Xadune
Xadune
- Location
- Georgia
- Genre
- Victorian Steampunk Fantasy
- Conflict resolution system
- Boffer combat, spell packet based magic, & foam projectile firearms
- Duration
- Full weekend
- Established
- 2008
- Games per year
- 9 - 10
- Credits
- Owner: J.S.K.Jenny
- Participation fee
- $35
- Rule system
- Xadune Player's Handbook
- Website
- Xadune
Xadune (pronounced: 'eks-ā-dün) is a Georgia based live action role-playing game (or LARP) that centers around a mysterious island city on the planet of Xadune. The game offers fresh themes based in a Victorian period with both gaslamp and science fiction roots; as opposed to medieval fantasy.
Quick Overveiw
Rich with culture and history, Xadune offers an “open source” combat system -- meaning that pretty much any weapon and armor is fair game to use. Unlike most other LARPs you are not limited to what weapon you are skilled in, but rather more reflects real life. Basically, if you can pick it up, you can swing it. Most skills in Xadune reflect either knowledge or special skills with which you can build your character. The game is also one of the rarer LARPs that offers religion. Most LARPs veer away from this subject, but a few embrace it. Much like the Greek mythology, deities look over and often meddle with the people of Xadune. Also, something more new to the world of LARPing is the idea of a story that takes place in the Steam Age. Though fantasy and magic is still present in the game, the new found science is making its impression fast and strong. With this new found knowledge, also come firearms. Though still in their infancy stage of life, firearms are a powerful tool to any person.
World History
Xadune, fifth planet in what use to be a tertiary star solar system, is orbited by its two satellites, Io & Sent, and is most commonly known as the weigh station of the mulitverse. The past century or so has been rough on Xadune. AFS (After Fallen Star) 0 marks the disappearance of the system’s largest star, Tirus. Since then many nations have been destroyed and are once again in a state of rebuild. The diversity of races and cultures has broadened even more leaving almost no segregation in the larger cities. For the first time in almost a hundred years Xadune is once again open to the multiverse, after a past century period where, for unknown reasons, the planet was on some sort of planer lock-down.
Over a hundred and thirty years ago a catastrophic event occurred, the cause of which is still a mystery. Slowly the planet slipped into turmoil and natural disasters started to occur on an outlandish scale. One by one each of the three stars around Xadune disappeared until the planet was left in a state of frozen tundra. At the same time all planer travel and even communication with deities ceased. After a 56 day period of total darkness, two of the suns reappeared in the sky. After about 6 more months of planetary reshaping the havoc came to an end. The world had changed forever. Deities were once again talking to their followers, but no answers about what had occurred were ever given. Rumors went about and all seemed to fall on one common ground: Gatherers caused the apocalypse to happen. What’s a Gatherer? Some sort of powerful vessel of destruction apparently, but no one ever gives the same answer. Most areas did not digress much in the 2 months of destruction that occurred over a century ago. Most still sit in an early renaissance period, a few cultures were destroyed in the aftermath, and most of the nomadic tribes and cultures were worn down to only the strongest of the race. The orcish clans are the best example of this. Their race now appears to be at the height of their existence. Their scholars and warriors are amongst the best in the lands and highly sought after for training.
Even though hard times have pressed against the planet, good things still flourish. A hand full of the leading nations and cultures have reached the steam age, and for the first time in recorded history the field of science is making a name for itself. Many of the youths of these cultures are embracing these newfound arts and heralding them as the future, while many still clutch to the ancient arts of magic as the true path to the future. Least affected by the devastation was the island nation-continent of New Zeal, while Jarr withstood the most damage. Many of its cities were destroyed. The capital city of Revrent was the only city untouched. Most of the larger cities were heavily damaged and a few were completely destroyed, including the great port city of Star Port which slipped entirely into the sea. On the coastlines nearest to where the fallen city was, New Star Port is slowly making a rise. Kanada was severed from the main continent of Jarr at the great gates. Its climate is now much colder, but the people seem to be adjusting fine.
New Zeal is the desert continent of the world. Its lands are mostly sand and silt. The sun never sets here, and often there are two suns in the sky. The temperature sits steadily around 110 degrees at the lowest (dry heat). Water is an expensive luxury and brute force often rules the lands. It’s the only continent that still freely endorses the use of slaves. The land turns into deadly sinking sands as it approaches the ocean, and then from an oozy mud into dirty water, then finally the salt ocean. The capital of the largest kingdom here is Tyr.
Jarr is the eastern most continent on the centerline of the planet. It has few mountains and is mostly rolling plains and lakes. Farming is the largest source of income for the kingdoms of Jarr, the largest being Revrent. Pha is the western counterpart to Jarr. Its country sides are vastly filled with forests and a few scattered mountain ranges. Unfortunately, not many know much about Pha, besides it being a very backwoods place. Now the seas have made it nearly impossible to reach. Up until recently Pha was mostly unmapped due to the devastation that befell Xadune, but thanks to a few airship aerial surveys is has been remedied. Jarr and Pha share about the same climate. Seasonal changes occur about every three months or so and temperatures range from almost freezing in the cold months to sometimes as hot as 95 degrees in the summer.
