and Lawgivers are viewed with so much contempt most of them won't even deign to talk to you if you follow that philosophy. Southerners get along fine with the northern provinces as they see them as fellows in the pursuit of art and culture, but curiously, a strong and unusual bond has been created between them and the war-like westerners. Though they are "bereft" of culture, the southerners always support them as they admire their tough independent attitude.
Their capital city- Kalinga is an exciting city for those interested in architecture and the arts. They have more universities than any other province, and their representative is a woman (which caused half of the Eastern province to explode in outrage) named Vac. Vac (pronounced Vah-awk) is a formidable seeker whose speciality is anu shakti, which can loosely be described as the power of the atom. If she existed in modern ages, her profession would be described as some ancient, archiac form of molecular physics. However, she is more famous for the furious debates she has with Pundit Chaturvedi in the Sama council. These debates get so heated that common citizens who are absolutely uninterested in politics go to watch the proceedings purely for the theatrics.
6. Western provinces: Western provinces are described by northerners as the "armpit of samsara" and from a geographical point of view, this may be true. Everything about the western provinces is hostile - from the dense jungles, to the hostile wildlife. The westerners have had to fight off nagas, beels, predators, and unfriendly foreigners. They have had to survive droughts and flood. And eke out a living on sour soil and turbulent, treacherous waters. As a result, westerners are exceedingly tough. Children, both male and female are trained in arms as soon as they are old enough to weild a weapon and they grow up to be prized recruits for the Military. It is estimated that nearly 60% of the army is comprised of someone with atleast one parent from the western provinces. The commander of the military Gambheera is from the western provinces and the man he replaced- Jambhavan is currently the head of the western council.
There are no big towns in the western provinces, and they produce nothing of value. But in addition to the soldiers they provide in copious amounts, they are well known for another skill. Their boatmen- the charans who learn from navigating the brutal waters of the Pranshula rapids are considered the most hardy and skilled boatsmen in the world and are often employed by traders.
Westerners however do not see themselves as part of the Kingdom in any intimate way. Their participation in the military is not seen as a duty but as a "job". Bravery comes easily to them, but service does not. There have been talks of breaking away from Samsara to have their own country that is independent from Samsaran rule, and the southern province have been supportive of this. However, it has not gained popularity among the more powerful members of western province society, so this is not a big concern at this moment.
Westerners are suspicious of all foreigners except Dwarfs. Dwarfs stood by them during the Battle of Saptagiri (seven hills) and died alongside them as they defended the first seven settlements in the region against Beel tribes. Elves are particularily disliked as they are seen as shiftless and loyal only to coin, something the westerners loathe. The animosity between the westerners and northerners is also well known as both are exceedingly dismissive of each other. Westerners will tolerate southerners...barely, but will not form friendships easily with any other province member.
1. Northern Provinces: The northern provinces extends from the Dronagiri mountains to the beginning of the Vindhya hills. It is the second largest province in the Kingdom, but perhaps the most important. It is here that the epic (some say mythical) battle between Ajeya and the Naga chieftain Nidraloka took place, and here is where the capital of Samsara is. It was originally called Ektaa or unity but no one calls it that anymore. As the freed slaves built their city, they strove to make it so wondrous that anyone who saw it, gushed that it looked like Gods lived there. The image stuck and people started refering to it as "Devanagari" or the city of the Gods.
Devanagari is home to the Palace of King Druta as well as the Sama building - the building where the councils meet and usually argue endlessly over nothing.
The Northern provinces also are the place where gems and gold are mined at the foothills of the Dronagiri mountains. They have recently started exporting gems to various foreign countries, including Kao Tur and Shou Lung, in exchange for silks. The hottest export these days is little dogs from Shou Lung that the noblewomen of Samsara absolutely adore.
The northerners pride themselves on being politically sophisticated and cosmopolitan. Though the southern provinces produce much of the culture, only the best managed to get the the northern provinces and they have access to the very finest of art and culture. They are always the first to know about any political happenings, and of course, if the KING choses to live there, they think their province is very fine thank you very much. They share a natural affinity with the southern provinces, who they will claim are "second best" as they are known to be intellectual and cultured and save their most bitter scorn for the people of the Western provinces, whom they dismiss as uncouth boors.
Their council representative is a man once famous for his diplomatic solutions that once prevented a war with Thay- Kabira. Kabira is also the author of the book "Sama, Dana, Bheda, Danda" or "Negotiate, bribe, create conflict, punish" which is considered an authoritative book on the art of negotiation.
2. Eastern Provinces: The rich delta crisscrossed by seven rivers that seem to take fertile soil from the entire country and dump it on their plains is THE biggest province in Samsara. And if you eat anything in Samsara, chances are atleast part of it grew here. The people here are simple, hardworking, and pious almost to an extreme. Labor and Rudra are their only two passions, and you won't see them engaging in gossip or speculation. The most famous city here is Bhakti, the city of a hundred temples, which is also the capital city of the province.
The simple, devout natures of the Eastern provinces means that they are often at odds with most of the other provinces, though they will tolerate the central provinces. Afterall, the central provinces make selling and trading a lot easier and have brought them a lot of prosperity. However, they mistrust everyone else, reserving true hatred only for the southern provinces of whom they are convinced each citizen is a godless, sinful, horrid human being sure to be reborn as the lowest of beasts. Maybe pigs.Eastern provinces are completely Lawgiver territory and even tactful, polite disagreement with their principles will win you some hostility. While they are far too devout to act violently, expect your conversation to come to a sudden, non -negotiable and absolute halt.
