And for second locale, a big one - in fact i suspect just compiling these bits together and connecting some dots with no new plots & such might make for a whole worldbook already.
India
RMB wrote:Pg.152: India is a jungle with little human life and even less technology. It is rumored to be inhabited by savage, cannibalistic D-Bees.
Pg.164: Presumably, there are super powerful nexus points in places such as the Himalaya Mountains, India, China, Easter Island, Australia, and others, but these are distant lands from the Americas.
Those are kind of more hearsay than anything, but hilariously, the first one would get some confirmation a little later on....
CB1 wrote:Pg.114: In Rifts Earth the creatures (chimera) inhabit the continent of Africa and are also said to roam what was once the Middle East, the island of Madagascar, India, Burma, Thailand and Vietnam. The minions of Splugorth are rumored to capture and tame chimera for use as watchdogs on the continent of Atlantis. The monsters prefer hot climates and love steamy jungles; however, they can survive in temperate zones and sometime stray far from their usual jungle environment.
Pg.190-191: Death Weavers prefer hot, steamy jungles over cooler climes. For this reason they are found in the Yucatan, South America, Africa, India, Asia, Malaysia, and parts of China. The incredible amount of ley line energy makes the Yucatan, India and China especially appealing.
Habitat: Jungle and tropical forests. Known to exist in the Yucatan, South America, Africa, India, Asia, Malaysia, and parts of China.
Pg.193: Although they can be found in any part of the world, the weretiger is most common in India, China, Asia, and Indonesia, and, to a far lesser degree, in Russia and eastern Europe.
Pg.195: Werepanthers are very similar to jaguar people except that they are a bit larger, jet black in color, and live exclusively in India. Like the werejaguar they are not man-eaters, preying mostly on animals and, in the rifts world, other supernatural creatures. Also like their jaguar cousins, vampires are natural enemies, as well as ghouls and spider demons.
Beside obviously the chapter in Pantheons, these and the fragments from Africa are usually the first things that come to mind when i think of India in Rifts and have been an itch i never took the time to scratch for years.
Just from these bits it's easy to imagine a local version of Manoa or the werejaguar city in Yucatan, one could have the werepanthers and tigers living together as one community/nation, forming separate but friendly groups or competing with varying degrees of rivalry/enmity. OR make a bunch of different bands/city-states, each with its own particular arrangement.
The Death Weavers are one early "demon" race i love but seems to get little to no attention from the writers - I like to imagine a web-citadel suspended between titanic trees and semi-ruined buildings in a metropolis half-taken by jungle of centuries.
Chimerae i honestly would like to do more with, but the fact their intelligence is mostly animal tends to put a kind of damper in my inspiration at times, i guess.
CB2: Pantheons of the Megaverse wrote:
Pg.82: During his travels, Dionysus visited India, where he met the Hindu deity Soma, who also loves drinking and intoxicants. The two gods compared notes and became good friends. When they get together, wild parties break out that last for days. Sometimes they are held in normal dimensions and unwary mortals may join in the festivities. Human participants must be careful or be captured by faeries, be driven insane by the experience, or become alcoholics or drug addicts — it's unwise to crash the parties of the gods.
Pg.141: The ancient Nagas left Earth for a more magic rich environment when the P.P.E. levels began to decline. A handful stayed in forgotten jungle temples, forming small communities and attacking explorers and treasure-hunters who wandered into their domain. Some, in the deepest jungles of Asia may have survived into modern times and even through the Coming of the Rifts. With the eruption of the ley lines, the Nagas will begin to return to Rifts Earth; some have already returned to the jungles of India and Southeast Asia to start and build new cities and temples.
Pg.144-145 (146, if you really want the AIs physical description): The Evil Immortals. These would-be-gods are already operating in some regions of India, fooling desperate mortals into thinking that they are the old gods come to rescue them. A few human communities are now under the control of these exploiters. They plan to start conquering their neighbors and expanding their domain.
Unknown to all but Shiva the Annihilator, these Neuron Beasts are the pawns of an alien intelligence, a being called Devy'Orhal. This creature wishes to escape a dimensional prison and establish a foothold on Earth, to feed on the rich P.P.E. energy coursing through it.
