Final Earth.

A post human planet Earth controlled by tribes of evolved animals attempting to be the dominant pack upon it.

Outline Design:

“Designer Note”. These are facts about the game universe. They are to be hidden from the game player. They will gradually be unveiled over the course of the series. With each new region and age that comes and with each new tribe the story will show that the planet is earth and discover how it came to end will unfold.

“Public Note”. These are things the players will be told and shown through stories, art work and models.

(Designer note)Millenniums have passed since the human race was destroyed. Though this was not through a war, but through one individual getting the coding wrong for a virus. The result attached itself to a specific DNA strand with in all primates destroying them all, Human, Monkey and even Lemurs.

(Public Note) Welcome to KOA. Well that’s what the Spine’s (hedgehogs) call this rock they live on.
The southern regions are controlled by the Trikii (rats) and the northern region is held by the Scarc (wild cats). These three stone/bronze age tribes control sections of the island they dwell on. From the cold and mountainous north to the flat and arid south lands. The island runs around 900 miles from top to bottom, and at its widest point is around 600 miles while at its narrowest n the north the distance is around 300 miles.

(Designer note) The island is actually Great Britain, Scotland and Wales; certain area’s are removed or adjusted due to climate change, ice ages, and other natural occurring phenomena. There are segments of the country still recognisable through decade buildings, bunkers, and other manmade structures, but these are to be hidden within art work. The idea of allowing the player to realise that they are on the planet Earth is not to be discovered till a lot later in the cycle of the game system. As the game advances through the years clues will be dropped into story’s and work to allow the player to discover it is on Earth.

The game is starts around the equivalent time line for humans of the end of the Stone Age beginning of the Bronze Age. The tribes have reached the point where they must expand from their present dwellings and create new communities. This is the premise of the start of the battles that will follow as they discover each other’s tribes and how different they are from each other. They will also have different styles of warfare, weapons and armours. These battles will fuel the research of new and improved weapons and armours. Allowing expansions to be released. The plan is to run the game to the end of the Bronze Age then bring in another three tribes and new equipment as they go into their version of the Iron Age.

This will expand the map, which is Earth into Europe and Scandinavia using the same design principles as with Britain of alterations through erosion, ice ages and possible human war. As the ages move on the map and discovery of the rest of the planet will follow, normal expanding in 3 tribe groups, at different points of their own advancement. This will also expand the earlier tribes, bringing them new equipment, possible treaties and other advancements.

The game will reach out into the space once all the tribes appear, not all tribes will make it to the end of this cycle though. This final space age expansion will come later along than the last race. All races will be available by the “Industrial Age” and after this will come a modern and then a futuristic age.

Species Brief:

The initial Races for the game are:
Spines, evolved from Hedgehogs.
They stand roughly 5’ in height.
Hair turns into spikes, as they get older, covering heads and backs.
Some will even spike beards.
Round head with an extended nose, round eyes mounted in a predatory position, rounded ears protruding from the sides of the head, basic human proportions in scale and build, and no tail, this has evolved to make up the spine.

Trikii, evolved from Rats.
The average Trikii stands 4’ in height.
Usually bald, with long noses and rounded eyes mounted in a predatory position, ears if still attached are rounded, though due to the life style are normally damaged in some way through fighting with other members of their family group.
A basic human proportions in scale though usually very gaunt and thin, with a tail which can be used as a 3^rd arm, and roughly ¾ the length of the total height of the individual.

Scarc, evolved from Wild Cats.
Standing roughly 6’ in height, though have been known to reach 8’.
Hairy in general to keep the cold northern climate out, flatter face and predatory position eyes, with large pointed ears position more towards the top of the head allowing to hear things from all angles.
A basic human proportions in scale but a larger muscle mass n the arms and legs, short tail used for balance no longer than half the height of the individual, with retractable claws mounted in their arms, only able to use if the hand is empty.

Tribe Brief:

Spine tribe:

Spine villages are laid out according to the High Council specifications.
Each tribe village is built in the same manner as the other so any Spine visiting or trading will know the way around no matter where they are.
Each Tribe has its own council, made up of:

Elder who is there to advise the leaders. (Spiri)
Leader who makes the decisions the council will vote on. (Spiri-aua)
Warrior who advises on the strategy and defence. (Spiri-tua)
Doctor / Scientist who assigns research and advancements. (Spiri-kar)
Smith assigns work routines to the foundries and production. (Spiri-Aru)
Forman who assigns building projects and plans the settlement advance. (Spiri-wan)

The village also has sub individuals that manage tasks with in the village.
Smith for managing the working of Bronze and stone. (Aru)
Weapon Smith for building weapons. (Aru-tua)
Tool Smith for building tools for farming work. (Aru-hal)

Doctor for managing the health of the village (Kar)
Herbalists and assistants to the Doctor (Kar-shi)
Midwife to help in birthing and rising of cubs (Kar-cub)

Foreman manage farming and food production (Wan)
Farmer runner control individual farmsteads (Wan-shi)

General in charge of all military within the tribe (Tua)
Master of Swords in charge of the guards (Tua-gar)
Master of Flights in charge of archers (Tua-rar)

Each tribe starts with the Elder and his heads for the council, the other members are then trained from within the fifty strong pack that builds the village, they also act as guards, farmer hands, builders, and labourers until the village is constructed.

