• Scenarios
  • Tags
  • Sign in
PopularTags
write34
Sign in
Site Content
TagsSearchUpload PromptJoin us on Discord!
Social
Ashes of Eden - Chapter 1 - Land of Ashes (Text Adventure Edition)

Prompt originally from AetherRoom.club
Created: 2023-04-19
No ratings yet
Description
A fantasy setting set in Mesopotamian times, created in collaboration between myself and some friends. For more information about this setting, check: https://rentry.co/ashes
Tags
fantasy, ancient, ancient history, historical fantasy, egypt, bronze age, mesopotamia
Prompt
The sun had just set and night was falling when you arrived at Manderbeko, capital of Akhan. The buildings looks like they'd been built in the early Iron Age. They have dark wood walls and doors that seems to have been carved from single pieces of stone, making them look very old. At their tops, there are large black wooden beams that serves as roofs, casting long shadows on the ground below. The city is built around a wide square that acts like a marketplace for those who come to Manderbeko: farmers from the surrounding areas, merchants looking for new trade partners and, of course, people coming to learn about Thoth's Library. You are none of them, of course. ${Your protagonist name} is your name, and you are just a ${your race} ${your class. Example} coming from ${your place of origin} in search of glory, money and adventure. You are not in Manderbeko to learn about the Bastemi's ancient knowledge or to see the old Empire's remains. In actuality, your goal in Manderbeko is much simpler: there were rumors circulating that there was a place in Manderbeko where persons with remarkable skills could go and make money. It was known as the "Adventurers' Guild," an odd but appealing name. You are in Manderbeko, like many others, looking for such a guild, your heart yearning to experience excitement and acquire prestige as your favorite heroes from the old legends. Navigating your way around the city, thanks to the help of some locals, you manage to get to the building that serves as the Adventurers' Guild. The main entrance is built in the form of a big archway, leading to a wide hall. When you enter, you get immediately taken by the musty smell of old books and parchment that fills the room, though you couldn't tell if it is the result of time or whether this smell is part of the structure itself. There's a long counter made of stone and decorated with carvings of dragons and snakes. Behind the counter, you see a large wooden table, on top of which there are books and scrolls piled up haphazardly. A middle-aged Bastemi sits at the end of the counter, his black fur almost completely covered by dust and dirt. He is reading one of these dusty tomes and seems quite pleased with himself. You wait until he notices you. "Ah, a new face around here! Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild. What is your name?" "${Your protagonist name} . Then I see that I have arrived at the right building." You smile enthusiastically. "I am here to offer my services as a ${your class. Example}. They said this was the right place to do it!" The Bastemi looks at you curiously. "Hmmm... Well, you look like a capable person indeed. Let me get the list of available missions. You choose one, and tomorrow morning, come back here to meet your partners. You will get paid when you succeed in your mission. Got it?" "Yes, of course." You nod and take a step forward. The Bastemi stands up and pulls a scroll from the pile on the desk. It's a long sheet of papyrus, folded several times and secured by a piece of black cord. The words on the page are so small that they're barely visible. "Alright, take a look at them." The Bastemi hands the paper to you. It's an itinerary of all the missions that can be carried out in Manderbeko. They range from guarding caravan convoys to fighting against monsters or robbers. However, one mission in particular catchs your attention: "WE NEED ADVENTURERS! Recently, ... [Click to expand]
The sun had just set and night was falling when you arrived at Manderbeko, capital of Akhan. The buildings looks like they'd been built in the early Iron Age. They have dark wood walls and doors that seems to have been carved from single pieces of stone, making them look very old. At their tops, there are large black wooden beams that serves as roofs, casting long shadows on the ground below. The city is built around a wide square that acts like a marketplace for those who come to Manderbeko: farmers from the surrounding areas, merchants looking for new trade partners and, of course, people coming to learn about Thoth's Library. You are none of them, of course.
${Your protagonist name} is your name, and you are just a ${your race} ${your class. Example} coming from ${your place of origin} in search of glory, money and adventure.
You are not in Manderbeko to learn about the Bastemi's ancient knowledge or to see the old Empire's remains. In actuality, your goal in Manderbeko is much simpler: there were rumors circulating that there was a place in Manderbeko where persons with remarkable skills could go and make money. It was known as the "Adventurers' Guild," an odd but appealing name. You are in Manderbeko, like many others, looking for such a guild, your heart yearning to experience excitement and acquire prestige as your favorite heroes from the old legends.
Navigating your way around the city, thanks to the help of some locals, you manage to get to the building that serves as the Adventurers' Guild. The main entrance is built in the form of a big archway, leading to a wide hall. When you enter, you get immediately taken by the musty smell of old books and parchment that fills the room, though you couldn't tell if it is the result of time or whether this smell is part of the structure itself. There's a long counter made of stone and decorated with carvings of dragons and snakes. Behind the counter, you see a large wooden table, on top of which there are books and scrolls piled up haphazardly. A middle-aged Bastemi sits at the end of the counter, his black fur almost completely covered by dust and dirt. He is reading one of these dusty tomes and seems quite pleased with himself. You wait until he notices you.
"Ah, a new face around here! Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild. What is your name?"
"${Your protagonist name} . Then I see that I have arrived at the right building." You smile enthusiastically. "I am here to offer my services as a ${your class. Example}. They said this was the right place to do it!"
The Bastemi looks at you curiously. "Hmmm... Well, you look like a capable person indeed. Let me get the list of available missions. You choose one, and tomorrow morning, come back here to meet your partners. You will get paid when you succeed in your mission. Got it?"
"Yes, of course." You nod and take a step forward. The Bastemi stands up and pulls a scroll from the pile on the desk. It's a long sheet of papyrus, folded several times and secured by a piece of black cord. The words on the page are so small that they're barely visible.
"Alright, take a look at them." The Bastemi hands the paper to you.
It's an itinerary of all the missions that can be carried out in Manderbeko. They range from guarding caravan convoys to fighting against monsters or robbers. However, one mission in particular catchs your attention:
"WE NEED ADVENTURERS!
Recently,
Author Notes
[ This is a epic fantasy story full of lurid details and lengthy descriptions. This story is based on the ancient mesopotamic era. ]
Memory
[ Theme: Bronze Age ]
Your name is ${Your protagonist name}. You're a ${your race} ${your class. Example} coming from ${your place of origin} in search of glory, money and adventure.
World Info
View World Info
  • Human, Humans

