Table of Contents
Welcome to James Kemp's Wiki
This is a collaborative web platform that allows people to edit1) the web pages to provide additional content for some of the stories I have written and the roleplaying games that I am involved in, whether as a player or GM.
There are several namespaces operating slightly different wiki subjects. These are, in no particular order:
- Skyss - Story Background - a fantasy novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo 2016.
- Perfects - background for the near future story and some police roleplaying that I ran in that universe
- Theocracy of Daprav - A D&D campaign that I ran with Glasgow University Games Society around 2002-3.
- Jim Wallman's Universe - a roleplaying by e-mail campaign that I play in, this is an unofficial wiki and none of it is canon unless Jim says it is.
- Interstellar Freelance Unlimited - subset of the Universe pages covering the activities of a mercenary company that we are currently roleplaying every Full Moon.
- Earth Imperium pages. These cover the activities of the Government of the Solar republic (aka Earth Empire) in Jim's Humanity Will Prevail campaign, including the Earth Imperium News Items.
- Free Worlds Alliance - covering the activities of another emerging polity in the Humanity Will Prevail campaign. Mostly contributed by Eric Moroney.
- Universe Background - page collecting the various bits of background info that have come up in various e-mail discussions for the campaigns set in Jim Wallman's Universe.
- Master map of the Universe (6Mb PDF, as at 3212).
- Delta Green - some roleplaying campaigns about horror and conspiracy. The main one was set in Berlin in 1953.
- Free games rules - a collection of free rules for wargames and other sorts of face to face games that I have designed or run.
- Wargames rules - I'm not just a player of games, I also do rules for them from time to time as well as one-off games. A primary outlet for this is through Chestnut Lodge Wargames Group.
- Other free rules - at the moment just those for the 1689 (Orange or Lemon? and Bonnie Dundee, respectively about the debates in the Scots Parliament and then the military campaign of Viscount Dundee during 1689) and The Other Side of the COIN (about what makes people become insurgents). All games that I have have produced for Chestnut Lodge Wargames Group.
- Background for a near future universe where I have written some fiction and also run some roleplaying games in.
Comments and complaints to me at webmaster@full-moon.info please.
James Kemp
Tag Cloud
Recent Additions
Trolls
Summary
Trolls are the first sentient life forms created on the Continent of Osnines, brought into existence by The Mother of All during the first days of the world. As silicon-based beings, they are often described as “living rock,” possessing a physiology and mindset fundamentally distinct from the human Heroes who followed them. Trolls are master craftsmen and stoneworkers who played a central role in shaping the physical foundations of the known world, working in coordination with the goddess Frijdodr to transform the primordial chaos into an ordered reality.
Characterised as living rock, they possess unique physiological adaptations for cold, dark environments and exhibit a natural expertise in stonecraft and metallurgy. While often depicted as malevolent in common folklore, they are not man-eaters and have historically served as the primary architects of the world's foundations under the guidance of the gods.
Description
Physiology and Nature
Trolls are fundamentally different from the carbon-based life forms of The Continent of Osnines, possessing hides that are naturally armoured with granite-like patches. This rocky exterior provides significant defence against both physical weapons and the extreme climates of the far north. Because they were born into a world of darkness and ice, they are perfectly adapted to cold environments and possess acute vision in the dark. Despite their formidable appearance and various “man-eater” myths propagated by fearful mortals, Trolls are not predators and do not consume humans, their rock-like biology means that people are not a food source for them. They are generally solitary and peaceful, though they possess immense physical strength and can be formidable if provoked. They are sentient beings who respond to diplomacy, though they can be provoked into violence if they are “stitched up” or if diplomatic relations collapse.
The Labour of Creation
The trolls were the primary workforce during the first days of the world. Under the direction of the Mother, they learned the arts of stonecraft and metallurgy, turning raw ore into metals and shaping the landscape. They worked as she slept, using her dreams as blueprints to build the mythical Longhouse and establish the first fields for crops and livestock. Their affinity for craftsmanship led to a deep bond with the goddess Frijdodr, who surpassed them in skill and became their beloved Maker Goddess.
