Nevaeh Univell a Decimated Empire
Game Design Document
Version 1.0
The World of Nevaeh
Nevaeh is a young planet bound by the same laws as earth. Nevaeh in many ways resembles earth. The majority of the world is covered by oceans and seas, the shifting of tectonic plates has created a vast array of volcanos, mountains and caverns. There are four seasons that constitute a yearly cycle. There are natural disasters and weather patterns. Many of the creatures that inhabit Nevaeh are similar to those of earth. Many of the creatures that we consider myth and legend roam free on this planet creating a diverse population human and non-human creatures alike.
Nevaeh is populated by few countries and cultures; the majority of the world isn’t populated by humanoid life. The people of Nevaeh have a common understanding with the world in which they live. By freely and consciously keeping their populous low they believe Nevaeh will provide for them amply for an amount of time that is beyond comprehension.
Races
Nevaeh is comprised of many living plants and animals but Humans, Philexions, and Arkolyites are the three different races that make up the majority of humanoid creatures walking the planet.
Humans
The humans populous is recognized in the same way as humans on earth. Average life span 85 years of age.
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Eurolaian Humans are the equivalent of Caucasians and derive from Eurolai
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Univellian Humans are the equivalent of Hispanics and derive from Univell
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Shanitian Humans are the equivalent of Blacks and derive from Shanita
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Mandrillian Humans are the equivalent of Asians and derive from Mandrill
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Anexian Humans are the equivalent of Indians and derive from Anexio
Philexions
Philexions are cat like humanoid creatures that have evolved from large cat breads over thousands of years. They are a young race and are believed to be early in their evolutionary stages. Their average life span is about 65 years of age.
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Dreynorian Philexions are the equivalent of Siberian Tigers and derive from Dreynor
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Tenwahian Philexions are the equivalent of Lions and derive from Tenwah
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Frezneilian Philexions are the equivalent of Leopards and derive from Frezneilio
Arkolyites
Arkolyites are an ancient race of massive Yeti like humanoids who prefer living in the cooler temperate mountains of Nevaeh. Their average life span is 260 years of age. The Arkolyites are peaceful creatures but double crossing one could land you in the morgue.
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Gernian Arkolyites are the equivalent of Polar Bears and derive from Gernia
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Nantrian Arkolyites are the equivalent of Grizzly Bears and derive from Nantra
Racial conflict
Arkolyites and Philexions don’t particularly like each other. The Philexions believe the Arkolyites to be living bull dozers, ready to flatten the land and rid the mountains of its wildlife. They don’t come into contact often because of the great distance of their native lands, but many races and cultures come to reside within the modern empires of Eurolai and Univell. Often it is with in the empires that these racial misunderstandings and disputes become problematic.
Cultures of Nevaeh
Although the population is small there are a variety of different cultures and belief systems that are not specific to any race or species. Some are spiritual, rich with stories of old and legend. Some believe in the hunt, seeing themselves as equals with all life. Others believe in modernization and the future of a united world.
The Monastery
The monks of the monastery believe that Nevaeh has a spirit and within it every living creature is connected. They believe that there is an afterlife and where you belong in the next life directly correlates to how you lived in your first. They believe that an individual can focus and channel the energy of the spirits to summon powers to aid them in their efforts.
The Empirical Nations
The power of the monasteries exist in many of the kingdoms and villages in Nevaeh, However, this is not the case in the industrialized empires among the working classes. Many in the modern kingdoms are more concerned with modernization and industrialization.
The empirical nations believe in observation and that evidence is information that justifies a belief in the truth or falsity of a claim. They believe that the world is fertile and when managed properly will remain ample. For the most part these cultures have abandoned the belief in the spirits of Nevaeh.
They focus on the devices they can create and their ingenuity over spirituality. Architecture became increasingly significant as the nations developed and they have created cities and kingdoms that are not only a visual spectacle but a scientific exploration of ingenuity. The empirical nations are credited with the development of stage coaches, canals, steam ships and most notably the railways which allowed goods, raw materials and people to be moved about, rapidly facilitating trade and industry.
Tribal Beliefs
A culture of the land is that native to the Philexion tribes of Freznelio. The Philexions believe that they are born of the land and their body’s return to the land after death. The Philexion cultures believe that anua (souls) exist in all people and animals. The tribe must follow a complex system of rituals to assure that animals will continue to make themselves available to the hunters. Many rituals and ceremonies are performed before and after hunting expeditions to assure hunting success.
The Philexions believe that their Shaman can channel the spirits of Nevaeh to heal the sick and the wounded. When one of the tribes people fall ill or injured the shaman will perform rituals while other tribe members beat drums, chant and dance to ward away the evil of the sickness and to call fourth the power of the spirits to heal their fellow tribe’s person.
Trade systems of Nevaeh
There are multiple trade systems in Nevaeh used for goods and services. The most popular is the monetary system set in place by the empirical Nations.
Monetary System
The monetary system used in Nevaeh is the gold and silver coin trade system. One gold coin is worth 100 silver coins.
Barter System
Although this monetary system is in place, many choose to use a barter system for the exchanging of goods or services for goods or services.
Etherite
Many of the machines in the major cities and kingdoms are steam powered and require a mined rock known as etherite. The Arkolyites are the main suppliers of the fuel source mainly because they mine it from the mountains they build their cities in.
Trading the fuel source with the human societies for tools, technologies, supplies and amenities has proven to be a gainful treaty for both races. The Humans get the fuel source they desire to run their modern devices and the Arkolyites get the goods they need to live better lifestyles.
Transportation
Within the empirical nations people can travel by land, air or sea. When traveling by land one can travel short distances in a stage coach or crank buggy. Traveling long distances by land will require the use of a steam train. When traveling the canals or open sea its best to use a steam boat, but you can take the hard route and travel on a man powered boat. Finally when traveling by air, the finest way to go, you have the choice of a variety of hot air balloons, or if you have some extra coin you can go for an all-out air ship.
Naminure
Naminure is a legendary Island that is believed to be the home of the ancient sword of Islabar. Legend has it that the sword was stabbed into the back of the turtle following a battle between Islabar and Anikayas. Anikayas struck the weapon from the necromancer Islabar ending the invasion of Ancient Eurolai. The sword should have struck the turtle dead, but it is said that Islabar lay a curse over the weapon encasing his spirit in the weapon only to one day be revived.
The Turtle cursed to wonder the world for centuries, growing ever larger over the years, formed and island around the sword. The few monks who were aware of the cursed turtle began to build a monastery on the island to protect the weapon from releasing the promised evil upon the land.