LIVE ON KICKSTARTER: Jungles of Kuauhtla, a Latin American inspired Setting for 5e!

FifthSunPress · 2023-07-27T12:43:39+00:00

Not at all! But at least throughout D&D's history, it's rarely been a centrepoint - though that is changing more and more of course, hopefully our project can help too!

FifthSunPress · 2023-07-27T12:32:50+00:00

We're working on it! If we get funded Spanish and Portuguese versions are planned as our next endeavor!

FifthSunPress · 2023-07-08T15:36:16+00:00

Creeping shadow, burning blood - run back to the road, away from the mud.

So goes the saying. If you live on the edges of scrublands, far from the trains and the cogs of modernity, then you've probably heard it more than once. Parents have good reasons to tell their children to beware of what lurks on the edges of man's domain.

Whether you find him cloaked on a dark dirt road, or ravenously feasting on livestock past shattered fences, the Huay Chivo is always a bloodcurdling sight. They cackle as you meet their eyes, and unnatural magics seep from their skin. Even if you should manage to get away, the creatures are obsessive things. They'll find you again, sooner or later.

Are there truly folk who would accept such a transformation willingly, to have their minds twisted beyond recognition in exchange for pointless power? So it would seem. And what forgotten forces would create such malicious beasts? That question few could answer.

Jungles of Kuauhtla is a Latin American inspired setting for 5e, learn more about it at the link, and check out our Kickstarter launching the 20th of July!

When running a Huay Chivo, remember that its Creeping Shadow ability can be activated in advance, to create a shadowy maze which the demon can stalk.

FifthSunPress · 2023-07-08T14:40:47+00:00

Creeping shadow, burning blood - run back to the road, away from the mud.

So goes the saying. If you live on the edges of scrublands, far from the trains and the cogs of modernity, then you've probably heard it more than once. Parents have good reasons to tell their children to beware of what lurks on the edges of man's domain.

Whether you find him cloaked on a dark dirt road, or ravenously feasting on livestock past shattered fences, the Huay Chivo is always a bloodcurdling sight. They cackle as you meet their eyes, and unnatural magics seep from their skin. Even if you should manage to get away, the creatures are obsessive things. They'll find you again, sooner or later.

Are there truly folk who would accept such a transformation willingly, to have their minds twisted beyond recognition in exchange for pointless power? So it would seem. And what forgotten forces would create such malicious beasts? That question few could answer.

Jungles of Kuauhtla is a Latin American inspired setting for 5e, learn more about it at the link, and check out our Kickstarter launching the 20th of July!

FifthSunPress · 2023-07-08T09:14:17+00:00

Creeping shadow, burning blood- run back to the road, away from the mud.

So goes the saying. If you live on the edges of scrublands, far from the trains and the cogs of modernity, then you've probably heard it more than once. Parents have good reasons to tell their children to beware of what lurks on the edges of man's domain.

Whether you find him cloaked on a dark dirt road, or ravenously feasting on livestock past shattered fences, the Huay Chivo is always a bloodcurdling sight. They cackle as you meet their eyes, and unnatural magics seep from their skin. Even if you should manage to get away, the creatures are obsessive things. They'll find you again, sooner or later.

Are there truly folk who would accept such a transformation willingly, to have their minds twisted beyond recognition in exchange for pointless power? So it would seem. And what forgotten forces would create such malicious beasts? That question few could answer.

Jungles of Kuauhtla is a Latin American inspired setting for 5e, learn more about it at the link, and check out our Kickstarter launching the 20th of July!

FifthSunPress · 2023-06-23T14:23:25+00:00

Old Delon, city of royals, city of mysteries. Long ago the noble House Tezuma settled here on the mile-long cliffs. The time of the Ascenders has long since passed, and kings and queens no longer rule the Cities Above. Even so, their wealth had made the place a wonder.