Historical Origins and Migration
According to the ancient sagas, before the creation of the sun, the Mother of All animated boulders. She cradled them and fed them with her own milk to grant them life and strength. Under her tutelage, the trolls developed the skills to craft stone, refine ore into metal, and shape the landscape to assist in the creation of the world. These Trolls performed the massive physical labour of building the mythical Longhouse and established the first fields for crops and livestock while the Mother dreamed of the landscape. As the presence of the divine household and the movement of the Trolls began to warm the planet, the Trolls requested to move to the cold and dark reaches of the top of the world. This led to the establishment of Trollheim as their ancestral home.
Although their movements warmed the world enough for human life to thrive, the trolls eventually requested to live in the permanent cold and dark of the far north. This region, known as Trollheim, remains their primary dwelling place. In the height of summer, trolls remain active by building stone bridges over fast-flowing rivers to create shaded environments where they can stay cool.
Human interactions with trolls are rare and often defined by misunderstanding. During the Great Schism, renegade heroes like Rojden used trolls as political tools, such as when he murdered the hero Magnleif and framed a troll for the deed to instigate a war.
The physical remains of trolls are sometimes kept as trophies or become landmarks. The most famous example is the Troll's Head inn in Cottalem, which is named after a troll defeated by the Silent Service during the Great Schism. The severed head of that troll remains mounted on a pole above the inn's entrance.
Craftsmanship and Environmental Industry
Trolls possess an innate gift for making and shaping reality. They are masters of:
- Metallurgy: They possess the skill to turn raw ore into refined metals.
- Stonecraft: Their ability to shape stone was essential in constructing the world's foundations.
- Hydraulic Engineering: In the height of summer, Trolls build stone bridges over fast-flowing rivers to create shaded environments where they can stay cool.
Relationships
People
- The Mother: The creator deity who animated the first trolls.
- Rojden: A renegade who framed the race for murder to start a northern war.
- Oddmundr: A King's Justice who was lured to his death under the pretext of troll diplomacy.
- Eskil: A hero who hunted trolls during the internal wars of the godbloods.
- Arinhildr: A combat specialist who claimed a troll's head as a trophy for her inn.
Places
- Trollheim: The ancestral and current home of the troll race.
- Longhouse: The first building constructed by the trolls at the beginning of time.
- Aeolfberg: The volcanic range that separates the trolls from the southern human settlements.
- Troll's Head: An inn in the southern provinces named for the race.
Longhouse
Summary
The Longhouse is the mythical first residence of the Nine Gods of Skyss, established at the beginning of time. According to the ancient sagas, it was constructed on The Continent of Osnines by the Trolls under the direction of The Mother. It represents the transition of the world from a cold, lifeless rock into a place of fertility and social harmony. It was within this structure that the divine lineage of the Skyssians began, serving as the ancestral seat for the divine household before the gods withdrew from direct manifestation.
Description
The First Home
Before the existence of the sun or the first human Heroes, the world was a barren expanse of ice and stone. The Mother dreamed of a home where her children could thrive in peace and comfort. To transform this dream into reality, she animated the rocks of the world to create the Trolls, granting them the skill to shape the fabric of reality. While she slept, her dreams provided the blueprints for the trolls to build the Longhouse and establish the first fields for crops and livestock.
The completion of the Longhouse allowed the Mother to call upon The Father to join her. This union transformed the building into the centre of creation, where the Mother and Father bore and cherished the divine offspring who would become the Nine Gods of Skyss. The movement of the trolls and the presence of the divine household began to warm the world, although the trolls eventually requested to live in the cold dark of the far north, leading to the creation of Trollheim.
Divine Household
The Longhouse was not merely a shelter but a place of industrious work where the foundations of civilisation were laid. It was here that the gods first practised the old ways of sacrifice and prayer. The household was sustained by the first fields and livestock, which the Mother dreamed into reality while the trolls worked to build her home. The symbolic importance of the Longhouse persists in Skyssian culture as the archetype of the “hall,” influencing the design of major buildings like the King's Palace.
Relationships
People
- The Mother: The creator goddess who dreamed the world into being and built its first home.
- The Father: The divine consort who joined the Mother to populate the world with gods.
- Trolls: The silicon-based life forms who performed the physical work of building the house.
- Nine Gods of Skyss: The divine children born and raised within the Longhouse.
Places
- The Continent of Osnines: The land she dreamed into existence and where the house was built.