Once the Evil Immortals have secured a large enough area for him, he will manifest himself on this plane, turning all of India into a transdimensional realm similar to the Yucatan peninsula in Central America — or so the plan goes.
This one, specially the Evil Immortals part, is at present essential to a Rifts game in India, as it is pretty much THE one and only locale/scenario/adventure set in that region one will find in the books (afaik). Ironically, it also indirectly informs us the Indian Gods are not back in Rifts Earth yet, as Shiva the Anihilator's project would come apart like a castle of cards the moment an actual deity (or even a mighty enough impostor) showed up. The fact they are spreading out can also provide hooks for this plot crossing in the path of adventurers in other parts of the world like Africa or Russia, among others.
The Naga D-bees are promising too, though their being identified with the same name as the demon from WB24 is bound to lead to confusion (not that it is a bad thing
). That said it's implied they are only D-bees and in fact some groups of their people worship deities from other pantheons too (*coff* *Cihuacoatl* *coff*), so the first thing that crosses my mind is that Naga is most probably
not their name for themselves...
SB3: Mindwerks wrote:
Pg.43: Flash Beetles, Petal Things, and the occasional giant dragonfly inhabit the Black Forest and other parts of Europe, India and Africa.
Pg.45: The lycanmorph is another strange creature from a different dimension that has found its way to Central Europe and India.
Pg.75: (Evil Millennium Tree, Known portals to other worlds) 3. One of the giant, tumorous knots resembles a demonic elephant with four spikes on its head. Entering through the right eye will teleport the character to the African Congo. Entering the left eye will send the character to the jungles of India near
Nagpur. Entering the mouth under the trunk will send the character to the jungle and mountainous dimension inhabited by the Pantheon of Brahma, the Gods of India, and populated by the Asuras (demons).
Who would have expected the Mindwerks book to give us an expansion on the CB2 material on India? Definitely not me.
Incidentally, these portals might explain the presence of Evil Immortals' members in Africa.
Truth be told, the Tree of Darkness is an excuse for
anything from SB3 - or the many places connected by its portals - to end up appearing in India and vice versa. And there are at least 8+ portals described (one is just a time hole/pocket space, but "elephant head" actually has 3 portals and the human face's mouth hoops two) and a dozen undeveloped ones, so lots of potential crossover.
SB8, pg. 153 wrote:
Wereserpent - Legends told in the jungles of Central America, Brazil, India and Asia speak of men and women who can turn into giant snakes. The stories are true.
Habitat: Jungles of South America, India and sometimes Southeast Asia. Prefer hot, damp environments. Where one might find a python, one might also encounter a Wereserpent.
Not much to add on these guys. Maybe a little too primitive to make societies of their own but could maybe work as minions of smarter or more powerful individuals.
Depending on how their "hybrid" form looks (serpent-headed two-legged humanoid? human from the waist up, serpent from waist down? Yuan-Ti?) they might or not be able to mingle with the "Naga" D-bees. That said a GM could make different wereserpents, each with a different hybrid form or even a wereserpent race with some shapeshifting ability that lets then choose which parts they want human or serpentine. Damn, that could even be 4 different wereserpent races from just differing interpretations in a too vaguely described power.
Ok, looks like i actually had much more to add than even
I expected on these guys in the end.
Mercenaries, pg. 160 wrote:
The Conqueror Alien Intelligence can create an astral projection (S.D.C. 300) without a silver cord, and send it to other dimensions at P.P.E. rich locations (limited by other factors too). It can enter Earth at only three locations, (Benford Town/Hope City area), India and Iceland. It can also be reached via the Tree of Darkness in the Black Forest of Germany, but must be summoned by a practitioner of magic.
And here we have a possible nemesis/rival for Devy'Orhal, for those GMs who might want to up the ante of things a little.
Also, it could mean a party of explorers could use the mine in Casualties of Peace as a passage to either India or Iceland - if they are brave & foolhardy enough to cross through the Intelligence's realm/prison dimension for it, that is.