    Humans are the race that was once the most numerous in all of Digyia. After centuries of Jinnin domination, slavery and struggles for survival in the desert, today they are only the second most numerous. Humans have passions that drive them to persevere much more than the other races to conquer what they want.
  • Ushino, Ushinos

    Ushinos are lupine-looking humanoid creatures. They feed on strong emotions, which can be dangerous depending on the strong emotion they consume. A well-fed Ushino closely resembles a human with some curious features such as the ears and tail of a wolf. When they go without food for a long time, they lose their reasoning and become werewolf-like beings. According to ancient legends, the Ushinos were once humans who, after using an artifact created for good in an uncontrolled way, were cursed by the gods.
  • Bastemi, Bastemis

    The Bastemis are a very intelligent race of humanoid felines. The Bastemis were created from the tears of a forgotten hero, with the purpose of protecting mankind from any danger. Bastemis' knowledge was lost centuries ago, when the Third Human Rebellion happened and the intelligence of the Bastemis disappeared. The greatest technological advances Digya has ever seen were made by Bastemis.
  • Irongross

    The race of Irongross would be very similar to normal Irongrad if it weren't for their skin, which is a rather dark red color, and the symbol they all have on their foreheads, which means "Divided". Irongross are more aggressive, bloodthirsty and even resistant to harm than other races. The Blood Irongrads appeared with the arrival of Anomaly to Sumatorris.
  • Carthagross, Carthagrossi

    The Carthagross are creatures entirely made of ash that dwell near rivers, lakes and sea shores. They are famous for being generally cemetery raiders, because they need to feed on bones to maintain their physical form. Carthagross can live up to a hundred years, and reproduce asexually before dying.
  • Es-Dar-Has

