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Old Earth
Topic Started: Dec 13 2007, 11:45 PM (701 Views)
Tristan da Cunha
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Science and Industry
RD and I have been working on a new RP concept called Old Earth.

Old Earth is an alternate world geopolitical RP similar to NSWR. However, the world, its countries and its cultures are different from those in NSWR, and elements of myth and legend tend to intertwine with more mundane aspects. The game is set during a time resembling the 19th century, with the modern economies of scale making their first appearance amid a landscape of ancient civilizations.

This is your chance to play a different nation in an alternate world, while still in the safe confines of NS. You can make an entirely new nation, or do a variant version of one of your own countries. Each player can have one nation in Old Earth, anywhere in the world, and it should be represented by an NS nation.

Additionally, there will be NPC nations controlled by Old Earth staff that will interact with PC nations and help to build the legendary atmosphere of Old Earth. All in all, this should be a very different world from NS and most other RPs, so please post if you are interested.
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Pascoag
2nd Lieutenant
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Sounds interesting enough. Count me in.

By myth and legend do you mean like mythological beings living side by side with humans?
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Tristan da Cunha
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Specifically mythological beings are permissible but they shouldn't be the focus of the game. This should feel like a real world with fantasy elements, rather than vice versa.

More generally, the entire game is mythological in the sense that legend and history can merge, and memories and experiences of the past directly affect the present.
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Pascoag
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So a bit like King's The Eyes of the Dragon?
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Tristan da Cunha
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I haven't read that book, but I just read a short online synopsis and it seems that may fit.
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Tristan da Cunha
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Here is a nation description for an NPC (Aztecs) that will be present in the game.

Aztec Empire

Perhaps 1,000 years ago, a great cataclysm drove seven Nahua tribes from the fertile land of Aztlan. They were led by their god Huitzilopochtli (”The Hummingbird of the South”), to search for a new home. After wandering the hill country, and at the mercy of the power and whims of stronger tribes, the Nahua finally received a fortunate sigil from heaven – a golden eagle perched on top of a cactus, and clutching in her talons a dead snake. At this very spot the gods commanded the Nahua to build their new home, their brilliant capital city of Tenochtitlan. In this way the Nahua civilization, now called the Aztec, established itself amidst a thousand warring tribes and nations in Central Mexico.

The Aztecs flourished for centuries, conquering and subjugating their neighbors and developing a highly advanced culture in the bountiful Valley of Mexico. But at a time of unprecedented stability and prosperity, Huitzilopochtli returned to his people, a divine medium who has descended upon the mortal world, to help them face the trials of the future.
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Nag Ehgoeg
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The Devil's Advocate

I'm interested.

I'd probably play as some kind of a nation strongly influenced by two rivial demon worshipping tribes of wanderers - one orgininating from a "civilised" society (like the Ancient Greece or the Roman Empire of real life) and the other being a more pagan, matriarchal tribe of barbarians. These two tribes of wanderers would have made some kind of gesture to settle their differences and settled down to co-found a nation under the banner of friendship and union by day, but by night each would try to usurp the other with nefarious backstabbing and double dealing. This nation would probably be very ethnically diverse - as the two tribes would have been strongly interested in traveling the world and certainly not above using interbreeding as a method of diplomacy.

The majority of the population would take an "enlightened" approach to the supernatural aspect of this world. Debunking and rationalising. Riding the new wave of technology to sweep away the myths and legends of what they see to be relics of a by-gone age in a race to embrace the future. But the real power players in this nation would never forget their orgins and would still practice the old ways in secret - all the while encouraging "reason" and discouraging the masses towards looking too closely at the myths and legends in their midsts.

For this reason, history would be continually rewritten, a great disdain would likely be had for nations seeped in mystism (or even religion) - which will likely be just about everyone and this nation would devote itself to learning and technology.

No idea for what location I'd like to be in, but something on the fringes would be nice. Something connected to the world at large, but somewhere where the masses could sit back and laugh at the foolish superstitious worshipping gods that couldn't logically exist and where the ruling elite could keep an eye on the stirings of a changing world.

I don't really want to make a new NS nation though... the number I have is enough. I'd use a colony - but they all have massive populations. I don't suppose I could use Nag Ehgoeg's stats but have a lower population?
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Rhadamanthus
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Legitimist

Nag, using Nag Ehgoeg should be fine, I think. For my part, I intend to play a revamped Greater Sakha.
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Union
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Pyrenees Republic
This sounds real interesting, and I'd love to play.
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Tristan da Cunha
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Here is a tentative map of the Americas. At the beginning of the game, the Americas will be filled with entirely NPC forces, and no European colonization will have taken place. There is however a Viking NPC nation, a holdover from the first Viking expedition to North America, but it will have lost contact with Europe.

A significant portion of the game therefore will probably be dedicated to colonization of the Americas by various countries in the Old World, however the task will not be as straightforward as it was in real history, due to the presence of divine supplication.

Note on the map: Italicized names refer to nomadic or semi-nomadic hunter-gatherer tribes. Non-italicized names and colored areas designate agrarian societies.

Posted Image
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Union
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Pyrenees Republic
Dibs on Iroquois Confederacy ^_^

Though that map is wrong. The Mohawk were part of the Iriquois Nation
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Quaon
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A Prince Amoung Men-Shoot First and Ask Questions Later
I would like to RP an Irish Empire.

I know, oxymoron.
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Tristan da Cunha
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Hispania
Dec 16 2007, 07:25 PM
Dibs on Iroquois Confederacy  ^_^

Though that map is wrong. The Mohawk were part of the Iriquois Nation

The Mohawk and Iroquois are separate in this world.