Plus, the Conqueror seems to have the weirdest luck with CB2, as Iceland is cited in passing as a (possible) hideout of Wothancrelyth in Rifts Earth.
WB3, pg. 146 wrote:
Individual blood druids and small loyal groups of adventurers travel throughout all of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, India, Atlantis and, within the last 15 years, North America (mainly the east coast and Magic Zone).
There's some weird and darkly comical in the image of a blood druid missionary of sorts looking for a place to start a new community or converting some locals, puritan pilgrim style. Got to stop some day and try to develop this a little more...
WB4: Africa wrote:Pg.61: Small groups of firebirds (Phoenixi) are known to live in Africa, the Phoenix Empire, India and Asia.
Pg.63 (repeated): There are a few tribes of Ramen living in Africa, Turkey, Afghanistan and India.
Pg.67: Unlike most of the evil gods who see their minions as cannon fodder, Sebek has a genuine love and concern for these beings (crocodillians) and never risks their lives foolishly. Likewise, he will always try to avenge the deaths of his people, especially brutal or malicious acts of murder. He (Sebek) has brought thousands of crocodillians to live on Earth, distributing them mostly in the rivers of Africa and India.
Pg.93 (or WB12, pg.52 for more details): Mind bleeders can also be found, to a lesser degree (compared to the major human cities in the Mediterranean and much of Europe), in England and parts of Africa, India and Asia.
Pg.118: Although they can be found virtually anywhere on the continent, as well as the slave markets of Egypt, the Mediterranean, India, and Atlantis, the largest number of tree people are found in the Congo and to a lesser degree, Uganda and Kenya.
Pg.130: Demonic cannibals seem to most commonly inhabit Ethiopia, Sudan, the Congo and India. [Remember RMB!!!]
Pg.156: Pirate raiding party! Pirates can be humans, D-bees, demons, monster races or a combination of any or all. Their base of operation and transportation is from a ship. A secret base or port can be on an island or mainland - several pirate organizations are based on the Arabian peninsula, India and Indonesia.
Pg.160: A Great Returning Villain - Pharaoh Rama-Set can be a marvelous, continuing or recurring villain. He has his claws in many evil plots in Africa and places as far away from his empire as India, the New German Republic and Atlantis.
As i previously said, this and CB1 have been my main references in mind for India for many, many years. Pirate kingdoms ruled by man-eating demons that look eerily human, with at least some influence from Mola Ram and Temple of Doom's (quite unhistorical but fun) Thugge cult.
[Actual worship of Kali optional]
Mind Bleeders should fit in nicely amidst a number of kingdoms, piratical or not, as inquisitors/counterintelligence agents to neutralize other psychics for those who are paranoid about them.
WB7: Underseas wrote:
Pg.20: Rumors tell of a vast Dead Pool where the dead (and undead) are said to have built a city of bones. This domain of the damned is said to exist in or near the Indian Ocean. (Dead Pools aka Deadman's Sea are described in pages 19-20 of WB7.)
Pg.163: The horune are most active in the North and South Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Indian Ocean, and Arabian Sea because these locations are comparatively close to Atlantis, the pirates' favorite trading port, and because they are near some of the fledgling nations that offer the best booty.
Yeah, adding references to the Indian Ocean was grasping at straws a little. Still valid and useful.
The city of bone gets a most welcome expansion & boost in WB32.
The Horune seem also to have served to support a slight increase/update of the influence/presence of Atlantis - or at least Splugorth trade and products - in India and the coasts of the Indian & Pacific oceans as a whole. so one might say the Horune are kind of the piratical version of the Age of Sail portuguese in Rifts Earth.
WB8: Japan wrote:
Pg.9: Most of Russia, Mongolia, China India, and Asia are vast wildernesses dominated by monsters. The level of technology is archaic, in some cases only a notch above stone age. Most population centers are the domain of D-bees, oni or other supernatural creatures hostile toward humans. The few independent human civilizations that have managed to survive are suspicious of strangers and technology (which some may regard as magic), or are aggressive warriors, conquerors or freebooters who prey upon their fellow humans. Such is the situation for Japan. The handful of free humans around them, mainly Chinese and Koreans, are ancient rivals, new rivals, mercenaries, bandits and pirates who plunder the Japanese islands (and others) for their resources, slaves, and booty.
