Dagda
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The world of Dagda is a small Terran planet, consisting of oceans, great continents and varied forms of flora and fauna. It holds several sentient subspecies that all share a common ancestor, they are the Raijin, Fujin, Ryujin, Savitr, Mani and Svarog, each separated by racial defined boundaries and countries. The three most prominent subspecies reside on the northern bound continent and minor islands, whilst the others live on the gold rich southern continent, which has a much more inhospitable climate and terrain.
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Geography
Continents
Hotei
The planet has two major continents that rest upon the two sides of the equator. The northern continent is known as Hotei and is home to the more successful sentients of the planet.
There are many smaller islands, though these are mostly congregated around the larger continents. The Islands of Rán, more commonly known as The Ryu Isles, located to the east of Hotei are manufactured islands, created by the Ryujin who are endowed with control over the water element. These islands became closed off from the rest of the world via these hazardous water lanes simply known as the Ryu Water Lanes. Hotei is generally lush and fertile, however the Western regions under the rule of the Raijin are the most fertile of all, however they are also the most mountainous of Hotei.
Eostre
Eostre is largely barren deserts or mild grassland. The biggest of the world's mountains exist on this continent, though the tallest are on Hotei. These wide-berth mountains are often hollowed out and provide convenient shelter to all manner of creatures, including the sentients on Eostre. Eostre also has few rivers or even streams, unlike Hotei which has many. The ore deposits, however, are valuable to the northern subspecies, especially the Fujin, which gives the southern subspecies' chances at power over the greedy Fujin explorers. Eostre is largely unmapped and only the Fujin, of the northern subspecies', actively seek to explore the land.
Flora & Fauna
Both the flora and fauna are all very similar to that of our real world, Earth, with creatures such as mice, giraffes and cows. There are no monkeys, however, and many of the more unique creatures of Dagda have unusual additional abilities, such as elemental powers similar to the sentient subspecies of the world. The majority of life exists upon the fertile northern continent whilst the more unusual diverse flora and fauna live on the southern continent where they have adapted to the harsh conditions in unusual ways.
Major Natural Landmarks
Mount Jizō
The tallest mountain in the whole of Dagda. It resides within Parjanya, the western country belonging to the Raijin. It is considered so important a landmark that only monarchy-commissioned temples are permitted to be built upon it. The Raijin cultural activity of pilgrimages will often include a trip to visit Mount Jizō.
Kunitokotachi Divide
A great mountain range exists on the borders of Parjanya, separating it from the Fujin territory of Anemoi. This mountain range was a great asset to the Raijin during more primitive times of warring states and species, protecting them from the powerful Fujin. Great temples have been built upon the mountains by each successive monarch forever after the end of those great wars. Few Raijin live on these mountains, however. The only way through them is the Pass of Nectan.
Mani Caves
Many of the mountains of Eostre are hollowed by natural cave systems caused, long ago, by water. However one cave system has become famous and a topic of curiosity for many Fujin. The subspecies Mani populated the caves, supposedly due to their long-forgotten powers over darkness, and made the cave system into a kind of underground city simply known as Mani Territory.
Mount Gebirge Ymir
Mount Gebirge is actually a semi-active volcano on the southern continent of Eostre. Long having ceased its violent eruptions, the volcano is slowly making its way towards dormancy. However past eruptions have made the volcano highly fertile, the only real fertile region on the whole continent of Eostre. It is a regularly visited spot by the Svarog and northern explorers.
Sentients
Raijin
- Main article: Raijin
The Raijin are a humanoid species from the planet Dagda, which they share with two other main subspecies, Ryujin and Fujin. The most distinctive features of a Raijin are the head tendrils and the large zigzag tail. The Raijin age faster than most species, a thirteen-year-old may appear more like a twenty-year-old human. They're known for their incredible speed, reflexes and ability to create electricity. A race of Raijin are also blessed with powers of the mind, such as telekinesis and teleportation.
Fujin
- Main article: Fujin
The Fujin are a humanoid species from the planet Dagda, which they share with two other main subspecies, Ryujin and Raijin. The Fujin are very similar to the Raijin genetically, though they differ in appearance in several ways. They have tendrils, and long-pointed ears but they have no tails and their skin colours range through shades of green. They are also known to have semi-transparent skin that causes their red innards to show up in stark light. They have powers over aero magick and some psychic traits.