Their representative is the highly pious Lawgiver priest Chaturvedi. Chaturvedi is known to have facilitated fifteen thousand conversions in his youth.
3. Central Provinces: The central provinces are surrounded by sea on two sides, and by a network of rivers making it a trade hub for both internal and international trade. Their capital, the city of Ratnagiri (the Hill of Jewels) is home to the Trade council building and is the second largest city in the kingdom. Only Devanagri is larger.
Though Ratnagiri reigns supreme, a smaller town named Hasthi is coming into some prominence as it lies half way between both the eastern and southern provinces and Ratnagiri. Many travelers prefer to rest here and buy supplies before going on to Ratnagiri. Since Hasthi is cheaper, and also amneable to trade in old fashioned caravans that travel by road, the military has invested a fair bit of money here.
The people here are wont to be a tad abrupt, and speak their mind plainly. It is considered better for trade to be upfront with your thoughts and most have no patience for small talk or meandering discussions. However, since they are exposed to the widest variety of races, and nationalities they tend to be most accepting of people different from them. As a result, many foreigners can be found here living among the Samsarans. The Central provinces do not have any affinity with any other province, and though they view them with faint condescension, their contempt is more drama than seriously held convictions.
Their representative is the legendary Chanakya, the foremost authority on the sensitive subject of Economics. His treatiste - Arthashastra is required reading for anyone seeking to pursue trade as a profession.
4. Southern provinces: For people who live among pretty beaches and tropical, warm sunshine, the southerners are anything but easy going. Fiercely idealistic and almost militantly egalitarian, the southerners combine some commendable attributes with some very antagonistic ones. On the positive side, most of them grow steeped in culture and intellectual debate. They cherish ideals like the freedom of expression and the freedom of belief. On the negative side, they are always the spoil sports, finding fault with EVERYTHING others do. They don't take sides, and are more apt to criticize their King than support him. Southerners do not send any of their citizens to join the army.
Southerners are the polar opposite of the eastern provinces. Religion is often viewed as a philosophic attitude, and they rarely stand for anything- prefering to argue against everything or arguing for it, depending on their whims. This is strongly Mitraa territory, and Lawgivers are viewed with so much contempt most of them won't even deign to talk to you if you follow that philosophy. Southerners get along fine with the northern provinces as they see them as fellows in the pursuit of art and culture, but curiously, a strong and unusual bond has been created between them and the war-like westerners. Though they are "bereft" of culture, the southerners always support them as they admire their tough independent attitude.
Their capital city- Kalinga is an exciting city for those interested in architecture and the arts. They have more universities than any other province, and their representative is a woman (which caused half of the Eastern province to explode in outrage) named Vac. Vac (pronounced Vah-awk) is a formidable seeker whose speciality is anu shakti, which can loosely be described as the power of the atom. If she existed in modern ages, her profession would be described as some ancient, archiac form of molecular physics. However, she is more famous for the furious debates she has with Pundit Chaturvedi in the Sama council. These debates get so heated that common citizens who are absolutely uninterested in politics go to watch the proceedings purely for the theatrics.
6. Western provinces: Western provinces are described by northerners as the "armpit of samsara" and from a geographical point of view, this may be true. Everything about the western provinces is hostile - from the dense jungles, to the hostile wildlife. The westerners have had to fight off nagas, beels, predators, and unfriendly foreigners. They have had to survive droughts and flood. And eke out a living on sour soil and turbulent, treacherous waters. As a result, westerners are exceedingly tough. Children, both male and female are trained in arms as soon as they are old enough to weild a weapon and they grow up to be prized recruits for the Military. It is estimated that nearly 60% of the army is comprised of someone with atleast one parent from the western provinces. The commander of the military Gambheera is from the western provinces and the man he replaced- Jambhavan is currently the head of the western council.
There are no big towns in the western provinces, and they produce nothing of value. But in addition to the soldiers they provide in copious amounts, they are well known for another skill. Their boatmen- the charans who learn from navigating the brutal waters of the Pranshula rapids are considered the most hardy and skilled boatsmen in the world and are often employed by traders.
Westerners however do not see themselves as part of the Kingdom in any intimate way. Their participation in the military is not seen as a duty but as a "job". Bravery comes easily to them, but service does not. There have been talks of breaking away from Samsara to have their own country that is independent from Samsaran rule, and the southern province have been supportive of this. However, it has not gained popularity among the more powerful members of western province society, so this is not a big concern at this moment.
Westerners are suspicious of all foreigners except Dwarfs. Dwarfs stood by them during the Battle of Saptagiri (seven hills) and died alongside them as they defended the first seven settlements in the region against Beel tribes. Elves are particularily disliked as they are seen as shiftless and loyal only to coin, something the westerners loathe. The animosity between the westerners and northerners is also well known as both are exceedingly dismissive of each other. Westerners will tolerate southerners...barely, but will not form friendships easily with any other province member.
Rudaali - a visual tour
Nestled among the rolling Vindhya hills of the lower central provinces is the small village of Rudaali. This is where you have spent most of your childhood, though Lopamudra's rigorous training has always ensured you were always a tad isolated from much of what was happening in the village. However, everyone here knows you, and most even admire you for being someone who can wield a blade. None of them can, and none of them really want to except maybe for the ever anxious Vijay, the sole and underappreciated member of the village militia. A veteran of the Eastern Rebellions, he is always worried that an attack is imminent on the village. Most villagers see him as a bit of a joke.
Rudaali was founded fifty years ago when two nomadic tribes merged. Their respective heads decided to share leadership and that has worked out well for them. The headman Shankar is the man villagers run to with their problems when they expect a sympathetic ear, or a shoulder to cry on. The village woman Malati is someone they rely on to solve their problems. Between Shankar's kind heart and bumbling ineptitude, and Malati's caustic tongue but ruthless efficiency, Rudaali has hummed along smoothly and prosperously for half a century.