Pg.30: As far as westerners are concerned, there are no Millennium Trees in Asia or the Americas. Nor are there any known to exist in northeastern Europe, India, Australia, or New Zealand. However, their knowledge of the world has some rather large gaps so they do not know about the tree at Kyoto. Furthermore, most people living on the Islands of Japan don't know that a second Millennium tree exists in a mountain valley on the island of Hokkaido, the Domain of the Gods.
Pg.64: The typical demon queller travels alone or joins forces with other heroes and demon slayers, but rarely is more than two or three seen travelling together. How many of these fierce, determined warriors exist in the world is completely unknown. It is said that even the demon quellers themselves have no idea. Thus, they keep the demons they hunt guessing and on their toes. Some rumors suggest there are only a few hundred, but most say that there are tens of thousands scattered throughout demon-ridden China, India, Korea and Japan!
Pg.69: Habitat: Although the forested mountains of Japan considered their home, tengu are also found in the mountains of Korea, China, and India.
Enemies: The Chinese t'ien-kou (Celestial Dogs), the gods and minions of China and India, particularly the Garuda and most demons.
Pg.202: Habitat: Oni of the One Hundred (Lesser Oni) are found primarily on the islands of Japan, Taiwan, Korea, China and parts of India and Southeast Asia. They have also been known to visit surrounding islands, as far as the Philippines. The oni prefer to inhabit wilderness areas, mountains, slums, sewers and ruins.
Pgs.212-215: Japanese Dragons - Habitat: Indigenous to an alien dimension. Occasionally found anywhere in the world but seem to prefer Japan, Korea, China, India and Indonesia. They often have mountain retreats, but are known to rule entire villages, or sometimes cities where they'll lord over their subjects from a castle, surrounded by all the riches and luxuries of a king.
Well, the Millenium tree at Kyoto is a great canon example of a previous statement ("there are no Millennium Trees in Asia or the Americas") being revised/retconned by the books themselves, but still being
seen as true from the previous book's perspective. A good "make your cake and eat it too" case, so to speak. Extra points in that they do it
again, with the existence of a
second one most natives of Japan themselves are unaware of.
As an aside, the fact the "habitat" text for all 3 "local" species of dragon is exactly the same makes me strongly tempted to consider they are all natives from one origin dimension/home world in common.
WB17: Warlords of Russia wrote:
Pg.64: This all-around adventurer (Explorer O.C.C.) has grown in number in Europe and Russia for the last couple of generations. About 40% come from the New German Republic, but they can originate from almost anywhere, as being an explorer is more a state of mind than an exact profession. Russia and Asia are prime areas for exploration mainly because they are such exotic, unknown wildernesses. Africa and India are also becoming increasingly attractive to explorers, not to mention far off places like Australia and Southeast Asia.
Pg.165: a few hundred True Megahorses may have found their way to Poland, Romania, Yugoslavia, Turkey, The Middle East, and India.
Pg.177: Weapons, Vehicles, Rune Weapons, Magic Items and Symbiotes common to the Splugorth and their minions (as well as their minions themselves) occasionally make their way to Eastern Europe, Russia and Asia (more common in Africa, the Middle East and India);
Pg.198: Language: Chinese (New): The Chinese language continues to flourish in that part of the world and in neighboring regions such as southern Russia, Mongolia, and parts of the Middle East and India. It is included in Rifts® Russia because of the large number of refugees fleeing demon infested China.
Well, it seems that Africa & India have become in vogue as places to explore/new frontier of sorts, according to WB17, what is curious.
That said, i still have to get a better look at this OCC to see what makes it so different from a rogue scholar or scientist. Subsuming a bunch of OCCs as "variant packages", kind of like those variations of the Headhunter, would be a nice bit of streamlining of the system.
The part about Splugorth products being more common in Africa, Middle East & India than Eastern Europe, Russia and Asia was the first moment it dawned on me the "India is utterly ignored by the Splugorth" statement from CB2 seemed to have changed while i wasn't looking.
