Tellurus: a worldbuilding project

[Imperator Frank]

As you might expect from a region somewhat inspired by China, the names Běiměng and Gandao suggest a language with a somewhat similar grammar/structure to Chinese, (and even potentially meaningwise too...Běiměng immediately calls to mind 北蒙, or "Northern Mongolia", while Gandao...甘島 'sweet island'? 乾島 'dry island'?). Does Serican use an ideographic writing system analogous to Chinese?

I figured out what I got Běiměng from: it's the original name for the ancient Chinese capital city of Yin. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yinxu

 

[ruth]

I don't recall what I intended Běiměng to mean but your translation of Gandao sounds about right. Běiměng is indeed supposed to be analogous to the Shang Dynasty of China. If you could think of a more fitting name I'd be glad to hear it. As for writing systems, I'm going to assume so its similar to Chinese since I know very little about ancient China.

Běiměng isn't a bad name, though it does suggest/imply a Nánměng 南蒙 'Southern Měng' presumably coterminously (though it's possible that it's a clarification after the fact, to contrast it with a later/more famous Měng). Alternatively, it could be somewhat idiosyncratically named 'North Měng', or (this is really early history after all) it could be referring to the character's original etymology as 'back', 'turn your back on', 'retreat'/'be defeated' (the body part now uses the character 背, which you can see has the character for 北 běi as its top component), so maybe the eventual inheritors of the next dynasty aren't so kind in how they write about their predecessors, the 'Defeated Meng'...

Of course, this all has a strong basis in OTL Chinese, so of course this can all be ignored for the sake of avoiding too much convergence, or the meanings of characters freely changed to suit the needs of a given situation.

 

[Imperator Frank]

Běiměng isn't a bad name, though it does suggest/imply a Nánměng 南蒙 'Southern Měng' presumably coterminously (though it's possible that it's a clarification after the fact, to contrast it with a later/more famous Měng). Alternatively, it could be somewhat idiosyncratically named 'North Měng', or (this is really early history after all) it could be referring to the character's original etymology as 'back', 'turn your back on', 'retreat'/'be defeated' (the body part now uses the character 背, which you can see has the character for 北 běi as its top component), so maybe the eventual inheritors of the next dynasty aren't so kind in how they write about their predecessors, the 'Defeated Meng'...

Of course, this all has a strong basis in OTL Chinese, so of course this can all be ignored for the sake of avoiding too much convergence, or the meanings of characters freely changed to suit the needs of a given situation.

How about The Bronze (Qingtong/青銅) Dynasty? Uninspired, I know.

 

[ruth]

How about The Bronze (Qingtong/青銅) Dynasty? Uninspired, I know.

Classical Chinese dynasties/state names/surnames were almost exclusively written with a single morpheme, so I think you could get away even with writing it simply as 銅 Tóng. On its own it typically means copper, but in lots of compounds it can refer to copper or bronze.

Alternatively, here's a sneaky thought: you mentioned a bit before that the Beimeng has an earlier and a later period. 青 typically means 'green' or 'blue', but by extension (since it's often applied to plants) it can mean 'young'. Maybe there can be a 老銅 Lǎotóng "older Tóng" and 青銅 Qīngtóng "younger Tóng" dynasty/state/period?

 

[Imperator Frank]

Classical Chinese dynasties/state names/surnames were almost exclusively written with a single morpheme, so I think you could get away even with writing it simply as 銅 Tóng. On its own it typically means copper, but in lots of compounds it can refer to copper or bronze.

Alternatively, here's a sneaky thought: you mentioned a bit before that the Beimeng has an earlier and a later period. 青 typically means 'green' or 'blue', but by extension (since it's often applied to plants) it can mean 'young'. Maybe there can be a 老銅 Lǎotóng "older Tóng" and 青銅 Qīngtóng "younger Tóng" dynasty/state/period?

I like that, I think we have a winner. Thank you for all the help by the way, I'm very grateful for it.

