Ur
Ur is the name for the planet on which our story is set. The name means "mud" in Ancient Radashi. Ur is an earth-sized moon with an oxygen/nitrogen atmosphere and a molten iron core. It orbits the gas giant Dis though many of its' inhabitants think that the reverse is the case. The somewhat distant Sol shines bright enough to keep the planet from becoming a frozen waste. Indeed, most of the planet is covered in liquid water, save for the continents, of which Ur'En is theorized to be only one.
Ur has a plethora of natural flora and fauna, some of which resembles those found on earth while many others are utterly alien in appearance and biology. Many are magical in some fashion, utilizing supernatural abilities for defense, metabolism or other functions. Ur has a number of sentient and sapient species, some of whom have formed societies and even civilizations.
Daily life in the world of Ur is vastly different between species, cultures, and even neighboring cities. Still, there are a few commonalities between them.
Most of the civilizations of Ur count the years starting after the calamitous The Long Night of Ekkaritut. By this reckoning, the current year is 364 A.E.
The world of Ur is a place where magic is a fact of life. While not an everyday phenomenon for most of the population, mages light up the skies in destructive battles, oracles see clear visions of possible futures and holy men whisper prayers to gods that do, on occasion, answer them. There are magic beasts, natural manifestations like Earthmotes and very rarely, people who can consciously weave the threads of magic. These people are called Spellcasters, Mages, or sometimes just "Casters".
Spellcasters are relatively rare. Many living in small villages across the world may only ever encounter their local priest or shaman, who might only be able to cure common ills and forecast tomorrow's weather. Powerful spellcasters are truly unique, and might only be found as heads of state and leaders of entire organizations. Spellcasters divide magic into two types Sympathetic Magic that originates from the connection between things and Divine Magic that comes from the Gods.
Magic is poorly understood, even by leading philosophers. To most of the population, magic is mysterious and dangerous. Superstition is commonplace, and even powerful mages can be deeply mistaken about the nature of their powers. The teaching of magic is a closely guarded secret, privy only to the incredibly wealthy, powerful, or dedicated.
For most societies in Ur, technology is set somewhere around the Bronze and Iron Age. People and animals still preform most labor. While agriculture has existed for millennia, little advancement in techniques or technology beyond the iron plow has arrived. Some, but by no means, all cultures have created a written language. Metalworking is mostly centered around bronze and iron, as no one has yet solved the riddle of steel. Great construction projects like the Seven Wonders of Ur'Enare often assisted by magic. Travel in the open ocean is extremely dangerous due to lack of navigational technology so most ships never leave sight of the shore. The most advanced warfare tactics involve the use of disciplined formations like the phalanx and the most sophisticated weapons are machines like the ballista.
It is not uncommon for technological progress to backslide centuries of advancement when either societies collapse or places of knowledge are put to the torch. Travelers will sometimes come upon the ruins of an ancient city only to find the remains of a people there more advanced than their own.
Society
Ur has a diverse range of cultures, civilizations, and societies with little in common. There are a few broad points in common across most of them.
While many peoples have transitioned from hunter/gatherer lifestyles to agrarian ones, there are a few holdouts, who are seen as primitive savages by the settled peoples. The most common unit of a society is the city-state, which controls the urban center at it's heart and the surrounding rural countryside. Large empires exist but require enormous amounts of blood and treasure to maintain. Most government is some form of hereditary monarchy, however, some democracies or other forms of statecraft can be found occasionally.
Most societies are extremely homogenous and xenophobic, since the outsider beyond the walls may very well be an invader who seeks to subjugate and enslave you. Indeed, almost all societies practice some form of Slavery but the exact nature varies from place to place. Slaves typically form the bottom rung of the socioeconomic ladder. The overwhelming majority of people work towards food production, with a much smaller cast of artisans and craftsmen above them, followed by the elite caste of nobles, clergy and mages at the top.
Most people are able to speak at least native tongue and a trade language though literacy is extremely low, reserved only for privileged elites. While most in the urban centers rub shoulders with people of another species daily, those from the surrounding rural villages might gawk in awe and gather in a crowd at the sight of a foreigner. Even in the cities, people prefer to stick with their own, forming small enclaves in all but the most integrated societies.
Travel and communication is slow, carried out mostly either on foot or assisted by an animal. News between cities can take weeks. Roads better than a dirt path are a luxury, affordable only by powerful states between highly important destinations. Trade is often conducted through a daisy chain of different merchants along established routes. Bandits are commonplace in all but the most well-partrolled areas so most caravans have armed guards and few but the most desperate and foolhardy travel alone.
