Àlex Shagu

Although almost the entire surface of Hah is a barren wasteland constantly ravaged by erosion, there are stable regions where life can thrive.

These areas are found in very specific locations across the world’s geography, where storms are tolerable and biomass can accumulate. These characteristics are usually found in regions sheltered by geographical features such as mountain ranges; as well as being inland, where storms lose their intensity. They are also regions with a stable water supply, whether from aquifers or from the moderate rainfall they receive. 

The general appearance of these biomes is that of a marsh or wet meadow, where water forms shallow lakes that are rapidly colonised by algae and other organisms, creating a place where life and decay alternate continuously.

Some concepts about the megacity periphery.

(1) Marcoma: a variety of maize perfectly adapted to the harsh conditions caused by erosion. Marcoma is a plant with broad, dark leaves, designed to make the most of the scarce sunlight. It has an extensive root system, which enables it to extract nutrients and water, whilst withstanding the effects of erosion to a certain extent.

(2) Betatah: variety of sweet potato with adaptations similar to those of Marcoma, but with a less developed aerial part. Betatah forms gigantic colonies of thousands of individuals where nutrients and water are shared, enabling it to build up sufficient reserves to germinate after storms.

(3) Tulpe: terrestrial algae that parasitises various species of Prototaxites, using them as a scaffold to unfurl its floating leaves. The leaves float due to a vascular system that pumps gas from the air bladders at the base, inflating the leaf and lifting it to better capture sunlight.

(A) Megacity farmer: they wear simple clothes that are well-suited to long days’ work. This particular farmer is a believer in reflection, as evidenced by his cap painted with the Vertical. In his hand he holds a sense artifact that allows him to perceive the quality of the soil.

(B) Land Caridean: shrimps adapted to life on land, whose habitat has gradually been taken over by megacities. They now roam around agricultural areas, feeding on parasitic algae and other waste.

In Hah the emergence of sedentary societies is only possible in specific regions of the planet’s surface; areas where erosion is not so destructive, typically situated in the region between the Profound Stormlands and the Far Cold, and which develop around a geographical feature such as a mountain range (for greater protection). Another important characteristic is that these are regions with a stable water source, whether in the form of aquifers or rivers. Megacities are the result of millennia of urban agglomeration, and are notable for having accumulated sufficient biomass to sustain their own distinct ecosystem. These megalopolises are massive, each housing hundreds of thousands or even millions of inhabitants who are primarily engaged in obtaining resources to maintain and expand the city. A minority of the population rules over the rest through the cult of the Worshippers of the Reflection.

Megalopolises across Hah share a common organisation consisting of three distinct regions.

Outer Circle

This is the city’s peripheral region, occupying on average three-quarters of its surface area. This is the region where food production and industry are concentrated. Food production has three strands: plant crops (such as varieties of maize, sweet potato and land seaweed); fungal and bacterial crops; and insect farms. In Hah, mammals are used primarily as working animals, for transport and as pack animals, although resources such as milk and occasional slaughter are also utilised. These farms are situated along terrestrial furrows that serve as shelters.

In this region, the city’s waste is also processed to transform it into biomass, as well as to obtain water. For obvious reasons, wells or watercourses are channelled to supply the city, and are located at specific points to prevent contamination.

Inner Circle

This is the city proper, whose true scale lies underground. Its layout is chaotic, resembling a vast human anthill. This is why there is a contrast between wide galleries and narrow labyrinths. Above ground, columns protrude to help extract stale air and ventilate the city; some buildings may also rise above the surface. This region is where the artisans, merchants, erosion walkers and the rest of the population are concentrated.

Cor

This is the heart of the city and where the aristocracy lives. Three large buildings stand out (usually carved out of the mountain itself, and can be truly enormous): The Academy, headquarters of the Ferrous Alchemists; the Mirror, main temple of the Ferric Disciples; and the Citadel, where the ruler/s of the city reside, and is housing the reserves of Black Sap, metal and is where the Garden of the Viritos is located.

The Cor extends to the very depths, as this is where the mines are located, working tirelessly to find the precious metal that the Metal Dsiciples guard so carefully.

The Walkers’ Mounts

It occurred to me today that camels might fit into the world of Hah, and could make great mounts for exploring the Erosion.

Apart from these, the Erosion Walkers use mainly three fictional mounts: the dramelids, the lagomerids and the bicerids.

Dramelids

The first are large, sturdy animals, characterised by a knuckle-walking gait similar to that of gorillas. They have a head resembling that of an aardvark, with a special sensory organ on their nose called radial, which allows them to detect changes in atmospheric pressure. They are used because they can carry much more weight than other mounts, although they are slower.

Lagomerids

The latter are light mounts, used for quick, short journeys across the Erosion. They have a more graceful build, usually with a thick coat that protects them from the abrasion of sandstorms. They are also used for getting around within megacities.

Bicerids

Bipedal mounts used for short journeys. They are very fast but are not suited to deep erosion, and are mainly used for journeys through stable regions. 

More Erosion art. I quite like doing this quick skectches, it’s a way from me to represent part of the calm and chaos between the barren and the storm.

New background for the YouTube video about this world building project. The video would be about the Erosion!