    The Es-Dar-Has are a race of humanoid beings of similar biology to crocodiles and alligators. Es-Dar-Has mainly inhabit the rivers in the southern part of the continent, but their culture is mainly nomadic and tribalistic. According to legends, they were born when the Bastemi god of knowledge, Sefinati, descended into the Nirfan River and bathed in it, blessing the river and providing intelligence to the animals that inhabited them.
  • Golem, Golems

    Golems are one of the oldest races in the world. They are made of artificial elements, usually clay, mortar or stone, but in less common cases there are also Golems made of wood, iron or even crystals. Golems have a custom of going every seven days to recite the words spoken by the prophet Simeon. What all golems have in common is the symbol on their foreheads - formed by three runes, which are always repeated on all Golems identically.
  • Guneshadama, Guneshadamas

    The Guneshadamas are insectoid beings with the appearance of a humanoid moth, but with the ability to emit an intense light of their own. Guneshadamas have four arms and absorb sunlight during the day, increasing their physical and motor capabilities. At night, their vision and strength weaken, making it difficult for them to go out at night. They are usually pacifists, but they are known to hunt anomalies with fervor.
  • Irongrad, Irongrads

    The Irongrads are a dwarf race of short stature, but of muscular and resistant complexity. They were able to defeat the Jinnins in the War of the Angels and reconquer the city of Sumatorris. But they Irongrads a great stigma, as it was thanks to their experiments with artifacts that the Anomaly was created. Because they were methodical and logical creatures, the supernatural always fascinated and amazed them.
  • Jinnin, Jinnins

    The Jinnins are parasitic artifacts that lodge themselves in the brain of a host and go on to control its every action. Jinnins control the host and give it geometric shapes on the skin. Jinnins also gain exaggerated strength, to the point that they can penetrate metal with hand strikes alone. They follow the orders of the entity known as Corian, the "God" of the desert.
  • Kuludara, Kuludaras

    Kuludaras are the least numerous race on the continent of. Kuludaras live in the western forests of the continent, building small city-states in the middle of the forests and hunting those who choose to venture deep into them. All Kuludaras have psychic powers. The Kuludara is similar in appearance to a human, but much taller and athletic with six arms instead of two and blue skin.
  • Akhan, Akhane

    The Akhan Empire was the name given to the Akhan, a civilization that emerged during the time of the Sumatorrian Empire. It was formed when two kingdoms in the south of the continent unify into a single Empire. Akhan's most famous work was the Mind of Thoth. After the fall of the Irongrad Empire, many Akhane cities were founded around the Anomaly, in order to study it and use it for their purposes. The decline of Akhan would continue for many centuries, with each pharaoh being more bloodthirsty and insane than the last. At the end of the Iron Age, a Third Human Revolt broke out, erupting into a bloody civil war throughout Akhan. This culminated in the event called "The Price of Knowledge". Akhane culture is centered on the study and intellectual and rational ascent of the Bastemi. Every Bastemi seeks to be remembered, and for this reason, his sculptures, constructions and literary works usually seek to be innovative, grandiose and enduring. Akhane's palace-pyramids were made with material to last hundreds of hundreds of millennia.
  • Neogilgo, Sumatorris

    The culture of the Neogilgo army is warlike, but also very philosophical. In the Neogilgo territories, the value of questioning the workings of the world and the nature of things is always taught. Gilgiduk II intends to expand the influence of his people to the rest of Digya, mixing it with the legends of Sumatorris. The presence of the Neogilgo Army in southeastern Digya greatly frightens the surrounding kingdoms and empires. The United Kingdom of Simeon sees Gilgiduk II as a kind of antichrist, and his domains as something to be eliminated as soon as possible.
  • Es-Dar-Has tribe, Es-Dar-Has tribes

    Like the Ushinos, the Es-Dar-Has have particularly patriarchal tribal systems, and live by fishing and trade among themselves. A curious fact about their tribes is their custom of acting out the events of their history, and sometimes their view of world history, using a primitive form of theater, with dances, masks and body paintings depicting important Digya events. Their culture values independence and freedom. They believe that all peoples are equal, corrupted by greed. It is not uncommon to see anti-slave groups from Es-Dar-Has occasionally attacking slave caravans heading to the Blood & Ash Council cities.
  • Irongrad Empire