Ryujin
- Main article: Ryujin
The Ryujin are a humanoid species from the planet Dagda, which they share with two other main subspecies, Raijin and Fujin. Ryujin have long tendrils in place of head-hair and they have thick long tails to help them with balance and swimming. The Ryujin age faster than most sentient species, a thirteen-year-old may appear more like a twenty-year-old human. They live mostly in underwater cities and are suspicious of the Fujin and Raijin subspecies of Dagda.
Mani
- Main article: Mani
The world of Dagda is populated by six sentient subspecies, the Raijin, Ryujin, Fujin, Svarog, Savitr and Mani. The final subspecies are amongst the most under-developed of the subspecies. The Mani are similar in aesthetics to the other subspecies of Dagda, elongated ears, hairless and a tail but their skin is pitch black with some stripes that reflect light. They are powerless, though it is speculated by Fujin scientists that the Mani once held the power of darkness.
Savitr
- Main article: Savitr
The world of Dagda is populated by six sentient subspecies, the Raijin, Ryujin, Fujin, Svarog, Mani and Savitr. The final subspecies are the most under-developed of the six, roaming across the southern continent in small individual tribes that often know starvation and illness. The Savitr are similar in aesthetics to the other subspecies of Dagda, elongated ears, hairless and a tail but their skin is white and even somewhat translucent in places. They are powerless, though it is speculated by Fujin scientists that the Savitr once held the power of light.
Svarog
- Main article: Svarog
The world of Dagda is populated by six sentient subspecies, the Raijin, Ryujin, Fujin, Savitr, Mani and Svarog. The final subspecies are amongst the three most under-developed of subspecies on Dagda. The Svarog are the most dissimilar of subspecies to the 'standard' Dagdan appearance. They still have the same elongated ears but they do not have the tendrils or fleshy tails; instead they have strange flames that appear like hair. They have powers over fire, able to produce and manipulate it, which comes from this strange flame-mane.
Politics
Countries
Parjanya
Hotei is split into three powers, split mostly by racial distinction and old wars. The western Raijin country is known as Parjanya and is separated from the Fujin run country by a great mountain range known as the Kunitokotachi Divide. Parjanya is the richest nation of all, however it is still much smaller than the mighty Fujin realm. Since the modern era, Fujin and Raijin have mixed to a great extent and travellers are constantly seen passing to and from Parjanya to Anemoi.
Anemoi
Anemoi is the largest nation on the whole of Dagda, dwarfing both the lands of the Raijin and Ryujin combined. Separated from Parjanya by the Kunitokotachi Divide, it has the Ryu Water Lanes to keep it from encroaching upon the Islands of Rán, which belong to the elusive Ryujin.
Ryujin Isles (Islands of Rán)
The Ryujin Isles lie to the east of Hotei and are collectively owned by the Ryujin people. These are officially known as the Islands of Rán, however the nickname of Ryujin Isles has become ingrained upon the mentality of the various species of Dagda. The islands are separated from Anemoi by the Ryu Water Lanes. Out beyond the Ryujin Isles lies the vast ocean of Dagda.
Southern State
The southern subspecies are not recognised by the northern sentients as having countries. In fact the Savitr are free-roaming and move according to the position of 'the herd', which are migratory buffalo. Only the Mani are considered to be in possession of territory, that being the Mani Territory. The Svarog ought to also be considered land-holders as they are also stationary, taking up residence on the fertile volcano, however their borders are undefined and taken for granted by the Hotei species.
Government
Parjanya
- Main Article: Raijin
The Fujin system of government is one of Constitutional Republic, having long ago overthrown its monarchy. Influencing the rest of the world with this free system of government, pressure was placed upon Parjanya and eventually the monarchy conceded into becoming a Constitutional Monarchy. The monarch of Parjanya, King Leucetios, has little to no power and acts as a cultural figurehead, only retained by the Raijin people as a method of self-identification.
The monarchy's main function is to spend the money they gain in taxes on the people again. With such much wealth accumulated in one place, it is easy for the monarchy to order the construction of grand palaces, plazas or temples, which all of public access. The money is also spent on city parades and celebrations.
The Prime Minister is voted in every five years, along with their respective party. The system electoral formula used is that of proportional representation, which aims to give a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive. Anyone over ten can vote.
