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bouteillebleuSetting idea I'd like to run in a tabletop RPG. Campaign going by the name of "This Isn't What We Meant", since it was inspired by listening to the Savatage song by that name. It's only in the early stages of planning, and I don't have any idea of system yet, though some possible inspirations spring to mind.
In the beginning, gods and men lived together. Man was young at first, and knew nothing, and the gods taught him; man asked, and the gods gave.
But soon man grew older, wiser, and shrewder; man asked for more, and the gods gave more, until man asked to be as the gods himself; and the gods did not give, and man was angered, and the gods left the world.
Thus ended the First Age.
Man was saddened by his loss, and the gods took pity, and to some of his number they spoke, and these men spoke for the gods; in return they spoke to the gods, and the gods listened, and the gods gave as they saw wise.
And, in turn, man grew to understand more of the world, and became wiser and shrewder still; and still some of his number spoke to and for the gods, but as the years passed and father gave way to son, he spoke to the gods less, and in turn they spoke less to him.
And this continued until all there were left were the words of the men who spoke to the gods, and the signs that the gods gave in reply. For man had grown so much that he rarely needed the gods, and in turn, the gods rarely spoke to him. Those who spoke to the gods still remained, but that they spoke to gods was forgotten; the words themselves were known and remembered, though their language was no longer, and the words themselves held power.
This is the Second Age, a time of learning and enlightenment, a time of improvement, a time of progress.
The world has become vast, and man has become many, and he makes war upon himself. Those who know the words are few, but they hold the power of the world, and they use it for themselves. Some use it to build cities. Some use it to hold kingdoms in sway. Some use it to burn.
But there are whispers spreading. Across the world, people are hearing words in their dreams, unearthly voices speaking phrases over and over again, phrases in a language nobody knows. Phrases that hold power; prayers that may change the world anew...
In the beginning, gods and men lived together. Man was young at first, and knew nothing, and the gods taught him; man asked, and the gods gave.
But soon man grew older, wiser, and shrewder; man asked for more, and the gods gave more, until man asked to be as the gods himself; and the gods did not give, and man was angered, and the gods left the world.
Thus ended the First Age.
Man was saddened by his loss, and the gods took pity, and to some of his number they spoke, and these men spoke for the gods; in return they spoke to the gods, and the gods listened, and the gods gave as they saw wise.
And, in turn, man grew to understand more of the world, and became wiser and shrewder still; and still some of his number spoke to and for the gods, but as the years passed and father gave way to son, he spoke to the gods less, and in turn they spoke less to him.
And this continued until all there were left were the words of the men who spoke to the gods, and the signs that the gods gave in reply. For man had grown so much that he rarely needed the gods, and in turn, the gods rarely spoke to him. Those who spoke to the gods still remained, but that they spoke to gods was forgotten; the words themselves were known and remembered, though their language was no longer, and the words themselves held power.
This is the Second Age, a time of learning and enlightenment, a time of improvement, a time of progress.
The world has become vast, and man has become many, and he makes war upon himself. Those who know the words are few, but they hold the power of the world, and they use it for themselves. Some use it to build cities. Some use it to hold kingdoms in sway. Some use it to burn.
But there are whispers spreading. Across the world, people are hearing words in their dreams, unearthly voices speaking phrases over and over again, phrases in a language nobody knows. Phrases that hold power; prayers that may change the world anew...
