At long last, the thick and hearty atmosphere of Somewhere! The five Gods rode the winds around the lands below, taking in the multifarious changes the People had made over the Godless Age. Life had grown stagnant, safe. One way or another, they would shake this world to its core. They were...

Tezcota, God of Sacrifice
Gulm, God of Laziness
Fitumo, Goddess of the Wilds
Mason, Lord of Idiocy
Fortuna, Goddess of Luck
They stretched their nascent powers, sending eddies of colorful energy spinning away. At length, they turned their attention to the world spinning away below them, and towards the Peoples that covered the land of Somewhere. They had seen them from afar, but only now could they go among them and Act - and who knows what may have happened while the world was dark?


-O-

The Silvurtle are expecting the Gods, and gather to greet them outside Chromeport. The celebration is extremely loud, but the assembled People don’t seem to mind.

_{”Welcome, Great Gods! We have seen the Secret of the Wisps through our Observatory, and we knew to expect your coming! Welcome to Chromeport - and may you grant your blessings fairly and evenly across our fair land!}
Chromeport has grown. It has expanded out of the Silver dome under Mirror Lake and spread far beyond its original borders. As the Gods hover over the area, spreading light like waves of glowing froth, they notice Silvurtle and Aqueau (of course), but also many Verre, a few handfuls of aloof Laitache… and even one or two furtive-looking Fortugnat. Chromeport has over the years become quite multicultural, no doubt due to the inclusiveness fostered early on - and the camaraderie of allies united against a common foe.
-O-
Chromeport has many Heroes, but now it has one less. Droplette came down to the Market one day unexpectedly, heaving her great and ponderous bulk around with trademark grace and poise. She called all towards her with a gurgling, bubbling rendition of the Silver Song, and told them all to be good to one another. Then she burst like a wave on the shore, flooding all surrounding her with a tide of soothing Water. There was much weeping on that day, but none could see it - no one could bear to dry themselves off.


Sterling makes ventures to and fro Chromeport, but he is far better liked in the Lakes. Between his Amplifier Trait and Chromeport’s, his visits home can be quite the outrageous parties. Sterling plays his part well, but he still prefers quiet and peace where he can find it. Under Water, everything is dulled and cool and peaceful - as close to sleeping as he can manage, due to his curse. He still feels the loss of his arm keenly, but the Aqueau fairly worship him thanks to his sacrifice. He remains highly popular with Aqueau maidens.


-O-
The Silvurtle have continued to record history on Silver discs - so many that an expansion was required to Chromeport - and have begun to expand their recordings to other Peoples. Aqueau (of course), but also the Verre and Laitache. The latter fill only a few scant discs - they remain highly secretive and distant.

One day, in the ever-growing halls of the great Discotheque, a Miracle was found - a Remnant of a past God, taking the form of towers of stacked discs. It was immediately enshrined in preparation for the coming Gods’ guidance.

(The Silvurtle are Musical, Sensate Mystics. They have an Advanced knowledge of the Silver Song, and many are growing quite good at Hydromancy. They are adept Historians and Astrologers (seeking knowledge from the lights in the sky, the Wisps). They are well-versed in Warfare and Tactics.

The Silvurtle have discovered a Miracle, Ask-The-Stacks. The People may decide to use it to accomplish a particularly difficult task, but will likely defer to a God’s suggested use. It can be used once, then it will crumble away. Until it is used, it is indestructible.

Their Population is 18. Population is an abstract representation of their abundance, relative to other races. Their Capital is Chromeport. Their Places of Power are the Crystal Spires and the Discotheque.)


The Verre are cautious by nature, and slow to trust - but much time has passed in Somewhere. More than enough to let their guards down, to learn to Play with others. One of their Heroes has done much to ease that transition.

Mangamancer Shi, Shi-Of-The-Dice, Shi-From-Below, Shi-The-Cursebreaker… or just Shi. She has become a Hero to the Verre in truth, as much a part of their People as their parents or children. After all, she was older than the vast majority of them - she had simply been part of their lives forever. As long as they had known her, she had been working with Droplette of Chromeport on breaking some fiendish cursed laid by some long-forgotten God on her people. She always welcomed company on her journeys, and so naturally many had gone with her. Slowly, over the generations, the trips had become more frequent - especially after Droplette had perished. Slowly, carefully, many of the Verre tribes had ranged closer and closer to Chromeport until they formed a satelitte community of their own.