Rudaali does not really get attention from most of the empire. Its soil is too rocky to grow any crops, and the rapidly flowing rivers yield a bony and slender fish that not even the most desperate would eat. Rudaali knows no threat from beast or men that merits military attention, nor do their people have any artistic skills that would attract the beady eyes of traders. Thus, it is the closest to tranquility as can be expected in an empire often plagued by minor and major problems. People can roam freely in the woods, for the wolves are stuffed with prey aplenty, and bandits don't even bother to venture there. The only ones paying attention to Rudaali are the ever persistent Lawgivers who have been trying for years to convert its folk to the Righteous worship of Rudra. The people have stayed firm to their worship of Chandi Maa, the Mother Goddess who is also called the Goddess of the Plague. The village Priest Ved is a passive, gentle man who has yet to say a harsh word about anything. In fact, you have never even seen him express a strong opinion. That is unusual for Rudaalis are known to be highly outspoken, and almost offensively articulate people as is typical of most of the people of the Central Provinces, who lack the tact of the northern provinces, the intellect of the southern provinces, the taciturn reserve of the western provinces, or the simpler natures of the easterners who they are likely to dismiss as the fakers, effetes, barbarians and retards, respectively.
Just north of Rudaali are the crumbling ruins of an ancient temple. No one knows who the temple was dedicated to, and people are scared of venturing inside. Though people have peeked inside, and even explored the empty interior hall, there are whispers that some terrible evil rests within. However the exterior area with its tinkling waterfall and gurgling river is considered one of the prettiest places around the village and romantically inclined couples often go there in spring to ...um...admire the birds. However, it is nearing winter now, and you needn't fear rustling any busy folk from the Bandini bushes.
If you venture further north up the ruins, you will see the Rudaali woods. The Rudaali woods were once an important Trade route to Hasthi, a bustling trade town halfway to Ratnagiri (the trade capital of Samsara), but as more and more traders prefer to take the river, it has fallen to neglect. An old inn still stands there with faint hints of its once vibrant past. The few animals that lurk here are absolutely uninterested in you as prey, though if you happen to see a bear with a cub, you may want to stay away. Remember always, it is considered a sin to kill an animal for sport in Samsara.
Apart from the ramshackle inn, you may find stray travelers and timber harvesters. However, the woods are not known for any activity. Some villagers have spoken about a woodland cabin with an important looking stranger living within, but that is something you are going to have to investigate yourself.
The rolling Vindhya hills give way to the Ekadanta pass, once the only way to travel across the Central provinces. However, as I mentioned before, the Parag river meanders around the hills and makes for a far more pleasant journey than trudging through the rather formidable mountain pass. The few people who dare to make this journey travel in large groups for there are rumors of bandits desperate enough to prey on those so poor they cannot afford even the astoundingly cheap River Ferry.
The Ekadanta pass takes you to the outskirts of the bustling trade town of Hasthi, which is half way to Ratnagiri. Most traders tend to stop and pick up supplies there and enjoy a bit of old fashioned hospitality and old fashioned prices before they head to the extravangantly priced Trade Capital.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Beta testing
Gee, I wonder if anyone even reads this. Because sometimes writing in this feels like talking to my cat. But if you do, I have an update.
For those of you with whom I correspond regularily, you will know that my mod got corrupted. Again. But this time I recreated all the areas and quests that I had done so far. Chapter 1 is almost complete and though it is an "intro chapter", it is a long and complex one, and I could do with some help testing it. If you are interested, and can spare the time starting next weekend, please let me know and I'd love your assistance.
Again, please understand that there are only 2 of us working on the first chapter, so it may be quite buggy in terms of conversations. Any advice, thoughts, feedback will also be appreciated, so please don't think you will only be correcting spellos and the like.
I can be contacted through Bioware's PM system. That is the most reliable way to get me.
For those of you with whom I correspond regularily, you will know that my mod got corrupted. Again. But this time I recreated all the areas and quests that I had done so far. Chapter 1 is almost complete and though it is an "intro chapter", it is a long and complex one, and I could do with some help testing it. If you are interested, and can spare the time starting next weekend, please let me know and I'd love your assistance.
Again, please understand that there are only 2 of us working on the first chapter, so it may be quite buggy in terms of conversations. Any advice, thoughts, feedback will also be appreciated, so please don't think you will only be correcting spellos and the like.
I can be contacted through Bioware's PM system. That is the most reliable way to get me.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Religion
Since Samsara was created from so much diversity, people are often surprised that religion has become so divisive an element here. There is a reason, and it all ties back to the Plague of the Smiling Death.
The Smiling Death wrecked havoc on Samsara twenty years ago. It spread fast and especially favored children. As parents cremated their offspring, there was at first solidarity and failies gathered together to comfort and aid each other in their time of need. But as some families remained untouched by the plague, it was perhaps understandable that some parents felt anger that some families still had their children while they had lost theirs.
The general philosophy that was dominant at that time preached acceptance of all circumstances - fortunate and unfortunate as part of life. Some people could not accept it. They sought succor with preachers who had more radical views. The Lawgivers were all monotheistic, and believed that unfortunate things happen only when people veer from the way of the one true God and what He willed of his people. For years they had existed as one of the three hundred types of faiths in Samsara, except for one vital caveat- you had to "convert" into their faith, and you were born into others.
