Damn I Am Pretty Art Laboratories

Fighters: Humanity discovered the Fighter class centuries ago in the Salurina, in the southern reaches of Ainesia, long before the ursyklon invaded.  His name was Thad the Conqueror, and he conquered all of Southern Ainesia in under five years.  His empire crumbled around him, but Thad's legacy wasn't his empire, but in the class he founded. Versatile, the Fighter class spread quickly.  The second oldest Class to be discovered, Fighters spread their class to the farthest continents, creating thousands of variations as they went.  Brawlers, Samurai, Magi and other classes were spawned from Fighters, who used the basic techniques of the class to create their new classes.  Even the intrepid Gunslinger has its origin with Thad's original class. In Crux, fighters form the foundation of the City Watch.  Others specialize, using archetypes and prestige kits to fit a dozen different positions as needed.  Fighters always have opportunities, even at the Uni...

In Ith, Unions have largely been banned.  Less than two decades before, a unsorcerous , unemployed workers rioted throughout the Magocracy.  They destroyed dozens of factories throughout Ith, targeting labor saving machinery and leaving owners and masters of such places frightened.   The Shothar's Act banned unions and collective bargaining, driving a variety of such organizations underground and unofficial, at least in name and action. The World's Labour League was founded in Crux, out of a drive amongst a variety of secretive unions to work toward reversing parts of Shothar's Act.  Efforts by various Churches have at least made the World's Labour League legal as a club, but any act similar to striking or collective bargaining still remains illegal- anything like the riots of decades before is specified against still. The variety of unions under the purview of the World's Labour League includes Adventuring Unions.   These adventuring unions have members am...

Cavalier: The Ursyklon were dominant, having brought the Classes of Barbarian, Hunter, Ranger and Druid with them when they first began their conquests of the world.  The Cavalier was a human who learned to be a Ranger, but deviated from the class to create something new that no Ursyklon was quite prepared for at the time.  Known only as The Cavalier, he forged a new Kingdom, one known only to later generations as the Golden Empire.  It fell, leaving ruins of it throughout Ainesia, Othebea and Ith. All Cavalier Orders appear in Crux.  A fair number of Cavaliers also work in the city watch, for the Esoterium Machina in a protective capacity, the Eternal Order of the Eagle and the Crow or various militia that travel through the city from time to time.  Cavaliers of the Order of the Cockatrice have a long known association with the World Laborers' League, enjoying the idea of being protected in a union without necessarily having to expend that much effort to help...

Humans "We are born of the Summer Rose.  We were made from clay.  We came here from a star unheard of.  Science has no explanation for it, and magic just gives us more mysteries than answers." -Professor of Human Studies, Hayme Taggort Little survives of the empires and nations that existed prior to the Ursyklon conquest.  Human tribes were scattered throughout the world.  None of them were prepared to defend themselves against the invasion, becoming subservient to the Ursyklon empires.  Savage human tribes fell quickly to the invaders, even though they had a few long city-states scattered around the world. As the Ursyklon empires fell, new Human dominated empires arose.  They adapted and learned new Classes, using these to create series of civilizations over and over.  Humans founded Crux, and humans were the first to discover the worship of the Twins and the Singer of the Song.  Humans have no explanation for their origin- unlike a...

More ways Classes fit in Crux!  Enjoy, and as always, glad to hear what people think. Bards : They say the first Bards were the children of the Singer and the Song , the goddess' chosen favorites.  Bards disagree on which of them was truly the 'First Bard.'  Each of them was a master of their field, excelling so grandly that each of their names were considered inspiration: called the Muses , each of them taught their form of Bardic music, spreading the art throughout the world at their Goddess's behalf. Bards are all over Crux, earning pay through a variety of services and methods.  Most sing or perform on corners for their supper, but others find cleverer ways to make coin.  A few find work as Fixers for the University, often obtaining things or stories the Esoterium Machina wouldn't find otherwise.  Others open their bars or taverns, while a few Celebrity Bards perform at high-scale theaters throughout Crux.  And of course, a couple write mus...

The Demon's Orphans "This city belongs to my true Mother, this I swear.  Every Orphan is my sibling.  I will treat them as though they were the same blood as me.  I will die before I reveal any secret of the Orphans.  I will never betray another Orphan.  I shall help any Orphan, their spouse or children if they need it.  I never steal or committ a wrong against another Orphan.  This I swear and promise.  Should I break this Oath, I swear that I will be killed by a thousand cuts." -Oath of the Demon's Orphans Part demon-cult, part secret society and part criminal gang, the Demon's Orphans is one of the oldest criminal organizations in Crux.  They have very few rivals in the realm of criminal activities.  The Demon's Orphans practices racketeering, smuggling, drug trafficking, extortion, counterfeiting, arms trafficking, money laundering and a large variety of different forms of fraud. Its complicated hierarchy and its series of oath...