-O-
Many, but not all. Others found the community too exposed, too stationary. They had been taught to be Stealthy and Tentative and Observant, and integration into Chromeport seemed… well, not sacrilegous - the Verre didn’t quite hold the Gods to be the unshakable paragons of virtue that certain other People did - but at least inadvisable. It is with these Verre that Quintzite and his Pyrexalted stayed, guiding them and keeping them from harm. The average Pyrexalt was indistinguishable from the average Verre - until an accident hit and they remained unscathed, or until it became clear that age could not touch them either. If they thought they might be revealed, they vanished. No one could hide like a Pyrexalt.

No one except Quintzite. His hasty Cut all those generations back had doomed a fifth of his People. Althought their numbers had bounced back, and although his mistake had not been ascribed to him (except in rumours), he felt the sorrow of their deaths weigh upon him heavily. He had not been seen since. His Pyrexalt hear his orders on the wind, see the remnants of his Cuts. His People hear nothing at all - as far as they’re concerned, he is a myth.

-O-
The Verre have been guardians of the Miracle Watcher-From-Without for generations, but over the years they have come into possession of two others. One day, on Shi’s travels, she discovered a strange Artifact hidden in a hollow. Covered in Manga of the highest art, she knew it to be a Remnant of her whimsical Goddess. She kept it safe.

Another turned up in the middle of a Verre camp. Others swore it was not there the day before. The Pyrexalted could sense that their master had left it for their care.


(The Verre are Sharp and Fragile, but Playful. Drinking Milk has made them Tough and Agile, but they prefer to be Stealthy and Observant where possible. They are proficient with the Glass Magic of Cutting, drawing power from the Wisps in the Ocean. It is highly dangerous and risky magic, particularly when taken to extremes. They are also proficient with the Milk Magic of Milchemy, used for healing and strengthening themselves. Through their time with Shi, they have also grown proficient at Glass-Shaping.

The Verre are custodians of the Miracle Watcher-From-Without. It can be used once, then it will crumble away. Until it is used, it is indestructible.

The Verre have discovered an Artifact, Truth-Wall-Scroll. It can be used once this Age, then it will vanish until next Age. It is indestructible. It can only be used by a God.

The Verre have discovered an Artifact, Toils-In-Silence. It can be used once this Age, then it will vanish until next Age. It is indestructible. It can only be used by a God.

Their Population is 13 - 7 near Chromeport, 5 nomads, and 1 Pyrexalted. Population is an abstract representation of their abundance, relative to other races.)


The Fortugnat are scarcely a People at all. A great diaspora occurred after the Tyrant's War, with the Dice People spreading themselves across the land, making sure wherever they could and ingratiating themselves to the other People in hopes of survival. Life has not been kind to them, and their Population has remained dangerously low. Their traditions in shambles, the old divisions of Mangamancer, Shadomino and Backgaman have fallen by the wayside. Modern Fortugnat have a chance of bearing skills from any class - but more likely than not have none.

-O-

Keno and Roulette live still, even after their disastrous assassination of a God. They escaped from the Milk People back into the tunnels and have assembled a rag-tag group of 'freedom fighters’. In truth, they are a starving rabble, held aloft by the feverish belief that their Heroes killed a god and took his power.

They're only half wrong.


-O-
Others have made their way to Chromeport, guided by a Manga-inscribed cliff face. There, they have found a live of sorts - on the outskirts, certainly, but even second-class citizenry is preferable to slavery to a mad King. Many have seen Shi in town and know she is working to end the Water Curse. She is greatly admired - but greatly envied. Curse breaker or not, she has turned her back on her People. None dare speak against her, however. Not yet.

-O-
The final group is an unfortunate lot - those unlucky enough to encounter the Palaitins on patrol. Their God’s last words still echoing in their ears, their Vendetta against the Dice People has never ceased. Inside Chromeport’s enforced peace, the Fortugnat have a chance. Outside? The vast majority are slain where they stand by an onslaught of Spelled Milk.

The others are carried away.

(The Fortugnat are a shattered People. Water is Anathema to them - driving them mad and killing them - however recent events have weakened this somewhat. They are naturally Reckless, but hard life has made them Cautious. They have a Mixed Skillset, which may include Strength, Toughness, Stealth, Mangamancy or Glass-Shaping - but often very few or none of these. Overall, they range between Ambivalence to Hatred of the Gods, but lack the will to resist their power.

The Fortugnat (all of them) have internalized a Lie - that Gods can be Killed. They cannot. Gods will die in time like all things, but the People can no more strike them down than they could strike down time itself. And yet, the Fortugnat believe this Lie.

The Fortugnat Down Below have discovered an Artifact, What-Goes-Up. It can be used once this Age, then it will vanish until next Age. It is indestructible. It can only be used by a God or a Hero.