To be fair, the Lawgivers never preached violence, or that their members carry out justice in Rudra's name. However, some of their more "radical" preachers did not toe the line. They preached of the great evil that had been brought on this land because of the acceptance of other false faiths, and encouraged their flock to seek out and slaughter the worshippers of false Gods. The Lawgivers excommunicated these Priests, but it was too late. Many people were struck with a combination of grief, envy and anger, and were rallied into blood thirsty mobs. The excommunicated Priests thumbed their nose at the Lawgivers and named themselves the Pavitra- (The Pure) and remain to this day a radical organization which uses violence to achieve their aim of a world that worships Rudra and Rudra alone.
But the mob was energized and they clashed in the streets. Thousands more were killed. The King was fearful of intervention as it was impossible to tell who was protector and who was killer. Lawgivers advocated protection through subterfuge. They opened their temples to anyone seeking protection and shielded them from attackers. But the Mitraa- a secular coalition of faiths dedicated to protecting people from religious persecution did not agree. They insisted that only direct intervention could save the most innocent- the children. Defying the will of the people, and the King, they went out to rescue children, and shed blood- innocent and blighted alike. Though they saved many lives, the fact that they caused so many to fall earned them disrepute. They returned to a hostile kingdom that demanded that they go into exile.
The Mitraa released the children to their families or surviving relatives and the official word was that they disbanded entirely. But unknown to all, some of the few prominant members of the Mitraa remained in their Ashrama stronghold. There they sought out permission from some parents so that they may train a few children whom they had discovered had exceptional talents. Given the Asharam system, many parents agreed, and these children, about 35 in number trained under the legendary Guru Durvasa and his powerful fellows.
Then, slightly more than a decade ago, the Ashrama was attacked by a band of young men bearing the banner of the Pavitra. They were easily defeated, but worried about the safety of the children, the Mitraa entrusted each of their children to a guardian best suited to them and asked the guardians to split and scatter throughout the land. They were entrusted with three responsibilities- to protect the children with their lives, to train them to be the best warriors they could be, and to bring them back to a safe location when the year of Ekagriti dawned.
Around this time, three things happened that changed the religious landscape. The King lost his only child and heir and the kigndom quickly sobered. He then converted to the Lawgiver philosophy which settled many of the aggreieved who believed the King would never understand their faith, and lastly, the Lawgivers gained vast power and were able to quell the Pavitra.
Lawgivers are now the most powerful religion in the land and try their best to quell what they believe are false faiths. Fortunately, the Lawgivers do this by diplomacy and spreading the ideals of their faith instead of violence. Large pockets of other faiths remain throughout the northern and central provinces, but the Eastern provinces are almost entirely of the Lawgiver faith. The southern and Western provinces, smaller provinces are not strong Lawgiver strongholds. Expect resistance in these areas if you choose to become a Lawgiver, and strong support in the Northern and Eastern provinces. Expect the exact opposite if you choose to be a Mitraa. And if you go neutral, expect many to think a tad less of you as someone with no conviction.
Mitraa now no longer refers to the Secular army alone. People of other faiths often refer to themselves as the Mitraa to indicate that they are secular and they will fight for the right to maintain their own faith and for the freedom for other people to do the same.
The key differences between the two. Mitraa is basically the ultimate expression fo secular faith. They believe your actions are more critical than your beliefs, and that all faiths- even the most craven and horrifying must be accepted as long as they don't cause direct harm to others. The Lawgivers are monotheistic. They believe that unless there is codified behavior, people will fall into sin. So, they have more rules and laws to ensure people lead righteous lives. Their followers tend to be pious and law abiding, and rarely cause any trouble. They are also slightly concerned about the fates of those who have not discovered Rudra as they genuinely believe they have no chance of Salvation without him.
Both believe that the human soul is eternal and is reborn unless it has mastered the lessons of life. If it attains mastery, it attains Salvation and becomes one with the Great Spirit (or Rudra) and never needs to be reborn. If it does not, it is reborn and given another chance. The key difference here is that Lawgivers believe that all that is needed for mastery is a life that is led with strict adherence to what Rudra recommends for all mankind. The Mitraa tends to believe that everyone has their own individual will and path and will not be judged on their beliefs or on the basis of common ground.
The Mitraa belives of "God" as a formless, genderless entity they refer to as the "Great Spirit". It is beyond all dualities of Good and Evil and everything emanates from It. This reflects in their philosophies where life is a balance between elements of Satvik, Rajasic and Tamasic and all people are equal in the eyes of their creator. The Lawgivers envision the "Tawny Skinned, Matted haired Rudra" a specific male God who is terrible in His Wrath and merciful if you are obedient and submit to His Will. Thus, they see life as a struggle between the dualities of all that is good (Satvik) and that which is evil (Tamasic) and action takes man to one end or the other.
Both believe that the Great Spirit or Rudra intervenes in the lives of man through directly appearing to chosen mortals or appearing as a mortal Itself/Himself to help mankind.
How does this apply to you? Your playing style of course! If you are the sort who believes there is only one way, or playing such a character excites you, Lawgivers will excite you. Easy going egalitarians are better suited for Mitraa philosophers in the sense it will feel more natural to play them.
These do not have any effect on lawful/evil etc. Paladins need not fear being Mitraa and evil sorts needn't fear the Lawgivers because it is a philosophy. The deeds that you commit in their name will mark you in terms of the alignments I mentioned earlier, and it is pretty simple to spot the evil and good options. However, this does mean that you cannot play as a neutral character. Neutrality is simply a concept that will not gel in this setting and you will find that for neutral characters this game may seem like it is forcing them to go one way or another and it won't be as satisfying.
Thanks for reading. I'll post updates in my next blog.
