The World of Man of War. · 4:02am Jul 11th, 2013
The following post will be an in-depth look at the different cultures and races of Man of War. The story will get glimpses but I felt it appropriate to make this in addition to that. It will also help for whenever someone tries to make a character for this universe. Keep in mind that this is a generalization. There are those who deviate from the social norm. This is just an overview of how most would act and think.
The Ponies.
As depicted in the show and story, the ponies live in Equestria, Saddle Arabia, and The Crystal Empire. As determined in the story, Equestria takes up what we know as the North Americas. Saddle Arabia is the north western part of Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula. And the Crystal Empire takes up what is Greenland. For the most part, the people (or ponies) are friendly and welcoming. Though they have their set of ideologies (something like an early U.S.A.) they can be open minded to other cultures... or not. There are those who don't mix well with the others, even going so far as to segregate their own kind. Theses mentalities aren't prevalent, but cause all of them to have reserves when approaching other species. Their race include Earth ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasus.
They all believe that Spatium formed all existence and Tempus gave them the ages. From there, Celestia and Luna formed a balance that made daily life, Cadence gave them passion, and now Twilight is their ambition. Though they don't have a church for this, this is the widely believed creation theory. No organized religion has truly been formed in their society, but this belief is in the core of everyone's heart.
The Griffins.
The Griffin Colonies are a group of smaller griffin kingdoms under one ruler, Ulfric Stormind. They live in the land we know as Europe. The griffins have an open and friendly demeanor. Many things other people would consider taboo or private they consider trivial. Something that happens daily and shouldn't be frowned upon. Griffins tend to not challenge the status queue. If it isn't broken, why fix it? This isn't to say they aren't innovative, it's simply saying new ideas are harder to grasp. When a griffin gets passionate about something, getting them to let go is practically impossible.Though they aren't as prevalent, there are three main races to griffins. Omnivores, though they tend to only eat fish. Eagles, Hawks, and Owls. All have loin backs.
The Griffins believe that Everything came from a greater planes of existence, and that The Great Sphinxes, Alicorns, or any other 'enlightened' species are transcendents from this planes. If you are good, or do good deeds, you ascend to this planes. If you are bad, you enter some form of limbo known as Pouncitory. This is where you wait to rejoin the living as a new being and attempt to gain access to the Great Planes in the sky. Good deeds can range, from morality to actions. A griffin killed in war honorably has the same chance as a morally good griffin.
The Zebras.
Zebras live in a system of tribes that acknowledge one shaman as their leader. They live in the region know as Mid, to south Africa. The Zebras live happily being 'one with the land'. Everything has a use, nothing is wasted. Zebras don't tend to write things down. It's not that they can't, it's that they have a tradition of telling stories from mouth to mouth. Alchemy runs through every tribe. To them, it's the manifestation of the land withing them. Though they try to end confrontations without killing, the constant threats on their lands have made them adept in the art.
The zebras believe that all life came to this world from some chi like energy in the stars. Because of this, they- and everything in existence- are part of one greater being. The earth, plants, and other animals are as much of them as they are of them. No one dies, they simply shed from their mortal form and join the cosmic energy to be reborn into the rest of the surrounding energies.
The Minotaurs.
The Minotaurs live in northern Africa in a system as old as their culture. A royal family has been in rule for as long as they have been. The reason being, tradition. For minotuars, if it's traditional, it's law... for the individual at least. Not every Minotaur follows every tradition, though most do. The most common ones being- females wearing hijabs (veils over their faces), burning your dead (friend and foe alike), wearing body piercings, and learning a form of dance (as decided by the late fourth emperor Steel Hoof) to name a few. There are not many cities due to their culture mainly being nomadic. Minotaurs can be omnivores, if tradition says to eat meat.