Ur has a plethora of natural flora and fauna, some of which resembles those found on earth while many others are utterly alien in appearance and biology. Many are magical in some fashion, utilizing supernatural abilities for defense, metabolism or other functions. Ur has a number of sentient and sapient species, some of whom have formed societies and even civilizations.
Daily life in the world of Ur is vastly different between species, cultures, and even neighboring cities. Still, there are a few commonalities between them.
Time
Ur completes a rotation on its axis approximately once every 24 hours. It completes its rotation around Dis every 28 days. During the last week of this, the sun is mostly obscured by Dis, which is known as The Shade. Both the planet and its moon circle the parent star/deity every 336 days. Most time is measured informally by the position of the sun, moon and other astral bodies. More precise measurement of time can be done with hourglasses, candles or sundials. Calendars are kept by many societies that depend on forecasting the seasons for agriculture or animal husbandry. Most peoples on Ur'En have adopted the Ancient Radashi calendar that divides the days into 7 day weeks, 4 week lunar months and 12 month years.Most of the civilizations of Ur count the years starting after the calamitous The Long Night of Ekkaritut. By this reckoning, the current year is 364 A.E.
Magic
The world of Ur is a place where magic is a fact of life. While not an everyday phenomenon for most of the population, mages light up the skies in destructive battles, oracles see clear visions of possible futures and holy men whisper prayers to gods that do, on occasion, answer them. There are magic beasts, natural manifestations like Earthmotes and very rarely, people who can consciously weave the threads of magic. These people are called Spellcasters, Mages, or sometimes just "Casters".
Spellcasters are relatively rare. Many living in small villages across the world may only ever encounter their local priest or shaman, who might only be able to cure common ills and forecast tomorrow's weather. Powerful spellcasters are truly unique, and might only be found as heads of state and leaders of entire organizations. Spellcasters divide magic into two types Sympathetic Magic that originates from the connection between things and Divine Magic that comes from the Gods.
Magic is poorly understood, even by leading philosophers. To most of the population, magic is mysterious and dangerous. Superstition is commonplace, and even powerful mages can be deeply mistaken about the nature of their powers. The teaching of magic is a closely guarded secret, privy only to the incredibly wealthy, powerful, or dedicated.
Technology
For most societies in Ur, technology is set somewhere around the Bronze and Iron Age. People and animals still preform most labor. While agriculture has existed for millennia, little advancement in techniques or technology beyond the iron plow has arrived. Some, but by no means, all cultures have created a written language. Metalworking is mostly centered around bronze and iron, as no one has yet solved the riddle of steel. Great construction projects like the Seven Wonders of Ur'Enare often assisted by magic. Travel in the open ocean is extremely dangerous due to lack of navigational technology so most ships never leave sight of the shore. The most advanced warfare tactics involve the use of disciplined formations like the phalanx and the most sophisticated weapons are machines like the ballista.
It is not uncommon for technological progress to backslide centuries of advancement when either societies collapse or places of knowledge are put to the torch. Travelers will sometimes come upon the ruins of an ancient city only to find the remains of a people there more advanced than their own.
Society
Ur has a diverse range of cultures, civilizations, and societies with little in common. There are a few broad points in common across most of them.
While many peoples have transitioned from hunter/gatherer lifestyles to agrarian ones, there are a few holdouts, who are seen as primitive savages by the settled peoples. The most common unit of a society is the city-state, which controls the urban center at it's heart and the surrounding rural countryside. Large empires exist but require enormous amounts of blood and treasure to maintain. Most government is some form of hereditary monarchy, however, some democracies or other forms of statecraft can be found occasionally.
Most societies are extremely homogenous and xenophobic, since the outsider beyond the walls may very well be an invader who seeks to subjugate and enslave you. Indeed, almost all societies practice some form of Slavery but the exact nature varies from place to place. Slaves typically form the bottom rung of the socioeconomic ladder. The overwhelming majority of people work towards food production, with a much smaller cast of artisans and craftsmen above them, followed by the elite caste of nobles, clergy and mages at the top.
Most people are able to speak at least native tongue and a trade language though literacy is extremely low, reserved only for privileged elites. While most in the urban centers rub shoulders with people of another species daily, those from the surrounding rural villages might gawk in awe and gather in a crowd at the sight of a foreigner. Even in the cities, people prefer to stick with their own, forming small enclaves in all but the most integrated societies.
Travel and communication is slow, carried out mostly either on foot or assisted by an animal. News between cities can take weeks. Roads better than a dirt path are a luxury, affordable only by powerful states between highly important destinations. Trade is often conducted through a daisy chain of different merchants along established routes. Bandits are commonplace in all but the most well-partrolled areas so most caravans have armed guards and few but the most desperate and foolhardy travel alone.
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