I was tired and wanted to write up something shorter-ish.  Here are three of the classes allowed in Crux, and an explanation of how they first were Chosen and came to be.  Remember, in Crux, characters discuss and talk about Classes and Feats as though they held a sort of confirmed metaphyical weight, so each Class as a history, an origin and most importantly, a story about how it came to be. Alchemists: Alchemy first came from the Jade Lands.   Xiao the Burnt Feather was the first Alchemist.  She and her flock of Tengu broke Tengu insular tradition, trading knowledge of the class for materials and other discoveries in turn.  Alchemy itself is mutation of the name of the class in a intermediary language; in Tengu, most refer to Alchemists as Burnt Feathers. The University of Crux hosts the most advanced College of Alchemy in the world.  The Alchemists trained there come from all walks of life, but share in common the lessons of the University.  ...

Shraxes, Imprisoned Demon Princess Titles: Lady of Wishes, The Whisperer, The Caged Temptress Areas of Concern: Wishes, Freedom, Cages, Deception Favored Animals: Turkeys, Scorpions, Snakes and Spiders Holy Symbol: A pair of red eyes within a cast iron cage Worshippers: Prisoners, Slaves, the desperate, Demon Cultists Domains:  Liberation, Magic, Rune, Demons, Trickery Favored Weapon: Spiked Chain Long ago, there was a Prince without a Kingdom.  Empires had taken everything away from him.  His war seemingly lost, he found himself exiled to a island at the center of the world.  In truth it was the skull of a long dead god, and that God had become forgotten long before the Prince had even been born.  It was there, at the Sleeping Straits, he decided that he would begin again.  The Prince decided he would build a new Kingdom, at that skull in the Sleeping Straits, there he would found a new City. So the Prince went to ask the God of Cities, the S...

Dhampr: The Children of the Cursed "Sorcerous capacities of Vampires do not bar them from membership among our number.  Magic enlightens, not restricts." -Ithic Senator Harco Gatesbinder, after the signing of the 25th Accordance Dhampr are born of the union of a vampire and a human; in such couplings they always breed true, half-breeds established firmly by their Vampiric heritage.  Sometimes Human pairings will give birth to a Dhampr, a result of a vampiric ancestry.  Dhampr have long been a part of the community of Crux, just as long as Vampires have been. Ithic law recognizes Vampires as citizens.  It sees their magical abilities, and confirms them the same status as Wizards, Clerics or any other with some knowledge of some sorcery.  As citizens, Ithic law also protects them from violence and all the other prerequisites of Ithic citizenship.  Allowing undead to hold the same rights as the living has caused no small amount of angst and trouble from...

Singer of the Song Titles: The City Mother, Queen Trickster, the Storyteller, The Lady of Song Areas of Concern: Cities, Songs, Entertainment, Luck Favored Animals: Songbirds, Mice, Cats Holy Symbol: Three   Quarter Notes Worshippers: Common people, Entertainers, Travelers Domains: Charm, Trickery, Travel, Community, Void Favored Weapon: Whip Cities are at the heart of civilization.  But that does not mean that Cities are a creation of lawmakers, politicians or bureaucrats.  A law did not create the first city.  No, the First Cities were born of a Song. The City Mother is the one who sang that Song.  Her priests tell her story, of how she made the first cities by crafting a song about them.  She tricked other Gods and Monsters of all types, often to better the lives of mortals.  She was the one to first let Shraxes come to the World, and she was the first to trick the Black Rose into letting a soul come back from the dead. Most give her ...

Kazism, The Wisdom of Winds The predominant philosophies of the far-flung parts of the world differ greatly than those in Crux.   Tengu migrants brought their favored schools of thought.  These faiths hold the Five Winds in the highest esteem, taking wisdom and lessons from them.  For each wind there is a name.  Each wind has its own lessons about the world, and each Tengu honors each wind in turn. For the Tengu, each of these winds are ever present.  They know the paths we've walked and the paths we will walk.  They are the winds.  You follow them because they are the path.  Those who dare go against them do so at their own peril. Kazism Areas of Concern: Tengu, Winds, Paths Holy Symbol: Four Spirals bound in a circle Worshippers: Tengu, Mystics, Travelers, Wanderers Domains: Air, Travel, Tengu, Creation Favored Weapon: Light Crossbow Kazism itself can be followed much like any of the winds alone.  It embraces all five lesso...

