Thursday, October 25, 2012

Fantastic Friday! The Many Faces of Namor's Atlantis For High Tech Mysticism & High Caliber Adventure

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There's one foe of the Fantastic Four Besides Doom & Galactus that really strikes a cord with me! The crowned prince of Atlantis!
Imperious Rex himself
Namor
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 He's been around since 1939 & has been the sea borne backbone of Marvel. His origins & powers have evolved changed & changed again. If you want the low down on him jump into the deep end of this wiki entry Here
Namor's Atlantis As Adventure Location 

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Today I'm more concerned with the ruins of Atlantis & their history in the Marvel universe which date all the way back to the era of Namor's beginning. The Atlantians themselves didn't create Atlantis or the ruins they found & adapted them as well as the technology their in!
The blue skinned ocean dwellers have been a part of Marvel since the very beginning.
Who & What They Are 
According to Wiki : 

The Homo mermanus are often referred to as Atlanteans, as it is in the city of Atlantis that their first complex society emerged. Like humans they learned to domesticate animals, such as dolphins, while humans domesticated horses, dogs and camels.
Atlantis itself had been a small above ground continent with many human settlements, when an event 10,000 years ago called the "Great Cataclysm" caused it to be submerged into the sea. 2,000 years later, a group of Homo mermanus made the ruins of the human settlements in Atlantis their home and went on to develop a society there using as much of the material as they could scavenge from the wreckage. Many of the warring tribes united under a single emperor (although by the 20th century there were still some barbarian tribes).
500 years after the settlement of Atlantis, another group of Homo mermanus left Atlantis to found their own city -this time in a part of the ruins of another continent submerged during the Great Cataclysm - Lemuria in the Pacific Ocean.
These "Lemurians" would discover the Serpent Crown in the ruins of their city, and through their Leader Naga's exposure and extensive use of the ancient mystical device, they would become more serpent-like in appearance than their Atlantean cousins.
Many Atlanteans worship Neptune, Roman god of the sea.
During the 20th century the Homo mermanus race began to come into sustained contact with their human cousins. These contacts have often been hostile, and have included many aborted invasions (Atlantis Attacks etc.) and even separate occasions when large numbers of Homo mermanus were rendered comatose or sterilized for periods. During the Second World War the kingdom of Atlantis also fought against the Axis Powers in alliance with the Allied Powers.[volume & issue needed]
However, not all interactions between Homo sapiens and Homo mermanus have been hostile - during the 1920s a Homo mermanusfemale, Princess Fen of Atlantis mated with the human sea captain Leonard McKenzie - a union which produced the first human/Atlantean hybrid - Namor {avenging son in atlantean}, the Sub-Mariner.[volume & issue needed]
In the aftermath of the Civil War and the World War Hulk events the homo mermanus, being blamed for the terrorism due to the actions of Kamar, militaristic son of Namor, are forced to leave the seas, using the established sleeper cells to live within humanity.[volume & issue needed] The Atlantean Army resided in Latveria, guests of Doctor Doom, and the civilians lived alongside the rest of humanity.[volume & issue needed]
After their leader Namor allied with the X-Men, the Atlanteans began to build a support pillar that would keep the newly established mutant nation of Utopia (near the coast of San Francisco) from sinking.[1] Around this pillar, called the Atlantean column, they established a city called New Atlantis 




