Steam Workshop::Godherja: The Dying World
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The Aversarinas Aautokrata sits gasping its dying breaths after one of its many petty 'Emperors', for the second time in history and the first in memory, ended the world. In the lands of the old Empire, the Sjalvolki hordes, unified under High King Cenware Witch-Breaker, pour in and destroy the hated symbols of the worlds greatest oppressors.
But the world is doomed, and the Aversarians have made sure of it. The Gederða, mind breaking magical waves from an unknown source, get more frequent and more intense. Meanwhile, the eldritch Fog has descended upon almost the entirety of the continents interior, the collected emotions and nightmares of all of mankind spilling out of the dreaming mind of a dead god, deep below the world and out through the whole the Aversarians tore into reality. Those entering the unimaginable horrors of the Fog rarely escape, and millions of refugees flood the coasts, overwhelming the 'civilized' world in untold numbers.
Outside of the continent, things are equally dire. In Sarradon, the Agionist holy orders continue their bitter and losing battle against the Sarradonian heathens. Little do most know, however, that behind closed doors the far-radicalized orders plot destruction of a far greater scale. Deep in their towers and keeps, they speak the words that they hope will one day return a dead God to the world, and baptize it in flames anew.
Godherja: The Dying World is a mod which you will see before the end of the month! With a ton of custom features and mechanics, an entirely hand crafted world from the map to the lore, beautiful custom 3D models, and an extremely high standard for our writing and content, I hope you'll like what we have for you!
Our lore document, if you'd like to learn more about the world of Godherja
Currently Released Modules for Vanilla:
The Godherja team believes in the concept of Cathedral modding. All modders should work together to improve one another's work and create a better experience both for one another and for the end user. To this end, we are proud supporters of the CK3: Modding Coop, and gladly create versions of our custom features for vanilla with full documentation for modders to make use of. All modders are free to use our modules as they wish, we only ask for our work to be credited.
Artifacts
Coronations
Selected Images:
The current map, 1254 IS.
The Lichdoms, showcasing some of our custom terrain and effects!
Western Aversaria, 1254 IS, a great place to show off some of our custom COA!
And Nicanoneus 'the Black Sun', one of our custom characters decked out in some amazing custom armor.
Teasers:
Recovered remains of a proto-Aversarian fresco, dated approximately 7644 BE. With accompanying notes by Magi-Archailogokist Magister Nyctinaius
Dear Magister Helika, valued colleague,
I found it! After months of digging, years of searching, decades of doubt and insults by our colleagues, I knew this decrepit fucking palace was just waiting to be dug out of its grave! Damn them all, I did it! The oldest dig in history! The oldest evidence of Aversarian superiority in history! It's a fascinating spectacle, let me tell you, and I think it just might enlighten us on how backwards ancient civilization may have been.
The fresco is simply resplendent, and using an ounce of one of my slave's blood, I've ascertained it to have been created approximately 7644 BE! 7644! 7 and a half millenia from the foundation of our enlightened and troubled Aautokrata. To think of the untold eons that have passed! Even the formation of the Empire is shrouded in history to us, yet this! Amazing!
While the make is of proto-Aversarian culture, and was likely crafted at the behest of one of the ancient kings that once ruled our lands. Within it, the story is simply unknown to me, however we can make a few guesses! If I am correct, this barbaric tale may have been of a now-extinct non-Aversarian tribe's creation story. Perhaps commissioned in order to ridicule? Or did this long-dead king have a fascination with lesser cultures? Who knows! However, the most fascinating part is the links with the beliefs of our own people. For while some of the tales we tell may seem dated to us now, this fresco may be evidence that we have believed them for millennia, and that barbaric tribes were so impressed with us they adopted much of it into their own beliefs!
The top portion of the mural seems to depict some sort of god figure. Perhaps a representation of the Purest? Regardless, the symbology in the image seems to invoke the universe. We, as educated men, know that no being could create something so vast, but who knows what primitive people like to believe!
Still, the top, while interesting, is the least of all of the pieces. I think this next one will particularly interest you, Helika.
Yes! I know! The first ever representation of Aversaria in history! The map itself is quite primitive, and obviously gets quite a bit wrong, but it easily predates the next oldest map we know of by several thousand years! SEVERAL THOUSAND!!!