Kanada was once part of the continent of Jarr, but has now become its own landmass. Kanada has always been the secretive culture and land of mystery. Customs, language, and even technology are very different. They have, until recently, been seen as the most advanced culture, but they rarely get involved with the world about them. Now that they are separate from Jarr, their hidden world and knowledge is almost completely kept from the world outside. Gaining access into their kingdoms is a feat of its own, and considered practically impossible. These days Kanada now shares a much colder climate band and they must endure a few months of total darkness.
And then there is the city: in between these four great nations on the open seas sits an island that until about three years ago never existed. On this island lays a city, or ruins as many first saw it, in which something special was happening. Here, almost every doorway serves a dual purpose of being a gateway to somewhere else. Portals that lead from one place to the other - and not just on Xadune, but everywhere. No one knows where the city came from, or even where the island came from. And until recently all four nations had people there trying to figure everything out: mapping out the doorways, plotting out their paths throughout the multiverse. Archmagi and scientist alike were studying the surroundings trying to determine where, how, and why the island was there. Of course, with this many portals in one place it was next to impossible to stop others from coming in and out, and so over the course of a year the newfound island ruins became a fully functional city. Then on the eve of Grim’s Delight (All-hallows) of AFS 128, all the people disappeared.
Now, a few years later the world clamors on. The City has become an international hot spot and seemingly fragile way station for strange events. So-called deep investigations by the world’s governments still look into the events that transpired that fateful night in AFS 128, along with the origins of the Island. No one says it, but everyone knows: therein, amongst the steam and magical back allies, deep within the underbelly of the slums, and on the doorsteps of the Governmental ward are the answers everyone is looking for. They just have to reach out and take it…
World Setting
Xadune, a vast and seemingly ever-changing world; over a century ago events of an unknown nature ripped the lands a sunder. Darkness ruled over the entire planet, and almost all thought they would perish. Then, as quickly as it occurred, the light came back and life went on. She orbits around one star, while a larger star lies off her southern horizon. Because of this the south hemisphere of Xadune is always in the light, while the northern most portion sits in darkness. For the most part central Xadune is like your ordinary world: night, day, and a turn of seasons. Most of your habitable areas lay in this region. Overall three major landmasses dominate Xadune, while numerous islands dot the four oceans.
- Jarr
Throughout time Jarr has been one of the more advanced continents of Xadune. The kingdom of Revrent is the only nation on Jarr, but doesn’t cover the entire continent. Jarr, itself, is mainly rolling fields. With few mountain ranges, and scattered small forests, agriculture was Jars main form of profit. As time progressed, valuable mines were found under the soil, thus giving boon to the lead source of income for the nation of Revrent: valuable minerals. Almost all forms of ore are found in the rich soils of Jarr, along with gold and many precious gems.
- Kanada
Until the recent cataclysmic events, Kanda was connected to Jarr via land bridge; but even during these times Kanada kept very much to itself. Since the separation, Kanada has been enjoying a more peaceful solitude. The events of the past have caused Kanada to be slightly smaller than it was two centuries ago, but this in no way has stopped it from being just as mesmerizing. Visitors to these lands return often speaking of paradise and tranquility. Lush mountainsides, waterfalls, and green valleys cover this volcanically formed island.
- New Zeal
Second largest continent on the planet and second most dangerous area on the planet, New Zeal offers a landscape all its own. Known to many as the land of the unsetting Sun it is mainly covered by vast and open desert. Truly the land where only the strongest survive, it always has one of the Sun’s light, if not both, beating down on it. Surrounded by silt seas, just getting there is an adventure. To add, the constantly shifting sands and almost infinite desert offer an insight deep into the past. Many venture here in attempts to learn more about time forgotten, never to return.
- Pha
The largest of all the continents on Xadune and also the most diverse in geography; Pha is the mystical homeland to many creatures, a safe haven to the near extinct, and prison to the lost. The largest land mountain on Xadune lies on Pha along with the largest forest and fresh water lake. She is separated into nine different regions; some at war, others at peace. Temperatures vary heavily, with the north seeing freezing conditions almost half of the year, while the southern tips have almost twenty hours of daylight and heat in the summertime. Due to the valleys and mountains Pha also almost receives more rainfall per year than any other landmass. Heavy fogs are common across the continent. Villages, towns, and even large cities dot almost every area of Pha.
- Greachen
A fairly large island in the northern Espen Ocean with a ring of coastal mountains surrounding the low central plains that make this countryside notable. The island's lush vegetation, a product of its mild climate and frequent rainfall, is one of the most notable features of Greachen. The least arable land lies in the south-western and western areas. These areas are largely mountainous and rocky, with green panoramic vistas. Overall, Greachen has a mild but changeable, oceanic climate with few extremes.