The Hyborian Age

In the years after the oceans drank Atlantis, and long before the brothers Romulus and Remus founded their great city, there was the age of Hyboria. A time lost to history, a time of savage swords and strange sorcery...

Moderator: Cotton

Cotton
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 561
Registered for: 8 years 2 months
8
Contact:

The Hyborian Age

Post by Cotton »

Here is a map: http://forum.profantasy.com/extensions/ ... entID=3207

Hyboria is a fictional, Pangea-esq continent that existed prior to the Ice Age. I'm going to post information about the various civilizations and religions that your characters can come from and follow. Unlike in other fantasy settings humans are the only sapient species that are playable (expect other beings to be alien and terrifying).
Rooter
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 1635
Registered for: 7 years 7 months
7
Contact:

Re: The Hyborian Age

Post by Rooter »

Here is a Hyborian name generator which may be useful for naming characters:

http://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/hyborian-names.php
Cotton
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 561
Registered for: 8 years 2 months
8
Contact:

Re: The Hyborian Age

Post by Cotton »

The various civilizations of Hyboria tend to correspond to real-world ancient or medieval civilizations. The internet is wonderful and people have already put in work into making the world of Hyboria in RPG form. So here is a link to a site that talks about the people of Hyboria extensively (it was done a D20 game so obviously we'll ignore the stuff about classes and racial bonuses): https://hyboria.xoth.net/races/human_races.htm

The list that follows is a basic summary of what that site for easy reference.

Aesir: The Aesir are light haired, blue eyed reavers who hail from Asgard. They worship Ymir the frost giant. If you just straight up want to be a viking here you go.

Afghuli: Tall and powerful tribesman hailing from Afghulistan (or Ghulistan). There are hundreds of these tribes in the region, they mostly make their living raiding from their non-nomadic neighbors. These are based on the nomadic tribes of the near east.

Aquilonian: These people hail from Aqulonia, the most powerful state in Hyboria at this time in terms of military might and wealth (only its neighbor Nemidea boasts a better cultural richness). Aqulonia often feuds with its eastern neighbor Nemidea, and is in the process of expanding westward into the wild lands which are home to the Picts. The church of Mitra holds a lot of sway over both Aquilonian commoners and nobility. This could be thought of as the Caroligian Empire.

Argossean: dark skinned, curly, dark hair, generally on the shorter side. Argosseans hail from Argos, a nation which has become very wealthy thanks to sea-fairing trade. It is said that the best sailors in the world hail from Argos. They are comparable to Greece.

Border Kingdom: The border kingdom is not a kingdom, it is a lawless land of marshes and forests. It serves as a buffer between Nemedia and Brythunia and the North-most countries. It is often used as a hideout by bandits. Merchant caravans will sometimes travel through it to avoid tariffs and taxes, but only if they have suitable protection. If your character comes from the Border Kingdom, then they probably lived in a small village that barely peeked out an existence.

Brythunians: A stocky, light skinned people. They come from Brythnia which is technically a kingdom, but is closer to a loose confederacy of city-states ruled by bickering nobles. Brythunia has little in the way of a standing army and tends to be easy fodder for jokes made by other hyborian nations. They are similar to the Angles and Saxons.

Corinthians: The people of Corinthia hail from a mountainous area and are dark skinned. Corinthia is an alliance of city-states. Each state has a different governmental style, but are all generally republics. Corinthia is also like Greece.

Cimmerians: The people of Cimmeria tend to live in small, isolated tribes that raise cattle and raid one another. Because they come from a harsh and unforgiving land, they respect strength and little else. Conan is a Cimmerian, although his case is an unusual one because Cimmerians rarely leave their homeland. The Cimmerian people are similar to the Gaelic, Cymric people of Wales, and some ancient germanic tribes.

Hyperborean: The people of Hyperborea are pale-skinned, extremely tall (many up to seven feet) and gaunt, with white hair and cat-green eyes. They are superstitious and tend to wear charms with runes carved into them that they believe will protect them. It is famous (or infamous) for two things: sorcerers and slavers. The country is ruled by a coven of wizards known as the White Hand. They are similar to Finland, Russia, and Baltic countries.

