⚠️ Due to this story being based on a video game, many things are subject to change as the game updates. Changes will be posted in my profile comments. 【 T A L E S F R O M T H E P A T H 】 This project will explain how the world works in my story based on the dinosaur survival game Path of Titans developed by Alderon Games. 【 H O W T H E C R E A T U R E S I N T E R A C T 】 Herbivores and carnivores don't typically use words with each other. Their lives are in direct conflict. Herbivores want to live, but carnivores need to hunt to live. Carnivores don't typically hunt each other unless they're desperate, since carnivore meat simply doesn't have enough nutritional value and is sometimes straight up unhealthy. This means they're more likely to use their words if they encounter other species because they understand what the other goes through and what they have to do. Herbivores are more than happy to converse with each other since they're almost never a threat to their lives. Some individuals can be enemies for personal reasons, but it's not nature that holds them back from being allies. And so there's a divide between the two sides. Carnivores hate the herbivores for denying them food, and herbivores hate the carnivores for hunting them. There are very few exceptions where individuals come to an understanding, usually when the carnivore lives off of non-sentient creatures, but these are completely overshadowed in the grand scheme of things. 【 N O N - S E N T I E N T C R E A T U R E S 】 Not all creatures in Gondwa are sentient. This is usually small critters and most fish, but also includes sea turtles, birds, and insects. Specific examples are Didelphodon (otter-like mammal), Paleosaniwa (monitor lizard-like reptile), Platyhystrix (sail-backed amphibian), crows, manta rays, kelp sharks, dragonflies, and Goniopholis (crocodyliform), just to name a few. 【 C U L T U R E S A N D R E L I G I O N S 】 The creatures' ways of life are about as diverse as their species. Some creatures would like nothing more than to live lives of silliness and love, like Yunnanosaurus and Citipati respectively, while others are harsh and rageful, like Ceratosaurus and Albertaceratops, again respectively. Each genus prefers different nesting environments, such as Rhamphorhynchus in coastal cliffs and Parasaurolophus in grassland bushes, and prefer different foods. As for their religions, there is some variety: ➤ Archidoherra This is the most widespread religion in Gondwa. Followers of this put faith in an all-powerful god called Leviathan who speaks an entirely unknown language, but they believe he manipulates events to accomplish his purposes without communicating directly. ➤ Terra The second most widespread, its followers believe in a god called Atlas that created the earth and that he placed Waystones to allow for his followers' loved ones to quickly be brought home. There is a subtype to this religion called Pyro-Terra, which puts the great majority of worship in Atlas' young combat apprentice. This subtype is followed by the Avis Rapax, a coalition of dromaeosaurid syndicates. They believe in a prophecy about the apprentice, who they call "Unguibus Ignis," that would take the form of an extinct genus, Achillobator, and lead them to victory. ➤ Soluna Only one follower of this religion remains, though it used to have a large following. It centers around a sun god called Megilio and a moon god called Megari. The followers believed Megilio provided an abundance of food and water during bloom season, and that Megari created Homecaves to provide shelter during the night. This religion is not well documented, to the point that there's zero knowledge about Megari even existing in it. Even the single remaining follower seems to only worship Megilio. All religions believe in the prophecy of Tremore Terrae, a great final war between the gods and their followers for reign over Gondwa. Archidoherra and Terra (including Pyro-Terra) believe that they are destined to win this war and that their gods will give them great blessings, while Soluna believed that Megilio and Megari were trying to prevent it to spare their followers and out of fear of what might happen to the land. 【 H O M E C A V E S A N D W A Y S T O N E S 】 I believe you, dear reader, are overdue for an explanation. ➤ Homecaves (Image 1) Homecaves appear as tunnels with a stone tablet outside that has a glowing blue cave marking on it. Interacting with the tablet brings you inside the Homecaves directly or you could walk into the darkness at the end of the tunnel, which doesn't light up even if the sun shines into it. Upon entering, you'll find an open cave chamber that appears to have a large opening at the top, despite not being present on the outside. A stone tablet like the one outside is on the right, which allows for adding more chambers, decorations, and bringing friends and family in since they can't follow you normally. (continued below)
Herbivores can't invite carnivores and vice versa, widening the divide. As mentioned above, the Soluna religion believed that Megari created Homecaves to provide shelter during the night, but many use them during the day as well now. ➤ Waystones (Image 2) Waystones are large stone tablets with glowing green markings that depict something unfamiliar. They hold a powerful energy that can be controlled when interacting with the stone, though it's uses are limited. It allows the user to link someone anywhere in Gondwa to the Waystone. If the other party goes to sleep, they have a dream where they see a request for them to be brought to the Waystone, and they can see whether it is on land or in the sea. If they accept, the Waystone releases a strong discharge energy in a large area around itself, and the invited individual appears in front of it. The Waystone must recharge for a while after this, but the dispersed energy is not lost. It becomes trapped in mushrooms or starfish, converting them into "glow" variants. These can be brought back to the Waystone to make it recharge faster. Again, herbivores can't invite carnivores and vice versa, further widening the divide. As mentioned above, the Terra religion (including Pyro-Terra) believe Atlas created Waystones so his followers' loved ones can quickly be brought home, although the invited individual doesn't necessarily have to be loved. 【 E X S I A 】 Exsia is an invisible force radiating from deep within the earth that creatures can learn to use. It doesn't make them wizards or mages, but they can channel it to strengthen their physical attributes or direct it to others around them, whether supportive or opposing. They can even carry genes that use exsia to give them constant or situational passive effects. Hatchlings would be lucky to have even one use for exsia, but their capabilities expand as they age. Exsia genes are usually dormant until certain ages and can't really be controlled. It is thought that the gods worked together to create exsia in the core of the earth before they became enemies. Exsia doesn't appear to be in use by Homecaves or Waystones, as nobody has been able to channel their energies for the same purposes. 【 A C T U A L N O T E S A N D C R E D I T S 】 Images are screenshots I took from Path of Titans. HOO BOY that was a lot >.< I really tried my best to get all the necessary information out in a way that makes sense, so I hope nothing here is hard to grasp ^-^' In hindsight this should've been the first Tales from the Path project I made... oops ._.