The History of A Lost Race 

To know the Atlantians & their history is to know the ins & outs of power & strife. According to wiki : 
The inhabitants of ancient Atlantis built an enormous glass-like dome over the capital city, also known as Atlantis. When barbarians sent by the Deviant Lemuria empire attacked Atlantis, King Kamuu opened the magma-pits which were the city's means of heating. This caused the continent to sink.[1] Kamuu was warned of the Great Cataclysm by the seer, Zhered-Na. When she refused to recant, he had her exiled to the mainland, where she was later stabbed to death by survivors of the submersion.[2][3]
The priests and intellectuals of the city Netheria foresaw the Lemurian attack and fortified their city, and thus it sank intact. Netheria still exists today, ruled by Queen Kala.[4] Other ancient Atlanteans survived the sinking of the continent by various methods, includingDakimh the EnchanterVarnae, and Stygyro.
About 8,000 years ago, a group of Homo mermanus nomads discovered the ruins of the city of Atlantis. They made the ruins of the human settlements in Atlantis their home and went on to develop a society there using as much of the material as they could salvage from the wreckage. These people are thus often referred to as "Atlanteans", as it is in the city of Atlantis that their first complex society emerged.[volume & issue needed]
Five hundred years after the settlement of Atlantis, another group of Homo mermanus leave Atlantis to find their own city; this time in a part of the ruins of Lemuria, another continent submerged during the Great Cataclysm. These "Lemurians", as they now call themselves, discover the Serpent Crown in the ruins of their city. The Serpent Crown had been crafted by ancient Atlantean alchemists as a vessel empowered by the demonic Elder God Set. Through their leader Naga's exposure and extensive use of the ancient mystical device, they become more serpent-like in appearance than their Atlantean cousins.[volume & issue needed]
Atlanteans have little or no contact with their human cousins for millennia. However, the two races come into sustained contact, often hostile, beginning in the 20th Century. On occasions, Atlanteans invade the surface world.[volume & issue needed] The current Prince,Namor the Sub-Mariner, is initially hostile to the surface world, but fights in alliance with the Allied Powers against the Axis Powersduring World War II.[volume & issue needed] Namor defends Atlantis against villains like Attuma and Warlord Krang, who plot to overthrow him and take over Atlantis.[volume & issue needed]
The city of Atlantis is destroyed when the super-villain Nitro explodes, taking with him Namor's traitorous son, Kamar
 The Legacy Of Lemuria


The Wizard: Between the time when the oceans drank Atlantis and the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of. And unto this, Conan, destined to wear the jeweled crown of Aquilonia upon a troubled brow. It is I, his chronicler, who alone can tell thee of his saga. Let me tell you of the days of high adventure! 
Conan 1982
 Lumeria is the black sheep of the Underwater races of the Marvel universe but it is also the preserver of the arcane secrets of the serpent men, the high technology of the deviants, & the resting place for some of the most powerful magics upon the Marvel universe!
From Wiki on Marvel's  Lemuria 
 Lemuria is the name of two fictional locations in the Marvel Universe.
Lemuria had been a small continent and group of islands in the Pacific Ocean 21,000 years ago, which was ruled by the Deviants. Lemuria became the center of the Deviant empire, and the only remaining free land was Atlantis, the continent that held its greatest enemy, the Atlantean Empire. When the Deviants attacked Atlantis, the Atlantean King Kamuu opened the magma-pits which were the city's means of heating. This caused a chain reaction which collapsed and sank the continent.
At that same time, when the Second Host of the Celestials came to Earth, the Deviants attacked them. In retaliation, the Celestials sank Lemuria in what is now known as the "Great Cataclysm." The Eternal Ikaris guided a ship of humans to safety.

[edit]Homo mermanus Lemuria

About 8,000 years ago, a group of Homo mermanus nomads discovered the ruins of the city of Atlantis and settled there. 500 years after the settlement of Atlantis, another group of Homo mermanus left Atlantis to find their own city - this time in a part of the ruins of Lemuria, on the northern half of the continent. These "Lemurians", as they now called themselves discovered the Serpent Crownin the ruins of their city. The Serpent Crown has been crafted by ancient Atlantean alchemists, as a vessel empowered by the demonic Elder God Set. Through their leader Naga's exposure and extensive use of the ancient mystical device, they would become more serpent-like in appearance than their Atlantean cousins.
Naga was eventually assassinated by a Lemurian named Karthon the Quester, who became the new ruler of the undersea Lemurian nation. Karthon's rule is wise and just, and the Lemurians became allies of the Atlanteans.
The present day Lemuria ("Lemuria-West") first appeared in Sub-Mariner #9 (Jan 1969), and was created by Roy Thomas and Marie Severin.

