Language and Evolution in Ancient Empire

Language and evolution in Ancient Empire

At the start of space-time, magic poured from the singularity and flooded the universe, and the first beings were created. Called Elementals, they took many forms.  Kalina, goddess of dark magic, wove the drinkers of blood and named them bhuuta (demon that walks) and obyri (demons that fly). We know them as vampires.

The Jananii were witches of white magic and created the planet Vasudha, where life flourished with many peoples. They also created the Vorkha (werewolf), scourge of vampyra and beloved of Jananii. 

Feared and hated by the vampire kind, Vorkha were hunted and destroyed until only one remained. It dwelled in spirit form in the outer darkness, waiting for the day when it would be reborn, called forth by Tepesch Drakul, to live within a man named Finn Angmon.  Some people still refer to the Vorkha as werewolf.

The Jananii

Witch-queens of Vasudha, are gifted with the same powers as the other Elementals. The Jananii chose mortality and live but a few thousand years until a new vessel for their collective spirit is found.

The Jananii grow to a great age and therefore often appear as ancient crones, dressed in black. They have vampire blood in their veins, but are able to use their gift of white magic to oppose the dark energy. By doing so, a vector is created that gives them immense powers. The Jananii are essentially good in nature and communicate with all of nature, but they are callous too, and attach little importance to human lives.

Each Jananii witch can call on the collective memory and strengths of her ancestors and sees the pathways of the future.

Winged Demons

The obyri is the winged form but only high caste born with royal blood can attain this form.  Ultimately, high caste lose their ability to assume other forms and exist as wraith. This takes so long that none on Earth will do so in the age of Homo sapiens.

Low Caste

Those of low caste are converted from other life forms by contamination.  Jiivaa spreads through them changing them utterly, destroying their free will and enslaving them, but they will never change their form and are destined to die in service of the high caste.

The planet Vasudha

Vasudha lies within the constellation of Taurus and encircles a solar pair, Gura Tapana (known as Aldeberan on Earth, a Red Giant) and Alpa Tapana, a white dwarf. Vasudha was colonised by the Obyri race (a name for the Vampyra) long before their arrival on Earth some 300,000 years ago. The planet should have lost its atmosphere to the swelling mass of Gura Tapana but the deep powers of the Goddess have maintained stasis. Thus the vampyra and their Elemental are central to the survival of the planet.

The Rift of Life is a miraculous valley filled with species-rich rainforest, within a desert world. Ruled by the Jananii witches and their people, the rift is the only part of Vasudha that cannot be conquered by Vampyra and an uneasy truce was agreed thousands of years earlier – until Fei Chok arrives, followed by Angelica Drakul.

What is the planet like across the Maru desert, beyond the Fire Mountains? The land sweeps northwards. Beyond the mountains, the swamp lands are surprisingly cool, for much of the time cloaked in a dank layer of mist from which skeletal trees arise. Curious rock formations rise from the mists, each one riddled with caves. In the caves live ratura, lizard-like predators, preying on the giant leeches the canyon peoples call raktapa. The ratura walk erect and have primitive language but they are essentially savage.

Beyond the Kacchabu swamplands, a rocky desert sweeps across to distant mountains. The desert is filled with thorn bushes and cacti, many carnivorous. Great herds of game follow the seasonal rains, browsing on the rich grasses but they must also run the gauntlet of the kantakitus, large flightless carnivorous birds taller than a man.

The Yaayaavara are a nomadic people, also dwelling in the Marubhuumi. They are adept survivors and attuned to the desert, travelling with their kantakitus, eating human flesh but they are also fast riders and skilled with weapons. The Yaayaavara summarily execute trespassers from the canyon found on their lands. They wear typical desert garb but unlike the canyon peoples, they are skilled with bolas. Their weapons make use of the claws and bone spurs of the kantakitus.