Spines mate for life, using ceremonies to show their commitment. They are a very family orientated species raising the young and training them in the ways they have learned.

Spines will change jobs and learn other skills in order to advance the village along.

All Spines will have some kind of military training to help defend the village from attack.

Spines use a mixture of materials to build equipment, though homes are built from wood (Brak), mud (Sloi) or clay (dra-sloi) and reeds, long grass, or straw (Rill).

Flint (Rark) is a staple used to make knives, axes and occasionally swords, but the smiths (Aru) are working with metals (Hrut) more and more slowly mastering these substances to produce better weapons for war.

Clothing and to some extent armour is made from animal hides (Mor) and furs (Mor-pra). Though some experiments have been made in producing sections from metals (Hrut), plus new skills are being developed in the production of hardening animal hide to form leather (Mor-cowl)

Spine Appendix of Language:

Spines language is groups of words, or sounds they are linked together to make other words or sounds.
Spiri means Elder or Wise One. Wan means manger or foreman, linking Spiri and Wan would give Spiri-Wan which would translate as Head Farmer, or Head Manager. These words link together in other ways to create production objects, for example, Mor is animal skin, but an animal fur is Mor-pra, but a tanned animal skin forming leather would be a Mor-cowl.

Spiri                  Elder, Wise One, Council Member.
Aru                   Smith, smelter, work of iron, worker of stone.
Aua                   Leader.
Tua                   Fighter.
Kar                    Doctor, medical.
Wan                 Farmer, food production.
Shi                    Assistant, apprentice.
Cub                   Carer, mother.

Hal                   tools, equipment.
Gar                   Blade.
Rar                   Point.
Brak                  Wood, tree.
Sloi                   Mud, wet clay.
Dra                   Dry, dehydrate, lacking water.
Rill                   Vegetation, grasses, reeds, foliage.
Rark                 Flint, stone.
Hrut                 Metals, melting stone.
Mor                  Animal Hide, animal skin.
Pra                    Fur.
Cowl                 Hardened, treated.

Scarc Tribe:

The ruling family of the Scarc tribe’s rule over the main city while their children run the villages surrounding their lands, the head family lay down the laws across the lands, though the children can choose which they wish to enforce within their villages and how the village works.

Depending on the situation of the village and which Ruler (Carc) is in command of the village greatly depends on the shape. Each of these family member who controls the village has their own view on how it should be set out.
Some of these are military minded, others are economic minds, some have a great love of architecture and design and others are just fortress’s designed to hold off those who surround them.

As long as each village pays its tribute to the city when asked they are left to do as they please by the High Ruler. (Domiarc)

Scarc are pack (Naroo) like, a Head Male (Arc) Head Female (Drc) and other family members under them. The Head Male controls the family’s direction, while the Head Female is in charge of the other females within the pack, raising the young and teaching them in the ways of the tribe.
Males once they reach a certain age will be put forwards for a profession.
Scarc will usually start with training as hunters (Kartoo), which they will have been doing from a young age, but from a certain point they will take on a different line.

As the Scarc take crafts very seriously they will be several architects, builders and masons. They pride there selves on advancement of structures and leaving their mark on the village.
Working with metal is still in its infancy within the world, the Scarc have not been slow to embrace this though, and they will produce blades and even jewellery out of different metals they have harvested or traded with different places.
Some will continue to be hunters and a few will advance to the level of herders who will keep live stock for food and leather production.

Scarc do not believe in farming, crop production is not the way of a Scarc, they will gather and collect plants needed from surrounding area’s or trade them with other tribes which are more advanced in the ways of farming.

Scarc will trade, and often do with some of the smaller villages that use skills they have no need for, though more often they will just take. Being such a large species they use intimidation over words to get what they desire. On occasion they have been known to destroy whole villages without provocation just because they were in the wrong place. They will even fight amongst themselves to get to resources they desire strongly enough.

Scarc Naroo will always follow the same profession.

Hunter (Kartoo): Scout the surrounding area, defend the outer borders of the village’s lands and discover new resources around the area, they will also trade with other tribes when need be and do diplomatic and covert missions.

Guard (Karhaa): Stand and defend the villages, also work like a police force for bringing halt to disputes within the village itself.

Mason (Rotal): The smiths, stone workers, wood workers, builders, and tanners for the tribe, no one family will cover all of these activities and occasionally they will fallout with each other.

Herders (Gratoo): Control the domesticated livestock, keeping a steady supply of food and hides for the rest of the village and in some case’s surrounding villages.

