On the Backs of Gods

This article contains PROMOTIONS! Don't say we didn't warn you.

The image that spawned the setting

On the Backs of Gods

On 6^th February 2012, /tg/ was greeted by yet another "see this, wat do" thread, featuring a picture of a craggy colossus seemingly raping a giantess in a valley.

Being naturally awesome, /tg/ took the idea and ran with it for (at the time of writing) two threads, developing a setting in which humans colonise the bodies of sentient giants and aid them in elaborate mating rituals whilst trying to survive the perils of living on a massive, unknowable being that's barely aware of them.

Setting Directions currently include: Probably quadruped giants, but bipeds also included, some giants exhibit herding behaviours, forming mobile nations, ground dwelling people are hardy and nomadic, possibly spider-riding mongols, builders of mighty walking castles etc, a little bit of writefaggotry about finding mates for the giants, the offspring of which will have a new city built on their back as they develop, and general talking about how giants boning would affect the cities on their backs. Also Wanderer is confirmed for possible BBEG concept.

Other details:

- Giants are roughly as aware of humans as humans are aware of the bacteria living on their skin. Humans perform a similar role to normal commensal bacteria - use up space and resources so "pathogens" can't.

- Humans assist Giants in more of a subconscious manner. When it becomes apparent that the giant is looking for something (food, a mate, any other desires they can figure out) they'll send out scouts to find some (when it comes to mates, this involves making inhabitants of other cities aware that there's one out looking and to prepare themselves). They then return and the giant suddenly "knows" where to look. Exact details on this are unclear, but apparently it has no idea there were parasites involved.

- Female giants tend to have their cities in their clothing/inside hollow jewelry/on anything that can be discarded or won't be damaged, considering the dangers involved in the foundation of your country suddenly being mounted by another one. Also, because people living on the inside of spheres and toroids is cool.

- Tech-level is at a fantasy standard (peasants and farming, etc.), but with a dash of steampunk (airships, dirigibles and whatnot for trade and contact between Walkers).

- Tentative super-apex-predator concepts: Nightmares, uninhabited colossi that prey upon other colossi. Although they may possibly be inhabited by societies of raiders, marauders and other ne'er-do-wells.

Writefaggotry

Boogie Knights

As a Boogie Knight, I often get called upon to set out in search of a mate for Our Goddess, The Walker Lelina. It is no easy task, let me assure you.

At dawn on the day of my quest's beginning, I set off for the Feet, a journey of many days that is traditionally undertaken on foot without rest. There, I recuperate for a day after a week's hard travelling, before donning the ceremonial armour and robes of station and setting off on the voyage proper.

I cast off from the Feet on an airship, a small two-person dirigible. The other "person" is actually just enough supplies and Disposable Locomotion Enchantments to see me through to another Walker, and so the journey is a lonely one.

Once I eventually find another Walker, I dock at the Feet (or equivalent). I am greeted with the respect my station as a Boogie Knight deserves, and then I set off for the capital of this new God.

I am brought to the capital and presented to the King or Queen of the Walker. This person, part head of state and part religious leader, listens to my message: Our Goddess is fertile, able to bear children. We would like a union between our nations, between our Walker Gods, such that new fruit can be seeded, new land grown and a new Walker - a new nation - born.

Oftentimes, I am rejected. Resources are scarce, or the public is in turmoil, or one of any number of inauspicious signs. Only when a community is in a moment of perfect harmony can the King of the Walker spare the lengthy amount of time needed to communicate with their God.

If these conditions are met, I am welcomed to a room in the royal quarters. I quickly make myself at home; when the King communes with his Walker, it can take months for the conversation to advance to the necessary point. Eventually, the two come to an accord - most usually in my favour, though some Walkers have been known to refuse, though none can guess as to why - and the Walker ponderously halts. I then journey to the Feet, this time accompanied by a royal procession that lasts for months and travels to every major settlement between there and the Crown.

I take off with new supplies and a response to my message, and after many more months of journeying alone, I arrive, finally, at Our Goddes, the Walker Lelina. There, I am greeted as a hero; I am permitted to dock at the Crown itself (the only time such a thing is ever permitted), and I then speak to the Queen of the Walker.

"My lady," I would say. "Your Boogie Knight has returned, and he bears good news. The Walker Ospileth has accepted Our Goddess, the Walker Lelina's offer of courtship, and the nation of Ospileth will join with ours for a time. A new Walker shall come of this union, and a new nation shall be born!"

At my proclamation, much jubilation arises, but the preparations for an even greater jubilation (and, more importantly, for The Mounting) begin.

The Threads

[[1]] (a number of posts are missing as the thread was deleted without the archived version being updated, [[2]] foolz archive)

[[3]] (archived, then re-archived after the new thread was made - complete)

[[4]] (third thread. still needs to be re-archived after it finishes)