Anemoi
- Main Article: Fujin
The Fujin system of government is one of Constitutional Republic, having long ago overthrown its monarchy. Influencing the rest of the world with this free system of government, pressure was placed upon Parjanya and eventually the monarchy conceded into becoming a Constitutional Monarchy.
The government is run by a President, who is answerable to the people and the Senate. Both the President and the Senate are elected by the people of Anemoi. The country has a constitution, which guarantees certain rights of the populace so that they cannot be taken away regardless of presidential determination.
Islands of Rán
- Main Article: Ryujin
The government system of the Ryujin is that of an Absolute Monarchy, the current monarch being Queen Aour. The line is passed down through the female line to ensure that the throne is always taken by a true member of the royal family. However due to the influence of Fujin democracy, the rule of the monarchy was challenged. Now, instead, the royal council, which is made up of common people called up by lottery, cast a vote on which royal family member will take the throne succeeding the former monarch.
Although men are technically allowed to take the throne, Ryujin society is slightly prejudiced and those in authority are normally women. Thus a male heir has never been named since the introduction of the voting system. A male was more likely to take the throne under the hereditary system.
Under this system the Ryujin people have to obey their monarchy in all her demands and requirements without hesitation. This has led to many corrupt monarchs, including the insane, perverse and war-mongers.
Savitr Tribes
- Main Article: Savitr
The Savitr are split into various small tribal units. Each tribe is run by a single leader, often known as a chieftain. These chieftains can exert influence on other tribes and work with them on occasion so that they could reap benefits from the hunt, or sharing of food or expertise. However there is no single ruler of them all. It is believed that there was once a chieftain so powerful that he held sway over all other tribes, but his legacy has long passed into legend and myth. The tribes, do, however, share women. They will trade women, set to be wives, in order to expand the gene pool and bolster relations between tribes. This is especially productive when it is a chieftains daughter being traded and there is a dowry involved.
Mani Territory
- Main Article: Mani
The Mani have a king, known as a lugal, who controls and dominates everything within Mani life. He holds a group of twenty as advisers. These advisers are considered as extensions of the king himself and are able to be treated like him and command other Mani like him, bar the king himself. The king and his advisers pass the laws and police the whole of Mani Territory, expecting fathers to punish their own families for any faults they find. With such a small population, the Mani are easily controlled by this simple system of government. The King appoints his advisers personally and they are often his friends from childhood, or whimsical friends. He is often quick to dismiss them also, though dismissal of an adviser means death. The passage of Kings runs father to son.
Svarog Land
- Main Article: Svarog
The government of the Svarog is lead by the Master Scholar, who is elected by the rest of the scholar caste. The scholar caste are in charge of all others due to their knowledge and wisdom, which is kept from all other professions below. The scholars also act as upholders of the law, judge and jury.
Major Cities
- Mani Territory
The hollowed-out mountain cave system is considered to be one large city. Primitive by modern standards, the Mani have traded much in the way of gold for Fujin technology, allowing them to illuminate the deepest darkest caves where even the amazing night-vision of the Mani struggled to see. Slowly the Mani Territory is developing.
- Benten (Capital)
Benten is the capital city of the Fujin, located along the northern-most shoreline. It suffers from cold weather and is considered small by comparison to other great cities in Anemoi, however the Fujin see Benten as their historical home and have not considered the possibility of changing the capital city of choice.
- Daikoku (Capital)
The Raijin do not have cities in the same sense as ours, or the Fujins. At most they have towns, however their residential buildings are towering skyscrapers much larger than anything in reality, housing enough for a small town. However Daikoku has six of these enormous buildings, along with many temples and one special palace called the Imperial Seat, where the monarchy lives and works. This is the largest number of Raijin in any one place and is an architectural marvel.
- Lugh (Capital)
The Ryujin do not have many cities built upon the land and when they are they tend to be quite small. The largest land-based city is Lugh, the new capital of the Islands of Rán. Originally the city of Tailtu was the capital city, however the government chose to make their capital more accessible to the foreign subspecies in a gesture of political openness. Great fountains pump water all throughout Lugh, creating great works of art such as towering manufactured waterfalls in amongst homes and offices.