Their Population is 5 - 2 in Chromeport, 2 Down Below, 1… Elsewhere..)


The Aqueau of Chromeport mourned the loss of Droplette, their leader and mother-figure who had long been a source of guidance and comfort. The Aqueau of the Lakes felt her loss keenly, but far closer to home was the loss of Wheyfarer Rennet. He had been gruffly entertaining a group of young Aqueau when suddenly his face twisted. When asked what was wrong, he smiled and insisted it was nothing. Then he asked if they wanted to see a trick.

A wave of brine and a peal of laughter, and Rennet was gone, leaving only a few stray curds of cheese. Rennet had long been a fixture of the Lake of Whey, and despite his grumpy attitude he had been well loved. More pragmatically, he had also been their main source of artisanal cheese. While the knowledge of cheesemaking was well known to the Aqueau, without a Heroic cheesemaker, they suffered heavily in Chromeport’s market.

On the other hand, due to judicious use of River Redirection, the Aqueau have much greater coverage of the surface than ever before. Thanks to Water Communication, the People of Somewhere are more than willing to deal with a wetter landscape if it means they can quickly get news from anywhere. For the most part, the Aqueau are Independent, but this is especially true of the Lake Aqueau. Having benefited far less from the direct touch of the Gods, they put more value in their own inventions and innovation than those granted by the divine. That being said, they welcome the coming of the Gods.

(The Aqueau are highly Independent Explorers and Traders. Their speed in Water is unmatched, and they have learned how to communicate in Water even faster - long-distance information is transmitted chiefly through the Aqueau on Somewhere. They have an Advanced knowledge of Hydromancy, and many are growing quite good at the Silver Song. Working together, they are able to redirect Rivers. They are well-versed in Warfare and Tactics.

The Aqueau are custodians of the Miracle Glee-And-Whimsy. It can be used once, then it will crumble away. Until it is used, it is indestructible.

Their Population is 16. Population is an abstract representation of their abundance, relative to other races. Their Capital is Chromeport.)


As of the end of the last Age, as of the Tyrant’s War, the Laitache have encountered the rest of Somewhere and its People. They have encountered it and found it… distasteful. Their petty squabbles and their War drew the attention of the Gods, the greatest of which (though not the Head God, as he claimed in his hubris) sent down his Laitache to make an end to it. Legendairy and his Palaitins fell from Czarmark-ParaDice, their spears sharp and ready, and ended the brute’s reign. But at the moment of their greatest triumph, the traitorous Fortugnat struck down their God!

No. This was not so. Legendairy disabused them all of that. He Knew that Gods could not die in such a manner, Knew that his dissolution was mere coincidence. But the temerity of the Dice demons to TRY! The very idea that they would attempt such on their liberators! Well. Legendairy had been told they were fiends, but not that they were fools. That was much worse.

In the generations since, the Laitache have exterminated nine tenths of every Fortugnat they have seen. The tenth is taken, brought to Czarmark, and forced to work. Forced to inscribe the monument to Czar with iconography of his greatness, and to the meagre foolishness of their own People. When they are spent, Legendairy himself throws them off the island. His God, overblown though he was, deservered respect.

-O-
The Milk Magic, Moocoup, has massively changed Laitache society. Weaponry, masonry, tools, food and clothing are all summoned from the very air - and dismissed just as easily. Mundane matter simply lacked the flexibility of Spelled Milk, and mining of the material of ParaDice has greatly diminished. Even with this great equalizer, among the Laitache there must always be a balance of Heavy and Light, one pushing from below and one lifting from above. There are four Castes, now. The Winged, both Heavy and Light, and the Earthbound, both Heavy and Light. The hierarchy is plain - Winged Light, Earthbound Light, Winged Heavy, and Earthbound Heavy.

Each caste secretly (and publicly) believes themselves to be above the others, but all look towards Legendairy for guidance, for he has the best of all of them combined..

(The Laitache have split into four Castes; Heavy and Light, both Winged and Earthbound. The Heavy Caste is (broadly) Strong, Hardy and Foolish and Light Caste is (broadly) Smart, Light, and Weak. The Winged have those traits in addition to Flight, though modified appropriately according to their other Traits.

The Laitache are custodians of the Idol, Lift-The-Burden. It passively affects an area - in this case Czarmark - but is destructible by mortal means. It has fallen into disrepair, and is in danger of dissolution.

Their Population is 14 - 5 Heavy (2 Winged, 3 Earthbound), 9 Light (5 Winged, 4 Earthbound). Population is an abstract representation of their abundance, relative to other races. Their Capital is Czarmark-ParaDice.)

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