Centroverse Notes

I. Absolute Genesis

• There is nothing but the Chaotic Creation.
• A thought gains self-awareness and becomes separate from the Chaotic Creation.
• The entity falls for half of eternity before striking ground (Mount Star’s Fall)
• The entity names itself Maro.
• Genesis of natural laws of creation; compass directions, gravity, etc.
• Maro dreams the three great gods of will:

- An’kedian’atomine, the Desert Star, god of benevolence.
- Almeranth, Watcher By the Wayside, god of neutrality and chance, life and death.
- Andreataal, Laughing He Wanders, god of malevolent insanity.

• Maro dreams the animals and ‘template’ races:

- High-Born Nomads (elves) – inhabit the Dune Impasse of Al-Khavan (see Races)
- Drachae (dragons) – they divide themselves into the Ten Scaled Dynasties (see Races)
- Kenjos (animal anthromorphs) – they call themselves The Folk (see Races)
- Small Ones (halflings) – live in the depths of the Pendrian Forest (see Races)

• The three great gods create a race, the Avatars, to serve them.
• Creation (land of the Interior) ceases to be able to support direct physical manifestation of the three great gods.
• The three great gods retreat to a higher plain of manifestation.
• Maro dances beneath Mount Star’s Fall with the first of each race.
• The Avatars make war upon each other in the names of the three great gods.
• The Avatars create a race, the humans, to serve them.
• With the advent of the human race, Creation reaches full potential and grows exponentially in reality and becomes the Centroverse (see Metaphysics).
• The powerful Avatars continue to war, colonizing other UD Sets (see Metaphysics) and bring their humans with them.
• Realizing the Avatars are too powerful and their war could destroy the Centroverse, Almeranth and An’kedian’atomine begin to destroy them.
• The remaining Avatars join with Andreataal for protection but are eventually destroyed.
• Andreataal is imprisoned in the Dark Reflection (see Metaphysics) by the other two great gods.
• Andreataal’s last action is to spirit away a human child to be his eventual champion; it is hidden from all him enemies.
• To balance this, An’kedian’atomine does likewise, and imbues a human child with the awesome powers once held by the Avatars.
• The child An’kedian’atomine teaches and raises is named Zephrin.
• Unbeknownst to the other two great gods, Almeranth has also taken a human as his chosen.
• Countless millennia pass, leaving the Interior unchanged and the three great gods largely forgotten by the humans. (see Interior)
• Zephrin learns complete control of her powers, becoming effectively immortal.
• The Taeodan, chosen of Almeranth, lives through many lives, sometimes trained by the god, and sometimes not, as is Almeranth’s way.
• The Dodendrion, the half-damned, chosen of Andreataal, is barely trained, stumbling upon the maddening powers randomly in various lives.
• Though imprisoned, Andreataal is growing more powerful and the Dodendrion may soon be able to free the great god.
• War will soon undoubtedly rage across the Centroverse as the three great gods use their subtle influence over humans and those of power.
• Still the child-god Maro dances beneath the Mount Star’s Fall with her companions; the music they dance to is the Eversing, the music of being, and the dance they dance is the dance of Creation.

II. Metaphysics

• The first area in Creation is the desert around the Mount Star’s Fall where Maro struck ground; it will become the land of Al-Khavan.
• As reality diversed, Creation expanded and became the land of the Interior:

- Al-Khavan
- Fang Empire
- Outlands
- Hollon (post Avatars, one of the 'Tri-Kingdoms')
- Righen ("")
- Shendannan ("")
- Mountains Craeg (domain of the Ten Scales Dynasties)

• After the advent of the human race, Creation reached full potential and blossomed into the Centroverse.
• The Interior is from which springs all possibilities; imagine it as a flat world suspended in space.
• Imagine a fixes set of variables existing in a universe; imagine that as a single thread.
• Imagine every alternate of every variable existing as a separate universe; theory of quantum realities (n^nth).
• Imagine those n^nth threads twisted together into a thick rope; that is a Universe/Dimensional Set (UD Set).
• Imagine n^nth UD Sets bound together around their source, the Interior; that is the Centroverse (see Map 2).
• Imagine a thread-universe containing all the most likely variables for a UD Set; that universe is the Dominant Reality (DR).
• The UD Sets closest to the Interior are called the Pangellic Realms and tend to be more fantastic as a result of their nearness to the Interior.
• Under the Mount Star’s Fall, in the land of Al-Khavan, Maro and her companions dance, not knowing time; their dance fuels and upkeeps Creation.
• For every action/energy, there is an opposite action/energy; that is the Dark Reflection.
• Imagine a reflection of the Centroverse based on that opposite; in every atom the proton carries a negative charge and the electrons, a positive charge, a fundamental perversion of Natural Law.
• The Centroverse is balanced between the fantastic Pangellic Realms and UD Sets with advanced technological universes.

