Of Azurth and the Gods

The folk of Azurth seem less troubled by gods than the people of other lands. Or perhaps it's merely religion they are less troubled with. The small shrines and occasional monastery were sufficient for them, until the Wizard decided his new revelation called for a more elaborate priesthood and administration for the state church.

Azulina: The blue Faerie Queen is the center of reverence in Azulinism, the preeminent religion of the Land. The myths say she requested (and got) special dispensation from the gods of the outer world for her own subcreation: Azurth and its environs. Once it was done, Azulina and her sister-handmaidens entered the little world and brought life to the things that were there. The royal family of Azurth were held to be of the family of Azulina by magical adoption. The four handmaidens and companions of Azulina have monastic orders and shrines dedicated to each of them:
Iolanthe: Lady of Knowledge and Communication. Her color is purple. [Domain: Knowledge]
Cerise: Lady of Love. Her color is rose. [Domain: Life]
Pyrrha: Lady of Battle. Her color is vermilion. [Domain: War]
Melaina: Lady of Souls. Her color is indigo. [Domain: Death]

Gob: Beneath the Cave Land of Subazurth at the center of the world, there dwells a giant, crystalline gnome, and his name is Gob. It was Gob, master artificer, who did most of the heavy work in the creation of Azurth, all for the love of Azulina. Gob is seldom directly worshiped, but he is frequently named in oaths and exclamations by Azurthites.

Machine Mysteries: There are minor (and somewhat disreputable cults) in Yanth (in the main) based around itinerant, tent show performances whose primary attractions are automata called "god machines". Adherents believe god machines differ from other clockwork, electrical, or steam-powered contrivances by being imbued by "divine motive power." Side shows of clockwork tableaux vivants or magic lanterns revealing central myths may be free, but the god machine can only be viewed by initiates--i.e., those that have paid the admission price. Performances of machine mysteries are often accompanied by ecstatic (even orgiastic) rites, contributing to their reputation--and popularity.

Outer Gods: Some of the true gods of the outer world, greater than fae godlings of Azurth, are known in myth and legend: Urania, Queen of Heaven, who gave Azulina her blessing in Azurth's creation; Pan, whose piping is heard by the druids in the ancient forests of Virid; and the greatest of all, the Slumbering God with many names, who created all the gods, and now sleeps, his work done. There is an ascetic order in Azurth that venerates this last, but they hold that all the world was created (and exists only) within the great god's dreams and will fade when he wakes.

Wednesday Comics: Prophet

In a first for my Wednesday comic book meditations, I'm featuring a comic I haven't even read yet--primarily because it is just being released today. Prophet: Strikefile #1 (borrowing the "strikefiles" title from 90s Image) is a who's who (and what's what) of various important characters, aliens, and world's in the Prophet Universe (which is the Extreme Comics Universe in the far future).It also gives a history of the Earth Empire:

See?

Anyway, I assume most of my readers are at least familiar with the Prophet revival series by writer Brandon Graham and several artists. If not, here's a brief  rundown: John Prophet (the Extreme Comics character from the 90s) awakens from cryosleep on an Earth dominated by strange alien species in the far future. He must trek across this exotic landscape to find the ancient tower where he can complete his mission. There, he sends a signal to revive the Earth Empire from it's slumber. That signal awakens the Empire's most implacable foe, too--who just happens to be another clone of John Prophet. 

This is all is collected in one volume. Subsequent volumes detail Old Man Prophet (the rebel) gathering allies (including a few familiar names from 90s Extreme, if not familiar faces) while the Earth Empire likewise consolidates its forces and it's power. It may be that both sides will have to join forces against an even greater menace.

Prophet is probably most comparable to science fantasy comics like Metabarons and the Incal, but has its own voice and feel. No guys in rubber masks here; the aliens of Prophets universe are most often somewhat arthropodian and always alien. Even the human cultures have an exoticness to them too, like you'd see in far future literary science fiction.

The density of the concepts and world-building may not be to everyone's taste, but if any of this sounds appealing, you should check it out.

Different Dwarves for 5e

The Tolkien-inspired, Nordic-derived dwarves of standard D&D aren't the only dwarven subraces out there. There is another dwarvish tradition: a more folklore and fairytale one. The dwarves of the Country of Yanth in the Land of Azurth are that sort of dwarf.

