RPG World Overview
Introduction
The Silver Sun Republic Roleplaying Game Setting is a custom campaign to be used in any tabletop RPG system with variations for a low fantasy and sci-fi genre. The SSR is an online gaming community with a long history spread out among many different MMOs that has developed a rich cultural lore that serves as the perfect background for any game campaign.
There is less of a stress on good versus evil and more grey areas that don't restrict characters to a cookie cutter model bound to alignment categories. Good people do bad things and vice versa. We're all human afterall, right? Most of the races are variations on the human race with natural genetic mutations over time leading to the establishment of different fantasy races such as Orcs and Elves. While they are not referred to as such in the campaign there is a natural break between your every day humans and those of the orcish or elvish persuassion. This also leads to a difference between traditional fantasy settings because Orcs aren't always evil and Elves can get into some pretty nasty business. There are of course half-men who resemble dwarves and beastmen that cover a wide array of social structures and cultural identities.
Magic and divinity also take on a different face in the world in which the SSR resides. Alchemy is a form of natural science that seeks to exploit chemicals and substances that awe the common folk into believing in magicians and wizards. Religion plays a very key role in the daily life of all aspects of society with spirtuality granting great boons of strength and wisdom through very deep rooted faith.
The world is no stranger to intrigue and long standing periods of peace and prosperity are very rare. At any time during the world's history there is always some source of strife and conflict for adventurers to explore and exploit. The background history of the world and timeline allow for players to jump into any point and play along experiencing snapshots of history, possibly rewriting some of it or reliving it in greater detail. This allows the same system to function in a low fantasy setting from a medieval or futuristic point of view. The ancient Republic stands the test of time to rise up as the Intergalactic Republic reaching out into the stars and the vastness of space.
The World
The world of the SSR is in a constant state of upheavel with civil and international wars raging almost continuously. There are times when even the Republic itself experiences civil uprisings and falls victrim to internal intrigue. Until the SSR was able to conquer the entire world and unite all the warring factions it was almost always part of a larger union of states and nations. Most of the history of the world remains unknown as the constant violence hindered exploration and often times wiped out historical records of past civilizations. Significant portions of the history of the world was lost when civilizations rose and fell at the end of a blade being put to the torch. Ruined cities and vast empires blanket the world with only mountains of rubble to tell their lost stories.
The cradle of civilization surrounds a major sea that joins the two major landmasses of the world. A narrow strait is all that separates these two continents with vast mountain ranges splitting them even further into disjointed masses. The eastern continent possesses a vast inner sea that splits it apart into smaller sections. The western continent grows outward from a central mountain range that divides the land. The continental plates push and pull causing volcanic rifts in the center of the eastern inner sea and the mountains to grow only larger on the western continent. Massive tunnels and natural underground caverns dot the western mountains giving access to many riches of the underworld to those daring enough to venture there.
The spiritual nature of the world is as diverse as its civilizations. Many different cultures give rise to many different religions ranging from monotheistic to shamanism and polytheism. Most societies are suspicious of those who claim no faith. Magic also draws the ire of the common folk, but many of the well developed nations understand the alchemical and scientific reasoning over superstition. Even some of the most well studied academics still cannot explain all of nature and the mystical energies that some seek to tap into for its alluring power. Most "magic" is manifested through mundane applications of complex alchemical solutions or incredibly sophisticated feats of engineering and science. It of course never hurts to indulge in a bit of showmanship to achieve a greater psychological effect of shooting fireballs out of one's hands. Fire also still hurts and the more there is the more it hurts.