III. As An RPG Setting

Q – Who are the player characters?
A – Humans and other races from any UD Set, humans and other races from the Interior.

Q – So why play?
A – As Andreataal grows more powerful, war is becoming a certainty and a few humans begin to manifest limited power, the powers once held by the Avatars. The others races have always had minor powers and their potential contribution to the war cannot be overlooked.

Q – But how would the PC’s find out about the Centroverse and the three great gods?
A – Zephrin and her allies are actively seeking out those newly-empowered humans and those of other races sympathetic to her cause, as is the Dodendrion and his allies. One of these forces will find the PC’s before long.

Q – Why don’t the other two great gods just destroy Andreataal?
A – Many reasons. First, Maro dreamed them, so only she can destroy them. Second, reality has become too complex to support direct manifestation of the great gods. Trapped in the Dark Reflection, Andreataal wants only freedom, then to destroy all Creation and return it to chaos. An’kedian’atomine will always oppose this, and Almeranth acts on his whim; sometimes helping her, sometimes hindering her. They exist on a higher plain of reality and can only act through servants.

Q – Is this a game of good or evil?
A – Both. PC’s can join with Zephrin or the Dodendrion depending on the kind of game the players and GM want to play. Or, they can remain neutral, unknowingly serving Almeranth; none know the currant location/actions of the Taeodan. No matter what the PC’s chose, their powers make them obvious and fate will make it hard to avoid the coming war.

Q – Who knows about the Centroverse/Interior/three great gods/Maro?
A – Only Zephrin and the Dodendrion and their allies know the true form of the Centroverse, about the existence of the Interior, and about the three great gods. Only the great gods know about Maro. What the Taeodan knows is unknown. Humans and other races in the UD Sets know only of their personal universes. Humans and other races of the Interior have forgotten the Avatars and the three great gods; they never knew of Maro.

Q – So why play another D&D type clone game?
A – Centroverse is much more than a D&D type high-fantasy RPG setting. The Dodendrion has made his base in the most technologically advanced UD Set (space/sci-fi) while Zephrin feels most at home in the Pangellic Realm of Pastoria. The GM and players can play in settings of pure fantasy, pure sci-fi, or settings with elements of both.

Q – Won’t it be impossible to write source material for every UD Set (n^nth)?
A – Yes. That’s why only a few examples need be written; the high-tech UD Set (Dodendrion), a high-fantasy UD Set (Pastoria), a UD Set with a little of both, the Interior, and perhaps guidelines for the GM to create his/her own UD Sets. With endless possibilities, a creative GM and player troupe will never run out of worlds to play in.

IV. The Interior

• The land of the Interior was the first area of the Centroverse.
• It is composed of the following kingdoms (see Map):

- Sovereign Land of Al-Khavan
- Fang Empire
- Outlands
- Human ‘Tri-Kingdoms’ of Hollon, Righen, and Shendannan
- Mountains Craeg

• North, at the frozen Tentully Marshes (Hollon), the north-most peak of the Mountains Craeg (Drachae territory), and the Tihian Taal Mountains (Al- Khavan) is the furthest north any being can travel. Those who attempt to go beyond are never heard from again.
• South, at the Mitre Downs (Righen), the south-most peak of the Mountains Craeg (Drachae territory), and the Southern Shore (Fang Empire) is the Furthest south any being can travel.
• West, at the Pendrian Forest (Shendannan) and the upper and lower regions of the Outlands, is the furthest west any being can travel.
• East, past the sight of Mount Star’s Fall (Al-Khavan) and the Rohcor Jungle (Fang Empire) is the furthest east any being can travel.
• Various races inhabit/are welcome in the kingdoms; that will be discussed in each kingdom’s section.

