Life in Anoth Peras

Life in Anoth Peras

Although superficially similar to life on Earth, one would have an entirely different sort of existence in the realm of Anoth Peras. Humanity, for one thing, is not the only sentient species on the planet; whether any one of the races, as they are colloquially and incorrectly known, claims any dominance over the others or the world itself is a matter of debate. And in some ways, much less is known about the universe; the greatest scientists know nothing of the atom, nor is vaccination a concept known to the doctors of the land. No satellite maps are available of the terrain, and no-one understands the nuances of brain activity.

But even so, the denizens of Mithica are perhaps better-equipped to face their lives. Damaged objects of any value can be reassembled to perfect condition by sorcery. Diseases may be treated by alchemists, or - if there is need enough - by the will of the divine. The unknowable has been answered - either by the emissaries of the Gods themselves, or by divination magic and exploration. And finally, death - the final frontier of our mankind - is but an inconvenience, if the proper fees may be paid.

However, resurrection and magical healing are often beyond the common man's reach. Resurrection can cost more than five hundred gold Shields, and most adults earn less than a tenth of a single Shield from a day's labour. As known as life's mysteries are, their lives are much more ephemeral - for every hour that a human lives, a dwarf shall live twenty and an elf one-hundred or more. Any number of creatures are prepared to consume the flesh of mortalkind, for the races of Anoth Peras are not at the top of their planet's food chain.

Most commoners are intelligent enough to carry a weapon or have some way of defending themselves. Both martial arts and combat training carry much more value, for without these things one is much more dependant upon money, both to pay for travel and to hire protection.

Spells, although present, is not a major part of their lives - farmers still wait for the rains as do we, while craftsmen create works of skill with talent and experience alone. Not everyone will know the difference between a sleight-of-hand trick and a "real" illusion, and many people hold customs and superstitions intended to curry good luck, frighten away evil spirits, or other similar acts; most of these customs have no real-world effect.

The gods are very real, and a tangible presence in Mithica. Prayer allows anyone to contact their deity, and the Gods grant divine power to their dedicated servants. Although they do not run the affairs of men, every God has a vested interest in the survival and prosperity of their charges, and there is no question of what comes after life and what one must do to reap a reward in the thereafter.

Nonetheless, there are many who would rather return to life than continue to the next world. These people must either possess the wealth to ensure they are raised from the dead if needed, or they must make arrangements to be raised and enter a long-term work contract through a Mortager?.

In the end, humanity - and all of mortalkind - is and are much as is here. The future, however, is a little less certain, and what comes after death is a little more so.

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