Garth Schwer

Recent Writing

Setting - The Dominion of Star-Blood

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Setting: The Dominion of Star-Blood

The Dominion occupies a pseudo-historical interglacial period roughly between 10,000 BC and 4,000 BC. It is a “Darkened Age” following the cataclysmic collapse of a global, high-technology civilization. The genre is defined as Megalithic Horror: humanity survives as scavengers within “Cyclopean” ruins they lack the capacity to replicate, wielding remnants of power they no longer comprehend.

1. The Antediluvian Context

The mythology of the Dominion is grounded in the Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis, recontextualized through the lens of cosmic horror. History is divided by the “Star-Fall,” a singular extinction event that severed the world from its golden age.

Mythic ElementThe Metaphysical Truth
The Builders (Nephilim)A global, seafaring empire of superior humanoids. They utilized “Acoustic Levitation” and geodetic science to map the stars and construct monolithic infrastructure.
The Star-FallThe “Comet” that struck the ice caps was a containment vessel for the Yellow King. The impact did not merely shatter the crust; it ruptured the dimensional membrane between Earth and the Hyades.
The Drowning of A-lemThe impact caused rapid glacial melting, raising sea levels instantly. The Nephilim continent (Atlantis/A-lem) was submerged, resetting technological progress to the Neolithic baseline.

2. The Cosmology of Two Flames

Magical theory within the Dominion adheres to a strict dualism (influenced by Trudvang Chronicles), separating power sources into Terrestrial (Finite) and Extraterrestrial (Infinite/Corrupting).

The Terrestrial Resonance (Primal Magic)

The “Old Gods” (Vanir, Earth-Spirits) were biological and spiritual entities bound to the planetary crust. The Star-Fall effectively sterilized them.

  • Source: The lingering bio-spiritual heat of the dying planet.
  • Practitioners: Druids, Beast-Hunters, and the Keepers of the Earth.
  • Nature: Finite and Sorrowful. It is the magic of wood, bone, and stone. Channeling it exhausts the user and the land alike.

The Carcosan Siphon (Arcane Magic)

The Nephilim tapped into the “Void” to power their acoustic technology, inadvertently opening a permanent channel to Carcosa. This is not a spirit world; it is a parasitic dimension ruled by the King in Yellow.

  • Source: The Siphon—an invisible atmospheric tear where the constellation of the Hyades is visible even during the day.
  • Practitioners: Wizards, Sorcerers, and excavators of the “Black Tablets.”
  • Nature: Infinite and Viral. Arcane magic is not created; it is stolen. The energy is addictive and actively seeks to rewrite the biology of the caster.

3. The Star-Blooded

In the Dominion, heroic capability is not a matter of training alone; it is a consequence of genetic heritage. Star-Blood is a radiological mutation passed down from survivors of the impact event.

  1. The Admixture: Heroes possess a genetic legacy altered by the death-cry of the Earth Gods and the radiation of the Yellow Sign.
  2. The Capacity: This mutation allows individuals to channel magical currents without suffering immediate biological collapse (turning to salt or liquefying).
  3. The Beacon: The Star-Blood acts as a psychic lighthouse. Entities from the dark, including the “Deep Ones” and spectral remnants of the Nephilim, are instinctively drawn to this potency.

4. The Geopolitics of Survival

Civilization is bifurcated by reactions to the Pre-Diluvian ruins.

  • The Scavenger Cities: The major population centers are constructed inside the skeletal remains of Nephilim mega-structures. Humanity lives like rodents within the walls of giants, mining the ruins for “Black Tablet” artifacts while ignoring the madness that leaks from the stone.
  • The Cult of the Yellow Sign: A nihilistic religion viewing the Star-Fall as a necessary terraforming event. They believe humanity must physically mutate to survive the coming merger with Carcosa.
  • The Keepers of the Earth: Isolationist tribes who reject the “Stone Magic” of the cities. They maintain the oral traditions of the Old Gods and aggressively police the borders of the wilderness to prevent the spread of Arcane corruption.

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