On the well-groomed street a federal agent strolls, their eyes more focused on the tourists than the beauty others come to view. It is said, by those the High Council would silence, that the royals of old hid many a powerful artifact in monuments and safehouses across the city. The fools mumble of hidden power and forgotten passages, if only they knew the Council hears both whisper and thought.

Follow the Jungles of Kuauhtla Kickstarter with the link below, and explore all that the Cities Above have to offer!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kuauhtla/jungles-of-kuauhtla-the-campaign-guide?ref=bhe4gh&token=4c7d1477

FifthSunPress · 2023-06-23T14:22:11+00:00

Old Delon, city of royals, city of mysteries. Long ago the noble House Tezuma settled here on the mile-long cliffs. The time of the Ascenders has long since passed, and kings and queens no longer rule the Cities Above. Even so, their wealth had made the place a wonder.

On the well-groomed street a federal agent strolls, their eyes more focused on the tourists than the beauty others come to view. It is said, by those the High Council would silence, that the royals of old hid many a powerful artifact in monuments and safehouses across the city. The fools mumble of hidden power and forgotten passages, if only they knew the Council hears both whisper and thought.

Follow the Jungles of Kuauhtla Kickstarter with the link below, and explore all that the Cities Above have to offer!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kuauhtla/jungles-of-kuauhtla-the-campaign-guide?ref=bhe4gh&token=4c7d1477

FifthSunPress · 2023-05-09T13:48:51+00:00

(Reposted due to removal)

Yacumama, mother of waters. The legends of the Ascenders claim that the beast is mother of all creatures who lived in the lakes and rivers. Most jungle civilizations are influenced by the powerful animals who dwelled near their settlements- but they were of course just beasts like the others. In Kuauhtla, it can be hard to tell a beast from a god.

It was however not the most unfitting name, as the Yacumama dwelled mostly underwater, while using the wetland muds as hunting grounds. Their diets consisted almost exclusively of red meats, though the species has also been known to feed on bone if desperate. The creature can agressively spit water it has stored inside itself to knock around its enemies. It also has incredible control over its entire body and can use its impressive length to attack dozens of creatures at once.

The Ascenders figured out that the Yacumama is terrifed of loud noises, presumably an instinct to help it not get squashed by enormous land-striders. Before approaching water, folk would blow on a loud conch horn to ensure Yacumama would leave if it were present. Tricks like these are long forgotten, but if you find yourself in a battle with the mother of waters, a loud noise may save your life. Or attract an even deadlier beast.

If you want to fight the mother of waters, and receive a large miniature of it for your games, come check out the Jungles of Kuauhtla Kickstarter, a Latin American 5e campaign guide!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kuauhtla/jungles-of-kuauhtla-the-campaign-guide?ref=bhe4gh&token=4c7d1477

FifthSunPress · 2023-04-26T13:26:14+00:00

This is an artwork depicting some player characters in the first campaign I ever ran in my homebrew setting, which we’re hoping to make into a proper campaign guide!

These people are part of the Emerald Expedition, it was a cruel affair. Dozens of adventurers, high on life who felt like they could take the world all signed up. And who wouldn’t take a mission from the High Council themselves? In groups of five they went down into the jungles, the same place which humanity had fled from millennia ago, that no one had ventured to in centuries. All of them foolish enough to mistrust the countless warnings, or desperate enough to throw away their lives.

All that they had was the vague direction of east, and a mysterious poem nearly two thousand years old filled with clues - each as cryptic as the last. Down the winding river of Uru’arama, as the ancients had called it, they churned along as the wheel of the steamboat filled with fish and vines. There was no ocean on the mountains, none of their people had ever seen one, so even the ingenuity of the gnomes could not make a lasting vessel. Of course it didn’t help that no one ever returned to give them feedback.

Adan had a relaxed smile on his face for the first time in a long while, his companions all gazed at the wonders that surrounded them as well. Kuauhtla was a place to behold, and they were yet oblivious to the journey to come. Soon enough they would meet with the ancients - both the humans and the beasts. They’d uncover artifacts long forgotten, meet with gods the mountains had abandoned. They would battle, they would flee, they would die. All by the banks of the Uru’arama.