The Minotaurs believe that the sun and moon, long before Celestia and Luna, have chosen them as the chosen people. They followed them in the time before time in an attempt to reach their transcendence to the after life. One day (coincidentally around Celestias and Lunas coming of age) a family found that they could no longer follow after their deities. They took this as a sign and became the rulers of all Minotaurs, proclaiming that they had ascended their brethren. Thus formed the Royal Family. The dead are treated to be preserved for the after life. Coins on the eyes, a chest of valuables to pay the gate keeper, and a weapon to fend off demons.
The Bears.
The Soviet Bear Union is located where Russia is today. For the bears, if it's there, who gives a fuck pass the bottle. Bears tend too be laid back when talking about many subjects, but don't mistake them as weak. Crossing a bear usually results in, but not limited to- broken limbs, removed limbs, hurt feelings, loss of feeling, stabbing, drowning, water boarding, burning, and possible crushing. There are your standard brown and black bears, the polar bears of the north, and the Pandas of the west. The Pandas are an odd exception to the bears, in that they are pacifists, though they can defend themselves.
A bear once tried to form a religion. He got stabbed. The only bears to follow a somewhat religious order are the Pandas, though they have never publicly said this. Often times taking vows of silence before hand.
The Apes.
The Apes take up the south east area of Asia. Honor is at the center of their culture. For an Ape, you live to honor your family, your work place, and your home lands. Their lands are made of dense jungles that they weave into their homes and businesses. Though they are small (the average chimp being three feet tall) they are by no means harmless. Chimpanzees, Gorillas, and the occasional Orangutan are among the strongest creatures on the plant, and tend to be light on their feet. They also have a metal craft that they have kept secret from the rest of the world (folded steel). They are omnivores, but tend to stick to vegetarian diets.
The Apes believe that the world is a delicate balance of push and pull. Creation and destruction. Positive and negative. Where some meditate in the martial arts, some find zen in growing bamboo. When one dies, you honor their life and prepare them to join the after. They burn the body to shed them of their mortal shell, allowing their soul to enter purgatory. From there, they live in the after planes until they become one with the chi. The chi then makes its way back to the mortal planes where it's woven back into mortal shells.
The Orcs.
Image not found.
The orcs live in the area around what is know as The Pit. It takes up China, the southern part of Russia, and many arts of south east Asia. The orcs are least least understood race out there, for one simple reason. They are carnivores that on average stand at nine feet. Every other society has demonized in one way or another, so very little is know to the outside world about them. In actuality, they are very ritualistic, and reasonable people... for the most part. The biggest ritual that anyone could ever see is The Hunt. Orcs believe that the killing of an animal for food is sacred. They die, so they can live, and that is respected. If anyone takes part of an orcs Hunt, they are bound for life to the Hunt and are to be killed if they refuse to attend (for disrespecting the dead). Living on the cliffs of the Pit has hardened these people enough, but the constant wars they have with the bears and apes has made them brutal.
The Orcs believe that all life crawled out from the Pit. The weak ponies ran from it while the griffins grew wings and flew away. Only the strongest dared stay near it. Because of this, they have grown strongest survive mentality. The weak exist to feed the strong. There is no after life for them. You live, you die, that's the end of it. Because they believe in strength so much, many things culturally seem... odd to others. For instance, the Voice. From the outside looking in, it just looks as if they're yelling at the top of their lungs. To them, they are proclaiming something. Anger, fear, passion, it's how they show emotions.
The Goblins.
Please note that the Goblins in this story have four arms, not two.
The Goblins take up the land we know as Australia. For Goblins, the next evolution in any life form is though technology. They are the most technologically advanced people in existence (excluding any people that were buried and recently resurfaced). To us, their tech would look steampunk. They are advance enough to have pistols, rifles, and canons (though they look and operate similar to the weapons of the late 1700's). For Goblins, the most important things in life tend to be material things. Mainly because if a Goblin dies, you just kick him into the mud pits and wait for him to get back to work. This is why there are so many Goblins, but don't be fooled. They can die, you just have to destroy the body completely. Oldest Goblin to date: Crank at 2978. Longest record for work place safety: twelve minutes.