V. Sovereign Land of Al-Khavan

• Borders: North to the Tihian Taal Mountains, south to the Makate Savannah (Fang Empire), east to the Mountains Craeg (Drachae territory), west past the sight of the Mount Star’s Fall.
• Capital: Anjir
• Rule: Monarchy (Ruler’s Title: Khat-sul)
• Current Ruler: Khat-sul Alterio Kine
• Races Inhabitant: Humans (40%), High-Born Nomads (elves 35%), Mystics (half-elves 20%), Sand Rats (Kenjos who live towards the southern border 5%)
• National Relations: No hostilities, trade relations with the Fang Empire and the Ten Scaled Dynasties.
• Martial Force: Anjir Guard (300), Desert Guard (1,500/6,000 standing/impressed)

• Anjir
- Al-Khavan’s largest city (population fluctuates)
- Located 100 miles east of the Mountains Craeg and 300 miles north of the southern border
- A huge oval-shaped city built into the side of a titanic stable dune, prevents sacking from the rear, high walls with well-manned defenses
- Capital of Al-Khavan since a time before written history

• Rivers Zyr and Orach -
Zyr runs south from the Tihian Taal Mountains, Orach runs southeast from the Mountains Craeg
- The two rivers join 15 miles south of Anjir creating the ‘fertile crescent’; makes farming and habitation possible in the dune town of Anjir, the many villages which surround the city
- The two rivers become the Jies which continues south into the Fang Empire

• Zyr Delta Temple
- Ruins of a temple of supposed moon worship which lie at the point where the Zyr and Orach join, a site of mysticism and general oddness

• Tihian Taal Mountains
- A mountain range which runs west-east, none have been further north than their peaks
- Called the ‘Desert Gods’ by the nomads
- Most humans consider them part of the source of magic and mysticism in the land
- Many nomad bands live in their shadows and foothills but none are absolutely sure what mysteries they hold.

• Ruins of Quay
- An ancient city ruined eons ago, it’s buildings are of huge, non- humanoid proportions
- An ominous place with sight of the Mount Star’s Fall and in the shadows of the mountains to the north
- A band of nomads had been searching for nearly fifteen years for any clue of the fate that befell the city and the whereabouts of its inhabitants’ descendants; they are called the Seven Seekers of Quay

• Azure Temple
- Abandoned temple in the foothills of the Tihian Taal Mountains, 50 miles north of Quay and 150 west of the Mount Star’s Fall
- As the name hints, it is carved entirely out of opaque green crystal
- Not even the nomads remember its use or religion but legends still tell of a secret ‘portal to the stars’ hidden in the labyrinth beneath it

• Dune Impasse
- The sprawling desert that makes up most of the land of Al-Khavan
- Sparsely populated with small towns and villages, a huge population of nomads who live near the mountains
- Protected by the Desert Guard, although the land is presently in a state of peace

• Mount Star’s Fall
- A single mountain so high that none have ever seen its summit, even from hundreds of miles away; the base is almost a hundred miles in diameter, truly, the largest natural structure in the Interior
- Though none remember, it was the site where Maro first struck ground and she and her companions still dance beneath it
- Those who attempt to climb it or travel nearby are never seen again

• Notes
• The night sky in Al-Khavan is different than anywhere else in the Interior; the stars are strange and sometimes appear to shift, three moons in various phases cross the sky (Zag, Jhak, Anlen).
• Al-Khavan is the only land of the Interior home to the highborn nomads and the only land where they’ve bred with humans to create the race of Mystics, half-elves revered for their magical powers and beauty; Khat-sul Alterio Kine is a Mystic.
• The land is viewed as exotic by the Tri-Kingdoms and occasionally looked upon with distrust for their embrace of the nomads and peace with the Ten Scaled Dynasties and Fang Empire.

VI. Fang Empire

• Borders: North to the village Syns (Al-Khavan), south to the Southern Shore and the Great Water, east to the thick of the Rohcor Jungle, west to the Mountains Craeg (Drachae territory)
• Capital: The Soul Tree
• Rule: Autocracy
• Current Ruler: Rax Youn (Title: Magnus Emperor)
• Races Inhabitant: Kenjos (100%)
• National Relations: Open hostilities with the Tri-Kingdoms, trade relations with Al-Khavan, mutual accord and protection treaty with the Ten Scaled Dynasties
• Martial Force: Army of Wrath (7,000)

• The Soul Tree
- The capital of the Fang Empire is a gargantuan tree the size of a large forest
- The Council of Folk meet at its heart, below the Imperial Quarters
- The Soul Tree is at the geographic center of the Rohcor Jungle and most believe it is the entity which keeps the jungle strong; it is 200 miles south of the Makate Savannah and 300 miles west of the Mountains Craeg

• Rohcor Jungle
- The largest forest in the Interior, its climate ranges from mild/temperate at the edge of the Makate Savannah to tropical at the Southern Shore
- Home to most of the Folk tribes (see Races for additional information)

• River Jies
- The life-blood of the Rohcor Jungle, the river broadens and becomes stronger as it winds south towards the Great Water
- Its many tributaries run all through the jungle, strengthened by the frequent heavy rainfall

• Notes
• Not much is known about the Fang Empire by outsiders; however, while the Empire seems tight-knit and cohesive, life there continues in the simple tribal way it has since the Folk were born.
• Rax Youn is the current Magnus Emperor who defeated his predecessor, Black Eyes the Panther King in ritual combat; Rax is of the Lupus tribe and believes in a campaign of swift slaughter of the humans of the Tri-Kingdoms for their treatment of Kenjos.
• Most Folk of the Empire are non-combatants, but Rax cultivates an outward image of fierce training and savage tribes ready for war.

