Gruul

Nomadic Planet

Theme: Balance

Vibes: Serenghetti, Great Plains, Nuba Mountains, Horizon: Zero Dawn meets Flintstones

One massive Pangea type landmass. Highly influenced by Nature deities, most people are nomadic and live in rhythm with the land. Very few actual permanent settlements. A lot of cooperation with animals, like the Flintstones but less degrading. Many tribes adopt a kind of Peaceful Warrior stance, combat arts embraced as meditation or dance. Lots of Megafauna. Most tribes are friendly with Styx travellers, but some believe the balance of Gruul to be in danger with too much outside influence, and will occasionally attack Styxports and Styx ships. Matt suggested forever ago that people move up and down the coast with pods of Orcas or Orca-type creatures. There are a few points where sailing around the other side of the world is quicker than crossing on land, but deep ocean is dangerous.

A Godly Mess

Looking at Gruul from above would be like looking at stereotypical platformer settings smooshed next to each other - a pristine beach sharply turns to frozen tundra, which melts into jungle, which dries to a lava field.

Thinking of Plate Tectonics and Wilson Lines, these biomes used to be more separated, strongly influenced by Gods who watch over the land. As they drifted together, this influence has been maintained, making it possible to for a dense rainforest to abut a sparse desert.

Gruulian Guardians

Inspired by the Naraphon Tree and the Golem. People on Gruul who either choose or are forced to live without the protection of the Gods sometimes craft Guardians for themselves. These are the original Warforged.

Soul Weavers of the Godless are able to give a soul last rites while still on The Delta. This can only be done to a willing soul. This allows the soul to let go of the form it remembers and be reborn without ever having to go through Shadowfell or the Elemental Chaos, like unspooling a sock into a pile of yarn. The soul is then formless, and able to take on new shape, often a body grown or sculpted out of the land by members of the Godless. Some Guardians contain only one soul, bearing a similar resemblance to the soul that birthed it, like a child might resemble their parent. Others are comprised of multiple souls, becoming embodiments of the tribe itself. A soul that submits themselves to this does so knowing they won't get to spend any time in any afterlife domain they may have earned, any chance to reconnect with those who've gone before.