The Goblins believe that life can no longer exist in mortal, weak form. The next step lays in manipulation of the earth to ascend life as they know it. Every Goblin is given a birth right of technology, and it is their duty to master it and advance it somehow. They as a race are all striving for total perfection.
Non Playable Characters
Donkeys.
Donkeys mostly take up Central America. They enjoy all of the perks of being Equestrian while getting viewed as a lesser equine. Doubles for mules. They sill believe in the morality of Pony beliefs.
The Elementals.
Though the elementals are scattered, they predominately come from South America. They do have a system of representation, but no two elementals are the same. They break down into the four main groups (Water, Earth, Fire, and Air) and even have rare sub-forms. They can speak common, though mainly stick to their primordial language. They hate Goblins with a passion because they tend to use them for their devices. What's better then setting a fire elemental next to a water elemental for practically limitless power?
Treefolk.
Treefolk, Treants, Saplings, they go by many names. These beings are the epitome of being one with nature. They have their natural form (see picture above) and their greater form (think LotR). Death and destruction are despised by these beings. They believe life and growth are meant to rule the world. That all life comes from the World Tree.
What about changelings?
1203275 They were kind of defeated and are too minor to care about. This is for the secret project of awesome. You'll hear more about that after the next chapter is posted. (Which, by the way, is in edits and should come out soon)
Okay. I like this alot. It'll also help me keep track of character types.
You should make a list of all the characters that have been in the story... Um, if thats okay with you...
1203280 Well hopefully not too minor I mean have you ever thought off what the storyline could be for a 'good' changeling in the story cause I have. They'd be interesting if I didn't loose my account awhile ago I would have recommended one for the expedition to the last hold.
1203285 FUUUUUUUUUU.... it's the elementals..... dammit, one sec
EDIT: Fixed it, thanks.
Brony on!
1203284 I've actually already started that one. Give me a bit longer, I have to wrote descriptions as well.
1203294
Also, what do you mean by NPC? Like all the other races are playable?
1203299
Sorry I'm kinda taking up all your comment space
Two questions: Do treants live in a certain place or just everywhere? And would timber wolves fall under the category of treant?
1203378 Treants are everywhere and Timber wolves aren't sentient.As for playable, you will find out soon.
Brony on!
The amount of thought put into this story would probably not fit in the empire state building
But, despite that it seems like this is going to be a long ass story....
I'm prepared >:D
Do Crystal Ponies count in with just regular ponies, or no?
1225009 They go under as regular ponies.
I have a few questions
When will the game be done
Will it be on the computer
And can you be a treant even tho you can't in the story?
1255512 It is unknown when this will be done. It will be done over the internet, but not necessarily on it. It is a table top game. (think DnD) And no, you cannot be a treant, they are under the non playable characters section
1255897 *sigh* ok no treant. Also I've played a couple of table top games before but I was born after dungeons and dragons was popular and when I was old enough no one wanted to play it :(
game, what game? What's happening? I'm so lost and so pissed it took me so long to find this story...
can I get a quick PM about what is going on, sans MAJOR spoilers? I'm only at chapter 103 or so...
Don't hurt me!!!
1203391 I'm confused, can you fill me in?
1337719 I'm in the process of turning man of war into a pen and paper rpg. There are certain species you can and cannot play.
1338171 Damn nice, me and two friends printed a map of ancient china, wrote some cards got some markers and dices, made it into a territory RPG P&P game :)
1338198 This is going to a little different than that. If you've ever palyed Shadowrun, it'll play off of their mechanics. If you don't know what that is, think DnD, but with d6's.
1338201 I actually never played DnD...
1338204 Then think of it like this: You have a character on paper fighting things on paper. To determine what you do, you roll dice.
1338851 Oh, that's kind of cool.