TOCK’S TALES
or
Stories from the Perimeter
by Shryke

INTRODUCTION
and
GLOSSARY

Welcome to Tock's Tales, a series of independent stories taking place in a universe of my creation, populated by non-human anthropomorphic animal (“furry") characters. This document serves to act as an introduction to that universe, explaining the world, politics, species, etc., so as not to clog up the narrative with too much exposition.

Also in this document is a glossary of terms that will arise in the main narrative. As such, this document will change often as new stories are released, so upon encountering an unfamiliar term, check back here.

This introduction will be marked as “General" where posted. Due to content, all story elements will be tagged as “Adult" or “Mature" depending on the web site. Readers with content filters set should allow those tags if they wish to read.

The stories will be stand-alone stories forming an overarching story arc. Each story in the arc may be multiple parts, or may be as small as a single page. To keep the stories identifiable and in sequence, the titles will be of the form: “Tock's Tales X: <title>, Part Y", where X is the story's place in the sequence, and Y is the sub-part where appropriate. As an example, the first installment is entitled: “Tock's Tales 1: Antari Trouble, Part 1".

One-time annoying disclaimer, then on to the Introduction: 
This series contains non-human anthropomorphic animal (“Furry") characters of varying ages, adult and cub. The stories will contain adult themes, topics, and situations, which may not be legal in some jurisdictions. These include: sexual activity, alcohol and drug use, violence, adult language, weapon use, bloodshed, grievous bodily harm, torture, death, and events which depict underage characters in peril.

It is up to the reader to be aware of the laws regarding depictions of such material in their place of residence. If you are not allowed to read such material, due to age, religion, place of residence, or any other factor, do not continue.

This story series and all characters are copyright Shryke. This is a work of fiction. All events and persons depicted are fictional, and any similarities with actual events or persons is purely coincidental. 

INTRODUCTION

World

The world of Gar is an Earth-like planet consisting of a main super-continent (also generally referred to as “Gar") that contains most of the landmass. It spans over a hemisphere east-to-west, and is contained mostly in the northern hemisphere north-to-south. It does extend typically 15-20 degrees of latitude into the southern hemisphere, with portions going further south and other portions staying completely in the northern hemisphere.

In addition to the main continent there are several large island continents in the southern hemisphere, and numerous small island chains scattered throughout. The large ocean on the opposite hemisphere has fewer islands, though they do exist but are not as well documented. To offset the mass difference, that ocean is much shallower than the waters of the other hemisphere.

The main continent is divided roughly into thirds by two major geologic features. In the east, the Great River, as it is known, runs north-south from the frozen north lands to the sea in the south. East of the river the land is generally fertile, consisting of foothills, prairie lands, and densely forested terrain. It is in this eastern third of the continent that the story takes place.

West of the Great River the terrain stays fertile for a small distance before turning into badlands, then to arid steppes, and finally to outright desert. Further on the desert again gives way to arid land before the second dividing feature, a large mountain range that runs north-to-south for the entirety of the continent. Some of the mountains are extraordinarily high, and thought to be impossible to cross in places due to altitude.

The mountains occupy much of the far-western portion of the continent before falling off to fertile coast land. The geography of this area is not well understood due to it being so difficult to reach either from land or sea. There are thought to be civilizations and nations there, but nothing has been confirmed. 

History

Several generations ago, and now remembered first-hand only by the very old, the continent was a hodgepodge of city-states. Some maintained enough of an association to be considered a province or county, while others were completely independent and isolated.

In the eastern coastal port town of Centerport, an ambitious warlord formed an army and began to spread out, occupying neighboring towns. He was generous to those occupied towns near to Centerport, and so forged alliances and built his army. He called his territory The Eastern Alliance.

He continued his outward expansion, building his strength, but becoming less and less generous to those the Alliance conquered; as the army grew in size, the occupations became more of a means to plunder resources, and less about building the Alliance. 

As the Alliance expanded outward, in the shape of a backwards “D", word began to get out ahead of their movements to those lands in danger of imminent attack. Those lands began to form their own alliances and built forces to meet the Alliance attacks. Soon the Alliance's expansion slowed, as they encountered fierce opposition and military units they had never seen before. The situation changed from an occupying force on the move, to a brutal and bloody war on a wide front. 