Here is a tentative map of Eurasia. I will probably get a higher-resolution map but for the purposes of land claims we can use this map for now. You are welcome to claim land on the map.

Posted Image

China will initially be an NPC that I will roleplay, at least in the beginning, because I have a specific RP in mind for it, that may affect the RPs of many other countries. I don't want to spoil the storyline yet, but you will see what I mean.

Also, note the region of the map labelled "Islam." Preferably the countries within this area should be Islamic, although exceptions can be made.

Guidelines for creating a country

The history of the world will be open-ended, but not as open-ended as on the main forum.

There are some important historical events that are definitely considered "canon" and should be acknowledged by every country. I'll describe some of them here. (Note that some of the dates seem weird. That is well, because the events described are supposed to be mythologically significant rather than strictly historical)

The start of human history is set to the year 11,557 BC. According to tradition, in that year, a coalition of gods led by the Allfather fought a great battle against the demon Satan on the plain of Meggido in the land of Canaan. There were humans who fought on each side of the battle. According to tradition, Satan was defeated and his faction banished from the mortal realm. The years 11,557 BC to 451 BC are considered the Mythological Epoch.

In 451 BC the Romans destroyed the city of Carthage. In that same year, the Mandate of Heaven was proclaimed in China, the Vedic scriptures were completed in India, and according to Maya tradition, their god Kaminal, satisfied with his work so far, left his people and returned to the other-world. This momentous year is considered the end of the Mythological Epoch, and the Ancient Epoch commenced, ultimately spanning the years 451 BC to 612 AD.

Tradition holds that in the year 612 AD, a ragged force of Arab tribesmen led by a self-proclaimed prophet, Muhammad, accidentally opened the Seals of Satan, thereby unleashing Satan's forces onto earth again. What happened next is the subject of dispute. Some claim that Muhammad defeated the forces of Satan, and this caused him to gain power and heavenly favor. Others claim Muhammad made a pact with Satan, allowing him to gain unholy power. In any case, Muhammad's army established one of the greatest empires in human history, the Caliphate, and his rise to power marks the end of the Ancient Epoch and the beginning of the Medievval Epoch, which spanned the years 612 and 1453.

In the year 845, five great Empires collapsed - the Carolingian Empire, the Gupta Empire, the Tang Empire, the Maya Empire, and the Caliphate. The only great power left intact was the ancient Byzantine Empire but even then only after a crippling civil war. This portentous year is considered by some to be the Meridian Year, the midpoint of human history.

In the year 1170 one of the most powerful rulers in human history, Genghis Khan, began his career. His legacy remains disputed.

In the year 1453, the Turks sacked Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, an event of cosmological significance that ushered in the current epoch, which, of course, people alive today refer to as the Current Epoch.

The RP begins roughtly 350 to 400 years into the Current Epoch.

That is also a tentative history of events, your suggestions for revision are appreciated.
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Quaon
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A Prince Amoung Men-Shoot First and Ask Questions Later
I'd like to claim Ireland and Iceland. I'll have more detail later.
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Toussaint
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Major
I may like to be placed in India, however I'm not entirely sure how this game works.

So, gods live amongst people?
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Menhad
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ET2(IDW)
It sounds like Black and White...
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Union
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Pyrenees Republic
Actually, I'd almost rather RP as Pagan Lithuania, trying to hold back the advances of Christianity.

It would be fun.
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Tristan da Cunha
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Çerdoné
 
I may like to be placed in India, however I'm not entirely sure how this game works.

So, gods live amongst people?


Menhad
Dec 16 2007, 09:11 PM
It sounds like Black and White...


This game is somewhat similar to Black and White, however this game is mostly inspired by the Torah, the Bible, the Koran, the Hindu scriptures, the Buddhist scriptures, and other religious stories where gods have come to help their people. It is different in that gods will not be the main focus of the game - gods are somewhat of "the context" to the game.

Gods may exist, and they could contribute to the "driving force" behind each country. Each country, each people, each tribe might have its own protector god.

The god's powers are likely manifested as the general health and strength of a country. Specific events might be interpreted to be the outward manifestations of the god's strength and favor.

A god can live among his or her people, but that is highly discouraged, because the focus of the game is on the people and the nations, not on the gods. A story involving a god descending onto the earth and live among mortals will have to be approved by the committee of organizers (me and RD and possibly others).

Another possibility is that you have an RP where a patron god might favor a specific individual (a king or a hero) and grants him exceptional powers, like an Achilles or Ajax. However, all powers, whether derived from "supernatural" or "natural" sources will be subject to your national strength as determined by your NS account.

Hispania: as was specified earlier, the Americas will not have any player nations, only NPCs. However, over the course of the game, countries from Eurasia/Africa can colonize the Americas. And yes you can have the areas around Lithuania.
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Menhad
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ET2(IDW)
Can I be the Scots?
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Tristan da Cunha
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Updated map with people's claims. I also added some more NPCs. This is still a tentative map, so if the land you desire is occupied by NPC, you could still claim it.

Posted Image
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Toussaint
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Major
Could I play as the Maratha in India?

Edit:
Either that, or I'd like to play as Majapahit.
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Tristan da Cunha
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I have added Marathas to the map. Would you like to be Marathas or Majapahit?
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Toussaint
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I think I'd like to be Majapahit, if you don't mind.
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Pascoag
2nd Lieutenant
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I would like French Empire please.
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Tristan da Cunha
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Noted.

Note to everyone, I have started an "OE Map Thread" for all map-related discussion. Please post your map requests in that thread instead of this one.
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