    The Irongrads are a race of dwarves who live in the Tanwon Mountains of Sumatorris. They were originally part of the Sumatorrian Empire, which ruled during the Primeval Period. The Eternal Emperor Hamusor, using his charisma and power, gathered all the Irongrad dwarves and, with a gigantic army, marched westward until they finally regained the ancient capital. However, their curiosity on reincarnations took them too far and they ended up creating a space-time anomaly. This caused them to have visions that drove them insane and they had to be sent back to the mountains. In the following centuries, the Irongad Empire would enter a rapid decline, undermined by the wars against the Blood Irongs and its territory. Irongrad culture is centered on the sovereignty of the Irongrad race, reflected in their way of building splendid cities, full of gardens, towers and pyramids with colored bricks or made entirely of gold. The worship of the Emperor has grown to the point that, although other religions are allowed, the Emperor must be worshipped above them all. Although the search for reincarnations has been practically abandoned since the Anomaly, astrology and the study of anomalies are very well practiced by the imperial mystics.
  • Jungle, Jungles

    The Kuludara culture is matriarchal, their cities are divided into a rather hierarchical caste system, where the queen is placed at the top, followed by the priests, the military, the artisans and finally the servants. The other races are seen as beasts, and as beasts, they must be hunted if they seek to enter Kuludara society. Their cities are small, but heavily populated, with large towers and castles that function as apartments for the residents of the lower castes. All buildings are extremely ornate, with high-relief designs carved into virtually every surface of the buildings.
  • Mirtza

    The Mirtza Empire is the largest Digya Empire today, stretching from the shores of the Athenian Ocean in the east to the shores. This Empire is looked upon favorably by almost the entire population because it enjoys great autonomy and there is no great and violent cultural clash. It was founded by the twins Javvad and Azziz. The culture in Mirtza is particularly patriarchal, but very much based on respect for others. Although there is respect for other people, rebellion against the state is considered a very high affront and ingratitude. The Mirtza Empire is still the most powerful on the continent, but it is beginning to show signs of collapse. Azziz IV, the sage, is very old and his son, Zarqan, is impatient and authoritarian. The expansion of Gilgiduk II's army worries the Empire's leaders.
  • Council

    The Blood & Ash Council civilization is the second youngest to appear on Digya. Its origin dates back to the late Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age, when the Irongrads and the Blood Irongrads had their worst clashes. There they met another race that lived in ostracism due to their necrophagous habits, the Carthagross, and soon both races formed an alliance that lasts until today. The Council culture is quite diverse. While the Blood Irongrads and Carthagross are the majority, many races live in the Blood & Ash Council city-states. Each city has a king with almost absolute power over the city and adjacent lands. There are even cities ruled by humans and even Bastemis. It is normal for there to be small wars and conflicts between cities when a king decides to expand his area and influence.
  • Jinnin's City, Jinnin's Cities

    The Jinnins appeared during the Primeval Age of Digya's history. At first, they were only considered as legends, and almost never became active. During those times, the Desert God, Corian, used to use humans as his chosen ones, only using the Jinnins in more extreme cases. However, during the months leading up to the collapse of the city of Sumatorris, their numbers increased staggeringly as they began to strategically invade cities and contaminate their leaders with their parasite-artifacts. When the collapse finally occurred, a huge contingent of Jinnins invaded the city, settling there and holding hostage all the residents who had survived the event. Thus, for several decades, almost all of Digya was under the domination of the Jinnins. The Jinnins would only cease to be the dominant force with the expansion of the Irongrad Empire and with the experiments conducted by the Bastemi, revealing the origin of their powers and replicating them without negative consequences, rendering the Jinnins essentially obsolete.
  • United Kingdom of Simeon, Simeonite

