Ersterwald

Overview

  The world of Ersterwald is based off of the Californian Red Forest, with giant trees as far as the eye can see, surrounding and entrapping the village of Gadael. Set in the 1800’s, the survivors of Gadael survive against the forest through use of steampunk technology and magic alike. Over 20000 settlers spread across the four races had entered the forest, and in the span of two decades, only 2000 of them remain to present day. In order to survive against the dangers of Ersterwald, the four races, out of pure necessity, unite together in Gadael to make their last stand against the forest.  

History

  Circa the 1800s, during the great Age of Exploration, nearly 20000 settlers and ambitious explorers alike of four different races traveled all over the globe in search of undiscovered lands and unfulfilled dreams. Of all these curious souls, only the most unfortunate ones found themselves along the rocky Coastline of Argoll, a peninsula skirted with a thick forest. Those foolish enough to enter the bordering woods of Ersterwald were forever ensnared in her creature-lurking trap.   Those who managed to survive her horrors formed a small settlement, Gadael, located deep in (what they referred to as) “The Heart of Ersterwald”, as it appeared to be the safest realm. Gadael was first formed by the Gnomes when their own settlement failed, followed by the Orcs, Humans, and Elves. All of the groups managed to keep this region fairly protected with what Ersterwald Magic they could scrounge together. Gadael has become the last safe haven within the dangerous forest, and is the last resort for the lost wanderers who managed to survive to present day. It is widely held among the races that the lack of further explorers is due to their inability to communicate with the homelands they left behind, causing their kin to assume the lands to be completely inhospitable and reluctant to send more explorers.   First the humans arrived in 1803 with a population of 10000 settlers. Over their two decade stay in Argoll, only 500 are still left standing. The gnomes were the second race of settlers to crash onto Agoll in 1808, with a population of 2000. Fewer than 300 gnomes survived to the present day. Following suit of the gnomes came the orcs. They orcs discovered Argoll in late 1808 with a population of 5000. The orcs currently have the largest remaining population of over 700, but due to how many they have lost though, this is no number to brag about. The last of the races to arrive in Argoll were the elves in the year 1813, who landed with a population of 900. The elves have suffered the least amount of casualties, with over 500 elves still alive in current day.   In the current day, 20 years after the first settlers arrived, Gadael is capped at a steady population of about 2000 individuals (Give or take - their lives are ultimately at the hands of the forest-dwellers). The people of Ersterwald rely strongly on foraging, hunting, and the technology of the original settlers for survival. The settlement is divided into districts roughly defined by the four races that inhabit it. High racial tensions quickly and harshly developed with the formation of Gadael due to the differing views in the strong cultural backgrounds of the four races that make up the city which are: the elves, the humans, the gnomes, and the orcs. The district leaders are responsible for keeping a fair distribution of wealth and resources among their people. The chosen district leaders that form the Council of Gadael are currently Erpos Zanvyn of the gnomes, Kril G'orloth of the orcs, Sylvain Andilust of the humans, and Ivaran Eldar of the elves. The Council of Gadael is responsible for overseeing the community and maintaining the peace.There is no opportunity for class differences when all the people of Ersterwald have one united goal: survival. The city of Gadael is each race’s last stand for survival against the horrors of Ersterwald.    

The Monsters

  The foremost reason for all of Gadael's woes stems from the various terrors of Argoll all of the races have encountered in their 20 years of stay. On the coast, there lies the so-called supreme ruler of the water dubbed “Chomp” in relation to the jagged rocks protruding out of the water along the coast. Although no one has seen this beast in its entirety and only whispers are exchanged of its details, it is the reason for many of the shipwrecks that occurred when the explorers came to Argoll. Then there are Schrecken, vicious winged-beasts that congregate around the mountains and feast on anything that dares to expose itself in the twilight. The Great Chele is a giant, acidic snail responsible for the death of nearly 5000 humans and is to be avoided at all costs.Smaller monsters and even non-aggressive creatures that can survive the harshness of Ersterwald cover the region, providing meat for the people of Gadael. There are many other monsters and creatures that have yet to be discovered, due to the perilous nature of the unforgiving land.   Some Ersterwaldians believe that there are four orders of vicious monsters, one for each realm of Ersterwald - the monster of the coast, the monster of the mountains, the monster under the earth, and the monster of the forest. They assume that all of the remaining creatures hold high respect for these four supreme beasts, like bees support the queen of a hive. This is not a proven theory, however, and is only believed by a few individuals. These musings sound very much like the words of the cult, The Watchers of the Wald.  