- Trollheim: The northern territory requested by the trolls after the house was completed.
- King's Palace: The modern seat of power which emulates the honour of the original divine hall.
The Father
| Heading | Answer |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Pantheon | Nine Gods of Skyss |
| Affinity | Fertility, love, and harmony |
| Rune/Word | Blue ᚦ |
| Colour | Blue |
Domain
The Father is the god of fertility, love, and harmony within the Nine Gods of Skyss. As the divine consort of the Mother of All, he played a fundamental role in the population of the world she dreamed into existence. Together they represent a balanced union of creation and social cohesion. After the Mother constructed the mythical longhouse and established the first fields with the assistance of the trolls, she called on the Father to join her. Together, they produced the divine offspring that govern the various aspects of the Skyssian cosmos.
While the Mother provides the raw spark of life and growth, the Father provides the masculine energy of adoration and care. His domain is the blessing of the group, ensuring that individual lives are woven into a supportive collective. He is the architect of social stability, promoting the organisation of people for the greater good. In the first days of the world, he supported his son Fafnir in setting limits on the chaos of Meniaxter, ensuring that the world remained a place where people could thrive in safety rather than falling into solitary destruction. His power is bent on the principle of leaving no one behind, reflecting a commitment to the welfare of the entire family or community.
Followers
Followers of the Father are those who seek to build and maintain strong social bonds. This includes not only parents and heads of households who adoringly care for their children and partners, but also any individual involved in founding new settlements or guilds. Because he represents the joining of individuals into supportive groups, he is the primary patron of kings and those who manage the resources of the state.
At a domestic level, he is worshipped by those who wish to maintain affection and order within their group. People who seek to lead with honour and wisdom look to him as their divine example. Those whose work involves the founding of institutions or the administration of justice also seek his blessing to ensure their efforts grow with harmony and stability. His influence is viewed as the glue that binds a household together, mirroring his relationship with the Mother in the first longhouse.
The Mother and the Father are often worshipped jointly, especially by those looking to bear children, men call on the Father to guide them well as fathers, and for the Mother to look favourably on them and guide their lover safely to motherhood. Women also pray to the Father for the father of their children to be guided by him, and for their household to be a harmonious place for their children to be raised.
Celebrations/Observances
Ordinary folk celebrate The Father of All through rituals associated with the beginning of family lineages and the founding of new homes. When founding new associations, whether household, boat crew, merchant company or other formal grouping, he is invoked alongside The Mother to bless the union with social standing and peace. A common daily ritual involves the sharing of a meal where the head of the house acknowledges their role in providing the household with its harmony and success.
When a major community building or expansion is finished, it is traditional for the people to offer a prayer of thanks to him, recognising him as the source of the organisation required for such extensive work. Unlike his daughter Aeolf, who is honoured with great fires, his observances are often quieter and more formal, focusing on the preservation of the King's peace and the harmony of the community.
The Myriad Faces
The mystery cult dedicated to The Father of All is known as “The Myriad Faces.” This name comes from the belief that he possesses many different ways of helping his children achieve success through peaceful means. Initiates of this cult are often senior advisors, heralds, or administrators who perform their service within the King's Palace. They study the ancient sagas to learn the arts of leadership and the maintenance of harmony.
Higher levels of initiation involve deep meditation on the “myriad” ways power can be wielded without resorting to the destructive violence of Meniaxter. These initiates are taught that true elevation comes from the careful balancing of societal interests and the rigorous enforcement of just laws. They often serve as the consultants for the Council of Electors when choosing a new monarch, ensuring the process is conducted with appropriate honour and adherence to tradition.
Relationships
People
- The Mother: His divine consort and partner in the population of the world.
- Malfin: His eldest daughter, the goddess of darkness.
- Aeolf: His eldest daughter, the goddess of flames.
- Frijdodr: His daughter, the maker goddess of the trolls.
- Kari: His daughter, the goddess of the sea.
- Jorunn: His son, the god of the lost and found.
- Fafnir: His son, the god of justice and equality.
- Meniaxter: His youngest son, whose chaotic power he helped to limit.
Places
- The Continent of Osnines: The land he helped to populate with divine and mortal life.
- Kingdom of Skyss: The heartland of his worship and the seat of his influence.
- King's Palace: The residence of the monarchy he is believed to protect.