Hyrkanian: Tall, slender people famous for their horsemanship and for being fearsome warriors. Hyrkania is mostly steppe and prairie. Hyrkanians are a nomadic people, and the only permanent structures they build are on a burial ground, called a kakaba, or City of Mounds. Hrykanians also differ from the rest of Hyboria because they have no gods, but instead worship their ancestors and the Everlasting Sky. They are based on the people of Mongolia.

Iranistani: The Iranistani are a collection of tribes who have united as a kingdom to protect themselves from the Turian empire. The Iranistan capital is Anshan, a city that has grown very rich from trade. Tribal chieftains resolve issues within their own tribes while the king handles anything more significant. Sometimes, however, the tribal leaders and kings disagree, feud, and even war with each other, making Iranistan a fairly fractious country. They are similar to the ancient Persian empire.

Khitani: The eastern most nation in Hyboria. Most Westerners consider them mysterious. Khitai has a strange hierarchy in which everyone has a place and roll to play, but everyone is encouraged to make a better position for themselves. The Khitani believe that it is the will of the gods that people succeed, and so people who rise to power through treachery and deceit are admired. Khitai is also home to the infamous brotherhood of sorcerers known as the Scarlet Circle. Khitai is like the ancient Chinese empire.

Kothian: Koth is one oldest and wealthiest nations on the continent. The capital of Koth is Khorshemish, a walled city of spires, minareted mosques, markets and broad white streets. It is dubbed "The Queen of the South". They are like the ancient Hittites of the near east.

Kushite: The Kushites are the black tribesmen most often encountered in Kush, Punt, southern Stygia, and the Black Kingdoms. Each tribe has a distinguishing ritual scar or tattoo which identifies its members; in a society where little clothing is worn, such marks make it difficult to infiltrate an enemy tribe. The Black Kingdoms is sort of a misnomer as it is not really a kingdom, but lands ruled by many diffrent tribes of varying strength and size. Keshan, Punt, and Zembabwei are exceptions to this as these are very impressive kingdoms. The Kushites are based on the real world north African kingdoms of Kush and Nubia.

Nemedian: Nemedia is a land of cultural and intellectual freedom. It produces great scholars and is surprising religiously tolerant. Most of its political machinations focus on proving that Nemedia is better than Aqulionia. Geographically it is in a secure place, making it difficult to invade. Nemedia holds strongly to feudal hierarchy and has a strong law made by the king and enforced by inquisitors and courts of justice. Even slaves are well protected by Nemedian law meaning that many poor commoners will willing enter into indentured servitude rather than starve. Nemedia is similar to the Byzantine empire.

Ophiran: The Ophirans come from a land rich in gold, silver, and jewels. The greatest jewelers in Hyboria reside there. It is very similar to Aqulionia culturally, but has a much smaller, much wealthier, population. It could be similar to dark ages Italian city-state.

Pictish: The Picts are a tribal people. They live in the Western Pictish Wilderness, and are magnificent hunters and trackers. The greatest warrior is the head of the tribe and they also have shamans. The Pictish tribes are very independent of one another. Each tribe is named for its totem animal: there are thus tribes such as Eagle, Hawk, Turtle, Bear, Wolf, Wildcat and Raven. They worship Jhebbal Sag, and believe that the animals of the Pictish Wilderness remember and worship this god as well. They wear war paint and tend not to wear armor, they take the heads of their enemies and believe that possessing the head of a vanquished enemy will cause this enemy to serve them in the afterlife. They are a mixture of the real world Picts and Native American tribes.

Shemitish: Shem is home to many city-states ruled by authoritarian kings. Over-land travel and trade are very important in Shem. Shemitish men often grow thick, curly beards, and they are famed for their skill with a bow. They are similar to ancient Mesopotamia.

Stygian: Known as the "Serpent of the South", Stygia is a decadent theocracy and is characterized by being xenophobic, inscrutable, and obsessed with the subjects of death and immortality. Stygia is a society that is strictly organized in a class system dependant, by and large, upon physical types. Stygia is a theocracy ruled by the priests of the serpent god Set, and believe that the Serpent Men who once dwelled in Stygia to be demigods. The Stygian dead are mummified and placed in the black pyramids built by the Serpent Men. The population is notably small, for, despite its size, there is little arable land, and that is mostly along the banks of the River Styx. According to Stygian law, any foreigner who enters a Stygian city may be killed on sight. Stygia was once a powerful empire but has fallen on hard times. It correlates to real world Egypt.

