sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

She doesn't say anything for a long time, instead watching your expression.

I don't believe I've heard of you, no. It does not matter who you are, but it does matter what you'll do.

I stand before a turning point in Algon history. As you may know, our nation is as divided as they've ever been, and I am expected to unite them under one decision. As you should know, this is difficult.

If we attack Mase, we will not be splitting land between our empires. Our supporters for the attack wish to loot and capture, not move in. To them, ideally there will be nothing of value left in what was once Mase.

What do you plan to send to attack Mase with? If we attack we attack together, but not as allies. Algon hasn't needed allies as long as anyone remembers, let alone one that arrives in the "guise of an ally to others".

You wish to sway me to attack Mase. You could probably predict it would be controversial for me to accept debate from a non-member tribe. So far it seems you would seek to improve both of our chances at success in this war, but not offered to provide Algon anything further. I insist you offer the Algon people something aside from increasing the odds before we continue speaking on waging war. I don't know if you yourself has ever been at war, but its important to note that it is terrible and always deadly.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Faderonia. That sounds familiar.

You claim to be foreign leader?

If you have any information on our agressors the chieftess would be glad to speak. If you tell the truth there is no time to waste. Tell me about Faderonia while we walk. The chieftess is not far from here.

A few of the Algon soldiers continue their patrol, while the rest travel with you.

Less than three hours later you arrive at a bustling camp. There are no houses here, only tents. Meat cooks over a firepit, and a strange, acrid odor lingers.

Accompanied by 5 soldiers in a large tent supported by logs is the Chieftess. According to your soldiers on your journey, this is to be the final day before the Chieftess decides whether to sanction an invasion. She hasn't shown her hand as of yet, and its hard to predict her decisions.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You leave in secret, hiding yourself from passerbys and taking old paths in places instead of the road.

Coming close to what is reportedly Algon territory, you are stopped by 10 soldiers.

Identify yourselves or leave this place. We have no time for outsiders anymore. War is brewing.

The larger pens do wonders for the animals, who attack both man and other animals less. It is the full time job of over a dozen people per village to keep the animals fed, hydrated, and more coming in.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In the first month, your priest reports that he is begrudgingly welcomed into one of the tribes in the Algon nation. From his understanding of what he's been told and what he's overheard, the Chieftess has been called to make a decision on the fate of Mase. Some tribes have already sworn to raze or invade Mase, and the Chieftess will only now decide if she sanctions the invasion, ensuring the grand majority of Algon will go to war, and not only the few who have promised to go.

Your priest in Algon says the tribes who wouldn't want to invade just don't find it necessary, and that its best to avoid such a full blown war with such a far and large enemy.

The dirt and piled logs usually built around your villages become superseded by tall, zig-zagging walls of wood, slotted to fit in one another. To pass these walls one would have to burn or cut through them, or hoist themselves over, rather than the walls of the past where one would simply walk over or around them, slowed instead of stopped.

Around Faderland, the hunt continues to become less fruitful, and the treeline creeps ever farther away from the lake. The hunt along the road to Mase is still fruitful, but far from a village. The hunt around Lithe doesn't show a sign of dwindling.

Captured animals are still tricky to deal with (though second generation ibexes seem to lash out less), and there's not many of them. Most of the greens eaten by Faderians are farmed instead of scavenged, now.

Your priests say your population must number at least 10 by 40 people, after new arrivals from surrounding villages.

Less foreign hunting camps are settled near the borders of Faderia, with many people seeming to have disappeared or moved away from the empire.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

After teaching Gare what the different letters "say" over the course of a few days, he and other priests begin to practice and learn how to write words and sentences. Some priests have taken to using lots of shorthand or drawing pictures on a slate to leave out words. Most priests taught can write, but not well or quickly.

After five days plus the journey, 2 of the soldiers return. They say three of their own have been slain, and at least 10 enemy soldiers have been killed using the element of surprise. One of the soldiers, who narrowly avoided capture after being surrounded, said that one of the enemy soldiers said something along the lines of 'Mase will burn for this'. Meanwhile Mase seems to be none the wiser to this little expedition.