Social Relations

  There is an interesting social dynamic between the people of Ersterwald. Ultimately, everyone needs to work together by playing the part of their assigned role in order to ensure survival. Gadael is divided into districts, which are heavily separated upon race. There are four districts to the four races that make up Gadael, the human district, Dynol , the elven district, Dryadalis, the gnome district, Glowyr, and the orc district, Krieger. Due to their drastically different cultural views, racial tensions are somewhat high, and often spark up feuds or bickering wars between the groups. One may argue that the highest tensions lie between the gnomes and the elves. The gnomes are a practical and intellectual kind that strongly believe in, and prefer the advantages of technology over the elven use of Ersterwald magic. The elves strongly believe in the good nature of the natural elements, and are strong supporters of the benefits magic can bring to the community. However, disagreements and bickering aside, the elves and gnomes are often forced to cooperate due to the fact that magic is only acquired through an intensive mining process, a field of work belonging to the gnomes, and technology can only be repaired and improved upon by the skillful hands of a mage, a position that is typically held by an elven soul. Humans tend to be strong allies of the elves, whilst the orcs tend to defend the gnomes. Tensions, however, still exist even between these formed alliances.   There are specific stereotypes that are associated with each race. Humans are often perceived as charismatic liars and naturally selfish beings. It is not unexpected that humans will try to hide or pocket surplus rations for themselves and their families. After all, why should a gnome get the same food portion as say a human? Or even an orc for that matter? Humans are aware the system is crooked, and they will do just about anything it takes to ensure a just treatment, and they will do so with a cunning smile on their face. To make matters worse, many humans do little to dissuade this stereotype, with some even wholeheartedly embracing it.   Elves are typically haughty individuals that are good with nature, and often look down upon all the other races. Humans admire their unwavering confidence and strong commitment to their ways of life, which include the heavy use of magic. Elves have used the ways of magic for centuries, for small events and situations such as cooking and hosting small gatherings, to much more influential circumstances such as traditional elven rituals and medical purposes. However, with the limited amount and type of magic provided by the Ersterwald woods, the elven usage of such a sacred art is now primarily focused on engineering and mending of technology. It is no wonder the elves are so viciously pitted against the gnomes. On occasion, it has been reported that elves have manipulated technology for the worse, slightly damaging tools on the account of a rude (or more likely, unwelcome) visitor of another district, which has only served to worsen the already-existing racial tensions.   The gnomes are an intellectual group that are proud of their mining heritage. They highly respect the power and practicality of technology. It brings a gnome great unease to rely on the elven use of Ersterwald magic to repair and improve upon their precious tools. Gnomes are very truthful, fact-based creatures. They strongly believe it is a fact that tools are practical and concrete, whilst magic, especially Ersterwald magic, is highly unstable and unpredictable, much like the land it is derived from. It is no wonder the gnomes are so skeptical of the elves.   The orcs are a simple, brutish, hot-headed bunch. They rely heavily on their strength and their highly respected and traditional war-tactics for survival. Their great stature and power often makes them arrogant and aggressive individuals. They often believe they should have the full reigns or control over all of Gadael, but their lack in knowledge of everything outside of fighting and hunting keeps their uprising at bay. Orcs tend to side with what they refer to as the “tiny-baby-men”, or gnome kind, because they too respect the practicality and predictability of traditional tools and weaponry.   Racial tensions take on the brunt of the social relation issues that exist in Gadael, leaving a universal indifference towards any given individual’s gender and sexual orientation. These tensions still do arise, but are mostly stifled due to the never-ending struggle for survival. Those who are wronged sadly must put their issues aside for the greater good, and work towards the betterment of Gadael and keeping survivors of Ersterwald still alive. The greatest social difference that exists in Gadael is the positions of power appointed to the district leaders who make up the Council of Gadael, and their self-appointed board of trustees. The election process for the appointed leaders differs between each district.    