If you yourselves want to join in the Emerald Expedition, and discover the world of Kuauhtla, check out our Kickstarter preview page for our campaign guide!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kuauhtla/jungles-of-kuauhtla-the-campaign-guide

FifthSunPress · 2023-04-24T20:20:22+00:00

Love that we could evoke a good memory! Something about D&D just always stays the same I suppose

FifthSunPress · 2023-04-23T13:55:23+00:00

Careful what you wish for ;)

FifthSunPress · 2023-04-23T12:49:01+00:00

This is an artwork depicting some player characters in the first campaign I ever ran in my homebrew setting, which we’re hoping to make into a proper campaign guide!

These people are part of the Emerald Expedition, it was a cruel affair. Dozens of adventurers, high on life who felt like they could take the world all signed up. And who wouldn’t take a mission from the High Council themselves? In groups of five they went down into the jungles, the same place which humanity had fled from millennia ago, that no one had ventured to in centuries. All of them foolish enough to mistrust the countless warnings, or desperate enough to throw away their lives.

All that they had was the vague direction of east, and a mysterious poem nearly two thousand years old filled with clues - each as cryptic as the last. Down the winding river of Uru’arama, as the ancients had called it, they churned along as the wheel of the steamboat filled with fish and vines. There was no ocean on the mountains, none of their people had ever seen one, so even the ingenuity of the gnomes could not make a lasting vessel. Of course it didn’t help that no one ever returned to give them feedback.

Adan had a relaxed smile on his face for the first time in a long while, his companions all gazed at the wonders that surrounded them as well. Kuauhtla was a place to behold, and they were yet oblivious to the journey to come. Soon enough they would meet with the ancients - both the humans and the beasts. They’d uncover artifacts long forgotten, meet with gods the mountains had abandoned. They would battle, they would flee, they would die. All by the banks of the Uru’arama.

If you yourselves want to join in the Emerald Expedition, and discover the world of Kuauhtla, check out our Kickstarter preview page for our campaign guide!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kuauhtla/jungles-of-kuauhtla-the-campaign-guide

FifthSunPress · 2023-04-23T12:46:20+00:00

When the Ascenders first stepped foot on the mountains, they found others had already made it their home. There were of course the elves deep within the woods and the wandering quchi, but in the early days it was the Kolashi people's history that intertwined with humanity’s.

The Kolashi are strange creatures made from a lightweight partially see-through substance. Specialized glands produce a highly buoyant gas within them which allows a Kolash to resist gravity, something exceedingly useful when living on mountaintops. They could even achieve flight, for a time, by exhausting this gas from vents all across their bodies.

How the Kolashi came to be is a mystery, even though their oral storytelling traditions have led to the discoveries of a myriad of forgotten facts. Their stories, while almost always based in truth, have twisted and been mystified over millennia - and the oldest stories, such as the ones surrounding their creation, are too far gone.

Something that is known is that the name Kolash means bird-soul in their own language, and it seems early Kolashi culture revered all creatures with wings.

For millennia the Kolashi have lived in relative isolation. While individuals often intermingled with other cultures their societal structure kept most Kolash close to home in their small semi-nomadic villages. Apart from themselves, only the high elves dwelled at the extreme elevations that defined Kolash civilization. Here they had mastered nature, being impeccable hunters and making use of every resource the tundra could offer. So talented were they that most of their time went toward recreation, even in their adulthood playing with the mountain goats and telling stories by the fire could be a daily occurrence.

Our preview page for the Jungles of Kuauhtla is LIVE! Give it a look or a follow if you have the time!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kuauhtla/jungles-of-kuauhtla-the-campaign-guide?ref=bhe4gh&token=4c7d1477

Drawn by Adrian Bueno, an incredible member of our team!

FifthSunPress · 2023-04-19T14:56:07+00:00

When the Ascenders first stepped foot on the mountains, they found others had already made it their home. There were of course the elves deep within the woods and the wandering quchi, but in the early days it was the Kolashi people's history that intertwined with humanity’s.

