Creators & Roles

Langston McKee, speculative fiction writer

World summary/overview

Deep in the heart of the haunted seas lies the island-continent of Crescent. With the death of the king, Crescent is now ruled by a regency of seven Djinn possessed by the Sovereign each vying for power. Further, the eternal storm that surrounds the island is moving closer sending waves of refugees inland. It’s up to a group of outlawed gunmen to restore order to Crescent. But can they succeed before they all go mad.

Themes

Redemption

Sanity

Authority

Environment

The story takes place on the Island Continent of Crescent in the midst of the haunted seas. It is surrounded on all sides by an eternal storm that is kept from reaching the island by the presence of the king. The eternal storm doesn’t rain but consists of black clouds and lightning along with random fundamental phenomenon like gravity wells. 

The island exists as an oasis in the midst of the eternal storm. No records exist of what, if anything lies beyond the eternal storm. Crescent is broken up into twelve domains each ruled by a different sovereign.

There is some variability in climate across the island with wetlands, mountains, forests, and fields. There is also a region that’s been turned into one massive city with a great garden sanctuary planted in its center. Most of the inhabitants can’t read or write and it is only in Nabu’s domain are you likely to find individuals capable of both. 

Technology/Magic System

Each domain has a unique culture and level of technological advancement though you can find revolvers pretty much anywhere except the jungle. Furthermore, the Djinn can possess you and grant you authority over one aspect of the four fundamental forces. The Djinn are spirits born of fire that have been granted a measure of control over one of the four fundamental forces gravity (Northern Djinn), electromagnetism (Southern Djinn), strong force (Western Djinn), or weak force (Eastern Djinn).

Anyone can become possessed by Djinn but for the most part the possession process will kill you unless you resonate with a given Djinn (Northern, Southern, Western, or Eastern respectively).

Resonance is determined by personality of the user. Djinn possession is very hard on the psyche and body. It slowly drives one mad as the Djinn begin to take over ones body the more you allow them to hold sway.

They gain sway when the possessed uses their powers. Djinn have a power hierarchy that is indicated by how elaborate the tattoos on their bodies are. These tattoos appear glowing on the possessed when they use the power of the Djinn.

If the Djinn completely possesses your body you experience spontaneous combustion and run around as a marked man (or woman) walking through the world lashing out with the power of the Djinn in the agony of eternal flame until your body is quenched by water. After quenching a marked man dies and the Djinn is cast out of the body.

You may also conventionally kill the marked man but that endangers the soul of the victim that might be forever burning if killed without being quenched. All seven sovereigns are Djinn possessed.

For some of the Sovereign families the Djinn are passed down through the lineage being allowed to possess the firstborn of that sovereign family. The only other way to end up Djinn possessed is to either enter the eternal storm and encounter a Djinn there or kill a Djinn’s host a which point the Djinn might latch on to you if you’re compatible.

Djinn can also make contracts for their power but entering into these is usually very unwise.

The Djinn possessed can create marked men out of those who are under their authority. So say if you were in an army lead by a Djinn possessed person you could be made a marked man via ritual.

However, rather than being a mindless destructive monster like other marked men those in the employ of a Djinn possessed lose all emotion and are completely bound to that masters will. Furthermore they are able to create bullets imbued with the power of the Djinn that can be used by anyone. These bullets are classified in by a numerical system by which a user of said bullet can roughly determine the effect the bullet will have on impact.

Only marked men can create the special ammunition from their own ashes as they burn eternally. Marked men have the ash colored skin with tattoos in the pattern of the Djinn that possess them. Animals can also become Djinn possessed however they immediately burst into flame and go on a rampage when they do.

Djinn are not intrinsically malevolent. Most are, by merit of seeking their own ends and seeking out human vessels to inhabit, but some follow the Precepts of the First Flame. The Precepts call for living in mutual submission to the will of the First Flame alongside the humans. The self-proclaimed king of the Djinn, Ifrit, despises the Precepts and seeks to destroy all memory of them though he has not been seen in several centuries. Ever since his battle with the First Flame.

The Blind Gunmen: They are the only one’s capable of fighting the Djinn possessed and marked men on even footing thanks to the abilities given them by the entity known as the Second Sun.