And yeah, i know citing the text of a language as a source of info can be weird, but the "flourish in that part of the world
and in neighboring regions such as southern Russia, Mongolia, and parts of the Middle East and India" gets quite interesting indeed in context of the following reference about large numbers of chinese refugees living in Russia (and consequently, in those other places too?)....
WB18: Mystic Russia wrote:
Pg.17-18: Many Russian demons are also found in Mongolia and China, just as so-called Chinese and Indian demons are frequently encountered in Russia. At least one third to half of the demons and monsters that roam the Russian Frontier have migrated from the demon-plagued lands of China and Asia. Another 12% come from India, Afghanistan and Iran.
Pg.32: Habitat: The Midnight Demon shuns humanity and civilization during the day and most of the night, but between Midnight and three a.m. they seek out mortal victims to agitate and torment. This demon is most common in Rifts Russia, Mongolia and China, but can be found throughout Western Europe, India and Asia, and occasionally elsewhere.
Pg.35: (Stone Demons) Habitat: Wilderness throughout western Europe, India, Russia, Mongolia, China and Asia. Occasionally found in a village.
Pg.38: (Water Demons) Habitat: Wilderness throughout western Europe, India, Russia, Mongolia, China and Asia. Occasionally found in Rifts North America where it is considered a most foul and evil spirit.
Pg.41: (Demon Hound) Habitat: Can be found almost anywhere throughout western Europe, India, Russia, Mongolia, China and Asia, but tend to prefer forested and mountainous regions. As winged creatures, they can be found as lone individuals or small packs almost anywhere. In fact, approximately one thousand have rifted to North America and roam the northern Rockies and western Canada.
Pg.68: ("Russian" Firebird) Habitat: Approximately 100-200 are believed to live scattered throughout Rifts Russia, as well as another 100-200 scattered throughout India and Asia.
Pg.139: They (Gypsies) are especially strong and numerous in Eastern Europe, Russia, Iran and India — largely because the collapse of civilization has demolished political and national barriers (giving them the freedom and simple nomadic lifestyle that they so cherish) and made the region (a traditional roaming territory) a land of opportunity for those bold enough to exploit it.
Pg.143: Russia's Link to North America - Gypsies are the few people who know about the existence of dimensional gateways that link Russia to Africa, India, China and North America. The two most famous portals to North America are a constant dimensional rift located at the edge of the Moskva Crater, that is connected to the Calgary Rift (southwestern Canada), and a nexus junction located in the middle of the Ural Mountains that randomly opens to the Saint Louis Archway, better known as the Devil's Gate. The Coalition States have troops stationed at the Devil's Gate who constantly monitor this portal and capture or destroy any living thing that emerges from it.
A lesser known ley line nexus junction at the southeastern tip of the Altay Mountains opens randomly and connects to the haunted ruins of Old Detroit (Michigan, of course), as well as randomly to Atlantis (bad news) and the Ethiopia Rift in Africa. Gypsy sorcerers and elders know of these places.
This book, along with WBs 8 & 24 help to contribute a quite varied pallete of critters to add for variety and complications in games set in India, even if as secondary players, sometimes (but not always) seen as foreign/barbarian.
The Gypsy part was something of an outlier i feel, as the actual, fact-based info on known rifts gives nothing on India but focuses on places from previous worldbooks instead, but well, it does set up the Gypsies as a source of info into any such regular rifts a GM might feel like cooking up.
WB19, pg.186 wrote:(Wandjinas) Habitat: Unknown. Appear to only inhabit the northern mountain ranges of Australia, and always favor mountainous regions. However, they can be encountered, especially when hunting or exploring, anywhere in Australia. Whether they exist anywhere else in the world remains a mystery (if they do, the mountains of India are a likely candidate).
Yes, just a rumor. Pretty loose, but if true might imply some semi-regular rift exists connecting the two regions, what could lead to all kinds of exchanges and crossover.
WB24: China1, Yama Kings wrote:Pg.65: Ch'iang Shih may also be found, in smaller numbers, in Russia, Mongolia, Southeast Asia and India.