 

[ruth]

I like that, I think we have a winner. Thank you for all the help by the way, I'm very grateful for it.

Glad you like it!

I've been giving a bit of thought to Unia as well, and why it might have the name that it does. There's a lot of potential avenues to go with the name, either it being derived from an indigenous name, or perhaps an exonym applied by the Sericans...originally 雲國 Yúnguó 'land of clouds' (it seems like it's in the right place to have a rather maritime climate with lots of rain and clouds?), which gets brought back to Unia when they borrow the Serican writing system to yield 雲國 Unkoku. The first major kingdom/ruler of Unia appends the character 和 'harmony' to the name of the country (just being "Cloudland" is kind of gloomy!), yielding 雲和國 Unna-koku or Unna-no-kuni. This, in turn, gets reborrowed into Serican as 雲和 Yúnhé, which the rest of the world takes and hears as "Unia".

 

[Imperator Frank]

Glad you like it!

I've been giving a bit of thought to Unia as well, and why it might have the name that it does. There's a lot of potential avenues to go with the name, either it being derived from an indigenous name, or perhaps an exonym applied by the Sericans...originally 雲國 Yúnguó 'land of clouds' (it seems like it's in the right place to have a rather maritime climate with lots of rain and clouds?), which gets brought back to Unia when they borrow the Serican writing system to yield 雲國 Unkoku. The first major kingdom/ruler of Unia appends the character 和 'harmony' to the name of the country (just being "Cloudland" is kind of gloomy!), yielding 雲和國 Unna-koku or Unna-no-kuni. This, in turn, gets reborrowed into Serican as 雲和 Yúnhé, which the rest of the world takes and hears as "Unia".

Nice to see my made-up words aren't too unrealistic. Thank you for the insight.

 

[Imperator Frank]

Large updates to the first two uploaded segments of the timeline are being worked on as I post this. Expect a lot more detail and less vagueness (less "c." dates) I'll also be changing some names in Serica after being giving some quality assistance naming things there from @ruth .

 

[Killerflood]

@Imperator Frank, looking at the city map you posted last page, I notice that there is some inland areas with blue outlines. For example, the one just NW of the beginning of the word "Darastun". I've also seen these in the other maps. My assumption before was that these were areas that were below sea level since that was the only connection I could find. Is this the case or is it something else?

 

[Imperator Frank]

@Imperator Frank, looking at the city map you posted last page, I notice that there is some inland areas with blue outlines. For example, the one just NW of the beginning of the word "Darastun". I've also seen these in the other maps. My assumption before was that these were areas that were below sea level since that was the only connection I could find. Is this the case or is it something else?

Yeah, i mentioned that when i posted it in the map thred but forgot to do it here, sorry about that.

 

[Imperator Frank]

Is there anything in particular anyone would want to know more about when go back and update the old parts of the timeline?

 

[Imperator Frank]

NOTICE: Previous timeline segments have been updated with more detail! I'll go back and look for spelling errors and and more maps to the more lengthier parts at some point, but for now feel free to see what's new. Use the threadmarks if you wish to find the previous updates easily. The timeline starts on page 33.

EDIT: It's gonna be updated again tomorrow, I forgot to add more information about Avarda.

 

[Falkanner]

I never really knew what purpose the Emboss tool was supposed to serve until I realized you could apply it to a heightmap. So, I experimented with the physical map of Tellurus for a bit and... now I know:

More specifically, I converted the topographical map to grayscale, embossed it, changed it to sepia tone, and used an overlay of the climates to change the sepia to match the color of the vegetation. All the while, I kept the ocean on a separate layer.

 

[Imperator Frank]

I never really knew what purpose the Emboss tool was supposed to serve until I realized you could apply it to a heightmap. So, I experimented with the physical map of Tellurus for a bit and... now I know:

View attachment 426333

More specifically, I converted the topographical map to grayscale, embossed it, changed it to sepia tone, and used an overlay of the climates to change the sepia to match the color of the vegetation. All the while, I kept the ocean on a separate layer.

