Hello, there!
I loved the idea of Lore 24. I’m behind a few days but will catch up.
My choice was to use this amazing community initiative to pump up the development of a new RPG I’m developing.
It’s called Akoni: Blood of the Orishas and I’ll be presenting it in my next post.
I’ll probably use my YouTube channel in this endeavor so I’d like to know if that’s OK with that guidelines for Lore24
BTW where can I find said guidelines? 
Thank you and have a great 2024 y’all!
Luiz.
Welcome aboard! Feel free to post your YT links in here! I don’t have any hard and fast rules for Lore24 and I don’t think any really exist. I think if you can manage to get some lore work done in a day, any way you make that happen, you are in compliance! 
Thank you. I’m a bit behind but will start posting. And also read what you guys wrote so far.
JAN 01
Hello, there!
I’m a bit behind but I’ll try to catch up with the rest of the Lore24 crowd.
My choice is to use this collective effort to develop an idea that was slowly burning in the back of my brain and write a brand new ttrpg setting.
The game is called Akoni: Blood of the Orishas. It is an Afro Fantasy Roleplaying Game of mythic heroes inspired by Yoruba traditions.
A brief disclaimer: although I am not a person of color (per se), I live in a country where African influence extends far beyond the realms of music, clothes and food, but are deeply rooted in our language, religion, traditions, relationships, festivities, and folklore.
So, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been borne into such a rich and complex culture, and this game is my way of expressing my love and gratitude to this amazing African heritage.
With that out of the way, I will start by describing in broad strokes what I envision this game to be.
Since it’s a work in progress, it will be interesting to see how much of my initial intents will make it to the final version. So, let’s begin.
JAN 02
Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi
(It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten)
…The Story of the World - inspired by Yoruba Creation myths.
JAN 02
Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi
(It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten)
…The Story of the World - inspired by Yoruba Creation myths.
In the beginning, there was only Sky above and Water below. The Orishas lived in the Sky, the chief-god Olorun ruling what was above, and the goddess Olokun ruling what was below.
Obatala , one of Olorun’s many sons and daughters, was bored and asked his father’s permission to create dry land for all living beings to inhabit. Olorun agreed, and Obatala sought advice from Orunmila, Olorun’s eldest son and god of prophecy.
Orunmila told him that he needed a gold chain long enough to reach the world below, a snail shell filled with sand, a white hen, a black cat, a palm nut, and a bag to carry everything. All the other Orishas gave Obatala the gold they had, and Orunmila provided the other items and the bag.
Obatala hung the chain in a corner of the Sky and began his descent. He climbed down for seven days and seven nights until he reached the end of the chain.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Jan 03
From above, Orunmila told him to pour the sand from the shell and release the hen. The bird immediately began scratching and pecking at the sand, forming dry land. The larger piles creating hills and the smaller ones forming valleys, the pecking creating caves and lakes.
Land stretched as far as Obatala could see. So, he jumped onto a hill, looked around and decided to name that place Ife (pronounced “ee-fay”). He kneeled and planted the palm nut, and it grew instantly into countless new trees. Obatala smiled and sat down with only the black cat as his companion.
TO BE CONTINUED
JAN 04
Many months passed and Obatala felt lonely, so he decided to create beings like himself to keep him company. He dug in the sand and found clay with which he began to mold perfect figures, drinking the wine from the palm trees as he worked. But as he got drunk, Obatala began to mold many imperfect, disabled and deformed figures, some even monstrous, dreadful to look at.
Unaware of that fact, he pledged Olorun to give life to his creatures. And on the next day, seeing what he had done, he swore never to drink again. He confined the monstrous creatures to the dark recesses of the earth and promised to care for the disabled, becoming their protector.
Obatala taught his people how to build huts and Ife prospered, turning into a beautiful city. All the Orishas were happy with Obatala’s work, and they visited Ife often, helping the people to grow into powerful empires.
TO BE CONTINUED
JAN 05
But the great goddess Olokun, ruler of all under the Sky, was not happy, for she had not been consulted by Obatala and became enraged when she saw her kingdom usurped.
When the Orishas returned to the Sky, Olokun summoned great waves that washed over Ife, drowning people, bringing down homes, palaces, temples, and cities, until there was nothing left.
Only those who fled to the mountains survived, begging the god Eshu, the messenger of the Orishas, to report what was happening.
When Orunmila heard the news, he descended the golden chain and casted many spells to make the flood recede, and dry land reappeared.
Many centuries passed, and the Orishas returned to live among men and women, creating new cities and nations, as the empires of the past remained buried in the sands of time and memory.
TO BE CONTINUED
JAN 06
But over the years, Obatala’s monstrous creations emerged from the caves and ruins of yore, attacking and tormenting the people of Ife.
To protect his creation, Obatala took the finest clay and pierced his finger, dripping his blood on the clay before molding new figures, infused with the power of the Orishas. And he marked them with the sigil of the bird Sankofa, so they could be easily identified.
