The Beginning
In the earliest days of Veldram, one creature stood as the apex predator. The Zorgoia. An utterly massive beast with thick scaly hide, sharp claws, and blunt tail barbs. Compared to most other life forms on the planet, they were feral and territorial, and smaller creatures always fled whenever they heard one approach. Veldram was a hot, rocky, desert planet, and most of the creatures there were adapted for the heat relatively well. Then, on one fateful day, a stray meteorite plunged into the planet's surface, creating a miniscule crater; little more than a small ripple in geologic time. While such anomalies were common, and the meteorite was far too small to do any real damage to the planet or its life, the contaminants that it carried would ensure a different fate for Veldram’s ecosphere. Nestled in the core of the meteorite was a virus unlike anything the planet had ever seen; a bizarre, parasitic, crystalline substance, which crept deep beneath the planet's crust, eating it from the inside out and replacing it with more of itself. Over time, the virus began to spread rapidly, overtaking the planet internally; the ripple had become a rogue wave.
While heat from the planet's core still radiated from its genesis billions of years ago, the viral interference began to cool the core, stealing heat from the planet to continue its alien metabolism. Nearly indestructible, it displaced magma in Veldram’s mantle, forcing it through weak points in the crust. Parasitic crystals soon entwined with the superheated rock far below, and eruptions ejected an ashen miasma of infectious crystal. The planet itself began to cool at a rapid pace, plunging Veldram into an ice age era. With such a rapid change in climate, many species died out, unable to withstand such a change in climate. The Zorgoias, a species that relied on the heat to survive, were forced to look for shelter elsewhere, lest they share the fate of the others. Many perished in the wake of the unforgiving cold, while few found refuge in unexpected places. While many found their homes in deep caverns and the rare warmer habitats that remained, others fled to the poles. Little did they know, the poles were the worst place for them to go. The crystal parasite had completed its chrysalis, and jutted out from both ends of the planet over hundreds and thousands of years, like a toothpick skewering an olive. A towering spire of unfathomable height. Over eons, the crystalline mass would force itself skyward, upheaving the polar tectonic plates, creating a barrier of mountains around it. Now it lies dormant, an obelisk of mirror-like surfaces.
While heat from the planet's core still radiated from its genesis billions of years ago, the viral interference began to cool the core, stealing heat from the planet to continue its alien metabolism. Nearly indestructible, it displaced magma in Veldram’s mantle, forcing it through weak points in the crust. Parasitic crystals soon entwined with the superheated rock far below, and eruptions ejected an ashen miasma of infectious crystal. The planet itself began to cool at a rapid pace, plunging Veldram into an ice age era. With such a rapid change in climate, many species died out, unable to withstand such a change in climate. The Zorgoias, a species that relied on the heat to survive, were forced to look for shelter elsewhere, lest they share the fate of the others. Many perished in the wake of the unforgiving cold, while few found refuge in unexpected places. While many found their homes in deep caverns and the rare warmer habitats that remained, others fled to the poles. Little did they know, the poles were the worst place for them to go. The crystal parasite had completed its chrysalis, and jutted out from both ends of the planet over hundreds and thousands of years, like a toothpick skewering an olive. A towering spire of unfathomable height. Over eons, the crystalline mass would force itself skyward, upheaving the polar tectonic plates, creating a barrier of mountains around it. Now it lies dormant, an obelisk of mirror-like surfaces.
The History of Veldram
Creatures would later dub the massive growth as "The Spire". While this strange formation would inevitably ensure the ecosphere’s survival, it would not ensure the survival of the creatures that came in contact direct contact with the virus, or anything else that it contaminated. The virus would quickly overtake stone, foliage, water sources, and eventually the wildlife. Almost everything that the virus consumed would be turned into an immobile husk, overtaken with a crystalline form that would easily shatter into pieces at the slightest impact, killing them in the process. The crystalline ash ejected from the rampant volcanism quickly contaminated most surface water, making it even harder for creatures to avoid infection. The Zorgoias were no different; however, this did not lead to a gradual extinction by crystallization. In fact, some were able to miraculously adapt to the virus’ presence, and were able to fight most of the effects.
The inhabitants of Veldram would later discover in their years of growing intelligence that the Spire was not entirely a death sentence to anyone that neared it. It wasn't just a virus. This Spire held an immense amount of magical properties. It was from this substance, this 'virus,' this spire, that all of the magic flowing through Veldram to this day, originated. The Zorgoias, one of the few species who survived exposure to it, were those most adapted to its properties. All of this snowballed into the Zorgoias and Zorgoia subspecies that you all know today. As the ice age receded, temperate climes emerged, and the Zorgoias were changed as well; they grew fur, shrank, lost their clawed hands and feet (aside from a few exceptions), and gained sophistication quite quickly. Zorgoias were renowned for being the most adaptive species DNA-wise, and for good reason.
The inhabitants of Veldram would later discover in their years of growing intelligence that the Spire was not entirely a death sentence to anyone that neared it. It wasn't just a virus. This Spire held an immense amount of magical properties. It was from this substance, this 'virus,' this spire, that all of the magic flowing through Veldram to this day, originated. The Zorgoias, one of the few species who survived exposure to it, were those most adapted to its properties. All of this snowballed into the Zorgoias and Zorgoia subspecies that you all know today. As the ice age receded, temperate climes emerged, and the Zorgoias were changed as well; they grew fur, shrank, lost their clawed hands and feet (aside from a few exceptions), and gained sophistication quite quickly. Zorgoias were renowned for being the most adaptive species DNA-wise, and for good reason.
Common Law
Zorgoia law on Veldram has remained simple and unchanged for ages. Under the monarchal system, the King or Queen establish rule of Law and punishments for those who would break it. Some laws become outdated or have been changed over the passage of generations, but one that remains unchanged since the first King is succession. A rival may challenge the king for the throne in a fight to the death, with the winner upholding the right to rule.
More recent rules (under King Eachom) include the outlawing of "Blood Magic", "senseless killing", "tampering with or trespassing too close to the Spire", and "excessive bothering of the king".
More recent rules (under King Eachom) include the outlawing of "Blood Magic", "senseless killing", "tampering with or trespassing too close to the Spire", and "excessive bothering of the king".
The Spire's Law
Spireborns (and rarely other subspecies of Zorgoias) tend to prefer sticking around the Spire, or contaminated areas that most creatures of Veldram have learned to stay away from. The Spireborn Zorgoias have full immunity to the Spire's virus, making them legends among the few Veldram species that know about them. These intelligent Zorgoias thrive in small, underground communities, living by strict laws. They worship the Spire as if it were a tangible deity and treat it as such. While many see them as misguided, they are set in their ways and see those that have been 'touched' by the Spire's effects (infected, or worse) as beings to be well respected. Many know the Spire's virus to be a curse, but Spireborns see it as a gift; they become one with the Spire's greatness, the source of all magic that allows them to thrive. They protect the Spire and anything its virus contaminates, which ironically both preserve's the areas which the Spire has infected and keeps most creatures from becoming infected themselves. Outsiders are strongly discouraged from getting too close, or trying to destroy the spire, impossible as the task may be.