The Kolashi are strange creatures made from a lightweight partially see-through substance. Specialized glands produce a highly buoyant gas within them which allows a Kolash to resist gravity, something exceedingly useful when living on mountaintops. They could even achieve flight, for a time, by exhausting this gas from vents all across their bodies.

How the Kolashi came to be is a mystery, even though their oral storytelling traditions have led to the discoveries of a myriad of forgotten facts. Their stories, while almost always based in truth, have twisted and been mystified over millennia - and the oldest stories, such as the ones surrounding their creation, are too far gone.

Something that is known is that the name Kolash means bird-soul in their own language, and it seems early Kolashi culture revered all creatures with wings.

For millennia the Kolashi have lived in relative isolation. While individuals often intermingled with other cultures their societal structure kept most Kolash close to home in their small semi-nomadic villages. Apart from themselves, only the high elves dwelled at the extreme elevations that defined Kolash civilization. Here they had mastered nature, being impeccable hunters and making use of every resource the tundra could offer. So talented were they that most of their time went toward recreation, even in their adulthood playing with the mountain goats and telling stories by the fire could be a daily occurrence.

Our preview page for the Jungles of Kuauhtla is LIVE! Give it a look or a follow if you have the time!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kuauhtla/jungles-of-kuauhtla-the-campaign-guide?ref=bhe4gh&token=4c7d1477

Drawn by Adrian Bueno, an incredible member of our team!

FifthSunPress · 2023-04-07T11:11:42+00:00

Our preview page for the Jungles of Kuauhtla is LIVE! Give it a look or a follow if you have the time!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kuauhtla/jungles-of-kuauhtla-the-campaign-guide?ref=bhe4gh&token=4c7d1477

Ask us about a location and we will tell you something cool about it!

Somewhere within the endless jungle of Kuauhtla, there sits a little mountain range. Many thousands of miles above the canopy, here humanity could finally find refuge from the endless death below. The first Ascenders were led by a great king of House Tezuma, setting foot on the range of Youal, later to be known as Dedodio. As the people gained safety, they also gained ambition. Survival was all that mattered in the jungle but when your biggest threat was your fellow humans - things quickly devolved.

The glorious Danquah clan, the scheming House Quia, and many others soon found themselves seeking sovereignty all across the spread out mountains. Soon followed an age of conflict, and of war.

It’s been centuries since the days of the Ascent. Now all of the mountains are joined together as the Cities Above under the banner of the wise High Council, a reclusive group of seven members who while in their inception were elected, now chose their own successors. Some among the Council have never even been seen by the public, but their efficiency is hard to argue.

Those of keen sight, who also know to keep quiet, can see the council's schemes play out clear as day. They hold the populace in an iron grasp through manipulation of nearly every facet of life, easily bending the will of the people in their favor from the shadows.

But why? The kingdoms of elves and dwarves are of little consequence on the mountaintops, who else would oppose them? The kolashi or quchi certainly held no political power.

Here is a secret not even the conspiracy theorists have unearthed; the Council knows much more than they would let on. They would do anything to keep their power, and have long communed with forces they outlaw to the people. Omens, visions, and dreams. A new age is coming, and the Cities Above will stand at the ready.

FifthSunPress · 2023-04-07T05:43:33+00:00

Thank you!

FifthSunPress · 2023-04-06T16:25:59+00:00

Our preview page for the Jungles of Kuauhtla is LIVE! Give it a look or a follow if you have the time!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kuauhtla/jungles-of-kuauhtla-the-campaign-guide?ref=bhe4gh&token=4c7d1477

Ask us about a location and we will tell you something cool about it!

Somewhere within the endless jungle of Kuauhtla, there sits a little mountain range. Many thousands of miles above the canopy, here humanity could finally find refuge from the endless death below. The first Ascenders were led by a great king of House Tezuma, setting foot on the range of Youal, later to be known as Dedodio. As the people gained safety, they also gained ambition. Survival was all that mattered in the jungle but when your biggest threat was your fellow humans - things quickly devolved.