- The Longhouse: The mythical first home he shared with the Mother at the beginning of time.
Concepts
- Heroes: Those of his divine bloodline who seek elevation and the preservation of order.
Pantheons of the World
The people of Skyss worship a pantheon of gods that they know exist. Those gods at times manifest themselves and have been known to inter-breed with mortals. Mostly those are in the ancient sagas, but demi-gods and heroes with lineage from the main pantheon demonstrably exist. The Skyssian Creation Story is called The Mother's Dream.
Known Pantheons
I've not created an entire pantheon, I've simply used a handful of handy gods and goddesses, so this list isn't exhaustive. There are 9 gods in the Skyssian pantheon (and more in other pantheons). These gods are real. People have met them when they manifest (not so recently, they tend not to manifest except under extreme conditions - all the pantheons have made tacit agreements to largely stay out of the affairs of men, other than to offer advice and to work through priests).
The metaphysical landscape of The Continent of Osnines is defined by the verifiable existence of divine entities who have historically intervened in the progression of mortal civilisations. These gods are recognised not as abstract concepts, but as biological and spiritual realities who have featured prominently in the ancient sagas and inter-bred with humans to create noble lineages of Heroes. While the various deities have entered into agreements to limit their direct manifestations in the current age, they continue to exert influence through advised priesthoods and the practitioners of high-level rituals. The strength of an individual's connection to these powers is determined by the specific potency of their bloodline, allowing those with sufficient divine ichor to achieve effects that ordinary folk can only approximate through simple belief.
Known Pantheons and Divine Traditions
The following table provides an overview of the recognised divine structures currently active across the known world:
| Pantheon | Geographic Influence | Core Philosophical Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Nine Gods of Skyss | Kingdom of Skyss | Governance of natural forces, craftsmanship, and justice. |
| Old Gods of the Daelians | Kingdom of Dael Riata | Enforcement of law and the resolution of social disagreements. |
| Clewgist Faith | Affaraon / Estreham | Denial of exterior reality and improvement through intense communal criticism. |
The Skyssian Tradition
The Nine Gods of Skyss constitute the central spiritual authority for the northern realms and the Skyssian maritime empire. This pantheon is led by the Mother of All, who is credited with dreaming the world into existence and coordinating with the trolls to build its foundations. The nine deities possess distinct affinities, such as Malfin (Darkness), Aeolf (Flames), and Fafnir (Justice), which directly influence the magical abilities inherited by their heroic descendants. Skyssian society is deeply integrated with these powers, using specialized amulets to facilitate two-way mental communication between individuals who share a divine arcane connection.
The Daelian Tradition
The Old Gods of the Daelians provide the ethical and legal framework for the Kingdom of Dael Riata. Unlike the more personalised affinities of the Skyssian gods, the Daelian tradition is heavily focused on the administration of justice and the maintenance of societal order. This pantheon sponsors dedicated justices who use the law to settle disagreements amongst the ordinary folk, ensuring that reasonable behaviour is maintained throughout the earldoms and duchies.
The Clewgite Tradition
The Clewgist Faith is a religious and philosophical sect following the wisdom of Clewg, who is believed to know every individual’s specific and predestined place in the universe. Based around the Temple of Clewg near Estreham, the faith teaches that reality is a “garment of illusion” and that perfection can only be attained by mastering oneself through rigorous self-scrutiny. The highest-grade adepts of this tradition renounce the world entirely to focus on a contemplative life, providing high-level healing and cartographic expertise that is respected across the continent.
Interbreeding with mortals
When Gods or Goddesses breed with humans the offspring are demi-gods, and always of the same gender of the divine parent. Demi-gods have very long life spans, and inherit some of the powers of their divine parent. They aren’t immortal, but they tend not to get ill, and live for a very long time unless they are killed. Some have become Gods in their own right, but not of the Nine. According to the old legends the Goddesses who choose to bear demi-gods do so within a day of the liaison, several have been left with their mortal father to grow up in the world.
Offspring of Demi-gods and humans are Heroes. Anyone with 1/16th divine blood is classed as a Hero. Heroes tend to marry into the nobility or other Heroes. They have extended lifespans by human standards, and tend to be immune to most diseases. Depending on their lineage, and how far removed they are from the original divine coupling, they may heal faster or be able to call on the powers of the Gods & Goddesses that they are descended from. It is not the number of connections that count, but rather the strength of the connections.