Pg.68: Kuei may also be found throughout Eastern Europe, India, and Asia though they are much less common in those places.
Pg.70: Preta are occasionally found in Mongolia, Europe, India and Africa, though they are much less common in those places. Enjoys places of sorrow and death like graveyards, battle. fields, abandoned buildings and spooky looking forests and places. Since the Hungry Ghost is always on the move, never staying at anyone place for more than 1D4 weeks. they are most often encountered along roads, paths, stairs, at crossroads and shabby inns.
Pg.76: Fox Spirits are sometimes found in Mongolia, Russia, Japan, India, Southeast Asia, and elsewhere in the world, though they are much, much less common in those places and are usually encountered as a lone traveling spirit or in pairs or threes.
Pg.77: Goat Goblins are Sometimes found in Japan, Mongolia, Russia and India, usually as a lone traveler or a pair.
Pg.79: Shadow Goblins are sometimes found in Japan, Russia and India, usually as a lone traveler or a pair.
Pg.81: Mountain Goblins are sometimes found in Japan, Russia and India, usually as a lone traveler or a pair.
Pg.86: The Earth Hound is ccasionally encountered in Mongolia, Russia, Japan and India, particularly in the forests and mountains.
Pg.88: The Falcon Demon is found throughout China and to a lesser degree, the forests and mountains of Russia, Japan and India.
Pg.93: Headless Ones are found throughout China and to a lesser degree, Russia, Japan and India.
Pg.96: The Horse Demon is found throughout China and to a lesser degree, Russia, Mongolia, and India.
Pg.98: Monkey-Wolves may also be encountered in the wilds of Mongolia and Russia, and occasionally in other parts of Asia, India, and Africa.
Pg.100: Ox-Heads are found throughout China and to a lesser degree, Russia, India and Southeast Asia.
Pg.102: Pig Demons are found throughout China and to a much lesser degree, Southeast Asia and India.
Pg.103: Were-Beasts common to China and most of India and Southeast Asia are listed in alphabetical order. See (Rifts Dark Conversions, pages 99-105, for complete Rifts stats and details.)
- Were-Panther/Leopard
- Were-Snake (typically a giant cobra or boa constrictor)
- Were-Tiger
- Were-Wolf (Were-Dogs too, basically the same as the Were-Wolf).
Pg.112: At least half of all snake cults and one-third of all death cults in China and India have been started (and often led in secret) by a Mahoragas.
Pg.116: Monkey Spirits are found throughout China and Southeast Asia, particularly in the forests and moonlains. Occasionally encountered in Mongolia, Russia, Japan and India.
Pg.121: Naga (in addition to its Water Goblins and Water Devils underlings) are found throughout China, India and Southeast Asia, mostly the seas, rivers, and lakes, seldom found anywhere else.
(NOT the same as CB2's Naga, that is simply a D-Bee race. Confusion incoming anyone?)
Pg.123: Found throughout China and Korea. and sometimes found in Russia and India, but may be sent anywhere on Earth or in the Megaverse by its master when on a mission of revenge, murder, or assassination.
Pg.126: Shen Wu are found primarily in China and Korea, sometimes found in Russia and India, but may be sent anywhere in the Megaverse by its master.
Pg.128: Cousins of the Raksasha originating in the myths of India, the Yakshas are cunning, demonic shape shifters who all share a disdain for humans (and all humanoids).
Pg.132: The Ying Hsuan Shang inhabit China and to a lesser degree, Southeast Asia and India, but may be found anywhere in the world and across the Megaverse on a mission for its master.
Pg.141: Shih-Ju Shen are found in China and sometimes in Korea, Japan, Russia and India. but may go anywhere on Earth or in the
Megaverse.
Lots of critters to mine here, as previously mentioned. But don't let them overpower the ones in CB2, people. At least not too much.
One thing that crossed my mind is that all "chinese Naga demons" seem to be female, if so, just calling them
Nagini would be a quick & simple way to avoid confusion with the D-bee race.