The Smiling Death wrecked havoc on Samsara twenty years ago. It spread fast and especially favored children. As parents cremated their offspring, there was at first solidarity and failies gathered together to comfort and aid each other in their time of need. But as some families remained untouched by the plague, it was perhaps understandable that some parents felt anger that some families still had their children while they had lost theirs.
The general philosophy that was dominant at that time preached acceptance of all circumstances - fortunate and unfortunate as part of life. Some people could not accept it. They sought succor with preachers who had more radical views. The Lawgivers were all monotheistic, and believed that unfortunate things happen only when people veer from the way of the one true God and what He willed of his people. For years they had existed as one of the three hundred types of faiths in Samsara, except for one vital caveat- you had to "convert" into their faith, and you were born into others.
To be fair, the Lawgivers never preached violence, or that their members carry out justice in Rudra's name. However, some of their more "radical" preachers did not toe the line. They preached of the great evil that had been brought on this land because of the acceptance of other false faiths, and encouraged their flock to seek out and slaughter the worshippers of false Gods. The Lawgivers excommunicated these Priests, but it was too late. Many people were struck with a combination of grief, envy and anger, and were rallied into blood thirsty mobs. The excommunicated Priests thumbed their nose at the Lawgivers and named themselves the Pavitra- (The Pure) and remain to this day a radical organization which uses violence to achieve their aim of a world that worships Rudra and Rudra alone.
But the mob was energized and they clashed in the streets. Thousands more were killed. The King was fearful of intervention as it was impossible to tell who was protector and who was killer. Lawgivers advocated protection through subterfuge. They opened their temples to anyone seeking protection and shielded them from attackers. But the Mitraa- a secular coalition of faiths dedicated to protecting people from religious persecution did not agree. They insisted that only direct intervention could save the most innocent- the children. Defying the will of the people, and the King, they went out to rescue children, and shed blood- innocent and blighted alike. Though they saved many lives, the fact that they caused so many to fall earned them disrepute. They returned to a hostile kingdom that demanded that they go into exile.
The Mitraa released the children to their families or surviving relatives and the official word was that they disbanded entirely. But unknown to all, some of the few prominant members of the Mitraa remained in their Ashrama stronghold. There they sought out permission from some parents so that they may train a few children whom they had discovered had exceptional talents. Given the Asharam system, many parents agreed, and these children, about 35 in number trained under the legendary Guru Durvasa and his powerful fellows.
Then, slightly more than a decade ago, the Ashrama was attacked by a band of young men bearing the banner of the Pavitra. They were easily defeated, but worried about the safety of the children, the Mitraa entrusted each of their children to a guardian best suited to them and asked the guardians to split and scatter throughout the land. They were entrusted with three responsibilities- to protect the children with their lives, to train them to be the best warriors they could be, and to bring them back to a safe location when the year of Ekagriti dawned.
Around this time, three things happened that changed the religious landscape. The King lost his only child and heir and the kigndom quickly sobered. He then converted to the Lawgiver philosophy which settled many of the aggreieved who believed the King would never understand their faith, and lastly, the Lawgivers gained vast power and were able to quell the Pavitra.
Lawgivers are now the most powerful religion in the land and try their best to quell what they believe are false faiths. Fortunately, the Lawgivers do this by diplomacy and spreading the ideals of their faith instead of violence. Large pockets of other faiths remain throughout the northern and central provinces, but the Eastern provinces are almost entirely of the Lawgiver faith. The southern and Western provinces, smaller provinces are not strong Lawgiver strongholds. Expect resistance in these areas if you choose to become a Lawgiver, and strong support in the Northern and Eastern provinces. Expect the exact opposite if you choose to be a Mitraa. And if you go neutral, expect many to think a tad less of you as someone with no conviction.
Mitraa now no longer refers to the Secular army alone. People of other faiths often refer to themselves as the Mitraa to indicate that they are secular and they will fight for the right to maintain their own faith and for the freedom for other people to do the same.
The key differences between the two. Mitraa is basically the ultimate expression fo secular faith. They believe your actions are more critical than your beliefs, and that all faiths- even the most craven and horrifying must be accepted as long as they don't cause direct harm to others. The Lawgivers are monotheistic. They believe that unless there is codified behavior, people will fall into sin. So, they have more rules and laws to ensure people lead righteous lives. Their followers tend to be pious and law abiding, and rarely cause any trouble. They are also slightly concerned about the fates of those who have not discovered Rudra as they genuinely believe they have no chance of Salvation without him.
Both believe that the human soul is eternal and is reborn unless it has mastered the lessons of life. If it attains mastery, it attains Salvation and becomes one with the Great Spirit (or Rudra) and never needs to be reborn. If it does not, it is reborn and given another chance. The key difference here is that Lawgivers believe that all that is needed for mastery is a life that is led with strict adherence to what Rudra recommends for all mankind. The Mitraa tends to believe that everyone has their own individual will and path and will not be judged on their beliefs or on the basis of common ground.
The Mitraa belives of "God" as a formless, genderless entity they refer to as the "Great Spirit". It is beyond all dualities of Good and Evil and everything emanates from It. This reflects in their philosophies where life is a balance between elements of Satvik, Rajasic and Tamasic and all people are equal in the eyes of their creator. The Lawgivers envision the "Tawny Skinned, Matted haired Rudra" a specific male God who is terrible in His Wrath and merciful if you are obedient and submit to His Will. Thus, they see life as a struggle between the dualities of all that is good (Satvik) and that which is evil (Tamasic) and action takes man to one end or the other.