VII. Outlands

• Borders: North to the Hollon border, South to the River Kaide (Righen Border), east to the Mountains Craeg (Drachae territory), west to the River Tentully (Shendannan Border)
• Capital: None
• Rule: Anarchy/Tribal
• Current Ruler: None
• Races Inhabitant: Kenjos (75%), Humans (25%)
• National Relations: None, not considered a kingdom by its neighbors
• Marital Force: No standing army, 1,500 if impressed

• Bato’s Keep
- A large, old manse built on the edge of the Pendrian Forest where it encroaches on the Outlands from the southern Shendannan border
- Originally built by Zephrin, she left it in the care of a local tribe of Kenjos, and they care for the keep
- Usually used as a safe-house for exiles from the Tri-Kingdoms, provided they are exiled or persecuted unfairly

• Notes
• The Outlands are infertile, barren plains which form a large lowland valley between the Tri-Kingdoms.
• The Tri-Kingdoms have banished most of their native Kenjos to this region, excepting those in hiding or who have been impressed into servitude; excepting Shendannan, which has opened their borders to Kenjos within the past ten years and reign of the new Queen.
• Outlaws, bandits gangs, and exiles of the Tri-Kingdoms make up the small human population of the Outlands.
• The Outlands act as a buffer zone between the opposing kingdoms of Hollon and Righen; only once has Hollon sent an army across to Righen (see Hollon).
• Most of the population of the Outlands live in make-shift camps and small villages; the hunting is poor and the land yields scarce crops, a major source of income is banditry against those traveling between kingdoms.

VIII. Hollon

• Borders: North to the frozen Tentully Marshes, south to the Outlands, east to the River Tentully (Shendannan Border), and west to the Mountains Craeg (Drachae territory)
• Capital: Cannoldale
• Rule: Oligarchy
• Current Ruler: The Pride of Hollon (Title: Lords)
• Races Inhabitant: Humans (100%)
• National Relations: Openly hostile with Righen and the Fang Empire, trade relations with Shendannan, does not recognize the Ten Scaled Dynasties as a kingdom, desires trade relations with Al-Khavan but must negotiate passage through the Mountains Craeg first
• Martial Force: Capital Guard (150), Hollon Army (3,000/10,000 standing/impressed)

• Cannoldale
- The largest city in Hollon, it is walled and surrounds Hollon Castle
- The River Wehren runs south two miles west of Cannoldale, making the city a center of trade in the kingdom
- Home to the monastic order the Scribes of Hollon, general historians, scribes, and record keepers
- Sorcery, and Kenjos are banned in the city; sorcerers and Folk captured are usually exiled but occasionally put to death

• Hollon Castle
- Built by the kingdom’s founder, Gertrich Bain, shortly after the destruction of the Avatars
- Seat of Hollon’s rulers since that time, even after the violent ending of the monarchy
- The highest point of the castle is Tentully Tower; the spire can be seen for ten miles in any direction, it was white when the castle was built but has since darkened to deep gray
- The castle not only houses the five ruling lords, but also their families, servants, and the Capital Guard

• Kipp’s Gap
- 200 miles east of Cannoldale, it is the only pass through the Mountains Craeg within Hollon’s borders
- A few use the gap to travel east to Al-Khavan, but the Ten Scaled Dynasties have made it clear that the number allowed through each year will be tightly controlled
- It is no secret that the Pride of Hollon want unlimited access to the gap both to begin trade with Al-Khavan and to launch a potential invasion against the Fang Empire

• Frozen Tentully Marshes
- Swampy bogland which becomes progressively colder as one travels north (the cold air off the Mountains Craeg); essentially an icy tundra when one reaches the northern point of no return
- The unfrozen edge of the marshes is the source of the River Tentully which is used as the border between Hollon and Shendannan
- It is a bleak and unpleasant place usually swept by freezing winds; the locals speak of dark rumors of what might have happened there to create such an area