Governance

  The people of Gadael are not joined together by choice, but by necessity. The only way to overcome and survive the terrors within Ersterwald was through each other. Although united in their efforts to survive, they stand divided in government. Each race has their own style of self-governing and rule of law within their respective districts, and struggle to acknowledge and accept any others. In order to unify the separate districts, a council of representatives has formed to govern across Gadael to keep the peace between the races called Council of Gadael, with each appointing their own representative.   Each district appoints their leaders by the traditional values each race brought with them to Argoll. Humans elect a representative through a series of charismatic debates and discourse. They resolve their problems through democratic debates. Paperwork and documents rule the human’s government system. Criminals in the district are tried through trials and tribulations. Documented evidence must be brought forth in either defense or prosecution of the defendant. Orcs appoint their chieftain representative through a traditional test of strength. Might makes right with the orcs. Even if a criminal is guilty, as long as they can fend for themselves, they can do no wrong. Gnomes select their leader by a test of intellect. Only the brightest gnomes are worthy of leading their kin. Criminals tried by the gnomes are almost certainly found guilty, for the gnomes have no tolerance for crime. The Elves appoint the eldest member of the district. Criminals within the elven district must prove to them their worth, and must right their wrongs through community services. The council lays down the overarching laws, such as those concerning trading quotas for each of the districts to keep the peace, but still leaves much in the hands of each individual district. Whenever a citizen commits a crime, regardless of their race, they are tried in the district where the crime was committed.   Even with being divided in Government, the citizens of Gadael lend their services to anyone in need, regardless of race. Whether it be defending the outskirts of Gadael, slaying the foul monsters that threaten the village, foraging for food, hunting for game, fishing, collecting lumber, mining, or nursing the ill and injured, the citizens of Gadael have united together in order to keep the village alive and functioning. Everyone is promised the at the very least bare necessities to survive as long they offer their services to the village. It’s clear to everyone that without all of their individual cooperation, none of them will survive another year otherwise.    

Economics

  Gadael’s people and economy struggle with resources. In order to ensure the survival of the village, the district leaders are responsible for ensuring that resources such as wood, food, and precious metals produced from labor are being used and traded equally among the four districts.   In terms of jobs and job opportunities, Gadael primarily consists of foragers, hunters, fishermen, mages, miners, and manufacturers/repairmen. Jobs are taken by those with the best ability to fill that role, since the settlement needs to harvest resources efficiently. Although anyone is strongly encouraged to take up any job available, the different races tend to gravitate towards jobs best suited to their physiques and the cultures they brought with them. Gnomes dominate the mining community and Orcs often take the roles of hunters and sentries. Elves and Humans are drawn more towards jobs dealing in magic, engineering, and foraging. Since mining, hunting, and foraging require steam tools, there are many manufacturers and craftsmen spread across all the districts that put their efforts into repairing, maintaining, and improving the existing tools. Some races resent the jobs available to them due to their preconceived notions of what is traditionally a job preferred by another race. For example, most Elves dislike having to take on Mining jobs since those roles are often filled by Gnomes, who they dislike and find difficult to work with.   At the converging point of all the districts, there is an established communal area that serves as a gathering point where resources are shared. At the end of the day every Friday, each district leader must bring enough resources per the pre-established trading quota set by the Council of Gadael to the storehouses, along with any minimal surplus the citizens are lucky enough to find while working.   The elves are the stewards and keepers of the magical gems that grant magical powers since the resource is scarce. Any magic gems that are uncovered in mining are brought to them to support the outer barrier and repair and enhance tools, so the Gnomes are responsible for delivering these resources that the workers have collected. The Gnomes are also responsible for dividing metals (such as silver, iron, and steel) and minerals (for use in preserving food, such as salt) equally among all of the districts, though they are permitted to keep a small, extra share of metals for themselves and the Orcs since both races do not like to rely on magic to fix their tools. This is contested by Humans and Elves and often a point of tension between the groups (see social relations).   Humans are versatile in their skills and often take on many different roles, but most of them are architects, foragers, hunters, and fishermen. Their district is responsible for distributing a third of all meat and half of all the fish and wood to the other districts. In recent years, the humans have become obsessed with the trading and collection of goods. Their district is loitered with traders stalls, all frantically searching for the next best deal they can make (as well as the next victim they can swindle their resources out of).   Orcs are primarily hunters and fishermen, so they deliver half of all the fish to the other districts. They also distribute two thirds of the meat. Elves are attuned to nature and dislike disturbing its wild state, so they avoid hunting and fishing when possible. They consist mostly of mages, manufacturers, and foragers, so they deliver the remaining half of the wood and perform maintenance on tools and equipment.   Every member of every district gets enough support from their council to minimally sustain their families as long as they are also contributing to society by working. Since there is no way to sustain plantation farming, hunters and foragers must be strong and have access to pikes, swords, and firearms to protect themselves while searching for and gathering resources. The people collect their resources and allowances from the storehouses in each district.    

