Zoroaster!/Setting/General Info

Emperor's 10000 Children

Scope: Planetsize milieu, with 1 continent as main area of play.

Cosmology: Use the Zoroastrian Myth as base, then introduce the Old Gods, who where the Asura. But they became corrupt. Then the Emperor was born, the Deva. And he got 10000 children to watch over the Earth. Ahura Mazda and Ahriman still fight (all natural conflicts), and will do so until the world ends. The Asura still battle the Deva (there can be no good without evil).

Magic exists in two forms: Divine Magic through the Asura and the Deva, and Primal Force through Ahura Mazda and Ahriman (Elemental forces).

Nobles can use Asura and Deva, while Sorcerers and Wu Jen tap into the Primal Powers of Ahura Mazda and Ahriman.

World: Another planet. Water 70%. One mountain range in the middle of the Empire. Geological instability in the sea induced by tectonic plate movement.

Predominantly warm empire with desert areas to the west. Frigid in the middle mountain range.

Areas with natural phenomenons are closer to Ahura Mazda and Ahriman.

There are 3 main cultures: The Deva Empire, the Barbarian Adevas, and the Primal Monks.

Deva Empire: Divine Magic, Feudal agricultural, Artifacts, Middle Iron Age Tech Level, 2 different societies Eastern Caste Society: Nobility, Clergy, Middle Classes (3 castes), Peasants. Western Rural/Urban Capitalist society: Peasantry, Lower Class, 3 Middle Classes, Upper Class, Nobility, Royalty. 2 main languages: Eastern and Western. The Ancient languages, Asura and Deva. Caravan Trade Routes. Emperor's Children Divinity Cult: Emperor / Nobility / Ancestor worship.

Barbarian Adeva: Anti-Magic, Horse-riding Nomads, Raiders, Long-distance traders, Stone-age technology w/ Iron Age additions, tribal society. 1 Barbarian Language. Fringe Trade with Deva Empire. Animistic religion with Ancestor worship.

Primal Monks: Geriocratic Theocracy, Late Bronze Age Antique Tech level, Class society: Clergy, Artisans and Peasants. 1 Common Language, The Ancient Language. No Trade. Old Primal religion w/ Elemental Spirit worship.

Deva Empire trades with the Primal Monks by caravan. Adeva Barbarians trade with the Deva Empire along their borders.

Deva Empire is culturally flexible inside its religious umbrella.

Primal Monks have a rigid, conservative culture.

The Adeva Barbarians have a dynamic culture which is held back by not recording its knowledge.

Deva Empire
General: Writing, mathematics with zero.

Transportation: Walking, riding (with stirrups), ox carts, ocean-going galleys, hot-air ballons.

Warfare: Fists, leather armour, chariots, infantry formations, artillery, galleys, iron swords/shields, scale armour, armoured cavalry, steel weapons, lances, flails, chain mail.

Energy/Power: Draft animals, slaves, water wheels, wind mills, water mills.

Medicine: Herbs, supportive treatment, military surgery, chemical remedies, amputations, crude prosthetics, extracts, germ theory (new), major surgery, anaesthetics.

Biotech: Basic heredity, animal/plant breeding, wine/bread/cheese making, optical microscopes (new), laws of heredity, nature of cells and reproduction understood. Positive eugenics.

Materials: Wood, leather, stone, bronze, ceramics, iron, concrete, glass, steel, brick.

Tools: Hand tools, machines.

Construction: Shelter, Monumental architecture, keystone arch, dome.

Food: Hunting, gathering, herding, three-course field rotation.

Primal Monks
General: Writing, mathematics with zero.

Transportation: Walking, riding (without stirrups), ox carts.

Warfare: Fists, leather armour, iron swords/shields(, scale armour, steel weapons).

Energy/Power: Draft animals, water wheels.

Medicine: Herbs, supportive treatment, military surgery, chemical remedies, amputations, extracts.

Biotech: Basic heredity, animal/plant breeding, bread/cheese making.

Materials: Wood, leather, stone, bronze, ceramics, iron, concrete, glass, brick.

Tools: Hand tools.

Construction: Shelter, Monumental architecture, keystone arch, dome.

Food: Hunting, gathering, herding, three-course field rotation.

Adeva Barbarians
General: Writing.

Transportation: Walking.

Warfare: Fists, leather armour, iron swords/shields(, scale armour), armoured cavalry(, steel weapons).

Energy/Power: Draft animals, water wheels.

Medicine: Herbs, supportive treatment, military surgery, amputations, crude prosthetics, extracts.

Biotech: Basic heredity, animal breeding, bread/cheese making, laws of heredity.

Construction: Shelter, Monumental architecture, keystone arch, dome.

Food: Hunting, gathering, herding.

Deva Empire
Resources: All natural are available, largest population in the world.

Subsistence Patterns: Local agriculture supported by luxury caravans from outside, and a road grid inside the empire.

Religion: 90% The Emperor's Children (Asura Cult), 9% Primal Cult, 1% other.

Tech Level: Medieval with medical and biotech spearhead (1700-1800s).

Social Structure:
Western Class society: Nobility (called Royalty), Clergy (called Nobility), the three middle classes, The low class, Peasantry.

Eastern Caste system: Nobility, Clergy, The Three Middle Classes, Peasantry.

The Peasants provide food, while the Lower/ Lower Middle Classes provide other manual labor (road-building, imperial construction etc.). The Middle Classes provide skilled laborers and artisans, while the Upper Middle Class is filled with the ranks of the artisans and merchants that became rich. Everyone is ruled by the Nobility, that doubles as clergy. The Clergy, on the other hand, is clergy that is not noble. They rule where there is no Nobility to rule, in remote and secluded areas.

Symbolism: Architecture:

Heavenly animals to scare off Asura and Demon spirits.

Symbolism: Art:

Symbolism: Mysticism:

Numerology is important, and the most holy of sciences is mathematics. Four is the number of Fire, zero the number of the Heavens.

Primary language: Eastern 45%, Western 40%, Primal Monk Common 5%, Other 10%.

Trade, currency: Peasantry barter, Other trade in currency. Trade notes are used among the Upper Middle Class, the Clergy and Nobility. The currency is stable, but only used for small transactions (up to a Deva).

1000 Copper Sahasras -> 100 Bronze Shata -> 10 silver Dashan -> 1 gold Eka -> 1 Gold Deva.