Compared to the average D&D dwarf, they tend to be more social and affable. They are fond of good food and drink and are renowned brewers. While they may be miners or metalworkers, they are not as oriented toward these tasks as others of their race, and are just as likely to loggers, woodworkers, or farmers.They have no more love or precious metals or jewels than humans.

Unless otherwise noted, the folkloric dwarf subrace has the traits of the standard dwarf.

Art by Jerad S. Marantz

Ability Score Increase. Wisdom increased by 1.
Lucky. Like a Halfling's.
Size. Folkloric dwarves vary more in height than other dwarven races. Most are medium, but a few are under 4 foot and so small.
Dwarven Combat Training. They eschew the battleaxes and hammers employed by other dwarves, but are handy with the axe and short sword.
Tool Proficiency. Their choices for proficiency are smith's tools, brewer's supplies, cobbler's tools, woodcarver's tools, or cook's utensils.

The Clang of Steel in Sang

Art by Phil Saunders

"Sang, the southern country of Azurth, is an exotic and barbaric land, separated from more civilized Azurth by rim of mountains that scholars say may by the remnants of an ancient encounter with a fallen star. The tiny kingdoms and tribes are given to strange customs and prone to violence. Still, Sang's warrior queen Bellona is widely-famed as a great heroine of the age."

-  A History of the Land of Azurth

High Concept: An exotic land of swashbuckling adventure where a warrior queen fights to establish justice and law.
Conspectus: A land devastated by an ancient cataclysm; the half-buried remnant of a ship from another world; dwarves made of metal with alien technology; nonhuman warriors with a fierce code; barbaric city-states with strange cultures; a red-skinned, superhuman warrior queen hatched from an egg, who won't take a lover who can't best her in combat.
Media Inspirations: The Mars and Venus stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs; The Thongor and World's End novels of Lin Carter; DC Comics' Warlord and Claw the Unconquered; Dark Sun.

Art by Jay de Foy

You Should Buy A Zoo

Specifically, you should buy Grandpappy Cromdar's Whizbang Zoo! by David Lewis Johnson. You should buy it because it has a cool tone and design sensibilities, and because it has great art by David (you've seen some of his work here before). You should buy it because it looks like a fun and sort of funny little adventure. And finally, you should buy it because it's only 5 bucks.

Of course, I'm biased because David's art work is going to be all over Strange Stars. Sure, I'm a fan, but let me tell you (and give you a taste) of what I think is good about the Whizbang Zoo on my read through. First off, the whole thing has a vibe reminiscent of Eric Powell's The Goon  to it, in no small part due to the grotesquery that is Grandpappy Cromdar (he's like the bastard child of Poopdeck Pappy and Cousin Eerie), the founder of the now-out-of-control monster zoo, but also bolstered by the slightly off-color humor, nonsequiturs, and cheerful anachronisms. The whole effect isn't so much Weird or New Weird, as mildly psychotronic. Take a look at this excerpt:

This image grabbed from the pdf may not do David's art justice, but it gives a good feel for his realistically rendered, portmanteau creature style, like something out of a bestiary written by William S. Burroughs. Note the irreverent stat-blocks and anachronisms in the text. This ain't serious world-building; the tagline proclaims it a "beer and pretzels" thing. Still, like Adventure Time!, its farce and anachronism hides little details dropped in passing and links between creatures that suggests there is a world there--or at least there could be. Of course, that sort of thinking will naturally come easier after a few of those beers and more than a few handfuls of pretzels.

Check it out.

Demonland

Art by quiteproustian

The promiscuousness of infernal beings is well-known, so it isn't surprising that by-blows of their trysts are found among mortals. While rare in most of the world, those with infernal blood are the majority of the populous in Demonland¹, a city-state across the mephitic Wastes from the Country of Sang. Why so many descendants of infernal bloodlines should be found in one place is a mystery, but perhaps the area had a sulfurous air of hominess for their grandsires and granddams.

Demonland proper is built upon a cluster of small islands in a lake formed by hot springs. The boiling, caustic, malodorous waters are a perfect defense --though they also make life less pleasant for the inhabitants. Demonland’s potable water comes from filtered rainwater collect in cisterns and also by magical purification of the water of the lake itself. The city is only accessible by boat and all goods and visitors make the trip over by ferry.

