Moot
The foundational meeting of representatives from all of the sapient species that led to the first peace, and the Law of Speech. This pivotal moment changed the face of the World, and led to the establishment of a formal, worldwide calendar, beginning with the Moot as Year 0 of the current era.
It wasn't until societies grew and the first mixed-species settlements began to form that there was even thought of this status quo changing. An otus named Nianus who grew curious about the languages of others began to meet with members of different species, speaking to tribal leaders and other curious minds. He quickly realized that they had more in common than they had difference, and began thinking of ways to bridge those gaps that remained.
He began to recruit others who shared the same mission, starting with his otus colleagues, but quickly gaining members of other species. The prey were first, seeking to end their persecution and fear. Then came the predators whose minds were opened by sharing a dialogue with such small creatures for the first time. After nearly three years, he'd grouped together leaders, chiefs, shamans, mages, and kings, and asked them all to send their brightest minds to a meeting point, where these problems would be solved.
They came to an agreement - all species that speak, regardless of language, deserve the same treatment from all other species. No eating or hunting those who speak. No forcing them into bondage or enslavement. The representatives knew this would raise hairs in some places, where such things were permitted, but they agreed that any strife it could cause was worth it. Nianus wrote this new law down onto a document which each representative signed in their own language, codifying it for all species.
The kenku representative, the scribe who wrote every detail of the Moot, copied the law down thirty-six times, so that each could take it home and proclaim it to their kind. This was the new law of the World, and those who did not follow it would receive no quarter from those who do.
The societies that held out on ratifying the Law quickly found themselves outcompeted - in production, population, and militarily. An army of one species didn't stand much of a chance against ones made of all kinds. The first true kingdoms and empires grew from these conquest and integration of the remaining unlawful tribes.
Today, the Law can be recited from memory by almost everyone you meet, and no person dreams of going back to the old ways.
Before the Moot
From the earliest recorded histories of each species, there had been interaction with - and occasionally strife - with other species. The largest left one another alone: rhox and ursinin knew the strength of one another and wouldn't fight. But the smaller species, those who evolved from prey animals or simply small critters, were often hunted by larger species. Carnivores all freely ate their smallest neighbors, often simply because they didn't understand that they were also thinking, speaking, animals. In some parts of the world, it was permissible to enslave other species and use them as beasts of burden. Thousands of years went by like this - small tribal societies, each writing their own laws and treating other species as less than.It wasn't until societies grew and the first mixed-species settlements began to form that there was even thought of this status quo changing. An otus named Nianus who grew curious about the languages of others began to meet with members of different species, speaking to tribal leaders and other curious minds. He quickly realized that they had more in common than they had difference, and began thinking of ways to bridge those gaps that remained.
He began to recruit others who shared the same mission, starting with his otus colleagues, but quickly gaining members of other species. The prey were first, seeking to end their persecution and fear. Then came the predators whose minds were opened by sharing a dialogue with such small creatures for the first time. After nearly three years, he'd grouped together leaders, chiefs, shamans, mages, and kings, and asked them all to send their brightest minds to a meeting point, where these problems would be solved.
Ending the Strife
Thirty-six representatives and their parties from the thirty-six sapient species met atop a hill in what would later be know as the Kingdom of Balveda, in a simple structure now known as the Temple of the Heart. These representatives were chosen by their people to speak their needs and concerns, to listen to others, and return with new knowledge of how to better the world. They sat around the great stone table and discussed what it meant to be an animal and live in the World the Heart created, all while the Heart stood behind them on the horizon.They came to an agreement - all species that speak, regardless of language, deserve the same treatment from all other species. No eating or hunting those who speak. No forcing them into bondage or enslavement. The representatives knew this would raise hairs in some places, where such things were permitted, but they agreed that any strife it could cause was worth it. Nianus wrote this new law down onto a document which each representative signed in their own language, codifying it for all species.
The kenku representative, the scribe who wrote every detail of the Moot, copied the law down thirty-six times, so that each could take it home and proclaim it to their kind. This was the new law of the World, and those who did not follow it would receive no quarter from those who do.
A Better World
Within two decades, the majority of tribes and city-states across the World had accepted the Law of Speech into their society. It opened up new means of cooperation - now any two people from any two species could talk, share ideas, and learn from one another. The Law indirectly allowed for the study of Magic to become formalized, for new artforms to be produced, and for cities to grow and flourish as any member of any species could live together. It allowed for shared currency, religion, and education. The new calendar formalized holidays, months, and years.The societies that held out on ratifying the Law quickly found themselves outcompeted - in production, population, and militarily. An army of one species didn't stand much of a chance against ones made of all kinds. The first true kingdoms and empires grew from these conquest and integration of the remaining unlawful tribes.
Today, the Law can be recited from memory by almost everyone you meet, and no person dreams of going back to the old ways.
Date of Setting
0 New Era
Related Locations
Who's the Hero?
Depending on which species you ask, their representative very well could be the hero of the Moot. While nearly everyone agrees that Nianus wrote the final Law itself, not all agree that he gathered the representatives or made it possible. The timus tell that it took a brave, young timus girl, standing up to the largest predators and willing to die for her people, for the otus to realize what was happening. The aarakocra claim that their wings are what spread the law, while the lagombi and cervid say they brought it on foot. Many carnivorous species claim they were the first to change their ways, except for the yuan-ti, who admit to being incredibly hard to bring to the table. While the details of how the Moot started or what happened after it ended might vary based on culture, we do know exactly how the Moot itself went, thanks to the detailed transcription of the scribe that day. Notable moments include: the bullywug representative choosing to sing all of her responses; the ursinin complaining loudly about the heat and asking to reconvene later in the year; the tabaxi punching the swynn over a crude joke; the tortle napping for almost an hour; the minotaur and yuan-ti yelling and cursing at each other for an extended length of time; and the iruxi fileting and eating a fish it had caught on the way over.
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