Culturebook - Neuonians

Neuon is a congregation of seven city-states (Calcasse, Cortez, Jondric, Harndin, LeGlasse, LeGonne, and Per-Saal) separated by distance and climate but connected by the jurisdiction of the High Council. The Council's main members include the Duke of each city-state, who receives his power via bloodline. Neuon encompasses a three-tiered class system represented by common workers, businessmen, and aristocracy.

The primary Neuon religious influence is the Church of Morning Light, which promotes perfection through innocence. (Knowledge must be avoided, for it possesses inherent danger, leads people from higher truth into self-serving intellectualism, and breeds a lack of sensitivity to human plight.) However, the Church is generally sincere in its beliefs and spends much time serving the common folk. Set directly against the Church is the Cult of Deridimos, whose members worship a dark quadra of otherworld beings in order to achieve personal power and financial gain.

Neuonian magic -- Wizardry -- allows for abstract manipulation of magical energy on the fly. If a spell can be imagined, it can be cast -- although only crafted and practiced spells can achieve truly devastating effect. Although powerful enough to be a political force of their own, most Neuonian wizards are more interested in improving their own abilities, uncovering forgotten lore, or marketing their abilities for coin. Still, secret sodalities (wizard castes) exist -- with their own specific agendas -- for wizards interested in political application of power. And various warrior leagues enforce their own discrete purposes by strength of arms.

To make matters more complicated, Neuonians co-exist (sometimes unknowingly) with the shape-changing Hourani culture. In fact, two city-states are openly governed by Hourani leaders. Those who know of Hourani -- mostly the experienced Neuonian leaders, soliders, and wizards -- treat them with caution and respect, while lower social classes either consider them myth to be ignored or monsters to be destroyed. Internal bias and fear of Hourani could eventually tear some city-states in half.

Culturebook: Neuonians is 192 pages of the material that players need to run an advanced medieval setting where magic has replaced technology but has not brought overall enlightenment to the general populace. Besides conceptual source material (history, philosophy, legends, and lore), gamers will uncover:

complete weapon and armor listings
new Neuonian cultural skills
135 specific Wizardry spells
Church of Morning Light rituals, channelings, and endowments
Cult of Derimidos rituals, channelings, and endowments
47 jobs and professions through which characters can advance, each with their own assets and bonus skills
Leaders, influences, and interesting items in each city-state
UNIQUE inclusion: For every GM who needs a village on the fly: A community generator that makes villages, towns, and cities in a hurry, for any FRPG!

With two cultures coexisting and so many political forces vying for control, the adventures in Neuon are literally endless.

As always, spells, careers, and endowments can be cross-cultural: Start a Neuonian character or expand your current Hourani character with these new abilities!