There are many interesting pieces on this display. Clearly the interpretation is this god figure of theirs (still perhaps the Purest) creating the world. However, far more interesting is the apparent fixation of the map on the Sunken Tower. While we originally thought the Tower to have possibly been created, or at least occupied, during the early days of the Empire, it appears that ancient ruin was far older than could possibly be imagined!
We've long known the northern wayline centers on the tower, but the fact that this culture placed so much significance in it implies it was far more important than we thought! While I originally had imagined that the tower had been built on the waylines, the interpretation I now see is that this culture believes the wayline comes from the tower.
I've marked the northern wayline in red and the eastern wayline in blue for your perusal. Please do tell me what you think.
Perhaps the tower is where they imagined this god figure of theirs ruled? It could have been the place where a forgotten emperor briefly ruled, before the location was obviously cursed with magic. Still, until the day comes where a ship destined to the tower actually returns, I don't think we will ever know. Still, it is quite odd that the entire map seems to be justified to place the tower at its center, no? It's hardly a place of significance today, and I don't think I've ever seen a record claiming it was ever anything besides a mysterious relic of the past... and ship bait.
Another interesting portion of the map is that it predates the Shattered Coast becoming, well... the Shattered Coast. While I initially put it off as a simple lack of cartographic ability on the part of the ancients, further inspection makes me think that may be incorrect. There are far too many small details in this rendition to have simply missed the entirety of the Shattered Coast. Whether this map was created before it, or that it shows that the creators still had memory of when it was not shattered, or is simply an attempt at an artistic rendition of what the world may have once looked like, I have no idea. Oh, but the possibilities are just too exciting!
The final thing of note is the misplacement of the eastern wayline. While the rest of the maps seem to match up near-perfectly, the eastern line is completely off. Once again part of me wants to write this off as a simple lack of ability, yet so much of the map otherwise links correctly. Once more I ask, does this predate that ancient line as well? Or did they simply know of a time when it was not a place of power? Preposterous, I know, but it is a joy to imagine if nothing else.
Sadly that is my observation of the map, but I will be sure to write to you with more details as I discover them.
We now have a final fragment to observe:
While obviously less of a piece, this one manages to posit so many questions to the gentle scholar such as you and I. The image clearly shows humans bowing in supplication to the previous entity, further confirming my suspicions that this may be some bastardized history of an ancient warlord. However, the next portion shows very clearly the figure once again using the powers of a Magi. However, three things in the second portion immediately stand to note:
1. The two figures flanking seem to be either taking or receiving power from the figure. I know what you're thinking, and no, I do not think this is an example of early Living Vampirism or Lichdom, nor do I think it a symbol of thralldom. Yet I have never heard of a Magi simply giving others the power, or truly taking it from one. The questions are endless!
2. The central figure seems to be holding some form of staff, and while it is not quite visible, the fresco seems to place odd importance around it. Well, I certainly know one artifact I am going to be digging for! Could you imagine, a multi-millenium old staff from an ancient emperor? Why, there's already a thousand fools fighting for the throne, maybe I'd have a chance if I found it! Hahaha, I jest of course my friend, do not worry about me. My thirst for power is currently quite limited to the power of knowledge.
3. And the least interesting, but still certainly curious portion, the figures have been drawn with different ears from the rest. I've seen this in a few digs, and have either theorized it is ancient fantastification of their otherwise mundane world, or simply a way to mark out the first men. The purest of blood. Either way, I do not think that portion of the fresco deserves too much interest.
And finally, at the bottom, you see the figures all carried on the backs of what seems to be slaves. If anything, this further confirms my thoughts that this is some ancient tribe that, upon learning of the superior beliefs found in Aversarinas Aagiokratia, or at least an early version of it, quickly adopted much of its teachings as their own. Yes, I agree with what you are thinking, they would prove themselves weak to do so, and were either soon after wiped out by the proto-Aversarians or enslaved by them like the blackguard Ilyrossi.
Still, I am amazed at this find, and once it is properly cleaned and the rest of the site dug, I hope you will host it at your class in the Mayikprolollan! I know the Tower is long cut off, but I have heard the Sjalvolki have so far left you and the merchants at the Chyrso Pýros alone. If the Arch-Magi allows it, as ever feels like he's done playing king, and you and the tower aren't burned to ash like I warned you, then I will present it to you and your class personally. After I tour a bit of the Empire of course... assuming there still is one.