The Old Gods of Dael Riata
Summary
The spiritual landscape of the Grand Duchy of Dael Riata is defined by a transition from primal, animistic tribal worship to a more structured pantheon influenced by the Nine Gods of Skyss. Given that Dael Riatan culture is rooted in tribal raiding, seafaring, and bloodfeuds (reminiscent of the ancient Picts) their “Old Gods” are chthonic, elemental, and deeply tied to the specific geography of the Continent of Osnines. Whilst the Skyssians worship the Nine in a civilised, mercantile context, the Daels maintain a “Sept of the Spear”, seven primary deities (or perhaps a Daelian variant of the Nine) who represent the harsher realities of the North.
The Primal Nine: the old Daelian Pantheon
In accordance with Gudrid’s Prophecy, which speaks of “Sacrifice to the old gods” and “blood in rivers,” the Daelian pantheon is visceral and demands physical tokens of loyalty.
| Deity Name | Daelian Title | Domain & Attributes | Noble House Affinity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uisde-Maer | The Maiden of the Maer | Goddess of the Turbulent Strait, shipwrecks, and salvage. She is the patron of those navigating the dangerous Easter Isles. | House Murchadh |
| Sithech-Mhor | The Great Wolf | God of the Deep Woods, silence, and the Timber. He oversees the forests of the River Aodh | House Sithech |
| Arigh | The Stallion of the Steppe | God of horse breeding, swift travel, and the Great North Road. | House Ahearn |
| Gil-Frijdr | The Iron Father | A harsher aspect of Frijdodr. God of the forge, smelting, and more recently industrialisation. | House Gilruary |
| Ran-Fafn | The King of Justified Blood | An ancient version of Fafnir. God of bloodfeuds, “blood money,” and the high justice of the Crown. | House Ranald |
| Siol-Corn | The Horned Watcher | God of hidden paths, fairy-blood, and the Unicorn Troop. | House Sioltach |
| Suibh-Auna | The Hearth-Mother | Goddess of hospitality, the “door drink,” and the sacred rules of hosting. | House Suibhne |
| Malf-Inis | The Lady of the Dark Cape | A primal aspect of Malfin. Goddess of the “dark time” (winter) and the preservation of smoked fish. | General Devotion |
| Kari-Vahr | The Sea-Reaper | God of raiding, the “Flower of the Sea,” and the taking of prizes. | General Devotion |
Theological Characteristics and Cultural Alignment
The Daelian faith differs from the Skyssian orthodoxy in its emphasis on the “Sinews of War” and the transactional nature of divinity. Animism and Sacred Groves are ancient traditions, the Daels believe that specific spirits inhabit the mountains of the Dipthorn Range. This is why the University of Dalreoch is sited outside the city to avoid disturbing the ancient spirits of the Reoch with dangerous transmutation experiments. The old gods of raiding are being re-interpreted as gods of market making and commercial dominance. Blood as Currency: The Daelian gods do not merely require prayer; they require “blood in rivers”. This justifies the continuity of the bloodfeud system, which serves as a religious mechanism for settling accounts between noble houses.
Effect of Industrialisation on Worship
The rise of the 400-tonne Daelian Caravel has elevated the status of Gil-Frijdr (The Iron Father). The scrupulous standardisation of parts at Dalmuir is seen by the Daelian Clerks as a form of ritual geometry. By sponsoring chairs at the University of Dalreoch, the Earl of Dalmuir has essentially created a “Technological Priesthood,” where naval architecture is the highest form of service to the Old Gods.
Relationships
People
- King Alasdair V: The “Senior Arbiter” who mediates between the laws of the Nine and the old tribal ways.
- Earl of Dalmuir: The industrial pioneer transforming the worship of Frijdodr into a state engine.
- Sir Iain Alpin: Commander of the Life Guard, representing the veteran, professionalised face of Daelian devotion.
Places
- University of Dalreoch: The academic hub where old myths are scrutinised and naval engineering is perfected.
- Dalmuir: The world's most productive shipyard and the primary temple to Dael Riatan industrial might.
- Easter Isles: The ancient heart of the raider economy and the primary seat of Uisde-Maer.