Cultural Influence

  The people of Gadael hold to a number of practices passed down from their ancestors and those they have developed in the course of their struggle for survival. One of the greatest kinds of artifacts they have retained is that of steam technology brought from the homelands. Strung high above the forest floor, the steam gondolas provide safe passage between the districts of the village. The gnomes have also long employed the power of steam drills that can dig deep beneath Ersterwald in search of magic gemstones (Purple Flare), ore, and other minerals to further augment their existing technology. Traditional melee weapons including pikes and swords as well as single-shot firearms are maintained and created anew when the materials are available. A variety of gems have been discovered beneath the forests and mountains with a variety of effects. Some provide sources of heat and light that have been used in place of coal to power steam engines, some create magical wards when mounted against arrays of glass lenses, others function in place of gunpowder or charge metals with lightning, and even more have uses yet to be found.   Some have taken to incorporating these ‘useless’ stones into art. Remembering the lives they left behind, the creative among the peoples create works reminiscent of their homelands. To cope with the despair of their situation, some families gather to create trinkets of various types. Humans are apt to create dolls out scraps of fibers and vines collected from the forest. Elves find themselves fond of the beauty of the Ersterwald gems, fashioning them into minimalist jewelry made from ores acquired from the gnomes. Gnomes, meanwhile, enjoy carving figures of wood that, when a crank is turned, perform actions. These toys tend to be a delight to all the children of the village. Orcs find little excitement in the cultural items appreciated by the other races. What little physical creativity they have is expressed in designs etched into their armor. Occasionally, the whole of the orc tribe will gather to watch their strongest fighters perform war-dances and compete in feats of strength. These events often draw the interest and amusement of the village as a whole due to the ruckus it creates, much to the chagrin of the sentries who grip their weapons ever so tighter.   Humans, elves, orcs, and gnomes alike all entered the forest with their own brands of religious adherents. In the last several years, their faiths have largely died off as the despairs of entrapment and survival have overtaken hearts. Recently, whispers have begun to spread of a cult whose members secretly gather beyond the borders of Gadael. One name finds itself repeated: The Watchers of the Wald.   While the citizens of Gadael at large know nothing of the Watchers of the Wald, its adherents are more than familiar with its core tenants as each new member undergoes a thorough process of initiation. With their constant immersion in the life of Ersterwald beyond the gates of Gadael, the Watchers originated among the hunters and foragers, though these professions do not account for all of their members. Because of most members’ duties to the village, trips beyond the border for cult meetings arouse little suspicion. The deacons of the Watchers keep their identities hidden from all lesser members and few have been invited into their inner fold. Some members wonder if the deacons are elves who have shed their traditional reverence for the balance of nature. Having developed a sick fascination with the wickedness of the forests, they look to subdue the power of nature, bending it to their will in order to finally rise above it. Key among their objects of worship are a number of purple gems of a shade unlike any others used within the village. The deacons preach these as the key to commanding the beasts of the forest. The lesser members have yet to see such a demonstration of power, though there may be some hint of reality to this claim.   With the ever-present threat of monsters of the forest, the need for training in self-defense is a key skill for members of all races. In accordance with their warrior culture, the warmaster of the Orcs operates a fighter’s guild open to any citizen of Gadael. Defense of each district of the village largely falls to the race responsible for it, though the races will form joint militias as needed to vanquish stronger creatures that invade the borders.   Drawing from their warrior culture, the Orcs understand the importance of an adaptable fighting force. All physically able citizens of Gadael are expected to seek out training in sword-fighting so as to be prepared in the event of any particularly dangerous intrusions by the creatures of the forest. Those who are more dedicated to the village’s defense are trained in close, medium, and long range combat utilizing the three main weapons available: swords, pikes, and firearms. Regular sparring matches take place between sword fighters, pike users are expected to be able to hold their ground together against a large log swung into their spear points, and rifle users constantly hone their aim by shooting from all manner of natural and vulnerable positions.   Those who show aptitude for any particular style are allowed to devote more time to that kind of training. Orcs tend to take the role of pikemen, using their large stature to form dangerous walls of spear points and brace themselves against the charges of ravenous beasts. Elves with their swiftness, slide between and around the ranks, dodging the flailing of the monsters to deliver quick slashes to their undersides. Meanwhile, humans will usually wait behind in relative safety to line up the best shots with their rifles. The roles of warfare are by no means set in stone, however. With their militia structure, they are prone to improvise and members of each race cross over to other roles frequently. Humans of smaller stature join the elves in their swordplay while the larger dig in with pikes beside the orcs. Many elves are known to be excellent marksmen, and orcs are surprisingly innovative in battle, risking their lives to distract beasts to others can land a killing blow. Legend has it that one former orc warmaster slung a canon into battle upon his shoulder. Gnomes, due to their small, weak physique aren’t very suited to combat. As such, they train in sentry duties, learning how to create traps, warning devices, and utilizing telescopes.   The Mages Guild in Dryadalis is a uniquely-crafted building, surrounded by trees. The tree branches are manipulated to form various parts of the guild. The organization is primarily responsible for repairing equipment and enhancing existing steam technology. Unlike the Fighters Guild, however, they are very reluctant to accept outsiders. Anyone who joins the Mages guild who is not an elf is likely to be disrespected or avoided, with only a few exceptions.