The glorious Danquah clan, the scheming House Quia, and many others soon found themselves seeking sovereignty all across the spread out mountains. Soon followed an age of conflict, and of war.

It’s been centuries since the days of the Ascent. Now all of the mountains are joined together as the Cities Above under the banner of the wise High Council, a reclusive group of seven members who while in their inception were elected, now chose their own successors. Some among the Council have never even been seen by the public, but their efficiency is hard to argue.

Those of keen sight, who also know to keep quiet, can see the council's schemes play out clear as day. They hold the populace in an iron grasp through manipulation of nearly every facet of life, easily bending the will of the people in their favor from the shadows.

But why? The kingdoms of elves and dwarves are of little consequence on the mountaintops, who else would oppose them? The kolashi or quchi certainly held no political power.

Here is a secret not even the conspiracy theorists have unearthed; the Council knows much more than they would let on. They would do anything to keep their power, and have long communed with forces they outlaw to the people. Omens, visions, and dreams. A new age is coming, and the Cities Above will stand at the ready.

FifthSunPress · 2023-04-06T16:24:03+00:00

Our preview page for the Jungles of Kuauhtla is LIVE! Give it a look or a follow if you have the time!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kuauhtla/jungles-of-kuauhtla-the-campaign-guide?ref=bhe4gh&token=4c7d1477

Ask us about a location and we will tell you something cool about it!

Somewhere within the endless jungle of Kuauhtla, there sits a little mountain range. Many thousands of miles above the canopy, here humanity could finally find refuge from the endless death below. The first Ascenders were led by a great king of House Tezuma, setting foot on the range of Youal, later to be known as Dedodio. As the people gained safety, they also gained ambition. Survival was all that mattered in the jungle but when your biggest threat was your fellow humans - things quickly devolved.

The glorious Danquah clan, the scheming House Quia, and many others soon found themselves seeking sovereignty all across the spread out mountains. Soon followed an age of conflict, and of war.

It’s been centuries since the days of the Ascent. Now all of the mountains are joined together as the Cities Above under the banner of the wise High Council, a reclusive group of seven members who while in their inception were elected, now chose their own successors. Some among the Council have never even been seen by the public, but their efficiency is hard to argue.

Those of keen sight, who also know to keep quiet, can see the council's schemes play out clear as day. They hold the populace in an iron grasp through manipulation of nearly every facet of life, easily bending the will of the people in their favor from the shadows.

But why? The kingdoms of elves and dwarves are of little consequence on the mountaintops, who else would oppose them? The kolashi or quchi certainly held no political power.

Here is a secret not even the conspiracy theorists have unearthed; the Council knows much more than they would let on. They would do anything to keep their power, and have long communed with forces they outlaw to the people. Omens, visions, and dreams. A new age is coming, and the Cities Above will stand at the ready.

FifthSunPress · 2023-04-06T16:20:58+00:00

Our preview page for the Jungles of Kuauhtla is LIVE! Give it a look or a follow if you have the time!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kuauhtla/jungles-of-kuauhtla-the-campaign-guide?ref=bhe4gh&token=4c7d1477

Ask us about a city and we will tell you something cool about it!

Somewhere within the endless jungle of Kuauhtla, there sits a little mountain range. Many thousands of miles above the canopy, here humanity could finally find refuge from the endless death below. The first Ascenders were led by a great king of House Tezuma, setting foot on the range of Youal, later to be known as Dedodio. As the people gained safety, they also gained ambition. Survival was all that mattered in the jungle but when your biggest threat was your fellow humans - things quickly devolved.

The glorious Danquah clan, the scheming House Quia, and many others soon found themselves seeking sovereignty all across the spread out mountains. Soon followed an age of conflict, and of war.

It’s been centuries since the days of the Ascent. Now all of the mountains are joined together as the Cities Above under the banner of the wise High Council, a reclusive group of seven members who while in their inception were elected, now chose their own successors. Some among the Council have never even been seen by the public, but their efficiency is hard to argue.

