Verd through Time
Hello Friends,
In this first topical blog post, I wanted to take the opportunity to discuss how different time frames in the Verdian Tales Universe will work regarding materials published on this site.
Before I jump into that, however, here's an outline of what I am planning to upload in May:
May 4th: Bahenia Realm Guide - Bahenia is truly on the front-line of humanity's fight against the daemon, and writing this guide was a lot of fun. If you are interested in grim/military fantasy, this realm guide should be right up your alley!
May 11th: Legend of Emerlane's Folly, “Blood on the Streets” - this is the sequel adventure to “The Khaa's Ambition” and sees the heroes tasked with solving a murder that has Emerlane set to tear itself apart. Check it out if you are a fan of investigative quests, or just want to keep up with the Legend of Emerlane's Folly.
May 18th: Anabosis Chapter 2, “A Vacuous Voyage”: - In this chapter, Emma and Hal travel to the enigmatic titular world of Anabosis aboard Tivar's seemingly conscious, neigh alien craft called the “Starlight”. Learning more about the world and its people, the pair arrive just in time to witness an event unlike anything they could have imagined. Look out for this release to read more!
May 25th: Blog discussion - I am thinking that next month's blog post will cover the topic of magic on Verd- how it works, how it is used, and how it fits into society. How magic functions in a setting and impacts the world has always been one of my favorite things to think about, and if you enjoy pondering these things as well, this will be a post for you.
If you are excited about any of the planned materials above, or have any questions, leave a comment below!
So, Time. How does it work in the Verdian Tales?
Well, it works like in most other settings. Verd is a world with a history and a future, and concerning the materials published to this site, both of these are known, at least in broad terms. Specifics regarding events may not be defined, but the overall course humanity takes as it progresses through the ages has been determined. Think of it like this:
On Verd, humanity existed for millennia as hunter gatherers before forming into primitive tribes. Primordial kingdoms (including the Demor Kam) formed with the discovery of agriculture and early cities began to form. These existed for many centuries until the Cryptstorm was opened and essentially hit a reset button on civilization. As the magic fueling the storm waned, humanity walked back from the brink of annihilation and resettled the continent. This fueled a golden age of advancement and exploration, during which time other continents and cultures were discovered. Eventually, technology progressed to a point where humanity was able to escape terrestrial Verd and populate nearby planets.
That is essentially the overarching history of Verd in which the materials published on this site will operate. Everything that is published will fit within the bounds of this timeline, however the specifics are undefined (until they are!).
That's the fun of fleshing out a history like this. You get to ask questions like: How were the daemons of the Cryptstorm defeated? What was it like living in old Sandry? What other cultures (or species!?) were building their own civilization across the seas while all of this was going on? Those are the kinds of questions that we get to answer when building out a site like this.
While it may seem like a little bit of a spoiler to know that humanity doesn't get wiped out by the daemon, I like to think of this approach as liberating. It means that Sci-Fi stories from Verd's future (like Anabosis) can be written, as can epic high-magic histories. Essentially the possibilities become endless when time is removed as a limiting factor.
So, what does that mean in regard to what will be published?
Personally, I enjoy the grim and dirty medieval reality that Verdians find themselves in in 316 CR and am planning to make this the main time frame in which published materials will be set. The 300-year struggle that humanity has waded through offers great possibilities from a story telling perspective and presents a different enough narrative from other fantasy universes that I won't feel like I'm just rehashing stories that have already been told. It's the setting I originally imagined for the Verdian Tales, and I just really enjoy writing about it.
THAT SAID, I will also be publishing materials from other parts of Verd's history from time to time. Other than Anabosis, these will probably be less frequent in production, and may be published in arcs (so sets of materials covering specific topics). To avoid confusion, I will be clearly labeling these as being from different time frames.
I am thinking the main periods in Verd's history that interest me (and might write about), other than 316 CR, are:
Classic Verd: This would be a period when the old kingdoms were young and magic was employed far more freely and openly in society. Imagine bronze age Egypt or Mesopotamia, where complex social structures had developed yet much of the world was still primitive and unexplored.
Age of Exploration: Once Verd was resettled (following the death of the Cryptstorm), the world became open for exploration and discovery. I like this period especially, since any kind of culture, people, or races (in the traditional RPG sense) could be introduced. Humanity would also have more early-modern technology, which could be interesting to play with.
Space Age: As a lover of Sci-Fi, I can't limit myself from giving Verd a future in space. My initial thoughts (as will be revealed in Anabosis) is that I will take a 'low alien' approach, and instead focus more on humanity's self-made conflicts and struggles.
Anyways, I hope that gives some clarity concerning how time will be addressed in the Verdian Tales. I think futures and histories provide great storytelling opportunities, and intend to take full advantage as the fancy strikes.
I am curious to hear about other universes/settings that you think handled expanded time frames well. Most that I have come across tend to be limited to a single 'present day' but if you've come across any interesting takes on the subject, leave a comment below. Otherwise, let me know what you think about the above in the comments, and keep an eye out for May's uploads!
Best,
Eric
