Summer Camp 2020 : Meta

Motivation

  Àrüinnbìth is my baby. I got my first computer in 2004 and joined several message boards and found many writing communities. One of them, Bardic Web, really encouraged writers to build their own worlds and open them up for co-op roleplay. Àrüinnbìth was born during several summer intercession classes where I built the gods and started carving a landscape. I love this world and I want to bring it into 2020, and summer camp is the best way to get as much information out without getting bogged down in how pretty it is right now.

Genre

  Àrüinnbìth on the surface is an anchronistic early modern era high fantasy world with Elves, dwarves, and centaurs oh my. However, Aruinnbith is a multidimensional planar existance with dark aspects and horrible Eldritch creatures, gods that are very active in the world, sometimes violently.

Mood

Magic flows freely, cities are bulging with people of all types. The streets are cobbled but there are Portal stations for quick access to and from different locations. There are stores that sell the latest magical gadget, cafes that sell magic infused drinks, and a Demon on Blurbenny Road in Breywich will tattoo a sigil for the right price. However, the lightness of the world belies the darkness at the edges. Àrüinnbìth is a split dimensional world that during certain times of the year the veils are thinner and open up to other dimensions, harsher dimensions. Planes of existence that do a lot of damage during the shift. Sometimes it's a simple street that slips phase and you walk down on street into another world to disappear for a year or ten and come home as if no time has passed. Other times a hell dimension opens wide and eldritch abominations flood the landscape that need to be fought back and closed before it destroys everything.

 

Themes

One of the biggest themes is a sense of wonder. I also explore gender and relationships in a place where queerness isn't marginalized. Instead a straightforward look at good and evil I'm focusing on how they intersect and the gray areas of life where complacency and moderation help and hinder development.

Environmental

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• Asteroids/meteor storms bombard the planet in waves, following a celestial/seasonal pattern, while most of the major cities are aware and have contingencies for dealing with them, they do create havoc and cause damage/impact the envionrment in many ways.
• Metalurgy is hampered by this as some metals are only available in said asteroids, as while mining is possible on the planet it's very difficult in several locations.
• Planar Shifts Because Aruinnbith is a loose tower of cards ready to collapse on itself at any given moment, the veils and thin areas shift from place to place adding danger to travel and the lands between the towns and cities.

Rumours

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• A creature is attacking trade routes and villages in and around the Frostpine Forest near Dunwich. The local guild is petitioning to have their town added to the portal access routes, but the closest nexus is at the bottom of an extinct volcano, in the heart of the creature's hunting grounds.
• A new religion is gaining followers in the big cities, small groups have been found praying to vairous dragon statues
• The King of Ustaria, based in Areillan, has opened the old cities borders. For the first time in a thousand year folks are moving into the tree city, putting a strain on the current status quo

Magic & Culture

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• Illusion magic laws have relaxed in the three decades with the biggest change a occurring with the upcoming fire festival causing havoc in the cities
• A new textile firm has developed a way to completely automate weaving to the horror of the Textile Guild.