Still my friend, please write back to me with all haste! The Isle is troubled, and the local lords have already risen up against the Governor-Magistrate. One of the fools even said she's the rightful empress! As if we didn't have enough of them! Still, I am safe in my camp with my mercenaries and my magi, and the only thing I currently lack is anyone with half a brain to speak with.
Oh, right! And finally, here is the completed drawing of the fresco, pieced together as best I could. Remember to send me your thoughts! And if any of your students have questions, then feel free to forward those as well!
Regardless, it is now time to get back to the dig.
Your friend, valued colleague, and the one of superior looks to you,
-Magi-Archailogokist Magister Nyctinaius
A cartographic view of Aversaria as of the year of the Empire 1254 IS
Banners at the upper pane of the map shows the standard of the Empire on the left and and the coat of arms of the Emperor in the upper right. Signature not currently flown since the death of Anaxaminios III. Standard still flown by family of the late Axiothea of Galanos, despite violation of Imperial heraldry law as the Geratamos (Blood Senate) of Axiothea was in contention upon her death.
Illuminations on the upper right shows an Aversarian Legionnaire standing opposite a band of Sjalvolki barbarians in Imperial style
To the bottom and left is an illustration of an Aversarian Magi directing a duo of slaves of inferior blood. As the Sjalvolki, the slaves are drawn in the Imperial traditional style for lesser-blooded beings such as barbarians.
To the bottom and right is an image of Axiothea of Galanos killing Legon Alphioxis the Elder, close companion and Master of Liveries to Aautokratir-Legon Aeschraes at the Stellarnar Field during the late stages of the Imperial Wars, approximately two years before 'Frodbrokna' and the death of Axiothea.
(At the bottom)
"This seal certifies this map as craftwork of the Cartographers Union.
This map shows Aversaria as of 1254 IS, with waylines of the northern and eastern variety finely detailed here, along with illustrations of historical value."
Some have claimed - normally Aversarians in all of their blessed ignorance and false pretenses of superiority - that the Marchers developed anti-magic for fear of the magi of proud Aversaria. Those who have claimed this are fools, of those damnable and ignoble variety. They no nothing of the world, and they no nothing of the struggles of the people of Chevalie.
For it is not any living man that the Marcher lords fear, it is that that no longer lives. The undead rulers of the Lichdoms, the Barrowlands, the once noble kingdoms and empires that have long been turned to dust under their treacherous feet.
How exactly the north fell to such evil is shrouded in mystery. Legends however, correlated to the best of the abilities of the most skilled modern travelers - myself included - and historiographers, have pieced together parts of the story. We know a few things for sure for instance, the source of the darkness that spread across the land like a cancer was in a state known as the Kraskyskian Order. The Order was an ancient Magocracy that we would place at nearly 2000 years of age now, and a thousand years into its history, one of his members discovered magical abilities far beyond our comprehension. They were the first lich, and they soon spread.
This lich, and their apprentices, soon ended nearly all life north of Chevalie, and were only stopped by the first anti-magic Silencers of the united Marchers.
The first lichdom fell, but the liches did not. For a thousand years hence, year after year, the liches poke and prod south. Sometimes they simply raid for fresh bodies when they grow tired of digging up ancient barrows, other times they unify into great legions, only stopped by countless Marcher lives and their own petty infighting. But know this, even if tp this day we have stood tall, we only do so thanks to the liches own hubris, for no amount of preparation will save the lands of the living, if the liches were to ever truly march south.
fogeater_creator_god_name:0 "The Mistfather"
fogeater_health_god_name:0 "The Mistmother"
fogeater_fertility_god_name:0 "The Cryer"
fogeater_wealth_god_name:0 "The Screaming One"
fogeater_household_god_name:0 "They of the Slitted Wrist"
fogeater_fate_god_name:0 "She Who Burns"
fogeater_knowledge_god_name:0 "The Blinded Artist Hitting Rock"
fogeater_war_god_name:0 "The Dying Soldier who Wishes for Death"
fogeater_trickster_god_name:0 "The Dying Mother Crying as They Kill Her Baby"
fogeater_night_god_name:0 "The Lost King on His Last Journey"
fogeater_water_god_name:0 "The Screaming Pretender Demanding Her Throne"
fogeater_witchgodname:0 "The Step Walker Lost in his Keep"
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