WB25, pg.71 wrote:(Spirit Host) Tiger: The king of beasts (to the Chinese), symbol of vital energy, power, ferocity and hunting (white tiger is symbol of Yin, the traditional tiger symbolizes Yang, war and valor). Understands and speaks all Asian languages (88%; including Indian).
Must be said, between Rakshasas, Yakshas, Tiger Hosts and weretigers & panthers, there's
lots of potential for confusion and mix-ups.
WB27 wrote:Pg.108: Throughout the next decade, Neenok traveled not only throughout large portions of North America, but also parts of Africa and into the dark heart of India and a bit of Indochina.
He was surprised to learn that his unearthly and grotesque appearance enabled him to travel unmolested through many of the lands dominated by humans and D-Bees, who often regarded him as the child or avatar or spirit manifestation of their spider gods. Even those who feared him as a demon or dark god, gave him wide berth and left him unharmed for fear of invoking the wrath of dark and inhuman forces upon themselves.
In Africa and India, people found him to be such a curiosity that they were willing to spend a great deal of time with Neenok, and he even shared many a dinner table with some of the ruling Raksasha Lords of India (These travels of Deearn Neenok occured sometime between 70-80 PA).
Pg.111: In South America, Africa, India and Asia where spider gods have been worshiped or venerated in past ages or during various times in history, the A'rac are often (not always) regarded as "divine children" of ancient nature spirits or even the avatar of a spider god, even if the D-Bee denies any such thing.
Pg.146 (orWB30, pg.100): The Horune have strong business ties to the Splugorth of Atlantis, who represent 85% of their slave business, but the pirates also deal with other inhuman clients, including the Phoenix Empire (Africa), the Gargoy le Empire (their agents in France) and numerous other pirates and kingdoms of monsters in Europe, the Mediterranean, Africa, India and the South Pacific.
Actually, the seafaring Horune Pirates are found along the coasts of almost every part of the world, but most of their business is with Atlantis or places around Atlantis. Their most favorite client is the Splugorth, followed by other inhuman and monstrous clientele. However, they have no qualms dealing with anyone, including humans, if the reward is great and the opportunity plentiful. Though Horune are often perceived as the henchmen of other powerful forces, they are not mercenaries and never take work as soldiers; they are thieves, plunderers and merchants in the decadent and distasteful.
I love the whole thing about Neenok's travels and the nice heap of fluff it adds to India. That said, i don't remember the nation having any monsters or great folkloric bits related to spiders that might help with his "cover". BUT we are speaking of
post-apocalyptic Rifts India, so that could be explained by centuries of Death Weaver Spiders' presence/influence in the region as mystic/malicious/guiding spirits...
What in itself could lead Neenok or other A'rac travellers in all kinds of trouble, if one such a monster gets interested or finds them "cute", for example.
WB28, pg.57 wrote:(The Merc Market) 52. Exotic Arms. A dimension-hopping trader set up shop a year ago dealing exclusively in rare and foreign weapons. Hameel Luca is supposedly a human from another dimension or time; how or why he ended up in Arzno is a mystery to everyone. What is known is that he offers exotic weapons he claims come from other parts of the world, including Eco-Wizard weapons from Dinosaur Swamp, Millennium Tree wands, staves and leaf arm or from England, Xiticix guns and weapons, a selection of Kittani weapons, Horune Pirate weapons, Triax guns and ammo (but no armor or vehicles), and a selection of magic items he claims come from India, Russia, and even China and Japan.
Not much, just a walking hook of a NPC (or not) in a seeming improbable place.
WB29: Madhaven wrote:
Pg.122: Habitat: Thankfully rare, the Contagion Entity can be found anywhere in the world, but is most common to Madhaven, Jersey Side, the ruins of Detroit and Windsor, Africa, China and India. The carrier usually tries to lose himself among humanity and likes to hang out in poor, dirty slums where he can cause the greatest mayhem and disease.
Pg.124: Habitat (Rotting Entity): May be encountered anywhere, especially places where there are many victims to be had, like Madhaven, Jersey Side, the ruins of old Chicago, Detroit, Windsor, st. Louis and Calgary, as well as Africa, India and China. The signs of a Rotting Entity in the area are obvious, as it will decay any animals or people it comes across, including woodland creatures and livestock.