Both believe that the Great Spirit or Rudra intervenes in the lives of man through directly appearing to chosen mortals or appearing as a mortal Itself/Himself to help mankind.
How does this apply to you? Your playing style of course! If you are the sort who believes there is only one way, or playing such a character excites you, Lawgivers will excite you. Easy going egalitarians are better suited for Mitraa philosophers in the sense it will feel more natural to play them.
These do not have any effect on lawful/evil etc. Paladins need not fear being Mitraa and evil sorts needn't fear the Lawgivers because it is a philosophy. The deeds that you commit in their name will mark you in terms of the alignments I mentioned earlier, and it is pretty simple to spot the evil and good options. However, this does mean that you cannot play as a neutral character. Neutrality is simply a concept that will not gel in this setting and you will find that for neutral characters this game may seem like it is forcing them to go one way or another and it won't be as satisfying.
Thanks for reading. I'll post updates in my next blog.
Monday, May 5, 2008
The first area
In the tradition of virtually every RPG in the universe, you start off as a youngster in a small village. You are even a foster child...Groundbreaking, I know. Rudely awakened by the woman who helped raised you, you can set out to explore the village, earn some gold, win a contest, settle religious disputes and..learn a lot about the land among other things.
There is just one story related quest. Everything else is optional, and there are many many optional quests. However, this is when you learn about alignments and how they work in the specific context of this game. You also get a chance to align yourself with the Lawgivers, the Mitras or to stay neutral. This will determine plot trajectories as well as joinable companions (some folks will not join you if you are well into being a Mitraa, and some won't if you are well into being Lawgiver). The first section is also purely solo. You are not in a village known for combat.
The Main Quest:
The visiting Lawgiver and the Village Priest both wish proof that a temple of Chandi maa once existed in the surrounding areas. Both want you to find proof and give it solely to them. The Lawgiver claims that Her worship involved ritual human sacrifice and other horrific ceremonies. The latter claims that he does not know what their rituals entitled, but that religion is seldom static and even if they once did terrible things doesn't mean it is going to cause them to revert to such behavior. Once you find the artifact and it is complicated, I'll tell you that- you can choose to align yourself with the Lawgivers by giving their priest the artifact. You can align yourself with the Mitraa, by giving the village priest the artifact, or you can stay neutral by not giving it to either of them, and by keeping it or giving it to the Monastery of Pranshula that you will encounter much later.
Once successfully completed, the style changes. For one, you meet your guardian and she is very straight with you. No mysterious talk, no riddles, and no BS. You are going to the Ekadanta pass pronto, and for a very legitimate reason. She also tells you about how you came to be in her care. No, you are no orphan, or foundling. You have parents who are still alive, hale and hearty..even wealthy who entrusted you to your protectors for a very good reason.
You go to the Ekadanta pass and are met with nice, kindly folk who help you. No, not really. You meet your first super baddie, and the perfect example of the sort of people who give religion a bad name. Well, the dude wants to enter heaven with your crushed skull in his hands as an offering to God. If you let him, the game is over. But if you fight him and his minions, and defeat them- you can progress to section 2. But more on that later.
Optional Quests and Areas:
There are three optional areas and 17 optional quests that significantly increases your gametime by 10-14 hours or more. Some of the quests are serious, some are deliberately silly and over the top, but some of them, even the ones that seem somewhat goofy can have implications in later parts of the game, so read carefully. 14 of these quests are resolved in the first section, but 3 continue on for the entire duration of the chapter. The ones that are resolved in the first section are all done, written and scripted. (Please understand that the cultural implications mean some serious quests may sound goofy. A ritual blessing by a cow is a very proper thing to do given the setting, but players may find it kind of over the top.)
NPCs:
While some NPCs will give you quests, they are also a repository for information about the world if you choose to learn it. Some, like your village militia, know more about a specific war, while the Dwarf can tell you about Dwarven history in Samsara. The Lawgiver and the Village Priest can help you learn about their faiths respectively, and you can learn from the village headwoman about the traditions of her village. Most NPCs have something unique or important to say, an opinion, a clue to a quest or the like. Enjoy it, because in larger towns that follow, this sort of unique perspective is not always going to be possible.
Know, that the more knowledge you acquire, the more sense this game will make to you. Since the knowledge is in context for the most part, and available in multiple formats, from talk to discoveries, to books to inscriptions on ruins, it is not too intimidating. At least I didn't think it was.
All NPCs in Rudaali are almost completely scripted. There are two people left. One of them has copious dialogue, and he is only 80% complete. Ah well. The other is a bit of a pickle because he keeps re-occuring if you make a certain decision.
Did you like OWNING something in BG2? Well, just keep your eyes peeled for there is something in section 1 with immense "potential". You'll encounter more of such things later. (But they are not complex like the stronghold stuff in NWN2 was.)
Of course, I have no idea if anyone even reads this stuff, but if you do, please do consider joining the forum where we can discuss the mod. You can find it at tamasthegathering.freeforums.org/ It is a private forum, so you will have to register. Or else, I'd appreciate your comments here. Thanks!
Friday, May 2, 2008
So, there are clans.
Clans is just a start. Perhaps the easiest thing to explain because everyone in Samsara follows a clan. Your clan is traced back to a lot of generations depending on how diligent your ancestors were. Some Seekers trace back their family to more than 80.
But what else do the people of Samsara have in common? A complex form of government to start with. A lot of this is decentralized. People elect their own headman and replace him when they believe he is no longer fit, or when he dies. Female headmen are pretty rare except for certain communities and in the southern provinces. A group of villages often band together in a brotherhood where inter-village disputes are solved by a group of headmen sans the headmen of the villages involved. Each group of villages reports to their respective Council which is equal to the King in legal status, even if the emotional status of the King is far greater.