Eventually the Eastern Alliance was halted and pushed back by the opposing forces. Peace was sued for, and a treaty was worked out which resulted in the four nations that now occupy the eastern third of the continent.

Nations

Federation of Free Provinces
The FFP is a large nation occupying the southeast portion of the continent. It formed after the war out of an alliance of 7 provinces which in turn had formed out of the constituent city-states as a defensive faction against the attacks from the Eastern Alliance. It controls the coastline along the southern edge of the continent, to the mouth of the Great River, and beyond into the Wilds. On the east coast they control the coastline reaching up to about the midpoint of FFP territory. North of there, a panhandle of the Eastern Alliance reaches down into their territory to control the rest of the coastline. 

The area of FFP land directly south of the coastal border with the EA is known as Freeport, and is a very lawless area. Smugglers run rampant, bringing goods in and out of the otherwise tightly controlled EA ports. This is tolerated to a degree by the FFP authorities, as the smuggled goods are in high demand, and money from the sales finds its way to local businesses and citizens. 

In the northwestern corner of the FFP is the province of Venture. It is bordered to the north by the Red River (named for the reddish coloration of its bedrock), and to the west by the Great River. To the north lie the Antari lands, and to the west, the Wasteland. The right-angle shaped area along both of Venture's exterior borders is known as The Perimeter, within which lies the town of Riverpoint as the most northwestern town in the province. This is where the stories are focused. 

Each of the seven provinces elects their own leader through different methods. These seven leaders form “The Council of Seven", or just “The Seven", and make up the ruling body of the greater FFP. They rule from a large city carved out of the neighboring provinces, but belonging to none, known simply as The Capitol. 

The FFP's military includes the Warcats: large feral felines easily 3 meters from snout to haunches (plus tail) which the FFP Dragoons ride into battle. The cats can easily bite a fur's head off in a single bite, or eviscerate one with a swing of its massive paws. The cats were originally trained in the southern provinces and helped halt the EA's advance during the war. Since then they have been deployed to all FFP military units. The FFP is the only power to posses these cats.

All species types are represented in the FFP. Various towns and villages typically have a large percentage, or even a majority, of one specific species or genus – a throwback to the original city-states which were organized so. The large cities are a mix of all types. 

Antari
The Antari (sometimes spelled Antarii, the word is both a noun and an adjective) are a militaristic society who pride themselves on their individual prowess in battle as well as their strategic tactics. They are fierce warriors who value honor and victory above all. They are also skilled artisans, both in weaponry (universally recognized as the best) and in non-military arts such as sculpture, poetry, and paint.

As one of the combatants in the war negotiating from strength, their current territory was ceded to them by most of the settling parties to the treaty that ended the war; they viewed this as tribute. Portions of these lands are some of the most overgrown and inhospitable to be found east of the River. While this was intentional on the part of the factions that gave it up, the Antari prize this as a way to test and hone their abilities. 

The Antari lands are bordered to the south by the Red River, beyond which lie the FFP, to the west by the Great River, to the East by an arbitrarily set border with the Eastern Alliance, and to the north by the Northlands. They have no direct access to the sea, so negotiate with the other 3 powers for various trade routes. 

The ruler goes by the regnal name “Antares" a name which means “the equal of the god of war". Succession is determined by a trial of combat between the strongest warlords, and not by any direct lineage. Whatever his name may have been prior, it becomes Antares upon his ascension. There is no suffix or numeric applied to the name (though the current Antares is the 120th to bear that name). If a specific ruler needs to be identified, he is just called “Antares of <year>".
Some reigns have been decades long, while others have lasted less than a year.

Politically, the land is broken up into districts under the control of one of Antares' legates, who serves as Magistrate of the district, with his legion maintaining defensive duties. 

Canids and felids primarily make up the Antari, with some reptiles and other mammals adding to the mix. 

With no wars to fight, the Antari move among the nations of the continent, selling their services as hunters and trackers, as well as assassins and bounty hunters, though some in the Antari view the latter as less honorable. 

Eastern Alliance
The Eastern Alliance (EA) is nominally a commonwealth of small provinces, each in itself a confederation of city-states. In practice however, it is a hegemonic oligarchy controlled from the largest province, Centerport. 

