Setting:Hail and Kill
Metalrealm: Hail and Kill was a setting based on metal music, made up by /tg/ in the October of 2011. The setting is more fantasy and has less obvious references than the Heavy mythril setting. The aim is to make a heavily metal inspired fantasy setting, with locations based on lyrics. Factions based on the many genres and sub-genres of metal, such as Thrash and Power metal. It's awesome
It is also the hardest, most metal contribution /tg/ has ever made to the world of RPGs. In this world, tribes of corpse-painted Blackened fight against the blonde warriors of Tyrnoth, the Steel Kingdom; waste druids smoke the stickiest dope in the desert; and the hoary undead wait in frozen torture for their release, listening for the growl of death to signal their icy freedom. Meanwhile, the gods above watch, wondering what the future of this world holds for them...
The Birth of Metal
In the beginning, there was the void. It was cold, dark, and quiet. All was still. All was silent.
Then, with a roar of eldritch fire and squealing noise, the old gods of Metal rode into the scene, riding thundering void-dragons and wielding the instruments of creation. They saw the darkness, and said, as a man, "THIS SHALL NOT DO."
So, bearing their mighty instruments up, they conjured from the cold firmament the very first elements of the new world - fire, wind, blood, noise, rock, and metal. They played a song so dark and deep, yet so shining and bold, that the universe itself recoiled in shock, and vibrated with the tune.
As the universe vibrated, the heavenly chords created the first world - the world of metal. Water descended from mighty storms of guitar and treble. The land erupted from thick, meaty bass chords. Air was screamed from the lungs of the titans, covering it in atmosphere. Life shook itself awake from the very stones as the drumsticks of creation beat against the drum of infinity.
And with one last, angelic wail, Man was created, full of will and a yearning for something more - something powerful. Something... METAL.
Their work done, the old gods nodded and gave each other their mark, the holy Horns of greeting, and did quaff horns of the finest mead, watching the glory of their creation. They still watch to this day, guiding those worthy of their song and uplifting those worthy of their music.
The Land of Ferrumgard
The Land of Ferrumgard is the main primary contient of play. It has a plethora of cultures and myths. The main race and possibly only sentient race capable of civilization on the continent is Man; man is spread out into a vast number of factions, cultures, and religions. From the northern Blackened, to the Sages of the Gael forest. The psycho riding marauders of the wastelands to the honorable echo of an Empire that is Tyrnoth.
Tyrnoth
An idyllic kingdom located on the western side of the mainland. It is the last remnant of a once great Empire long forgotten. Where other lands have fallen to barbarism and decentralized to city-states, Tyrnoth remains a bastion of civilization united under its king. The peasantry of Tyrnoth typically venerate the Old Gods as tradition, while the nobles of the higher courts follow the faith of the White God. Its capital is Tyrn. Tyrnoth has a distaste for the Blackened, they see them as lowly simplistic tribesmen with no culture.
The North
To the frostbitten forests and mountains of the North lies the realm of the Blackened. Descendants of a clan-based warrior culture, the Blackened have returned to these tribal roots after centuries of monarchistic rule during the Golden Age of the White God. Here, warriors don black and white corpsepaint as they storm, screeching into battle! The religions of the Blackened vary from clan to clan. Some stay true to the Old Gods or Nature Spirits of the Wilds around them. Other clans turned to the Raven Prince during the great rebellion against the followers of the White God. The de facto capital of the North is considered to be the Black City, the only urban settlement of the region. It is lorded over by the Black Emperor.
The Forest of Gael and Drone Bog
Partially within the domain of Tyrnoth is the Forest of Gael. In the northern region of the forest, settlers dwell in houses built into the trunks of giant trees. Sometimes, they live secluded as hermits, but often they make entire villages that seem to blend into the forest itself. The citizens of Gael are typically friendly and hospitable, eager to entertain travelers with drink and song. To the south of the forest, the terrain becomes darker, rich with mushrooms and rare herbs and fungi. This area borders the swamp of Drone Bog. It is in both locations where hermit Sages squat in the overgrown and half-sunken remains of watchtowers from the lost Empire. Through mind-altering herbs, fungi and spells, these Sages hope to reach enlightenment.
The Wastelands
To the east of the grassy plains, hills and forests of Tyrnoth lies the dreaded Wastelands. The terrain is covered, flat and bleak, with hard, infertile dirt, sand, and rock. Villages often wall themselves off to defend themselves from bands of raiders that roam the Wastelands on motorcycle, horseback and larger vehicles. Tension is high and duels are common, be it by sword, spell, or song. Travel is difficult, for the ever-present dangers of raider and beast. The gristled citizens of the wasteland tend to follow the White God, if any at all, or less commonly, the Old Gods. The de facto capital of the Wastelands is Midhaven, an urban trade city. Don't go out here on foot, you won't make it long on foot.
