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Many suns have risen and
set since the children of Lanala came to this strange land. Here,
the dead ones walk, their minds closed to the wonders of creation.
It is the will of the Saar, Baruk Kaah, that we crush the unliving and
make this world over in Lanala's image. Some of us have turned away
from Kaah and seek life in harmony with nature, and yes, the dead ones
of this world.
The tales say Lanala spoke to Baruk Kaah through the black tree, Rec Pakken, and called for blood and spreading Lanala's gift; I think the word is conquest. The edeinos are, by nature, a peaceful people. Under the Saar we have fought many battles and taken made homes on, or I should say conquered, many worlds.
Lanala's teaching is to love
her creation, our religion is the Keta Kalles. Experience life through
sensation and passion. Through loving the sensation of being in her
creation, we in turn make love to her, and she bestows great blessings
with those who love her. A worshipper of Lanala is called a Jakatt,
which means a lover of Lanala. Optants, our priests, are the masters
of pleasing Lanala, but anyone can love her all you have to do is try.
Sometimes we love her by watching the bark of a tree, studying its intricacies,
feeling the wind caress our scales, or the scrape of rock as we walk over
rough ground. For great blessing we will sing to her, or dance, or
make love, or feel the lick of a flame, or cut wounds into our skin.
All sensation pleases Lanala, and the greater the intensity, the greater
her blessings.
I have spent to much time among the dead. These words will not help
you understand, only by feeling Lanala's love will you understand.
But come only if you want to live. Lanala despises death and those
who cherish it, except a special few. Gotaks are Jakatts who have
been specially trained by Lanala through Rec Pakken to deal with dead things.
A great many beings live in our realm. There are plants, great lizards and insects. A great many more on our first home, Takta Ker, than what have come with us. With us, over the bridge of vines, came the stalengers and the benthes, beings whose homes became ours as they embraced Lanala. The stalengers resemble something humans call "star fish" except they fly through the air. And the benthes are small "blobs" which can provoke great emotions. Some have also turned against the Saar, and others, including edeinos have joined the dead lands. And many of the humans, and there were many in New York, have embraced Lanala.
Axioms
Magical Axiom: 0. All magic in the Living Land causes contradiction. The supernatural does not exist, nor does any ESP or deja vu, or remotely prophetic effects.
Social Axiom: 7. The tribe is the most complex form of social unit. In this cosm, it will even supersede the family. Life can be brutally short, so there is no guarantee that parents will live to see a child to maturity. An important thing to remember is this will effect how characters plan things. Precision plans don't work well. Measured concepts of time are beyond this axiom. Trying to get large groups to perform strategic maneuvers is next to futile.
Spiritual Axiom: 24. The high spiritual Axiom makes the religion, sensual experience for Lanala, have very profound and real effects. Even the most minor practitioner can perform minor rituals. There are few who do not follow Lanala in the Living Lands.
Technological Axiom: 7. Only simple tools and weapons are possible. Swords and knives our possible, but because of the world laws, problematic (see below). Application of knowledge is also limited. For instance, medicine can still be used, but only at primitive levels. Attempting brain surgery is far beyond the axiom.
World Laws
The Deep Mist: Originating from Takta Ker, a thick fog permeates all of the Living Land. This mist limits vision beyond 30 feet during the day. At night, visibility drops to 10 feet. Lights don't help beyond 30 feet, since it causes the mist reflects the light back. In any condition, objects can only be seen in detail 10 feet or less.
Lanala's Love of Life: Things decay very quickly in the mist. Anything that dies in the Living Land will usually decompose within 24 hours, this is everything from hunted animals, to slain Storm Knights, to fruits that have fallen from their tree. Also, things that are brought in from the outside that had died, such as foodstuffs, will rapidly decay once exposed to the mists. The greater amount of time has passed, the quicker it decays. Something brought in that died three days ago will decay in just under an hour, something dead over a week will decay in under a minute. However, it may become unhealthily infested with bacteria by half that time, or sooner.
The Lost World: Everything
gets lost in the mists. Compasses don't work, ever. Trails
are hard to follow. And if you're not careful, you may even loose
a valuable item (heck, even if you are careful). When traveling,
there is a considerable chance of losing yourself as well.