Rise of Empire

[Czernobog]

I like the giant spiders made out of glass. Presumably this place also has craptons of resources and stuff, making going into it a very dangerous temptation. Hell, slaying some of those monsters and bringing their parts to the outside world as trophies or something could fetch for a hefty price. Monster Hunters!

I liked the glass spiders (and the general description of the landscape) better in the original game.

They were only a throwaway joke, and the rest of the area came out of my imagination.

[Czernobog]

OOC Note: no intent was made to plagiarise anyone when I wrote this.

Religion

The Romuli Empire

The Romuli worship gods known as the 6 Domini, with a 7th left unworshipped. The Domini have various aspects, which are worshipped as lesser deities. They are listed below.

Sol
Sol is the Romuli god of light, the chief of the Romuli gods, and the one who lights the world. His most famous aspects are Helios, the noonday sun, Oranos, the light of the stars, and Phaeton, the solar chariot. He has others, but they are not as famous.

Terra
The Earth, Terra is the maiden, the goddess of fecundity and fertility. Her commonly-worshipped aspects are Gaia, the fount of life, and Cybele, the mother. She is the wife of Sol.

Invictus
OOC Note: no reference was meant to the member, I just couldn’t think of a decent name for a Greco-Roman war god.
Invictus is the warrior of the Domini, the commander of their armies and their greatest soldier. His common aspects are Enyalius, a supreme strategist and commander, Thrace, the god of fortresses and soldiers, Deimos, the noble soldier, and Phobos, the blood-crazed berserker.

Marius
Marius is the sky god, the master of the sky and the god of divine rule. His aspects include Augustian, the proclaimer of the Emperors’ divine right, Aurelian, the god of law and justice, and Alexius, the god responsible for ensuring the fact that laws can be enforced.

Pontus
Pontus is the god of the seas and waters, and is one of the most powerful Domini. His aspects include Oceanus, the mystery of the unexplored oceans, Neptune, the wrath of storms, and Fluvius, the god of rivers. He is primarily worshipped by merchants and other people who make their living off the sea.

Erebus
Erebus is god of darkness, thieves, and tricksters, as well as of transitions and travellers. He is the god of merchants, of thieves, of people who travel for a living, as well as being the god of magic and the one who guides the dead to their ultimate destination.

Avernus
Avernus is the god of death and the dead, and is feared in a way the other Domini are not. He is associated with the dread Eidolons and the omnicidal Cerberi, and the names of his aspects are not commonly said – it is said that to do so is to attract his attention, which causes bad luck.

Customs of the Fey

The Fey do not worship gods as the other races do. Instead, they revere the Genii, spirits of nature (that are known to objectively exist, unlike other deities, and, indeed, can be summoned by any moderately-skilled magus), that respond to their veneration and offerings with aid. These Genii range from the Lampades of the deep underground caverns, to the Dryads and Oreads of the mountains and forests. There are also Genii of cities, and those of individual homes.

The Macharion Empire

The Macharion Empire worships several deities, which are listed below. They are thought to be older gods than the ones of the Romuli.

Kairos
Kairos is the Lord of Time and chief of the Macharion gods, his symbol of power being a scythe that is the symbol of his authority over the lesser gods. He is worshipped by the populace of the Macharion Empire.

Aeton
Aeton is the god of death for the Macharion people, and is feared and respected in equal measure, and is associated with the Thanatoi, spirits of death that the Romuli associate with the dreaded Cerberi.

Alexian
Alexian is the god of order and justice, and is also a god of war and battle, where he forms a perfect strategist. He is associated with spirits of war and battle that are known as Spartoi.

The Aten

The Aten is the one god of the monotheistic Mazarri religion, and is worshipped in the temples to it set up by the Mazarri Sultanate. The Mazarri have a holy book, known as the Creed of the Aten, which they follow, and use in the worship of said god. The Aten religion was put in power following a brutal civil war, and has lasted for about five centuries.

[Dakarne]

Or you could use the actual Roman pantheon. They do have one.

[Dakarne]

Sol

Funnily enough, actually in Roman mythology, though not as the lead god. And the more commonly accepted term later on was Sol Invictus.

Terra

Actually in Roman mythology.