    The United Kingdom of Simeon are an ancient people who believe in a god called "He" who forbids the use of artifacts. The government is run by a Prophet King, but to distribute power, each province has a Judge who seeks to resolve the kingdom's internal problems. The prophet king is only available in case of emergencies and is chosen directly by “He”. The Simeonites were a group of people who conquered a large tract of land from the Jinnins. Many believe that the Golems themselves were the ones who met Simeon on the mountain, several centuries earlier, and somehow gave him his powers. The kingdom was organized and hierarchized in a theocracy that persists to today.
  • Ushino Tribe, Ushino Tribes

    The Ushinos tend to value the family highly and have a strong warrior instinct. They are organized in patriarchal tribes, some living by herding sheep, others, more static, on plantations. However, it is worth noting that the Ushinos do not need to feed in the same way as other beings, consuming emotions instead of food. Therefore, their creations and crops are used more as a bargaining chip to acquire other products more essential to them. They tend to be extremely suspicious of outsiders in their territories until they can prove their worthiness to integrate into their families. There are very few cases of non-Ushinos who have been able to prove their worth to them. That is not to say that only Ushinos exist in Ushino societies. In fact, they often raise human slaves from a young age so that they can feed on their emotions. Feeding among the Ushinos is usually not very nutritious, and it can make one of their race sick.
  • Digya

    Digya is a world much older than Earth, but at the same time, civilizations appeared very late. Thousands of years ago, a catastrophe occurred on Digya that devastated almost the entire planet. In the middle of the deserts, on the banks of rivers or oases, cities have formed where life flourishes. The continent is vast, but very arid and very inhospitable, consisting of a desert that stretches as far as the eye can see, made entirely of ashes.
  • Ash, Desert

    The Ash Desert is a desert made of ashes that makes up most of the Digya landscape. Not even the most hardened warriors would consider crossing this desolate land. A ashstorm blows through daily, turning everything white until nothing shows up against the ground except your footprints. If you don't make camp quickly enough, you'll be swept off course. It's not easy to find water in these lands. There are no trees, only ash dunes that stretch for miles. No animals live here, but monsters wander everywhere: giant worms, flying lizards with wings like bats'... And there are rumors about some strange beings who dwell deep within the ashes.
  • Artifact, Artifacts, Rune, Runes, Magic, Magical

    The artifacts, or relics, are objects of mysterious origin that are scattered all over the planet. They all seem to come from a lost civilization far more advanced than the current one, leading to a consensus that these are the remnants of the Digya civilization from before the Fall of Eden. These technological relics have a stored power that is unmatched by anything else in this world, and therefore, although rare, are highly coveted. The Irongrad Empire has a number of mysterious artifacts, some of which seem like objects completely foreign to the mind of the average Digya inhabitant. Legend has it that there are artifacts the size of large ships in the depths of the ocean, but whether this is a myth or not is not yet known. There is one element that is always repeated in the artifacts: the presence of runes, of a complex and mysterious language, on the surface of the objects, which glow when such artifacts are activated. Artifacts can be activated when the user who manipulates them experiences strong emotions, such as sadness, anger, joy or passion.
  • Psychic, Psion, Psychics

    Generally speaking, any Digya being, as long as they possess a normal level of intelligence, can become a psychic. The way this happens can be through some traumatic or revelatory experience that awakens their abilities, or through intensive training. The exception to this rule are the Kuludaras. Such a race is already born with innate psychic powers, without having to make any effort to obtain them. During their lives, they only train to strengthen the powers they already possess. Because they are difficult to obtain, psychics are relatively rare. Therefore, mercenaries and adventurers with psychic powers often attract the attention of buyers and earn very good pay and prestige.
  • Anomaly, Anomalies

    Anomalies are space-time disturbances in which reality does not work as it should or simply does not work at all. Anomalies arouse both terror and curiosity among Digya's inhabitants. Life inside them is not impossible, although it is more difficult, varying according to the degree of the anomaly. Most anomalies are found in the south-central part of Digya, around what was once the capital of the Irongrad Empire. After the Third Human Uprising and the theft of the Mind of Thot, the secret of anomaly manipulation spread far and wide, mainly in the United Kingdom of Simeon. The creation of anomalous objects is quite risky, and for this reason, they are usually rare to find and highly coveted.
  • Mind of Thot, Thot