[edit]Deviant Lemuria

As the continent of Lemuria sank, some of the Deviants managed to survive by escaping to underground cities that had been previously constructed on the southern half of the continent. They built a new underground capital city-state called “The City of Toads”, (or Lemuria-East) from which the sea was shut out. The city was flooded much later by one of the Celestials, but most of its population survived and rebuilt the city. It is recognized as a sovereign nation by the United Nations of the Marvel Universe.

Using Atlantis & Lemuria In Your OSR Game 



Underwater ruins, high technology, lost races, black magic lost beyond the pale, & the radioactive remains of a vanished race lost to the blackest ocean depths & numerous other hooks right there for the taking in the pages of the Might Marvel universe. 
 When haven't I used the peoples of these lost worlds is a better question! Numerous games over the years have had super heroes in the Atlantis Marvel mode.
 All gain +1 or +2 to strength, +1 To Constitution  & -1 on Dexterity on land. They must have some mystic or technological way of visiting the surface world. Each race has access to weapons from beyond the pale of man or magic lost to the surface world.
Lemuria has access to both magic & high technology that puts the surface world to shame & while gaining the various bonuses have -1 to -2 on Charisma with the surface world.
The Lumuria also has a high connection to organizations such as A.I.M & Roxxon Oil but the relationship with Roxxon is strained at the moment.
There are numerous megadungeon complexes in the oceans of the Marvel universe. They're to numerous to list but many of them put the undermountain of D&D fame to shame. Celestial temples, lost caches of Deviant weapons & treasure. Items from Conan's time & alien devices are all there for exploring to uncover.
There's also the hazards of mutant sea life & monsters of a most heinous nature under waves. There are things in the Marvel oceans that make Godzilla look tame by comparison. In fact in a 70s & 80s Marvel universe campaign there is every chance of encountering big green!!
 

Then there's a subject that most folks forget. All of these locations under the waves are some of the most important sources of lost magic that the world has ever known. I can see numerous adds in magazines & on the internet proclaiming to be selling the secrets of  lost Atlantian magic.
By the same token Lumuria's schools of Set clerical & Great Old One cults could well be thriving along with their various surface world off shoots.
There are so many possibilities that the locations offer that it would be hard to decide where to draw the line.

Bottom line here is that both of these fantasy races offer the DM a way to include many of the elements of OD&D & AD&D into a modern setting without breaking the barrier of time or space at all. They offer numerous options to be able to game with  wide variety of weird science, magic, & religions
The Eternals & The Deviants both are responsible for the sinking of this once great world. There could be any number of space gates that lead to & from the stars as well. As well as the creations of Lovecraft that have been used many times by the mighty Marvel masters. All of these allow the many races of these worlds to appear even in space based games! Carcosa could have both a Lumurian & Atlantian colony with weird horrific spins.
Both the cities & environs could be used as well in a post apocalyptic water world where only these civilizations exist & the mutant monsters that stalk there might be the only hope of the surface world.
Really the uses for this material are only limited by your imagination!
Source Material 
The Marvel universe is incredibly rich but I have a tendency as a DM to stick with the 70s,80s, & 90s for my gaming material in mighty Marvel way!
 Once again the Gamers Handbooks To The Marvel universe are the way to go in my humble opinion
Gamers Handbook - Abomination thru Dreadnaught

 You can find each & every one of those right over Here

This blog entry is not intended as a trade mark infringement or copyright violation to Marvel or any of its copyright holders. The material contained here in is copyrighted & trade marked to its various holders. This blog is for entertainment purposes only & as a parody of the Marvel universe.
Thank you for reading 

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