novi revisions, preliminary draft

novi revisions

Races

Novani - Men

Almareni: Akin to RW Latins.

Complexion: Pale to medium. All Caucasian hair and eye colors.

Stature: Men average 5'10", 165 lbs; women average 5'4", 125 lbs.

The great nations of Mormelar, Limellia, and the realms of Cerendas are majority Almareni.

Nordeskai: Akin to RW Teutons.

Complexion: Pale to medium. All Caucasian hair and eye colors, although fair hair and blue or grey eyes dominate.

Stature: Men average 6', 190 lbs; women average 5'6", 135 lbs.

The great nations of Allon, the Northern Kingdoms and the Heldannic Empire are majority Nordeskai.

Westerendi: Akin to RW Celts, though the Novi version has Elvish admixture.

Complexion: Pale to medium. All Caucasian hair and eye colors, although dark hair and blue or grey eyes dominate.

Stature: Men average 6', 190 lbs; women average 5'6", 135 lbs.

Most Westerendi live in the Western Empire, however there are groups of them in Allon (Hinterlanders) and Limellia (Velon).

There are also some other tribes akin to these three in Almaren, the most important of these is the Venethi (akin to RW Slavs) although these generally view themselves as apart from the High Culture of Almaren; their very being seems to revolt at conversion to the central Idea of the West.

History

The Elves, the oldest of the races, divide the history into Ages which Men generally accept. The First Age was the time of the Elves dominance and subsequent wars with the Immortal Thanatos who was finally driven into the Outer Void at great cost. This event signified the diminution of Elvish dominance. The Second Age saw the rise of Men, with the legendary Tyrans taking over most of the world. The Tyrans destroyed themselves in a civil war. The Third Age saw the rise of many successor Empires of Men (in Almaren this took the form of Milenia) and ended with the Elvish return to dominance during the Pentarchy. The Fourth Age saw the Pentarchy ended by the Free Alliance of Elves and Men, which resulted in the Milenian-imitator kingdom of Thyatis by Milenian survivors and the creation of a new Almareni High Culture farther West.

Notes

On magic: Magic is a transcendental thing because of the great power it confers upon its users. Very few souls who can use magic have the Arete necessary to achieve the cosmic transcendence which is truly potential in magic, however. Most magic users view it as a useful means to further their will-to-power. This is why mages will be found in the service of heads of State or overrepresented in the field of adventuring. Extremely powerful mages are often prevented from dabbling too greatly in the worldly affairs of men, however, by the existing balance of Gods and the not-well-understood forces of Paradox - it can be noted of course that few of the great mages actually desire to meddle with the Destiny of Mankind. The comparatively small number who do achieve the Beyond-Oracle status often become Gods. Great magery is not the only path to Godhood however.