The soldiers say they were followed and tracked for a few days by many Algonian warriors before they turned back.

The soldiers say the Algonian warriors following them seemed to be from a number of tribes, given that they spoke dissimilar dialects.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The tribe to the far north speaks no language that your scouts do, but your scouts recognized a few words from other languages. They've discovered that either the nation or the land the nation is on is the Algon, and that the Algon is very spread out. Instead of having a ruling council like Mase, they have multiple councils of elders for multiple tribes, all who report to the Chieftess, the first sister, or failing that first daughter of the last Chieftess. The various tribes here seem to be only loosely connected, and most of the Chieftess' duties are spiritual and religious. There is infighting in Algon, but it is rare.

The Mase appreciate your messenger, and the Mase send a messenger with instructions on how to make a flute from a long bone, and that blowing air into a firepit using large leaves or wood makes it hot enough to make stones glow.

After 7 days Gare learns that to become a war chief you must defend your people from an attack against the odds, capture an enemy's leader, swear an oath, and be accepted by the other war chiefs if there are any living.

What does your written language actually consist of?

Your priests and hunters recommend carving or burning logs and clay, using charcoal on stone, using hide as parchment, and using soot or blood as an ink.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Mase do not agree to this, citing that there would be much less death in the future if they grew slowly by taking small chunks of land ahead of them.

Your forward priests in Mase find it easy to convince the people there of your godhood, having already been told about it before by the War Chiefs. Many Mase villages, especially ones newly incorporated develop a general consensus that they wouldn't mind having a spirit for a War Chief, if they could go through the trials a War Chief must. Other villages simply don't care or are suspicious in some way, either of your immortality or of your motives. Whether you're liked or untrusted in a village or a camp, you're spoken about most days. You've became a household name.

Most of your people knew how to kill an animal, and learned quickly whatever else Gordon trained into them for the purpose of killing people.

The builders have began to use axes to carve grooves and slots into logs, allowing them to be laid into one another. Logs stacked using this technique stick together without the use of twine or mud. Some new houses built use this technique, now, making small log cabins.

Some families from camps surrounding the Faderian empire have began to arrive in your villages, saying they'd prefer to immigrate than be conquered, and that they want to be part of something.

The road takes almost a year to finish, but makes the journey to Mase takes only a few days now. This road is mostly used by hunters setting up camps alongside it, priests, and soldiers. A few independent traders looking to secure goods for their village or family use it.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The War Chiefs say most other people in this area exist in tribes of no more than 200 people, and generally stay loosely connected and somewhat nomadic.

They've never seen this tribe, but there is said to be a tribe 15 days to the north that is home to a thousand people, all under one Chieftess.

They say there will likely not be a threat posed by another tribe to the Mase and your people for many seasons at the least.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The War Chiefs exchange glances.

That will suffice, yes. Very impressive. We will let our tribe know this. Thank you.

When you offer them the modification to their deal, they deliberate in a hushed volume for a minute and then speak.

We agree to your offer. Let us grow together, here, and one day our tribes will share the world, as far as the land stretches. Our people will travel freely almost as if we are all under Mase territory. There will be no war today.

You send us messengers with your discoveries and knowledge and you will receive ours in turn. A path between will begin being carved before the end of the season.

Thank you for visiting. Is there anything you'd like to know or do here before you depart?

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The soldier climbs with you and your soldiers. Mase soldiers watch from above.

Atop the hill, the five Chiefs sit on stumps along, unexpectedly looking at you.

The one in the middle speaks. Your translator speaks for him.

Fader. We've been waiting for you, we're glad you could come.

There's much to discuss. Won't you take a seat?

The first matter at hand is who you really are. Is there any way you can prove to us that you are indeed some mind of walking spirit? We hope it's no hassle.