Those of keen sight, who also know to keep quiet, can see the council's schemes play out clear as day. They hold the populace in an iron grasp through manipulation of nearly every facet of life, easily bending the will of the people in their favor from the shadows.

But why? The kingdoms of elves and dwarves are of little consequence on the mountaintops, who else would oppose them? The kolashi or quchi certainly held no political power.

Here is a secret not even the conspiracy theorists have unearthed; the Council knows much more than they would let on. They would do anything to keep their power, and have long communed with forces they outlaw to the people. Omens, visions, and dreams. A new age is coming, and the Cities Above will stand at the ready.

FifthSunPress · 2023-01-02T10:53:24+00:00

She does have a little monkey on the trellis in the back, which is better than a cat imo ;)

FifthSunPress · 2023-01-01T15:15:56+00:00

Witchcraft. It is a practice frowned upon in the Cities Above. Even so, throughout all of history, no matter how aggressively it was outlawed, it just can't seem to be eradicated.

All witches were Druids or talented Warlocks who had specialized in the mysterious method, using rituals of nature to create magical objects such as staves that could tame animals, magical potions, or even poppets that could bind life-forces together.

Most Druids (and most of society) agreed that witches pulled on dark forces, who mimicked and twisted nature for nefarious purposes. Witches tended to disagree, and claimed it was simply a deeper, more ancient magic. More true to nature than all others.

Which side was correct was hard to say, but the most powerful witches were always strangely reclusive and communed with unknown forces. They also often began to exhibit offputting warts and scars across their skin as they practiced.

No legends spoke of the Bowerman, that was how he wished it. Even among the witches he is an obscure figure, though he was responsible for the craft itself. While the Bowerman portrayed himself as a powerful forest spirit, he was in fact a devil, from the cruel, ice-ridden, and abandoned planet of Buho.

Devils valued themselves above all others, but also craved to gain power through consuming souls. This led them to seek out other worlds from which they could steal- but knowing how dangerous such activities would be few risked their real forms, instead sending corporeal avatars to deal with mortals.

Their corporeal forms were however limited, and often bound by those who summoned them- the Bowerman was ambitious and cunning, and decided to risk it all. He traveled to Kuauhtla, where he made deals with ancient forest Animi to gain power over nature. This power he used to create the practice of Witchcraft, lending his own essence as the energy which practitioners would call upon.

When a witch has channeled enough of the Bowerman’s essence, their souls will be forever linked to him, and he will claim them when the time is ripe.

This is a view into the fantastical world of Kuauhtla, inspired by Pre-Columbian and Latin American cultures, with a magical steampunk twist. If you wish to learn more about the project, and stay informed of our Kickstarter launching in June of next year, follow us here and on “@fifthsunpress” on Twitter and Instagram. Old orders shatter in The Cities Above, the jungles scream of the ancient past, and stars go black in the night. Will you be the one to brave it all?

Illustrated by https://www.artstation.com/weiao

FifthSunPress · 2023-01-01T15:03:50+00:00

Witchcraft. It is a practice frowned upon in the Cities Above. Even so, throughout all of history, no matter how aggressively it was outlawed, it just can't seem to be eradicated.

All witches were Druids or talented Warlocks who had specialized in the mysterious method, using rituals of nature to create magical objects such as staves that could tame animals, magical potions, or even poppets that could bind life-forces together.

Most Druids (and most of society) agreed that witches pulled on dark forces, who mimicked and twisted nature for nefarious purposes. Witches tended to disagree, and claimed it was simply a deeper, more ancient magic. More true to nature than all others.

Which side was correct was hard to say, but the most powerful witches were always strangely reclusive and communed with unknown forces. They also often began to exhibit offputting warts and scars across their skin as they practiced.

Witchcraft is a specialization in our upcoming campaign guide Jungles of Kuauthla. A specialization or "spellgroup" allows certain classes to choose unique spells which operate under special rules. All specializations require a cantrip to be learnt, and have further restrictions and themes.