These people are the Akoni, defenders and heroes of Ife. Seeing that their people were safe under Akoni’s watch, the Orishas returned once more to the Sky.
And the people prospered, their kingdoms expanded, contacting distant lands over deserts and seas, including the nomadic sand warriors to the north, the short, mysterious bush-hunters to the south, and a race of strange, pale men, dressed in gleaming armor, carrying staffs of thunder, who came on great sailing ships, in search of spices, ivory and gold.
For a time, all was well. Until disaster befell again.
TO BE CONTINUED
JAN 07
One day, without warning, the golden chain of Obatala, binding Heaven and Earth together, was shattered. The giant, shiny metal links fell hard upon the earth, creating earthquakes and tidal waves that swept over the land.
Suddenly, the Orishas could no longer come to Ife, and only Eshu, the messenger god, was able to carry out communications between the Sky and the earth, often requiring offerings and sacrifices to do so.
Knowing that Ife was vulnerable, invaders, marauders, and monsters began to ravage cities and kingdoms, killing, looting, and taking people as slaves, scattering them across land and sea, never to be seen again.
This is the time of the Diaspora, when men and women suffer. Our gods and ancestors cry in despair. And only the Akoni, the blood of the Orishas, the fists and the blades of our grandparents, who bear the mark of the holy bird Sankofa, are powerful enough to fight for the fate of Ife.
Today I’ll talk about rules. But just because they are totally connected to the setting and the lore.
Akoni Special Rules
I decided to include a couple of new rules in Akoni to better represent some of the key concepts in the setting.
Since it’s based on African civilization and culture, this was a wonderful opportunity to bring new ideas and mechanics into the game.
These mechanics do not alter the core of the system, but rather give it more ‘flavor’ also offering DMs and Players some tools to enhance immersion and engagement.
These new rules are based in philosophical and cultural concepts that are dear to many African cultures, especially the Yoruba.
Akoni introduces FOUR unique rules that add to the spirit of the game. You can use them if you wish, or consider them optional. It’s your call. But they are fun.
Ubuntu
Like the 5e rules for Inspiration, but all points go to a special pool called Ubuntu Points, which can be spent by any member of the party, if everyone agrees. After all, Ubuntu means: “I am because we are.”
Yibambe!
Once every adventure, if a player stands up and yells “Yibambe!”, every party member (except the one yelling…) can stand up and yell “Yibambe!” to roll with advantage for one entire round. Enemies and NPCs don’t get to use this feature, only the Akoni. Using Yibambe! zeroes the Ubuntu pool.
Sankofa
Once every game session, a PC can spend one Ubuntu point to recall a past memory or fact and solve a present situation or dilemma. PCs must describe what they recall and how it solves the issue at hand. Think of it as a narrative flashback that helps players overcome (or avoid) a bad dice roll.
Omoluwabi - Strength of Character is a valued trait among the Yoruba people. No matter what the character’s alignment is, DMs should award one Omoluwabi point every time someone performs exceptional displays of character, respect for the elders or tradition, and any form of meaningful sacrifice.
Omoluwabi work like Inspiration in 5e, just with a more straight focus on how to aquire them. Players cannot accumulate more than ONE point of Omoluwabi. Each time they spent their Omoluwabi, they can reroll or get advantage on an Action, Attack or Save.
Today, I’ll describe a kingdom north of Ife, the realm where the Akoni stories take place. It is inspired by the Empire of Mali and the legendary king Mansa Musa, the richest man in History.
HEAR THE STORY
In the realm of Timurun, a majestic kingdom north of Ife, the wise sovereign Malik Mansur rules with a balanced blend of tradition and progress. An exceptionally enlightened leader, Malik Mansur embraced the teachings of the enigmatic figure known as The Prophet, guiding his subjects toward spiritual elevation, prosperity, generosity and piety.
During his initial pilgrimage to the Temple of the Prophet, Malik Mansur found himself separated from his entourage, lost in the vast desert for several days and nights. Fearing for his life, Malik Mansur fervently prayed for a divine signal. The next morning, the monarch stumbled upon a hidden marvel—the colossal golden chain of Obatala, partially buried in the shifting dunes. Acknowledging the unparalleled wealth before him, the monarch chose to keep the discovery a closely guarded secret, disguising the true source of his incomparable riches and attributing his kingdom’s prosperity to the legendary Mines of the Mage King.
With a vision that extended well beyond material wealth, Malik Mansur used his immense fortune to turn Timurun into a beacon of knowledge. He built universities, attracting scholars and establishing the largest library in the known world. To ensure the protection of his domains, he maintained a formidable army, well-trained river patrols, and brave groups of scouts guarding the borders. Under his rule, Timurun flourished not only as a bastion of wisdom but also as a safe haven for sages and scholars of any origin.