The Esoterium Machina "You Cannot Slay An Idea." The Esoterium Machina is the only path to enlightenment.  Founded by the Wise, it focuses on protecting and preserving all knowledge.  The Esoterium is Knowledge.  And they always had a home in Crux.  They built the University.  Their Veiled Masters hoard a great deal of secrets about the City of Curses. The deeper mysteries of Crux drew people of knowledge and intelligence to it long ago.  The questions of the City of Curses let to the formation of a formal organization.  This organization would create the University of Crux.  Over their thousands of years, the Veiled Masters of the Esoterium have sought out all forms of knowledge, to protect it from destruction.  The Esoterium has never explained what destruction it fears is coming for such knowledge, but hoards its finds whenever it can. As such, the Esoterium Machina has always been quick to hire independent agents to recover such kn...

Rough Draft Story (Complete) | What is Noah the Kaiju-Song? This is a part one of a revision of an earlier story. Rika is a young demon girl with a rat's tail- she's gotten into a bit of trouble with some angels, can she deliver her package or will she get herself killed in the process? Read it and enjoy. Hopefully this cleans things up a bit. :D Chapter One Rika Reich's felt sore.  She felt puffy, frustrated and wanted to scream.  She could feel the vortex of emotions twisting around in her gut.  Rika didn't want to be working today. But she did anyway. Rika drove her silver and red hover bike down Stark avenue.  She tried to ignore the tears streaking in her eyes, wishing she had the concentration to make her tear ducts shift away with her biokinesis.  But Rika knew she wasn't in the right frame of mind to use her inborn demon ability to alter her flesh.  Not now.  Concentrating on driving her hover bike over the Weavewa...

Androids "Behold, the industrial miracle.  A fusion of the apex of magical construction and technological wonder.  They shall change all our lives for the better."  - Nikolai Ripley, Android Inventor Nikolai Ripley crafted the first Androids through a fusion of various techniques, ultimately relying on a series of ancient magical constructs and text she had found underneath Crux.  She combined the best aspects of clockwork automatons, wax golems and animated dead.  Nikolai's first creations were mindless, but over time she perfected a set of necromantic spells that granted Androids sapience. Whether or not they also gained souls in the process, is still greatly debated.  Ithic law considers Androids property.  Most Androids work and live as slaves, owned as property.  Some do operate or live as free individuals, but the majority work in factories or as servants for the wealthy. Androids are created in the image of a adult humans. ...

Skinwalkers "Her Curse isn't forgiven easily, but some of us have found our own little mercy." From Ways of the Cursefolk , by Aarin Bloodskin. Skinwalkers are one of the Cursefolk, descended from people cursed long ago.  Skinwalkers know their own story, and how they came to be.  Those who displease the Wolf Mother Lupa , especially those who spurn her gifts or lack any self-control, are cursed as Lycanthropes. Skinswalkers are descended from clans of Lycanthropes who found a cure to their condition, of sorts.  Each clan has its own tale of how or why it found mercy, but none found it at the hands of Lupa herself.  The first skinwalker was a Witchwolf Paladin of the Summer Rose.  It was the Summer Rose , or so some say, whose tears rent back the curse.  It didn't take the stain completely away, but borne something new from it. However they came to be, Skinwalkers tend to breed true amongst their own kind.  Sometimes they pass their condition on...

Lupa, The Wolf Mother Titles: The Huntress, Imperial Wolf, Urlupanae Areas of Concern: Animals, Nature, Ursyklon Society, Warfare Favored Animals: Wolves, Any Animal Holy Symbol: Crescent Moon Worshippers: the Ursyklon, Druids, Barbarians, Rangers, Tacticians, Lycanthropes Domains: Animal, Wolf, War, Earth, Nobility The Sacred Imperial Wolf taught the Ursyklon the secrets of Nature, mastery over the paths and classes of Druid, Ranger, Barbarian and Bloodrager.  Hers is the lesson of Nature's savagery in Warfare.  Practicality.  Fury.  Foresight.  Hers is also the rage and fury for the wild places, protecting against the spread of city and progress with bared teeth. Ursyklon claim that the first two members of their race scuttled at Lupa's teat.  She raised them in the ways of the Pack.  In this, she forged a covenant with their race.  The Ursyklon have continued to remain loyal to Lupa, adapting her ways even in the least wild or natu...