- Tailtu
The original capital of the Islands of Rán, which is located underwater. Each underwater city has an access point from an island, which leads straight down into the depths. Although Lugh is the official capital, the royal family still maintain residence in Tailtu and much government legislation is still performed in this underwater world.
- Manannán
The island of Manannán has a huge educational complex that is comparable to any other Ryujin above-water city. It was founded along with the Fujin and designed to bridge gaps between the three great subspecies of Dagda. A small portion of students are even from the southern continent.
Manufactured Landmarks
- Imperial Seat
The gigantic palace built to accommodate the Raijin monarchy. Larger than any other Raijin building, the Imperial Seat is an architectural dream. It sits upon the side of a mountain, like all Raijin structures, within the city of Daikoku. Once the primary place for governmental affairs, now it is open for visitors and pilgrims alike, acting just as a very grand home for the royal family. It contains many priceless works of art.
- Artio Fountain
Built upon the same named island, the Artio Fountain is the largest structure ever built on Dagda. An immense work of art, it is a solitary tall, white pole with sophisticated internal workings to make it resistant to all manner of natural disasters and act as a fountain. Water pouring from its head and falls back down to earth as though it were permanently raining.
Relevant Characters
Player Characters & Other Major Characters
Taranis
- Main article: Taranis
Taranis is a yellow-skinned Raijin from the world of Dagda. She has powers over electricity as well as mental abilities, however she has little control over either of them. She is strong-willed and aggressive, which gets her into fights, arguments and dangerous situations. She is also sexually promiscuous and, combined with her aggressive nature, she is becoming a hazard for other female students.
Non-Player Characters & Associated Characters
Erith
- Main article: Erith
Erith is a Raijin woman that once had an intimate relationship with Taranis when they were both at school together. Always a troublesome girl, Erith fell lower and lower after Taranis was sent away to another school. However she eventually overcame herself to transcend her mind and become something better.
Dechtine Engres
- Main article: Dechtine Engres
Dechtine Engres is a Ryujin woman from the planet of Dagda. She, like other Ryujin, has power over water and is an intelligent, though lazy, woman. She attended the University of Manannán where she met the promiscuous Raijin named Taranis.
Aveldro Olwen
- Main article: Aveldro Olwen
Taranis, the homosexual Raijin, was known to bed many women before she became a student at the Schola Draíochta. However she only had a few real relationships, one of which was with the Savitr woman called Aveldro Olwen. Aveldro is the daughter of a chieftain that was sent to the University of Manannán to learn and seek benefits for the poor Morini tribe. It was at University that Olwen and Taranis met and had a loving relationship that taught Taranis to accept those very different from herself and that which her life experiences have taught her.
King Leucetios
- Main article: King Leucetios
Although little more than a figurehead, King Leucetios is still seen as an important man in Parjanya, the country belonging to the Raijin subspecies of Dagda. He was an apathetic man with little willpower, however a meeting with the young hermit woman named Erith spurred Leucetios into action.
Queen Aour
- Main article: Queen Aour
Queen Aour is a Ryujin monarch with absolute power over The Islands of Rán, otherwise known as the Ryu Isles. They live on the planet Dagda, shared with other subspecies such as the Raijin and the Fujin. She is a woman that regularly abuses her power and seeks to please only herself.
Lugal Banona Flatucias
- Main article: Lugal Banona Flatucias
Lugal Banona Flatucias is the King of the Mani subspecies on the planet of Dagda. He is the ultimate ruler of his people and, as such, has been corrupted by this power. Yet he is, by Mani standards, a fair ruler that only abuses those closest to him. He rules with the aid of his advisers and has twelve wives, two of which were kidnapped from other subspecies. He believes in his own power and that he is right in all things.
Annam Cara
- Main article: Annam Cara
Annam Cara was once a great chieftain of the Savitr subspecies, who hail from the earth-like world of Dagda. These people are split into separate tribes and always have been except for the brief period of time that Annam Cara, who was chieftain of the Ceinlys tribe, was in power as he held great influence over all of the other tribes. However, with the passing of time the memory of Annam Cara has produced many rumours and mythical beliefs surrounding the man that was.
Player Notes
I always had ideas for Dagda ever since I created the character Taranis, however I really developed the world to set a high bar example for the Wiki and show how a world can be developed so much more than most players would usually bother. I think this can really help players imagine their character and really get a much clearer sense of identity.