• Lake Tzen
- The River Tentully forms a small tributary 150 miles into Hollon that empties into a large lake
- The dark waters are usually still but always full of fish; two small fishing villages (Pyels on the north shore, Berl to the southeast) have sprung up
- There is the base of a ruined tower on the southwestern shore; none know who built it of when it collapsed

• Notes
• The last king of Hollon was the mad King Damian who was thrown off Tentully Tower by the first Pride of Hollon, a band of young knights.
• Currently, the Pride of Hollon is the five male descendants of the original Pride.
• The ban on sorcery and Kenjos goes back to the days of the original Pride, who feared such uncontrollable elements would inspire revolt and reinstate the monarchy.
• Hollon has been to war with Righen, this happened after the death of King Damian; the king of Righen was raised in Hollon and his two brothers were exiled knights loyal to Damian. History remembers it as the Lords’ War, and while it ended in a stalemate, hostilities between the two kingdoms continues to the present. (see stories, Dark Tower, Penitent, and Legacy)

IX. Righen

• Borders: North to the Outlands, south to the Mitre Downs, east to the Mountains Craeg (Drachae territory), and west to the Pendrian Forest (Shendannan Border)
• Capital: Renjansen
• Rule: Monarchy
• Current Ruler: Sepon Goodword XII (Title: King)
• Races Inhabitant: Humans (98%), Kenjos (2%)
• National Relations: Openly hostile with Hollon, attempting neutrality treaty with the Fang Empire, trade relations with Shendannan, pays lipservice to the Ten Scaled Dynasties
• Martial Force: Knights of Righen (100), Army of Righen (1,500/6,000 standing/impressed)

• Renjansen
- The largest city in Righen and also contains the most advanced architecture of the Tri-Kingdoms
- The headquarters of the Knights of Righen as well as a heretic order of monastic scribes who left Hollon after the death of King Damian
- Built on the River Wehren as it runs south, it has a small port and some fishing rafts; a series of above-water nets north of the city prevent invasion by river
- Surrounds Righen Castle, the district closest to the castle is considered the center of the kingdom’s art and culture

• Mitre Downs
- The river Wehren narrows and winds through the hilly downs
- As in Al-Khavan, the night sky is never the same over the downs; strange stars seem to move or may be absent a short time later
- A few villages raise cattle in the area but consider it bad luck to venture very far south; many young herders and their beasts have vanished after going too far

• The Border
- Following the war with Hollon, several small forts were built on the edge of the Outlands as a first defense and warning system should another invasion ever come
- Seventeen of these structures exist along the border, each with a tall watchtower that can be seen from the next fort; should one station see trouble a fire is built in front of a large mirror which can signal two stations to the east and west, who can then pass on the warning
- The forts have a peacetime compliment of 20 soldiers

• Notes
• The present King, Sepon Goodword XII, is the direct descendant of the first king of Righen.
• While the Lords’ War was considered a stalemate and was abandoned only because of Shendannan’s threatened intercession, Righen suffered the loss or many men, and being a smaller kingdom, is covertly attempting to court favor with the Fang Empire for a possible alliance against Hollon. What Sepon doesn’t realize is that Rax Youn hates the humans of the Tri- Kingdoms for their treatment of the Kenjos and any will twist any alliance to the benefit of his people.
• While sorcery isn’t banned in Righen, its practice is looked upon with suspicion; most skilled in the magic arts or those who wish to learn end up in Shendannan or Al-Khavan.
• Some Kenjos do live in Righen as servants, and there is a sizable tribal camp on the western border of the Pendrian Forest; as a race they are tolerated but not unpersecuted.

X. Shendannan
• Borders: North to the Frozen Tentully Marshes (west of the River Tentully), south to the depths of the Pendrian Forest, east to the River Tentully (Hollon/Outlands/Righen border), west to the Haght Plains
• Capital: Perridac
• Rule: Monarchy
• Current Ruler: Aliya Ferr (Title: Queen)
• Races Inhabitant: Humans (55%), Kenjos (25%), Small Ones (20%)
• National Relations: Trade relations with Hollon and Righen, non-aggression treaty with the Ten Scaled Dynasties, currently negotiating with Al- Khavan in favor of a university in both kingdoms for the study of each other’s magical theory, pays lipservice to the Fang Empire
• Martial Force: Forest Runners (170), Shendannan Army (1,000/4,400 standing/impressed)

* Perridac
- Largest city in Shendannan and the center of the kingdoms’ magic studies
- Surrounds Caer Dannac, a castle that has been the seat of power since the kingdom’s creation
- Situated 10 miles northeast of the Pendrian Forest, 2 miles west of the River Tentully
- The only capital city in the Tri-Kingdoms to allow Kenjos within the city and castle