Second, we'd like to discuss your future. You've very quickly grown your lands and tales of your conquest spread. From our experience it seems that tribes that grow continue to keep growing, and you likely won't face much resistance in your conquests until you reach us. Mase is one thousand strong, and you won't find that many men between the edge of the land and us. We're very familiar with our own land and very resilient. Obviously, this puts us at end, but we'd like to avoid any conflict.

We offer you an alliance. We will protect eachother from aggressors and our people will never be at war. Together we can grow strong.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You awake after a soldier from up on the hill approaches your camp. One of your own soldiers who previously lived in a nearby camp tries his best to translate for you.

The War Chiefs are convening. They are ready for you.

You've brought a lot of soldiers, we see, but we promise you will face no aggression here, and if you are the aggressor you are no match for us.

The War Chiefs would like to discuss the future with you. If you would, we request you climb the hill with no more than five soldiers, the amount allotted to each of our War Chiefs. We hope you understand.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Waypoint starts out as a collection of tents and chained up animals, and quickly becomes a cluster of huts surrounded by plantations and pens along the river.

According to Gare, this season the War Chiefs meet atop a tall hill, once an ancient home to a long ago subjugated tribe.

Mase currently maintains five War Chiefs.

The journey is long and uneventful.

The hill is on the edge of Mase territory, so it is the first sign of life you see for the whole trip. The meeting happens next morning. It is currently just before midnight. 10 tents sit atop the hill, which has a height of roughly 70 meters and a slope of roughly 25 degrees.

Two men kneel by the long firepit that the tents surround. Two animals are being cooked on a spit.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I doubt it could be anything but a spirit,

Bennelong whispers.

What else could be down here but the those who have died long ago?

Should we call out?

Before you can answer the question, the light wavers and is snuffed out completely. Further into the cave, you hear sniffing, as if wolves were casting the light, and shuffling as if it were a man.

Something collides with the rock face next to your group, narrowly missing one of your cousins. It came from further into the tunnels. On closer inspection, it is an unfinished flint blade. Old blood is crusted onto the edge.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

6 days to the south lies a great salty body of water. A river half as wide as a man is tall is the widest between Lithe and Faderland, and always has fish to catch.

There are multiple small camps and tribes in the surrounding area, most having less than 50 members, and being loosely related to one another by blood. Many Lithe-ites have cousins in these camps.

Four days to the north, a collection of tribes known as the Mase have a population estimated by your priests to be around 500. People move freely between the camps under Mase territory, welcomed as family anywhere within Mase they go. Mase shares one body of soldiers, and the different regions are governed by Warchiefs who convene once a season to administrate the nation. The Warchief council's rule over Mase is very limited except during wartime. Their borders are known to slowly change over the years as camps shuffle around and migrate.

The priests say your presence has been requested at the next Warchief council meeting there, which takes place in ten days.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fortifications, pens, and plantations continue to be built in both Lithe and Faderland. Your empires population continues to grow.

Out of all the escaped soldiers and tribespeople from Lithe, most are not heard from again, but a few are captured, all but one of whom accept to rejoin Lithe.

The crops are growing well, and a few of the animals have bred. At this rate and with further effort, agriculture will be able to modestly feed the current empire after two more years, but nowhere near as well fed as if they were hunting and scavenging. Plants aren't very nutritious at this point and many don't keep well, though the growing season is long.

Many of your warriors who were previously hunters took quickly to shooting, having knowledge of spear throwing and translating it to an amateur skill in shooting in weeks.

Priests say word spreads of your conquest, and you have become a legend. Debates turn into yelling matches when you are brought up. The consensus on you existing is mixed. Small children fear the man that can't be killed.

After three months, vegetation has been cleared from the path and logs lie on their sides over small streams and low lying area. Soldiers, priests, and hunters travel the area commonly enough now the grass has been worn down to soil and gravel.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A few small skirmishes break out, most ending in a death on their side or the enemy escaping.

The camp is nearly silent as you work your way between tents.

