UPDATE: Wow you guys! I'm kinda blown away by the interest everyone has show. When I threw that post up last night, it was purely just to gauge interest in the world I had created. I figured maybe one or two people would respond but I never expected so many. Thank you all for taking the time to read about my setting and for your enthusiasm to play in it!

Because of the overwhelming interest I'm going to start building out the world, rules and adventure better so it will fit a PbP game. I'm not sure how long it will take me but I'm hoping maybe a few weeks to a month. But I'm writing down everyone's usernames who commented or messaged me expressing interest so when I do launch the actual game here, I will personally ping every one of you so you don't miss your chance to throw your hat in the ring.

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Aloha, adventurers! I am a long-time DM and native Hawaiian looking to see if there is any interest in a Play-by-Post (PbP) campaign set in a world I’ve spent years crafting: Nāmoku Nahā, The Shattered Isles.

This world was originally created as a teaching tool for my children to learn the language and live through the legends and stories I grew up with. But I've put so much time and effort into creating it that I'm curious to see if others would be interested in playing an adventure in such a setting.

The Setting: Nāmoku Nahā (The Shattered Isles)

Centuries ago, a great upheaval shattered a massive progenitor island into a ring of six distinct archipelagos. Today, Nāmoku Nahā is a realm of deep division. Left to their own devices, the island groups exist in a tumultuous balance. Some islands crave war and conquest, while others seek peace, all while powerful kahuna (priests) and aliʻi (chiefs) maneuver for political dominance.

But for four months of the year, the weapons of war are kapu, strictly forbidden. This is the Makahiki season, a sacred time of peace, harvest, and games that test both strength and skill.

Your journey begins on Honoʻonāʻaliʻi (The Bay of Chiefs). Usually a bustling metropolitan hub, the starting island has exploded into a vibrant, multi-cultural spectacle. For the festival, visitors from every corner of the Shattered Isles (and even travelers from the distant islands beyond) have gathered to celebrate. Here, ancient legends and traditions are told and kept with deep reverence and awe.

Yet, beneath the festival's joy, an unsettling current runs deep. A quiet panic is brewing just under the surface, spoken of only in hushed whispers. The kahuna are receiving dark, fragmented omens in their rituals, and across the bay, families whisper of ancestral ʻaumakua appearing in dreams not with blessings, but with urgent, fearful warnings. The land itself feels heavy, as if holding its breath. Everyone can sense that something has gone terribly wrong, a shifting of the tides that threatens to break the sacred peace before the season ends. 

What Makes This World Unique?

Nāmoku Nahā is not your standard European high-fantasy setting. It follows several unique environmental and cultural rules:

• No Metal: Because the islands lack naturally occurring metallic ore, traditional metal armor, shields, and weapons do not exist. Instead, the finest tools and highest-status martial weapons are carved from stone, bone, dense wood, razor-sharp shark teeth, or volcanic obsidian. 
• Rare Magic: While everyone believes in the unseen powers, spirits, and demigods, actual displays of powerful magics are quite rare. Public displays of magic may be met with either awe or fear by the common folk.
• No Written Language: There is no paper or script in the islands. Histories and knowledge are preserved through ʻoli (chants) and kiʻi (glyphs) carved into stone, wood, or bone.
• Mana & Magic: In Hawaiian culture, mana refers to spiritual energy, life force, or divine power that exists within all things. It is a fundamental concept representing an invisible energy that connects us all and is more like “the force” in Star Wars than magic in D&D. Because of this, the use of magic in this setting has been drastically changed.
• ʻAumakua: Within the islands the barrier between the living and the dead is remarkably thin. The ancient families here are watched over by ʻaumakua, ancestral guardian spirits who manifest as animals. These sacred ancestors protect their worthy descendants through warnings, advice, and when necessary...through violence.
• Kapu (Sacred Taboos):  Society and magic are governed by the Kapu System, strict, divinely enforced laws that dictate what is sacred, forbidden, or dangerous. Violating a Kapu isn't just a legal crime, it is a spiritual violation that can instantly anger local spirits, strip a character of their spellcasting capabilities, or mark them as cursed until a ritual of cleansing is performed.

A Note on Cultural Themes & Inclusivity

To my Polynesian brothers and sisters: While Nāmoku Nahā is inspired by the breathtaking vastness and diverse cultures of greater Polynesia, I want to be upfront about my background and perspective. I am just a Hawaiian boy from Hawaiʻi, and that is the home, language, and culture I know best.

My ultimate goal in creating this homebrew setting has always been to bring Polynesian culture, legends, and mythology to the forefront of the hobby I love, and to tell the tales of OUR peoples. However, because I am writing from my own experience, you will find that much of the world-building, from the names of islands and NPCs to the underlying worldviews, lore, and legend, relies heavily on Hawaiian traditions and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (the Hawaiian language).

Although I am blessed to have tons of friends from all across Polynesia, my knowledge of the specific legends, stories, and languages of the other islands is still sparse. I want to be as inclusive, respectful, and mindful of all Polynesian cultures as possible. If any other Polynesians would like to collaborate on bringing your people, languages, and stories into this world, I would absolutely love the opportunity to do so!

And if I ever misstep, misrepresent, or inadvertently offend, please know that was never my intention, and I humbly apologize in advance. I am always open to respectful feedback so if I have misrepresented or cast any other island group or people in a negative light, please let me know so I can fix it as soon as possible.

To my kānaka maoli: Also, I want to be entirely transparent: I am by no means a Hawaiian scholar or completely fluent in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. I am very much a lifelong student, continuously learning and reconnecting. On the off chance that there are any other kānaka in this community who speak the language fluently or are more deeply versed in our legends, culture, and vocabulary, I would absolutely love to connect. I would welcome your insight and would be thrilled to collaborate with you to make this world even more authentic.