Mother (Drc): Head Female’s for each family will all come together and work as a team, to be teachers, doctors, and careers for the old, and the young. They also maintain homes, keep the village tidy, and will go and gather resources if they need to. They are capable of fighting as well, but the Scarc are a very male dominated species. The females are usually smaller and less muscular than the males.

Scarc Appendix of language:

The language pattern of the Scarc varies from village to village, they have a standard written language which is made up of shapes and symbols but pronunciation of these symbols varies from tribe to tribe. As with words for different items, a Cow, or Harroon, in the northern part of the Scarc territory is known as a Meroon in the lower regions. Though the symbol is the same in both regions.

Trikii Tribe:

These scavengers don’t really have a leader, just whoever is bossing around the weaker ones, they live in squalled conditions, moving on mass from place to place, they fight with each other, steal what’s not bolted down, and then from time to time they try to take that as well. They are a pestilence on the landscape, the smallest of the species running across the Island, they have no need for doctors or medical help, the needs of the many will always outweigh the needs of the few.

In hard times, and times when no food is available they will turn on each other and the strong will survive. They are plentiful they are many, and with many mouths to feed comes mass destructions.

They seem to originate from the south of the island, mass under grounds tunnels are their chosen place to dwell, with the other tribes starting to expand though they too are following this path and reaching out from their original home.

No hierarchy other than the weak follow the strong, no real ability yet to build or maintain no wish to learn or govern. A tribe of savage brutal creatures, over powering numbers and scavenging from fields of battle is the only way they know and how they survive.

Times are changing though for tribes of the Trikii and no one is sure what the future holds. Talk of the Great one spread across these wandering groups as time moves forward and with this maybe just maybe order can be brought to the chaos.

The events of which will split the tribes, half following the new ways and half staying as savages.
For game terms this will create two very different tribes within the Trikii groups.

Settled Trikii:
Though still far behind the other tribes these Trikii have started attempting to build homes and villages, though they lack the skill of the other two species on the island at this time.
Even with this new idea of fixed camp they savage within them is still hard to avoid, this leads to issues at this time with farming, and hunting, though the needs of the many still outweigh the needs of the few, as is shown when raids go wrong.

Settled Trikii raid and steal to survive, relying on their numbers to overpower farm camps, logging camps, mines and stores. These have to be done often to keep the village at strength; there are a lot of mouths to feed when it comes to the Trikii tribes.

Settled Trikii do have a leader or head, this will be the strongest of the tribe, ruling with an iron fist of fear and power. Occasionally other members of the tribe will step forward to try and take power; this is not a popularity contest, it is a fight and the one that survives will prove themselves strong enough to lead the tribe.

The Game:

A game for two or more players, each player will have created a village with a list of dwellers, these characters will make up forces for battles played out over a predetermined board or table top using models to represent the members of the team, and the dynamic of the battle field.

The game mechanic will use character stats which are determined from the species and back grounds, weapons and equipment will also have their own statistics, which can be used to show the chances of success or failure in battles.
With tables and ten sided dice these will adjust the chances of affecting the tide of battle.

Each battle will be played out through a scenario selection. Each scenario will give different allowances and ending results, these results will affect the village as a whole through a progression of campaign games. The idea of taking your individual village along through each game played against different opponents is the main objective of this game system, this will allow your village to grow and increase your equipment and availability of characters throughout the series of games.

This way all armies can be different even if the same species, as each tribe will have its own specialists, resources and agenda’s. These will all affect the dynamic of the games, depending on the scenario.

Models:

The models should be customizable, though bearing resemblance to the species and to a varying scale depending on the species. Each model should be to a scale showing off the difference in size between each of the races. As well as variations of weapons depending once more on the tribe.

A Trikii should be around 40mm from floor to eye, Spine around 50mm from floor to eye and the larger Scarc should be around 60mm from floor to eye.

Armour and weapons will also vary between species, Scarc and Spine having specialists in producing both should have more tailored and better constructed equipment, while the Trikii should have mangled and ill fitting designs as if they had been created by mashing Spine and Scarc equipment together.

Colour of weapons and armour should be the material they are made from, dye’s at this time with in the game system have not yet been discovered, though some colour can be used in war paints on skin, the colouring of metal and leathers has not yet been perfected, though with the plan of updates between games being released these may get put into one of the smaller updates along the line.

The main rule book will hold the basics of each tribe, how the villages work, and the game play mechanic, with minimal equipment and low grade weaponry, along with skills that can be gained at the start for each character based within the village and through game play.

A planned time line will appear advancing the game slowly as the main city for each tribe or in the case of the Trikii what they have stolen from the main city of another tribe has discovered or advanced. This will slowly funnel down into the other tribes through web site updates or monthly or quartile articles.

When the time line reaches a point the next rule set will appear, this will include the three new races and histories, where they are on the map in comparison to the present release, a larger scale war game plan with more models taking part in the battle and the smaller scale war options with time lines for the new races starting where the original tribes started and leading them up to date with the present tribes.

Outline Art Work:

Trikii