That's really fucking cool.

 

[Imperator Frank]

The older parts of the timeline have been updated with dates for the founding of Avarda's kingdoms.
Expect up to the year 2570 sometime after tomorrow.

 

[Imperator Frank]

Here we go again.

2377 AF: Semaron's remnants also finally defeated by Sutarba.
2379 AF: The Qīngtóng Emperor is assassinated when he attempts to regain power over the governors. A decade without a ruler but much chaos occurs afterwards.
2382 AF: Tymria has another civil war. The country remains divided.
c. 2390 AF: Umalan tribes in Urubar and to the east revolt and break away from Sutarba, starting another long war.
2390 AF: The Qīngtóng Dynasty is restored once again, severely weakened in power and basically only controlling the capital city.
2395 AF: The Katalic parts of the Sutarban Empire revolt and break away for a time.
c.2400 AF: Dursini civilization begins in northern Albala.
2401 AF: The city of Qarnenak is founded by Nenakians in northern Rhodin.
2422 AF: Sutarban forces land on the west coast of Katal, venture inland and vassalize the tribe occupying former Neathuqi lands, the Ecbadai.
2423 AF: The Vardic kingdom of Girigam is founded in southwest Avarda. By this point most of central Avard is controlled by similar kingdoms and principalities.
2425 AF: The Umalan settlements east of Urubar are defeated and conquered by Sutarba. Urubar falls a year later.
c. 2430 AF: The Sutarban Empire expands down the coast to the southwest, conquering tribes and raiding others.
2435 AF: Qīngtóng authority collapses completely when the emperor is killed by a rebel assassin this year. Most governors lose faith in the Qīngtóng dynasty and declare independence.
2448 AF: Eastern tribes invade and sack Chángchūn, the capital of the already moribund Qīngtóng. With their king is killed and the dynasty extinguished, governors with territory become truly independent and begin to fight one another.
c. 2460 AF: Descendants of Shawilu refugees led by Queen Lavana, intermixed with local Dursini and now known as the Lavinic people, settle along the banks of the Ryphon river in central Albalon.
c.2470 AF: Southern Albala is colonized by Pelasians and to a lesser extent, Nenakians.
2474 AF: Suluk begins invading Tymria from the south.
2477 AF: War begins in western Pelasia between the city-state of Urotas and several others. It would last over 20 years.
2483 AF: Urubar comes under Sutarban control once again. Nenakia is retaken as well.
2484 AF: Esirta is invaded and pillaged by Sutarbans, who force it into tributary status.
c.2490 AF: Tymria finally expels it's Lubii occupiers.
2492 AF: Sutarba conquers Kadimar, all of Miscaya and Katal are united.
2494 AF: Tymria is reunified, but under the control of the Suluk Empire.
2498 AF: Urotas emerges victorious and conquers the other city-states.
2498 AF: Uhaakin is conquered by Sutarba.
c.2500 AF: Nenakia and Uhaakin revolt against Sutarba.
2502 AF: The remnants of the Nasenite Empire fall into Sutarban control. That same year a battle between Tymria-Suluk and the Sutarbans takes place in Nenakia.
2506 AF: The Kadimarans revolt but completely crushed.
2509 AF: The kingdom of the Ecbadai declares independence from Sutarba.
2511 AF: The Kingdom of Kubushah is conquered by the Sutarbans.
2518 AF: The Ecbadai become tributaries of the Sutarbans once more.
c.2520 AF: Urbanization begins once again in Avarda.