Invictus

The actual Roman God of War was in fact Mars.

Marius

The Sky God in Roman mythology was in fact Caelus.

Pontus

You seem to be confusing things; Neptune was, to begin with, the god of the seas, not an aspect of Pontus, who was the Greek primordial sea god.

Erebus

Erebus is a primordial Greek deity of darkness. The Roman equivalent would probably be Nox.

Avernus

Avernus is a crater which was believed to be the entrance of the Underworld in Roman mythology. The Roman God of Death was either of Mors or Orcus.

[Czernobog]

Or you could use the actual Roman pantheon. They do have one.

The Romuli are meant to be similar, but not exactly identical, to the Romans. The same with their gods. Also, I was worried about being deemed unoriginal, as it was last time I used mythological names

[Czernobog]

Materials

Orichalcum

Orichalcum, also known as Dawnsteel or Perfected Gold, is an element, gold in colour, with the strength and hardness of steel when properly smelted. In its natural, impure, state, Orichalcum resembles light bronze, but when smelted and refined properly, it is like lustrous, reflective gold. Orichalcum is remarkably light, and is commonly used in armour, weapons and cheap jewellery, being far more common than proper gold. Orichalcum does not tarnish and is highly resistant to corrosion.

Starfall Iron

Occasionally, fire falls from the sky. When the fires have died, it is discovered that a chunk of iron has fallen from the heavens, and it is forged into something. Starfall Iron is a black, reflective substance, that is readily forged into weaponry. When Starfall Iron is forged into things that are not intended as weaponry, the forging process takes twice as long - it is almost as if it wants to be made into weapons. Starfall Iron is thought to come from the ring of asteroids around the world, by some learned savants, but none have truly deciphered its origins. Starfall Iron is a hard, metallic substance, that is almost as tough as Orichalcum and is far more resistant to extremes of temperature.

Avernium

Avernium is a black stone that is found in deep mines and caves. It seems to absorb light that touches it, and is always cold to the touch, even if it has been thrown into a furnace. Avernium is not smelted and forged - its melting point is far too high for this to be easily done - instead it is carved - particularly with Orichalcum, as that cuts through it far more easily than other metals - into the desired shape. Avernium items are regarded in superstition to bring bad luck to their owners, but nobody cares, and, due to its rarity, an Avernium ring is the ultimate status symbol.

Adamantine

Adamantine is a diamond-like crystal, that is harder than even diamond, and can only be carved into by a device made itself out of Adamantine. However, it is extremely rare, almost as rare as Avernium, and thus is not commonly seen.

Silversteel

Silversteel is a metal hard and strong as Orichalcum, and even lighter. It does, however, have a high melting point - such that it is not commonly used.

[Tangith]

Sorcery and Pact-Magic

Sorcery

First on, the easiest subject.

Sorcery is the magic of ritual, of summoning and banishment. Unlike normal magic, it is possible for anybody to learn sorcery and participate in its rituals, although prior magical experience is required to lead the rituals of sorcery and channel the immense energies generated. Sorcery can generate much larger amounts of power than normal, and can channel it more efficiently and safely.

Most rituals require 7 to 13 casters, one (or more) to channel the magic, and several to help prepare the ritual and raise the power. Most of the time the power comes from raw life-force being converted into energy, from a (not necessarily human) sacrifice.

There is little difference between 'black' and forbidden sorcery and 'white' or tolerated sorcery - mostly, it just comes down to the choice of sacrifices or the intended effect.

Makes it kind of dark regardless due to the sacrifice part. What do they sacrifice, animals? Plants? You don't have to make it all about sacrifice, you could make it be about the giving of mana energy.

Pact-Magic

Pact-magic is the most dangerous, forbidden type of magic. It involves making deals with shadowy, malicious creatures called Eidolons, offering your soul in exchange for magical power. However, each use of this power racks up a debt with the Eidolon in question, a debt that must be paid in souls. If this debt is not paid, the Eidolon gets angry. If it is sufficiently angered, it will possess the sorcerer, or devour his soul, leaving him a mindless shell, or drag him bodily into its own realm, for whatever terrible fate awaits him there.

It is for this reason that pact-magic is forbidden, and using it is a capital offence in most nations.

That is pretty cool. I like the name too.