Crystal Mountain
In the rocky, sandblasted region of the Wastelands lies the ominous Crystal Mountain. This gigantic, copper-colored landmark is the home of the Cult of Kainus, a blood cult of the Raven Prince. Their massive temple is built right into the mountainside, where the cultists hang their kidnapped victims, living or dead, from meat hooks to be sacrificed in blood ritual to summon demons and spread curses upon their enemies. The cultists typically wear black robes with pointed, featureless hoods, devoid of even eye holes. The military arm of the cult wear grimy black armor with their trademark hoods.
Sunset City
Nestled on an island to the south is Sunset City. A rich port city, Sunset is a hub for exotic cultures from far off lands. The people wear extravagant clothes and wild hair. Being an elective monarchy, Sunset City's hedonistic noble houses constantly scheme and plot against one another to influence lesser houses on the island into voting for their patriarch to take the throne, come the elections every 5 years. The people of Sunset City (and Greater Sunset Island) typically don't follow any religion, instead turning their attention to themselves.
Helgrad Highlands
The eastern side of the Ferrumgard mainland is known as the Helgrad Highlands. A host of monsters and demons are the indigenous to Helgrad, making it a land where only the strong survive. Thus, the humans of Helgrad are renowned as some of the mightiest in all of Ferrumgard! The barbarians of Helgrad do battle against the various beasts around them by day, feast and make love by night. It is not uncommon for Helgradians to venture beyond their homelands for even greater challenges, often serving as mercenaries or turning to piracy or marauding the wastelands. In Helgrad, only the Old Gods are venerated, as they have been for thousands of years.
Religions of Ferrumgard
While many Gods may or may not exist, there sure are a numerous amount of followers for all of them. Myths and legends are in huge amounts here, some paint the Raven God as a lowly Prince, not worthy of title. A trickster who seeks the destruction of the world, a herald of apocalypse. While others view him as a God of free will, and others a utter arch-enemy of the White God. Some say the there is only one true god and he his the Whtie God, and the Raven Prince is a rebelling creation. Some say that neither the White God or the Raven God are Gods, and infact the Old Ones are the only Gods. The Raven Prince is merely a demon from somewhere far beyond. The truth your wondering is, we don't even know. You'll have to decide for yourself what is the truth out of all these myths, both in-character and out-of-character. The actions of Gods, what we actually do know they do, will have to factor of what you believe and what you don't believe. Don't even get me started on what god may or may no t have given man Song. That shit is just crazily blurred lines of myth and legend.
The Old Gods
Fabled to be those who bestowed the gift of Song upon man, veneration to the Old Gods has been the traditional religion of Ferrumgard for millennia. The gods themselves are too numerous to count and go by many names, each having domain over multiple aspects of life and the elements. Although they do not have as many followers as the ages before the coming of the White God, the Old Gods grant might to those who would stay true to their heritage.
The Nature Spirits
Thought to be as old as the Old Gods themselves, the Nature Spirits are the shepherds of the sprites. Nature Spirits are paid tribute to on a local basis, each general area having its own collection of spirits to venerate, often alongside the Old Gods. The sprites watch over the Spirits' domains, often protecting those who live there and defending it against those who would cause it harm. Sprites often take the form of translucent, ghostly animals native to the environment they watch over, often being able to shapeshift into different forms. On occasion, this includes human.
The White God
About a millennium ago, strangers from a far-off land made landfall on the shores of Ferrumgard. With them, they brought the gospel of the White God. This God commands its followers to abide a specific rules, which differ from sect to sect. The Ferrumgardic kings of old saw this as a means of controlling their subjects and converted, forcing all beneath them to do the same. And so Ferrumgard saw centuries of oppressive theocracy. That is, until the people of the North rebelled and began a revival at the price of the lives of their converted king and those who continued to turn their back on the Old Gods. This began the collapse of the White God's rule and most of the land secularized as a result. In most places (excluding the North), the White God is still tolerated, but not as widely venerated.
The Raven Prince
The Raven Prince is the archenemy of the White God. He is the herald of demons and darkness. He also promises great power to those who would venerate him. The fall of the White God's rule saw a surge of people turning to his opposing counterpart to further their rebellion against the theocracy. His followers are most common in the Wastelands and among many clans of the North. While some view him as a rebel, choosing to lead him and his followers on their own path, others view him a messenger of doom, and bringer of Armageddon.
Classes
- Barbarian
- Bard
- Iron Fist
- Marksman
- Painkiller
- Sage
- Sorcerer
- Warrior