2520 AF
The Sutarbans conquer a significant amount of the civilized world's population and territory, spreading from Kubushah in the northwest to Kamnag in the southeast. The ECBADAI (Neathuqi descendants or conquerors), Esirtans and the Sangarans are their vassals. SULUK has also completely conquered Tymria as well. The PELASIAN city-states begin settling coastlines all over the Thalmedic, especially coastal Lotan/Ahurastan and southern Albala, near the newly united DURSINI people. ARGÆAS is founded as well, directly south of Pelasia. The other significant change is that Serica has collapsed completely into many independent states and kingdoms, the most powerful being XU, YAN, ZHU, WEI, JI, CHENG, and XIN. The weak royal dynasty rules only the land around Chángchūn (mislabeled as Shendu, something I need to fix still. ).

2533 AF: Sutarba pillages Kadimar after they attempt to revolt again, continuing their long-lasting rivalry.
2535 AF: The Sutarban Empire expands south and east in Miscaya similar to Buguran, nearing the border of Kamnag in the south.
2541 AF: Girigam is founded as an independent Vardic kingdom.
2543 AF: Kadimar is rebuilt after being burnt down.
2543 AF: Sutarba goes to war with Tymria after rebels in Sutarba were found to be supported by Tymria.
2545 AF: The Tymrians temporarily hold back the Sutarban advance by supporting another short-lived rebellion in Nenakia.
2548 AF: The second invasion, however, is a success; and Riphem in Lower Tymria is taken by the Sutarbans.
2553 AF: Suluk armies force the Sutarbans back out of Tymria for a time.
2554 AF: Tymria is finally conquered by Sutarba, and the Suluk retreat to their homeland.
c. 2560 AF: Avanin, the capital of Sutarban Empire(the biggest empire yet), is the world's biggest city with 150,000 people living in it.
c.2560 AF: Vaethalia is founded at the "Gates" of the Blood Sea by Pelasian colonists near the original site of Shawilu.
2564 AF: Tymria breaks free from Sutarba.
2567 AF: The Esirtan Empire is formed after they break free from Sutarba and conquer the Ecbadai.
2569 AF: Kadimar revolts yet again.
c.2570 AF: Settlers from the south reach the Islands of Unia in northwest Serica.
c.2570 AF: Tyhrrus is founded by Lavinic people in Albala on the Ryphon river, named and led by a man named Septus Tyhrricus who becomes the first king as well.

2570 AF: Esirta and Kadimar break free from the SUTARBAN empire, with varying results. Tymria breaks free from Suluk rule, The city of TYHRRUS is founded in Albala, and Nenakian colonists create the nation of QARNENAK in northwest Rhodin. GIRIGAM is established in Avarda, and EPLA reaches the height of its power in the Blood Sea region. The Serican states are slowly conquered by the more powerful ones, and war becomes commonplace.

 

[ruth]

There goes the Mandate of Heaven.

Interested to see what Gandao amounts to, since it seems to be very stable and in its own little world for the most part.

 

[Imperator Frank]

There goes the Mandate of Heaven.

Interested to see what Gandao amounts to, since it seems to be very stable and in its own little world for the most part.

Yeah, they're pretty isolated for now, probably only vaguely knowing of Serica if at all.

 

[Imperator Frank]

Written In-universe.

First deciphered by Yseian translators in Caridell in the year 2541 AC (5111 AF), the "Kadimaran World Map" is a tablet made from clay showing one of the oldest known maps of the world, dating roughly to the first century AC (2500 AF) or even earlier. It was written in ancient Kadimaran cuneiform, most likely during the rule of the Neo-Sutarban Empire. The tablet was first discovered in the excavations of Nissar and translated soon afterwards.

Keeping with their heavy usage of numbers based on 3 and 6, the Kadimarans saw the world as three major lands divided by three bodies of water, all surrounded by an outer ring of ocean with unknown lands on the outside. Many circles and lines are present, denoting cities and rivers line the sides of the three landmasses. It also names many of the lands and seas depicted in the tablet. In its heavily damaged state of discovery, any information regarding the outer regions, or NAGU, were lost to time.

The map has been reconstructed in modern *English* and colored for clarification.

 

[Minnesota_Nationalist]

Nice, a T-O style map