Demonland is nominally ruled by a Duke (or Duchess), and though this ruler’s power is theoretically absolute, it is most commonly exercised in throwing lavish revelries at which the true rulers of the city go masked. These princes (and their masks) represent the seven capital vices exalted in Demonlander religion and culture. The prince of each vice is officially appointed by the Duke but in practice is more or less elected by general consensus, as the Duke shrewdly defers to the inclinations of the mob. They serve for an indefinite tenure, usually a year and a day. The princes are meant to most perfectly embody their vice, and would-be candidates campaign vigorously (all except the candidates for Prince of Sloth, of course) for the title by engaging in the most audacious (and public) displays of sinfulness to capture the jaded hearts of the populous. The princes hold absolute authority with regard to the practice of the vice they personify and make legal proclamations and levy taxes or duties that might be pertinent as they see fit. They are allowed to keep a percentage of any monies collected for themselves.

Diabolism is the state religion of Demonland. It inverts the morality of most human faiths, promoting vice and condemning virtue. Self-interest and the pursuit of pleasure are valued over altruism and self-denial; Greed and vanity are extolled, and charity and modesty condemned. Demonlanders, however, are only a trifle less likely to fall short of the ideals of their faith than folk elsewhere, so their practice of immorality is as prone to lapses as the practice of morality in other lands.

Art by Arthur Asa

1. The correct demonym is "Demonlander." Never call a Demonlander a "demon" as this is both inaccurate and rude. "Tiefling" is just as bad.

Wednesday Comics: The Multiversity

"House of Heroes"

The Multiversity #1 (October 2014), Written by Grant Morrison; Art by Ivan Reis & Joe Prado

The release of DC Comics' The Muliversity #1 a couple of weeks a go seems like a good reason to take a short break from the examination of older comics and dig into something new. The Multiversity throws out a lot of characters in one issue. Here's a rundown of the major ones:

Nix Uotan (Superjudge; the last Monitor)
First Appearance: Countdown to Final Crisis #21
Last Previous Appearance: Final Crisis #7
By the end of Final Crisis, Nix Uotan was the last surviving Monitor and had been reborn in a human male body on another Earth. Apparently, he's still doing the good work of the Overmonitor, protecting the Multiverse. Or at least trying to.
The meaning of his name: Uotan apparently comes from "Wotan", Germanic god of writing and learning among other things. All the Monitors in Final Crisis have modified names of gods with a similar portfolio. "Nix" is colloquial English meaning "to put an end to" something. Nix plays a role in doing just that with the other Monitors.

Thunderer, Earth-7
First Appearance: The Multiversity #1
Thunderer is an Aboriginal Thor stand-in on an Earth that resembles the Marvel Universe. He's the last survivor of his world, which was decimated by the Gentry.
The meaning of his name: He's the superhero version of Wondjina, the cloud and rain spirits.

Superman of Earth -23
First Appearance: Final Crisis #7
Last Previous Appearance: Action Comics (2011 series) #9
President of the United States, Calvin Ellis, is also Kalel last survivor of Vathlo Island on the doomed planet Krypton. On Earth-23, the majority of the superheroes are of African descent or resemble sub-Saharan Africans.

Captain Carrot, Earth-26
First Appearance: The New Teen Titans (1980 series) #16 (insert)
Last Previous Appearance: Final Crisis #7
Captain Carrot (Rodney Rabbit) is a a sort of Superman analog on Earth-C (pre-Infinite Crisis), a world populated by cartoony, anthropomorphic animals (and obeying the laws of "cartoon physics"). Captain Carrot references meeting Superman before, which happened in Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew! #1.

The Retaliators, Earth-8
First Appearance: (pre-New 52 as the Champions of Angor) Justice League of America (1960 series) #87; (current version) The Multiversity #1
Last Previous Appearance: (as the Meta-Militia) Countdown Presents: Lord Havok and the Extremists #6
A Pastiche of Marvel, specifically the Avengers--and as such, they also resemble the heroes of Earth-7 (there's a Wandjina the Thunderer here, too). These characters first appeared as Marvel stand-ins from the world of Angor. In Final Crisis, characters resembling the Champions of Angor (called the Meta-Militia) and their enemies, the Extremists, existed on Earth-8. In The Multiversity, they've undergone another mild revision to become the Retaliators.