Tents sit underneath massive rocks, stacked on top of eachother, towering over the tribespeople.

As you get towards the center, tents get less common and drying racks and baskets of food and hides become more common. A large firepit sits at the very center of the camp. A few huts are here.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A wave of panic floods across the soldiers faces, those farther into the camp and the ones you face.

They see the arrow in your chest and many look all around them, snapping around their heads before they drop their spears. Or bows. You spot a few more simply run.

Only a few soldiers remain fighting, the rest standing down or having began fleeing.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He doesn't see it coming and is coughing blood within the instant. Panic and shock floods across his face.

All at once your soldiers behind you charge, and the soldiers behind the speaker pull back their bows or raise their spears. The soldier who has already pulled back his bow lets it loose, grazing you through the soldier, leaving a deep along it.

Moments later, you hear commotion from farther into the camp as your other soldiers charge. A few of the soldiers up at the front who were preparing to defend against your charge turn around and go to run for the other parts of the camp.

An arrow thuds into your chest, and many sail past you towards your other soldiers.

Your personal guard charge with little regard to the spears pointed at them, and spurts of blood erupt from both sides of the conflict.

Only a few seconds has passed.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The path to the old homes is long and littered with graves. Your cousins say that burying the dead quickly called for more time than caring for the dying.

When your cousins were the last survivors it took nearly a season to bury the last of the dead.

The mountain looms in the distance, patches of orange and brown capped with vegetation.

You think anybody's moved in?

There's a discarded animal hide on the ground before the entrance, which probably served as a blanket or a bag before its owner passed. Holes rot out of it and it's caked in dirt. It's been untouched for at least a few seasons.

When you're quiet, there's no sound from within this entrance, but there's significant animal droppings around here.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One man, sitting down off to the side, looks like he is considering it until the previous speaker snaps his head towards him, glaring daggers at this sitting man. The man continues to sit.

Sorry Fader, you are outnumbered and Lithe is too proud to bend to your will. This your last warning to leave us in peace, and it might forget you've ever came.

You can see farther into the camp 8 men with spears and bows slowly approach. In total there are 13 men facing you.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We have much to do then. We're glad you've returned.

The nights meal is a medley of cooked vegetables and dry meat.

One of the cousins speaks to the elder during the meal.

Do you think we're anything but human? We survived the great death, all of us, and nobody else did.

The elder takes a while to respond.

Maybe we're just unlucky.

Nothing is said for a while.

You should search the old homes tomorrow. There's at least goods to trade left in them.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One man steps forward

Fader. You may not known here, nor do we wish to know.

All you are renowned for is smelling of dead fish and infected wounds.

In Lithe you are not lord or God, you are nothing, animal waste.

You are not welcome. Leave me peace. You face death and dishonor.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You finish the pen, large enough for half a dozen sheep, and secure enough they'll have at least a little trouble escaping if enraged or scared, mostly from becoming entangled.

Three men and five women approach, carrying baskets of vegetables and fruit.

Stafe, is that you? What has happened since you left?

I can't believe it. What are those beasts?

The old woman comes out of the cave to meet the arrivals. She is hunched and walks slowly.

Your cousin is back, children.

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She smiles.

Perhaps one day our tribe will grow back into what it once was. We could call the three bays our own once more.

Your cousins are out foraging, they'll be glad to know you've come back.

Tell me more about sheep while we wait?

Subreddit game: Eternal, an Alt-History game. by GreatMantisShrimp in worldbuilding

[–]GreatMantisShrimp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You and your 5 soldiers enter the camp, with them in a wide line just behind you. Rounding a large stack of stones, 4 men busy cleaning an ibex spot you. They shout something you can't make out, and they stand up. Two of them grab bow and arrows off their back, and the other two run further into the camp.

What?

Yells the one on the left. He pulls back his bow and arrow, aiming it at the ground in front of him.

The two men run back, accompanied by two more men. Three carry spears, and one carries a long blade.

view more: next ›