Talking more about the artwork… I suppose that this would be part of the walls inside a citadel (the core of a Megalopolise), representing the Man of Kabranah. This symbol is the main representation of the power of Senses, and it’s widely used by the alchemist to make tribute to Kabranah, the first Great Alchemist.

In Erosion, the canyons are formed by flash floods caused by storms from the south. This has created a rather rugged terrain that is very difficult to access. Some walkers decide to venture into its labyrinthine structure in order to shorten the conventional routes. However, this is a terrible idea because flooding can occur at any time.

Talking about the Erosion

Over the last few days, I have been slowly developing the appearance that Erosion will have. This is important to me because it is basically how the world of Hah will look.

I want Erosion to be a hostile environment for human existence, thus justifying the congregation towards megacities. However, I want Erosion to be habitable enough to allow those who are experienced to travel through it viably (even if they have to use their Senses). Apart from being able to sustain a certain biosphere, which would take refuge in caves or other geological formations that would serve as shelters.

I do not want Erosion to look like a desert, but rather my goal is to show that Hah is an old and worn-out world. Where geological cycles have become unstable and the terrain has been severely damaged.

To this end, I imagine Erosion as a wasteland of pale tones (varying according to the region), mostly flat expanses of rocky bedrock or compacted sand. This landscape is abruptly cut by geographical features such as promontories and eroded mountain ranges, plateaus and providential valleys produced by storm-induced flooding.

Erosion sketches

The inner erosion is a barren land eroded by the storms that come from the south. Almost any kind of life form couldn’t survive that harsh conditions, only underground or in the brief peace between storms.

Erosion Walker

Erosion Walkers are people who sacrifice their lives to travel the wasteland between Megalopolises in order to carry out important tasks:

Transporting secret messages: using the Senses to send messages through Erosion is viable; although these can be intercepted. As a consequence the walkers are used as keepers of vital messages.

Transporting unique goods: as technology, relics among others.

Transporting people: an example would be arranged marriages between nobles from different cities. One is taken under the wing of a traveller to seal the deal.

Anyone can be a walker, regardless of their social status. They must only be of full age (in Hah this is when someone learns to use their Senses). To become walkers, they must make a pilgrimage throughout Hah (only one in thousands succeeds). Once this is done, the person must wear the Halo of the Lost, which takes away all their memories.

From that moment on, you are no longer a citizen, you are a tool of the cities and will always be under their rule.

Taming - Rot and Senses

Taming or Second Gift, is directly derived from the Senses. It allows organisms to be permanently modified so that they follow an intention. Unlike the Senses, the subject's It is modified so that it influences the subject’s Ot, as if it were a living Sensitive Artifact. Normally Taming is represented by the Hands of Orkhatah (picture of the post).

Taming has three aspects:

Animacula Taming: simple organisms such as fungi and bacteria are modified. This is the main aspect of Taming and the one that yields the best results. These organisms are modified to produce organic components such as chitin, lignin, antimicrobials, acids, among many others. They also serve as chelating agents and metal accumulators, which are highly prized in Hah.

Bronze Taming (in future post)

Humus Taming (in future post)

Worshippers of the Reflection

Followers of the main religion in Hah. It consists of extreme worship of metal, not as a god or entity but as the material itself. Hah has a very poor surface, with very few mineral deposits. This means that the only viable way to extract metal is through Senses and Taming, which requires large amounts of resources. As a consequence, metal is a scarce material, used only by the elite of the Megalopolises and a sign of power and progress.

The summit of this faith are the Metal Disciples, practising a life completely devoted to the worship of metal in all its forms. They believe that the path to reality lies in reflection, and not in the mirage they believe they are living in. They believe that metal is the key that will enable them to channel the reflection in order to create the path towards ‘Existence’; thus enabling them to leave behind this illusion that many claim to be real. 

The Disciples usually wear grotesque masks that block their senses so that they can only perceive metal, avoiding any human interaction.

Catalytic Chest - Rot and Senses

Journeys through Erosion are long, making it unviable to carry enough food from the cities. In the outlands, food is rare not only because the amount of animals and plants are scarce, but also of their toxicity. The Catalytic Chest is a Sensitive Artifact that allows rotten biomass to be processed into something more or less edible.

Normally due to its dimensions, it must be carried by a mount (Part A of the figure), but there are smaller models that can be carried by a person.

How it works? (Part B of the Figure)

The traveller places the chest on flat ground. They then touch the back of the chest, which triggers a response that allows the chest to accepts biomass. The chest is able to recognise the touch of its owner; anyone else who touches it will cause the chest to fully close.

The person then opens the chest and deposits the relevant biomass. This can be virtually any organic material, from animals and plants to waste. It is recommended to fill the chest to maximise food production.

Once the biomass has been placed inside, the walker adds a certain amount of Black Sap.

The person closes the chest and gives it a pat, indicating that the metabolic process can begin. During the metabolic process, the person must be in direct contact to the chest in order to canalise the Sense through the object. Some models induce a calm state to make more comfortable the waiting.

What are those tooth jar things and what do they do?

Hi! Thanks to follow the project! ✨

The tooth jar is a Catalytic Chest. This is a device that allows toxic biomass from erosion to be processed into something edible. It is used by erosion walkers so that they do not have to rely so much on the rations they carry.