Centerport, as the name implies, is located along the eastern coast at roughly the midpoint of the continent. It began as a city by the same name located within a large natural protected harbor, which formed a logical central port for shipping interests. It is still one of the busiest ports on the coast, though restrictions, tariffs, and regulations hamper trade by smaller entities. 

The EA was the original belligerent in the war, which began in Centerport and spread outwards, seizing towns and city-states along the way. At the height of its reach it covered much of the eastern third of the continent in the shape of a backwards D. The Antari stopped them in their tracks to the west, while the besieged southern city-states formed the FFP and halted their advance there. The EA's advance in the Northlands was similarly halted abruptly by the Shadowlanders, who had not been previously encountered on the battlefield. 

Centerport maintains tight control over its member provinces, especially the ones on the border. Smuggling and emigration from the EA are considered the largest dangers currently facing Centerport. 

The Alliance's flag is black with a stylized golden eagle. As a result the EA is often referred to by the metonym “The Eagle" or “Black Banner". “Centerport" is also used to refer to the sphere of influence of the Alliance as a whole. 

Northlands
The Northlands, also called the Shadowlands or the Snowlands (especially in reference to the people) are a loosely organized collection of provinces and city-states occupying the extreme north of the continent. This is the closest to the prewar appearance of the entire continent. The Northlands are bounded by the Eastern Alliance and Antari lands to the south, at least as far west as the Great River. It is not clear how far the organized condition of the Northlands extends west of the River. 

The residents are hardier, by necessity, than their average southern counterpart. They are also fierce fighters, on par with the Antari on an individual level. They do not focus on group tactics or larger strategy, but their individual threat is enough to deter most attackers. 

The Northlands are nominally ruled by a single monarch, though the independence of the constituent members, and the smaller alliances they form, are often stronger than any allegiance to the ruler. 

They are valuable trade partners, despite the long and harsh journey, as they import much from their southern neighbors, and the goods they export include handmade goods of superior quality. 

The species that occupy the Northlands are those better suited for the harsh cold environment: ursines, bovines, cervines, hardier canids and felids, and some avians. 

Wasteland
The Wasteland is the generic term for the lands west of the Great River, though the terrain ranges from fertile land near the River, to badlands (dry, arid, eroded rocks, canyons, mesas, etc), through to the far desert. 

The Wasteland is a lawless land occupied by numerous criminal factions with varying degrees of allegiance. These elements are generally referred to as “Reavers", or “Wasteland Reavers" by the nations east of the River. Some of those gangs have adopted the name for themselves, not having any other way of referring to themselves, though it is not unusual for one band of Reavers to be at constant war with another band of Reavers. 

In addition to the Reavers, some citizens from east of the River have migrated to the fertile lands on the western side. They survive in the lawless land by making deals with the local Reavers to supply them with foodstuffs and goods that the Reavers would otherwise be unable to produce for themselves. Thus an odd sort of symbiotic relationship forms, with those Reavers fiercely defending their charges from other rival bands, as the migrants are afforded no official recognition or protection by the eastern nations.

All species can be found in the Wasteland, on both the Reaver side as well as the migrant side. There are also small bands of nomads that roam the Wasteland, completely independent and self-sufficient. 

Technology
In general the technology is typical of “fantasy" works. There is no magic or sorcery, though there is mysticism, shamanism, alchemy, oracles, etc. 

Weapons
Weaponry is primarily the typical medieval fantasy fare: swords, shields, spears, bows and crossbows, siege engines, etc. Guns do exist in the form of cannons, used by ships and for defense of major cities. For metallurgical reasons, cannons are large, bulky, expensive, and rare compared to what is normally though of in a cannon. Whereas a “real world" sailing ship might have 200 guns, a typical ship in this universe will have a maximum of 6-8. They have a short life before bursting so are only used in emergency situations. Smaller guns do not exist.

Cannon powder is sometimes used as an explosive elsewhere, though due to the difficulty and expense to produce it, is not a common use for the powder.

Medicine
Medical knowledge is on par with 19th century medicine. There are medicines and potions that have no real-world counterparts though, so healers treat medical conditions differently than would be possible in RL. 