So councils? Doesn't that complicate things?
Samsara was pretty traditional with Lords and a feudal system right upto about five hundred years ago. A king named Gokula was worried with the way his Lords were treating his subjects. One one hand it smacked of corruption and greed, but the people's loyalty seemed to be to the lord, and not to the King. He called for his Minister Sachi.
"Suppose you walk down a beautiful river bank and you see a man flailing in the water. He doesn't specifically scream "help", but he does not look comfortable. On one hand, he could be drowning and wishing your assistance. On the other hand, he may either be an awkward swimmer or wishing purposely to end his life, and wishing for you to go away. If you delay too much, there might be disaster, or there might now. How does an observer know what to do?"
"The observer asks him." Sachi replied simply.
Over the course of his reign, Gokul wiped out the feudal system and replaced it with the council.
The council is described by the verbose King and his even more verbose head of Legal Affairs in an impressive tome called "Ask the People". It is is six feet long by four feet wide, a full eight inches thick, and embossed with some of the first rubies from the Dronagiri mines. It ends up making the council sound very complex.
In truth, this complicated process can be explained very simply by saying the chamber consists of 5 elected Province representatives who are elected by the people of their region and 9 representatives (navagrahas) who preside over the councils of Legal, Military, Finance, Culture, Education, Religion, Trade, Internal Security and Health. Navagrahas are elected by Province representatives. These people sit in their respective Council buildings for six months of the year and at the Capital city for six months of the year.
Councils are very powerful because they have been vested with a lot of collective authority. Together, a council can declare war. They can change the laws of the land. Finally, they can unseat the King, or replace him if they have the will of the people by their side. The problem with this is that all 14 council members should act jointly. That rarely happens. While we have had two Chambers where all the Navagrahas were friends and cordial with each other, at no point in history have the Province Representatives been awfully kind to each other. This stems from attitudes that can be traced back to their provinces, itself.
Eager to visit the provinces? Me too. I'll post their "travel brochures" soon.
Friday, April 25, 2008
What is Samsara? - part 2
Before we study the implications of recent history, let us study the various social dynamics that contribute to what makes it so.
Clans:
There are four clans, each with a common sense of purpose. These are occupationally driven though many wonder if the clan came first or the occupation. Clans are endogamous and cannot usually convert to other clans, or take up their occupations. That being said, there have been notable exceptions and we shall talk about them when we discuss notable figures of this region later.
The Clan of the Earth deals with all things that stem from the earth or return to it. Farmers, fishermen, miners, and artisans who work with wood, clay, stone or gold are of the earth clan. This clan provides for the rest of the clans in terms of food, infrastructure and often physical labor. This is perhaps the clan that is most plentiful, and many are extremely wealthy landowners. They are especially dominant in the Eastern provinces.
The Clan of the Coin: The clan of the coin once was solely the clan of merchants but now has broadened to include anyone who provides a service in exchange for coin. From traders, to performers, to even courtesans, the clan of the coin tends to fuel the business side of Samsara. Obviously, as a result of this many of them have acquired great power as they have infinitely deep pockets.
The Clan of the Sword: Though the clan is named that of the sword, if we were to be entirely accurate, they would be the clan of weapons. The only clan who is allowed to rule over people, this is the clan which has the the religious sanction to use any weapon, drink alcohol or consume meat. Many clan members make their living as part of the military, or as noblemen in charge of elite units. The King is from this clan, as are his military commanders. This is also the only clan where killing another human or creature is not automatically a sin but is taken within context.
The Seekers: The seekers are a tad more difficult to describe because what they deal with is not tangible. Seekers dally in all matters of spiritual guidance- from conducting rituals, to teaching youngsters about morality and clan conduct. Many seekers can bear arms only to teach students about military strategy and are strongly urged to desist from violence except for self defense. They may never join the military. Many seekers are scholars, teachers, priests and the like, but though clans have not yet become hierarchical in this land, seekers are becoming much respected. So much so that no matter what the context, killing a seeker is automatically considered a grievous, despicable sin. You would be hard-pressed to find a wealthy seeker. Most have to be rather unconcerned with material things.
The Clans were devised by someone- mortal or divine to encourage interdependence between people. There are only two groups of people who live outside of this- Guests, and Outcastes.
Guests are people who include foreigners, foreign races, ancient races and anyone who is not culturally expected to follow the clan system. When that happens, people treat them with the respect accorded to their profession and think nothing of it. Many dwarves, and elves fall under this category.
Outcastes are those who belong to the land, but not to any clan. Sometimes these are people who have been rejected from their clans for their conduct, and sometimes they are the result of inter-clan romances or marriages. Few other people are more unfortunate. Living in the outskirts of the village, they scavenge for food at night as even their sight is considered defiling for all clan members.
Inter-Clan mobility:
This is not technically allowed, but there have been means to get around this- especially in the military. Many Seekers have found their way into a battle field because they have trained the King in arms, and find that they are "compelled" to defend themselves when attacked by the enemy. Elite units are open to all clans, except seekers though the bulk of the military is purely composed of the clan of the sword.
And of course, reality means sometimes a clan has to do things that other clans are supposed to. In the Western Provinces, where there are so few earth clans, the clan of the sword tills and farms. In the Eastern Provinces, where there are no warriors, often the peasants are forced to form a rather competent militia. However, they will never refer to themselves as a farmer or a warrior respectively but a warrior who farms, or a farmer who defends.....it is a PRIDE thing.