Again, extra stuff from the most unexpected places. Goes to show no book should be ignored when it comes for juicy info. Incidentally, the presence of these entities in these places might point out
not only to all of them connecting to these entities' home dimension(s), but to the possibility of random rifts between each of them also existing.
WB30, pg.51 wrote:Habitat: Crab Warriors prefer to live on sandy or gravel-covered beaches and river banks. They prefer to live in warm, tropical and sub-tropical climates, but are known to migrate to temperate regions in the summer, returning south in the winter months. Found all along the Gulf Coast and Carribean islands. Populations of Crab Warriors also exist along the coast of Atlantis and in the sea and rivers of Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
Crab Warriors were mentioned first - citation of India and all - in SB4, but i only remembered that
much later, after seeing & anotating the D-Bees of North America reference. Sorry.
I ask myself how would they interact with the also crustacean-looking Milu from WB32.
WB32: Lemuria wrote:
Pg.42: Habitat: Ichthyleans travel the waters of the world, but prefer the Pacific Ocean and other warm waters. Some have even made it into the waterways of the Americas, Africa, India and Southeast Asia.
Pg.51: Range (Lemurian Ring-Tailed Lemur): Used to be found only in and around Madagascar and the African Coast, but can now be found throughout parts of Africa and India, and, of course, all Lemurian cities and outposts.
Pg.54: Habitat: Merans are found throughout the oceans of the world, though they tend to avoid the Mid-Atlantic due to the presence of the Minions of Splugorth, particularly Conservators, Slavers and Metztla. These days, they are found mainly in the Pacific and Indian Oceans and among Lemurians.
Pg.55: Language: Lemurian. This is an ancient form of Polynesian (which later expanded into the seven main Polynesian cultures of Aotearoa, Hawai'i, Rapa Nui, Marquesas, Samoa, Tahiti and Tonga) with a few root words that have been carried over into Chinese, Indian/Hindi and some African tribal dialects.
Pg.138: Habitat (Breathers): Typically in and around Lemurian cities and outposts, coral reefs and wherever other jellyfish are found, particularly in and around the Pacific Rim and Indian Ocean.
Pg.157: Habitat: Individuals on the prowl, pairs and small groups of 1D4+2 Milu or Mahiki Milu can be encountered anywhere, as can any number of their or Davey Jones's "zombies" (5D6 is typical). However, the Milu community/stronghold is found at Davey Jones's Locker and the City of Bones located in the depths of the Indian Ocean, along the African coast and in and around Madagascar, as well as the many Dead Pools in that ocean.
Pg.171: Enemies (Giant Sea Slug): Almost none, but large animals, sea monsters and other monsters sometimes feed on the slug. The undead of the Milu in and around the Dead Pools of the Indian Ocean also feed upon the slugs as they are slow and provide a wonderful source of nourishment (live flesh).
Pg.205: Habitat: Thrall Sea Serpents coexist with Lemurians and fight alongside them. They are wherever Lemurians are found, especially among their cities, gardens and outposts. Home is in the ocean, and they can be found in any of Earth's oceans and occasionally, on land along coastal regions and deep lakes. A number have gone wild and inhabit remote parts of the Pacific Rim and Indian Ocean.
Tiger Serpent - These magnificent sea serpents are presumed to be creatures from another dimension, though there are some ancient Indian and Chinese myths that suggest they could originate on Earth.
Coalition Wars 6: Final Siege, pg.73 wrote:Chatterlings are a rare and mysterious breed of serpent who have appeared, off and on, throughout Rifts Earth. If they can be said to be relatively plentiful anywhere in the world, it would be India and parts of Southeast Asia. Why, is unknown. The creatures claim they like the jungle environment, yet they seem most at home among humanoids and love civilization where they can engage in politics, crime, and skullduggery.
And it's done, whew! Work in progress this one.
Edit: added the Ramen reference, since they are present in Turkey AND India both.
Edit2: Just noticed i had previously skipped the War on Tolkeen series in my search for country citations.
Going to backtrack through previously visited countries a little before advancing with Albania & Bulgaria, my bad.