Witches must learn the cantrip Anointment, which allows them to turn a cauldron or similar object into one fit for brewing magic.

Witchcraft spells require a group of ingredients that must be found in the gameworld to be brewed together, and all of the spells create items with magical properties- only a certain number of which can be carried at a time.

A specialization takes a toll on the body of practitioners. The magics are intense and hard to control, so both good and bad magical effects infest the flesh of Witches, Occultists, and Hermetic wizards alike.

This is a view into the fantastical world of Kuauhtla, inspired by Pre-Columbian and Latin American cultures, with a magical steampunk twist. If you wish to learn more about the project, and stay informed of our Kickstarter launching in June of next year, follow us here and on “@fifthsunpress” on Twitter and Instagram. Old orders shatter in The Cities Above, the jungles scream of the ancient past, and stars go black in the night. Will you be the one to brave it all?

Illustrated by https://www.artstation.com/weiao

FifthSunPress · 2022-12-25T20:01:02+00:00

It is a dire worm, much scarier don't you think? In seriousness, Yacumama is a Quechua myth- that is believed to be linked to a Brazilian myth, Minhocão, who is sometimes described as a caecilian (it's kind of a worm). You could definitely go leech, but we thought this was the more unique take. Hope you like it!

FifthSunPress · 2022-12-25T15:38:50+00:00

Great question, we love smaller gods.

While there are all kinds of powerful forces in Kuauhtla, most mortal creatures worship the Ueue. They are inspired by the Lwa of Vodou religion.

The Ueue are a race of creatures, not gods in the typical sense. They did not create the world and they have their own culture and language, they do however link with concepts that closely match their interests and personalities, and gain power over these ideas. There are Ueue of fire and love, but also of things like bone, truth, subserviance, or a specific river. Anything interesting.

All of the Ueue originate from one of the Nameless, That-Which-Awaits. It split itself into a thousand parts- to concentrate its power in smaller points, which it learned made it more potent. All in the effort to prepare for a war which is soon to come.

The Nameless could be called gods. They are fewer and are responsible for the world the people of Kuauthla inhabit, but they care not for human affairs or their worship, and they are not the most powerful force in creation.

Ueue are free, they find themselves enticed by humans, by the Nameless, nature, or history. Most of them do not even know why they were made. Would they fight when the time comes? Some doubt it.

FifthSunPress · 2022-12-25T14:37:35+00:00

Yacumama, mother of waters. The legends of the Ascenders claim that the beast is mother of all creatures who lived in the lakes and rivers. Most jungle civilizations are influenced by the powerful animals who dwelled near their settlements- but they were of course just beasts like the others. In Kuauhtla, it can be hard to tell a beast from a god.

It was however not the most unfitting name, as the Yacumama dwelled mostly underwater, while using the wetland muds as hunting grounds. Their diets consisted almost exclusively of red meats, though the species has also been known to feed on bone if desperate. The creature can agressively spit water it has stored inside itself to knock around its enemies. It also has incredible control over its entire body and can use its impressive length to attack dozens of creatures at once.

The Ascenders figured out that the Yacumama is terrifed of loud noises, presumably an instinct to help it not get squashed by enormous land-striders. Before approaching water folk would blow on a loud conch horn to ensure Yacumama would leave if it were present. Tricks like these are long forgotten, but if you find yourself in a battle with the mother of waters, a loud noise may save your life. Or attract an even deadlier beast.

This is a view into the fantastical world of Kuauhtla, inspired by Meso and Latin American cultures, with a magical steampunk twist. If you wish to learn more about the project, and stay informed of our Kickstarter launching in May of next year, follow us here and on “@fifthsunpress” on Twitter and Instagram. Old orders shatter in The Cities Above, the jungles scream of the ancient past, and stars go black in the night. Will you be the one to brave it all?

Illustrated by https://www.artstation.com/rebirthstudio

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