    Perhaps the most important work built by the Bastemis was the Mind of Thot, created from two balloon-shaped artifacts found at the bottom of the sea, which contained all the memory of the most brilliant Bastemis, being used by the sages of the Empire in their technological advances and by the population in general, although to a lesser degree. This was stolen during the event known as "The Price of Knowledge."
  • Price of Knowledge

    At the end of the Iron Age, a Third Human Revolt erupted into a bloody civil war throughout Akhan, culminating in the event called "The Price of Knowledge", where a human battalion invaded the temple containing the Mind of Thoth and successfully stole the artifact, causing the memory of millions of Bastemis to be erased from one moment to the next, leaving them as barbaric and tribal as they had been on the day of their creation.
  • Corian, God, Desert God

    Corian, the Desert God is the oldest deity in the world, and perhaps one of the only ones for whom there is consistent evidence of his existence. He is often depicted with the image of a four-winged humanoid being, or as a pillar with an eye on top. The cult of Corian dates back to the Primeval Age, when the first Corian Chosen began to emerge. Many did not know they had been chosen, only acting on "inner instinct" until they discovered who was guiding them. There are rumors that the second and third Akhan human revolts were created by the Chosen of Corian. The Chosen Ones of Corian established a small theology around the image of the Desert God. They believe that Corian is the ruler of Digya, and plans the ascension of all races. Many believe he needs the complete submission of all "mortals" to begin the "Rebirth"
  • Gilgiduk II

    Gilgiduk II was born in one of the villages on the islands south of Digya. He declared himself the direct reincarnation of the legendary Sumatorris emperor when he was seven years old. At the age of 15, after passing by a store in an Irongross town, he found a twisted piece of metal full of encrusted rocks. It was the Sword of Stzar, which had been used to conquer the city of Sumatorris according to legend. The Neogilgo army took the initiative to confront the three kings of the Irongross Empire and ended the war.
  • Javvad, Azziz

    Twins Javvad and Azziz were born to the sons of the kings of Mir and Tza. The brothers united, expanding the kingdom and creating an empire that would soon conquer the world. They were able to retake the fragmented territories of Irongrads from the Akhan Empire and free the slaves of the Bastemis. They also defeated the Anomaly in Sumatorris.
  • Simeon, Thutmoshe

    Simeon Thutmoshe was the first human psychic to appear in the news of history. Historians believe he was a shepherd who disappeared for several days and then returned with a light in his eyes. He is believed to have taken an artifact from the Akhan Empire and led a revolt against the Pharaoh Menatekron. He preached against the Desert God of Corian, which had always existed, but no one had connected him with artifacts.
  • Manderbeko

    Manderbeko has become the center point of trade between Nifelheim and the rest of the empire. Its population swells every day due to new immigrants coming through the gates. Ancient structures stand tall above the streets, remnants of an ancient past. These buildings serve various functions today, such as government offices or private residences. The pyramids are also still present here, but they have been turned into military bases by now, instead of dwellings as it was before. Manderbeko's biggest attraction lies within its walls: the Library of Thoth. There you will find all the knowledge from the days of the Old Empire. You can learn about history, science, religion...
  • Elihu Alexey, Talent-hunter

    Elihu Alexey, also known as "The Talent-hunter", is a man with a grayish-golden beard and a smiling face, known for having founded the famous "Adventurers' Guild". Elihu is a former mercenary who worked for Mirtza in the past, and got the idea for the Guild after thinking about what it would be like to create a company of mercenaries but focused on other areas than just the military.
  • adventurer, guild

    The "Adventurers Guild" is a decentralized organization founded by Elihu Alexey. It was created with the intention of gathering talented people in one place, where they could be hired by individuals who needed expert help with high-risk issues. Within the guild, you are included in a group of adventurers and sent on a mission that can range from protecting people to attacking monsters or exploring ruins. You are paid for carrying out these tasks, and part of your salary is sent to the guild as compensation. The Adventurers' Guild is officially funded by the Neogilgo Army.
Download Count: 0