Economy
The economy varies from province to province, though is generally agrarian, military, or service oriented. Each nation mints their own coinage, and sometimes individual provinces within a nation will do the same. For ease of trade, the value of those coins is tried to be kept relatively similar. Even so, some mintings, such as EA coinage, is often preferred due to the consistency with which they are made, thus ensuring the proper value for the trades. The coinage is generally minted from copper, silver, gold, and platinum, in increasing order of value. 

Anthropology (anatomy)
The characters are all non-human anthropomorphic animals, aka “furry". Giant mythical creatures such as dragons or gryphons do not exist in this world. Smaller “man-sized" reptiles and hybrids that may resemble their mythical counterparts, though rare, are possible. 

With few exceptions the characters are bipedal and plantigrade. Avians do not have wings, though some insectoids have vestigial ones.

Genitalia is human-like in both sexes: cloacae, hemipenes, and the like do not exist. Bulbous glands (“knots") appear as a vestigial evolutionary trait in canids, manifesting as a barely perceptible swelling. Breasts and mammary glands only appear on mammals (hence the name) however. 

Mammals give live births. Avians, reptiles, and insectoids lay fertilized eggs. Eggs are only produced after an internal fertilization event occurs. The egg shell is then formed around the zygote and the egg is laid some weeks later. Both live births and eggs are produced singly – twins, litters, and clutches are not common. The birth rate is generally low compared to what we are used to. 

In addition to author-preference, there are also anthropological reasons why beings who evolved to this state would appear as they do here.

GLOSSARY

Blackroot – A contraceptive used by egg-laying species. It works by blocking eggshell formation thus preventing a viable egg from being formed.

Copper – The Copper, also colloquially called a “bit", is the smallest unit of currency in general use. As the name implies, it is a small coin made of copper. A copper or two will buy a basic meal (e.g. a bowl of soup or a hunk of bread), some arrows, a glass of low-end beer, a cold bath, a headfur trim, etc. Coppers are also used for tipping and for giving alms.

Firestoke – a crystalline substance used to assist in starting fires. Its appearance is similar to coarse rock salt. It generally has a pink, orange, or reddish color. The closer to red it is, the better the quality. When ignited it burns vigorously and flows like water, and is very difficult to extinguish. In small quantities it is sold as a commodity item to aid daily activity. In larger quantities it makes an effective incendiary weapon: lighted casks of the stuff are flung against targets to set them alight.

Gold – A valuable coin, typically worth 10 silvers. The gold coin is used for larger purchases, payment of debts, luxury goods, and the like. In the Perimeter, the minted coin is officially called the Gold Talon. 

Gold Coast – One of the provinces of the FFP, containing the southern coastal area of the nation. The name refers to the golden sand on the southern beaches.
 
Oceania – One of the provinces of the FFP, containing the east-coast lands of the nation. 

Pawball – A sport similar to a combination of association football (soccer), Australian rules football, and rugby. It is more physical than today's equivalents, and injuries are common. 

Platinum – The Platinum is the most valuable coin generally available. It is worth approximately 50 Gold. The platinum is rarely used in transactions, but rather as a way of consolidating wealth into smaller quantities of coins, for physical size considerations. It can be used for major purchases such as land, buildings, etc.

Silver – A Silver is the most widely used coin in general use. It is generally worth 10 coppers. In the Perimeter, the minted coin is officially called the Silver Claw, or just “claw" (e.g. “That'll be 3 claws"). A silver will buy a full meal of decent quality, an article of new clothing, individual tools or weapons, a bottle of decent quality liquor (or a cask of low quality beer), etc. 

Taskur – A mythological hero in corvid folklore. Taskur was said to be the first sentient crow. He is revered by some as a demigod, respected as a hero by others, and simply seen as a folklore figure by others. His name is often used as a mild oath (e.g. “Taskur's beak, this soup is tasty!")

Warcats – Large felines, used as attack mounts by the FFP military. They are also used as pack animals, and to pull barges along and across rivers. They are loyal and highly intelligent and often will understand the tactics being employed during conflicts, adapting accordingly. They are typically 2 meters in height and 3 meters or more from nose to haunches, with a tail that can be a weapon in its own right. Coloration ranges from black, to charcoal-grey, to a drab olive green.