Inter-Clan Marriage:
Forbidden. Completely forbidden. Did I say that it was a complete No-No? Well, there you have it. Your child will be an outcaste, spat on and stoned if he/she is seen in public, and it gets even worse from that point. I don't care how insanely hot he/she is.
So you don't wish to marry her/him...and only wish to know whether a dalliance is possible. Only with clan of the coin women. Yes. Only with them.
Classes and Clans:
Your clan will never be referred to in the game. Think of yourself as whatever you like. But if it helps you get into your character- this is what it would potentially be.
Pure class fighters are always of the clan of the sword. Same with Paladins.
Barbarians can be both sword or earth clans.
Rangers are more likely to be earth clans
What about clerics, druids, wizards, rogues, warlocks, etc etc?
You can't play as any other pure class. I am really sorry, but that is the only way I can keep the details manageable.
What about the ones you encounter:
The same rules apply for the most part. Not always but *usually* the following can be taken as a rule of thumb. Most people in Samsara are earth clan. If they are providing a service in exchange for coin- inn-owner, merchant, courtesan, bard, etc- they are of the coin clan. If they are bearing arms, they are most likely to be of the sword clan. Exceptions on the basis of the province do apply as I said earlier.
If you encounter a spell caster, priest or cleric, they are most likely seekers (though a few ancients/foreigners tend to be born with this inexplicable tendency) so be extra careful. They are extremely popular, respected, and even adulated, and you will rub a lot of folk the wrong way if you hurt a seeker. If you kill the foreigner, you may be slightly, only slightly better off because though he is a stranger, he is still a magical, wondrous creature.
If it is any consolation, you will encounter a lot of priests but rarely a spell caster. There are very few seekers who have reached that level of oneness with the divine.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Some screengrabs
Village headman Shankar. Poor guy, he has a very tough job.
The woods outside your village
Oooh...look, a lever behind a waterfall.
The history of Samsara- part 1
"Those who write their history on parchment are doomed to see it go up in smoke"- Bard Paritnaya in his tome "MahaBaalika"
The people of Samsara thought it preposterous that anyone, but anyone could relegate their history to parchment. They believed that history was far too important, far too prestigious to relegate to something that can be so easily destroyed. Ergo, the tradition of Shruti and Verbal Historians. Shruti- derived from the Samsaran word meaning "sound" refers to learning by "ear". Master Historians were people who learned history by rote and trained others to memorize it. Most of Samsara's history was orally recorded for generations. and taught the same way. These were often recited in the form of rhyming sentences as it was considered a powerful mnemonic.
About three hundred years ago, the Monastery of Pranshula decided it was time to "get with the times" and invited five hundred Master Historians to recite their tales so that it may be recorded in a tome. So diverse were the accounts of each Historian, that the Monks were forced to transcribe only the common elements of these tales. The grandly titled Tome Of Glorious Past became the Scroll of Glorious Past - just a few paragraphs long.
Commonly held belief is that the people of Samsara descended from immigrants to Samsara from lands "to the west". They only wished to settle in peace but the Nagas- an ancient and hostile race fancied them as slaves. For decades the human settlers tried to evade the Nagas only to be either caught and sold in their markets, or slaughtered because they were too young, too old, or female.
It was in the first year of what eventually came to be called the Usha- or the Decade of the Dawn that a sixteen year old slave boy recieved what many believe was a visit from the Brahman, or the Great Spirit. What the Spirit told him, no one knows but he believed himself to be divinely inspired. Over the next ten years he gathered an army and led the slaves to revolt against their Naga oppressors. At the twilight of the age, he stormed into the Naga capital city of Nidraloka and defeated the King Nidra himself.
The people of Samsara thought it preposterous that anyone, but anyone could relegate their history to parchment. They believed that history was far too important, far too prestigious to relegate to something that can be so easily destroyed. Ergo, the tradition of Shruti and Verbal Historians. Shruti- derived from the Samsaran word meaning "sound" refers to learning by "ear". Master Historians were people who learned history by rote and trained others to memorize it. Most of Samsara's history was orally recorded for generations. and taught the same way. These were often recited in the form of rhyming sentences as it was considered a powerful mnemonic.
About three hundred years ago, the Monastery of Pranshula decided it was time to "get with the times" and invited five hundred Master Historians to recite their tales so that it may be recorded in a tome. So diverse were the accounts of each Historian, that the Monks were forced to transcribe only the common elements of these tales. The grandly titled Tome Of Glorious Past became the Scroll of Glorious Past - just a few paragraphs long.
Commonly held belief is that the people of Samsara descended from immigrants to Samsara from lands "to the west". They only wished to settle in peace but the Nagas- an ancient and hostile race fancied them as slaves. For decades the human settlers tried to evade the Nagas only to be either caught and sold in their markets, or slaughtered because they were too young, too old, or female.
It was in the first year of what eventually came to be called the Usha- or the Decade of the Dawn that a sixteen year old slave boy recieved what many believe was a visit from the Brahman, or the Great Spirit. What the Spirit told him, no one knows but he believed himself to be divinely inspired. Over the next ten years he gathered an army and led the slaves to revolt against their Naga oppressors. At the twilight of the age, he stormed into the Naga capital city of Nidraloka and defeated the King Nidra himself.
His name was Ajeya- the Victorious.
He declared the land to be forever free, and swore that each of his descendants would forever protect this land. Some of his followers, inspired by him also made the same pledge. Their descendants became the Clan of the Sword, but more on Clans later. Incidently, King Druta, the present ruler of the land is a direct descendant of Ajeya.
Next- Recent History of Samsara- including the Smiling Death and the Cleaving of the Way- or how the plague caused the shift in religion in Samsara.
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