Turanian: Perhaps the greatest empire ever to rise in the ancient world of Hyboria; Koth, Shem, Brythunia, and Zamora all pay tribute to the Empire of Turan. Turan's cities are wealthy and splendorous, and the slave trade is alive and well there. Turanians who do not live in cities are usually nomadic shepherd clans. These clans are very honorable and will give protection to travelers who are willing to obey the orders of the clan's chief. They despise Kothians, viewing them as needlessly arrogant and insulting. Turan is similar to multiple ancient empires which existed in modern day Turkey.

Vanir: The red-headed people of Vanaheim come from westernmost of the nations of the Far North. They are vary similar to the Aesir, but hate them and spend most of the warmer months raiding them and the Hyperborians. They also worship Ymir. They again are like dark ages Scandinavian countries.

Vendhyan: Vendhya is a roughly triangular peninsula lying between Kosala and Khitai, south of the Himelian mountains. Vendhya is tropical, with wide expanses of untamed jungle. The country produces many different herbs and spices. Vendhya has a caste system of Brhaman (nobility), then warriors, then craftsmen and merchants, then peasants, and then Untouchables. The Vendhyans are well versed in the arts of treachery and double dealing. It is said that every Vendhyan spies for at least two others, and often for more.They have a saying: "The whole truth is a gift for your dearest friend alone". They have their own pantheon of gods, chief among them being Asura who holds domain over the wheel of Karmic Reincarnation. Vendhyan is obviously ancient India.

Zamoran: The people of Zamora are generally reviled by other races and have a reputation for cruelty, disloyalty and greed. This comes from the fact that Zamorans often act out of self-interest (and more importantly do so very openly). The locals live by herding sheep and cattle, or by mining for tin, copper and other metals. The nobles are the law in Zamora. Zamorans who leave their homeland often work as thieves and cut throats. Culturally they are similar to the Romani people.

Zingaran: tanned, curly haired peoples. Zingarans come from Zingara. they are a people who are famous for being proud and fiercely independent, and infamous for the number of privateers (or pirates) they produce. Zingara often competes with Argos for mastery of the sea. Culturally they are similar to the Spanish and Portuguese peoples of the Iberian peninsula.

Finally, you should know about the Empire of Acheron which no longer exists. It is basically the Roman Empire stand in, and nobility hailing from places like Aqulonia and Nemedia state proudly (either truthfully or not) that their lineage can be traced all the way back to Acheron.
Cotton
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 561
Registered for: 8 years 2 months
8
Contact:

Re: The Hyborian Age

Post by Cotton »

Also I know that that the name generator that Wruter posted can also generate names for the various ancient cultures as well so be sure to check that out.
Cotton
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 561
Registered for: 8 years 2 months
8
Contact:

Re: The Hyborian Age

Post by Cotton »

The gods of Hyboria tend to come in one of two fashions: they either do not interact with humans and so they're worship is faith based or they do interact with humans but are actually extraterrestrial beings (such as in the Tower of the Elephant). Either way don't expect to receive the ability to Cure Light Wounds by praying to them (Crom despises weakness). I'm going to post a couple links to websites to read about the gods. They tend to be either related to fertility or war since eating and not being killed by your enemies is pretty important to the people of Hyboria; however, there are also gods that govern other domains. Your characters can worship whatever god or gods or nature spirit or whatever that you choose, it will probably have more of a role playing effect than a mechanical one but will probably influence how other characters view you.

https://hyboria.xoth.net/gods/gods.htm
http://aoc.wikia.com/wiki/Gods

While the people of Hyboria certainly believe in magic, few have actually seen anything other than clever tricks. Still the vast majority hate and fear wizards because magic in the world of Hyboria is powerful and terrifying. Your characters, being adventurers, can have had some contact with magic, and might even know a little bit (and take the San loss that comes with that) if you wish.
Rooter
Keeper
Keeper
Posts: 1635
Registered for: 7 years 7 months
7
Contact:

Re: The Hyborian Age

Post by Rooter »

As added flavor Hyborians often use their god's name in curses or expressions e.g. "By Mitra!"
Post Reply

Return to “Expedition into the Border Kingdom”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests